deved

Hi everybody, this is my first post here and I'm hoping someone can help. I've posted this over on the Arduino forum and m4l.info also.

Firstly: I'm using Max for Live, on Mac OS 10.6. I do not have a full license of Max. I have 2 servo motors that are hooked up to my Arduino Mega 2560 board, which I want to control via MIDI via Maxuino's m4l object.

I've followed the instructions given on the Maxuino site but now I don't know whether it's not working or if I just don't understand how to work it - certainly when I select "Out" on the digital ports connected to the servos, and move the sliders in Maxuino, nothing happens.

I know all Maxuino does is convert MIDI messages into serial data over a specific channel, so it's probably possible to make something similar using the "serial" object, but as I'm brand-spanking new to Max and Max for Live I don't really know where to start with this.

Has anyone here used it successfully? I cannot find anything about this online, only other people asking the same question. If I can figure this out I'll make a video tutorial to save other users the frustration this has caused me thus far!

Firstly: I'm using Max for Live, on Mac OS 10.6. I do not have a full license of Max. I have 2 servo motors that are hooked up to my Arduino Mega 2560 board, which I want to control via MIDI via Maxuino's m4l object. 

maxuino-m4l-object-how-to-get-working

Maxuino is indeed an OSC-to-serial translator for talking to arduino compatible hardware, runnin the Firmata firmware. All the maxuino patches rely on max's native "serial" object, as you surmised.

I'm not sure what sequence you're following, and i admit that the documentation for Maxuino is weak;

For controller servors, you should use the "servo" mode, not output; that mode tells the microcontroller to generate a 50Hz PWM, and limit the duty cycle between ~%5-%12 (can be adjusted).

there are also a million undocumented features in the M4L device (apologies); you can send note on/off messages into the track with the maxuino device and that'll translate to ON/OFF when in "OUTPUT" or "PWM" or "SERVO" modes (for the latter it'd be movement from one extreme of the servo to the other). Additionally, you can use CC messages to adjust the PWM slider (i.e. servo position also). Getting CC messages into devices easily in ableton is its own can of warms.

Let me know if you are still havin trouble....

are you able to turn an LED on/off with maxuino?

Hi there,
Maxuino is indeed an OSC-to-serial translator for talking to arduino compatible hardware, runnin the Firmata firmware.  All the maxuino patches rely on max's native "serial" object, as you surmised.

I'm not sure what sequence you're following, and i admit that the documentation for Maxuino is weak;
For controller servors, you should use the "servo" mode, not output; that mode tells the microcontroller to generate a 50Hz PWM, and limit the duty cycle between ~%5-%12 (can be adjusted).

there are also a million undocumented features in the M4L device (apologies); you can send note on/off messages into the track with the maxuino device and that'll translate to ON/OFF when in "OUTPUT" or "PWM" or "SERVO" modes (for the latter it'd be movement from one extreme of the servo to the other).  Additionally, you can use CC messages to adjust the PWM slider (i.e. servo position also).  Getting CC messages into devices easily in ableton is its own can of warms.

are you able to turn an LED on/off with maxuino?


I've made a bit of progress at least: having re-installed Arduino (v.22) and knowing that I need to upload Standard Firmata from the Firmata library, I've done more than I could before. Presently I wish to send button press messages into software via the arduino.

Do I need to do any tinkering with the Maxuino M4L object in Max/MSP to get it to work?

If for example, I have a button set up on digital in pin 6 on the board, what would I need to do in the Maxuino M4L patch?

I've got an Adafruit motor shield attached to my Mega 2560, so the Arduino's pin13 LED is obscured (it's replaced by another LED on the motor shield, which is on). How do I get this to flash? I've tried putting notes into a midi clip on the channel Maxuino is inserted on, but that doesn't do anything.

Do I need to do any tinkering with the Maxuino M4L object in Max/MSP to get it to work? 

Maxuino M4L object - how to get working?