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Australia

Thanks!  Will try and get something compiled in the next few days and see if the hardware works ;-)  (THAT will be an exciting moment)

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matt's mind

JUST got in my lynx flashcart today, can't wait to try it out a bit... 

its pretty nice, for anyone wondering...  the packaging is actually really really impressive.  for such a niche product, its super nice.  i have yet to try the cart itself (seriously just got it)...  can't wait to jump onto this wagon...

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Has anyone thought about using comlynx to make this a fun little midi synth?

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Milwaukee, WI

FYI, Best Electronics has reconditioned Lynx's for $45 right now, which is an awesome price.  Not sure I'll get one yet, but that's one of the best deals I've found yet.

http://www.best-electronics-ca.com/lynx.htm#Hand%20Held

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kitsch wrote:

the packaging is actually really really impressive.  for such a niche product, its super nice.

How awesome is it?  All flash carts should come like this!  The guy who makes them is very supportive too.  And friendly (he was very excited when I told him what my plans were for it) :-)

Sagelynx: I got a tune half working and exporting to ASM - I've made my own batch file for compiling which also runs the file in Handy at the end.  It plays back - but on my test tunes, my Frequency Modulation slides don't seem to work?  Is this implemented on export?  I use it for my kick drums.  My work around is to make a kickdrum "sound effect" (using the same sound programming syntax - which I'm just working out) and then do a search and replace.  Arguably I could make a better sounding kick drum this way but it would be great to get the FM working for modulation effects.

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herr_prof wrote:

Has anyone thought about using comlynx to make this a fun little midi synth?

33kbaud vs 31kbaud... might work, but the rx/tx shortwiring is i think excluding it.

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cTrix wrote:

And friendly (he was very excited when I told him what my plans were for it) :-)

cTrix wrote:

Sagelynx: I got a tune half working and exporting to ASM - I've made my own batch file for compiling which also runs the file in Handy at the end.  It plays back - but on my test tunes, my Frequency Modulation slides don't seem to work?  Is this implemented on export?  I use it for my kick drums.  My work around is to make a kickdrum "sound effect" (using the same sound programming syntax - which I'm just working out) and then do a search and replace.  Arguably I could make a better sounding kick drum this way but it would be great to get the FM working for modulation effects.

no idea why you want to use an batchfile in addition, but o.k. as long as it works smile

for the freq modulation i have to check... but i think this is by default unreliable :-(

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sagelynx wrote:

no idea why you want to use an batchfile in addition, but o.k. as long as it works smile  for the freq modulation i have to check... but i think this is by default unreliable :-(

The compile works fine from the program - it is a great feature!  I'm only using batch file because I'm playing around with the resulting ASM file in a text editor to try and replace & improve my kick drums and snares.  I'm also trying to set volumes for some instruments which are too loud.  Having a batch file is just a one click way of re-compiling / conv to lnx / test.

ps. Is there a way to add more instruments in the future? If this was 32 it would be amazing!

Last edited by cTrix (Aug 26, 2011 4:52 am)

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cTrix wrote:

The compile works fine from the program - it is a great feature!  I'm only using batch file because I'm playing around with the resulting ASM file in a text editor to try and replace & improve my kick drums and snares.  I'm also trying to set volumes for some instruments which are too loud.  Having a batch file is just a one click way of re-compiling / conv to lnx / test.

ps. Is there a way to add more instruments in the future? If this was 32 it would be amazing!

no principle problem, this can be done.

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Ok.  Still working on how it sounds on the actual hardware compared to chipper!  I've almost got something... although I gotta be at a nighclub in 20 mins so gotta run...  hopefully will get some time tomorrow or when I'm back home later tonight (although might be slightly intoxicated!!).

I've redone my kick with WavMOD although I still don't think it's as good as pitching a note exactly.  The audio fuzzes up at more complex shift / feedback combinations. Wav modulated snares are cool tho.

I'm getting close to having some test "noise" (almost a tune) working on the Lynx though :-)

Ps. Why would it sound so different on the hardware? My next move is to break down my instruments and do a soft vs. Hardware comparison. Volume env seem to be main difference

Last edited by cTrix (Aug 27, 2011 12:36 pm)

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cTrix wrote:

Ps. Why would it sound so different on the hardware? My next move is to break down my instruments and do a soft vs. Hardware comparison. Volume env seem to be main difference

Ill check that.

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Just an update for anyone looking at the forum: myself and sagelynx are working though various problems via email rather than subjecting you to the beta-bugs and various revisions of attached files.  A lot of the issues we are hitting are more than likely because I'm running double time sequences (with very specifically programmed instruments) that don't fare well if they are "slightly different" on the real hardware!

But I did dance around the house earlier with my lynx + flashcart powering a pair of studio headphones (great headphone amp on it!)  I've got a few bars of something, but a horrible kick, snare that's falling appart and a few things out of tune.  So check back in a month or so. Till then...

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cTrix wrote:

Just an update for anyone looking at the forum: myself and sagelynx are working though various problems via email rather than subjecting you to the beta-bugs and various revisions of attached files.  A lot of the issues we are hitting are more than likely because I'm running double time sequences (with very specifically programmed instruments) that don't fare well if they are "slightly different" on the real hardware!

But I did dance around the house earlier with my lynx + flashcart powering a pair of studio headphones (great headphone amp on it!)  I've got a few bars of something, but a horrible kick, snare that's falling appart and a few things out of tune.  So check back in a month or so. Till then...

Add: I will release a new version in a few days.

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sagelynx wrote:

Add: I will release a new version in a few days.

Can't wait.  Just got TWO new Lynxes (both revisions) and am hopfully ordering a 2nd flash cart.  :-]

A current update from me is that I have tunes working!!  With my rather silly writing style I get about 2 mins worth before the Lynx runs out of memory and crashes.  Or it crashes at the point the compiler can't add anymore to the binary? (? I think?)   The generated asm code doesn't yet have the equivilant of Chain / Seq (in LSDJ) so it chews through a massive list of memory addresses without loops.  And this excites me because once loop backs are implimented it should hold up to a pretty lengthy and complex tune before running out of mem.

Various test tunes and code has been bouncing between myself and Sagelynx who has been a gentleman in replying to my emails and feature adding / bug fixing.  I'll put up a demo after I'm back from Electrofringe (experimental electronic arts fest in Newcastle) next week.  Will take the Lynx with me to hack on while I'm there :-)

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Looking cool! Can't wait to see what transpires!

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herr_prof wrote:

Looking cool! Can't wait to see what transpires!

For starters, a fairly complex workflow with a pretty intense set of tutorials - but I will do my best to document the progran in a way that people can follow and understand. 

Crash course on shift / feedback registers, frequency LUT's, translation issues, faults with emulators, lynx cart headers, flashing via a COM port - not to mention how to make snares / kicks, workflows within Chipper tracker vs. exporting instruments to a BIN / sampling Lynx / writing an XM (which keeps the tuning range) and converting to a MOD (which chipper can import)... then optimising the tune.  It's quite a mission.  I guess this is why it makes sense to unleash it all once the code is more developed.

Good news is the Lynx headphone socket is LOUD and sounds fuc*kin huge on big speakers.  Only problem is making a solid kick drum.  Workin' on this one still.  Anyone curious to how it sounds should consider listening to a certain Blip set that may be recorded in Japan sometime in October ;-)