V-Machine

[VFXAU]

Several issues which are not being mentioned...

Why did we design the V-Machine and why does it cost more then a laptop would.

1. we wanted something compact and small, using embeded software and hardware with parts which we can guarranty spares for at least 3 years (SBC (single board computer) with ongoing support cost much more then a cheap PC MB) nothing we can do about this. If you buy a laptop, next week or next month the model will change, if it breaks, may as well throw it in the bin. The screen cracks, to fix it costs more then the laptop itself.

2. We are not running windows or an OS which is looking at other peripherals in the system, we are not running a VGA screen, we have 2 CPU's in the system, one is totally dedicated to the DSP of the plug and the other is for the Screen, the buttons, the USB and MIDI IO.

3. when you buy a laptop or desktop you will normally need to also buy a LOW LATENCY audio interface, this is already in the V-Machine.

Many users may already have a laptop, but may need some more power, want to boot up quickly into a dedicated system, many reasons for this.

Sure, I agree with all of you, Laptops are cheaper, simple economics that laptops sell in 100,000's and a Dedicated Audio hardware unit in 1000's if lucky. But everything has 2 sides to it..

[DustnPottyMouth]

I don't know why I get the feeling you guys(sm proaudio) should have held back these a little longer or something till you worked things out. I'm waiting for my unit and I will test and make a list of everything I can get my hands on as soon as I get it later this week but I find it annoying that I can't get an answer back about my question in the mean time on whether or not it can run DFHS, S2.0, Addictive drums or Battery 3. I really want this product to work for me and thats evident in the fact that I ordered the product last night, but it would do wonders for your guys reputation if you'd start off with a list and add to it. Such as things you know work and add to it as you get the results. I've been waiting all day to get my question answered and the suspense is making sick. Then I get a message saying "we're working on that". Man I don't care about that. I want my question answered which is simple. If someone can answer that then you say, "yes, we've tried that and it does work" or "yes we tried that and it doesn't work well yet" or whatever you can tell me. I realize you get bugged about it but being straight forward about compatibility would be the first step to relief and second it would be nice if you could be a little more specific on things. Like ie I read when I bought it that it has 512MB of ram but all the videos I saw the guy said 2GB of ram. Idk what thats all about but I assumed that I could upgrade to that and for that reason I'd like to see info on ram compatibility and how much it can take. Details like that would be great. You do that I think you'll be well on your way to shutting us up till you get things smoothed out. With that being said I'd still like to know if anyone has tried DFHS,EZ DRUMMER,BFD,ADDICTIVE DRUMS, OR BATTERY 3, and no I don't wanna hear we're working on it. Just answer the question....

-D

[raymb1]

"well sorry, but that is difficult to say. the pre-installed plugins don't have a 32 voice polyphony, but that's because the plugin is programmed like that. theroatically it's possible but that also depends of how cpu hungry a plug in is, if it supports 32 voices, and if you have 32 fingers "

The above is the reply I got from SM Pro Audio about the v-machine. I asked if it had 32 voice polyphony. Later, Ray

[RunBeerRun]

How much can it rock as a monosynth? And how does it fare with crappy plugins?

I'd like to hear some results on a Synthmaker plug, any one.

I mean if I had money, I would

-have expensive plugins
- buy a receptor

[buscemi]

If I had money I'd buy 22 more fingers! Or, to use my digital piano to its full potential, 118 more.

[VFXAU]

Hi,

No reason why Albino3 or Tassman4 should not run, we requested some NFRs and I will make some wizard files for you.

....would be great, thanks: this would make the v-machine "a real instrument" for my WX-5 Windcontroller

...don't need much more....

BTW: pete from sm pro audio already has my (not working) wizard-file for the Albino3 ...this info just for you at sm pro to prevent double work...
perhaps you can contact each other internally...

Thanks for the help to you all!
Bjoern

Got the main Akai WX demo guy to come in to the office today to play the V-Machine, the MINIMOOG VA worked very well with it, main thing is to work thru the parameter and assign the breath controller. No issues with latency I am happy to say.

For reference his name is Jeremy Diffey.
If you want to specifically ask him something I am happy to forward it to him.

