Pigtronix Infinity Looper : Watch out Roland

Started by aliensporebomb, January 28, 2012, 07:13:54 PM

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aliensporebomb

#75
I still own my RC-300, still gig with it and use it for recordings but I am using it more these days as an audio interface - it basically is a very clean 44.1 khz 24-bit audio interface that I use for a number of things beyond what Roland thought it should be used for.

I recently acquired a Pigtronix Infinity and external footswitch for a ridiculously low price so I couldn't let it get away.

I figure since I have a GP-10 the Infinity fits with the "small rig" ethic although through the VG-99 it sounds delicious on the infinity.

The infinity definitely has a different functional philosophy over the RC-300 - the separate footswitch makes the Infinity more manageable size-wise whereas the 300 is as big as an aircraft carrier.  That and the FC-300 make my previous 2.0 gigging rig enormous and somewhat heavy.

Pros on the Pigtronix: The firmware upgrades are a nice touch Boss could learn a thing or two from. 
The build quality of the device and the included AC adapter seems fine.
The sound quality on the Pig is top notch, clean and clear but also warm and fat.
The RC-300 sounds clear but warm and fat isn't really it's forte.
The USB connection to load and retrieve loops to your computer works well but is a little cumbersome software wise.
The user interface takes some getting used to (but so did the RC-300 interface) but stuff like the instant undo is great.
The reverse is "MEGOR!" - just awesome.   Did I say it was awesome?
The MIDI jack theoretically could allow my drum machine or sequencer dictate loop length nicely.
The summed jack you can give to a drummer gives me ideas for further processing summed audio for unusual sidechaining!

Cons on the Pig:
Can't be used as an audio interface.  I wasn't expecting this but the RC-300 gave it to me without mentioning it was a feature.
The RC-300's 3 loops have spoiled me a bit - only 2 on the infinity is psychologically bothersome (but in reality fine).
Upgrading the SD card technically voids your warranty.
The single digit LCD display is kind of a bummer but not a deal breaker - it makes it hard to know if the unit is up to date s/w wise.

I sure wish I knew whether the thing was up to date or not because the app you run to look at the contents of the device seems to be a different version than the firmware version so I'm confused there. 

I presume it might be up to date because when I try updating it it seems to act like it's already running the latest version but I'm uncertain I can determine that just from connecting it or looking at the unit.







 
My music projects online at http://www.aliensporebomb.com/

GK Devices:  Roland VG-99, Boss GP-10, Boss SY-1000.

chrish

nice review. Does it do the friptronics thing as well as the rc unit?

aliensporebomb

It does it in a different manner - you don't need an external cable.  The loop aging feature is built in.
My music projects online at http://www.aliensporebomb.com/

GK Devices:  Roland VG-99, Boss GP-10, Boss SY-1000.

Elantric

https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=15777.msg151504#msg151504

Aliensporbomb wrote>
Just went out on a gig running Boss GP-10 + Strymon Big Sky + Pigtronix Infinity (plus extra Pigtronix footswitch) and that was a great little setup.

That looper has two loops.  I'm used to three but was able to do quite a lot with this setup:

improv1:


improv2:


Loops can go backwards or forwards, instant undo, midi tempo sync (in other words it can accept tempo from other devices), save loops in 24-bit 48 khz quality, is much smaller than my RC-300, has USB connectivity to offload saved loops and place stereo loops in memory for playback at a gig, etc.

Why did I get this if I already have an RC-300? 
Well, the Pigtronix was my plan B already and I got a deal I couldn't pass by (Infinity Looper with a lot of memory + the external footswitch etc for less than the price of the looper alone).  I've heard rumors of an Infinity II but I didn't care at that point. 

The sound quality is so nice - the RC-300 was nice and clean but the Infinity sounds clear, clean and warm if that makes sense.

Anyway, questions?  Just ask.

think little

#79
Hi. Man, this is a bit of a learning curve. However, may be some here has had a similar request. Im trying to start to play  a loop when switching to a patch on th gr55. I have been through all the possibilities I can think of but it just aint working. yes i have worked out the control messages from ctl pedal etc but I that is not immediate as i have to change patch THEN operate the ctl..It can send program change data but that (as far as I know ) will switch the looper...any magic boxes that convert program change data to cc messages??? any one have this problem as well? Thanks

admin



aliensporebomb

Why I didn't notice this before but that rackmount version is beautifully done.  Bravo! 
My music projects online at http://www.aliensporebomb.com/

GK Devices:  Roland VG-99, Boss GP-10, Boss SY-1000.


mooncaine

Wow, there's absolutely zero information about MIDI on that 'FAQ' page.

admin

#85
Quote from: mooncaine on March 11, 2019, 01:02:28 AM
Wow, there's absolutely zero information about MIDI on that 'FAQ' page.

