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Looper's Delight
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Something that can do everything can be curiously close to something that does nothing. franky, this sounds like a nightmare to me. Mark Jazwell Wankerl wrote: > Thought this might be interesting to the programmers out there. >Potential looping device? Maybe just general sonic mayhem... > > For Immediate Release. > > Soundart Unveils the Chameleon at the 2002 Frankfurt > Musik Messe. > > 24-bit rack programmable for any studio or stage task. > > Frankfurt, Germany. March 13, 2002. > > Soundart is proud to announce the availability of its > programmable studio hardware, the Chameleon. > Housed in a sturdy rack unit, the Chameleon is the on > ly studio tool that can be completely reprogrammed to > perform any conceivable audio or MIDI processing task. > Customers can enjoy the crystal-clear 24-bit sound and > hands-on interface, without sacrificing the flexibility of > computer based audio solutions. Soundart will also > give away the programming tools on request, making > the Chameleon the first professional audio platform > that is truly open. > > Chameleon can feel at home in the best studios. > > The Chameleon is an audio processor housed in a > sturdy 1u rack. The front panel delivers normal > functionality such as volume control, headphone > access, and power cycling. In addition, 12 push > buttons, an LCD readout, a rotary control and 3 knobs > for can be reprogrammed for any functionality desired > by the user. Round the back are connections for power, > a serial interface for connection to a PC, and MIDI and > audio connections. Inside, a powerful Digital Signal > Processor (DSP) chip and an embedded Coldfire > microcontroller offer the same kind of processing > solution found in most modern DSP synthesizers and > effects units. > > Until now studio hardware has been the preserve of > professional audio manufacturers; users had no > access to the operating system and could not > reprogram their hardware. Soundart has broken down > the wall separating quality hardware and user > accessibility to software. Any Chameleon owner can > load or program new applications - through either the > serial or MIDI ports - allowing the Chameleon to > 'become' a different studio processor. Synthesis, effect > processing, MIDI manipulation - the Chameleon can > handle all these tasks using purpose-built, > professional sounding hardware. > > All incoming or outgoing audio processed on the > Chameleon is handled by a Motorola DSP56303 - the > same chip found in the majority of 'virtual analogue' > synthesizers made in recent years. Most electronics > musicians already own gear using this proven > hardware solution. Unlike conventional computers, > DSP chips use a different programming model > optimised for the kind of math necessary to produce > quality real-time audio. Further, this powerful DSP can > process audio at depths of up to 56 bits, far beyond > what is capable with personal computers. As well as > the chip itself, we included 4 'mega-words' of 24-bit > RAM, allowing mono delay times of over 87 seconds. > All audio passes through high-quality analogue-digital > converters operating at 48KHz. > > More hands-on control for real musicianship. > > But the Chameleon isn't limited to black-box > processing of audio. We employ Motorola's Coldfire > processor to manage real-time data input - and visual > feedback - from the unit's front panel. And the > Chameleon MIDI functionality is no bolted-on > afterthought; we have resurrected the powerful > MIDIShare programming system that graced the Atari > ST and early Macintosh computer, with up to 8 > megabytes of RAM for sequence storage and another > megabyte of Flash RAM for patch storage. All the most > common interface and control tasks are easily > manageable using our powerful real-time operating > system. > > Audio developers get a platform to work on that is > second to none in terms of quality and robustness. By > removing compatibility problems and bloated computer > operating systems, developers can focus on what really > matters - new ways of processing audio and MIDI for > electronic music. The Chameleon's powerful operating > software lets programmers exploit all the power in the > hardware, without forcing them to reinvent the wheel for > basic functionality. > > With a Chameleon in the studio or stage rack, users > get all the benefits of hardware: pristine audio quality, > portability, total MIDI compatibility, and an interface they > can actually touch. Once an application is loaded, the > Chameleon behaves no differently from a purpose-built > studio unit. Applications can even be stored in the > Flash memory so that they load automatically at > power-on. Instead of rebalancing delicate computer > configurations every time they want more audio > processing, Chameleon users can simply switch on > and start work as if they had a dedicated audio > processor. When their needs change, a new > application can be loaded in seconds from any MIDI > sequencer. > > Breakthrough for developers heralds a new generation > of studio tools. > > Flexible studio tools have been offered before by other > firms. But none has the portability and features of the > Chameleon. In addition, other products have required > programmers to pay crippling fees or undergo difficult > approval processes before they are allowed to access > pro-quality hardware. This has discouraged many > aspiring electronic musicians and sound designers > from taking the final step in their chosen field - building > their own synthesis and effect processing tools. > > Soundart changes all that, by sharing their complete > software development kit with anyone who wants it. > Now both experienced developers and eager learners > have access to the same tools used by pro audio > developers. As well as programming tools, we also > share extensive documentation and examples that > expose the secrets of how studio gear actually works. > Soundart has opened the door for everyone who has > ever dreamed of making their dream studio tools. Our > commitment to openness, combined with > reference-quality studio hardware, means that those > dreams can now become reality. > > For commercial developers, the Chameleon is just as > attractive. A powerful hardware based security system > allows applications to be locked to the serial number of > the unit for secure distribution. And we don't impose > licensing co ditions or royalty charges: developers can > sell or give away their applications as they see fit. They > may share the source code for collaborative products if > they choose, or keep their algorithms completely private > - even from us! However developers want to present > their work to the public, all are welcome to sell or share > applications on our website. We will even provide > billing and shipping functionality, so customers have a > central point of sale for all their Chameleon needs! > > Chameleon already shipping to developers and > colleges. > > Rather than talk about future plans, Soundart believes > in delivering solutions before talking about them. > Chameleon units are already being shipped to > developers all over the world, as well as to university > research departments. Any DSP developer can start > working on a Chameleon now - the only wait is the time > it takes us to ship them a unit. Experienced > programmers are already at work on applications for > use on stage and in the studio, as well as more > advanced programming tools for musicians who do not > have coding experience. > > Of course, this would not be news if the hardware were > not affordable; but it is. The suggested retail price of the > unit is a competitive Euro 795.00 plus applicable taxes. > Developers are eligible for discounts depending on > their experience and design ideas. Soundart values > and respects the research community as well, and will > make the unit available to educational institutions at > discounted prices - generous support on anyone's > terms. > > Conclusion. > > No other company can offer this combination of studio > functionality, versatility, and openness. We expect the > Chameleon to become a fixture in audio racks the > world over, as professionals see how they can benefit > from this winning combination. Digital signal > processing has changed the music industry and ope > ned up possibilities undreamt of only a few years ago. > The personal computer has brought equally wide > changes to the studio. The Chameleon is the first tool > that combines all the advantages of both with none of > the restrictions. Soundart is proud to open a new > chapter in the history of electronics in music. > > Press contact: > > Josep-Oriol Tomas, Managing Director > Soundart > c/ Corcega 89, entlo. > 08029 Barcelona - Spain > Phone (Main): (34-93) 363 71 00 > Fax: (34-93) 321 31 73 > http://www.soundart-hot.com/ > Mailto:codemaster@soundart-hot.com > > Press Kit with hi-res pictures available on request. > > ---Jazwell Wankerl > phone: 715.833.2290 > cell: 920.980.8311 > > 'Duckbill Glass' > Synths * Samples > Effects * Engineering > > > > I Wonder as I Wander... > > €€€€€€§€€€€€€ > > "He was born with the gift of laughter > and a sense that the world was mad." > -R Sabatini > > €€€€€€§€€€€€€ > > J, S > J 3:8, 11:35 > A 17 > 1C 2:2, C 3:16-17