RE: idea/new feature

["Javier Miranda V." <gnominus@earthling.net>]

I think that's a great idea.  It seems also to blend the idea of using SCSI
or Ultra-DMA HDD -- or CD-W -- as storage devices.  By using loads of fast
RAM and virtual memory (with large caches, of course), the EDP could
increase the available memory for loops to actually like an hour, which you
could divide up into many many different loops that you could actually
switch between in real time.

Being that the Ethernet is rapidly becoming a standard for so-called "home"
networks, I can see the EDP making use of Ethernet.  Just think!  Pentium
III, Ultra-wide SCSI-3, Fast Ethernet, and the EDP!  All working together 
to
produce sound in real time.  That would be really cool, no?

-----Original Message-----
From: Dennis W. Leas [mailto:dennis@mdbs.com]
Sent: Thursday 18 February 1999 3:04 PM
To: Loopers-Delight@annihilist.com
Subject: idea/new feature


Here's an idea for a new feature for the EDP (Kim, are ya' listenin'?).

It would really be cool if you could dump/load samples in a speedy
manner.  I'm thinking of something like 1 or 2 seconds to complete the
operation.  I know MIDI wouldn't support this but I'm thinking of
something like 10 or 100 Mbps Ethernet.

Why?

I'd like to use multiple EDPs as input and play-back devices.  (The EDP
user interface is GREAT for quickly improvising loops.)  The EDPs would
connect to a computer via a speedy interface.  I could tell the computer
to "take a snapshot" of the loopers.  This would dump the digital audio
data into the computer, perhaps it would also snapshot the complete
state of the looper (i.e., all memories, parameter settings, etc.).
Later, I could command the computer to restore a given looper to a
"saved" setting.

In this scenario, the EDPs functions as special purpose audio
input/output devices.  The computer functions as a programmable "master
coordinator."  The EDPs are able to respond in real-time to the user
interface (being dedicated, special purpose, etc.) without audio
"glitches".  The computer isn't required to respond with a guarenteed
real-time latency so it could run Windows 95 or NT or MacOS.  This
permits the use of standard developer tools like VB, VC++, even Java.  I
suppose you could have features like: the computer "merging" data from
two sources (say two different loopers, perhaps two memories from a
single looper, or two loops constructed at different times), etc.  After
doing the math, the new data would be downloaded into an EDP for
playback and more manipulation/improvisation.

MIDI footpedals would send commands to the computer to upload/download
loopers and perform whatever other functions you wanted.  The complete
system could manage multiple loopers easily.  I'm thinking at least
three EDPs in the system but more could be easily added.

My friends would probably file a "missing person" report on me, if I had
a system like this.  You might require a medical release form as part of
the sale. :)

What da' ya' think?

- Dennis Leas
--
dennis@mdbs.com