Old 11-06-2013, 11:34 AM   #1
James HE
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Default suggestions? Monitor FX Hardware Router V2

*update with the correct version this time.

If you don't have a real hardware Monitor controller, this is for you!


This is a bit more universal and versatile than my previous effort.

Controls 3 *hardware outs. Mains, Phones, Aux. You select the input channel, and each output is freely selectable from a possible 64 channels (32 pairs).

There is a MONO switch for the Aux channel, useful for your secondary mono single speaker reference. This is set so that the signal comes only out of the LEFT channel. If you want to do it wrong and listen in mono on two speakers, use someone elses plug.

You can set the hardware out selector to "All" and use the levels to control them.

*this can control more than "hardware" it doesn't have to be in the Monitor FX, it can control multichannel tracks as well.

There is also a "controller" here that you can put on the Master (or track) and you won't have to worry about opening up the Monitor FX chain to control levels and output selection. The controller is of course optional, I just find it useful to have these controls shown on the Master track.

Feedback wanted here, In general what features would be useful?



*possible features I may add - not sure how feasible this is*

A Crossover point that would put a highpass on the Main, and a Lowpass on the Aux. This would be for setups with a sub that don't otherwise have a hardware crossover. (I'm not sure if this is really useful to anyone, but at one point, I did run a setup like that. What do you think?)

A convolution IR feature for the "phones" output. (would have to create impulses from existing emulators) I think this is possible.

A similar feature for the main, where you could load an impulse file for room correction.
Attached Files
File Type: zip Hardware Router V2.zip (1.4 KB, 194 views)

Last edited by James HE; 11-14-2013 at 05:15 PM.
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Old 11-06-2013, 01:10 PM   #2
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I think I might just add a little crossfeed control for the Phones out.


*I ended up changing the MONO switch to switch such that it assumes you are using 2 speakers, and just switches mono to the Left. I think this is better. will update...

Last edited by James HE; 11-06-2013 at 01:35 PM.
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Old 11-11-2013, 10:44 AM   #3
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Zippped up version attatched to first post now.


I was going to maybe go crazy with this thing... different mono modes, etc...


but it's easy enough to just put different effects per channel after this thing, so...
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Old 11-14-2013, 02:49 PM   #4
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hey james, how would i set up a single speaker as mono?

my hardware outs of my interface (RME Fireface UC) are:

output 1/2 main monitors /stereo
output 3 single monitor / mono sum?
output 7/8 phones /stereo

and do you have suggestions what would be the best way to switch the outputs (or mute others)?
i damaged the fourth monitor, but the remaining monitor is a very good one, so i want to use it for mono mixing.

thx for your time and work
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Old 11-14-2013, 03:33 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Nixon View Post
hey james, how would i set up a single speaker as mono?

my hardware outs of my interface (RME Fireface UC) are:

output 1/2 main monitors /stereo
output 3 single monitor / mono sum?
output 7/8 phones /stereo

and do you have suggestions what would be the best way to switch the outputs (or mute others)?
i damaged the fourth monitor, but the remaining monitor is a very good one, so i want to use it for mono mixing.

thx for your time and work

it's relatively simple...

set the main output in the plug to 1/2

phones output to 7/8

Aux output to 3/4

then set the Aux channel mode to mono.

(input will be 1/2 unless you have some odd routing)

unless you are in the "All" mode the outputs mute as you switch via the output parameter.
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Old 11-14-2013, 03:51 PM   #6
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Arrgh! OK the plugin in the zip is the wrong version.. good grief


F me... lol



will update after dinner.....
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Old 11-14-2013, 05:16 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Nixon View Post

thx for your time and work
you are very welcome, I'll try to upload the right set of files next time!


geeze I fumbled this one.


It should all be very clear once you get the V2 version.
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Old 11-15-2013, 01:35 AM   #8
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Hey - I'm very interested in using this.
Where do I put it?
How do I open it?
Sorry for dumb questions - it seems there are different places to put things, python scripts vs reascripts... etc..
I can't seem to keep track of them.
Thanks

EDIT: OK got it working. Effects folder.

