Wish Official MFC Expansion Module

[quark]

Be nice to have some software too to be able to program it as a stand-alone unit and not rely on 3rd party sources to fill that hole ...

 

[darrenw5094]

Is it possible to connect a second midi controller?

 

[Hotplate]

Would be great. Maybe with a chain connection over Ethernet: Axe <--> Expansion Module <--> MFC
(sort of Ethernet-thru, so that also the MK II owners can use the module)

+1 on this and Yek's initial post as well..

 

[dB]

+1

 

[Rhodes]

Sorry guys, but I don't think it's cool, funny or tasteful to associate Yngwie, as a swedish guitar player, with doughnuts (a forbidden treat in many countries).

Chef, I'm a little confused on which is the "forbidden treat"... doughnuts or Yngwie?

 

[tjkick]

Chef, I'm a little confused on which is the "forbidden treat"... doughnuts or Yngwie?

Yngwie and the donuts are one.

Lord, I apologize for that right there. Be there with the starving pygmies in New Guinea, amen.

 

[Spoons]

I don't know if you all are using the MFC-101 to it's full capabilities, but here's what it might look like if you were. I simply have no use for an expanded module this setup does more than I can ever imaging using in one spot, but that's just me.

http://swww.srwspoon.com/image/Photo1.JPG

Just sayin'...

 

[inbouwer]

Nice idea.
But when do you stop? Everybody likes to command the axe to the max. But you have to do a lot of tap dancing imo.

But otoh, to have expansion module for the release button functions would come in handy too


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[yek]

I don't know if you all are using the MFC-101 to it's full capabilities, but here's what it might look like if you were. I simply have no use for an expanded module this setup does more than I can ever imaging using in one spot, but that's just me.

An expansion module would have IA switches behaving like onboard switches, including LEDs and could be programmed like onboard switches.

That's very different from current external switches which have all kinds of limitations.

 

[smcrosby]

An expansion module would have IA switches behaving like onboard switches, including LEDs and could be programmed like onboard switches.

That's very different from current external switches which have all kinds of limitations.

Yek - from a practical perspective - what are those limitations? I recently picked up Roadrunner's module and just got my MFC Mark III back from FAS (bootloader update) and I am ready to map out all the internal and external switches and pedals.

Unrelated PS: FW14.02 + UltraRes kicks some serious ars!

 

[yek]

External switches work great but there are some limitations.

They control one MIDI CC (onboard switches can control two, plus custom MIDI).
They can't switch presets (no MIDI PC).

You need to use the parameters TyHDW and TypTog to configure them.
This is different for momentary resp. toggle/latching switches.

Latching:
When set to TypHDW, the switch state (on/off) is carried over when switching preset, because the MFC-101 polls the switch after having switched presets. This is okay for some situations. But it interferes with the MFC's "Axe-Fx Mode" concept, where the preset determines what's on/off.
You can set the switch to TypTOG instead, which prevents polling, but this can cause the external switch to lose sync, sometimes requiring two presses to get the switch synced again.

Momentary:
when set to TypHDW, the switch operates as a momentary switch, so retaining states when switching presets is irrelevant.
This won't work for stuff as X/Y-switching.
That's why you can set them to TypTOG, which will make them act like latching (toggle) switches. But you won't have LEDs indicating their state.
And the sync issue may occur here too (I don't remember).

 

[Johan Allard]

How about a “scene controller”. Just a simple dedicated MFC-101 extension with 8 buttons to select Scene 1-8 and a LED that would display the Scene Name - ah, yes, we need Scene Names.

 

[jimnov]

+1!

 

[runway11]

+1

 

[Gamechanger]

+1 Just got my XL and mark 3 and want more FAS !

 

[kberghoffer]

Would be great. Maybe with a chain connection over Ethernet: Axe <--> Expansion Module <--> MFC
(sort of Ethernet-thru, so that also the MK II owners can use the module)

+1

 

[AlGrenadine]

+100000000 ! I'd buy, even at $300

 

[yek]

That would be cheap.

 

[Sleestak]

If someone could put together a simple iOS-based app for display and logic control, all we'd need is the connections to additional pedals and the MFC. Previous-generation iPhones are ubiquitous and relatively cheap considering the processor and display. If the app was backwards compatible with devices one or two generations behind the current model, we could use those devices for logic and display, and also viable for anyone who feels like using their iPhone 5S. Mechanical switches and enclosures are relatively inexpensive by comparison. I have an iPhone 4 that is fully functional but has been replaced by a newer model. I'm using it as an iPod at this point, but I could see mounting it on my pedalboard for this purpose.

The app could selectively display AxeFX messages such as Current Scene, Full Preset Name, etc., PLUS could display information based on apps, such as the current time.

 

[Spoons]

This is still probably something I wouldn't use, but that didn't stop me from thinking about idea on how to accomplish it.

Maybe to accomplish this idea it could be as simple as connecting any midi controller you like to the MFC-101 via the MIDI In/Out ports on the MFC-101 while the MFC-101 is connected to the Axe-Fx via Ethernet; so essentially the MFC-101 would be a MIDI THRU device for the CC control commands from the external unit. You could just program the external midi controller to do nothing but send CC controls signals to switch scenes or X/Y. Did that make sense?

I honestly don't know if it would work; but if it doesn't work, it would probably be a "relatively" simple firmware update to allow that pass through midi communication.