IK Multimedia BlueTurn

[arlo]

I've just been testing the new BlueTurn foot switch from IK Multimedia. This is a simple, rugged, illuminated two-button foot switch that connects to Bluetooth 4.0 compatible iOS and Android devices with the Bluetooth Low Energy protocol.

After turning on the BlueTurn with the one switch on the bottom, it goes into pairing mode and you can then pair it with your device from the settings app. Then open BandHelper or Set List Maker and go to Settings > Remote Control and assign actions to the up arrow (left button) and down arrow (right button) messages. This is the default mode for the BlueTurn, so it works right out of the box.

The on-screen keyboard is suppressed by default when the BlueTurn is connected. If you need to edit your data, hold down the left button for three seconds to enable the keyboard.

You can order directly from IK Multimedia here:

http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=JmV/WLlCCfw&offerid=266311.98&type=3&subid=0

[Chris]

Dear arlo,
I have been using your app for quite a while now and first of all need to say that it is the best app available for my needs (not sure if I already said that at the beginning of my last post  )
Following your above recommendation, I have purchased an irig Blueturn last week and already performed my first gig. All went perfectly well

The only "nice-to-have" which I did not yet find a solution for is the ability to trigger a function either by pressing both buttons at the same time or holding the right button for a longer time.
Intention would be i.e. to show the songlist during a set before moving on to the next song.
I saw that there is the possibility to simply show it every time a song is done but this is only solving the problem partially as I have the according text-boxes in the performance-view showing the current title and title+1. I only would need to show the complete songlist from time to time checking on the upcoming titles or how many songs are left before the next break.

Is there a way currently to trigger another action although the Blueturn only has two buttons which are already assigned to scrolling up/down or switching between songs?
Or do you have another "hack" available which would solve my needs?

Thanks in advance!

Regards,
Chris

[arlo]

There's no built-in way to detect "gestures" like a long press or pressing both buttons together; I would have to write my own logic for that, which I can put on my wish list. Another problem is that I think it would be difficult to step on both buttons at the same time, reliably, so it wouldn't be good to base your performance workflow on that.

Currently if you want to trigger more than two actions from a foot switch, you would need a foot switch with more than two buttons.

[Chris]

Hi arlo,

understood, thanks. If you could put this functionality on your wishlist, it would be perfect as it is not that urgent. I simply placed the according button on the screen to trigger the songlist-function.
Will keep an eye on our next changelogs to see when this desired option might become available.

And thanks for the immediate reply.

Regards,
Chris

[Chris]

Hi Arlo,

wanted to bring this topic back up to see whether this has moved up on your wishlist. I am currently thinking about only showing the setlist itself on-screen and only showing the song text when needed by triggering the blueturn again. Any chance this will become available anytime soon?

Regards
Chris

P.S. still best app on the market by far!

[arlo]

No, sorry, it's still on my wish list.

[Chris]

Got it , thanks. While thinking about it in detail, I was wondering whether it would be possible to connect the function with the content shown...

An example:
For one of my bands, I want to prevent viewing the lyrics and just use a setlist overview. Therefore I would want the Blueturn to simple scroll the list up and down.
Occasionally, it might be necessary to quickly check on the lyrics though so it would be great if holding one button for 2-3 seconds would trigger an additional event definable such as showing the according document.
When showing the document then, the buttons would scroll through automatically jumping back to the setlist view once the song is scrolled to the end or the previous button is again pushed for 2-3 seconds.
I realize though that it would make another trigger necessary so the focus is pointed on the song currently played. Maybe instead of scrolling the setlist, pushing the button would move the song focus on the overview instead.

Am I right in assuming though that getting a Blueboard instead would be easier then?

Regards, Chris

[arlo]

If you want to scroll the song list up and down, toggle the lyrics open and closed and scroll the lyrics up and down, that's five actions. But you would also need to select a song by clicking it on the screen after scrolling the set list. If instead of scrolling the song list up and down, you selected the next/previous song, then the list would only scroll one song at a time, but then the desired song would be selected and you wouldn't have to click it.

[Chris]

Hey arlo,

always appreciating your immediate feedback. Thought of another solution than buying a Blueboard...
When checking the forum, I saw your post on implementing the "Flic Smart Button".
If I understood all correctly, I could use my Blueturn and the Flic Button in combination:

- Click on Flic Button selects the next song in the setlist
- Holding the Flic Button opens the document/lyrics view
- Double-clicking the Flic Button closes the document/lyrics view
- The buttons of the Blueturn can be used to scroll through the lyrics

Do you happen to know if both devices can be used in parallel with an iPad 2018?

Best regards,
Chris

[arlo]

Yes, you could use both devices together. Also, open/close full-screen is a single action that toggles, so it only needs one button to trigger it. So in your example, you could trigger something else with the Flic double-click.

[Chris]

Hey Arlo,

Flic Button was delivered yesterday and already have it running with your app. Awesome! 

I was just wondering whether the reaction time can be improved in any way as when I click the button, it takes nearly 1.5 seconds before the according action takes place.
This both applies to "click" (jumping to the next entry in the setlist) as well as "double-click" (jumping back to previous entry in the setlist). It might even apply to the "hold"-function but I cannot really verify.

Apart from that, the button serves exactly the purpose I intended it for

Regards,
Chris

[arlo]

The Flic app has a "low-latency" setting that you can try. It makes the battery run down faster, IIRC.

[Uwe]

Please note that the Irig Blueboard is only  20USD/€ more for 4-6 Command switches and a lot of added functionality.
Note as well, that the software from ikmultimedia for this series is really bad and not really maintained.

[Chris]

Dear Uwe,

thanks for the advice but not sure how to understand it. Your first sentence implies that the blueboard is better as being only marginally more expensive while your last one states it is not properly kept up to date. Just wondering...

And by the way: Flic served its purpose during two gigs last weekend perfectly so for me, definitely the best solution.

@arlo: thanks for the hint. Will try accordingly!

[Uwe]

sorry for causing confusion.....
the device is fine and very helpful.
I use it a lot (especially with Anytune pro+ for rehearsing and leearnning new titles) and a long time (since it came out. so, if you need a floorpad for the ipad, get it. it's ok.

ikmultimedia is not very with good software maintenance. that's what I meant.
and I think the software of both devices is just the same (even the design is the same).

As long as you just use cc codes, everything is fine.

And for a little more money you get two more fully programmable buttons and the option to add another two by adding a simple two button guitar amp footswitches (or two single ones) or even a pedal or two!

Thats what I meant...... Hope this helps.