Last edited by flipotto; 11-15-2013 at 07:07 AM. Reason: solved problem
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Old 02-04-2014, 06:33 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by flipotto View Post
Hey - I'm very interested in using this.
Where do I put it?
How do I open it?
Sorry for dumb questions - it seems there are different places to put things, python scripts vs reascripts... etc..
I can't seem to keep track of them.
Thanks

EDIT: OK got it working. Effects folder.
please tell us all how to do it. I see no instructions on how to use this. Can the OP or anybody please explain how? Which Effects folder? In the C:\Program Files\Reaper(x64)\Install Data\Effects? OK, I put the folder with the two files from the zip download in that Effects folder. Now what? I don't see them listed in FX directories when I open Reaper.???

thanx,
Gary

Last edited by zzz; 02-04-2014 at 07:43 PM.
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Old 02-04-2014, 07:53 PM   #10
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The Program Files directory is actually the wrong directory, confusingly enough. The one you want to look in is

%Drive Name%/Users/%User Name%/AppData/Roaming/REAPER/Effects

Where Drive Name is usually C:/, and User Name is your account name.

I can't offer you advice on using it, as I haven't before and don't really have a way to test it, but at least that's where it goes.
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Old 02-04-2014, 08:45 PM   #11
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Installation:

In REAPER, click on OPTIONS and then scroll down to "Show REAPER resource path in explorer / finder"

this will open up the resources folder. Open the "Effects" folder. The two files go in there. You can keep them in the sub-folder if you wish.

After you do this, you will need to scan for new effects before they show up in the FX list. you can do that from preferences, but you can also do that from an FX chain window. click on "FX" in the top toolbar, and you will see a "scan for new effects" option.


Using the plugin:

You need to put the "Hardware Router (Monitor FX) V2" in the Monitor FX in REAPER. (if you are showing multiple tabs, the MONITOR FX button will be shown - otherwise it's hidden - you can still access it via an action. I suggest putting the action to open it on a toolbar.)

Also there need to be at least 6 channels to use all 3 outputs. click on the "xin / xout" button and add channels as needed. you can remapp the pins if you need to, but since the in's and out's are selectable, you probably don't need to.

The first "slider" dropdown list selects which out put is active (or all)

There are then 3 individual volume controls for each output.

And a stereo / mono switch for the AUX channel.

Input selector. The input selector will usually be 1/2, since the output from the master will be on 1/2, (usually) but it is selectable for flexibility. I have a preset where I change the input and the plugin routes the output of the Media Explorer, for example.

the next 3 slider drop down lists define the hardware channel output pair for each of the 3 outputs.

example, if your headphone outputs are channel 11/12 of your interface, you will need to add at least 12 channels to the plugin via the pin matrix. then just select 11/12 from the phones out selector.


THE Hardware Router Controller:

this plugin you can put anywhere, track, master, what ever. It is simply a remote control for the Router Plugin. it just controls the volume and active output, you cant route hardware from it. This is convienient to have on the master, and then show the parameters on the master track itself. gives you a nice, easy volume control for your outputs.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8W...it?usp=sharing
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Old 02-04-2014, 08:52 PM   #12
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I do need to update the _global. logic for this one. there are some situations where you open a project and the volumes switch when they shouldn't.

will work on that, and would like to make a GUI for this. something with a BIG KNOB.

one caveat with this, is that you still need a fail safe true hardware "OMG my %^&*s blowing up" option... power switches are all at my arms reach if need be.

but for volume control, this is really handy.
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Old 02-05-2014, 12:15 AM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by James HE View Post
I do need to update the _global. logic for this one. there are some situations where you open a project and the volumes switch when they shouldn't.

will work on that, and would like to make a GUI for this. something with a BIG KNOB.

one caveat with this, is that you still need a fail safe true hardware "OMG my %^&*s blowing up" option... power switches are all at my arms reach if need be.

but for volume control, this is really handy.
Thanks James and SaulT. I forgot about the Roaming directory path. I got it working. I notice the sliders on both of the windows do not have a proper range as if they are linear. In other words, I move the slider one inch left and the sound is completely off with another three inches of travel left on the slider. The Controller window seem better if not correct going all the way left and shutting off the volume completely with about one inch of travel still left to go. The same is true with the small knob in the FX panel of the Master strip in the Mixer view. Very small range.

