MOTM

a) the SW is downloadable under MIDI SysEx. Mac and PC apps are available to do this.

b) There are 2 arpeggiators.

c) Q: would you be willing to pay $20 more for a 2 line x 16char LCD display (with backlight)
over a 4 char. LED one? Maybe like the Yamaha displays, where the characters are "reverse video"
so you see yellow dots on a black background (I always thought that was clever).

d) Are there objection to using pcb mounted 1/4" jacks like on the Expressionist? This could make
the assembly labor shorter. Personally, I've not had any problems with the jacks on my
Expressionist. There isn't a raw "cost" difference, but the labor is quite a bit longer soldering
discrete wires. I would also like to use this style on the Pulse Divider.

Here is how I am planning the sequence of events from now until Christmas:

a) ship all the existing kit orders and some assembled modules while getting the new prototype PC
boards into fab.

b) kit and ship out the MOTM-890 uMixer and MOTM-190 Dual VCA while the PC boards are in fab and
being assembled (having an outside assembly house do all the SMT soldering).

c) test out the prototypes, send to the SW developers

It's now about Nov. 15th

d) finish the WaveWarper, send the 100 rotary switches to the assembly house for wiring
harnesses. Order front panels and production PC boards.

e) do the production PC board layout for the Pulse Divider and front panels.

f) Nov. 20th: this is LAST DAY TO ORDER to get KIT delivery before Jan. 1st.

g) Prepare NAMM brochures and press kits. Mail out press kits around Dec. 1st.

h) by this time, the Cloud Generator (it's 8 sine wave oscillators with VC'd frequency and Phase
in a 1U module) should be up and 100% for NAMM.

It's now Christmas vacation (cough cough). Time to lay out the '480 and '130 Dual VCA module and
another new one. This is an old routine: the MOTM-490 uVCF was laid out Christmas Day last year
:)

i) NAMM panic: get ready, get NAMM cabinets 100% checked out, ship what I can. Panic some more

Of course, this is subject to change without notice. Contents may have settled during shipping.
Offer not available in Puerto Rico.

Paul S.

>>>>
Are there objection to using pcb mounted 1/4" jacks like on the
Expressionist? 
<<<<

Not as long as there is also a mechanical connection of the jacks to 
the panel - e.g. they are mounted to the panel via the traditional 
nuts, not just floating; AND the jacks you use have the same 
mechanical quality and crisp feel when plugging/unplugging as the 
112A. No plastic jacks!

Moe

Comments in line

>Paul Schreiber wrote:
>
>c) Q: would you be willing to pay $20 more for a 2 line x 16char
>LCD display (with backlight) over a 4 char. LED one? Maybe like the
>Yamaha displays, where the characters are "reverse video" so you
>see yellow dots on a black background (I always thought that was
>clever).

Yes, I find the LCD much easier to read. Black letters on clear
background, please.

>d) Are there objection to using pcb mounted 1/4" jacks like on the
>Expressionist? This could make the assembly labor shorter.
>Personally, I've not had any problems with the jacks on my
>Expressionist. There isn't a raw "cost" difference, but the labor
>is quite a bit longer soldering discrete wires. I would also like
>to use this style on the Pulse Divider.

No objections, as long as the connections are as positive as the current
switchcraft panel mounts.

Scott

> c) Q: would you be willing to pay $20 more for a 2 line x 16char LCD
display (with backlight)
> over a 4 char. LED one? Maybe like the Yamaha displays, where the
characters are "reverse video"
> so you see yellow dots on a black background (I always thought that was
clever).

yuck - i have a kenton pro-solo so i'm used to the LED method
also isn't the longevity of LED better than that of LCD..? i'm thinking of
failing backlights by 2017AD

> d) Are there objection to using pcb mounted 1/4" jacks like on the
Expressionist? This could make
> the assembly labor shorter. Personally, I've not had any problems with the
jacks on my
> Expressionist. There isn't a raw "cost" difference, but the labor is quite
a bit longer soldering
> discrete wires. I would also like to use this style on the Pulse Divider.

if the jacks are secured to  the panel (as per normal), then i don't see
that much of a problem

> It's now about Nov. 15th

my birthday !!! (wonder if i'll be getting any mysterious boxes from
texas..?)

> h) by this time, the Cloud Generator (it's 8 sine wave oscillators with
VC'd frequency and Phase
> in a 1U module) should be up and 100% for NAMM.

hmm, sounds very nice - kind of like a 1U string synth or am i getting
totally the wrong idea..?

cheers
paul b / sheffield / uk

> also isn't the longevity of LED better than that of LCD..? i'm thinking of
> failing backlights by 2017AD

The display I've selected, for size versus cost, is a 2 line x 8 character transflective LCD with
yellow-green LED backlight. It's an array of 6 tiny LEDs, so we are talking 100,000hr on time
minimum. The backlight is SW controlled, you can turn it off if you like.

> >
> if the jacks are secured to  the panel (as per normal), then i don't see
> that much of a problem

The jacks ARE screwed onto the panel with washers and a nut. There is a cosmetic difference: the
threaded part is black. The nut and washer are silver as before. These are better quality than
the Moogerfooger/Voyager uses :) Somebody (besides me) with an Expressionist A/B the 'feel' and
report back.

