# auto talk to vsa



## packetbob (Apr 4, 2010)

Not 100% clear of what you want to do but VSA does have it's *Waveform Analysis* feature that will create servo movements based on the audio. I use this to create the jaw movements on my 3 axis skulls. This more or less replicates what the auto talk board does. If this is what you want then HalloweenBob wrote up an excellent tutorial that you can find *here*. He has more tutorials *here*. And I have VSA info web page that you can find *here*:


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## Hallowman140 (10 mo ago)

Thank you man appreciate, yeah I think that the autotalk is more accurate than wave motion, i just wish there was a way to capture it straight from board then import into vsa to save


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## packetbob (Apr 4, 2010)

Another method is to record the jaw movement using a joystick directly into VSA using the *Capture Event* feature.


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## Aaron Coleman (Aug 16, 2013)

I use the joystick method to VSA. I find that even if you match a human jaw line, the motion our eyes want to see is actually more of a puppeteer way you'd see a jaw move up and down where every syllable is a movement. In real speech you don't always vertically move your jaw for all sounds. This is how I do Frank Skinnotra and the Gabbing Gourds: 




I use this one and prefer the small lift / dial input on the bottom / backside since it doesn't have a neutral position or any resistance: https://www.amazon.com/Extreme-3D-Pro-Joystick-Windows/dp/B00009OY9U/ref=psdc_229575_t1_B00006BA0Q


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## Hallowman140 (10 mo ago)

Aaron I have that same joystick , u mean the lift at the bottom , see I have been using trackskull and they only allow u to use the trigger and ur right about no neutral position. How do u assign in vsa I have never gone that route, in other words how do I get that slider to work in Vsa. Thanks bro


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## packetbob (Apr 4, 2010)

Hallowman140
If you have the Logitech Extreme 3D then you can download the Logitech Gaming Software (Downloads - Extreme 3D Pro)
It lets you map the various controls to different axis. 
In the case of servo control it it the X axis.
So in this case you assign the X axis to the Throttle controller


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## Hallowman140 (10 mo ago)

packetbob said:


> Hallowman140
> If you have the Logitech Extreme 3D then you can download the Logitech Gaming Software (Downloads - Extreme 3D Pro)
> It lets you map the various controls to different axis.
> In the case of servo control it it the X axis.
> So in this case you assign the X axis to the Throttle controller


So I open vsa and where do I go from there


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## packetbob (Apr 4, 2010)

As far as I know VSA will only use the X axis for servo control
It is not something you can control from VSA..
But if you use the Logitech control panel you can assign the X axis to the Throttle control (rather than the joystick) and then the VSA capture event process will track it`s movement..

If you already have got the above figured out then in VSA you:
1) Setup the track for however you have your servo connected
2) Go to Execution - Capture Events
3) Select the track you want to control
4) Select the Event Type (Linear Bar)
5) Hit OK
6) The track will start playing right away (so be ready)
7) Pull the Trigger button (also called Button 1) on your Joystick to start recording
8) Use the X axis on your Joystick to control the action (or the Throttle control of you have re-assigned it usign the Logitech control panel)
9) Release the Trigger when you don`t want to record anymore
10) The track will play till the end and then you should see your recorded events...


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## packetbob (Apr 4, 2010)

More info on using the VSA joystick function (which they call *Capture Events*) can be found in the VSA Help File ( Help - Contents) under *Capturing Events* and *Joystick Control* which you will find in the *The Events *section


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## wdallen504 (Aug 26, 2017)

This is all great information. Haven’t seen halloweenbob on for awhile. Hope he’s well.


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## packetbob (Apr 4, 2010)

I have found using a joystick can be a bit clunky for some sorts of servos due to what seems on some a lack of linearity and a wide central neutral zone (if that makes sense). The Logitech joystick has a control panel that you can re-assign the various controls to what VSA uses (to make use of the throttle control). But what I really wanted was a simple one axis version (like an old Pong controller) but I couldn`t find anything.









So I ended up making one using an Arduino Micro, a pot and a USB cable. This gave me a simple controller for sorts of servos that the joystick doesn`t work well with. Also nice for lighting control (one with a slide post would be nice). Plugged into the PC this shows up as a joy stick with just a x axis and button 1 (just what VSA wants). I also added a RGB led that shows blue when the control is in center position. I started an Instructable on making it a few years ago but never got around to finishing it. I`ll dig up the files if anyone is interested.


