Access CQ Mixpad via USB

[Jopn]

New CQ-20B user here, and I love it. I do a lot of mobile off-the-floor recording followed by in-studio overdubs. The CQ-20B is amazing for my workflow, I’m very happy with it. I’d like it to replace my home studio audio interface as well, and I feel it is ALMOST able to do so. The one missing piece, for me, is something that I hope would be possible through a feature update.

When using the CQ-20b, I want to be able to have control over CQ Mixpad over the USB connection with my laptop, rather than needing to drop my internet connection to make the WiFi connection to Mixpad. Access to digital mixing controls is fairly standard with audio interfaces (my presonus and focusrite do this).

I believe a current workaround would be to connect ethernet from the CQ-20b to my router. From what I understand, that would make the CQ accessible to computers on the network. Unfortunately, I don’t have control over the physical placement of the router, or ability to run CAT-5 where needed 🙁

If this feature is implemented, I’d have 3U of gear that I could sell and put a few hundred dollars back into my pocket. Plus the simplicity of having everything in one box. The more I think of the possibilities, the more I want to get on my knees and beg!

Again, fantastic product, I’m SO impressed with the CQ-20b!

Jopn

[rtme]

You could connect the CQ-20B Ethernet ouput with a CAT network cable directly to your laptop and create a simple peer-to-peer network. If your laptop doesn’t have an Ethernet port you could buy a simple USB to Ethernet adapter.

Another advantage: Ethernet supports much longer cable lengths than plain USB and data communication is less error prone with higher data transfer rates.

[Jopn]

Oh good point about the peer to peer workaround! I hadn’t thought of that.

I’d still like to see a one wire solution, and I believe hardware wise it should be feasible to do this via USB with a firmware update.

[KeithJ A&H]

@Jopn

I believe hardware wise it should be feasible to do this via USB with a firmware update.

Unfortunately this is not the case. Specifically, all control messages for apps are via the network (wired/wireless) and USB is only for audio and data.
Sorry!
But you’re right that by connecting your 20B to your network router or by connecting a laptop directly (then using ethernet to CQ and WiFi to router) you would be able to control the CQ and access the net from the same device.

Thanks,
Keith.

[Jopn]

Thanks for that, Keith!

In case anyone else stumbles upon this, the solution that I’m using now is to use a tiny wireless router (GL-AR300M) connected ethernet to the CQ and acting in bridge mode to connect to my local wifi. The super convenient part of this is that the little router can be powered off of the USB-A port on the CQ.

[Clint]

So, just to be clear, I can go out of my iPad by Lightning or USB-C, through an Ethernet converter such as https://www.amazon.com/Lightning-Ethernet-Certified-Compatible-Supports/dp/B099K2B2YJ/, and RJ-45 to my (NEW) CQ20B?

[Clint]

> So, just to be clear, I can go out of my iPad by Lightning or USB-C, through an Ethernet converter such as https://www.amazon.com/Lightning-Ethernet-Certified-Compatible-Supports/dp/B099K2B2YJ/, and RJ-45 to my (NEW) CQ20B?

Hoping to get a response on this … I’d rather not buy a converter, for it not to work …

[Vin]

This would be fantastic as I would also like to able to not lose my WiFi link while needing to control CQ.

[Clint]

Vin – I don’t think that is going to work, since the CQ20B offers a *choice* of whether to use WiFi or the RJ-45 (Ethernet) port. I do not believe that the CQ20B can be “Dual-homed” on two networks.

[Author]

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