A custom BOSS SY-1000 USB audio-MIDI driver for M-series iPads

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This is too good not to share…I think MG3 Hex users will find it interesting.

Recently, I’ve been working on the problem of hex access via BOSS devices on iPadOS. BOSS was not kind enough to provide us with any advanced audio-MIDI connection solution for the popular mobile platform.

I have built a functional (albeit incomplete) custom driver to connect the BOSS SY-1000 over USB to an M-series iPad. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work with pre-M-series iPads.

There are still bugs to iron out – driver packaging, latency (EDIT: already vastly improved to highly playable state since posting), stereo-only output (will eventually have 8 in/8outs for full re-amping/re-synthing access), 48kHz-only operation, possible legal issues, etc.

Anyway, just wanted to share this personal development in the hex space.

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Holy moly! You are doing gods work!

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The really nice thing is that the same approach used for the SY-1000 should apply to GP-10, GM-800, and VG-800 with some per-device tweaking. Unfortunately, I only have the SY-1000 now, or I would have already made the full suite.

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is it feasible to devise an alternate boot method for the sy-1000 and boot it to a custom rom image on usb?

boss must have had some kind of custom/test methodology when developing it.

stripped of the bloatware it would be a glorious solution for mg3hex.

imagine being able to load it with your personal synths of choice.

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Uh oh…you’ve just given me another project… :rofl:

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Congratulations!

I’ve just resumed work on the HexBox project and am in the process of ordering the first prototype PCB. Your development likely makes it redundant. I’d be happy to help with testing using the GP-10, GM-800, and VG-800.

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Thanks :folded_hands: Based on what I’ve read about your product, I think it would still have excellent use cases. Firstly, this driver only works on M-series iPads. Secondly, your hardware should enable direct connection and negate the BOSS hardware requirement. I think they’re both big deals. There are probably more reasons why it would be very useful that I can’t think of right now.

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