Click each + to expand each topic to reveal  MIDI Commands

--
https://pigtronix.com/infinity/faq/#midi



MIDI Sync
MIDI Sync is the normal default MIDI mode of the Infinity-it's always on.

When a MIDI Beat Clock is present, the Infinity Looper will synchronize its actions to the MIDI beat clock, acting as a slave device.

Once a loop has been recorded with a MIDI Beat Clock, the Infinity will constantly readjust the loop length to stay synchronized. This active MIDI synchronization prevents drift, and guarantees that all synchronized actions happen on time at the start of MIDI measures.

This active MIDI synchronization is designed to work with "regular" MIDI clock signals that don't change tempo or time signature. If the MIDI clock signal does change tempo, the Infinity will react and adjust the sample rate gradually.

The MIDI actions of the Infinity are quantized to the measure when MIDI is running, by default in 4/4 time. Any action that is meant to obey MIDI clock will be applied at the beginning of the next measure (not necessarily the end of the loop cycle). So it's best to cue the MIDI command within the bar/measure before you want it to occur, not right on the downbeat.

If a MIDI clock signal is present during recording and then stopped or disconnected, the Infinity will continue playback using its recorded length. Actions will continue to be quantized to an internal, approximate MIDI clock. However, this internal MIDI clock may drift or differ from the external MIDI clock that was disabled.

Time Signature
The Time signature can be changed, on a preset-by-preset basis, using the Infinity Application. For quantization to the beat rather than to the measure, set the measure to a single note (eg. 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/16).

Commands that Sync to MIDI Clock
With MIDI Sync active, some commands initiated using the Infinity's footswitches will be automatically quantized to the beginning of the next MIDI Measure.

Record and Play
Appropriate action is executed at the start of the next measure after the switch has been pressed.

Start
Starts loop audio at the start of the next measure after the switch has been pressed. Switching between loops in Series mode will trigger which loop is playing back at the start of the next measure after the switch has been pressed.

Stop
The Stop footswitch closes loops and stops loop audio at the start of the next measure after the switch has been pressed.

Overdub
Closes a base recording at the start of the next measure after the switch has been pressed then begins recording an Overdub.


Commands That Ignore MIDI Sync:
Erase, Overdub, Global stop (via double tap), and all mode changes via the tactile switches, potentiometers or encoder are not quantized to MIDI beat clock.

MIDI Channel Selection
Hold Stop Mode during boot to access the MIDI Channel Selection Menu.  After the firmware version number has been displayed a 'C' will be displayed indicating the Infinity will enter the MIDI Channel Selection Menu upon release of the Stop Mode switch.

In this menu, users can see the current MIDI Channel selection and change it if necessary.  Upon entering this menu, the current MIDI Channel Selection will be displayed followed by a blinking 'C' to indicate the current menu.  The possible MIDI Channel assignments are 1-16 with tens indicated by an illuminated decimal point: 9 = 9, 0. = 10, 1. = 11, etc.  Turn the Preset Encoder Clockwise to increment the selection and Counter-Clockwise to decrement the selection.

Once the desired MIDI Channel is shown:

Pressing the Preset Encoder or Stop Mode switch will confirm the selection, save the MIDI Channel assignment, and finish booting.
Pressing the STOP footswitch will cancel the selection, exit the menu without making any changes, and finish booting.

MIDI Control Changes (CCs)
MIDI can be used to control many specific functions of the Infinity via a properly configured MIDI controller.

Like MIDI Sync, MIDI mapping is always enabled, so that MIDI foot controllers, Ableton, and other devices or software can control parameters of the Infinity Looper.

A Full MIDI Map is provided below. The behavior of individual commands (CC: control change) is broken down into 4 types of control:

Cycle/Toggle
Any value of these MIDI CC/Note messages toggles or cycles through the available options, changing to the next selection.

