Just wanted to share the rig I’m working on. I have to use the MIDI-Hub app in order to cut the usb connection to my tablet from the X-Touch. X-Touch is connected to a travel router.
I also have a custom overlay on my X-Touch to notate my mapping.
For whatever reason, the midi-hub is a little finicky with the initial connection, so that would probably be annoying for most people to try to figure out prior to a show, but once it is able to make a connection it’s solid.
Since I have an X-Touch, I’m also using a behringer powerplay P1 as a headphone amp connected to the CQ through the Alt-Outs for purposes of being able to solo channels at the X-Touch. Having this set up allows me the benefit of being wireless but also being able to use tactile controls.
There have been some reports that the large rotary knob doesn’t work, but that is not the case. You do have to add the control, unlike the rest of the controls. But once you add it you can map it. I have it mapped to control “current value”.
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I also use rtpMIDI by Tobias Erichsen in my setup.
For those that may not be familiar with this program, it allows for MIDI to be passed through the normal network. Since the Behringer X-Touch products have a network port, you can use it to pass the MIDI data to your Mixing Station host through your regular data network. Ultimately this means you do not need a dedicated connection between the midi controller and the Mixing Station host (like the normal USB cable) for this purpose.
There are times when using a direct USB connection to the Mixing Station host is the easiest setup, but there are certainly times when using rtpMIDI and a network connection is easier. Having options is always a good thing!
Yeah @Brian-1 what you’re describing is essentially the same as what I am doing now (which I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the base of it is obviously inspired by you). The one thing I forgot to mention is of the two routers I’m using (Beryl AX on CQ side, and TL-WR702AC on X-Touch side), the router connected to the X-Touch is in Client mode. The MIDI Hub app, which is based on the rtp-MIDI driver created by Tobais Erichsen, creates the virtual MIDI ports on your wifi network to then have the X-Touch connect to the CQ20b with the Mixingstation being that MIDI bridge itself.
The X-Touch is obviously fixed IP, but my network itself is otherwise DHCP, as is the CQ. I’m wondering if it would be less finicky making that initial connection if I did fix IPs on my network and CQ20b. As said once it’s connected it’s been solid, but trying to make that initial connection, I’ve had to re-initialize the mixingstations MIDI connection for it to finally talk. I’m wondering if there is a very specific order that I need to connect things. Obviously i have the wifi and virtual network present before I even start mixingststion, but I’m wondering if I should have the X-Touch on first, then tablet to start the MIDI Hub THEN mixingstation. Not sure.
In either case, connecting USB in my experience has been easier. That was almost plug-and-play. Network / Wifi connection has been a little more tricky, but on 5g band connection, I haven’t experienced lag or any other issues. It’s just initializing has been cumbersome for me. Worth the trouble, but I feel like it shouldn’t even be that difficult. I imagine it’s user error. As said, I might assign fixed IPs to see if that helps, but that will have to wait until November as I have a show on Halloween.
I would recommend that you keep using DHCP on this “FOH network”, but “reserve” fixed IP addresses for all of the devices on this network in the router itself. This way you can move your devices (laptop, tablet, etc) to other networks and they will receive a proper IP address via DHCP, but when you connect to this FOH setup, they will always receive the same DHCP address because it is “reserved” for them in the router. Basically it is the best of both worlds - DHCP with a fixed address on this network.
This should clear up any connection issues due to the changing IP address (if you haven’t reserved them), but also keep your devices set to use DHCP which makes using them on other networks so much easier.
This is probably the best way to go. As always, I very much appreciate your input sir!