Danny

[mobilenator]

I am not sure how you are testing these, Lounge Lizard works perfectly with very low CPU usage,I am somewhat dubious you tested these...

Yes they were all tested, the one the performs better it's lounge lizard, but it's because uses a very efficient voice stealing algorithm,in a computer it's not very common that you feel a Lounge lizard making use of this behavior.

my complain it's that besides releasing an unfinished product to the streets just to catch the Christmas season ( an incomplete software makes an unfinished product for me, sorry)

In real life life terms, the cpu power it's not good enough for today standards,
of course it's good for playing one layer sampletank presets, but personally I like to use better and more complex plugins as everyone does these days.

I promise I'll buy the next generation of V-Machines cause I like very much the concept.

[VFXAU]

I am not sure how you are testing these, Lounge Lizard works perfectly with very low CPU usage,I am somewhat dubious you tested these...

Yes they were all tested, the one the performs better it's lounge lizard, but it's because uses a very efficient voice stealing algorithm,in a computer it's not very common that you feel a Lounge lizard making use of this behavior.

my complain it's that besides releasing an unfinished product to the streets just to catch the Christmas season ( an incomplete software makes an unfinished product for me, sorry)

In real life life terms, the cpu power it's not good enough for today standards,
of course it's good for playing one layer sampletank presets, but personally I like to use better and more complex plugins as everyone does these days.

I promise I'll buy the next generation of V-Machines cause I like very much the concept.

I will differ with you, as we are trying to not just work with a large percentage of all plugins which we are able to but we are trying to get the software programmers to make as many compatible plugins as possible and this is currently occuring. what ever we would have done we would have had users who are worried about the power, not matter when we would release the V-Machine. The fact that a large number of plugins work very well on it... that is for us to prove in the coming days and weeks.

In any case, We appreciate all the comments and the support.

Danny

[Tricatel]

Hi Guys. Can't work The Lounge Lizard wizard file out. But i did an Rob Papen Blue I can post. Could anybody post the Lizard wizard here,please (i9 would appreciate Pianoteq as well). I would need it today (can't wait to try it). No matter what some say v-machine rules for live stage playing. Thanx. Have a good day.

[schoko]

Hi Danny,
I just read this now:

Hi,

No reason why Albino3 or Tassman4 should not run, we requested some NFRs and I will make some wizard files for you.

....would be great, thanks: this would make the v-machine "a real instrument" for my WX-5 Windcontroller

Got the main Akai WX demo guy to come in to the office today to play the V-Machine, the MINIMOOG VA worked very well with it, main thing is to work thru the parameter and assign the breath controller. No issues with latency I am happy to say.

Danny

Yes, ...of course I have installed Minimogue VA (Freeware) already. It is one of the two working plugins on my v-machine at the moment, because it only needs the dll itself / easy to install. And - of course - it works fine with my WX-5. The v-machine works well with the tons of controller (Breathcontrol an PB) data.
So, assining Breath-Controller to Parameters is not the problem at all. The problem is, that I bought my v-machine to use my special Breath-Controller-Soundbanks I made for Tassmann, Albino, Reaktor5 and Massive (it took me weeks of work to program them...)

So, other freeware plugs were nice for a first check in the last weeks, but not a help for "serious" work with the v-machine.

But, let's see, I will keep my v-machine, because for my special purpose (taking my vsti's with my windcontroller-soundbanks on stage (I only need between 1-4 voices max.) I am sure that the v-machine will be a great and very "personal" instrument.

Bjoern

[VFXAU]

Hi Guys. Can't work The Lounge Lizard wizard file out. But i did an Rob Papen Blue I can post. Could anybody post the Lizard wizard here,please (i9 would appreciate Pianoteq as well). I would need it today (can't wait to try it). No matter what some say v-machine rules for live stage playing. Thanx. Have a good day.

Currently with plugins which require just serial numbers, they are very simple to enter into a wizard file and into the v-machine (we will be starting a database of wizard file so that users don't need to make them on thier own, although many are already doing this), everyone can share these files once they are made.

In regards to plugins which require a challenge responce based on a hardware profile, we are working with vendors to implement tools with the first one (IK Multimedia) being close to release already. Many other verdors are working towards a similar solution with us.

