Looking for info on Vypyr Pro and AT-200 guitar integration

[edwb]

I've been happy so far with the Vypyr Pro and Sanpera Pro combo as I've just scratched the surface
of their capabilities, so the next logical step for me would be consider the AT-200 guitar
as it has been demo'd as a "system" with the Vypyr Pro and Sanpera Pro at former NAMM shows.

Do any of the amp's factory presets trigger the Guitar functions? I might not have looked enough, but
I don't see how to set a preset in vypyr pro edit to trigger the guitar functions.

I presume the AT200-B box was used in the NAMM demos. (I only saw one cable coming off the guitar in the videos.)
Do I also need the AT200-B breakout box to update/upgrade-pack the AT-200 guitar?
I see there's not enough 8-pin MIDI jacks on the amp or pedalboard to plug both the Sanpera and the Guitar
8pin cables at the same time.

The AT200-B also seems to have an audio signal on the 8pin MIDI as well as power up the guitar electronics,
does the amp 8-pin also have that audio input into the amp and would it power the Guitar and get sound from it
if I plugged the guitar into the amp instead of the Sanpera Pro?

[edwb]

I looked over the videos again and decided to order an AT-200 guitar and an AT200-B breakout box.
I already have a midi interface to try upgrading the guitar's software with.

In normal use, I couldn't see much reason to have two cables coming from the AT-200 guitar when the AT200-B will
receive audio from, send MIDI presets to, and send DC power to the guitar through the 15ft 8-pin cable also alleviating
the need for changing batteries.

[Rocco Crocco]

edwb... I am interested in your review of the guitar when you get it.

[edwb]

I received the AT-200 guitar and the AT200-B breakout box.
I forgot to order an extra (single 5-pin) MIDI cable to go from the amp's MIDI out to the AT200-B breakout box "MIDI thru".
I ordered a 5ft MIDI cable and a 5ft instrument cable from Sweetwater, along with the official Peavey MIDI update cable for the AT200 to try the VypyrPro USB midi interface out.

The Peavey Vypyr Pro USB to MIDI device shows up in Antares upgrade software but was non-functional "couldn't connect to ATG error" on the Windows7 laptop I wanted to use. This laptop also failed with the old MIDI interface I ended up using on another computer, where it worked to finally (with issues) upgrade the AT-200 guitar with the Antares complete pack... So I'm still not sure if the Vypyr Pro USB MIDI device would or wouldn't work with a different computer.

To answer my own question in the original posting...
Yes there are factory presets inside the Vypyr Pro which have data for an AT-200 guitar (with an Antares upgrade pack installed).
I haven't gone through all the presets to see what all is there.
If anyone has a list of all the presets which send out MIDI can you post a link to it? I just zero'd in on bank "U" with the 12string presets.

I did find where the AT-200 MIDI config for presets is hiding in Vypyr Edit Pro. When you connect up the amp, and then open up the factory presets in "Bank U" where the fake-12string is, then click on the little triangle thingy which opens up the Utilities panel where you can update the Vypyr Pro Amp's firmware, there's more tabs Utilities|Input|Output|Reverb/Delay.
Click on the Output tab and scroll down to the bottom with the dark blue scroller on the right side of the panel.
To activate the AT-200 guitar functions, turn on the MIDI out here. The MIDI channel is already eset to 1 for the guitar in these presets and the MIDI data is set below with a number. like "6" or "7". I'm sure Antares has these "values" documented somewhere...
I haven't had much time yet to play with these things.

