So what's next for U-He?

[Urs]

Urs, is an (external) .uhm editor still considered / planed ? The overall tone of the scripted wavetables is absolutely gorgeous.

We'd consider it, but we also consider more platforms for .uhm - and language additions (spline type wavetables, Z2, .uhm enabled hardware)

At the moment I'm having a blast writing some parts of the CVilization firmware though. We're learning so much from this, it might have a big impact on our software also, like, new ways to work with step sequencers and quantisers/tun tables.

[zvenx]

Ok.... to me."While it's not a HZ project" means, it is definitely NOT an HZ project, so when it is followed by I'll neither confirm or deny.... I get confused cause the first part already confirmed it is not an HZ project, unless you did mean whether.
rsp

[lunardigs]

Urs, if you don't mind me asking, what is the MCU CVilization uses? I assume you're writing it's firmware in C/C++?
Just curious.

[toonertik]

Urs, if you don't mind me asking, what is the MCU CVilization uses? I assume you're writing it's firmware in C/C++?
Just curious.

No.. assembler ..

that's why it's taking so long..
As to it's uses.. check out Urs superbooth vids on Utubby from.. from ermmm years ago..

but I think it's a moving target

[lunardigs]

Urs, if you don't mind me asking, what is the MCU CVilization uses? I assume you're writing it's firmware in C/C++?
Just curious.

No.. assembler ..

that's why it's taking so long..
As to it's uses.. check out Urs superbooth vids on Utubby from.. from ermmm years ago..

but I think it's a moving target

Assembler. Whoo, that's something I've never touched. Hats off to that.

[Urs]

Urs, if you don't mind me asking, what is the MCU CVilization uses? I assume you're writing it's firmware in C/C++?
Just curious.

It's a STM32F4. Pretty much the kind that's in Mutable's digital stuff.

We're programming it in C/C++ using a GNU toolchain.

that's why it's taking so long.

Hehehe, no... the main reason it's taken so long is our cautiousness of making our first hardware product.

An example: We didn't just buy cables and connectors and crimped our bus connector cables. We also built a cable testing device to make sure that each single cable works, and each single connector cable was tested. We don't know if that's necessary or if that's a common thing, but we figured we'd do it anyway.

Likewise, after we had a broken encoder in one of the prototypes, we built a tester for the encoders and checked 10000 encoders. Not a single one was faulty.

We also had a few hiccups such as parts not being available anymore or taking 9 months to ship, parts drawing too much power, parts delivered don't match samples, manufacturer drilling wrong sized holes, external modules having weird electrical specs (e.g. some oscillators sink ground through other modules so they detune when power consumption changes, e.g. due to LED brightness). We also messed up a few things ourselves, which needed to be corrected over several iterations of prototypes. E.g. I'm very picky when it comes to LED noise bleeding through - CVilization is as quiet as it gets.

Plus - of course - changes of plan. We needed a board revision once we figured out we might need CV/Gate Bus connectivity. We dropped originally planned modes in favour of more exciting ideas which needed more RAM and larger EEPROM memory. And of course, I've been using this module quite a lot, so we also kept refining what it does and can do. Much of it is "make it more simple", "make it more consistent". And lately also, "make it more customisable". It was a moving target, but it hasn't been for a while.

Anyhow, it's been a vast learning experience, and I can't wait to get this out!

[Stirner]

If I may ask, is it realistic to see new Zebra 3 this year? Is the promised upgrade price for Zebra 2 owners still fix or will it be higher because it was promised 10 year ago (or so)? I'm not sure 30$ will be fair to u-he, but a steal for the customers.

What is the plan for Diva 2? Next year maybe?
Are Zebra and Diva not as high priorized as other products? So Uhbik, Eurorack, Hive and Bazille first?

I don't want to start a new Zebra thread, it's just that I'm looking after new plugins. Wanted to buy Uhbik, but after demoing it I decided against it - great quality, but nothing that I really need.
It would be great to hear - new Zebra is coming in the next monthes, so I would not even think to do something stupid like buying a new synth

[pekbro]

Anyhow, it's been a vast learning experience, and I can't wait to get this out!

IMG_0253.jpg

[toonertik]

Assembler. Whoo, that's something I've never touched. Hats off to that.

I was joking...

[toonertik]

that's why it's taking so long.

Hehehe, no... the main reason it's taken so long is our cautiousness of making our first hardware product.

An example: We didn't just buy cables and connectors and crimped our bus connector cables. We also built a cable testing device to make sure that each single cable works, and each single connector cable was tested. We don't know if that's necessary or if that's a common thing, but we figured we'd do it anyway.

Likewise, after we had a broken encoder in one of the prototypes, we built a tester for the encoders and checked 10000 encoders. Not a single one was faulty.

We also had a few hiccups such as parts not being available anymore or taking 9 months to ship, parts drawing too much power, parts delivered don't match samples, manufacturer drilling wrong sized holes, external modules having weird electrical specs (e.g. some oscillators sink ground through other modules so they detune when power consumption changes, e.g. due to LED brightness). We also messed up a few things ourselves, which needed to be corrected over several iterations of prototypes. E.g. I'm very picky when it comes to LED noise bleeding through - CVilization is as quiet as it gets.

