Infection Music

28-Mar-24 : Software Release 02-10 Part Two

I'm presently going through each and every step in the new software, version 02-10, hunting for code that isn't to specification or just doesn't work. It's been an interesting journey. For instance...

In verison 02-10, you can change the way the knobs behave. Originally, the routing was fixed - row one was for note pitch, row two and row three were for the controllers one and two respectively. In the new system, you can send any of the rows to any of the following:

1. Note Pitch
2. Note Velocity
3. Gate Length
4. Repeat Count
5. Step Probability
6. Controller One
7. Controller Two

That change is now in place and working as it should. Similarly, the File Renaming Scheme has been reworked in the last week so that it's more intuitive.

The Scene Manager isn't quite right yet. I'll sort that next week.

ATEM support - I now have all of the boards required to build the ATEM test unit. See? I said you hadn't been forgotten!

14-Mar-24 : Software Release 02-10 Part One

Software version 02-10 is nearing release. Whilst this update will be fairly complete, it won't be the final version for the new CPU boards. I've updated the list of those features that won't appear in the 02-10. Don't worry. It's not that big...

1. The Composer
2. Edit Hold

See! I said it wasn't all that big...

09-Mar-24 : i/o boards IV

I built up four of the new i/o boards - two switch boards and two potentiometer boards - and they worked perfectly first time. I'm pleased. We can now offer a replacement service should any of the boards fail in the field. We'll also offer an upgrade service especially for the potentiometer boards. Fitted with the Thonk 10K potentiometers, the feel is amazing and exactly what it should have been twenty years ago.

04-Mar-24 : i/o boards III

The re-worked i/o boards for the re-engineered ZEIT sequencers arrived last week. They're a perfect fit. Even better, I tested these boards against a couple of Thonk's 9mm pots. They're also a perfect fit and they feel very solid and very reliable.

This resolves a long-standing quality issue with these sequencers in that the only potentiometers available at the time (2003) and at a resonable cost were made by ALPS, and they never, ever felt right. We could have used more expensive alternatives but that would pushed the cost of the sequencer to the point where it was no longer viable i.e. £5 per pot x 48 pots = £240!!!!

Pleased.

27-Feb-24 : i/o boards II

The new i/o boards arrived yesterday. They fit perfectly and I'm optimistic that they'll work exactly as intended.

This is good news. It means that we'll be in a position to begin building a small batch of products that were shelved roughly fifteen years ago when supplier problems crippled the company.

Fingers crossed.

16-Feb-24 : AI Tools

We've been using a suite of AI tools to develop new and existing products, mostly to get a feel for how the coming wave of AI-based technology can be harnessed to build better instruments. Above is an enhanced version of a photo I took in 2007 of a ZEIT desktop unit using a poor quality, low-resolution digital camera.

I'm not sure what language that is but it is sure is pretty... Sort of...

19-Jan-24 : Decent Sampler

Our Decent Sampler project has been on the back-burner for years. I managed to find some time over the Christmas and New Year break to make some progress and we now have several sample libraries in development.

So far, so good.

19-Jan-24 : Paddle Boards

We've finally run out of the original i/o boards for ZEIT and ATEM sequencers, which means I finally have a good excuse to re-design them.

These boards have an interesting history. One day, I might write it all down. :)

December 2023 : Web Pages

We're updating the web site. This version has been re-designed from the ground up and should (hopefully) load on all modern browsers. If it doesn't then please let us know.

Similarly, we're updating the web site for our partner operation, Unreal Devices. That work isn't quite finished yet. It should be sorted in the next couple of days.