Goose v0.1 - Windows based 788T Control Software

[jawharp]

Hey Everyone,

 

Here is a super rough version of Goose, my 788T control software.  Please keep in mind this is VERY ROUGH and I'm posting it to get a feel of what sort of glitches/bugs I need to work out.  But feel free to download it and try it.  I'm curious to hear any problems/crashes you might have so I can fix them.

 

SCREENSHOT GALLERY: https://imgur.com/a/MdfATSF

 

Here is a list of some of the stuff you can do with it:

FEATURES
- Fully control the 788T's transport REC/STOP/PLAY
- Edit scene/take info easily for the last recorded and next take
- One-button "lettering up" to the next scene letter (haven't implemented a numerical European system yet)
- One-button false take
- "Track View" - view track meters, edit track labels, arm/disarm tracks
- "Output View" - view output meters, adjust output attenuation, set output routing sources
- "Input View" - view input meters, adjust input settings such as source, phantom power, phase flip, pan, rolloff, delay, and (soon) EQ
- View and edit file metadata in a take list that shows previously recorded takes

- Unit temperature readout to see how spicy she's getting

 

REQUIRMENTS:
Ensure you are using a USB 2.0 or greater cable to connect your 788 to your Windows PC(the plastic inside the connector should be black or blue, NOT WHITE)
You will also need to make sure you have the latest Microsoft .NET Desktop Runtime installed (8.0.4 as of this post).  You can get it here: https://dotnet.microsoft.com/en-us/download/dotnet/8.0  

 

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. To use the software, connect your 788T to your windows computer via its USB port.
2. On the 788T, set your connection mode to "Wave Agent"
3. Open the windows Device Manager and look under Ports (COM/LPT).  You should see your 788t listed with its COM port.  Mine comes up as "Silicon Labs CP210X USB to UART Bridge."  I honestly don't know if SD ever changed from using the CP210X, so yours may look different.  It should be fairly obvious.  You can double check by unplugging and replugging it into your PC and see what comes up.  Take note of the COM port listed with it.
4. Start the software, then select the COM port with your 788 on it and click CONNECT.
5. To Disconnect/Exit, just click the power button next to the Play button.

 

The controls are pretty self explanatory.  Click the view button with the eye on it to change between track/output/input views.

 

 

FUTURE UPDATES:

There is a lot I want to do that I haven't done yet.  Here's a list of what I plan to add in the future: 
Remote control of multiple 7 Series recorders via a USB to C. Link adapter

Better visual feedback to know when the software is busy and when its ready for user input.  I got pretty lazy about this and will try to make it clearer.

 

Permanent user settings that hold after each launch like remembering COM port, hiding welcome screen, temperature C/F, Meter Type, Date/Time, etc.

 

Headphone monitor mode list customization: I ideally want an easy to understand visual list where you could easily customize the available headphone monitor modes, favorite mode, etc. 

 

I personally want a toggle button that makes it easy to mute/unmute the output I use for public Comteks.  Once muted, it would disable the record button so you can't record until you unmute the Comtek feed.  This way, I can talk shit with my boom op and not forget to unmute afterwards (we've all been there).

 

Keyboard macro's: I haven't looked into it too much yet, but it looks like there might be a way to send ascii keycodes through C. Link commands.  If that were the case, you could theoretically automate different operations on the 788 that would normally be achieved through physical button/keyboard input.  

 

 

 

KNOWN ISSUES:

 

Depending on the DPI and UI scaling of your display, the GUI might get all wonky.  I'm planning on completely redoing it and making it DPI independent, but for now if it looks all messed up, try playing with the UI scaling in windows.  150% should do it.

Meter colors are completely arbitrary at the moment. Hoping to make them accurate in next update.  Meter refresh rate also leaves a lot to be desired.  Not sure I can improve that given how C. Link works.

 

Multiple units not supported yet.  Connecting multiple units via C. Link can produce unexpected behavior/crashes.

 

Some 788's seem to have trouble making a successful connection at first.  I had to manually change the  baud rate on one of mine in device manager to get it to connect.  Now it connects no problem.  If it looks like it's starting to connect then crashing, try right clicking the COM port in Device Manager and manually set the baud rate to 115200.  And make sure you're using at least a USB 2.0 cable.  USB 1 cables will not work.

 

When multiple 788's are connected via C. Link cable, set the slave machine's connection mode to Wave Agent.  Having it set to anything else causes a crash because the master machine won't return a correct timecode value.  I'm trying to sort this out.

 

 

 

 

That's pretty much it.  Please keep in mind, this is SUPER ROUGH, will probably be buggy, and has only ever been tested on my 788's until now.  I would appreciate any feedback you may have and welcome bug reporting in this thread so I can update it.  

Thanks!

Goose v0.1.zip

[JesseF]

This is very cool.  I'm so happy to see user support for what is still a power house recorder.  Thanks for your time and effort.

[ramallo]

Cool 😊

[IronFilm]

This is truly amazing what you've coded! You're making me very badly tempted now to buy a 788T just for the hell of it to try this out, especially as they're so cheap these days. 

