Control X Touch MINI (Mackie Mode)

Hi everyone!

Im Gonzalo from Chile, Im trying to control my Xtouch Mini (Behringer) in Mackie mode. In specific, try to select the Vpot modes from the stream deck, send modes, pan mode etc. Any idea about how to do it? 
And the 2nd question, Is it posible to see in the Stream Deck display when my Xtouch Mini is in mode Plugin, see the name of the parameter assigned to every Pot?

By the way, Im using Studio One
Thank you very much!

Hi,

I don't have an Xtouch Mini, so I can't test any of this.

When using Mackie Control, the control is "dumb," i.e., everything is controlled by the daw. The device has no modes or states as such; when you use a control, a command is sent to your daw, and when your daw sends info, it may be displayed. That's it.

I would guess that Xtouch mini in Mackie mode function as a standard Mackie device, in which case you can't control the device (since there is nothing to control). You may, however, achieve the same goal by controlling your daw (since there's where the different modes are).

To do this, you need to configure Stream Deck with the same midi ports used by Xtouch, which is "forbidden" by the Mackie Control protocol and may totally break the functionality of the Xtouch. You can try it, but please be aware that this may have severe side effects.

If you configure Stream Deck with the same ports as Xtouch, you can send Mackie commands to your daw as if they came from the Xtouch, and you should be able to control the modes this way. The parameter names should be available in the LCD strip, so if you use a button type that can show LCD information, I guess you can see the parameter names.

This may or may not work; I don't know. And please be aware that the existence of a single Stream Deck button using the same ports as the Xtouch may, in the worst case, break the functionality of the Xtouch.

Admin wrote:Hi,

I don't have an Xtouch Mini, so I can't test any of this.

When using Mackie Control, the control is "dumb," i.e., everything is controlled by the daw. The device has no modes or states as such; when you use a control, a command is sent to your daw, and when your daw sends info, it may be displayed. That's it.

I would guess that Xtouch mini in Mackie mode function as a standard Mackie device, in which case you can't control the device (since there is nothing to control). You may, however, achieve the same goal by controlling your daw (since there's where the different modes are).

To do this, you need to configure Stream Deck with the same midi ports used by Xtouch, which is "forbidden" by the Mackie Control protocol and may totally break the functionality of the Xtouch. You can try it, but please be aware that this may have severe side effects.

If you configure Stream Deck with the same ports as Xtouch, you can send Mackie commands to your daw as if they came from the Xtouch, and you should be able to control the modes this way. The parameter names should be available in the LCD strip, so if you use a button type that can show LCD information, I guess you can see the parameter names.

This may or may not work; I don't know. And please be aware that the existence of a single Stream Deck button using the same ports as the Xtouch may, in the worst case, break the functionality of the Xtouch.

First of all I would like to thank you for taking the time to answer my question.  
On the Xtouch mini, it effectively works as a Mackie Standard device (so it'll be better to call it "Mackie Device" from now on), but without LCD screens.
I tried using the "Mackie Device" ports and yes, now I can choose the Send modes and Plug-In, but I lost all the functionality of my "Mackie Device" including the Vpots, so I'm afraid it can't be considered a solution yet :/ Even when pressing the buttons that I assign to the VPOTS of my "Mackie Device Mackie", now they work in Momentary mode and not ON/Off. What I think, is that if somehow the buttons of the Stream Deck could be configured as an Extender of my "Mackie Device", the functionality of it could be maintained ( If possible, perhaps you could consider it in a future update) . My apologies for the length of my response. I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for the excellent work you have done with this Plugin, it has really helped a lot in my Workflow.

I was afraid that you could get problems like that.

The Mackie protocol is extremely chatty, with constant communication back and forth. When you introduce a third party in the communication, you suddenly have two devices responding when the daw sends something, and when the first device is responding or sending something, the other device thinks it is coming from the daw and responds to it, causing the first device to think the response is from the daw and responds to it......  

It's like having a conference call where everyone constantly shouts. This is why the Mackie protocol demands that each device have its own midi ports.

Configuring Stream Deck as an extender (as you can do in the current version of the plugin) isn't a solution since it will then be a separate Mackie device, and you won't be able to see or control anything on the Xtouch.

What you could possibly do, is configure Stream Deck to listen to the correct Mackie port, but send to a dummy port that isn't connected anywhere. That way, you should at least be able to configure LCD buttons to see strip info without breaking the Xtouch functionality.

Next, you could create another kind of buttons, like Note On/Off buttons (NOT Mackie buttons) that are connected to the Mackie ports (in and out), where you can hard code exact note numbers that correspond to the controllers on the Xtouch that you want to control. These buttons would not respond to anything and will not break Xtouch functionality (though I haven't tested this!)

You can find the Mackie Control protocol midi map here.

Thanks you Very much! I will try that going to home. I will bring feedback in the future...
Cheers!

You can in essence USE the XTouch MIDI with Streamdeck provided that you know how to route the midi signal of XTouch MINI and Streamdeck (StreamDeck2Daw). I use Bome MIDI Translator for this. So the Output of Xtouch Mini and Streamdeck is routed to Bome Midi Translator. and the Output from the daw is routed back to the units. so whatever adjustments I did with Xtouch Mini and or Streamdeck will be reflected back to Streamdech visual buttons.

Thanks you Arbibarbarona, This info is Pure Gold!! I will try with this info this night. Best Regards!

In your DAW, you wont be using the Midi ins from both StreamDeck2Daw and XTouchmini it will be the Virtual port from Bome Midi Translator Pro. (BMT1) Midi In (BMT2) midi out.

Im a little bit confussed linking ports. On the other Hand, in your DAW you have added Stream Deck and Xtouch Mini? or only Xtouch Mini, and in Xtouch Mini you chose the ports BMT1 Midi in and BMT2 Midi out???

It may be daunting as it may seem but it's easy if you understand the logic. In Bome Midi Translator Pro. the Midi In from Xtouch Mini and Mackie2Daw is Checked. And routed to BMT1 MIDI output

And Bome MIDI Virtual 2 out to Daw2Mackie and Xtouch MINI;(Example below.) 

In Studio One use Bome MIDI translator 1 as MIDI input and Bome Midi Translator 2 as output for the Mackie protocol.
 

Thank you Very much! now works perfect! Its a little bit expensive Bome, but now I have an alternative

Hey Arbibarbarona! do you know if that routing, can be do it with MidiOX or any other? . Im trying free alternatives, but at the the moment the only software which works is Bome.

OldVintage wrote:Hey Arbibarbarona! do you know if that routing, can be do it with MidiOX or any other? . Im trying free alternatives, but at the the moment the only software which works is Bome.

Yes, you can achieve similar results with MIDI-Ox and LoopMIDI only.

Finally I got it! After weeks of tests, and paying close attention to the words of ADMIN and ARBIBARBARONA, I got what I was looking for, and as promised, I bring feedback for those who need it.

In the first place I had to merge the midi ports of the STREAM DECK and the XTOUCH MINI output and make them only 1, (also the input ones) I achieved this with MIDI OX (attached image), and also creating 2 extra ports in LOOP MIDI.
It is very important in MIDI OX to activate the "PASS SYSEX" option in the "OPTIONS" window. This is because or the names of the tracks will not be reflected in the STREAM DECK.
Any questions do not hesitate to contact me.