Zebra2 Latest Version: 2.1 - Jan 19 2007

[Urs]

Pops and noise when changing preset. ex: tas before dawn 01 -> tas exoplanet 01 -> tas howling iceberg 01.
Looks like it's generated by the FX shapers. Same problem if you activate/deactivate shaper.

Vector graphics doesn't work in protools using FXpansion VST-RTAS wrapper. Sound and control works. Same problem with Filterscape demo. Earlier thread about the problem in a different host: http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=107425
Check MoonDive's picture.

Error in script engine. You can crash zebra by swapping fast between your Random XY script and a patch (tested with Beejays - Aftermonics).

Patches sound different in this version and the Beta from Mars. Think it has something to do with ArpMod on last step before looping. (tested with attack smoothing on and off)

No Unicode support in registration info - my name looks ugly.


Amd athlon xp, winxp sp2, energyXT, Zebra-NoSSE

D'oh... thanks for the in-depth report!

Yeah, changing patches can pop weirdly. It was on my to-do list to optionally "reset engine when loading patches" to get rid of that. -> The problem occured firstly when I added more economic modulations, i.e. modulators go standby when they're not assigned to anything - but when you load a patch that suddenly assigns them, they'd just break loose...

Still no clue what's up with the missing vector graphics. Next two weeks are a good time to get into that. However, I've got a suspicion now based on the recent gui/crash bug. I've learned a lot on problems on Win where stuff is handled completely different from Mac... that may help to identify it big time! (Win will often just "look away" when a fatal bug occurs while Macs just crash... I do like latter more, because former may not be obvious)

The script engine has naturally not been tested throughly - except in my clean room. It won't harm "normal usage", so I'll get deeper into this with a bunch of interested people and call it "experimental" for now, maybe until Zebra 2.1 - there's not many scripts at this time anyway and I doubt I'll have the time to come up with manuals, tutorials and examples before initial release... we'll see...

The Patches-sound-different thing drives me nuts currently. I guess it came in with the global tune/transposition thingie. In case of the Arp it might rather be a problem with a small bug in the envelope/global modulations code that I'm after though...

Support for Unicode has just started. The new file handling for instance should be all Unicode savvy. However, one big problem is the TrueType font I'm delivering curtesy of BitStream. It's unfortunately not full featured (also visible in some preset names). I might have to fall back to using Windows' built-in font rendering in case of unsupported glyphs, which might look a bit jaggy though... we'll see what I can do about that... (does anybody know a more full-featured, freely distributable TT font?)

Later,

Urs

[Urs]

I'm not sure if it matters anymore, but every demo download from Linplug contains a selection of .tun-files. Some of them are named "xx_Tone_Equal_Temperament", where xx are some numbers (13, 17, etc.).

Cool, thanks! - I'll check that out!

Btw. my mail account is running hot now as well... I'll probably have to duck away for a couple of days to get all the fixes done, but I'll try to keep in touch as deeply as possible...

Later,

Urs

[ew]

I had a CFC error with the vera font when unzipping, Urs. Everything seems to be working, though.

ew

[Frettchen]

Just checked it with Sony 6.0a. The 2.0.9 works but takes a long time on intitial VST scan (1 minute). I've pasted the lines from the ACID logfile below

INFO 2006-07-25 22:06:31 Loading C:\VstPlugins\Zebra2.dll.
ERR 2006-07-25 22:07:31 C:\VstPlugins\Zebra2.dll is unresponsive, terminating.
ERR 2006-07-25 22:07:31 Failed while querying: C:\VstPlugins\Zebra2.dll, ignoring.

And contrary to the message in the logfile you can select Zebra 2 and it works fine

[Mies]

Mmm... Even after 10mn, ACID here is still "loading" the Z2 dll!
Where can I find this logfile?

[Frettchen]

"Documents and Settings\<user name>\LocalSettings\ApplicationData\Sony\ACID Pro\6.0"
File vst_grovel.log contains result of vst scanning.
Hope you find it. I translated the path from my german WinXP, the part up to \Sony is localized for different Windows versions.

[pdxindy]

On the reverb, if you turn Diffusor feedback all the way up, it sorta turns off... seems like a bug

[spritex]

On the reverb, if you turn Diffusor feedback all the way up, it sorta turns off... seems like a bug

Hmm. I can't seem to notice this. Must be related to some other parameter?
Try for example the preset Factory Preview->Instruments->SM Dreamharp

[pdxindy]

On the reverb, if you turn Diffusor feedback all the way up, it sorta turns off... seems like a bug

Hmm. I can't seem to notice this. Must be related to some other parameter?
Try for example the preset Factory Preview->Instruments->SM Dreamharp

okay... turn reverberator feedback almost off so you can hear the diffusion clearly
then put d-range all the way up, then you can hear that the diffusor feedback turns off (sorta) when you go from 98-100

I've repeated it a few times... I am using the new AU beta in Live (now 5.2.1) and it has some wierdness... strange things happening, then deleting that instance and it goes away, or closing Live, reopening and it goes away... this I have repeated a few times now though...

[Urs]

On the reverb, if you turn Diffusor feedback all the way up, it sorta turns off... seems like a bug

That's a property of the technology... the diffusor is a tiny cluster of high-order allpass filters... they're most diffusive around 70% feedback, while dropping off when both higher or lower. When you go lower they become more like delays that sound a bit like reverse reverbs, which I like, so I left that parameter accessible.

There's also that ZRev plugin that I currently only put into the Mac versions until everything Win becomes rock solid (we're almost at that point...)... it's got a lot of knobs that let one dial in about every thinkable reverb based on delay technology. Finding good reverbs is a pretty random thing, involving a lot of trial and error. If someone finds a good setting for small rooms, send it over and I'll add it to Zebra's reverb.

Later,

Urs

P.S.: I got ACID now. Will have a look after coffee...

[wonshu]

You got ACID? You're s'pposed to be workin'!!!!!

[Urs]

WEIRD!

Well, ACID 6.0a runs without *any* problems on my machine. Scans and loads Zebra2 and Filterscape just fine...

Also... I think I found something that may be the reason for the non-SSE-machines crash bug: I had the compiler settings set to compile SSE code, but actually it also compiles my optimized code if I do not tell the compiler about it. So... I *think* that the compiler adds some malicious code based upon the settings while my stuff may just be okay... in other words: This looks like a real MS product. I turned the SSE option off and it still lets me put SSE code into it. How weird is that?!?

Here's a little task for the brave who eperienced crashes with the SSE version:

get http://www.u-he.com/Z2VST_Win260706.zip
get DebugView.exe from http://www.sysinternals.com/Utilities/DebugView.html
install
launch DebugView
launch audio application

Does it crash?
Does DebugView show "SSE2 DETECTED!" or does it say "SSE2 NOT AVAILABLE!"?

Thanks,

Urs

[R206]

Zebra doesn't crash and debugview reports sse2 not available.

[Urs]

Zebra doesn't crash and debugview reports sse2 not available.

GREAT!

So then I can go back to just one download for everyone!

(and remind me to send MS a hate mail for putting confusing options into their compiler suite)

Thanks,

Urs

[djsubject]

Zebra doesn't crash and debugview reports sse2 not available.

Snap

Working Fine & "0.00000000 [772] SSE2 NOT AVAILABLE" from debugger



Subz