Controlling a fader of a sound card with TurboPlayer

In special workflows sometimes you need to route an audio source of the playout soundcard to the output. This is often seen for automation workflows where live audio feeds need to be transported to the output by just using the soundcard and no external devices.

For such workflows it is useful if the playout software could manage the fader control of the soundcard. Therefore a special DLL called TIOGenericMidi.dll was developed which allows TurboPlayer sending out MIDI commands to the sound card.

As some soundcards can handle MIDI commands to control their faders this method can be used to control them by remote. In most cases a null modem cable for loopback is required for the soundcard to route the outgoing commands of the software to the internal “bus” of the soundcard.

This method was successfully tested with RME HDSP 9652, RME HDSPe AIO and Mixtreme 192.

To activate MIDI for RME you need to check these options inside the software mixer:

Mixer > Options > Enable MIDI Control
Mixer > Options > Preferences > MIDI Controller – MIDI Input = AIO Midi / AES-32 Midi Port 1

Hint: Never configure a MIDI OUT for this card!

After copying the TIOGenericMidi.dll to your DigaSystem folder you can launch TurboPlayer. Go to the settings and create a new I/O module for this DLL. Afterwards you can configure output events which will be sent to the soundcard.

First of all the MIDI Output Device must be set. The dropdown menu will display all available devices from the soundcards.

For example opening the fader would require the following settings:

Unique identifier = OpenRMEFader1
Function type = MoveFader
Line = 1
Level = 0
Duration = 100 ms
Serial byte string = E00064

Closing the fader works similar:

Unique identifier = CloseRMEFader1
Function type = MoveFader
Line = 1
Level = -99
Duration = 100 ms
Serial byte string = E00000

Note: The serial byte string includes the fader ID and its position. E0 = fader 1, 00 + 64 = fader opened

Now for DigaSystem an external mixer source can be created which allows scheduling this external source. Additional a player in TurboPlayer will be assigned to display that the source is opened.

Global Settings \ TurboPlayer \ MixerSources \ ExternalSources : Program = * (String)
Global Settings \ TurboPlayer \ MixerSources \ExternalSources \ LiveSignal

Bitmap = L
Class = Audio
DefaultDuration = 00:03:30.000
DefaultTitle = Live signal
MediaType = Audio
Permanent = Yes
Program = *
TreatUnexpected = Yes

Now a unique line will be created for this fader:

Local Settings \ TurboPlayer \ Lines \ Line-5
MixerSource = LiveSignal
Mode = Active/Variable
Name = Ltg-Live
OpenDelayActive = 100 (Integer)
OpenDelayPassive = 0 (Integer)

The fader can be opened manually e.g. by an outgoing event: TP_MoveFader ( LiveSignal, 0, 0, Yes )
Closing the fader works with this macro: TP_MoveFader ( LiveSignal, 0, -99, Yes )

Global Settings \ TurboPlayer \ EventsOut \ OpenLiveSignal
Command = TP_MoveFader ( LiveSignal, 0, 0, Yes )
Name = Open RME fader
Offset = 0 (Integer)
Program = *
ReferencePoint = MarkIn

These EventsOut can be added to placeholders in the rundown. Playing such element will send out the corresponding event.

Inside a typical MusicMaster import file such element could look like this:

[LINETYPE]B[TITLE]Live-Part[CLASS]Music[ALLOWEDCLASSES]News,Text,Music,Cart,Audio,Control[STARTMODE]StartOnTime[STARTTYPE]FixedStart[STARTTIME]00:00:00[DEFAULTSTARTMODE]Sequenced[FILLERGROUPNAME]Filler
[LINETYPE]O[TITLE]Open Fader[STARTMODE]StartOnTime[STARTTYPE]FixedStart[STARTTIME]00:00:00[CONTROL_OPERATION1]OpenLiveSignal[CONTROL_REFERENCE1]MarkIn[SENDSTATE]Planned

Hint: Linetype O is a new feature of FlexIE.dll to import control elements.