Don’t wait for M-Audio to create the controller of your dreams. DIY. Of all places, some railfans (yes, that’s as in railroads, trains, you know, choo-choos) are giving us some great resources:
Custom, programmable keyboards and other USB inputs
Connect a train controller to your Mac for music: See discussion on my earlier story; this does look possible via junXion, after all.
Or a PC: They’ve got a Windows-centric SDK, complete with sample controls.
Or build your own music hardware: Sure, you could go anorak/railfan and build your own train cab in your basement — uh, that would be unique, certainly. Or, just use that I/O kit to build your own computer music hardware that connects via USB, without lots of mucking about with basic stamps. At US$350, it’s an impressive little box, and developers will love that sample code. And don’t miss the custom controllers. More photos after the jump.
Check it out: just add music, instead of trains, and this starts to make sense:
Alternatively, of course, if you really love trains, you can build this. Again, check those physical controls — hot:
