PepperTony

I was wondering if anyone has ever made any stand-alone hardware to run MAX effects. I was thinking of a little guitar pedal style box with a DSP processor that could run while not connected to the computer. I'm an analog guy so I don't know much about the feasibility of such an endeavor, but I know there are no shortage of guitar effects pedals (Line6, etc) doing the AD-DSP-DA thing. So with my limited knowledge I can't see why it isn't possible. 

I was wondering if anyone has ever made any stand-alone hardware to run MAX effects.  I was thinking of a little guitar pedal style box  with a DSP processor that could run while not connected to the computer.  I'm an analog guy so I don't know much about the feasibility of such an endeavor, but I know there are no shortage of guitar effects pedals (Line6, etc) doing the AD-DSP-DA thing.  So with my limited knowledge I can't see why it isn't possible.  
Any thoughts?


implementing-max-effects-on-external-hardware

> I was wondering if anyone has ever made any stand-alone hardware to

> run MAX effects. I was thinking of a little guitar pedal style box

> with a DSP processor that could run while not connected to the

I think it is possible to load pluggos made with Max into these VST 

But these boxes are so expensive compared to a laptop with decent 

converters, that there is not too much experience with it around...

Chad schrieb:
> I was wondering if anyone has ever made any stand-alone hardware to
> run MAX effects. I was thinking of a little guitar pedal style box
> with a DSP processor that could run while not connected to the
> computer.

I think it is possible to load pluggos made with Max into these VST 
boxes like Receptor or Plugzilla.

http://www.museresearch.com/
http://www.plugzilla.com/

But these boxes are so expensive compared to a laptop with decent 
converters, that there is not too much experience with it around...

-- 
Stefan Tiedje------------x-------
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Stefan, I agree that compared with a laptop, Receptor and Plugzilla are overkill for dealing with just Max effects.

But one thing that makes these products trickier is the fact that they have to be compatible with all the different 3rd party VST maker's copy protection. Another big reason that they are so expensive is the huge number of channels.

What I'm interested in is a one in, one out (think effects pedal) box that you could load max effects onto. There could be some number of switches and knobs to control parameters of the programmer's choosing. It seems like something of the nature would be far less ambitious than Receptor or Plugzilla, since we wouldn't have to deal with copy protection or a bunch of channels. 

Stefan, I agree that compared with a laptop, Receptor and Plugzilla are overkill for dealing with just Max effects.  

But one thing that makes these products trickier is the fact that they have to be compatible with all the different 3rd party VST maker's copy protection.  Another big reason that they are so expensive is the huge number of channels.  

What I'm interested in is a one in, one out (think effects pedal) box that you could load max effects onto.  There could be some number of switches and knobs to control parameters of the programmer's choosing.  It seems like something of the nature would be far less ambitious than Receptor or Plugzilla, since we wouldn't have to deal with copy protection or a bunch of channels.  


macmini with small audio inteface and one of many midi control boxes??

+ small LCD TV/monitor for visual feedback.

price and size is comparable to some bigger guitar fx units.

macmini with small audio inteface and one of many midi control boxes??
+ small LCD TV/monitor for visual feedback.

price and size is comparable to some bigger guitar fx units.


> What I'm interested in is a one in, one out (think effects pedal) box

> that you could load max effects onto. There could be some number of

> switches and knobs to control parameters of the programmer's

> choosing. It seems like something of the nature would be far less

> ambitious than Receptor or Plugzilla, since we wouldn't have to deal

> with copy protection or a bunch of channels.

There is an open developement platform from Line 6's ToneCore, this is 

not Max, but it does fit into a stomp box...

Elsewise the Plugzilla/Receptor or a macmini/laptop is the way. Max 

relies on an operating system. It has to run inside that box...

Most external DSP boxes like a Capybara for example or the ToneCore run 

on dedicated DSP processors. These are very different beasts than 

One other option is also to go the Pd route. As of its open source 

nature its easier to give it an appropriate environment. You can even 

or have a seperate box running Linux (Receptor/Plugzilla is doing just 

that by the way). You could ask Sukandar Kartadinata, he is the expert 

in that field and knows Max and Pd very well and I believe he's done 

To port a Max patch to Pd is possible, it would even read it, but you 

would have to adjust a patch to the limitations of Pd then...

