MIDI 6-Way Light Dimmer

This unit utilizes MIDI Control Change (CC) data to fade Lights UP/DOWN. The design can dim LEDs directly or when combined with suitable output circuitry can control lights with a maximum load of 750W/230V or 375W/110V, 0-98% adjustable. The lights can be faded  in time with a MIDI music sequence. The unit uses Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) to control the voltage level sent to the lights.

 

 

	MIDI 6-Way Light Dimmer ITEM#: MIDI16LIGHTDIMMER PRICE:  €35.00

The MIDI 6-Way Light Dimmer unit utilizes:

• A Miduino kit including a suitable pre-programmed Atmega168,
• A 2.1mm power socket, and associated LED,  
• MIDI Control Change (CC) start value is preset to 20, but may be  pre-programmed to  any value, 
• Six consecutive CC values are used from start value,
• A MIDI 5-pin DIN input socket,
• A MIDI 5-pin DIN output socket,
• 6 off 0.1" pin-terminal outputs,
• The circuit schematic is available,
• MIDI channel is preset to channel 16, but may be pre-programmed to any channel

 

 

 

The MIDI 6-Way Light Dimmer also requires:

• A 9v battery or equivalent DC power source
• 6 220 ohm resistors
• 6 47 uF 25 Volt capacitors

 

Circuit Schematic:

A circuit schematic of the MIDI 6-Way Light Dimmer  shows the 6 potentiometer and 6 Low Pass Filter (R9,C9 to R14,C14) connections. Note that for this project the 4-way DIL switch is not required. 

     

Assembly:

The kit includes all parts necessary, the assembly is straightforward and well documented. This design does not include a USB chip, it is designed to use a FTDI USB 232-TTL cable to program the microcontroller.  However since the cable plugs directly into the Miduino, you can use one cable for multiple Miduinos.

   

MIDI Wiring:

The MIDI IN and OUT connections use 5-Pin 180 degree DIN sockets. Note that the MIDI IN/OUT wiring is polarised and the correct pins should be used.

 

Normal Mode:

The unit detects the incoming MIDI data and if the MIDI channel corresponds to the correct MIDI channel setting, when a corresponding Control Change is detected, (to the pre-set Control Change  data), the following output value (0 to 127) is multiplied by 2, (0 to 254) and sent to the corresponding PWM output to control the dimming of a light . This allows each of the 6 outputs to operate independently.  

  

Purpose:

The MIDI to 6 outputs unit can be operated live in real time. The 6 potentiometers send MIDI Control Change messages corresponding to their output voltages. These  MIDI messages can be sent to a hardware/software sequencer where they can be recorded and looped via MIDI THRU to the MIDI outputs and back to the MIDI dimmer to control the brightness of the connected lights.

 

MIDI Specification: 

The outputs are controlled by MIDI Control Change commands. These MIDI commands are pre-programmed to channel 16. The unit also works in MIDI Running Status mode.

 

Download:

Open the  source code file and copy and paste it into the Arduino programme and save it as a .PDE file.

 

Expansion:

The MIDI to 16 output units can be combined/expanded by connecting the MIDI OUT of one unit to the MIDI IN of the following unit. Thus producing 6, 12, 18. etc. outputs.