Tascam DP24 SD DIY Footswitch

[Dominik]

After a Tascam 2488 and a 2488 Neo, I have now bought the DP24 SD.

Phew, why Tascam has thrown out some things here that are really relevant and some functions are programmed completely incorrectly is probably only known by Tascam itself. Too bad.
Otherwise top device.

In any case, today I built a footswitch for the device using an ATMega8.
Since the signal is transmitted serially to the Tascam, a microcontroller was unavoidable.
I also implemented a midi control.
So you can either operate the Tascam using a foot switch or a MIDI. Awesome

If anyone is interested, I could put the circuit diagram and .hex file in here.

 

[shredd]

That's just ULTRA-kewl.
I also progressed through all 3 2488's, to arrive at the O/G DP-32 w MIDI.
And I VIVIDLY remember bemoaning some of the 88's features that were excluded from the DP...some that I reallllly valued. In fact, I kept my 2488neo installed/operational in my studio for nearly a year after I got the DP, until I decided to let go/move on/live without them (required a few workflow changes, mostly).

It so happens that the DP-32 will take a MOST functional proprietary footswitch that's actually configurable within the DP's Preferences.
While I loved the 88's punch in/out function, this thing has proven TEN times as utile. It's permanently connected to my DP.
I dunno what sort of challenge it was to design/build yours...but considering I have post-it's on my condensers to remind me to turn the phantom power on, that'd be a bit outta my league. So I'm pretty happy with the Tascam one (and that they designed the DP to use it!).

We'd love to see it (pics?) - and function descriptions...

 

[Dominik]

Thank you
Yeah I really miss the catching fader Functions. Thats a MUST on devices with not motorized fader.
Also when I creat a new song, all the EQ settings and send effects of my song before are applies on the new song. So I have to clear it all. And so on... really annoying. Cant belive this.

The original footswitch doesnt work with just switches which shorten a circuit. The footswitch comes with batteries. Why? Theres a controller in it which sends a serial signal which switch is pressed.
The protocoll is made public by Tascam. Yeeha.
The rest is programming.

I will take pics tomorrow

 

[shredd]

Yes - the 88’s f/sw was just make/break circuit. Not like the DO’s pedal.

Oh, yeaaah…the “scenes”-saving feature watch a CRUCIAL tool for me, not to mention fader-matching capability.

Another thing I mourned greatly was the elimination of NAMEable point location in songs. I made MAJOR use of that in my workflow, which tended to have LOTS of edits & punch in/outs (kinda still does…)

 

[shredd]

Also when I creat a new song, all the EQ settings and send effects of my song before are applies on the new song. So I have to clear it all. And so on... really annoying. Cant belive this.

FYI - this IS something of a headache - until you use it to your advantage - by creating a “default”/template song (with everything set exactly as you want as a starting point) that you load just before you create a new song, thus starting the new project with those default settings.
I actually found this extremely helpful: I have several templates that I use to start a new project, depending on its requirements.
This was @Phil Tipping ‘s brilliant guidance. It’s in the forums here (and in one of his videos, IIRC…)

 

[Dominik]

After writing my post I watched the videos of Phil
Oh yes, what a great idea with these templates. Very good!!!

Yes you are right. The marks just habe numbers now. What a mess. I loved it to name my parts CHORUS or INTRO and so on.
I cant believe that. The machine has more power than the ones before but now you cant make any individual stuff.
Templates for EQ? Nope. Marks, scenes, and so on.

I am really disapointed of these missing features.

 

[shredd]

I am really disapointed of these missing features.

Yup. You said it…it was a very painful transition going from 15 years on ‘88’s to the DP.
NOW I’m happy w it - but I still miss some of those great capabilities…and (as mentioned) it made it realllly hard to switch over. It took me a year to decide.

Not surprisingly, the ‘88’s still have a pretty rabid following. I’mma considering worn-out 2488 button/control repair as a new career field, and will retire so rich that I’ll hire Elon to scrub my toilets. Though that’s probably too noble a fate for that cretin…

 

[Phil Tipping]

What a great idea, especially as the protocol is public. Would be very interested in details, being an MCU nerd myself.
Next mission is to write a decoder for the sys files so that the zz files can be recovered/repaired. The structure isn't public, but Tascam have never provided one (afaik) although they should imho.... it would help fix the most common problem out there

 

[Dominik]

Great idea Phil! That would be cool!
Phew I'm so pissed because of the faders. The missing function of catching faders. I dont understand TASCAM

I saw your video about the templates fpr new songs. I'm wondering why TASCAM didnt use a section for this under preferences? "Start with empty template: YES/NO"
There are so many programming issues of this device. woah.

However, here's a little schematic of what I'm using.
You could use almost every controller because the software is written with the Arduino IDE. There we have a library for software serial and so you can use every hardware pin you want. Easy!

I cant upload the .hex file or .txt file here. damn. Mh...

 

[shredd]

and so you can use every hardware pin you want

Being the Village Idiot here...I'm nor sure I entirely grasp the implications...but does this suggest that a controller could be built that could control even MORE functions (if there was a way for the DP to receive the instruction/s)??