Mapped
The value (0-127) of these MIDI CC/Note messages sets the value of the parameter.

Loop-Assignable
Specific values of these MIDI CC/Note messages triggers the action for Loop 1 Only (0), Loop 2 Only (1), the currently Armed Loop Only (2), or Both Loops (3).

Switch
The value of these MIDI CC/Note messages determines whether the message acts like a switch press or delivers a specific type (short or long) of switch press.

A value of 0 is not pressed, a value of 127 is pressed. For MIDI controllers that send 127 when pressed and 0 otherwise, this type of command lets the MIDI footswitch act like the buttons (hold for 2 seconds for a long press, or less for a short press).

Values of 1 or 2 specifically send a short press and long press respectively and act immediately.

Function   MIDI CC#   Mapping Style   
Varispeed   3   Mapped   
Exp   4   Mapped   
Global Volume   7   Mapped   
Loop Aging   9   Mapped   
Loop 1 Volume   12   Mapped   
Loop 2 Volume   13   Mapped   
Stop Mode   17   Switch   
Series Loops   19   Toggle   
Input Split   20   Toggle   
Sync Multi   22   Switch   
Stop FTSW   23   Switch   
Loop 1 FTSW   24   Switch   
Loop 2 FTSW   25   Switch   
Undo FTSW   27   Switch   
Reverse FTSW   28   Switch   
Pitch Up   29   Switch   
Pitch Down   30   Switch   
Pitch Recall   31   >0 Triggers   
Stutter   75   >0 Triggers   
Erase   76   >0 Triggers   
Erase+Rec   77   >0 Triggers   
Reverse   78   >0 Triggers   
Undo   79   >0 Triggers   
Preset Decrement   85   >0 Triggers   
Preset Increment   86   >0 Triggers

Varispeed MIDI Note Control
For precise changes of sample rate for the purposes of a pitch change, the Infinity accepts MIDI Note Control.

MIDI Notes C5 to C7 change the sample rate between 12 and 48 khz. The looper starts at 48 kHz, so if you want to raise the pitch of a sample, lower the sample rate before recording.

MIDI Notes C2 to C4 change the sample rate between 12 and 48 kHz, and Stutter the loop (see page pageref{stutter}). So playing these notes will change the pitch and replay the loop, which creates a "mellotron-like" sound. Like above, the looper starts at 48 kHz, so if you want to raise the pitch of a sample, lower the sample rate before recording.

Please see the tables in the Infinity Rules: Varispeed section for pitch and length change information and the table in the MIDI section for the complete MIDI Mapping.

Infinity Application
The Infinity Looper Application comes pre-installed on your Infinity Looper pedal. To run the application, plug in your Looper via USB and open the appropriate folder (PC or MAC) from the on-board drive and then click on the Pigtronix-Infinity.exe file. If using Windows Vista / 7 / 8, please right-click and choose "Run As Administrator."

To update the Infinity Looper application on your Infinity Looper, download the updated version at the following URL: pigtronix.com/SPLapplication and replace the appropriate folder on the Infinity Looper with the new version of the application.

mooncaine

Thank you for pasting that information. I'd no idea it was there.
(That info is not visible to me in Firefox, not on a Mac nor a phone. When I click the + sign, all I get is a form that's used to submit a question, including an introduction urging me to read the invisible FAQ.)

admin

Quote from: mooncaine on March 12, 2019, 04:14:44 PM
Thank you for pasting that information. I'd no idea it was there.
(That info is not visible to me in Firefox, not on a Mac nor a phone. When I click the + sign, all I get is a form that's used to submit a question, including an introduction urging me to read the invisible FAQ.)

Firefox has been funky for me for a while ( will not properly show many sites) - prefer Opera these days

admin

Pigtronix  Infinity Looper FW 2.18 update
fixed a volume-jump bug that crept in sometime in the last couple previous releases.

https://pigtronix.com/infinity/#downloads

chrisizonvg

#89
Hello

Would someone have the SD card image ("LooperImage.img") required to format an SD Card for the Infinite Looper (1, not 3). It is not on Pigtronix site anymore...

I cannot transfer loops from PC to looper, so I would like to try with a new SD.

Chris
DAW  Logic, Reaper, GarageBand -  Lova Nova 4 all https://soundcloud.com/lova_nova

aliensporebomb

#90
I can check - I still own the looper but will need to do some searching to see if I have that file.

