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DavidSweeneyBear
DavidSweeneyBear
Inspiring
May 8, 2020
Question

record light

  • May 8, 2020
  • 1 reply
  • 1134 views

I've been looking at these: https://shop.punchlight.com/recording-indicators/usb-units/recording-lamp-usb-rgb?osCsid=40t9653nc21q3gqt4t6c1rj132

 

- just what I need, but rather pricey.... i wonder how much these things cost to make in China?!

 

Anyone have any ideas for a simpler/cheaper way of triggering an external device to light up when Audition is in record mode? Specifically i need a light that comes on when Audition is actually recording, but goes off when stopped OR paused in record mode.

 

From what little I know, I think I'm right in saying Audition uses the HUI protocol to send this kind of information to DAW controllers, but I have no idea how to "read" that information to be able to do something useful with it.

 

Any suggestions would be most welcome.

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1 reply

SteveG_AudioMasters_
Community Expert
SteveG_AudioMasters_Community Expert
Community Expert
May 9, 2020

Yes it is expensive, and I don't see any reason that you shouldn't be able to persuade an Arduino (other devices are available) to do this with a significantly lower cost. The Mackie HUI protocol appears to be proprietary information, but it's not difficult to reverse-engineer it. Fortunately for you somebody has already done this, and published the results on the Reaper forum (download the .pdf and the text files - original link was down when I tried it).

 

The only other way I can think of to do this would be to purchase the cheapest compatible hardware controller you can find and adapt it. For instance, if you could find an old Syntrillium Red Rover, all you'd need to do was tap into the record light line in that (it runs a led, but that would do fine; you'd just need the signal and a bit of level shifting) and take it to an output that you'd have to add - or just rewire the pedal socket on the back and use that.

    DavidSweeneyBear
    DavidSweeneyBearAuthor
    Inspiring
    May 12, 2020

    Found a super-easy fix in the end...

     

    I happened to have an ancient yamaha UX96 usb midi interface lying around. a very simple little unit just midi in/out/thru BUT thankfully has LEDs for each MIDI signal.

     

    Dowloaded generic USB midi driver from yamaha's site since even the driver is now obsolete (i think i've had this thing since the late 90s!)

     

    In Audition I set up device class "mackie" under the control surface section of preferences and then, "configure">"add">"device class=mackie control", then selected the UX96 midi output channel.

     

    Now, when I'm recording the MIDI OUT LED lights up on the midi interface, but goes out when paused or stopped.

    Apart from wiring up the LED to an extra bit of wire so I can mount it near the mic, and maybe swap it for a red LED... JOB DONE! 🙂

     

    One of those times I'm actually glad I never throw anything away.

    <br>~ David Sweeney-Bear ~
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