Do you need this MRCC accessory?

[Darryl]

We received the sample MRCC XpandR 4x1 PCBs and they are working great! Need a little more work on the firmware, but we can begin hardware production. We hope to have units available before Chinese New Year. I'll update when we have complete samples in enclosures, and when we have line of site to shipping.

This definitely sounds like something I’d be interested in!

I’m also in the camp of having maxed out both of my MRCC INs. I was considering buying a third, but I wasn’t sure if that was supported, or if it would just function on its own with no cross-routing between MRCCs.

Right, you can only connect 2 MRCCs together with the Ethernet cable. You could connect a 3rd MRCC to one of the other MRCC USB host ports for 4 input and one output in order to cross-route, but it starts to get complicated and dealing more with MIDI channels vs ports.

[QuattroP]

Looks cool tbh, if it was priced like the other remote thing that's out I'd buy it.

[Raphie]

Wait… so I can connect mrcc 1 to mrcc 2 via USB
I can then still connect mrcc 2 to DAW and connect the 7 to mrcc 1
mrcc2 (or daw) can then reach mrcc1 via 1 usb channel, so if everything on mrcc1 has a unique midi channel, things are good. Is that a correct understanding?

[Dark Waves]

Wait… so I can connect mrcc 1 to mrcc 2 via USB
I can then still connect mrcc 2 to DAW and connect the 7 to mrcc 1
mrcc2 (or daw) can then reach mrcc1 via 1 usb channel, so if everything on mrcc1 has a unique midi channel, things are good. Is that a correct understanding?

The extension via USB is a device in development that will allow 4 extra DIN inputs to one of the 4 USB host ports.  It's described on the CL home page, bottom right.  Those USB ports can handle 4 in and 1 out, so connecting a second MRCC there wouldn't be a match, if functional at all.  Another little device they're working on is an adapter so you can combine 2 MRCCs with a Remote 7 using ethernet cables.  It's also described in that same section of the main site

In the meantime, there's an option worth considering: if you connect both MRCCs (or even more, I'd imagine) directly to the computer, or via USB hub, you can use your DAW to route between them without the need for the ethernet connection, and then you can use the Remote 7 via ethernet as additional ports, so long as you don't mind giving up the direct / offline cross-unit routing.  In my setup, until the adapter becomes available, I have the 2 MRCCs connected both to my PC on USB hubs, and to each other with ethernet, so I can use my keyboard sequencer out of the box without the DAW, or with it, either way, and my Remote 7 is waiting to be connected until I can get an adapter.

[Raphie]

The get the extention part, my question is specifically how 2 MRCC’s connect via USB host.
I see that as sort of cascaded units, use one one USB midi pipe to reach the upstream unit.
Downstream there a 4 USB parts avail.

[oldgearguy]

The get the extention part, my question is specifically how 2 MRCC’s connect via USB host.
I see that as sort of cascaded units, use one one USB midi pipe to reach the upstream unit.
Downstream there a 4 USB parts avail.

Two MRCCs connect together via the RJ45 port on the right side of the unit.  The PC USB ports are still free to connect 0, 1, or both of them to a computer.

When two MRCCs are connected via the RJ45, you can have a source device on MRCC-1 and select a destination on either MRCC-1 (as normal) or MRCC-2.  None of that uses the PC USB connections and if your source and destinations are DIN/TRS, no USB is used at all.

If the 2 MRCCs are connected this way and you plug one PC USB port into your computer, the computer will see the 12 virtual ports and you can still route to/from the computer to both MRCCs.  The signal flow might be something like this:  DAW MIDI out -> virtual port #1 on MRCC-1, MRCC-1 PC #1 send to destination #7 on MRCC-2.

The Remote 7 box plugs into the RJ45 jack as well.  You need to make/buy a special RJ45 splitter and then you can connect both MRCCs and the Remote 7.  That gives you 6 DIN/TRS inputs and 17 DIN/TRS Outputs on that MRCC.  If you only have one MRCC, you don't need the splitter - just plug the Remote 7 directly into the RJ45 jack.

The future box (I'm just calling it the 4x1 input) gives you 4 DIN/TRS input ports and it connects to the MRCC via one of the existing USB ports.  So instead of an MRCC having 6 DIN/TRS inputs, 12 DIN/TRS outputs, and 4 USB In/Out ports you now have 10 DIN/TRS inputs, 12 DIN/TRS outputs and 3 USB In/Out ports.

[Raphie]

Thnx, let me clarify further
Scenario 1 - I connect a 2nd mrcc to my first via RJ45. The first is connected via PC USB to DAW as well
- I see 12 ports in DAW, all those 12 ports can be mapped to mrcc2 as well via the conductor button (leds turn yellow)
- I can no longer use my R7 unless I mod a RJ45 splitter

Scenario 2 - I connect both mrcc’s via PC USB to DAW, I’ve got 24 mrcc ports in DAW. 12 map to unit 1, other 12 to unit 2
If i connect both rj45’s I can do scenario 1 as well.

Scenario 3 - I connect mrcc 1 PC port to host port 1 on mrcc2
- mrcc 2 pc port is connected to daw
- can daw via mrcc2 via 1 of the 12 PC ports, reach mrcc1 on each of the 4 virtual ports?
- i then still have rj45 free to connect R7

[oldgearguy]

Thnx, let me clarify further
Scenario 1 - I connect a 2nd mrcc to my first via RJ45. The first is connected via PC USB to DAW as well
- I see 12 ports in DAW, all those 12 ports can be mapped to mrcc2 as well via the conductor button (leds turn yellow)
- I can no longer use my R7 unless I mod a RJ45 splitter

Scenario 2 - I connect both mrcc’s via PC USB to DAW, I’ve got 24 mrcc ports in DAW. 12 map to unit 1, other 12 to unit 2
If i connect both rj45’s I can do scenario 1 as well.

Scenario 3 - I connect mrcc 1 PC port to host port 1 on mrcc2
- mrcc 2 pc port is connected to daw
- can daw via mrcc2 via 1 of the 12 PC ports, reach mrcc1 on each of the 4 virtual ports?
- i then still have rj45 free to connect R7

Scenario 1 - correct.
Scenario 2 - correct

Scenario 3 - I don't know what happens if you connect PC port of MRCC 1 to USB port on MRCC 2.  Steve/Darryl must answer this question.  In theory, the USB ports are 4 in, 1 out, so you'd only be able to route 4 different outputs through MRCC 1 PC port and only receive 1 input.  The rest of MRCC 1 would work as normal.

[Raphie]

2nd MRCC ordered.
Will order some splitters from amazon and see if I can successfully pull the pins
Also will start using the TRS ports for gear that supports them, I also got benfaco TRS to Type A which I can use.
This means the MioXL will go. It served me well, but you can't beat NO SOFTWARE.

[Darryl]

2nd MRCC ordered.
Will order some splitters from amazon and see if I can successfully pull the pins
Also will start using the TRS ports for gear that supports them, I also got benfaco TRS to Type A which I can use.
This means the MioXL will go. It served me well, but you can't beat NO SOFTWARE.

Great! We've got custom splitters made. We've just been waiting on our manufacturing rep to label the ports and send them to our warehouse. In the meantime, we could send you one of the samples we have here at the office. Send a message via the Support link on our website and we'll get you fixed up.