[QLab] One Button Keyboard

[AFAFR...@aol.com]

Hi everyone,

 

my technician has very limited space and i am looking for a "buzzer" like Keyboard that would

be the "cue" trigger.

Anyone knows of a "three button" keyboard that would be a good solution to have a "Cue" "cancel" button ?

 

marian

[Greg Bierly]

> Anyone knows of a "three button" keyboard that would be a good
> solution to have a "Cue" "cancel" button ?

The first thing that comes to mind is http://www.artlebedev.com/everything/optimus-mini/

I have never used one and the website currently says "sold out"
Also be prepared for sticker shock!

Greg

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[*]

Midi Solutions F8 (they go for less than $100 on ebay occasionally)
& a few arcade type push buttons.

Not free or even cheap but a solid option.

If you want an off the shelf option, JLCooper MCS2-Midi is relatively
small (about 4"x8") & allows for PAUSE ALL, UNPAUSE ALL, RESET ALL. STOP,
STOP ALL, PLAY, FF & RR. And since each push button can be used for any
trigger purpose, you could set up things like, GO preshow & FADE preshow
in addition to GO & such so for it can be customized for each shows needs.

Need a telephone ring. PHONE GO / PHONE STOP along with GO...

I've got two MS2-Midi being used in theaters with 0 issues.

You can buy a "new" but called "refurbished" one from their store for
around $250. Keep in mind that since it's midi based, you can also use it
if & when you add a backup rig. Split the midi signal & both Qlab rigs
will track perfectly.

Maybe too big for your needs though,

*

[Richard B. Ingraham]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: qlab-b...@lists.figure53.com [mailto:qlab-
> bou...@lists.figure53.com] On Behalf Of *
> Sent: Monday, August 16, 2010 12:24 PM
> To: Discussion and support for QLab users.
> Subject: Re: [QLab] One Button Keyboard
>
> I've got two MS2-Midi being used in theaters with 0 issues.

I might have just run into a lemon, I don't know. But I put one of these
into a dual SFX rig (based on your positive remarks in fact.. :-)) and it's
had a number of issues. It has triggered cues while no one was touching it,
being the biggest issue. And after spending a lot of time digging, No.. it
wasn't an SFX issue. Some of the problems were SFX related and those should
be/are being fixed. But even after that my client still had some issues
with it.

Or course, I could never get it to act up when I was on site. :-)

The only thing we could contribute it to was heat/humidity issues.

Richard B. Ingraham
RBI Computers and Audio
http://www.rbicompaudio.20m.com

[*]

Hi Richard,

Some clarification for you & the list,

I'm using one of the two devices I mentioned with Qlab which is where most
of my experience has been (2 years of use). No issues.

While I have reported on this list (Qlab) my positive experience with the
device, I don't recall ever recommending the JLC MCS2- Midi for use with
SFX because until the last 6 months, I had no experience with it. I also
wouldn't presume there would be any issues automatically.

But here are my results.

With Qlab 1 / 2, no issues ever.

With SFX 5.6, no issues but we only used it for a few shows before we
migrated to SFX 6 & I only set up FF, RR, PLAY & STOP.

With SFX 6, depending on whether the OPTION button is used in combination
with another button, SFX crashes. It crashes whether it's capturing a midi
trigger stream or just if it's used at all.

I don't blame the JLC for this. It could be simply because the JLC outputs
3 different types of midi messages with each push button & SFX gets
confused or a buffer is overloaded, etc... I reported this issue to SR &
unless I've missed something don't recall any solution being offered.

I've just quit trying to use the OPTION (like a shift key) until further
notice.

I've had absolutely no "Ghost triggering" ever & I've had these systems
sit for weeks in the same space.

I'm not saying it's not possible but that I haven't witnessed it.

Note that I am not recommending this device for use with SFX but for Qlab
on the Qlab list.

I'm sorry to hear about your issues. I'm also sorry for whatever part I've
played in you using a MCS2 on a rig.

If someone has the budget. I would recommend the F8 & some military grade
push buttons every time now for some of the reasons already mentioned but
also because it's just a more flexible system.

Want a Go button at the tech table, another at the booth & another at the
bar? No problem. More push buttons & parallel the wires to the 1/4" jack.

Want a GO button for 24 different tracks, 3 x F8 & 24 buttons.

