Alcorn McBride Knowledge Base

If you're using an Alcorn Show Controller simply select the Digital Binloop as the protocol for the serial port you have connected to the Binloop. If you need to serially control the Binloop using a different controller, it is best to use either a MIDI or RS232 connection. Either connection uses MIDI Show Control protocol which is described below.

MIDI protocol
always follows these patterns (all bytes shown in hex):

Byte 1: F0
Byte 2: 7F
Byte 3: 7F
Byte 4: 02
Byte 5: 7F
Byte 6: command opcode (01, 02, or 03 ONLY)
Byte 7: reproducer ID tens digit
Byte 8: reproducer ID ones digit
Byte 9: 00 Byte 10: socket ID digit
Byte 11: 00
Byte 12: sound number hundreds digit
Byte 13: sound number tens digit
Byte 14: sound number ones digit
Byte 15: F7

or:

Byte 1: F0
Byte 2: 7F
Byte 3: 7F
Byte 4: 02
Byte 5: 7F
Byte 6: command opcode (15, 16, 17, or 18 ONLY)
Byte 7: F7

or for Force SMPTE Time:

Byte 1: F0
Byte 2: 7F
Byte 3: 7F
Byte 4: 02
Byte 5: 7F
Byte 6: command opcode (19 ONLY)
Byte 7: HOURS tens digit
Byte 8: HOURS ones digit
Byte 9: 00
Byte 10: MINUTES tens digit
Byte 11: MINUTES ones digit
Byte 12: 00
Byte 13: SECONDS tens digit
Byte 14: SECONDS ones digit
Byte 15: 00
Byte 16: FRAMES tens digit
Byte 17: FRAMES ones digit
Byte 18: F7

Commands
Command opcode 01 = play synchronized
Command opcode 02 = stop playback
Command opcode 03 = play unsynchronized
Command opcode 15 = start SMPTE
Command opcode 16 = pause SMPTE
Command opcode 17 = reset SMPTE
Command opcode 18 = idle SMPTE
Command opcode 19 = force SMPTE time

Digits
Every 'digit' is an ASCII character '0' through '9', which means the byte is hexadecimal 30 through 39.

Reproducers
Reproducer IDs '00' through '11' refer to reproducer cards 1 through 12. Reproducer IDs '50' through '62' refer to reproducer GROUPS 1 through 13. Reproducer ID '63' refers to ALL reproducers in the binloop.

Sockets
Socket ID '0' (byte is 30h) play mono or stereo (both channels) - secondary socket.
Socket ID '3' (byte is 33h) play independent right - secondary socket.
Socket ID '6' (byte is 36h) play independent left - secondary socket.
Socket ID '1' (byte is 31h) play mono or stereo (both channels) primary socket.
Socket ID '4' (byte is 34h) play independent right - primary socket.
Socket ID '7' (byte is 37h) play independent left - primary socket.

Sounds
Sound numbers '513' through '999' refer to LOOPING sounds 1 through 487. ('512' is not used)

Jumper Configuration
Set jumpers W2 and W3 on the controller card for RS232 operation (both jumpers in the pin 1 position), and be sure to select 'Configure show control port as MIDI' under the Configuration|Unit menu in Binloop.exe. Jumper W3 selects between the MIDI jack and the DB9 connector, and jumper W2 selects between the MIDI crystal and the RS232 crystal. You would expect MIDI messages to be at the standard MIDI baud rate of 31250. By setting W2 to the MIDI position, you do in fact get 31250 baud. But by setting W2 to the RS232 position, which chooses the RS232 crystal instead, you get a 38400 baud rate. For MIDI connection, standard 5-pin MIDI connectors (DIN) are supplied. For RS232 connection, use the 'Show Control' DB9 connector.