Motor Mix Interface

The CM Automation Motor Mix Digital Mixer Worksurface can be used with any AudioBox running firmware versions V675 (model 1616HD) or T241 (model AB1616) or higher.

The documentation on this page is available for download in .pdf format (121K):

Download Motor Mix Interface Document in .pdf format

Contents

Using the Motor Mix Digital Mixer Worksurface

with the Richmond Sound Design AudioBox

MIDI Connections:

Plug the Motor Mix MIDI OUT to the AudioBox MIDI IN, and AudioBox MIDI OUT to the Motor Mix MIDI IN.

Activating the AudioBox to Motor Mix Interface

The Motor Mix 'Pro Tools mode' must be off. Pressing PLAY and ESCAPE toggles Pro Tools mode on and off.

When first turned on, the AudioBox is in a generic MIDI fader mode with respect to incoming MIDI continuous controller messages. To activate the AudioBox Motor Mix interface, with both units powered on and interconnected as above, press the "Escape" button. This switches the AudioBox into Motor Mix mode. The Motor Mix Worksurface will respond immediately, updating indicators with the current AudioBox settings. (The AudioBox must be rebooted to restore generic MIDI fader mode.) If the AudioBox is already in Motor Mix mode, pressing the "Escape" button forces a refresh of the Motor Mix indicators. This would be used, for example, if the Motor Mix were powered off and back on while the AudioBox remained powered on.

To work properly with the Motor Mix, it is essential that MIDI-MIDI echo be OFF in the Audiobox. MIDI-MIDI echo is a setting that causes the incoming MIDI data to be echoed to the MIDI out port of the Audiobox. MIDI-MIDI echo is off when an AudioBox is powered on. The MIDI-MIDI echo setting can be switched on or off in the following ways: via a SET MIDI ECHO command from a control program , via a SET MIDI ECHO command within a cue (possibly the setup cue) in a show running on the AudioBox, or as a default setting in the header of a show. Default show settings are activated whenever a show is opened. If a particular show has been designated the default show, it is opened automatically when the Audiobox is powered on. If difficulties are encountered getting a Motor Mix to work with the Audiobox, ensure that the default show is not turning MIDI-MIDI echo on.

Motor Mix Control Groupings:

Controls on the Motor Mix Worksurface are arranged in a number of control groups. Please refer to the "Motor Mix Worksurface Layout" drawing, the last page of this document. At the top of the unit is a two-line 40 character LCD display. There is a two digit LED display in the upper right corner (showing "P1" in the drawing), with a detented rotary controller below it. The upper left corner contains the VIEW controls (Left, Right, Bank and Group buttons). Immediately below the VIEW controls is the REC/RDY group (dark background), which includes the function A, B & C buttons and a row of channel buttons. The four "effect" pushbuttons on the right, along with the channel buttons above the REC/RDY buttons form the FX/BYPS group. There is a row of rotary pots above the FX/BYPS buttons, and above the rotary pots is a row of SELECT pushbuttons. Below the REC/RDY pushbuttons are the SOLO and MUTE pushbuttons. The lower half of the unit contain the motorized faders and on each side, a column of special purpose pushbuttons. All pushbuttons can be illuminated as appropriate. Not all controls on the Motor Mix Worksurface are active at all times. In general, when buttons are pressed, if they do something in the current mode, they either light up and stay lit (or go off if they were already on), or they flash momentarily to indicate that something did occur.

Interface Modes:

The AudioBox Motor Mix interface is always in one of seven modes: INPUT, OUTPUT, CROSSPOINT, DELAY, PLAYBACK, SHOW or SUBMASTER. When first activated, the interface is in SUBMASTER mode. The attached Function Matrix shows which controls are active, and what they control, in each mode. The current mode is selected by the function A, B, and C buttons (in the "REC/RDY" group) and the "group" button in the VIEW section. Each of the three function buttons has two mode and two LEDs associated with it; pushing a button activates a mode and turns on one of the LEDs associated with that button. Pressing the button again toggles between the two modes (toggling the LEDs) associated with that button. Pressing the "group" button will put the Control Surface into SUBMASTER mode. The current mode will also be indicated in the LED above the rotary control.

View Controls:

The Motor Mix Control Surface View controls are used to map ("scroll" horizontally) the 16 input and output channels and the 32 submasters onto the eight vertical control strips on the Motor Mix (except in SHOW mode). If the "Bank" button is activated, pressing the right and left arrow buttons move the channels / submasters in banks of eight, otherwise the view moves by one channel (or submaster) per arrow keypress. Input channel numbers ("I1" through "I16") are displayed in the first row of the LCD in the INPUT and PLAYBACK modes. Output channel numbers ("O1" through "O16") are displayed in the first row of the LCD in the OUTPUT and CROSSPOINT modes. In the DELAY mode, both input and output channels are are mapped, with output channels to the right of input channels. (Scrolling with the right arrow will bring output channels into view, scrolling with the left arrow will bring input channels into view.) Scroll position is maintained for each mode; switching to another mode and then back restores the previous scroll position for the original mode. In SUBMASTER mode, submaster numbers ("S1" through "S32") are displayed in the first row of the LCD display. In SHOW mode, the "Bank" and the right and left arrow buttons are used differently; see the SHOW mode section below.

