Muse Support ending????

[hopkihc]

Well, f***.

Bryan seems like a stand-up dude, and I feel bad for the support guys, who were always helpful to me.

I've got some life left in my Rec 2 Pro Max, so I'll play it into the ground.

When it dies, well, I guess I'll be in DIY mode. The OS and host I can handle (Cantabile or Forte on Windows)... just need a parts list for 2u rackable "VST box" with built-in audio and MIDI I/O.

Again, f***.

[emcee]

Well my afternoon yesterday was spent chasing a 750gb HDD, making sure my main R2+ had all my required stuff on it, and cloning it - as these are the most fragile things in the unit.. And facing the prospect of perhaps not being able to get a replacement drive therefore OS, that's priority 1. Next would be try and scour eBay etc for board and CPU. Or decide the worth of buying a second hand R2 for either parts or a backup. Alternatives? I don't want to cart around a PC or laptop to gigs, although a custom NUC (google it) might be an option..
I'm even considering a mod for my road receptor to have a caddy or similar so I can take the drive out when it's travelling, and carry that with me and handle like eggs.. I read one guy in the UK did this with good success..

[emcee]

Once my Receptors die, this looks like my next investment:

http://g2digital.co.uk/products/rack-pc/1u-nuc/

Just have to figure a solution for display - something along the lines of an iPad/android tablet in some kvm form that can pull out like a traditional kvm but minus the depth, and removeable touch screen interface - Bluetooth ideally..

http://kaecorp.com/?product=rack-mount- ... lating-arm

[emcee]

Actually....
A thought occurred to me whilst stuck in traffic back from a family gathering.
If/when the HDD dies, which is the most likely component that typically would, would it have to be replaced with a Linux base, Muse supplied or not?
If I get the opportunity I'm going to plug a blank HDD into my Receptor, along with a USB DVD drive and install Win 10 and see just how much it picks up. The motherboard being a bog standard means it should pick up network/video/usb etc, the only ones that will no doubt need some mucking around would be the display and knobs, and the Muse custom soundboard (midi and audio). Crowdfund a developer to reverse engineer to get those working, and offer it to the existing Muse customer base for a nominal fee, that would not be exorbitant at all, just a few dollars to maintain the infrastructure to maintain and deliver to customers (web hosting, etc etc)..
Who'd be in?
it would mean that pretty much all your VST's are guaranteed to work, as there's no WINE magic on top, and backing up would be a lot easier. You'd of course be up for a Windows licence on top, but those can be aquired cheaply, and hey - you could even do your taxes on the box if you wanted to install Excel

Thoughts anyone?

[looneytunes]

Hi Emcee,

John Rule at one point launched windows on Receptor hardware. He even made 'Amusing Replacer' which could control the front panel while running windows. Look for Johns post here.


Standard development environment for Muse (developing the duo-host vst host) was Fedora Linux, which was running directly on the Receptor HW itself. IE. Fedora was running the production environment (+ duo host) on the Receptor HW (normal Receptor OS), or Fedora could be run as a simple install for the development environment on the Receptor HW (without the VST host).

Big Note here - the version of Fedora being run was quite old (15 I believe. current Fedora is somewhere around 23). Receptor was also running a highly modified RT kernel. That doesn't mean you can't run a stock kernel -- or even a newer version of Fedora. Simply that you wouldn't have the same OS env used to run vsts (or the Receptor host).

There's alot more stuff going on patching the kernel and tweaking graphics library to get the OS env correct.

This is pure hacking to do any of this though. As others have mentioned. Make backups of your working HD if you are going to experiment.

Hope this helps,
Kevin L

[emcee]

Hi Emcee,

John Rule at one point launched windows on Receptor hardware. He even made 'Amusing Replacer' which could control the front panel while running windows. Look for Johns post here.


Standard development environment for Muse (developing the duo-host vst host) was Fedora Linux, which was running directly on the Receptor HW itself. IE. Fedora was running the production environment (+ duo host) on the Receptor HW (normal Receptor OS), or Fedora could be run as a simple install for the development environment on the Receptor HW (without the VST host).

