SYNC A NEW LEVEL OF SHOW
Software For Working
With Sync Protocols
In this article, I will not mention all existing applications that help in setting up and checking synchronization. I will only cover those that I actively use myself and consider as convenient and functional as possible. This list of applications will allow you to identify and analyze any protocol and technology that we have gone over earlier or will address in future articles.
LTC-MIDI reader/converter
Operating system: MAC OS, Windows
Interface/Protocols: LTC, MTC
This is a fairly convenient program that allows you to receive LTC and MTC timecode via a sound or MIDI card, displays it visually on the screen, and also, if necessary, sends it to another MIDI or LTC output. In addition, the program can convert these protocols between themselves. This is a paid program, but there is also a demo version that can work for 5 minutes.
PC Timecode
Operating system: Windows
Interface/Protocols: LTC
This is a free program that allows you to display the received LTC time on screen. This app only has the most basic, necessary settings. Its main purpose is displaying on screen the received linear timecode.
Clockit Timecode App
Operating system: iOS
Interface/Protocols: LTC
This is the simplest program, which is similar in functionality to the previous application, but the difference is that this application only works on the iOS system. If necessary, with a required adapter, you can connect a linear signal to the smartphone and see the current time. This program is free.
MIDI Timecode
Operating system: iOS
Interface/Protocols: MTC
This program allows you to display the current time of the received timecode on a phone screen. This program can receive MIDI timecode on a smartphone or tablet via USB, as well as through RTP-MIDI and BLE-MIDI. This app is also free.
MIDI Timecode X
Operating system: MAC OS
Interface/Protocols: MTC
This is an analogue of the previous application, but it only works with the MAC OS. This application also works with USB devices, RTP-MIDI and BLE-MIDI. The application is free.
MIOS Studio
Operating system: MAC OS, Windows
Interface/Protocols: MIDI, OSC
This program has different tools for analyzing data from the MIDI and OSC interfaces. This program has a convenient incoming and outgoing monitor, which allows you to see data packets directly. This program also allows you to test interfaces by generating test data. In my toolbox, it is the main app for analyzing OSC. Another nice feature is that this program is also free.
Touch OSC
Operating system: iOS, Android
Interface/Protocols: OSC, MIDI
This program has different tools for analyzing data from the MIDI and OSC interfaces. This program has a convenient incoming and outgoing monitor, which allows you to see data packets directly. This program also allows you to test interfaces by generating test data. In my toolbox, it is the main app for analyzing OSC. Another nice feature is that this program is also free.
MIDI OX
Operating system: Windows
Interface/Protocols: MIDI
This program allows you to analyze MIDI data and, also in test mode, generate any protocol based on MIDI, including MTC and MIDI Time Clock. The program is free.
LOOP be
Operating system: Windows
Interface/Protocols: MIDI
This app allow you to send MIDI messages between different apps through the same system. One channel version of the application is free, but to use more virtual MIDI channels, you must purchase a license.
IAC Driver
Operating system: MAC OS
Interface/Protocols: MIDI
IAC Driver Operating system: MAC OS
Interface/Protocols: MIDI
This is a preinstalled Apple driver. The purpose of this app is to create a virtual MIDI loop in the system. It can be activated and configured in the MIDI Studio window, where other MIDI equipment also exists.
IAC Driver
Operating system: iOS
Interface/Protocols: MIDI
This is a group of smartphone applications that allow you to work with different MIDI protocols. Through various control protocols, visual control interfaces and timecode displays are implemented. Some applications also support IP MIDI. Some applications are free, some are paid.
MIDI mittr
Operating system: iOS
Interface/Protocols: MIDI
This is a management program that allows you to configure routings between MIDI ports. It also independently allows you to connect to RTP-MIDI and BLE-MIDI by creating virtual MIDI ports, to provide a MIDI signal to devices that do not support these protocols.
Dyslexia Software LTD
Operating system: iOS
Interface/Protocols: MIDI
This is a software developer for working with various MIDI protocols, both for control and settings. This manufacturer also has a wide range of applications, some of which are free. The application for displaying the time code, MIDI Timecode, which I mentioned above, is from this developer.
Touch DAW
Operating system: Android
Interface/Protocols: MIDI
This is a fairly universal program that already has pre-installed control layers, similar to Touch OSC, except all control is carried out through MIDI notes. The program also supports RTP-MIDI protocols and can configure routing between ports. Through Google Play, you can also find many applications that emulate the operation of different MIDI keyboards, which basically can transmit only MIDI notes.
Wireshark
Operating system: MAC OS, Windows
Interface/Protocols: Ethernet
This is an indispensable program that allows you to track data packets on the local network. This program can show you all necessary information: what address the data packet came from, what data transfer protocol the packet uses, which port of departure and port of destination, and much more. This program is very useful when you work with synchronization protocols that are based on Ethernet technology. Moreover, this program allows you to display data that is sent and received by other clients and servers among themselves. And the best part is that this program is completely free.
After reading this, you may ask: “Why are there so many applications for iOS and such little professional software for Android systems?” The answer is simple: the smartphone itself. Creating an application for iOS, the programmer is confident that the application will work equally well on all mobile devices. Apple has taken care of software compatibility for all devices, and Apple is actively developing and supporting iOS and MAC OS application development tools and ideology. A good example of this is the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) - a global conference for developers on the Apple platform.
Android is a universal operating system that runs on mobile devices from different manufacturers. A programmer creating an Android application can never be sure that it will work equally on all devices. This especially applies to working with equipment. Since all synchronization protocols are based on physical interfaces, they are very dependent on which device and which protocol is trying to access the physical interface. As is often the case, such applications have a large number of errors on different devices. And in synchronization, reliability is an important element.
Since this problem was initially solved by Apple's equipment ideology, the professional software developers chose the most optimal way to create applications.
That is why you see most professional software available only on MAC OS or on iOS.