What is a user variable?!

The latest idea is that sometimes you need to have a value that changes. Maybe it’s the speed of a tremolo (or its depth). Maybe its a pizzicato timer. Maybe you want to assign timers to various activities in the control system. These can all be user variables.

User variables have the following characteristics:

• Persistent - once it gets changed it won’t change again unless the user changes it.

• Adjustable from an iPad or PC terminal.

• Survive re-programming.

• Survive controller replacement.

• User variables are also named so that you know exactly what you are adjusting.

• User variables can be referenced in configuration, and even used with inline math.

User variables are just another feature that makes Opus-Two stand out. Most sites won’t need these, but the ones that do will be very happy to have them!

Diving Deep into OSC

Our new flagship controller, the CVA is being installed in more sites. Constant hardware revisions, software updates, and product evolution are making for an incredibly flexible product. The past few weeks have focused on Ethernet connectivity, specifically OSC protocol support.

The OSC protocol so far supports iPad based tuning controls (magic tuner, diatonic/chromatic advance/reverse, stop control, couplers), expression shade control, remote control of the sequencer (record/play), ability to remotely press a piston, ability to remotely reversible action a stop (even if it doesn’t have a reversible assigned to it), and a new concept called User Variables.

Each site is unique, and some organs have special features that would be handy to be able to control using an iPad. These can be assigned as Pizz values, Reit values, tremolo speeds/depths, slider motor timers, sleep timers, etc.

The biggest difficulty we encounter with this feature is a difficulty also encountered with the tuning feature - because each application is different, it becomes necessary to have a custom OSC layout defined in the OSC app of choice for each instrument.

We have solved that by allowing the console to send the labels into the iPad. This allows the configuration file to label each control as it is configured. We will provide a generic TouchOSC layout to interested clients that is “ready to go.”

Because OSC is an open protocol and because we are publishing our implementation of it, any user can create any OSC client to interact with the instrument. Custom desktop applications, custom iOS/Android apps are just the beginning. Layouts in any OSC-compatible layout software can be created and linked back to the CVA. An on-board source controller learns the IP address of the remote devices and supports multiple devices connected at once, so you don’t have to have just one iPad linked to the controller - multiple units can be doing multiple things at once (for example, while one person is tuning, another can be adjusting swell shades while another sets slider motor timings).

This is just the tip of the iceburg, many more things are in the works - watch this space for more details!

A New Year, A New Start

The survey a few blog posts below this invited our customers to tell us what they wanted from us and what they thought of us.  Good news – most of you really like us (more than we thought!).  The words of encouragement and of thanks were genuine and we all appreciate it.  We are taking the product and company suggestions to heart as well.  Cumulatively, all of you (the customers) have asked us to rethink basically everything about building a console and control system.  Many features you have asked for, we already have, so we need to do a better job of promoting how far we’ve come and showing off what Opus-Two can do. We will be working on a video series in the very near future to help with that.  But many of the things you’ve asked for don’t exist – not for us, not for anybody.  And we’re going to fix that.  Stay tuned!

RapidFuse Board is now for sale!

Product Page for the RapidFuse Board

The RapidFuse Board is built from extremely high quality PCBs, heavy copper pours (to minimize voltage drop, heat, and resistance), and the best Phoenix connectors available for the application.  These boards are not designed to be cheaper than an AGC fuse row, these are designed to be better and much faster to install. The board comes in two colors and drastically speeds up installations.

The RapidFuse Board uses PTC thermistors to protect each circuit.  A thermistor is a resistive device, the resistance of which increases with temperature.  Because current flowing through a resistance generates heat, the device will respond very quickly to overloads and stop current flow.  This is convenient because the device tends to reset itself when the overload condition is corrected.  This also ensures that a one-time occurrence doesn’t cause permanent disruptions.

In the event that a different circuit size is required or an electrical inspector has a strict interpretation of the NEC, optional fuse clips are provided.  Simply use a pair of snips to cut the leads of the PTC at the circuit board and install the desired fuse.

Each Power Input Connection can accept wires between 16 and 6 AWG wire.  Do not use wires that are outside this range as the connection will not be secure.  The Phoenix Connector is rated for 76 amps per circuit to ensure longevity and reliability.  Because of the high current capacity of these connections, it is acceptable to “daisy chain” them with heavy enough cable. 

Each Power Output Connection can accept between 24 and 12 AWG wire.  Do not use wires that are outside this range as the connection will not be secure.  The Phoenix Connector is rated for 32 amps per circuit to ensure longevity and reliability.

Calling All Customers

We’d like to hear from you and have created a short, 3 minute survey to solicit your feedback, which will directly shape how we move forward.

You can take the survey here.