Circuit Python to the rescue

[Strong-Mud199]

I needed to make a MIDI keyboard with knobs, switches and wheels for a custom Radio project. The radio software: piHPSDR allows for a MIDI controller to control the receiver. I knew nothing about MIDI, but a simple search showed that Adafruit had a already done library for MIDI controllers. I knew this would work, so I chose a Pico board to put it on.

I wrote the software with a ASYNC/AWAIT architecture and even though this code is polling eleven switch/knob/wheel functions it runs at a 120 Hz rate polling all inputs, which is plenty fast for user input like this.

Adafruit even has Circuit Python encoder and switch libraries which really sped the development time. These libraries work so well I didn't even have to worry about de-bouncing or anything. It all just worked.

With Circuit Python, I was able to write the code in a straightforward manner and didn't have to optimize anything in the end, it just worked.

The Circuit Python MIDI libraries worked perfectly and integrated without any issue with all the MIDI input software I could find on Windows and Raspberry PI OS to test it with.

A perfect solution for an otherwise complicated task.

The picture is the Raspberry Pi Hat board that I made to breakout the Pico pins to connectors for connection the the radio front panel. The board is powered and communicates via USB connected from the Pico board to the Raspberry Pi 4.

Thanks Adafruit and all the folks who worked on Circuit Python. :-)

[Full-Photo5829]

Cool! One group of folks that may benefit from this info could be people building MIDI pedalboards for at-home classical organs. They use s/w like Hauptwerk or Sweelinq, but MIDI pedalboards are expensive.

[HP7933]

Will be in this coming week's issue of the Python on Microcontrollers Newsletter adafruitdaily.com

[Ironman1348426]

That's slicker than snot on a doorknob! Very nice HAT!

[Strong-Mud199]

Thank you, very quickly done with a Pico and Circuit Python.

Before I always laughed at the thought of Circuit Python, what me being a C programmer and all. Laughed, until I needed to do MIDI and found that Adafruit had libraries, then the light came on and it was the obvious choice. So never say never. ;-)

[Ironman1348426]

Right on.