tttapa
commented
3 years ago The new-input feature branch has improved MIDI Input Elements, so you could do most of that manually without too much hassle. Basically, you just instantiate an MCU::VU object, and then you can the getDirty() and clearDirty() methods to inspect and clear the “dirty” flag, which allows you to know when the value changed. Then you can use the getValue() method to get the VU meter value and use that to write to a PWM pin.
MCU::VU vu(1); // VU meter for the first track
const uint8_t pwmpin = 13;
void setup() {
Control_Surface.begin();
}
void loop() {
Control_Surface.loop();
if (vu.getDirty()) {
analogWrite(pwmpin, 255 * vu.getValue() / 12);
vu.clearDirty();
}
}Alternatively, you can implement your own class for PWM, have a look at the VULEDs class for inspiration. I think you only have to change the begin() and updateDisplay() methods, and remove the VULEDsDriver class from the inheritance list.
Personally, I think that driving an LM3915 using this method is a bad idea. You already have the digital values of the VU meter, so converting it to a PWM signal, then adding a low-pass filter to get an analog voltage, and then converting it to a digital LED meter again using the LM3915 is just unnecessarily complex, you'll have to make sure that the levels match, etc. I'd just use a digital LED driver directly. Many LED drivers have just a shift register input, so they are supported out of the box using the VULEDs class and the SPIShiftRegisterOut class.
The FastLED versions of the VU and VPot classes are not something that I have planned at the moment, because I think that's something that's best handled by the user him/herself. This is easy enough using the same technique as the code snipped above for the VU PWM output. This gives the user full control over which LEDs to use, which colors to use, etc. I don't really like the design of the custom color mappers and index permuters that are used for the NoteFastLED classes (https://tttapa.github.io/Control-Surface-doc/new-input/Doxygen/d9/d6d/10_8Note-FastLED-ColorMapper_8ino-example.html), I think it's too complicated to be useful, and still not flexible enough for many use cases.
74HC165 support is something that I intend to add eventually, but I'll have to order some so I can test it. Personally, I prefer using multiplexers, because the 74HC165 requires a pull-up resistor on each input pin, whereas a multiplexer can just use a single pull-up internal to the microcontroller.
oscarosky
Jhenesson
Hi Pieter, Some time ago I used your MIDI_controller library in a project and I became interested in Control Surface and the possibility of including motorized faders (I put that aside for a while). I have recently reviewed it again and I have seen a lot of progress.
Really great!
Your current Control Surface library allows many different combinations to customize a controller and I am very grateful to you for sharing it.
In order to expand these possibilities and also simplify the design of my circuit, I would be very happy if I could:
Excuse me if these things are already possible with Control Surface but I have not known how to do it.
The first question (VULEDPWM) would use it to illuminate led bars using LM3914 or LM3915.
The second (VUFastLED) would allow you to fully customize the vumet bridge just like DAWs.
The third (VPotRingFastLED) would greatly simplify the design of a `Rotary Encoder LED Ring´ and things would be possible such as using color codes depending on the parameter assigned to it.
Cheers