Need help with using BCF2000 and STM2448

Chisel · Post by **Chisel** » Sat Apr 15, 2006 11:53 am

I just bought a BCF2000 and need some help getting it to work with the STM2448. I can teach the STM the CC commands to control it, but the STM doesn't send any feedback to the BCF to operate the motors.

Thanks in advance,
Chisel

H-Rave · Post by **H-Rave** » Sat Apr 15, 2006 12:32 pm

The midi out of the stm2448 is connected to ?

Chisel · Post by **Chisel** » Sat Apr 15, 2006 12:58 pm

I got the feedback working. I didn't have my midi patchbay configured properly. Now, I just need to figure out how to trigger the feedback from the STM besides loading a new preset. For example, I have the faders, pans, mutes, and solos mapped to the first eight channels. Now is it possible to switch to the next set of eight channels and have the BCF automatically restore those settings? I saw a video on Dancetech that showed this feature working in Logic and Cubase.

Thanks,
Chisel

Chisel · Post by **Chisel** » Sat Apr 15, 2006 3:38 pm

Well, a few hours later and I have everything working beautifully! I setup the first preset in the BCF2000 to sync with ch1-8 of the STM and the second preset syncs with ch9-16. First I manually assigned all the CC numbers on the STM for faders, pans, mutes, and solos. Then I used the auto learn function on the BCF to learn all of the mappings of the STM. I repeated this for the second preset on the BCF. I even configured the mute button in reverse so the LED goes off when the channel is muted.

I absolutely love my BCF2000!

Peace /
Chisel

Chisel · Post by **Chisel** » Sun Apr 16, 2006 2:34 am

Well, everything works beautifully in MIDI mode, but for some reason I don't see a MIDI device in any of my software when I use USB mode. Windows sees that the driver is installed, but I don't see a MIDI device for BCF2000. Strange..

astroman · Post by **astroman** » Sun Apr 16, 2006 2:57 am

a software midi-router like midiox will do the job
it would be nice to know if it improves things... but on the other hand, if it's working perfectly - what's supposed to be improveable at all ?

I admit that I don't trust any USB by definition and there can be quite a flood of data - my guess is it will more likely spoil the party, but I can be entirely wrong on this.

cheers, tom

Chisel · Post by **Chisel** » Sun Apr 16, 2006 12:18 pm

Actually, there really is no reason to use it in USB mode. I just wanted to try it out and when something doesn't work the way it's supposed to, I stop and nothing to figure it out. MIDI mode is really the way to go because I can use Scope standalone without a DAW and I don't even need to bother with MIDI-OX. This is really a great device for controlling Scope devices!

valis · Post by **valis** » Mon Apr 17, 2006 11:39 am

One note about USB vs. midi: Their usb driver seems to have the capability of blue-screening my laptop if you remove the device without doing the 'safely remove hardware' thing from the tasktray.

Also their 'update utility' never found the BCF via USB or MIDI on my laptop, only saw the BCF when BOTH usb & midi were connected on my main DAW box (it only saw the USB connection too). It also took about 20 tries to get the software updates to 'take' due to repeated failures in writing blocks, and several BSOD's! Yes I was using the 1.11 drivers btw.

The java-based software is a tad confusing in the way it works too, but seems to work from any of my machines now that everything is updated.

Overall the build & operation of the BCF is above what I had expected from Behringer (though the rotary knobs seem a tad flimsy) but the software side of things was a bit hit & miss.

For the price though...

H-Rave · Post by **H-Rave** » Mon Apr 17, 2006 7:10 pm

Yeah you're right I prefer midi anyday.It doesn't crash your system and it's not fragile like usb.

valis · Post by **valis** » Mon Apr 17, 2006 10:38 pm

I just had a bsod from choosing to remove the device in the proper tasktray app...

Incidentally have any of you tried this in LC emulation mode? Thought i'd give that a shot (been using it mostly on the laptop with Live) but not getting anything yet. Will continue to experiment...