[edwb]

I posted the start of my AT200 experiences in the guitars section of the Peavey Forum

link... http://peavey.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=42442

[edwb]

Checking around in Vypyr Pro Edit with the Vypyr Pro amp attached...The factory preset banks U-Y have MIDI Program send values for the AT-200 guitar. All the other other lettered "banks" have presets which default to "0" ( Presuming they're duplicates of A-Y, I didn't look through the numbered banks. )

"Preset" "Title" "MIDI Program Send Value"

U-1 DEMO C&D 17
U-2 12 STRING FAKE 1
U-3 12 STRING ACOU 6
U-4 12 STRING DOWN 7
V-1 FALLEN 8
V-2 STAIR ACOUSTIC 9
V-3 STAIR 12 10
V-4 OPEN E 13
W-1 LITTLE BIT 14
W-2 STONE 15
W-3 NEW AGE MELMUS 16
W-4 STEEL DRUM 0
X-1 SHERIFF 0
X-2 SHERIFF BASS 5
X-3 SHERIFF RHYTHM 0
X-4 SHERIFF SOLO 1
Y-1 GREEN C BASS 5
Y-2 GREEN C RHYTHM 4
Y-3 GREEN C SYNTH 0
Y-4 GREEN C SOLO 2 0

I'm still looking for where these particular AT-200 MIDI default values, and what they do, are listed out properly.
The 49_ATG_Guitar_Feature_Packs_v3.10.pdf MIDI information seems much more complicated and the numbers don't match up.

[howarddavidp]

I already owned an AT-200, and I just bought the VYpyr Pro based on the fact that it will work with this amp.

I am still confused as to how I hook up the AT-200 box to the Vypyr Pro? From this post, I guess MIDI-OUT on the amp gets plugged via a MIDI cable into the MIDI through on the AT-200 Breakout box?

Question #1) What port on the amp do we plug into which port on the AT-200 breakout box?

I had no problems updating my firmware on the AT-200 using a Roland UM-ONE cable to a Windows 10 PC using the breakout box.

Question #2) Is the COMPLETE PACK mandatory?

My next question was the Antares feature packs. I did not spend the $199 for the COMPLETE PACK. Instead, I got the $99 ESSENTIALS pack, which has 1 of the 2 12-string models, and some other nice features. I could always upgrade to the COMPLETE pack, but I am happy with the one I have now. So my question is, will it be MANDATORY for me to use the COMPLETE PACK? IF it is just a matter of not being able to use some of the presets on certain patches, if we had a list of which patches use which models packs, I could edit the patches to use the features I own, on the patches that try to use a feature I don't. i.e. if a patch uses the 2nd 12-string model, I would have to update that patch to use 12-string #1, instead of #2. I assume this should be easy enough to do once I get used to editing the patches.

Question #3) After I connect the AT-200 breakout box to the amp, using the MIDI ports, do I still need to run the 1/4" instrument cable? I currently do this using the 1/4" when connecting to my 6505, but that amp also lacks the MIDI connection.

Question #4) I also own a Behringer FCB1010 MIDI floorboard, has anyone used this instead of the Sampera? What are the limitations if I do not go with the Sampera? If I am lacking some crucial features, I will just buy a Sampera. I can also get the MOD chip for the FCB1010, they are $20 and I know how to install one, if needed.

Question #5) I use the Line6 wireless Relay G10. It will not work when I use it on the guitar directly, sans the breakout box. If I switch to a cable (again, no box), it works fine. If I plug the G10 to the AT-200, and shut-off the modeling and just use the pickups, it works fine. If I plug the G10 into the breakout box, and run the MIDI to the guitar, it also works fine. The only time it does not work is if I try to use modeling and go wireless, any ideas about this? Can anyone else replicate this issue with the G10?

Thanks, I should have my amp by the weekend if I am lucky.

David

[Aartsbok]

I've posted this in the vypyr/sanpera section as well but I don't know if that's the right place, so I'll be placing my question here:

Ok,

So I decided to bite the bullet.

I've bought the AT-200 guitar and the AT-200B breakout box... now, watching tutorial video's I seem to miss something very important...Being a usb midi controller (to connect the breakout box, so I can update the guitar and such).

I do not have that, but I do own a vypyr pro with sanpera pro controller.

Would that be suitable as "midi" controller if I hook up the amp by usb? :s

I hope I don't need to buy anything else, my budget has been spent way to high allready

[howarddavidp]

Hello,

Are you trying to update the Feature Packs from Antares for your AT-200?

