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CTR2-MIDI with SmartSDR for Windows?

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Has anyone written a utility to allow the CTR2-MIDI to work with SmartSDR for Windows?

That would be a fantastic option if it was available!

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Comments

  • Mike-VA3MW
    Mike-VA3MW Administrator, FlexRadio Employee, Community Manager, Super Elmer, Moderator admin

    It would require SmartSDR to have a MIDI interface to TCP/IP I believe.

  • Doug
    Doug Member ✭✭

    The CRT2-MICRO works with windows.

    The CRT2-Midi requires a midi interface to sSDR which the windows version does not have.

    Both the MICRO and the Midi perform the same functions giving knob and button controls as well as a key/keyer interface.

  • Ken Wells
    Ken Wells Community Manager admin

    Understood, and thanks.

    I was hoping that someone may have written a small utility that would translate the API to MIDI for use with the CTR2-MIDI from Windows. Perhaps someday . . .

  • G7UFO
    G7UFO Member ✭✭

    I wonder if the alternate firmware Lynn has been cooking up for the CTR2-Dial may be of use? It communicates directly with the FlexRadio API over WiFi.

    Admittedly not exactly what you were looking for, but it is OS independent.

  • Ken Wells
    Ken Wells Community Manager admin

    That looks interesting. I will look into the CTR2-Dial sometime in the future.

  • G7UFO
    G7UFO Member ✭✭

    Admittedly, I've yet to try the Flex firmware (I'm making the CTR2-Dials in the UK/EU) but its certainly on my list, once I get a chance!

  • G7UFO
    G7UFO Member ✭✭
    edited May 14

    Just by means of an update on this as there was some discussion about this on the CTR2 groups.io page.

    Looks like people have had success using an app called CoyoteMIDI which can sit as a translation layer between SmartSDR on windows and the CTR2-Dial (without the CTR2-Flex firmware) or CTR2-MIDI.

    Lynn has added details in Appendix F of the CTR2-Dial and CTR2-MIDI manuals.

  • Lynn Hansen
    Lynn Hansen Member ✭✭

    Neil is correct. CoyoteMIDI receives the MIDI commands from my CTR2-MIDI or CTR2-Dial then translates those commands to either mouse scroll actions or a key strokes, depending on how you set it up. 

    For SmardSDR for Windows you would set it up to send up/down mouse scroll actions when the CTR2 dial is turned to tune the radio. The drawbacks are 1) SmartSDR must be in focus to receive the scroll actions and 2) that’s the only action I can find that SmartSDR responds to so you can’t change modes or bands with the CTR device. 

    One advantage of using CoyoteMIDI (or any other MIDI translator) is that you can map other controls on CTR2-MIDI or CTR2-Dial to control other programs. For instance, wfView uses the J and K keys to change frequency so I mapped a different CTR2-MIDI control to send J and K keystrokes when the dial is turned. I have another translation mapped to use CTR2-MIDI as a jog control in Audacity. You can have as many translations as you want CTR2-Dial is nice for this because you can customize the label for each dial control 

    Neil mentioned the CTR-Flex firmware I’m working on. It’s basically a CTR2-Micro running on CTR2-Dial hardware. It connects directly to the radio as a GUI or non-GUI client and provides a touch screen control surface to control the radio. Because it connects to the radio it works with the Windows, Mac, and iOS SmartSDR apps. It also works without them. It’s biggest weakness is that it doesn’t support SmartLink so remote operation is challenging. The firmware is available now for CTR2-Dial, but the speaker on the Dial is too weak for sidetone. I’ll working on a new controller that I’m calling CTR2-Flex that will support dual encoders, a paddle/key jack, and an external sidetone speaker. It should be ready in a few weeks. 

    73, Lynn

  • Ken Wells
    Ken Wells Community Manager admin

    Lynn,
    That is awesome! CTR2-Flex!

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