Cytomic "The Scream" stomp box distortion plugin

[Liero]

Any word on what the copy protection scheme will be?

[andy-cytomic]

Any word on what the copy protection scheme will be?

It will be the same as The Drop, which is working solidly. It is challenge response, but automated if you are connected to the internet, you type in your email and password and the plugin authorises forever more for that computer. Each license allows for 3 authorisations per year, which is designed to cover two computers with one of them being replaced per year. Any more authorisations will require the purchase of additional licenses unless there are exceptional circumstances.

[spunkmuffin]

Seems like this thing will be an educational tool as well as a stompbox plugin. If you want to build this circuit you can experiment with different component values and actually hear what it will sound like before you even start.

I hope there are sliders instead of having to type in values for individual parameters. You want to make it fun to play with and find sweet-spots. A spreadsheet might make it feel more like doing your tax return.

I counted 90 parameters. More tweakability than most softsynths.

[Compyfox]

I'd also hack in values into the circuit diagram directly. Would remind me of old Peavy Revalver mk3 where that was still possible, and it was actually logical to see what's going on. But I guess the UI won't allow that. So I guess an open manual seems to be mandatory.

[bmanic]

Any word on what the copy protection scheme will be?

It will be the same as The Drop, which is working solidly. It is challenge response, but automated if you are connected to the internet, you type in your email and password and the plugin authorises forever more for that computer. Each license allows for 3 authorisations per year, which is designed to cover two computers with one of them being replaced per year. Any more authorisations will require the purchase of additional licenses unless there are exceptional circumstances.

That's actually a very clever system! Wonder why nobody else has thought of that? 3 licenses per year is a good way to go. It stops people from sharing with friends but it is future proof (somewhat.. unless you go bankrupt or hit by a meteorite) for people upgrading computers, though now that I think about it.. I have upgraded two computers in a single year multiple times. I tend to sync the home and studio computer updates. So perhaps still offer a way to de-authorize the license?

[andy-cytomic]

That's actually a very clever system! Wonder why nobody else has thought of that? 3 licenses per year is a good way to go. It stops people from sharing with friends but it is future proof (somewhat.. unless you go bankrupt or hit by a meteorite) for people upgrading computers, though now that I think about it.. I have upgraded two computers in a single year multiple times. I tend to sync the home and studio computer updates. So perhaps still offer a way to de-authorize the license?

I didn't quite say it right in my previous post, with 3 authorisations per year you can update 3 computers per year, but each license is designed to cover two computers you own and then leave a spare auth if one of them dies.

[andy-cytomic]

I'd also hack in values into the circuit diagram directly. Would remind me of old Peavy Revalver mk3 where that was still possible, and it was actually logical to see what's going on. But I guess the UI won't allow that. So I guess an open manual seems to be mandatory.

Hopefully I'll add direct editing of component values on the schematic but I don't want to hold up the release just for this when you can still edit values in a scrollable list.

[Compyfox]

I'd also hack in values into the circuit diagram directly. Would remind me of old Peavy Revalver mk3 where that was still possible, and it was actually logical to see what's going on. But I guess the UI won't allow that. So I guess an open manual seems to be mandatory.

Hopefully I'll add direct editing of component values on the schematic but I don't want to hold up the release just for this when you can still edit values in a scrollable list.

Understandable - just talking from a usability viewpoint as a circuit diagram would definitely mess with the current UI size. We just have to wait and see how easy/well people can mod things...

[AnX]

Price?

[V0RT3X]

That's insane! Um...are you feeling allright Andy?
I love it! But its funny - I totally approve though.

I've been having loads of fun changing values and coming up with all sorts of cool sounding mods, so I figured it would be cool to let everyone in on the fun

Would this be possible to add this to The drop too?

[Liero]

Any word on what the copy protection scheme will be?

It will be the same as The Drop, which is working solidly. It is challenge response, but automated if you are connected to the internet, you type in your email and password and the plugin authorises forever more for that computer. Each license allows for 3 authorisations per year, which is designed to cover two computers with one of them being replaced per year. Any more authorisations will require the purchase of additional licenses unless there are exceptional circumstances.

I'm a former owner of The Drop and this didn't work in practice, at least for me. I had 5 licenses and lost 2 of them on the same computer through minor hardware and software update changes. I may be OCD a bit but it bothers me a lot that I have to spend time thinking about whether hardware changes make me lose my licenses or not. I actually prefer dongles to your method, but wish you luck with the product release anyway.

[Compyfox]

+1 for USB Key CP or "defined USB drive license" (see Plugin Alliance, Waves, etc)

[andy-cytomic]

Any word on what the copy protection scheme will be?

It will be the same as The Drop, which is working solidly. It is challenge response, but automated if you are connected to the internet, you type in your email and password and the plugin authorises forever more for that computer. Each license allows for 3 authorisations per year, which is designed to cover two computers with one of them being replaced per year. Any more authorisations will require the purchase of additional licenses unless there are exceptional circumstances.

I'm a former owner of The Drop and this didn't work in practice, at least for me. I had 5 licenses and lost 2 of them on the same computer through minor hardware and software update changes. I may be OCD a bit but it bothers me a lot that I have to spend time thinking about whether hardware changes make me lose my licenses or not. I actually prefer dongles to your method, but wish you luck with the product release anyway.

The earlier versions (not the current one) of The Drop used an older machine id which was more liable to have a false re-authorisations, but that is a thing of the past, there hasn't been a single case of a computer needing re-authorisation unless you replaced the entire motherboard. As always if there are any issues all you have to do is email me and let me know the circumstances and we can sort something out.

[zvenx]

News update: I'm closing in on a release, things are looking good for this Friday!

..................

Is it friday yet?
rsp

[andy-cytomic]

News update: I didn't quite make it today, but tomorrow is looking great for a release

I added a big list of standard spice diode models, but things weren't sounding right with some of them - mainly to do with the non-linear diode capacitance terms, so yesterday I hit the math hard to get the diffusion (transit time) and junction diode capacitance terms sounding better, and had a eureka moment where I found a problem with what I was doing. Now everything is solving perfectly and it sounds awesome. There is a huge range of tones you can get just from changing a few diode parameters, it's very cool.

Here is how it's looking:




And here is an example of how it can sound with a few basic mods from the mods edit page - first is dry, then stock ts-808, then mod:
https://cytomic.com/files/scream-acid-test.mp3

(edit: thanks to Alex and the acidvoice gang http://www.acidvoice.com for the fantastic 303 samples they have provided for audio examples)