I own 4 F8s & I much prefer the "program each FSW input to be anything you
want than being stuck with MIDI channel 16 & pre decided midi commands as
the JLC is.

Some people aren't going to go to the trouble to build their own button
interface, wiring harness & program the F8. Not hard but not entirely
simple either.

In that case, I think the JLC MCS2-Midi is a good device for Qlab users.
The jury is still out on whether it's the right device for SFX users.

If you would like to pursue an investigation of whether of not the MCS2 IS
ghost triggering while no one is around, this could easily be done using
Bome's SendSX which can track midi messages coming & going.

http://www.bome.com/products/sendsx

Set it up to capture all midi messages when the system is just sitting.
When the operator comes in, see if there is any messages. If not, no ghost
trigger. If so, which message? That would isolate which push button is at
fault. This would make it possible to send it off to JLC & have it
serviced.

I had an experience recently where the SFX/LF/MCS2 rig was blamed for some
weird stuff happening during a show. Come to find out that the operator
(the SM) just didn't like being made to run the show & something was
always going wrong. Of course when the normal operator returns (after
being called in while on vacation) everything is fine again. I'm not
saying that someone is sabotaging your rig & blaming the MCS2 but stranger
things have happened:)

*

On Mon, August 16, 2010 11:47 am, Richard B. Ingraham wrote:
> I might have just run into a lemon, I don't know. But I put one of these
> into a dual SFX rig (based on your positive remarks in fact.. :-)) and
> it's
> had a number of issues. It has triggered cues while no one was touching
> it,
> being the biggest issue. And after spending a lot of time digging, No..
> it
> wasn't an SFX issue. Some of the problems were SFX related and those
> should
> be/are being fixed. But even after that my client still had some issues
> with it.
>
> Or course, I could never get it to act up when I was on site. :-)

[Steve Lalonde]

Have you ever thought of a foot pedal? 

[AFAFR...@aol.com]

i found something that acts like a "USB Keyboard" and would do exactly what i look for.

http://www.f-pro.de/

has Footpedal, Buzzer or Handbutton

They are programmed to whatever you need and will keep this in their Eprom - so it would

work on a MAC.

Just the Price is a little turn off.

Dont want to add another MIDI - a Keyboard like buzzer is what i want.

[raymond soly]

perhaps the griffin powermate.......http://www.griffintechnology.com/products/powermate  

R

[*]

Contour Design "ShuttleXpress"

http://retail.contourdesign.com/?/products/22

Maybe it's a simple matter of configuring the Contour configuration
software to mimic keystrokes & there for, easy to use with QLab.

Metric Halo has a video showing how to configure it for monitor control.
Maybe helpful, maybe not.

http://www.mhsecure.com/technotes/MC_Shuttle.html

*

[Patrik Wipp]

I have tried shuttle xpress it is not reliable,  the buttons is not exact enough and I had to throw it in the bin after two weeks of service.

Patrik Wipp

[AFAFR...@aol.com]

thanks for all the TIPs, i think the Griffin PowerMate will do exactly what i want, and i found

on AMAZON a Seller for 20 Bucks, worth the try.

 

[*]

Good to know Patrik.

This is why I lean toward military grade push buttons & an F8. Because I
still haven't found excuses to be of any value when dealing with producers
& directors:)

On Mon, August 16, 2010 6:08 pm, Patrik Wipp wrote:
> I have tried shuttle xpress it is not reliable, the buttons is not exact
> enough and I had to throw it in the bin after two weeks of service.

[Drew Dalzell]

I use the F8s a lot myself, I think I own 10 of them now.  However, be aware that they use 1/4 connections on the back which can go intermittent with a lot of plugging and unplugging.  I have had one develop this issue and tore it down and reseated and cleaned up all the connections and it's fine now.  I love them and use them a lot, I just wouldn't call them totally bulletproof.  I've been using them for 5 or 6 years now.

Drew

[*]

Agreed! And while on the subject of F8s, if you open one up, there is
little that can't be fixed with a decent soldering iron & some skill.

The PCB is basically (8) TS 1/4 jacks, a few electronic parts, an IC & an
LED. The box is basically empty.

I recently made the mistake of patching COMM into the midi port via an
unlabeled cable a HS teacher ran for me (using XLR to MIDI adapters to get
from FOH backstage). Even after letting the magic smoke out of the box, a
new IC & LED from Midi Solutions & it works again.

