Dissatisfactory MIDI integration

[Jorisvergeer]

Hello Wolfmix (staff and users),

I bought the Wolfmix W1 MK2 with MIDI support.
I also have the AKAI APC Mini as is used in the demonstration video's with midi.

I thought that this would be a perfect fit as it is demonstrated in the video's.

While I was programming the wolfmix for the venue I volunteer for (and which also bought this wolfmix) I noticed that it has great functions, but it also lacks some basic stuff.

So what I have to work with are:
- Some light on the stage
- Some light on the public
- Some effects (derby, laser, etc)
- And some front spots.
Maybe 30 fixtures total.

While i was reading the specifications and documentation I read that I could use WLINK,DMX and MINI as extra input to make op for the lack of sliders, and some other function.

So I have this USB midi board, same as in the product video's.

I try to follow the video demonstration. I don't succeed at first. As I couldnt get it to connect. So i get a bit frustrated and got the impression that I need to buy the WLINK add-on to get it to work. I did that. Then I discovered that I had to shift+press the midi button. So I don't know if WLINK was actually needed to het MIDI to work.

But anyway. I pays for WLINK. Hoping that I get some extra options now that I want to use.

But the options I want to use are still missing.

1. The video for the older wolfmix without midi showed how external DMX-in signals could be used to (force) override some DMX-out channels. I was under the impression that it would work similarly with MIDI, because WLINK/DMX and MIDI are often named together in the specs and documentation and they have similarish functionality.
Unfortunately that DMX-in (force) only works with DMX. So I can't map my sliders on my midi panel to DMX chanels.
I wanted to do this because I want to control the front spots in the venue manually.

And now before you say that I can map my front spots to a group and use the MIDI slider as dimmer for the front spots, there is my second issue.
2. I cannot exclude some groups or fixtures from being affected by the big "BLINDER" button. The blinder button (and also strobe for that matter) affects all fixtures.
Again my front spots are nice. But when I press BLIND, I want to blind the public. Not the performer.

3. I can only link Presets to buttons on the MIDI board. While I also need to use Live Edits. I want to link those also to buttons on my midi board.

And a nice to have would be that I would like some life edits (for example the ones in a row) to be mutually exclusive. In that case for example only one of such group can be active. In that case, I could make some buttons with for example gradually increasing luminosity. And that I don't have to unselect one first before I select the new button which controls intensity.

So this is what we wanted:
My ideal situation would be that:
- I have the wolfmix as DMX controller
- I have the AKAI APC Mini as slider and button grid. (Where the sliders are connected to the dimmers and front spots, and the buttons connected to presets and live edits)
- I still have the wolfmix interface to tweak the effects and colors in realtime during a performance.

I kinda hope that these features are already in there and that I have just misinterpreted the documentation. I also hope that I didn't buy the WLINK add-on for nothing.
Otherwise I hope that those features might be implemented. because without some of them I kinda cannot use the Wolfmix in the venue (non profit with only volunteers) to control all the lighting.

[axell]

1. -can't map my MIDI sliders to DMX channels - that is correct and was never communicated different. MIDI control was intended for Group Dimmers and Preset selection
The MIDI implementation is supporting 3 basic functions:
_a) a MIDI Clock for an additional SYNC option
_b) Sliders for Group (and Master) Dimmers (using cc Control Change MIDI commands)
_c) selecting -regular- Presets (using MIDI note commands)

2. But you can disable Blinder, Strobe (as well as the WOLF button and Blackout) from each of the Groups individually. Go to HOME / SETUP / GROUPS and then select your Group. Now dial the "FLASH ON" to BLINDER and push the button (you will see a small text in the middle of the selected Group -a crossed out BLI, indicating that the BLINDER is now disabled for that Group

3. That is correct. It is PRESETS and not Live Edit

With the mkII MIDI implementation you have "some" functions being put on MIDI control for Dimmers and Presets (beside additional SYNC) - but deeper DMX control will remain either with the built-in automation or an additional external DMX controller, using the WLINK option.