Chad schrieb:
> What I'm interested in is a one in, one out (think effects pedal) box
> that you could load max effects onto.  There could be some number of
> switches and knobs to control parameters of the programmer's
> choosing.  It seems like something of the nature would be far less
> ambitious than Receptor or Plugzilla, since we wouldn't have to deal
> with copy protection or a bunch of channels.

There is an open developement platform from Line 6's ToneCore, this is 
not Max, but it does fit into a stomp box...

Elsewise the Plugzilla/Receptor or a macmini/laptop is the way. Max 
relies on an operating system. It has to run inside that box...
Most external DSP boxes like a Capybara for example or the ToneCore run 
on dedicated DSP processors. These are very different beasts than 
general purpose processors.

One other option is also to go the Pd route. As of its open source 
nature its easier to give it an appropriate environment. You can even 
run it on a PDA: http://gige.xdv.org/pda/
or have a seperate box running Linux (Receptor/Plugzilla is doing just 
that by the way). You could ask Sukandar Kartadinata, he is the expert 
in that field and knows Max and Pd very well and I believe he's done 
stuff like that... http://www.glui.de/

To port a Max patch to Pd is possible, it would even read it, but you 
would have to adjust a patch to the limitations of Pd then...

-- 
Stefan Tiedje------------x-------
--_____-----------|--------------
--(_|_ ----|-----|-----()-------
-- _|_)----|-----()--------------
----------()--------www.ccmix.com

I just came across the Line6 ToneCore DSP thing and I have to say, it's terribly exciting.

I've been learning max/msp on my own for a bit now, but haven't really put it into too much practical use as it's a bit of a hassle to lug the laptop/soundcard around, particularly on stage, or outdoors.

I don't know about how dsp code works, but is it possible that there will be a max/msp to tonecore type port/conversion at some point? Or are the DSPs too different to be applicable?

I would sooo buy that tonecore + several modules and sit at max/msp for months on end if that were the case. Hell, a pedalboard of nothing but tonecore pedals.....

On Mar 13, 2008, at 6:19 PM, rodrigo.constanzo wrote:

> I don't know about how dsp code works, but is it possible that there 

> will be a max/msp to tonecore type port/conversion at some point? Or 

> are the DSPs too different to be applicable?

I doubt that Max/MSP could be run on something like the Tonecore. 

There is a _little_ bit of hope for it running on something like the V- 

Pedal, which runs VSTs, but I'm not holding my breath. The devil is in 

Scroll down to see the pedal version in this press release:

http://www.sonicstate.com/news/shownews.cfm?newsid=6253

> I don't know about how dsp code works, but is it possible that there  
> will be a max/msp to tonecore type port/conversion at some point? Or  
> are the DSPs too different to be applicable?

I doubt that Max/MSP could be run on something like the Tonecore.  
There is a _little_ bit of hope for it running on something like the V- 
Pedal, which runs VSTs, but I'm not holding my breath. The devil is in  
the details.

Scroll down to see the pedal version in this press release:
http://www.sonicstate.com/news/shownews.cfm?newsid=6253

Chris Muir
cbm@well.com	
http://www.xfade.com

Yeah I saw that. It apparently retails for around $2000 which makes it....sort of useless as for that much you can buy a laptop/soundcard/pedalboard.

I know that max/msp wouldn't be able to RUN on the tonecore, but perhaps porting of a max patch to tonecore DSP language or something like that.

Or maybe PD. Anything besides manual coding of DSP really.

Not exactly implementing Max effects in hardware, but how about a modular synth Mac?

http://www.cyndustries.com/modules_minimac.cfm

Looks like it's a custom order thing, but those outputs gotta be nice n sturdy if it's running other CV modules.

Doesn't look updated since the G4 Mac mini tho.

Implementing MAX effects on external hardware