Installing the Software

You can download the software here.

This page isn't finished yet, but it'll help you a little bit to get your Toaster working. Currently only Win95/98 is supported.

When your Toaster is finished connect it to the joystick port. You will have to install a joystick driver. In Windows 98 it's a simple task:

1. Open Windows' Gamecontroller panel (Control Panel / Gamecontroller). In German Windows it's called Spielsteuerungen.
2. First remove any installed joysticks from the list. Now add a user defined gamecontroller (German: Hinzufügen / Benutzerdefiniert).
3. Select 4 axes and 4 buttons (German: 4 Achsen und 4 Tasten).
4. Unselect all other options.
5. Enter this into the Name field: Toaster
6. Click OK.
7. The Toaster device should appear in the controller list. The status field should say OK. If you don't get the OK status, disconnect the Toaster immediately and check everything once again! You must have made a mistake!
8. On the second page in the Gamecontroller window you'll find an option regarding polling and interrupts. Switch it off!
9. Now you have to calibrate the device like every analogue joystick. You'll find out how to do that on your own! ;-))

Everything worked up to now? Well done!

Now you have to install some additional software and fiddle around until everything works (keep trying... ;-))

Do you want to send the MIDI controller data to a sequencer software or a software synth (like ReBirth) running on the same machine? Then you'll need a virtual MIDI driver like Hubi's MIDI Loopback Device. You can download it here. Installation instructions are included.
If you have a TerraTec EWS64 soundcard you can use it's virtual MIDI devices instead.

After downloading the Toaster Control software, unzip it to a directory of your choice and run "Toaster Control.exe".

Select a MIDI Out Device to receive the Toaster controller data. Press the On button. Does the MIDI Send indicator show some activity? If so, increase the Jitter Filter setting until it shows no further activity. (For me a setting of 2 works just fine.)

Go to the Monitor page and turn the Toaster knobs. You should see 4 bars indicating the knobs' positions. Switch to the Buttons page and select Controller for all buttons. Go back to the Monitor page and press all Toaster buttons. Do you see the activity bars flashing? Then everything seems to work. Now you can start toastin'... ;-)

Currently there is only a beta version of Toaster Control available. And there's no documentation for it at all. So you will have to find out how to use it on your own. But I think it isn't that hard if you are a MIDI expert ;-). A new version is under development but it may take some time to finish it, as I'm currently very busy.

If you have any hints on how to improve these installation instructions don't hesitate to contact me!

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