 

[Dominik]

Yes of course.
But unfortunaly the DP only understand the 3 commands from the footswitch

 

[Phil Tipping]

Thank you for the schematic. You could park the hex code on another host and provide a link, or even better add it as a 'project' to sites such as Hackaday. I stuck my PlasMa project there and got loads of interest overnight, having had zippo while it was sat on youtube and my own website for 3 years!
Btw, not sure if it was ambiguous but the sys file suggestion was a challenge for you, as in: "your mission, should you choose to accept it" It wasn't something I was actively doing.

 

[Mark Richards]

Templates for EQ? Nope.

As shredd pointed out, you can create any kind of template you might care to, yes?

...when I creat a new song, all the EQ settings and send effects of my song before are applies on the new song...

In my 12 years' experience with the DP-24, that has proven to be a very useful feature rather than an annoyance.

...I really miss the catching fader Functions. Thats a MUST on devices with not motorized fader...

...I also implemented a midi control...

Not sure what you mean by "catching"; but if you mean saving the Fader position, I just note that on my project sheet when mixing. And if exporting tracks to a D.A.W. for mixing, it's a non-issue, IMO.

The original DP-24/32 has MIDI. IMO, removing MIDI from the SD series was a mistake.
That you've found a way to add it back is very cool.

 

[Dominik]

@Mark
When I start a new song... why should I use the old EQ settings from a different song?

The catching fader function on the 2488 was very usefull. The fader postions were saved so that I could move my fader to that position of every song where I ended.
Now I have to do a mixdown immedatiely or take a photo. It is a standalone station. So I dont want to use a pc in order to do the rest on it.

 

[Dominik]

By the way, that's the whole circuit.

4 inputs (3x buttons, 1x MIDI)
1 output (serial to Tascam)

 

[Phil Tipping]

That's a great little add-on. Nice to see the use of the raw atMega chip instead the usual Arduino-family prototype/breakout boards
Your MIDI option makes basic MMC possible (the footswitch offers STOP, PLAY and RECORD functions) so you'd be able to start recordings & playback in sync by using another MIDI device as the master. There would be no way of stopping the devices drifting as there's no time-code route but it might be useful for short songs... maybe even longer ones if the two clocks happen to be closely matched. Worth some experimenting methinks
Update: am picturing a small box with a DIN socket for MIDI IN, one or more 1/4" jacks (TS and/or TRS) for conventional on/off foot pedals, and a TRS jack output for connecting to the Tascam footswitch socket (2.5mm stereo jack?). Power from internal battery or 5v USB or 9v barrel socket.

 

[Dominik]

Hi Phil, thank you!

Yes that kind of box Im building right now
The power comes from the USB so I dont have to use batteries.
But, the ring of the 2,5mm socket on the Tascam offers 3,3V as a powersource. But it is very weak so you should use a mikrocontroller which can handle this 3,3V.
But as I said, I will use the 5V from the USB of my PC. That is good enough.

Then I will have a little box with 3 physical switches for the footswitch functions and over the USB I can receive the MIDI signals from my Pc. Because I build another board with am Attiny2313 which works as an USB to MIDI converter. It appears in Cubase as a Midi device. So no need of a DIN connector

And yes, the sync could be a problem with long songs. But for a simple remote control it is great. So you could start the Tascam from another room or a singing booth or whatever.

 

[Phil Tipping]

That's brilliant! Be prepared for a few orders
P.S. Was looking at the service manual to see what type of jack was used for the footswitch, and noticed MIDI in & out signals on the main processor marked UART3 TX & RX. This is obviously not connected on the 'SD' models, and although I doubt that the non-MIDI firmware looks at MIDI in, there's a 'fingers crossed' chance there could be a permanent timing clock message (hex F8) on MIDI out which could be used to prevent drift, albeit from the Tascam to the device. If ever I have to take mine apart, I'll have a look with the scope.

 

[Dominik]

Yeah, it is a common thing to use one hardware but different firmwares.
But I guess the hardware on the SD models is also a bit different than the non SD models. I dont know.
I dont know the different mainboards. But if there are unused pins for the UART then I could imagine that the firmware isnt prepared for that. What a mess.

The only way to rename markers like on the 2488 is to use Tipp-Ex on the display. Mh... well, not bad this idea

 

[Dominik]

Okay, MIDI doesnt work for now. DOnt know if it's the circuit, the converter or my bad knowledge about Cubase and Midi
Doesnt matter... I think I have to buy me a USB-Midi converter to keep testing it.

woaw... today I recorded some old songs of mine and I'm soooo dissapointed about the usage of the TASCAM.
For real, why the heck didn't Tascam implemented some kind of user labels? If I would build such a machine, the user would be able to rename any track which is shown on the display. Instead of TRACK1 there would be GUITAR and so on. This would be so easy for TASCAM to implement but.. okay.

I have to apply to Tascam, then after maybe 5-8 years I would be able to get access to the firmware code. And then I could re-program it