Button Assignments Common to all Modes:

The mute and solo buttons control the channel's mute and solo settings in the INPUT, OUTPUT, CROSSPOINT, DELAY, and PLAYBACK modes. They are inactive in SUBMASTER and SHOW modes. In all modes, the show control ALL_OFF command is performed by the SUSPEND button (to the left of the faders), the SUSPEND button lights up. The show control RESTORE command is performed by pressing the SUSPEND button again (which turns out the light). In all modes, pressing the ENTER button GOs the standby cue in all open lists. In all modes, the show control RESET command is performed by holding the SHIFT key and pressing the DEFAULT button. In all modes, holding the SHIFT key and pressing the ALL button will turn on all input, output and diagonal crosspoint levels, creating a unity gain channel from input 1 to output 1, input 2 to output 2, etc. In all modes, holding the SHIFT key and pressing the WINDOW button will turn off all input, output and crosspoint levels.

INPUT, OUTPUT and CROSSPOINT Modes:

In these modes , the motorized faders indicate the current input, output or crosspoint levels and control the current levels when moved (except when setting up an Auto-Pan, as described below). The current gain level is displayed on the second row of the LCD display (except when setting an Auto-Pan time, as described below). The first row of the LCD displays input channel numbers (e.g. "I9") in INPUT mode and output channel numbers (e.g. "O9") in OUTPUT mode . In CROSSPOINT mode, output channel numbers are displayed in the first row of the LCD (as in OUTPUT mode) and the detented rotary encoder is used to set the current crosspoint row (i.e. matrix input channel) (1..16), which is displayed on the LED above the rotary control. A number on the LED implies CROSSPOINT mode (other modes display letter combinations on the LED, e.g. "IP" for INPUT).

The FX/BYPS buttons are used in setting an Auto-Pan time. Normally, the current gain level is displayed on the second row of the LCD display. When a FX/BYPS button is pressed, it lights up and the second row of the LCD display changes to display just the Auto-Pan time for that channel. (Only one FX/BYPS button is lit at a time.) The time is displayed in hours, minutes, seconds and frames (24 frame/second). The first time the FX/BYPS button is pressed, the hours field may be changed using the rotary controller. Pressing the FX/BYPS button again allows the minutes field to be changed, then the seconds field and then the frames field. Pressing the FX/BYPS button then puts the display back to normal. When an FX/BYPS button is lit and the time edit fields are visible, pressing another FX/BYPS button opens the second channel for editing and copies the time from the first channel to the second channel. This may be used to set multiple channels to the same Auto-Pan time. The Auto-Pan ramp type is set by the REC/RDY button. If the button is lit the ramp will be exponential, if not lit the ramp will be table-driven. (Note that this ramp type is specific to the Motor Mix interface and does not reflect the setting of ramp type in a control program, i.e. ABEdit.)

An Auto-Pan (gain level ramp) can be set on an input, output or crosspoint by pressing the SELECT button for that channel in the appropriate mode (the SELECT button lights up and stays lit), setting a new level on the fader (the gain level does not change until the ramp is started) and then pressing SELECT again, which starts the Auto-Pan (and turns off the button light). The ramp time is displayed in the second row of the LCD, and may be modified as described below either before or after the channel is selected. The fader will immediately return to its original position and move to the new position in the ramp time set. It is possible to program multiple Auto-Pans by selecting the channels and setting the fade times and the target levels one by one, and then starting all the Auto-Pans simultaneously by pressing the rotary encoder knob.

DELAY Mode:

In DELAY mode, the delay for each input and output channel is displayed in milliseconds on the second row of the LCD display, and is controlled by the rotary pot. The FX/BYPS buttons control the delay enables. If delay is enabled for a channel, the button will be lit up. Pressing the button will disable delay for that channel and turn off the button light. The motorized faders control the input and output channel levels.

PLAYBACK Mode:

In PLAYBACK mode, input channels are displayed in the first row of the LCD, and the selection where the channel's current playback position is located is displayed in the second row of the LCD. The motorized faders control input channel levels. The SELECT buttons are used with the detented rotary encoder to make an audio selection. Pressing a SELECT button selects the channel to be loaded (only one SELECT button is on at a time). Rotating the encoder selects the audio selection to be loaded (the selection number blinks). Pressing the encoder knob loads the selection. Playback on a channel can be started and stopped using the FX/BYPS button for that channel, which lights when the channel is playing back. The PLAY and STOP buttons to the right of the faders send null playback GO and null playback STOP commands.

