JCC1996 Posted December 7, 2012 Share Posted December 7, 2012 Hi, I was running sound for a primary school show this week and I found, not so much a problem, just an inconvenience... I was running the mics, keeping an eye on the cast and making sure they were in the right place, relaying to backstage AND running QLab for the backing tracks and SFX, so I had a lot going on. The trouble was that I was concerned about hitting the spacebar accurately, sounds silly, but in the heat of the moment it felt all to easy to miss the key and mess up a cue. So I was wondering if there was anything people use to trigger QLab? I've had a look at the Korg Nanopad (on the hardware page of the figure53 wiki) and it seems good, but a bit OTT for what I want- which is basically a big, USB spacebar! Any suggestions? Thanks Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dj Dunc Posted December 7, 2012 Share Posted December 7, 2012 I am developing something at present which is quite advanced for what you want, albeit perhaps not as soon as you would like! I am planning a budget model which would be perfect for your application and designed for exactly the same reason. Unfortunately it'll be about 8-12 months away. Having issues with funding and thus circuitry development. In the mean time, you can look at the various DJ controllers as well as perhaps a USB keypad for laptops and put tape over the particular key? cheers Duncan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JCC1996 Posted December 7, 2012 Author Share Posted December 7, 2012 Dj controllers do seem to be the way to go at the moment, I just can't believe there is not an assignable usb button out there!! (or at least not that I can find!) Please keep me updated on your progress as I may well be interested once your plan comes to fruition. Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dj Dunc Posted December 7, 2012 Share Posted December 7, 2012 There is stuff like this around http://widgeteering.com/store/products/qwidgetusb/ as well as hundreds of home brews. Another solution is a midi-> switch closure relay box, then midi into the mac via a USB-midi, or you can use the MIDI inputs if available on your soundcard for the show. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JCC1996 Posted December 7, 2012 Author Share Posted December 7, 2012 That looks great, but well out of my price range at the moment :( Do the midi options require the midi license? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dj Dunc Posted December 7, 2012 Share Posted December 7, 2012 Yep unfortunately, though you can rent them for as little as £1.50 a day. If you can get whatever item to run via keyboard presses, you can trigger QLab via those. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JCC1996 Posted December 7, 2012 Author Share Posted December 7, 2012 Would this do the job? http://www.usbbutton.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Edwards Posted December 7, 2012 Share Posted December 7, 2012 If you have confidence you can use any old or new cheap USB keyboard to make your own. Take one apart and you will find two membranes with embedded circuitry leading from each key location. These two membranes run back to their own socket with about a dozen pins each. When you press a key, you complete a circuit between a single point from each membrane. If you trace back through the maze you can work out which two pins are responsible for space. You'll notice that a number of keys are linked on each membrane to cleverly avoid having to wire each key individually back to the controller. At this point you could check that you were correct by plugging the USB in and shorting the two pins.Unplug the membrane after taking note of the correct points on the socket and remove the main controller board. They are usually quite small so it should be quite easy to find a small box to put it in. Then you can connect any sized button to the two identified points and you have your very own big GO button. The sockets are quite narrow and just take the super slim membrane so you may need to desolder the socket and solder the button to the, now easier to access, points on the circuit board. You could also use the same process to find a few other useful keys like load, pause or up and down and make your very own controller with several buttons. It is possible to run both a full keyboard and the modified one at the same time. Edit: Typo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JCC1996 Posted December 7, 2012 Author Share Posted December 7, 2012 If you have confidence you can use any old or new cheap USB keyboard to make your own. Take one apart and you will find two membranes with embedded circuitry leading from each key location. These two membranes run back to their own socket with about a dozen pins each. When you press a key, you complete a circuit between a single point from each membrane. If you trace back through the maze you can work out which two pins are responsible for space. You'll notice that a number of keys are linked on each membrane to cleverly avoid having to wire each key individually back to the controller. At this point you could check that you were correct by plugging the USB in and shorting the two pins.Unplug the membrane after taking note of the correct points on the socket and remove the main controller board. They are usually quite small so it should be quite easy to find a small box to put it in. Then you can connect any sized button to the two identified points and you have your very own big GO button. The sockets are quite narrow and just take the super slim membrane so you may need to desolder the socket and solder the button to the, now easier to access, points on the circuit board. You could also use the same process to find a few other useful keys like load, pause or up and down and make your very own controller with several buttons. It is possible to run both a full keyboard and the modified one at the same time. Edit: Typo Having never seen the inside of a usb keyboard I'm not sure I follow you, but the price of them it might just be worth a go! Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heapsy Posted December 8, 2012 Share Posted December 8, 2012 Would this do the job? http://www.usbbutton.com Anyone got any experience of these? They look really helpful for this sort if thing, especially with the RGB colour changing to give some visual feedback.Once programmed on a PC would it work on a mac? I can't see any reason why it wouldn't... Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonny_av Posted December 8, 2012 Share Posted December 8, 2012 Hi Mark, We bought 3 with the intention of providing students with a green button for go, a red for stop and another one for pause (I forget the colour). It started badly- you can't install the config software on macs so I had to install it on a pc, configure the button and then plug it in the mac. It looked good- it was green - then whatever colour I fancied when pressed. However- these buttons are completely unusable. Despite paying £20 per button or whatever it is- it is clear that the button cost pittance to make. Terrible build quality, really clunky- and worst of all, hitting the button would activate the cue probably once in every 4 or 5 presses. Trust me, avoid like the plague. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JCC1996 Posted December 8, 2012 Author Share Posted December 8, 2012 Okay, thanks for the feedback. I very nearly bought one of them, but I don't think I will be now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Edwards Posted December 8, 2012 Share Posted December 8, 2012 The ever useful Qlab/Figure53 forum is your friend. :) Clicky Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JCC1996 Posted December 8, 2012 Author Share Posted December 8, 2012 Fantastic! Thanks, I think that is what I'll do! I actually have another question! If you look at the linked box on the QLab forum, what do you call the thing that seals the hole where the USB cable comes out? Is is a cable boot? (or have I made that up?) Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dj Dunc Posted December 8, 2012 Share Posted December 8, 2012 That would be a cable gland. Normally AFAIK, we use "gland" for something that comes out of a box and is fixed to the inside, with a strain relief. A "cable boot" is more for trailing cables such as XLRs which cover the rear of the connector, and have a gland built into them. Something like this http://www.maplin.co.uk/cable-exit-gland-with-sleeve-1792 would suit your purpose. Others are available and from many sources. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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