Ah - I found the legacy pig site here:
https://www.pigtronix.com/pedals/infinity-looper/

Here is the instructions for doing the formatting:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1a3-nQ4WPEUIy1YPjI-UbtSzCEJOOXaFt/view

Here's the link for the SD formatter!  File is: InfinitySDFormatter.zip
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mLQMif6pU8KanIvgUaEDBdNqH7J8eElP/view



My music projects online at http://www.aliensporebomb.com/

GK Devices:  Roland VG-99, Boss GP-10, Boss SY-1000.

chrisizonvg

Thank you to have looked.
What is missing is the image file LooperImage.img
In the pigtronix procédure they provide a dead link.
DAW  Logic, Reaper, GarageBand -  Lova Nova 4 all https://soundcloud.com/lova_nova

aliensporebomb

Quote from: chrisizonvg on February 18, 2022, 03:52:16 PM
Thank you to have looked.
What is missing is the image file LooperImage.img
In the pigtronix procédure they provide a dead link.

Try this - I placed the file on my server:
http://pod.podzone.org/LooperImage.img

I tried to upload it here as part of the message but it was too large so it should be on my server for as long as you might need it.
My music projects online at http://www.aliensporebomb.com/

GK Devices:  Roland VG-99, Boss GP-10, Boss SY-1000.

aliensporebomb

My music projects online at http://www.aliensporebomb.com/

GK Devices:  Roland VG-99, Boss GP-10, Boss SY-1000.

chrisizonvg

Oh yes thank you, got it this morning :-)

I can try it use it today.

Than you very much :)
DAW  Logic, Reaper, GarageBand -  Lova Nova 4 all https://soundcloud.com/lova_nova

philjynx

Quote from: aliensporebomb on February 18, 2022, 04:05:52 PM
Try this - I placed the file on my server:
http://pod.podzone.org/LooperImage.img

I tried to upload it here as part of the message but it was too large so it should be on my server for as long as you might need it.
Perhaps you could make it available in the downloads section for posterity?

aliensporebomb

Good luck.  On my own unit I've never been convinced it's the most current firmware installed.  I think I tried updating it once and it gave some odd 4 character code on the display that never really was conclusive about what version it was running and whether it updated or not.   Maybe I'll try that again since it would be nice to have the thing running as designed.
My music projects online at http://www.aliensporebomb.com/

GK Devices:  Roland VG-99, Boss GP-10, Boss SY-1000.

chrisizonvg

#97
Hello,
After remormatting the origine microSD card, yes it works.
In detail :
-With Pigtronix application copied on the microSD Card (in INFINITY directory), and launched from there in "Execute as an Administrator mode".
After selecting the loop with "open", a new windows this time appears to present the loading advancement.
-With Pigtronix MacOs application it remains KO, probably an issue permission.

Regarding the image file I got the end of the story :
it is and remains supplied by Pigtronix (on their official site), but is supplied only in the zipped "PC" pack and not in the "MAC" one.



DAW  Logic, Reaper, GarageBand -  Lova Nova 4 all https://soundcloud.com/lova_nova

aliensporebomb

#98
That is unfortunate - I think they may have overlooked this.  I wonder if anyone has contact with the Pigtronix people to correct this?
My music projects online at http://www.aliensporebomb.com/

GK Devices:  Roland VG-99, Boss GP-10, Boss SY-1000.

admin

#99
Surprised the built in Unzip utilities on Apple Mac' Archive or Finder can't unzip the Zip file
(today Zip files are just as common as TXT files, even Android opens Zip files natively  )

Maybe for tighter security they crippled these on latest Apple Mac OS

https://setapp.com/how-to/simple-way-to-zip-unzip-files-on-mac



Unzip files in Archive utility
Unzip files on a Mac
Unzipping files on your Mac is simple. The best method is using the built-in Archive Utility app. The process is simple, and essentially a reversal of the process for zipping a file. Here's how to unzip files:

Right-click the zipped folder or file you'd like to unzip
Select 'open with'
Select 'Archive Utility'
The zipped file or folder will be unzipped.


Unzip files with macOS Finder
To unzip files from Finder, locate your .zip file and double-click it. This action will take you to the contents of your zipped folder.