Plus - of course - changes of plan. We needed a board revision once we figured out we might need CV/Gate Bus connectivity. We dropped originally planned modes in favour of more exciting ideas which needed more RAM and larger EEPROM memory. And of course, I've been using this module quite a lot, so we also kept refining what it does and can do. Much of it is "make it more simple", "make it more consistent". And lately also, "make it more customisable". It was a moving target, but it hasn't been for a while.

Anyhow, it's been a vast learning experience, and I can't wait to get this out!

the assembler comment was just a gentle little dig/joke...

OFC I understand this is your first H/W module.

It would be interesting to see how you have changed the modes.. the quadraphonic mode sounded interesting but I would imagine not so useful for many ppl...
At some point I feel the thing has to be ready for market... refinement can come as firmware updates...
I'm thinking here of Disting... he'd never release it if waiting for PERFECTION and all algos



ps.. it's probably that I want a new toy to play with Urs

[Urs]

If I may ask, is it realistic to see new Zebra 3 this year? Is the promised upgrade price for Zebra 2 owners still fix or will it be higher because it was promised 10 year ago (or so)? I'm not sure 30$ will be fair to u-he, but a steal for the customers.

Price stays as announced, but will I find those 6 months without distraction in 2020? Part of them, sure, but I don't see this happen the whole way. Things have slowed quite a lot due to social distancing and all.

[Urs]

the quadraphonic mode sounded interesting

That one stays, even if it's the oddball in the game!

It's pretty much the modes we talked about last year:

- Matrix Mixer (CV/Audio)
- Sequential Switch (CV/Audio)
- CV Step Sequencer/Recorder with realtime Manipulation options (CV)
- Quadraphonic Mixer (Audio)

We dropped any kind of envelope or LFO mode.

The CV Modes have options for Quantizers, Sample & Hold, Glide.

All of them have a few little tricks they can perform with the CV inputs, like, panning things, addressing Quantizer scales, switching Glide on/off, tweaking stuff.

[lunardigs]

It's a STM32F4. Pretty much the kind that's in Mutable's digital stuff.

We're programming it in C/C++ using a GNU toolchain.

Yeah, that's pretty spiffy. 180 MHz; DSP capable; low voltage; generous memory.

Geez, makes me interested in modular ...

[Urs]

It's a STM32F4. Pretty much the kind that's in Mutable's digital stuff.

We're programming it in C/C++ using a GNU toolchain.

Yeah, that's pretty spiffy. 180 MHz; DSP capable; low voltage; generous memory.

Geez, makes me interested in modular ...

DSP capable isn't exactly what I'm used to... it's just a a handful of 16 bit integer operations of which two can be performed in parallel in 32 bit registers. That's nowhere near NEON or any other equivalent of SSE/Altivec. That said, ARM announced Helium for the Cortex M stuff, but that won't be out for another two years or so.

I can run a Hive-ish filter in stereo though, but Diva filters are out of the question in Eurorack, I presume below Cortex A8 (NEON) and 500+ mA power consumption. Defies the purpose when a quarter of your system power goes for something that would take a tiny fraction if built in analogue for half the price

If anyone has an idea for a usable DSP with 4 or 8 single precision FP in parallel that's available, which can be programmed in a C-like language and has good bang for mA... let me know... I find the offers very difficult to research... half of TI and Freescale seems deprecated, power consumption is a big myth and not at all clear to me for hybrid ARM / DSP/FPGA varieties.

[toonertik]

DSP capable isn't exactly what I'm used to... it's just a a handful of 16 bit integer operations of which two can be performed in parallel in 32 bit registers. That's nowhere near NEON or any other equivalent of SSE/Altivec. That said, ARM announced Helium for the Cortex M stuff, but that won't be out for another two years or so.

I can run a Hive-ish filter in stereo though, but Diva filters are out of the question in Eurorack, I presume below Cortex A8 (NEON) and 500+ mA power consumption. Defies the purpose when a quarter of your system power goes for something that would take a tiny fraction if built in analogue for half the price

If anyone has an idea for a usable DSP with 4 or 8 single precision FP in parallel that's available, which can be programmed in a C-like language and has good bang for mA... let me know... I find the offers very difficult to research... half of TI and Freescale seems deprecated, power consumption is a big myth and not at all clear to me for hybrid ARM / DSP/FPGA varieties.

It took me a couple of reads to get what you meant ... the clue is in "capable"

My programming ended mid 1990's... COBOL on mainframes .. long way from DSP.. and Borland C++ 3.1.. which I used to do some very basic graphic stuff.

I have no idea if this is suitable, but it is used in a rather tasty FX unit I am considering for my rig.. it is a TI unit TMS320C6745DPTP3 and the module uses this codec, also TI TI PCM3168
They might be depreciated but seem readily available in the 1,000 s

Maybe after you have released CVilization we can talk about an alternative firmware that has another optin for the quad thingy...
It's something I requested for Disting.. but Oz had the new Disting going on...

I'll plant a seed.. it's about counting trigs/gates and outputting a gate at user_trigNo_count.. held for user_trigCount.. with maybe a volt value..

PS.. It's the sort of thing I have been trying to do with Doepfer A-162 TDEL and Erica's T->G but it's a bit messy and no exact sync, as you can imagine but still quiet fun

EDIT.. The other modes sound exciting, hence my interest..