I've suggested to John Fast (Midi Solutions owner) that a new F8 might
include a DB25 output as well as the 1/4" jacks which would be pretty
handy:) It would also make it real easy to patch a F8 into a custom button
box. Andy Leviss was the one who first mentioned this...

*

On Mon, August 16, 2010 7:23 pm, Drew Dalzell wrote:
> I use the F8s a lot myself, I think I own 10 of them now. However, be
> aware that they use 1/4 connections on the back which can go intermittent
> with a lot of plugging and unplugging. I have had one develop this issue
> and tore it down and reseated and cleaned up all the connections and it's
> fine now. I love them and use them a lot, I just wouldn't call them
> totally bulletproof. I've been using them for 5 or 6 years now.

________________________________________________________

[Drew Dalzell]

I love to see almost any connector other than a 1/4 in the box. The contact patch on a 1/4 in connector is just laughable.

Drew

On Aug 16, 2010, at 5:34 PM, * wrote:

> I've suggested to John Fast (Midi Solutions owner) that a new F8 might
> include a DB25 output as well as the 1/4" jacks which would be pretty
> handy:) It would also make it real easy to patch a F8 into a custom button
> box. Andy Leviss was the one who first mentioned this...
>
> *

________________________________________________________

[Andy Leviss]

On Mon, Aug 16, 2010 at 8:34 PM, * <ra...@rabyn.com> wrote:
> It would also make it real easy to patch a F8 into a custom button
> box. Andy Leviss was the one who first mentioned this...

Of course, if you want a really reliable, road-ready solution, just a
friendly reminder that I make and sell custom-designed MIDI
controllers explicitly for use with QLab and SFX. I'll save the long
pitch, it's in the archive, but the short version is that I make a
4-button one in an impact-resistant ABS enclosure, and a 6-button
(plus 7th footswitch input*) in an anodized aluminum enclosure, for
$325 and $525 respectively, with discounts for educational users and
IATSE members. Hell, I could probably be convinced to working out a
discount for a non-profit that was on a lower budget, too, if asked
nicely enough :-D

They're small, handheld remotes, sized to easily sit on a console,
with beefy, industrial buttons, and basically contain a more
flexible**, custom coded cousin of an F8 built right into the remote.
Power in, MIDI out, no worries.

Anyway, if you're interested, e-mail me off-list for ordering
details...I've got a site up at http://DucksEchoSound.com, but right
now it's just a placeholder with a link to e-mail me, I've been
putting the priority on the hardware, not the website!

I just shipped a set of four to a major corporate A/V company who's
using them in combination with QLab and the UD keys on their PM5Ds to
replace their Instant Replays in most situations, and there are at
least a couple listers and lurkers here who have one or the other
model on shows.

--Andy

*-It also provides power to an optional lighted single "go" button
accessory, for those who want the full remote when they need it, but a
nice big unequivocal "go" right by the faders for everyday cue taking.

**-It is much more flexible than the F8, in that it can do multiple
messages on a single button press, etc. It was created to solve a lot
of the limitations I had in trying to use an F8 with redundant rigs.
The catch is that it is not user-programmable right now...this may be
available in the future, but for the current version, I need to
program it for you. But I'll customize it at purchase for about the
price of a beer or two in most cases, and if you ever need it
reprogrammed, you can send it in to me for a quick reflash, or I can
work out a chip swap with you so you don't have to be without it,
which takes all of a small Phillips head and about 5 min of time if
you go slowly.

[raymond soly]

APB tools germany has developped some usb remotes for use with their systems the small keypad looks interesting..http://www.apbtools.com/Web-Site/Hard-E.html or this http://www.adesso-shop.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=6&products_id=76&language=en&zenid=205f502e027beb936c023ebb3fb521d9 or http://www.shopping.com/xPO-Targus-USB-Ultra-Mini-Keyboard-PAUK10U

R

On 16-Aug-10, at 7:10 PM, AFAFR...@aol.com wrote:

thanks for all the TIPs, i think the Griffin PowerMate will do exactly what i want, and i found

on AMAZON a Seller for 20 Bucks, worth the try.

 

[Patrik Wipp]

If you would like to build it yourself;

http://www.nastypixel.com/instantsoup/recipes/soundpad/sound-pad-build/

Patrik Wipp

[AFAFR...@aol.com]

Great Idea, will look into this !