Some enterprising users are doing this themselves (I will try and find the post for you) by booting the v-machine directly into linux via a USB stick and installing the plugins to extract the profile needed to authorize the plugin directly. (Via VNC) and that is how they get the hardware profile legally. We understand this is a work around solution for some users but we do not expect all customers to do this, we will be releaseing the tools to do this believe me we are working very hard.

But please note, many plugins do not need this..

Anyway, here is my Wizard file for the Lounge Lizard EP-3 seems much heavier CPU load then the Lounge Lizard 2.
////////////////////////////

dll_name: Lounge Lizard EP-3 3.1/LoungeLizard3Vst.dll

id: 1280080435

name: Lounge Lizard EP-3 3.1

is_synth: 1

parameter_count: 59

program_count: 128

has_editor: 1

editor_width: 837

editor_height: 462


dirs_to_copy:

...

/Program Files/AAS/Lounge Lizard EP-3

...


registry_keys:

...

REGEDIT4



[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Applied Acoustics Systems\LoungeLizard]



[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Applied Acoustics Systems\LoungeLizard\3.0]

"Audio_Default"="default"

"Default_Instrument"="1"

"Export_Sub_Items"="true"

"Install_Key"="83275"

"Midi_Channel"="1"

"Midi_Config_Win"=""

"Midi_System"="Win"

"Omni_Mode"="true"

"Polyphony"="8"

"VSplitter"="250"

"WindowHeight"="462"

"WindowWidth"="806"

"WindowX"="0"

"WindowY"="27"



[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Applied Acoustics Systems]



[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Applied Acoustics Systems\LoungeLizard]



[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Applied Acoustics Systems\LoungeLizard\3.0]

"Bitmap_Path"="p:\\Lounge Lizard EP-3 3.1\\Lounge Lizard EP-3\\Bitmap"

"CRResponse"="CANNOT POST THIS INFO"

"Doc_Path"="p:\\Lounge Lizard EP-3 3.1\\Lounge Lizard EP-3\\Manual.pdf"

"Installation_Path"="p:\\Lounge Lizard EP-3 3.1\\Lounge Lizard EP-3"

"Serial_Number"="CANNOT POST THIS INFO"

"Start Menu Folder"="Applied Acoustics Systems\\Lounge Lizard EP-3"



[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\LoungeLizard3.exe]

@="p:\\Lounge Lizard EP-3 3.1\\Lounge Lizard EP-3\\Bin\\LoungeLizard3.exe"



[HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-4\Software\Applied Acoustics Systems\LoungeLizard\3.0]

"Audio_Default"="default"

"Default_Instrument"="1"

"Export_Sub_Items"="true"

"Install_Key"="83275"

"Midi_Channel"="1"

"Midi_Config_Win"=""

"Midi_System"="Win"

"Omni_Mode"="true"

"Polyphony"="8"

"VSplitter"="250"

"WindowHeight"="462"

"WindowWidth"="806"

"WindowX"="0"

"WindowY"="27"



...

[VFXAU]

How much can it rock as a monosynth? And how does it fare with crappy plugins?

I'd like to hear some results on a Synthmaker plug, any one.

I mean if I had money, I would

-have expensive plugins
- buy a receptor

I am not aware why Synthmaker plugs should not run on the V-Machine.

[DustnPottyMouth]

VFXAU,
If you are making a list of compatible program like I said before why don't you just upload a list the programs you know do work thus far and if they don't some sort of description of whats going on with that. You see list like that all the time when people make emulators. If these 1 man programmers have the time to write out lists of roms that work I see no reason why a legit company shouldn't be able to do the same. We're waiting....

[VFXAU]

VFXAU,
If you are making a list of compatible program like I said before why don't you just upload a list the programs you know do work thus far and if they don't some sort of description of whats going on with that. You see list like that all the time when people make emulators. If these 1 man programmers have the time to write out lists of roms that work I see no reason why a legit company shouldn't be able to do the same. We're waiting....

I agree with you, 100%..
A new version is being uploaded later today and then I will be happy to submit a list. Thank you for the patience.

[schoko]

A new version is being uploaded later today and then I will be happy to submit a list.

ufff, yes, pleeaase....!

....and please don't forget Tassman and Albino vfxinfo's....

cheers,
Bjoern