SUBMASTER Mode:

In SUBMASTER mode, the faders control and indicate the submaster gain and zero levels. The SELECT and the mute and solo buttons are inactive. The individual submasters are labeled "S1" through "S32". The rightmost fader (to the right of "S32") is the submaster zero fader, labeled "ZERO". The submaster zero fader sets the zero level (no gain cut or boost) for all submasters. The zero level is typically set near the middle of the range to allow for both gain cut and boost. Pressing a REC/RDY button will set a submaster to the current zero level. The submaster gain is controlled by the rotary encoder, and displayed in the second digit of the encoder LED as follows:

S0: 0.75 dB change every four submaster amplitude steps
S1: 0.75 dB change every two submaster amplitude steps
S2: 0.75 dB change every submaster amplitude step (default)
S3: 1.50 dB change every submaster amplitude step

SHOW Mode:

In SHOW mode, the faders control submaster gain and zero levels, the same as in SUBMASTER mode. The mute, solo and BANK buttons are inactive. There are three types of LCD screen in SHOW mode: the OPEN screen, the LIST/PATH screen, and the CUE screens (one for each currently open list). The right and left arrow keys are used to move between the fields of the OPEN screen, the LIST/PATH screen, and the CUE screens. Conceptually, the LIST/PATH screen is to the right of the OPEN screen, and the CUE screens are to the right of the LIST/PATH screen. The SELECT buttons can also be used to navigate between the CUE screens, as described below.

On the OPEN screen there are fields for show, list and path. The OPEN screen looks something like this:

SHOW: 55 LIST: 127 PATH: 123
    open               open

The number field that is blinking can be changed using the rotary encoder. If the show number displayed is the open show on the AudioBox, "open" appears below the show number. If the blinking field is the show number, when the encoder knob is pressed the show is opened. If a show is already open, opening another show closes the first show and opens the new one. Pressing the right and left arrow buttons (in the VIEW group) moves the blinking field. The list and path fields are only available if a show is open. If the list and path displayed is open on the AudioBox, "open" appears below the path number. If a list is not open, pressing the encoder knob with either the list or path field blinking opens that list and path. Up to eight (model AB1616) or two (model 1616HD) lists may be open on the AudioBox at one time. If a list is already open, pressing the encoder knob with either the list or path field blinking closes that list.

Pressing the right arrow button when the blinking cursor is on the path number scrolls the display to the LIST/PATH display screen.

The LIST/PATH screen displays all of the currently open lists. The list numbers are displayed in the first row of the LCD (e.g. "L127") and the path numbers currently open in that list are displayed below the list numbers in the second row (e.g. "P123"). The LIST/PATH screen looks something like this:

L127 L12 L55 L8
P123 P5  P45 P45

Pressing the SELECT button below the list brings up the CUE screen for that list (if not open, the CUE screen is blank). Pressing the right arrow button while on the LIST/PATH screen brings up the CUE screen for the first open list. Pressing the left arrow button returns the OPEN screen.

The CUE screen looks something like this:

L27  01:45:23 145.12.1
P123 01:45:35 171.1.22

This displays, on the first row, the list number (27), the current list clock at 1 hour, 45 minutes and 23 seconds and the last cue to GO: 145.12.1. The second row shows the path number (123), the time at which the standby cue will GO (1 hour, 45 minutes and 35 seconds) and the standby cue number 171.1.22. Pressing the REC/RDY button GOs the standby cue in the list that is open in that control strip. Pressing the ENTER button GOs the standby cue in all open lists. Rotating the encoder knob selects any cue in the currently open path for loading to standby (the selected cue number and time blinks). Pressing the encoder knob loads the selected cue to standby. (To return the display to the standby cue without loading a cue to standby, press the lit SELECT button twice.)

From a CUE screen, pressing the lit SELECT button returns to the LIST/PATH screen, while pressing an unlit SELECT button brings up the CUE screen for that list (if not open, the CUE screen is blank). Pressing the right arrow button while on a CUE screen scrolls to the CUE screen for the next open list to the right. Pressing the left arrow button scrolls to the next open list to the left, and scrolls to the LIST/PATH screen when on the leftmost open list.

Pressing the FX/BYPS button for a list will stop a running list clock (LED goes off) or start a stopped list clock (LED goes on) for that list. The STOP button to the right of the faders will stop the list clock in all open lists (in all modes except PLAYBACK). The PLAY button to the right of the faders will start the list clock in all open lists (in all modes except PLAYBACK). The NEXT button to the right of the faders advances the standby cue in the selected list (STANDBY + command). The LAST button moves the standby cue back one cue in the selected list (STANDBY - command). If no list is selected (all SELECT LEDs off), the NEXT and LAST buttons send STANDBY + and STANDBY - commands to all open lists.

We recommend the following procedure for a standard pre-show check: connect the Motor Mix to the AudioBox and power up as described above, press escape to activate the interface, confirm the submaster mode settings look correct, go down through each of the interface modes modes verifying normal settings, ending in show mode. Verify that everything appears as expected: the correct show, list and paths are open, the correct cue is in standby and the list clocks are either running or not running as expected.