I have a simple setup. I have powered stereo speakers and a powered sub that I plug into the Asus motherboard outputs (using the windows Realtek 5.1 system. I plug my headphones into my Art 2 Tube USB I/O box. I use it for my vocal mic and bass guitar and the headphone out here allows me to hear these inputs without the latency. And last is my 42" TV/Monitor that uses the HDMI cable carrying video and stereo audio. I use the TV a lot for a small monitor mix and for my video and animation work I do in my home living room.

I just need a Master Monitor Volume Control and a 3 button output selection where one button will alays mute the other two. I need it always on top somewhere and it doesn't have to be a large knob, but also not too small. I figured out how to get it as a knob on the FX of the Master strip in the mixer, but I would also like that to be a knob on the Master Track Header since I rather use that instead of the mixer. Currently I have to open the FX to switch these outputs and that is too large to keep open all the time. I have a good 1" by 1 1/4" of empty space in the Toolbar area above the track headers that currently has "two rows" of buttons assigned. It would be great to have a medium size knob and three buttons to fill that empty box. Although it is two rows of buttons it might make that impossible. Hopefully it can be done.

Please let me know if I have missed something. Thank you very much for this must needed plugin I just found here today.

Gary

Edit-Duh, I just realized that I have to always use my Windows setup to select which output is default and set the ASIO4All plugin interface to use all three monitors. Then I have to always use the Reaper Device Control in preferences to set which monitor path it will use since I have only one stereo pair available. i guess I need some way to remote switch the Reaper Device Output selection/setting.

Last edited by zzz; 02-05-2014 at 12:29 AM.
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Old 02-05-2014, 12:49 AM   #14
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James,
I just noticed that when I have the Master Track enabled for the Track view header, I right click on the volume slider area and the Master Track Output window opens up. And below the Add new hardware drop down menu strip it has a hardware display output with a volume and pan control. Can that be used instead of the FX chain setups with a plugin? Make a system knob/slider that controls that fader that can always float on top and be positioned anywhere?

Gary
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Old 04-14-2014, 01:17 PM   #15
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Hey James, played around with the latest cue version from http://forum.cockos.com/showthread.php?t=138468
I think there is a bug with Master Out: All - Sometimes the phones out works sometimes not... i just recognized that cue output uses the same outputs as my headphones so it might have to do with that, but it happens random and i didn't use cue at all.

nevertheless thanks for this plugin, keep up the good work!
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Old 04-14-2014, 01:32 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Nixon View Post
Hey James, played around with the latest cue version from http://forum.cockos.com/showthread.php?t=138468
I think there is a bug with Master Out: All - Sometimes the phones out works sometimes not... i just recognized that cue output uses the same outputs as my headphones so it might have to do with that, but it happens random and i didn't use cue at all.

nevertheless thanks for this plugin, keep up the good work!
Thanks.
got it... I'm re-arranging it into a different format to accommodate multiple inputs as well as outputs. (the cue thing was put together pretty hastily, and didn't work out with the current muting, had to compromise)
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Old 04-14-2014, 03:51 PM   #17
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Hey James, don't know if this came up somewhere else but during using my headphones and your plugin i noticed that the click (metronome) came out of my monitors, maybe you can integrate this somehow into the plugin, seems like reaper handles the metronome seperate. regards nixon
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Old 04-14-2014, 07:47 PM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Nixon View Post
Hey James, don't know if this came up somewhere else but during using my headphones and your plugin i noticed that the click (metronome) came out of my monitors, maybe you can integrate this somehow into the plugin, seems like reaper handles the metronome seperate. regards nixon
AHH! My bad.

The Metronome and ReaINSERT Bypass the Monitor FX.

Track Hardware Sends, the Media Explorer and of course the Master out go through the Monitoring FX.

I hadn't tested the Metronome, and was wrong in an earlier post about ReaInsert.

good catch !

There isn't anything I can do in the plugin to control or route those levels. (unless they change something) ReaInsert is probably best not going through the Monitoring FX, it might be useful if the metronome did, though.

Last edited by James HE; 04-14-2014 at 07:53 PM.
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