[Patrick Tresch]

Great! Could it work in the future with other recorders like the Sonosax-SX R4+?

 

Thanks

Patrick

[ProSoundRecordist]

This is very cool. I do believe there is many of us still using this amazing machine.

I constantly use waveagent to control, so this looks like an upgrade. All my usb-b cables are 1, so as soon as I have a new cable I'll try it and send feedback. Thanks

 

[jawharp]

Cool!  Yeah, let me know how it works for you.  I'm actually really close to having the newer version done.  I think I'm going to stop after that cause it will be able to do what I need it to do.  I was going to look into making an Android version, but I personally don't need that.  If enough people want it maybe I'll give it a shot.  But right now, a tiny all in one windows pc and usb screen sharing to my ipad is enough for me.

[JonG]

Any way of making this available on ios would greatly broaden your usership. I’ve seen a lot of people, particularly in the international market, rocking the 788, so they are still widely used. And you’ll have to pry mine from my cold dead hands before I give mine up!

[jawharp]

iOS is indeed the dream.  Sadly Apple doesn't allow you to communicate with devices via a serial connection over usb.  You'd need hardware between the iPad and 788 to convert the data from serial to ethernet and vice versa.  There are some pretty easy to get and cheap serial to ethernet interfaces that work with an iPad.  I used to use one with the CL-Wifi app to communicate with my modded CL-Wifi over a hardline.  It's entirely possible but I've barely had time to work on this one, and I don't know anything about writing iOS apps sadly.   You could also make a bluetooth dongle alla Wingman, but in my experience the quality of the connection isn't much better than the CL-Wifi.  A hardline usb is extremely reliable with the 788.

 

I guess theoretically this would work fine with a surface tablet running windows.  I don't have one to test with though.  I'm almost done with the latest version.  It's a complete overhaul of the interface and should have configurable EQ settings on inputs this time.

[tourtelot]

I too will keep my 788T until I am too old to press the "Record" button.  Gear comes and goes; the 788T stays!

 

I downloaded your software and it is pretty cool.  I have the CL9 controller and use it regularly so I really wanted to look at the control software out of curiosity.  I got it to connect to the recorder but couldn't seem get it to see the 788T's time-code.  As well, I could get it to play back files but saw no way to pause them in the app.

 

And on my Win10 machine, and boy am I NOT a Windows expert, the window for changing file names and the like (sorry I don't have the app open to be more specific) seemed not to be able to see a complete screen or to be closed (no "X").  I'll play with it some more and like Jon says, I'd be specifically more interested in an IOS version.

 

I AM interested, and I can see that you have put a TON of work in on it.  I will be looking at your further work with great interest and thanks for your devotion and time.

 

D.

[JonG]

On 9/4/2024 at 1:46 PM, jawharp said:

iOS is indeed the dream.  Sadly Apple doesn't allow you to communicate with devices via a serial connection over usb.  You'd need hardware between the iPad and 788 to convert the data from serial to ethernet and vice versa.  There are some pretty easy to get and cheap serial to ethernet interfaces that work with an iPad.  I used to use one with the CL-Wifi app to communicate with my modded CL-Wifi over a hardline.  It's entirely possible but I've barely had time to work on this one, and I don't know anything about writing iOS apps sadly.   You could also make a bluetooth dongle alla Wingman, but in my experience the quality of the connection isn't much better than the CL-Wifi.  A hardline usb is extremely reliable with the 788.

 

I guess theoretically this would work fine with a surface tablet running windows.  I don't have one to test with though.  I'm almost done with the latest version.  It's a complete overhaul of the interface and should have configurable EQ settings on inputs this time.

Could you share with me the hardware you use to have cl-wifi hardlined? That sounds quite interesting. 

[jawharp]

It was fairly ghetto and kind of wonky looking, but it did work.  It involved tracking down an out of production part for the cl-wifi made by a defunct company.  I made a post on it a while back here with pictures and details: https://jwsoundgroup.net/index.php?/topic/37436-hardwired-cl-wifi-the-788t-mod-nobody-asked-for-is-finally-here/#comment-382579

 

[ProSoundRecordist]

On 9/4/2024 at 12:13 AM, jawharp said:

Cool!  Yeah, let me know how it works for you.  I'm actually really close to having the newer version done.  I think I'm going to stop after that cause it will be able to do what I need it to do.  I was going to look into making an Android version, but I personally don't need that.  If enough people want it maybe I'll give it a shot.  But right now, a tiny all in one windows pc and usb screen sharing to my ipad is enough for me.

Ok so I got the cable and it worked. I'm running a Windows surface tablet, as I also have Lectro Venues and wireless designer only works on full OSs (windows or Mac).

It kept giving me an error at first but then it went away. I can run more test and tell you about it.

In my personal opinion, you don't want to do an app that runs every menu option. if it runs the same as wave agent, plus the extras of routing and so on, that is enough.

