Feeding a Boss FS-6 foot switch into a computer

[bowesj]

Hi,

I suspect no one has ever considered this idea but I will ask just out of curiosity. I have a Boss FS-6 duel foot switch. It seems like great quality. I am considering buying another foot switch that is designed to feed into a computer and it comes with software that can program it so each foot switch sends a keyboard key stroke that you choose. I don't suppose anyone has tried getting the Boss FS-6 to function this way.

I am thinking not for two reasons. 1/ because one would need a USB converter for the outputs and 2/ because one would need software to read that signal and select a keyboard input. However regarding #2 I would not need such software because I know MS-Access that can read key codes (keyboard codes) and process certain program code when that key code is detected. So I am thinking the USB converter (if it can be created) could simply send any Key code to the computer and I could directly grab it in my MS-Access program and I could do whatever I wish with it. The ideas is I would never press the foot switch unless my MS-Access software had the focus on the computer. To take this even farther, my usage in fact involves feeding foot switch key codes directly into this MS-Access program so I do not need a special program to interpret what is coming in from the foot switch and converting it to a different key code. My weakness is I don't know if it is possible to adapt the FS-6 output to USB and what to expect coming into my program or if there is any chance this can even be done.

Anyway, thanks for any ideas,
John

[Jazz P Bass]

The key to your answer is what this device is: "foot switch that is designed to feed into a computer and it comes with software that can program it so each foot switch sends a keyboard key stroke that you choose."

The Boss pedal IS switches.
Without particulars on the other device, it is unclear how it would interface with it.

[bowesj]

The key to your answer is what this device is: "foot switch that is designed to feed into a computer and it comes with software that can program it so each foot switch sends a keyboard key stroke that you choose."

The Boss pedal IS switches.
Without particulars on the other device, it is unclear how it would interface with it.

Thanks Jazz P Bass. I tried a google search "Boss FS-6 output specifications" and found nothing. I guess it is an idea in the wind :-) Back to the original idea. John

[Enzo]

I think you have it backwards, You don't adjust the switch to do something, you adjust the computer to do something. The switch is just a switch.

The Boss unit is fancy, but is still just a couple switches. On the unit you can select whether they are latching (stomp on/stomp off) or momentary, and it has lights. But the output to some other device (amp, computer, whatever) is just a simple switch closure.

If your computer has switch input ports, then you program the computer to do whatever when the switches get closed.

[bowesj]

If your computer has switch input ports, then you program the computer to do whatever when the switches get closed.

Thanks Enzo, I think I understood that I can't change the FS-6. I guess I worded it backwards.

See update at the bottom as well (keyboard foot switch):

Back to #1, my computer is standard with only USB input ports where as the FS-6 has TS as opposed to TRS (at least I think it has TS - mono). So I did a google search "phono jack to usb adapter". I went to amazon and this adapter is the closest I could find so far. I need 1/4 inch as you know.

Back to #2, the USB foot switch I was considering is this one also shown at this company page. The new one is quiet and I am primarily interested in the 2 pedal version. I am making the basic assumption that a driver needs to be in place much like the driver that Windows 7 installs automatically when I plug in a USB mouse. So I do not know C programming and I do not know how to write drivers. All I know is MS-Access database programming using the VBA langauge (visual basic for applications). In that regard all I really know to try is use the adapter to connect the foot switch to the computer, highlight my MS-Access program which I would write and set the program up to receive key codes. I would put a debugging stop statement into the Keydown program function and see if pressing the pedal caused that function to execute and if it did the stop statement would stop the code and I would check the Keydown code value for each of the two pedals I pressed. If each pedal press sends a different code then I can use the FS-6. If not my limited knowledge level would force me to buy the pedal that has the USB wire attached.

If I can find the correct adapter for as little as $15 it would be a worth while experiment.

Another approach might be this one where they turn a keyboard into a foot switch for Abelton Live.