Chisel · Post by **Chisel** » Tue Apr 18, 2006 10:20 am

On 2006-04-17 23:38, valis wrote:
Incidentally have any of you tried this in LC emulation mode? Thought i'd give that a shot (been using it mostly on the laptop with Live) but not getting anything yet. Will continue to experiment...

Actually, I just posted my findings in the XTC forum. If you boot the BCF in one of the Mackie emulation modes, you can control all the Scope XTC devices from within your DAW without any MIDI mapping required! I only got it working with HuskerVu -- not BCFView. It's amazing to see all of the Scope controls in the HuskerVu LCD panel!

I figured out that when I use the generic USB Audio device, I can see the MIDI port for BCF in my software. It's only after I update to v1.1.1.1 that the MIDI port disappears! I sent an email to Behringer. Meanwhile, I'm just sticking with MIDI mode S-4. BTW, I used MIDI-OX through the MIDI port to update my firmware. I didn't bother using the Behringer software after having so many problems with it all (BCFView, BCFedit, BCFupdate). They're all terrible. MIDI-OX always seems to save the day.

Peace /
Chisel

valis · Post by **valis** » Tue Apr 18, 2006 2:51 pm

Haven't tried HuskerVu as I've yet to even get Logic to recognize it as an LC device. I'm wondering if the boot loader they used is too recent and only compatible with Logic 7.x.

Mostly I've been doing heavy modifications to preset 1 for use in Ableton Live, doing the editing from the BCF itself as I can't get either app to see it properly. I'm using it ONLY via usb, haven't has issues with the midi driver disappearing (perhaps you hit the 10 device limit?) I would use midi to see if that helps LC mode on the main DAW but my midisport is full atm. The laptop (where I run Live) has free midi but the usb driver seems to work fine there, as long as I don't power the BCF down or remove the usb connection before doing the 'safely remove device' bit.

Chisel · Post by **Chisel** » Tue Apr 18, 2006 3:33 pm

Ten device limit! Is there a way to limit the number of devices MIDI Yoke creates? Or maybe I should use an alternative to MIDI Yoke that only uses one device. That may be the issue. I actually thought about that last night, but then it left my mind.

Anyway, if you're using the BCF with Live, I recommend trying Mackie emulation for Cubase. Turn on the BCF while holding down the button under Vpot2. I'd say it's about 90% compatible with Live. And the features that aren't part of the emulation can be added by using Live's MIDI learn. There are 16 MIDI notes that the BCF sends in Cubase mode that you can teach Live to do anything!

Peace /
Chisel

valis · Post by **valis** » Tue Apr 18, 2006 3:43 pm

Might give it a shot.

The main thing I want to achieve a consistant setup across projects that gives level control for the tracks, plus mutes & cue control. Then using the top rotaries for effects control (I enable/disable the effect in question by pressing the rotary encoder). One effect per channel, usually just a low cut eq (rather than hipass) for layered breaks & percussion, and on 'main channels' (basses/main drums etc) I use a filter or perhaps a glitchy effect.

Don't have much need to move around in the project, or do pans/sends etc etc. I would like something to trigger clips individually, but a tool more along the lines of the monome would be ideal for that (so that I don't have to remember to switch between banks on the controller). I will probably upgrade the BCF2000 to a Bitstream 3x sometime this summer (when they're actually shipping) and in the long run build my own midibox64 or MIOS based controller(s) to replicate the Bitstream/BCF controls and add on buttons for monome style triggering. I had originally wanted to just build a midibox but I've got music to write and perform, and I think a midibox is really a 4-6 month project to properly plan & execute. Using the BCF and Bitstream in the meantime will allow me to learn what I do & don't want in a controller.

Cheers for the discussion

Anyone here that's used an LC under Logic 5.51 that might lend a bit of a hand?

(edit, cleaned up wording)

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: valis on 2006-04-18 19:12 ]</font>

Chisel · Post by **Chisel** » Tue Apr 18, 2006 5:38 pm

I deleted one of the duplicate MIDI ports in the Windows registry and the BCF shows up now! It seems that BCFView only works with the most recent USB driver. I'm glad it's all sorted out now. Thanks for your help!

Peace /
Chisel