This is the site you get the updates from:
https://transactions.antarestech.com/at ... ducts.aspx

If you want to purchase the Essential, Pro, or Complete pack, I am afraid you are going to have to spend an additional $30 on the M-Audio USB MidiSport, here is the Amazon link for it:

https://www.amazon.com/M-Audio-Midispor ... idi+to+usb

I will tell you this, you can buy it, run the update, and then return it. It is only $32, and if you want to control your AT-200 with the iPad MIDI app, which is cool, it is not a bad investment. There are other cheaper USB to MIDI adapters, but that M-AUDIO seems to be the one that works with everything without issues or driver problems. If you hate M-Audio, the Roland UM-ONE is also great, but the same price. The $5 USB-to-MIDI have some sort of hardware buffer issue and they are hit-or-miss to get them to work.

Amazon has the no-hassle return policy, and you don't have to pay return shipping, just keep the box or envelope and send it back in that after you tape it up.

I know it would be cool to use the AMP as a USB-to-MIDI, but from what I have seen, the USB on the AMP is only for changing settings and recording at a low bit rate (practice, not studio stuff). This is not like using an FBV-MK2 shortboard with your Line6 amp and running Line6 Monkey to update stuff, neat idea Line6 had, but this amp and floorboard don't work like that.

I think you can flash the AMP with the USB cable, at least there is an option to do that in their software, but as for controlling other MIDI devices through their app, I highly doubt it.

Good luck, the M-Audio is the best USB-to-MIDI I have ever purchased, I have used it since I used a POD 2.0 to my Vyper Pro 100, and for all sorts of things in between. It was super easy to flash up the AT-200 when you plug the M-Audio into the breakout box, worked 1st try without any issues.

David

PS - Used one on Amazon right now for $20...

[Aartsbok]

Hi David!

Thank you, meanwhile I figured that out and I have bought myself a midi controller. I upgraded the guitar and bought the complete pack from antares.

Now, strangely enough, I still struggle to get a good metaltone out of my vypyr pro with it, my jackson RR24 limited edition and RR24M work wonderfully, but something is missing with this guitar, I don't know what it is.. perhaps I still need to do some soulsearching on it.

I do wonder... as soon as you activate active mode (autotune) the actual pickups aren't used anymore (I think), so that could/would mean I can actually swap the pickups that came with it with some cool passive ones....right? Not sure, but I think the piezo pick-ups take over as soon as you hit the second volume (or is it tone? I don't know, it doesn't do anything when I used it, unless when I lift it up and down to activate/deactivate autotune).

Then I do wonder... if I change the pickups, how do I connect the volume, I'm quite sure they need to be split somewhere so the same volumeknop can actually work as well in passive and active mode.

I'd like to tune (like tuning your car) this guitar a bit, adding locking tuners, a new "topcam", since it gets out of tune in passive mode so easily. Since I invested about 550 euro's allready (buying the guitar + break out box + antares complete pack) I really want to make it work my while.

Now... There's something strange, this guitar has never been worked on, but when I opened it to check the backside I actually saw that two wires (of the lower 2 strings) have once been soldered, in such a way that the actual connector has been molten.... this guitar has never been returned for waranty and I sure as hell never worked on it, the "previous owner" didn't as well, I've known him since a very long time...so it has been factory done like this.. the guitar has been out of waranty for a month, I hope I can still get something done since if something goes wrong with those wires chances are huge the whole antares board will need replacement.

[howarddavidp]

Hello,

Yes, you can swap pups, the piezo in the bridge does everything from what I understand. There might be a way to blend mag + piezo, but that should not matter which mag pups you are running. I have thought about a Graphtech Floyd in place of the fixed bridge, it would be great to finally have a Floyd that stays in tune

I took some pics of my guts, I do not have the brown spot like you do...

AT200-1B.jpg (129.68 KiB) Viewed 5271 times

AT200-2B.jpg (93.59 KiB) Viewed 5271 times

If you like, I can upload some of my patches I made. I made a bunch of patches with ONLY the amp model by itself, this served as a starting point to build my own tones. Once I had the idea of what each model sounds like, I started to add pedals to get the sounds I wanted. I used the PC editor for this, it took longer to figure out how to edit on the amp with the knobs.

Hope this helps you some...

Dave