I'm still pondering it. There are 17 (!) jacks on this thing (added Ext Clock In for the Arpeg.).

>
> >
> hmm, sounds very nice - kind of like a 1U string synth or am i getting
> totally the wrong idea..?

Totally wrong. I'll explain more later.

Paul S.

>I will ponder what to do about GATE LEDs. Right now, there are MIDI 
>Activity and MIDI Clock LEDs.

There should be gate leds per channel.


Simon
Canberra
AUSTRALIA

At 11:17 PM -0500 10/16/02, Paul Schreiber wrote:
>
>b) There are 2 arpeggiators.

Cool :)

>Maybe like the Yamaha displays, where the characters are "reverse video"
>so you see yellow dots on a black background (I always thought that was
>>clever).

I always liked dot matrix LED displays (like a Lexicon), but I more than
realize that this is not a $2K DSP box.

The important thing is to be able to see "MIDI received" from a distance.

>e) do the production PC board layout for the Pulse Divider and
>front panels.

d00D, you rock!!

>h) by this time, the Cloud Generator (it's 8 sine wave oscillators
>with VC'd frequency and Phase in a 1U module) should be up and
>100% for NAMM.

*trying to think but nothing's happening*

>It's now Christmas vacation (cough cough). Time to lay out the '480 and
>>'130 Dual VCA module and another new one. This is an old routine: the
>>MOTM-490 uVCF was laid out Christmas Day last year :)

"What, no turkey??"  You're like Bruce Willis in _Die Hard_ ;)

--- In motm@y..., "Paul Schreiber" <synth1@a...> wrote:
> 
> c) Q: would you be willing to pay $20 more for a 2 line x 16char
> LCD display (with backlight) over a 4 char. LED one? Maybe like
> the Yamaha displays, where the characters are "reverse video"
> so you see yellow dots on a black background (I always thought
> that was clever).

I guess I would lean to the 4 alphanumeric LED displays.  The thing 
that sucks about LCD is the viewing angle problem - usually really bad 
from the sides and for above/below/straight on you need to adjust the 
contrast to match your "normal" viewing angle.  It seems like this 
could be problematic with a modular - particular if you have a lot of 
panel space you might not really have a "normal" viewing angle for the 
display.

The flip side is that, limited to 4 alphanumeric LED digits, the UI 
will be more cryptic.  (Less digits for description of what is 
selected, etc.)

I really liked your idea of the decimal points indicating gate 
activity, etc.  This also would work great with LED displays - but 
would be far less effective on an LCD.  (LCDs also have the "slow 
update" problem - a slow blinking dot tends to fade instead of blink, 
and a fast blinking dot would just be a blur.)


Seth

>
> I guess I would lean to the 4 alphanumeric LED displays.  The thing
> that sucks about LCD is the viewing angle problem - usually really bad
> from the sides and for above/below/straight on you need to adjust the
> contrast to match your "normal" viewing angle.  It seems like this
> could be problematic with a modular - particular if you have a lot of
> panel space you might not really have a "normal" viewing angle for the
> display.

LCD technology has advanced :) I'm using what's called a transflective polarizer. The viewing
angle is is like 160 degrees in both directions.

>
> The flip side is that, limited to 4 alphanumeric LED digits, the UI
> will be more cryptic.  (Less digits for description of what is
> selected, etc.)

This was a MAJOR issue.

>
> I really liked your idea of the decimal points indicating gate
> activity, etc.  This also would work great with LED displays - but
> would be far less effective on an LCD.  (LCDs also have the "slow
> update" problem - a slow blinking dot tends to fade instead of blink,
> and a fast blinking dot would just be a blur.)
>

I will ponder what to do about GATE LEDs. Right now, there are MIDI Activity and MIDI Clock LEDs.

Paul S.

I agree here that gate LEDs are a real plus.

Scott

Simon wrote:

> 
> >I will ponder what to do about GATE LEDs. Right now, there are MIDI
> >Activity and MIDI Clock LEDs.
> 
> There should be gate leds per channel.
> 
> Simon
> Canberra
> AUSTRALIA
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/

> c) Q: would you be willing to pay $20 more for a 2 line x 16char LCD display
> (with backlight)
> over a 4 char. LED one? Maybe like the Yamaha displays, where the characters
> are "reverse video"
> so you see yellow dots on a black background (I always thought that was
> clever).

Well if it's really only $5 as stated in a later message, then coitanly.  I
prefer easier readablility - like "MIDI ch 1" as oppossed to some cryptic
code - over color scheme and uniformity; i.e. red-on-black LEDs and matching
with other modules with displays.


> d) Are there objection to using pcb mounted 1/4" jacks like on the
> Expressionist? This could make
> the assembly labor shorter. Personally, I've not had any problems with the
> jacks on my
> Expressionist. There isn't a raw "cost" difference, but the labor is quite a
> bit longer soldering
> discrete wires. I would also like to use this style on the Pulse Divider.
 
Like others, as long as they are up to "MOTM robustness standards" I
wouldn't mind (even if the threaded part is black).


Larry