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## Hallowman140 (10 mo ago)

Packet bob , is there a tutorial for capture for VSa and if I have an old atari pong controller, would that work ?
View attachment 760937


So I ended up making one using an Arduino Micro, a pot and a USB cable. This gave me a simple controller for sorts of servos that the joystick doesn`t work well with. Also nice for lighting control (one with a slide post would be nice). Plugged into the PC this shows up as a joy stick with just a x axis and button 1 (just what VSA wants). I also added a RGB led that shows blue when the control is in center position. I started an Instructable on making it a few years ago but never got around to finishing it. I`ll dig up the files if anyone is interested.
[/QUOTE]


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## packetbob (Apr 4, 2010)

Unfortunately I`m not aware of any tutorials for using the VSA Capture Event feature but what I listed above pretty much sums it up..
I do have a list of various VSA related videos at the bottom of my VSA web page but I don`t believe any are specific to using a joystick but you may find some helpful information in them..

VSA Info and FAQ – zappedmyself.com


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## Hallowman140 (10 mo ago)

packetbob said:


> Unfortunately I`m not aware of any tutorials for using the VSA Capture Event feature but what I listed above pretty much sums it up..
> I do have a list of various VSA related videos at the bottom of my VSA web page but I don`t believe any are specific to using a joystick but you may find some helpful information in them..
> 
> VSA Info and FAQ – zappedmyself.com





packetbob said:


> Unfortunately I`m not aware of any tutorials for using the VSA Capture Event feature but what I listed above pretty much sums it up..
> I do have a list of various VSA related videos at the bottom of my VSA web page but I don`t believe any are specific to using a joystick but you may find some helpful information in them..
> 
> VSA Info and FAQ – zappedmyself.com


 can I get your opinion on accuracy of jaw on what I just did


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## Hallowman140 (10 mo ago)

Hallowman140 said:


> can I get your opinion on accuracy of jaw on what I just did


Vsa will not recognize longitech 3d pro


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## packetbob (Apr 4, 2010)

Hallowman140

The jaw movement looks OK to me but I`m not all that picky.. Sometimes there seem to be a delay before the jaw moves but again your typically audience isn`t probably watching that closely.
How did you do the jaw movement?
Here is an example of some jaw movements I did using the VSA Wave Analysis with just the default settings





As for the VSA not detecting the Logitech 3D Pro:
1) Confirm the Joystick actually works (Use the Logitech control panel or some other way to confirm the X axis and Button 1 are working)
2) When using the VSA Capture Events the joystick movement is only recognized when you have the trigger button pressed.
3) VSA (at least my single capture channel version 4.0) only uses the X axis for movement and the Button1 as a trigger for recording.
Not sure what else I can suggest...


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## Hallowman140 (10 mo ago)

packetbob said:


> Hallowman140
> 
> The jaw movement looks OK to me but I`m not all that picky.. Sometimes there seem to be a delay before the jaw moves but again your typically audience isn`t probably watching that closely.
> How did you do the jaw movement?
> ...


so in the software i assigned the slider x axis joystick software


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## Aaron Coleman (Aug 16, 2013)

Funny, for me I didn’t have to install any Logitech stuff nor remap. That throttle comes up in VSA as Axis 3. I’ve labeled mine accordingly, so I know it’s been like that for a long time!

I also have this tiny old freeware program, Joytester 3.2 that I’ll sometimes use to see what the joystick inputs look like at the system level:Download Joystick Tester 3.2 build 032

Hope that helps!


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## packetbob (Apr 4, 2010)

Hi Aaron,

I may depend on what version number (4, 5 or 6) and what version type (Hobbyist, Professional or Ultimate) of VSA that you have? 
I have the 4.0 Hobbyist (single capture channel) and you don`t have the ability to select what joystick channel it uses in the Record Setup..
But I did recently get the 6.0 Professional version (3 capture channels) and with it I can select what axis and button channel you want to use.
Not sure if this is a version 6 feature or a function of having the multiple input channels (one of the differences between the Hobbyist, Profession and Ultimate versions is the number of capture channels)

So with my 4.0 Hobbyist version I need to remap the joystick axis usign the Logitech control panel.
With my 6.0 Professional version I can remap the various joystick axis usign the VSA record Setup.


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## Hallowman140 (10 mo ago)

packetbob said:


> Hi Aaron,
> 
> I may depend on what version number (4, 5 or 6) and what version type (Hobbyist, Professional or Ultimate) of VSA that you have?
> I have the 4.0 Hobbyist (single capture channel) and you don`t have the ability to select what joystick channel it uses in the Record Setup..
> ...


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