As for Android version, it could be handy. I'll suggest you put up a "request" form or something like that, and if enough people want it, ask them for a donation that covers your time for the coding (at least), that way you know your time won't go to waste.

Lovely work by the way, happy to run the new version when available for feedback, just let me know 

Cheers

[jawharp]

Damn, thanks for the feedback!  What was the error it was giving you?

 

For any new app, all the functionality would already be there.  I wrote a base 7 series C-Link library that can perform any C. Link command the 788 accepts.  It's what talks to the 788 and performs all of the actual C. Link functions. The app is just buttons that interact with it, so any Android version would have the same abilities already, it's just a matter of making the GUI and sorting out how Android handles serial connections.

[JonG]

16 hours ago, jawharp said:

It was fairly ghetto and kind of wonky looking, but it did work.  It involved tracking down an out of production part for the cl-wifi made by a defunct company.  I made a post on it a while back here with pictures and details: https://jwsoundgroup.net/index.php?/topic/37436-hardwired-cl-wifi-the-788t-mod-nobody-asked-for-is-finally-here/#comment-382579

 

Ok this is a lot more involved than I would be capable of accomplishing, even if I could track down those parts. Darn, I was hoping it would just be a cable I could just buy. 

[IronFilm]

14 hours ago, jawharp said:

For any new app, all the functionality would already be there.  I wrote a base 7 series C-Link library that can perform any C. Link command the 788 accepts.  It's what talks to the 788 and performs all of the actual C. Link functions. The app is just buttons that interact with it, so any Android version would have the same abilities already, it's just a matter of making the GUI and sorting out how Android handles serial connections.

Do you have a link to your github with this code, or is not public anywhere?

[jawharp]

The code's not public at the moment.  There's still some cleanup stuff to do and I was hoping to add comments that would help make sense of it all.

[IronFilm]

Let us know if you ever publish it! Would be keen to check it out. 

[ProSoundRecordist]

So I ran the app a few times and couldn't get the error to come up for itself as before. Maybe just needed a reboot?!

 

I did manage to get an error when I set the scene number as anything other than whole numbers (5a, or 195-3 or 78/3, etc) and then press the letter up button to increment the scene. I attached a screen grab. 

 

Besides that, all good. As a note, it really only works in landscape mode on the tablet, but I believe most people place tablets on vertical mode on their carts. So an auto-resize or manual would be helpful.

Thanks again 

 

[jawharp]

Aaaah, okay.  I'm redoing the letter up system this time around.  I'm going to put the letterup button in the message box where you changed the scene number so it changes the scene number locally, then sends the info over when you confirm.

 

Unsurprisingly I've hit a paywall.  I just finished putting the EQ controls in the new version and the EQ isn't enabled unless a CL-9 is attached haha.  I don't have one, so I can't test the EQ stuff.  I'm going to include it in case someone else can.  Anyone with a CL-9 willing to attach it to their PC and see if they can get the PCI device id's from it?  Maybe I can spoof it somehow into thinking its attached.

[noises1]

1. My Toughpad FX-M1 (7" ) needed a restart after changing the USB port bit-rate to 115200 bps.

2. I have it working thru a USB 3.0 hub, so can use a Rii keyboard / touchpad. I attach the 788 and power that first, then start PC

3. In Input Settings, the individual input setting window covers most of the ARM buttons below, so selecting another input to change is difficult.

4. Also there seems to be another button below the DELAY button, but the lower button is mostly hidden.

5. Maybe make the INPUT / OUTPUT main window smaller and moved to the right of the screen over the meters 9-12 that are unused in this settings mode

6. In file playback, the STOP functions as STOP then immediately changes the 788 to PLAY (from the head of the same file).

7. On closing the Track Routing window, the app closes back to W10 main screen.

8. The OUTPUT SETTING window opens and a unhandled exception alert is overlayed. tap Continue and the alert is cleared.

9. The Files window opens but the Notes panel is not displays fully on right side of window.

10. I have a CL9 & happy to beta test

11. Overall I suggest massaging the windows layout to make best use of the small screen space.

This is a great app for 788; the track routing is so easy to read, and having the Track/Inputs/Outputs accessed so easily is excellent

[jawharp]

Thanks for the feedback!  If you're willing to try this, when you plug your cl-9 into a windows pc does it appear in the device manager?  If so, what does it appear as and if you right click it and go to properties can you find the hardware id's?

[noises1]

[IronFilm]

16 hours ago, jawharp said:

Unsurprisingly I've hit a paywall.  I just finished putting the EQ controls in the new version and the EQ isn't enabled unless a CL-9 is attached haha.  I don't have one, so I can't test the EQ stuff.  I'm going to include it in case someone else can.  Anyone with a CL-9 willing to attach it to their PC and see if they can get the PCI device id's from it?  Maybe I can spoof it somehow into thinking its attached.

As Sound Devices are no longer selling any more CL9 hardware these days, I wonder if they might be generous enough to open up the software for you to tap into it? 

[ProSoundRecordist]

I do run a Cl9 so will check now on the p

Device manager see if it shows up.

Happy to do any test you need