Share grid between Computer and norns ( or between 2 hosts)

ceedotgeedot · 2019-08-08T11:49:44.083Z

I successfully used the USB switch linked below to hot swap the Grid to Ansible and Teletype. The caveat is that there was a delay of a few seconds when switching- probably about the same amount of time it’d take to manually do it, but I guess less margin for error/a bit tidier?

amazon.com

Amazon.com: Plugable USB 3.0 Sharing Switch for One-Button Swapping of USB...

thopa · 2019-08-08T11:49:56.686Z

I have ordered this one, thought it might be worth a try:

amazon.es

UGREEN USB 2.0 Switch 2 x 4, Conmutador USB 2 Entradas y 4 Salidas para...

17,99 €

Dont know how max is going to react to autofocus when re-plugging the grid…

Will let you know, cheers!

thopa · 2019-08-08T11:51:55.769Z

Thanks for the link!
Im hoping to hotplug a grid and an arc so i got one with more usb ports, (2.0 instead of 3.0) and i also got a microusb power supply that provides (apparently) up to 2 Amps.
Cheers!

LLK · 2019-08-08T12:15:59.415Z

tehn:

I hotplug cables during performance

I felt sweaty and nervous just reading this quote, this is what real courage and self confidence looks like to me. I for one plug the grid loooong before the show starts, check that it works a thousand times over, and just leave it as is while still looking suspiciously at anyone coming near the computer+grid for the whole time until the performance is over.

tehn · 2019-08-08T18:22:47.137Z

last show i played (expo74) i powered up the norns and plugged the grid in 2 minutes before the show started. some sort of life goal achieved

the juno 106 on the other hand, had to warm up for 30 mins…

thopa · 2019-08-09T18:15:47.718Z

Hi!
I can confirm that the switch works…and really well!
I have a few max4live devices using grid and arc.
On the norns i have an awake sketch running.
Pressing the usb switch to change the grid and arc to be used by the computer or the norns takes like a second, you get the led feedback on the arc / grid as you had just plugged it in, and in a second after it picks up where ever you left it before.
Yikes!

thopa · 2019-12-12T17:41:15.996Z

Hi!
Unfortunately the usb hub doesn’t work for sharing a grid between ansible and teletype

scanner_darkly · 2019-12-12T19:59:43.655Z

yeah, ansible/teletype/trilogy modules do not support hubs unfortunately.

thopa · 2019-12-12T20:23:17.118Z

Hi @scanner_darkly yes i thought that too. Tried using a usb hub for using a keyboard and a grid with teletype but that did not work, i got your 2 to 1 module after that.

Someone mentioned a pluggable switch hub being used with ansible and teletype, im going to try it out and see if it works, but my hopes are low.

I wonder if such a device exists, i think its a data and power switch right?

I found this post:

superuser.com

USB switch for both data and power

usb, switch, cable, analog

asked by hello on 08:31AM - 09 Jul 15 UTC

Maybe i could diy something, dont know.

Will see how it goes.

Thanks a lot

scanner_darkly · 2019-12-12T20:56:42.592Z

thopa:

a pluggable switch hub being used with ansible and teletype

any switch that incorporates a usb hub inside will not work with ansible or teletype.

i think any regular mechanical usb switches are both data and power. it’s basically the same as replugging the device itself. monome switch is only data as it provides power to the device.

are you looking to eliminate the delay after switching? i doubt this will be solved by using different hardware, but i could be wrong.

thopa · 2019-12-12T21:26:20.188Z

Hi,
No im not looking to get rid of the delay after switching.

Im looking to be able to have a switch (can be mechanical and can diy) than can change one grid between two modules, teletype and ansible.

Maybe what i could try using is using a wire that I saw in another post:

USB power/ground management General

we’ve made our own various solutions… offworld-1 being the most recent which is DIY and open-source. there is another solution that is very robust, for $15. tested, highly recommended.

So i could power the grid externally with that usb cable and just create a switch for the data lines?

The data lines to the switch coming from ansible and teletype?

Thanks!!!

tehn · 2019-12-12T21:33:09.587Z

yes. just google DPDT switch, wire that up to the data lines, and it’ll work. this is exactly what the switch module we made does. it’s super simple.

thopa · 2019-12-12T23:10:34.801Z

tehn:

DPDT switch

@tehn,
Thanks for the reply.
I made a switch, the grid shows there is data connection (leds show ansible kria) but there is no movement in the leds.
I have tried connecting the grounds of each wire but with no success.
Any ideas?

Also i was wondering if the monome switch files had been open sourced or available anywhere.

Cheers!

thopa · 2019-12-14T13:06:14.838Z

I can confirm the device posted by @ceedotgeedot works fine with teletype and ansible sharing the same grid!

Yikes

jkile9 · 2020-11-09T01:50:04.739Z

Bumping very old thread but this leads me to believe that my Norns powering off upon plugging a grid into any of the usb ports is NOT normal. Is that correct? To be clear, Norns is turned on, I plug my Grid into any usb port on Norns and it shuts off.

dani_derks · 2020-11-09T03:03:10.247Z

eep! correct — that is not normal. please email help@monome.org and we can arrange repair

jkile9 · 2020-11-09T06:27:42.836Z

Oh boy that is a bummer and a relief at the same time. Will do thanks!

tehn · 2020-11-10T00:15:00.731Z

if you’re not externally powering your norns and running a heavy CPU load on the norns, the inrush current when you plug in the grid can cause the battery to fail if it’s somewhat drained or old.

generally if you’re doing a lot of hotplugging i’d highly recommend having the norns powered.

jkile9 · 2020-11-10T00:24:42.999Z

Ahhh that is good to know actually. I was planning on sending an email within the next couple days but I’ll do some testing first. It wasn’t powered last night when I tried it out but I also remember some times that it didn’t… It’s been a thing since I received it so I’ll try isolating it to the battery to make sure it’s what you’re describing.

andrew · 2024-10-06T16:53:46.629Z

@thopa did this one keep working for ya with norns + ansible ?

https://www.amazon.com/Plugable-Sharing-One-Button-Swapping-Computers/dp/B00JX3Q28Y/ref=sr_1_11?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1550604692&sr=1-11&keywords=usb%2Bsharing%2Bswitch

has anyone tested something I can buy on not amazon ? any other advancements in the world of monome USB switching in the last four years ? any friendly 1 → 3 switches ? will they play well with my 2011 arc which mysteriously only works consistently with 1 out of the very many USB cables I have ? am I asking too many questions ? (yes)