B-Control Nano BCN 44 Latency Issues

[electron8000]

Hello,

I got an (old) B-Control Nano BCN 44 and was trying to use it to complement my Yamaha PSR310 keyboard with pitch/bend and modulation. I found out that when i use the device to directly control cakewalk sonar while playing back a track, everything works fine and the notes are being pitched. If i try to use the "Midi-Merge" functionality (keyboard midi-out -> bcn44 midi-in, bcn44 midi-out -> soundcard midi-in) then i got a strange problem with latency. When i press a key on the keyboard, the keypressed signal is being send via the bcn44 to the soundcard and the note is being played. But if i shortly after pressing the key, i release it then the keyreleased signal won't be sent to the soundcard (so the note keeps on playing). Same in inverted order. If i press other keys there always has to be a delay time of approx 1-2 seconds in between. Otherwise the corresponding notes would'nt be played. It seems as if there has to be always a delay time of 1-2 seconds in between midi-signals sent from the keyboard to the BCN44. I wonder if this is an issue with firmware on the BCN44. without the BCN44 in between the keyboard and the soundcard i got no problems at all. What could be the reason for this?

Thanks,
electron8000

[James Burns]

Hi Electron8000!

I am going to ping one of our product specialist to help you with this issue within the next 24 hours. In the meantime, have you had a chance to review our new forum name policy? Please read this over, and send me a PM, so I can fix your username up.

http://bit.ly/Xctiaz

Also, I am going to move this thread to the Recording forum, where it will be slightly more on-topic. Cheers!

Take care,
James.

[Chris Painter]

Hello,

I got an (old) B-Control Nano BCN 44 and was trying to use it to complement my Yamaha PSR310 keyboard with pitch/bend and modulation. I found out that when i use the device to directly control cakewalk sonar while playing back a track, everything works fine and the notes are being pitched. If i try to use the "Midi-Merge" functionality (keyboard midi-out -> bcn44 midi-in, bcn44 midi-out -> soundcard midi-in) then i got a strange problem with latency. When i press a key on the keyboard, the keypressed signal is being send via the bcn44 to the soundcard and the note is being played. But if i shortly after pressing the key, i release it then the keyreleased signal won't be sent to the soundcard (so the note keeps on playing). Same in inverted order. If i press other keys there always has to be a delay time of approx 1-2 seconds in between. Otherwise the corresponding notes would'nt be played. It seems as if there has to be always a delay time of 1-2 seconds in between midi-signals sent from the keyboard to the BCN44. I wonder if this is an issue with firmware on the BCN44. without the BCN44 in between the keyboard and the soundcard i got no problems at all. What could be the reason for this?

Thanks,
electron8000

A point to note regarding using the BCN44 as a MIDI merge - the BCN44 is equipped with a MIDI in, for use primarily with a MIDI keyboard. The level of data traffic at the midi input should be relatively low. However - if the input device is a fully-fledged MIDI instrument - the level of data traffic is immense, and this can lead to blockages at the MIDI input buffer. In this application the BCN44 will not be adequate as a MIDI Merge function.

The optimum solution here would be to use a dedicated external MIDI merge box, which should cost around $50.00.


There are two 'types' of controller on the BCN44 - 'continuous' type controllers (turning one of the four rotary encoders), or 'switch' type controllers (pressing one of the four buttons, or pressing in one of the rotary encoders like a button). The method of programming is slightly different depending on whether you're programming a 'rotary' or 'push-button' function.

In all cases, start by holding down EDIT/EXIT and turn the knob (or push the button) you want to program.

Then, refer to the tables 6.3 and 6.4 in your BCN44 manual, "B CONTROL NANO SWITCH TYPE CONTROLLERS" and "B CONTROL NANO CONTINUOUS TYPE CONTROLLERS", for charts detailing which parameters can be programmed for the appropriate type of control, and how to access them.

For example, to program a rotary encoder to send out MIDI continuous controller data using MIDI CC number 21, you would perform the following steps:

Press and hold EDIT/EXIT.

Turn one of the four knobs to select which one you want to program.

Let go of EDIT/EXIT.

Turn the first knob, "CHANNEL", to select the desired MIDI channel you want the message to transmit on (for example, "Ch 1" for MIDI channel 1.)

Hold down the TYPE button and turn the knob directly above it (the CHANNEL knob) to select the type of MIDI message you want to be sent out - in this case "CC" for MIDI 'Continuous Controller' data.

Turn the second knob, 'PARAMETER', to select the MIDI controller number you want to send, for example "21" for MIDI CC number 21.

Hold down the MODE button while turning the knob directly above it (the PARAMETER knob in this case) to change the 'MODE' - for example, 'Abs' for 'Absolute'.

Turn the VALUE 1 or VALUE 2 knobs to select the lower and upper range of MIDI CC values that our controller will transmit. In this example, let's say we want to be able to transmit the full range of possible MIDI controller values, so select "0" for VALUE 1, and "127" for VALUE 2.