Things to do with Chocolate

[NickS]

I've actually had some real-life experience with the M-Vave/Cuvave Chocolate MIDI controller. One of the options in the configuration app is to select between configuring the 1/4" jack for an expression pedal input or as a TRS MIDI output. So I made up a TRS-to-DIN cable out of an old 3.5mm stereo jack lead and an ancient DIN plug.

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What I'm using it for at the moment with the Line 6 M9 is to simultaneously select two switches. For example, the top middle and top right switches if pressed simultaneously turn the tuner on but using the Chocolate I can turn those two effects on e.g. distortion and octave without complication. That's what I'm doing with the left-hand two Chocolate switches. The right-hand two are set up to clear down the middle switches and select either top right or bottom right (distortion or boost).

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The other thing I'm looking to do is use it with the Behringer FCB1010 MIDI controller. The FCB1010 can't be programmed to send complex commands such as SysEx without the 3rd party UNO2 firmware*; the Chocolate can. By setting the FCB1010 mode to pass MIDI through, I can connect the Chocolate to FCB1010 MIDI in and pass its commands through, giving me more flexibility.

I've also bought the Chocolate Plus (£22.56 delivered from Ali Express), which allows you to use Advanced Custom Mode 2 in banks (on the original Advanced Custom Mode you're limited to the four buttons). However, the options in ACM2 are limited to "Short Step" and "Long Step"; the first sends a list of MIDI commands when you step on a button; the second sends a list of MIDI commands after a second delay when you step on a button - I suppose.

Another big improvement is that you can export and import configurations

The Chocolate Plus TRS connector is 3.5mm so it's handy that I decided to go with a 3.5mm TRS cable and a 3.5mm-to-6.35mm stereo adaptor for the Chocolate. It also has a USB host capability but I don't have a use for that at the moment.

*The UNO2 chip does not ship to UK because it's not worth the developer getting VAT registered - thank you Brexit!

[NickS]

I've also bought the Chocolate Plus (£22.56 delivered from Ali Express), which allows you to use Advanced Custom Mode 2 in banks (on the original Advanced Custom Mode you're limited to the four buttons). However, the options in ACM2 are limited to "Short Step" and "Long Step"; the first sends a list of MIDI commands when you step on a button; the second sends a list of MIDI commands after a second delay when you step on a button - I suppose.

A new firmware release for the Chocolate Plus combines the two Advanced Custom modes, allowing a bunch of different stomp ("stampede") modes (like Advanced Custom mode 1) while allowing up to 8 banks (half what ACM2 allowed). That release includes a new Mixed mode that allows you to define each stomp switch individually as Advanced Custom MIDI, Custom Keyboard mode or Page Turner mode, in up to six banks. I imagine that you would have to use TRS MIDI if you were using the Bluetooth for keyboard or page turner connections.

[NickD]

*The UNO2 chip does not ship to UK because it's not worth the developer getting VAT registered - thank you Brexit!

The developer doesn't understand exporting to the UK. Being VAT registered just means they can charge you UK VAT instead of you paying it when the item enters the country, if it's over the limit.

[Bacchus]

Either way, the UNO2 chip can't be hard to make, I'd have thought. An opportunity for a cottage industry? It would be pretty fucking cottage, there's not many of us left still using FCB1010s, but still, Brexit bonanza all the same.

[NickS]

The developer doesn't understand exporting to the UK. Being VAT registered just means they can charge you UK VAT instead of you paying it when the item enters the country, if it's over the limit.

Since Brexit I didn't think there was a limit/threshold like there used to be for stuff coming in from outside the EU (it was something like 19 quid IIRC).

[NickD]

The developer doesn't understand exporting to the UK. Being VAT registered just means they can charge you UK VAT instead of you paying it when the item enters the country, if it's over the limit.

Since Brexit I didn't think there was a limit/threshold like there used to be for stuff coming in from outside the EU (it was something like 19 quid IIRC).

You’re right, it’s a minimum for duty not tax, I just checked. And the law has changed on non uk sellers charging VAT for lower amounts, so I misspoke there, unless you’re buying enough chips to be over £135 when you can pay the VAT yourself. That seems a completely arse backwards way of doing things TBH

[NickS]

Just couldn't resist buying another Chocolate Plus at £23.95 with £4 off over £23, free delivery. So £19.95.
Here's my thinking; using it for MIDI, the TRS output should be what we in the electronics trade call an open collector output. That means you should be able to wire multiple outputs in parallel. Stay tuned, folks.

[NickS]

Well, I was wrong, it doesn't use an open collector output, or at least not one with enough sink capability to overcome the fact that there's another device connected to it. So I needed to use diode isolation between the two outputs.

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..and there you go.

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[dots]

wild.

love the DIY super rig switching.

[NickS]

Slightly refined to stop source voltage leaking back into the other MIDI controller - without the additional diodes, switching one on produced enough power to partly power up the other controller through the TRS interface. I used BAT43 Schottky diodes that have a low forward voltage drop of about 300 mV.

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