Wave Idea Introduces Bit Stream Pro Controller

May 20, 2001


Bit Stream Pro Controller (Click for a larger image)	Bit Stream Pro Software (Click for a larger image)

Wave Idea, a French company specializing in audio/MIDI instruments and MIDI controllers for computer software, introduced Bit Stream Pro, a fully programmable hardware MIDI controller. Bit Stream Pro is targeted to musicians that need a large number of controls for managing a home studio, as well as the new generation of software synthesizers that contain many of virtual knobs, sliders, and buttons.

Bit Stream Pro features 32 knobs, 8 sliders and 8 on/off buttons. All 48 controls are real-time, fully programmable and can be mapped into 3 different user programs, offering a total of 144 assignable controls accessible via a single program selection switch. The Bit Stream Pro can be used on a desktop, or mounted in a standard 19" rack with its 4-U metal case.

2 Operating Modes

The Bit Stream's first operating mode is used to cover all 128 MIDI CCs. This mode is pre-programmed and doesn't need to be configured. All 128 CCs are mapped on all 48 controls with the help of the 3 groups. Group 1 sends CC#0 to 47, group 2 sends CC#40 to 87, and group 3 sends CC#80 to 127. This mode matches the requirements of all software synthesizers that respond to MIDI (Rebirth, Reason, Vaz, FruityLoops, and so on).

Operating mode 2 is the user programmable mode. All 48 controls can be programmed to send specific MIDI events and messages, defined as Sysex commands, RPNs, NRPNs, or other exotic MIDI strings. The 3 different groups (or user setups) allow you to assign 3 different MIDI events to each control, as well as 3 different alphanumeric strings that will be displayed on the backlight LCD as soon as the control is tweaked, providing immediate feedback on what instrument and parameter are being controlled.

Each user-defined MIDI event can be programmed via Sysex, or more easily with the included software. Programming Bit Stream Pro mode 2 with the help of Sysex allows you to dynamically re-configure the unit by simply inserting programmed Sysex in any sequencer while playing music.

User defined MIDI events (mode 2) can be programmed with the following features:

Selectable templates to facilitate MIDI event programming
User-defined alphanumeric string assignagle to each control (to be displayed on LCD)
Programmable Min and Max value on each control
Checksum management for Sysex messages
Programmable delay between MIDI messages
MIDI channel insertion
Programmable crossfaders and linked controls (without limit)

All these features are programmable with the help of the intuitive configuration software (for PCs), downloadable for free from the Wave Idea web site. Bit Stream Pro also covers all 16 MIDI channels for both operating modes, selectable by 2 pushbuttons (up-down).

Built-in Programmable LFO

In order to "automate" the control of connected software and instruments, Bit Stream Pro features a programmable Low Frequency Oscillator, able to generate Square, Triangle and Sine waves.

Three additional potentiometers are used to control frequency, offset and amplitude. These waveforms can be inserted in any user-defined MIDI event, allowing the user to easily create amplitude modulations, cutoff variations, and so on.

For more information, visit their web site at http://www.waveidea.com/.

Recent Wave Idea headlines

Bitstream 3X Rack Ears Available From WaveIdea (2008-01-03)
Wave Idea Releases New USB Audio Interface (2003-03-25)
Wave Idea Introduces Bit Stream Pro Controller (2001-05-20)

More Wave Idea Headlines