Custom Mapping

Updated title to reflect the request, and making note in our database.

Internal REF# WIRE-13919.

Currently we are taking feedback on the most desired features, and how our customers would like to see them implemented. This requests has been discussed internally prior to the launch of this tech preview, though determination of specific features to be implemented is still in the works.

I would imagine though that this will be a popular request.

Custom MIDI mapping like Resolume VJing software would be more easy to use.

Are there specific functions you would like to see mappable? 

Terry Chae I agree, and i see Resolume Avenue as a good model for not only how MIDI is handled, but especially how they handle playback and modulation of video files, Quicktime... being able to have different start points within a shot!  etc etc... Glad to see somebody else on this forum mention Resolume :)

curious if the original Novation Launchpad or Launchpad Mini will work, or just the newer Launchpad MK2? 

Bryce Stejskal Maybe every button on the screen. The best part of using MIDI controller is that we can fully customize the function of the MIDI controller's button. And functions for MIDI controller should not be limited because it should be 'fully' customizable. Check out the photo I attached. For great example, Resolume Arena allow every button on screen(function), even slider for MIDI mapping. 

solar sonic I have Launchpad Pro (newer version than MK2) and tested it, it does not work.

I would love to use my Palette Gear stuff to switch in Wirecast. I would recommend the following

• device detection and selection in a drop down
• map wirecast functions to buttons by a press of them
• Faders could be used as T-Bar, volume controll etc.

It's more that you define a function that we could map on any button we like. The list of functions can be extended with every version.

Thanks for the feedback everyone!

I personally and quite familiar with MIDI workflows, and can assure you that much of this has already been discussed internally. That being said, Wirecast is not Ableton or Resolume, and so we wanted to get specific feedback before we proceeded with a full blown integration. 

In particular, Ableton and Resolume have less menu item driven commands, and more UI to be directly assignable in a map mode. It would be straightforward to add a mapping mode where you click this UI element, move this control, and now its mapped.

If you could envision how you would want to see mapping of menu item commands, what would it look like? We have lots of ideas, but this would be excellent to get the opinions of our users on this!

-Bryce

Bryce Stejskal One of the best MIDI-controllable features of Resolume is the ability to have several (6) different designated starting points within a single video clip. A feature like this MIDI-mapped within Wirecast would save having to render out several different versions and assign each to a new shot (and clutter the screen in the process). ((At the same time, we'd hope that the long-standing "video/audio shot restarts upon triggering another layer" bug could be fixed... for shots where "remember position" is unchecked. This would also save the current work-around of having to make 2 shots for each clip. (one that starts at the beginning, and one that resumes where it was left off)).  

Also, being able to manually page through an image carousel, photo by photo, rather than having a default time for each image... 

Certain hands-on "VJ" features could be quite helpful for the multimedia storytelling aspects of Wirecast.

Of course i'd love to see the ability to modulate the speed of a video shot, or even scrub through the video,...  but here i'm getting carried away... and like you said earlier, Wirecast is not Resolume :)

anyway, i'm excited that this is all starting to happen. Thanks for pursuing MIDI! cheers, Greg

Jens Jarke said:
I would love to use my Palette Gear stuff

Jens Jarke said:
device detection and selection in a drop down

 They look like they have their MIDI support in beta. Maybe it will be ready when/if we open up to BYOC (Bring Your Own Controller).

Jens Jarke said:
map wirecast functions to buttons by a press of them

Jens Jarke said:
Faders could be used as T-Bar, volume controll etc.

 This would by my preference as well, like Ableton.

solar sonic said:
Also, being able to manually page through an image carousel, photo by photo, rather than having a default time for each image... 

 This would be more appropriately solved via a playlist, with the next/previous shot within playlist buttons being assignable like other UI. Image carousel is more for simple image cycling, where as the playlist is more for advanced functions like that.

solar sonic said:
ability to have several (6) different designated starting points within a single video clip.

 That is unlikely to happen given the additional shot paradigm.

solar sonic said:
Of course i'd love to see the ability to modulate the speed of a video shot, or even scrub through the video

I would imagine this being more likely to happen given the ability to use jog wheels would be easily done with controller support.

solar sonic said:
we'd hope that the long-standing "video/audio shot restarts upon triggering another layer" bug could be fixed... for shots where "remember position" is unchecked.

