I've not been having much luck with connectivity.

The first time I select the desktop client on the iPad, I just get a flashing yellow blob that doesn't seem to go away.

If I cancel and try reconnecting, I don't get the flashing blob, but connectivity only seems intermittent - pad movement is a bit erratic, a selecting a new sound hangs with a spinny wheel on the right hand side of the patch selector. Triggering notes via the iPad only works intermittently too - I'm getting a lot of hung notes, or it just stops working etc.

Any ideas? It's pretty much unusable at the moment.

I'm on OSX 10.6 running Live 8.2.5, and have Alchemy on the iPad 1.

Hi,

We're sorry to hear about the problems you're experiencing. First thing to check is that you are running the latest Alchemy 1.25 RC 3. The symptoms you've described sound like one of the problems with earlier beta versions and the first RC, which we have now fixed. Check the File -> About box which should read:

1.25.0.1980

We have some info in our FAQ section about using remote control and troublesome connections:

How do I get remote control working?

* edit to remove dead link, text below updated.

The above page also includes trouble shooting information further down the page, which is more relevant. Force quitting the iOS app and restarting your host + the app should help. It's unlikely you would need to reboot but you could try also that.

I've been testing this for months on Leopard / Snow Leopard / Lion + Win 7 / Win XP and it has almost always worked, with respect to the bugs I mentioned above. Let us know if the FAQ tips help, and we'll take it from there. Thanks.

Peace,
Andy.
Last edited by ZenPunkHippy on Thu Jul 26, 2012 4:14 am; edited 1 time in total

hi andy, maybe a dumb question but is it possible to control alchemy on a desktop pc which is not connected to the internet or integrated into a net of any kind? my daw pc is not connected to the internet and i have no plans to do so but the remote control of alchemy via an ipad (which i would have to purchase) is very tempting.
cheers

The remote control feature requires a wireless connection between the Mac / PC and the iOS device.

The type of connection used could be a simple 'ad-hoc' network specifically set up between the computer and iOS device for this purpose, which is only used for remote control and has no internet access.

If you don't have wireless on the PC you could purchase a USB wireless adapter for around $15 or $20. There are several other ways to do this, but I think that would be the simplest if you don't have a wireless network set up already.

Peace,
Andy.

Apologies for bumping this thread but that second link isn't working for me and I'm having this very issue. Adhoc connection works OK with my iPad but I get the blinking yellow light and nothing else on the iPhone 4. Not entirely sure why one works and the other doesn't.
HELP!

chrs
Lloyd

Hi,

The problem of a blinking light but no preset list is - I think - a network configuration problem. I have 3 separate computers for testing, and this happens only one 1 of them. The other 2 - all connected to the same network - work first time with Alchemy + Alchemy Mobile.

So I think you should check the network configuration is the same in the iOS Settings app, on both devices. Obviously if the IP address is configured manually then these need to be different - but most people use DHCP which handles this automatically. Double check both devices are connected to the same WiFi network (obviously!).

About the broken link - I will update the earlier post. These are the FAQ entries that relate to remote control:

How to get remote control of Alchemy or Alchemy Player working

Using remote control without a regular WiFi network

Changing instances of Alchemy that are remote controlled

Peace,
Andy.

Hi Andy, thanks for the reply.

I managed to get it working... I think the problem was I didn't understand that after you hit to connect and wait you need to press the right arrow to go to the presets on the iPhone. Although I don't think all is well. On the iPad the presets show up and can be scrolled through but on the iPhone it stays with DEFAULT.

I have managed to get the remix pad working though on the iPhone which was the thing I wanted. The smaller size means I can sit it on my controller keyboard easier, otherwise the iPad seems the preferred device.

I've been down this route with Touch OSC, Touchable and the Lemur app and it seems Adhoc mode is the only way I can get IOS to Laptop connections working with any consistency (both are connecting via DHCP.) I don't mind using Adhoc mode as it prepares me for performance where there isn't a guaranteed free wireless network.

Thanks again for your help.
chrs
Lloyd

p.s.
a quick off topic question - does money from the sale of the Planet Earth library still go to Friends of the Earth?

That doesn't sound right. When selecting "Alchemy on computer" the preset list should automatically update on the iOS device without requiring any other action, as long as a bank and category are selected ...


"Default" should only be displayed if no bank + category are selected for the instance of Alchemy under control, typically this is when a new instance is created or selected for control.

We are almost ready to release an update, which I'm testing now so will double check that remote connects are consistent from iPod and iPad.


Ad-hoc networks will provide lower latency that a regular WiFi network so for live performance it would be the best option.


Yes we are continuing to donate 50% of sales to FOE - no plans to stop that.

Peace,
Andy.

I believe I have it working now need to play a bit more as it isn't consistently just working. Seems like sometimes the yellow light flashes endlessly until I hit another interface element on the iPad. Sometimes on the iPhone it isn't coming out of the yellow light flashing.