Das Ortofo Version 2

Das Ortofo V2 is a nice tool to use the Behringer BCF2000 fadercontroller with a GrandMa lighting desk. It gives you the functionality of using motorfaders and supports all the Elements of the BCF2000 to be used with GrandMA (onPC).

Here is a video to demonstrate its functionality:

I’ve built version 1 a few years ago and since then have been asked a lot of times about the possibility for USB support and whether I’m selling them.

Good news: Das Ortofo now supports native midi over USB. Furthermore did I build a batch of 10 devices which are all for sale (September 2010). Contact me if you want to get one.

The following diagram shows how everything is connected (click for larger image):

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Das Ortofo Version 1

This one might be interesting for all you GrandMa onPC users out there. Those who are operating a GrandMa Micro or Pico and are missing the motorfaders of the fullsize console might also benefit from it. Das Ortofo is a hardware-based midi processor especially designed for controlling the motorfaders of a Behringer BCF2000 and sending the corresponding MIDI-data to the GrandMA lighting desk.

[Update 30.9.2010: I’ve built a new version which natively supports USB and which is for sale. Find it over here .]

The Video says it all:

[tube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QmLDfRrPaw&feature=player_embedded[/tube]

 

Beautiful, isn’t it?

By having a look at the next pictures you should easily be able to find out where the name is derived from….

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ArtNet to Midi

This one might become a l i t t l e bit special.

As most of you should know by now I am not only a specialiolo(lo)gist (for everything) but also one astonishing (specialiolo(lo)logic) lightjockey – at least in my second life on most of my weekends.

When LJ’ing I use the the GrandMa Lighting Desk most of the times. Sometimes I’m lucky and get to work with a hardware unit but most of the times I have to stick to the PC version with a Midi-Keyboard attached. So far so good / bad. Over the last years I came across some things that might be better. Like Midi output. Talking about GrandMA it IS possible but kind of limited and a huge amount of time is killed when taking care about Midi programming. (Those of you who are familiar with the GrandMa might argue pro and con. Others might just not know what I’m talking about…just read on.)

Trying to find a universal way to get Midi Signals out of my lighting desk I wrote a nice little ArtNet-to-Midi Converter. that way I can get Midi out of my lighting desk without even thinking about it.

The (Windows-) tool acts like an ArtNet Node (just like the one from Enttec , for example). The important part: the received ArtNet data are translated into Midi Values. The first 128 DMX channels (1..128) are translated into Midi CCs. DMX channels 129…255 are translated into pulsed Midi outputs (note on .. wait a few miliseconds .. note off) starting at C-1. That’s basically about it.

The software has some cool side-features like settings being saved in the registry ‘n stuff but like every program it’s still not complete (DMX in, Midi out indicators not working yet). But worth the effort. The basic Midi-IO is handled via MidiOX, again.

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Wochenende 1

Das leben als doktor andy ist etwas wunderbares. es fuehrt einen an die tollsten orte der welt – oder zumindest die tollsten orte von osnabrueck. oder zumindest an unterschiedliche orte von osnabrueck. also mindestens zwei. zuhause und abbeit.

aber weil beruf auch immer berufung ist, bin ich froh, dass mein doktortitel die tueren zu allen nur erdenklichen traumjobs (…) oeffnet. tagsueber bin ich sysadmin und betreue eine citrix- (c!tr0xx-) farm. fuer viele sicher die langweiligste erfindung seit es tagesthemen gibt. fuer andere sehr geil, weil…hacken fuer kohle (ach ja: aua). aber was tut man nicht alles als
…a a a a a a r r r r z t .
www.karmann.com

[Update Januar 2012]

Den Laden (Karmann) gibt’s mittlerweile nicht mehr. Insolvenz Mitte 2011. Mich hat’s nach Hamburg verschlagen. Für den Fall, daß die alten Kollegen hier mal vorbeikommen: Macht einen großen, einen sehr sehr großen Bogen um mich =).

[/Update]

am wochenende bin ich “licht-ereignis-gestalter” (irre, oder?) in deutschlands (also zumindest osnabruecks) offiziell bester disko (auh mann…wenn das einer liest…). geile sache, weil “eyh kollege, wenn du heute noch f*cken willst musste mal ‘n bisschen freundlicher werden” ..vielen dank, fremdes, betrunkenes maedchen….. okayokay..und weil’s dann ja doch ohne bilder irgendwie langweilig wird, hier nun die blitzhaft festgehaltenen verwerfungen der realitaet in all ihrer grausamkeit…

ich gaube fest daran, dass unser fotomann mich nicht mag, anders laesst sich vieles nicht erklaeren.
wenigstens hat er ‘ne handvoll guter schuesse gemacht.

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