Master Fader V2.0 Wants and Speculation

[WK154]

I know that Beno stated that multitrack was not possible due to unknown limitations or just marketing BS, but I don't see that limitation. Dl is currently processing all 19 channels so the info is there and to send it out the claimed V2 USB bus is done every day. They could however be using V1.1 data rates only which may make it marginal.

[WK154]

One item that they better fix is the EQ registration issue. It is the only app I have found that screwed this up and for 5 releases so far. The boundary for EQ start at the top mute button boundary making it a PIA for selecting mute. There is a good 1/8" of separation which would seriously cut down on the mis-selection of  the EQ screen. ARE YOU READING THIS MACKIE!!!!

[diggo]

I think that answer to that is clearly "no"

[RoadRanger]

I seem to remember multitrack being a licensing issue for the chip being used to interface with the 40 pin connector. Leads one to speculate if the Lightning version will have the same limitation or not?

[WK154]

How can it be a licensing issue with the USB port? You did mean 30 pin connector. The Blackfin CPU has no such issue and I didn't see any USB/cable specific chips in my autopsy other than drivers. Most of the software was supplied by Analog Devises for the OS (Linux derivative) and drivers (USB and Network) for their chip-set.

[RoadRanger]

All's I can say is that Ben told us it was a licensing issue involving the chip that interfaces the iPad. As I implied they'd be crazy not to "fix" that if they want to survive the invasion of the "clones" .

[WK154]

Yup Beno is a marketing guy with lots of BS to feed us with. Not even Apple has gotten to charging for the type of data that you can send over the USB link. If AD has a charge for additional software then Mackie was probably to cheap to go for it. The least they can do is include Audiobus  http://developer.audiob.us/doc/   capability.  They are Crazy for profit.

[RoadRanger]

From Mackie's FaceBook page:
Linked stereo auxes and maybe more aux tap point options?

Woo!

[Jerrylee]

No matter what the next update comes with the dl does not have enough processing power to contain the really good ones. Most of what they are probably working on deals with control surface functions. That's the app telling the dl what to do. But, unfortunately, the dl is limited in what it can do. Adding things like getting the dynamics off of aux channels would be in the dl itself and probably will never happen. And the peq's instead of geqs may also be limited by processing.

[Jkowtko]

Some of these features will need to involve DSP programming ....

For example, while simple stereo linked channels can be carried through to the LR bus via client-side only program mods,  routing a stereo channel to a stereo Aux will require DSP programming to keep the left and right channels separate all the way through to the aux out (otherwise you get a pair of mono outs).

We have to assume that Mackie has a DSP programming team, or at least access to DSP programmers to continue with bug fixes and enhancements.

What I don't know -- and maybe someone else does here? -- is what limits of the DL's DSP are.   From prior threads I understand that DSPs in general are extremely flexible in terms of placement/order of processing units and routing options.  So adding more flexible aux tap points should be just as doable as creating a true stereo aux.

[RoadRanger]

Adding things like getting the dynamics off of aux channels would be in the dl itself and probably will never happen. And the peq's instead of geqs may also be limited by processing.

Changing the tap point of the aux sends takes zero additional processing power (assuming they did things correctly to begin with). I'd bet you that Mackie will soon have the additional tap points based upon their pictures on their FaceBook but I don't want to take your money LOL.

And PEQ's take less processing power than GEQ's. Presonus had quite the struggle going the other way. Whether Mackie will see this as a needed feature is the question. For me just adding variable HPFs and LPFs to all the GEQs will make me happy enough .

[RoadRanger]

simple stereo linked channels can be carried through to the LR bus via client-side only program mods,  routing a stereo channel to a stereo Aux will require DSP programming to keep the left and right channels separate all the way through to the aux out (otherwise you get a pair of mono outs).

Actually not - they are already separate. This can probably be done entirely in the app - think about it .

[Jkowtko]

simple stereo linked channels can be carried through to the LR bus via client-side only program mods,  routing a stereo channel to a stereo Aux will require DSP programming to keep the left and right channels separate all the way through to the aux out (otherwise you get a pair of mono outs).

Actually not - they are already separate. This can probably be done entirely in the app - think about it .

I guess it depends on whether the stereo channel is actually two independent channels in the DSP or not.   For the iPad and FX stereo channels the block diagram shows them summing before going to any aux bus.   If this is programmed in the DSP this way, then DSP reprogramming will be required to delete the summing when the auxes are paired.  However if the block diagram is misleading and the stereo channels are independently going to the aux buses with synced send levels, then as you say client only mods should do it.  But that would have required some foresight in the initial design ...

[WK154]

No matter what the next update comes with the dl does not have enough processing power to contain the really good ones. Most of what they are probably working on deals with control surface functions. That's the app telling the dl what to do. But, unfortunately, the dl is limited in what it can do. Adding things like getting the dynamics off of aux channels would be in the dl itself and probably will never happen. And the peq's instead of geqs may also be limited by processing.

I guess that you either didn't understand or forgot (us old folk have that problem) my analysis from the Autopsy. The DSP is a 400Mhz AD Shark not a slouch and as I explained before the cycle currently is set at 1.5 milliseconds which could easily be doubled before it becomes a problem. The limiting thing in my estimation is Flash Rom (holds the code) which I have no info on as to usage. Ram is plentiful. Then there is the division of labor. The Blackfin ARM CPU does all the logic and data manipulation and communications (not number crunching even though it's quite capable). I doubt that it is challenged and the same time extension applies. This leaves only the Flash Rom space available for a real limitation. Hence DL1608A version. Clever programmers can reduce the footprint. The iPad end will just require you to buy one with more memory. HaHa

[WK154]

Some of these features will need to involve DSP programming ....

For example, while simple stereo linked channels can be carried through to the LR bus via client-side only program mods,  routing a stereo channel to a stereo Aux will require DSP programming to keep the left and right channels separate all the way through to the aux out (otherwise you get a pair of mono outs).

We have to assume that Mackie has a DSP programming team, or at least access to DSP programmers to continue with bug fixes and enhancements.

What I don't know -- and maybe someone else does here? -- is what limits of the DL's DSP are.   From prior threads I understand that DSPs in general are extremely flexible in terms of placement/order of processing units and routing options.  So adding more flexible aux tap points should be just as doable as creating a true stereo aux.

 Is DSP programming done by the Gods? See the Autopsy thread and do some light reading on the Chip specs. Most of the answers are there. Do get the division of labor straight. Who does numbers and who does logic. Too bad Mackie is closed-mouth to these answers. Secret Mackie sauce according to BenO. Yes, never ass-u-me anything about Mackie.