Hmmm, that would be frustrating. In my experience I have only seen this with one specific type of clip. Would you be willing to provide additional info via a support ticket? Concrete reproduction steps, with example media would be helpful. Feel free to include in the ticket "Bryce said to submit this" and it should get pushed though.

PaletteGear has the Midi part ready. At least it works like a charm in other applications in midi mode (including competitors) and it gets detected as such. The good thing is that you are flexible with the design. A relative small set can be used when you switch the profile with one button. In a different profile the buttons can have different mappings. Very easy. ANd more or less the same for all other midi controllers as well.

I would love to see the basic functions mappable first.

• map a shot
• control audio (the current audio mixer is useless as only live sources show up when they come to live)
• toggle headphone mute
• T-Bar
• toggle auto live
• change transition
• start/stop broadcasting
• start/stop recording

The more advanced functions like video jog wheels etc can come with following versions.

Honestly, integrate midi properly and maybe skip a build on the release schedule until it is rock solid. Don't repeat the rendesvous drama.

YES please. I have a bunch of different MIDI controllers, so mappable functions would be hugely useful to me. I like Jens' list, for starters. Especially control of audio.

Yarrow Sweningsen Please do list your midi controllers as that's valuable information to us.

CraigS I use a Mackie HUI, Novation Launchpad, Novation SL 25 MkII, Novation SL 49 MkI, Behringer BCF-2000, and Behringer BCR-2000 primarily.

Yarrow Sweningsen Thanks. It's good to know what people are using as we look at implementation. Looks like the Behringer BCR-2000 is discontinued.

This looks like the current Behringer product range. 

CraigS for the most part if you make interface/control elements respond to MIDI note-on/note-off and Continuous Controller commands and you make it all mappable with a MIDI Learn function any MIDI controller should be compatible- that's the beauty of MIDI and why it is still in use 35 years after it was invented.

Yarrow Sweningsen We are looking at targeting specific controllers. As you can see from this thread there are differences and there's also customization under consideration. That's why it's important for us to know about the controllers people are using. Midi itself is very flexible of course, especially if one can custom map things.

CraigS Well, my MIDI gear is mostly older, so you may not want to use mine for your templates, then 😉 The Launchpad and SL MKII are fairly common, as is the Akai APC line.

Yarrow Sweningsen I can see why custom mapping would be important then.

I would say custom mappings are one of the most important things.  I see what you guys are trying to do, making it the most user friendly midi implementation, and with that maybe the three you have chosen already are all you need, but as a 4th option there should definitely be custom controller since most heavy midi users already have controllers that they know and love.

I do agree that basically every button you see should be map-able, and from there menu items should just be on drop down lists.

Thanks for implementing this, it's definitely been on my wishlist.

Joshua Price and we really appreciate the input and feedback.

Joshua Price

Thank you for the feedback.

Can you elaborate on the menu item assignment workflow you envision?

The icons in our UI is pretty straightforward in my opinion, lots of great existing paradigms out there that work well.

When it comes to menu items, which Wirecast has a fair amount of, how do you envision them being map-able?

One thought I had, was that when you enter midi mapping mode, an additional window popped up that listed all the menu items within a singular list, grouped by menu of course. From there, you could just press a item in the list, and then select the desired control on your controller, the same as you would map a standard UI element.

Does this match what you are thinking, or did you have something else in mind?

Bryce Stejskal

That's actually more than what I was thinking, and sounds pretty great. Really there are a few ways you could handle this. The menu items in a list, grouped by menu items, is definitely a must. From there is where you could do a few different things. 

What I was thinking was that you'd have a second dropdown list where you could choose which midi value you want to map it to. Anyone that's doing custom midi mapping should be able to get a chart or list of what values correspond to the correct button.

A second possible way to handle it would be to have a text box or something of the sort, where you could click inside of it, and then click the button on your controller and it would fill in the correct midi value.  This I think would likely be the best solution since it wouldn't require a lot of UI stuff to implement on your end (thus hopefully getting it faster on our end).

What you described where you could click on the UI graphic would also be a great implementation and probably easier for a midi newbie to grasp.

Jens Jarke 

I like Jens idea. Hi Jens, for your Wirecast using, which Palette Gear were purchased? I'm interesting to purchase one set to experience. My mail: damond@digiblue.cn

Thanks.