Big Note here - the version of Fedora being run was quite old (15 I believe. current Fedora is somewhere around 23). Receptor was also running a highly modified RT kernel. That doesn't mean you can't run a stock kernel -- or even a newer version of Fedora. Simply that you wouldn't have the same OS env used to run vsts (or the Receptor host).

There's alot more stuff going on patching the kernel and tweaking graphics library to get the OS env correct.

This is pure hacking to do any of this though. As others have mentioned. Make backups of your working HD if you are going to experiment.

Hope this helps,
Kevin L

Indeed it does, at least confirms that it can be done. Thank you for kicking off my week on a high!

[analogaddict]

Wow. What a huge bummer. I use my Quattro on almost daily basis. Our 2nd piano player uses Mainstage. He has frequent crashes and his MBP was damaged in transit while my Receptor has been going strong for over 150 gigs with the same show. Fortunately, I have everything I need on it, and hopefully it will keep working many more years. I still have my Rev. A I bought in 2006 and although it isn't booting properly it works just fine. I've switched laptops twice in the same period...

[emcee]

Wow. What a huge bummer. I use my Quattro on almost daily basis. Our 2nd piano player uses Mainstage. He has frequent crashes and his MBP was damaged in transit while my Receptor has been going strong for over 150 gigs with the same show. Fortunately, I have everything I need on it, and hopefully it will keep working many more years. I still have my Rev. A I bought in 2006 and although it isn't booting properly it works just fine. I've switched laptops twice in the same period...

I can concur - I've only just long term loaned my original Receptor 1 Rev B to a good friend which works fine after nearly a decade. What other computer based stuff that I use musically do I still have that works? Nil. The R2's still have a lot of life left, bar it being stolen, or the "act of god" in which case.. well. fingers crossed that doesn't happen, at least until there's a worth successor to take it's place!

[emcee]

And as of earlier today, finally an update on the Muse Website:

Effective immediately, Muse Research and Development, Inc. has exited the hardware business in order to concentrate on licensing our IP to other manufacturers who will take the award-wining Receptor technology to the next level. We are currently working with several companies on a license or outright acquisition of our IP.

We continue to support our customers who have support contracts or who require warranty repairs. If you are not on a current support contract, please click the "Support" tab above for other options.

If you are interested in licensing the Muse Research and Development technology for use in your music or audio processing systems, please send an email to licensing@museresearch.com and someone will get back to you. Serious enquiries only. Please note that no sales or support queries will be answered from this email account.

[andym63]

so now we knowe!
regards Andy

[Fishoow]

Dear lord!!! Another pins and needles election that I have no control over!!! I have (a) companies I strongly hope they court and strike an accord. Feeling like Willy Wonka waiting to see if August Gloop will burst the pipe.

[RecordingArts]

I'm using Mac Mini's running Apple's MainStage velcro'd to the bottom of my keyboards with iPad Airs as monitors and have to say that all in all they're working well. Sometimes I think a MacBook Pro could be just as easy but I like the idea of a computer dedicated to each keyboard.

[emcee]

Not a bad setup.. might have to toy around with the idea of bootcamp on a mac mini - not that I'm anti-mac, I'm writing this on one right now, but all my software is Win based (Cakewalk user since V3, when it came on floppies - now through evolution I'm Sonar as my primary DAW) and changing all my VST's over to AU units.. well there goes another few weekends, when I'd rather be playing..
Having said that though.. I'm still semi reluctant to run sounds on stage through what is really a desktop OS (be that OSx or Windows) without a lot of work - the unexpected thunk of a windows error, or the likes going through a PA = fear. My laptop at gigs sole purpose is as a sequencer and vnc for the Receptor, with my "backup" being one of those V-Machines for sounds, and an ipod with audio backing tracks, audio to the hard right, click for drummer to the hard left.
That's why I like love my Receptor - as solid as it can get, despite some of its shortcomings (and now lack of support)

[johnrule]

John Rule at one point launched windows on Receptor hardware.

That was a fun project, and it may actually work on the newer hardware quite well (it was all tested on my anemic Receptor 1). I incorporated VST hosting into the RTE3 since that video, so you really don't need Bidule anymore. It only works with 32bit though...just like an old Receptor

[emcee]

suitably impressed with your efforts John - I'm keen to give my R2 a go with Windows 10 and see what I can get out of it..
The RTE runtime looks interesting, and not too daunting.