Keith McMillen Stringport

Started by Elantric-fgn, January 18, 2010, 12:47:51 PM

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Elantric-fgn

Keith McMillen Stringport

After seeing this at NAMM, I'm convinced this is going to be a must have unit for guitarists seeking maximum sonic exploration.
The Guitar Version is arriving this spring, and I have already signed up to take delivery when its available.

http://www.keithmcmillen.com/products/stringport/

StringPort is a polyphonic String-to-USB2 converter coupled with a unique and extensive software suite that greatly expands the synthesis and processing palette of guitarists, violinists, bassists, and other stringed instrument players. Finally, the most expressive instruments ever created can wring emotion they desire out of computer music programs.

Hardware Features: Transmit Your Expressive Performance

    * Quickly joins with any stringed instrument with polyphonic pickups and the industry standard DIN-13 connector.
    * Blinding processing speed allows for all the intricacies of string performance to be conveyed.
    * Tiny footprint fits into 1/4 unit rack space and is shockingly lightweight. It is robust and made for travel.
    * Pricetag that crushes other industry convertors.
    * Includes a MIDI In to give you control through a MIDI controller or floor pedal.
    * Sends a separate audio channel for each string, along with a summed mono signal and others to the computer via USB2.

Software Features: Create Your Unique Sound

    * StringPort huge suite will be the last software package you ever need for synthesis.
    * Extensive software suite goes beyond simple analysis to provide flexibility in signal processing and synthesis applied to audio brought in from each individual string.
    * Entire system is optimized for the characteristics of string behavior and produces much more information than simple MIDI conversion.
    * Outputs accurate notation and tablature suitable for use with standard scoring programs.
    * Plays nice with Max/MSP and other sound engine software.
    * Check out the sounds possible with StringPort software under the How It Works tab.



===

Now Keith McMillen Instruments, the new company established by the creator of the world-standard Zeta violin and Mirror 6 guitar controller – among many other groundbreaking inventions – has announced the release of McMillen's latest innovation: StringPort, a polyphonic string-to-USB 2.0 converter coupled with a unique, powerful, and extensible software suite. StringPort greatly expands the synthesis and processing palette of guitarists, violinists, bassists, and other stringed instrument players.

StringPort will be introduced to the musical masses at booth 6227 in Hall A of the upcoming Winter NAMM exhibition, to be held on January 15-18 at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, Calif.

"StringPort solves a decades-old conundrum for string players," explains McMillen. "Stringed instruments simply don't fit the simple event model on which MIDI is based, leaving players of some of the most expressive instruments ever created struggling to wring emotion out of the computer musical instruments that have exploded onto the musical scene over the last 25 years."

StringPort avoids this limitation of MIDI technology by bringing the actual sound of each string into the computer as an audio signal, where included software applies sophisticated analysis algorithms to extract a string's sonic properties with low latency and high resolution. The resulting data is used to control software synthesis with an unprecedented degree of intimacy and expressivity. The entire system is optimized for the characteristics of string behavior and produces much more information than simple MIDI conversion.

StringPort's software suite goes beyond analysis to provide complete flexibility in signal processing applied to the sound, and even provides output in the form of readable and accurate notation or tablature suitable for use with standard scoring programs.

While existing devices for processing polyphonic polyphonic pickups have opened the door for guitarists, they have been inflexible, heavy, and expensive. StringPort, which retails for only $499, includes the VST Wall, a matrix that enables players to make chains of any selection of standard VST plug-ins, arranged in any order and applied to one or all strings.

The software suite also includes SMECK, a unique phase-driven wavetable processor with rich sonic modulation capabilities, and a six-channel phase vocoder bank that enables a player to polyphonically impose the sonic qualities of his or her instrument onto any set of audio files.

StringPort's capabilities can be clearly experienced when it is used with the bundled demo copy of Synful Orchestra – a special version customized for use with StringPort.

As if this were not power enough, the software is compatible with Max/MSP and other sound engine software, and can be freely modified and expanded on by third parties and knowledgeable users.
StringPort requires input from a stringed instrument with a polyphonic pickup. This input is accepted through the industry-standard DIN-13 connector, creating an easy upgrade path for guitarists who already own a guitar controller using a polyphonic pickup such as those from Roland, Axon, RMC, or Yamaha. StringPort is compatible with most Zeta instruments as well.

In addition to being both considerably more powerful and less costly than existing string-to-MIDI systems, StringPort is also much smaller, being housed in a quarter-rack space chassis. An optional rackmount adapter allows up to four StringPort units to be mounted in 1U of rack space.

StringPort will ship in Q1 of 2009, and be available directly from Keith McMillen Instruments, which can be found online at: http://www.keithmcmillen.com

A portion of the profits from the sale of StringPort will go to the BEAM Foundation (http://www.beamfoundation.org), a nonprofit corporation founded by McMillen to spark a new Western classical music movement based on the technologies and aesthetics of the 21st century.




. . . the future ain't what it used to be . . .

vanceg-fgn

Ah yes - The Keith McMillen booth was a bit of a playground for guitarists looking to go beyond the "standard" this year, wasn't it ;-)

I was very proud to be one of the people demonstrating String Port this year at NAMM.  The software for the guitar is almost complete (the violin version has been shipping for some time now).  But, perhaps 'complete' isn't really the right term here - I suspect that the software will just keep growing with new processing and synthesis modules being developed and honed for quite some time. 

I will do my best to write up some details about the various processing and synth modes that are available for StringPort sometime in the next week and post it here to let folks have a better idea of what SP is capable of. Likewise I'll work on some sound examples, but that might take a bit longer as I'd like to work with the release version of software to do this..... More soon!

I'm really glad you liked it, Elantric!  I sincerely believe that a LOT of people on this list will really be thrilled to have this kind of processing power at their fingertips. 

Lots more to say - but that will have to wait for coming days!


yzept

Just wondering aloud, The Stringport is essentially an six channel A/D box plus hardware key that will only add latency, driver overhead and whatever signal degradation the A/D's in the string port introduce. It would seem given the DF and DT RIP's and drivers already perform all the required functions except that of a hardware key and MIDI interface. Could Keith McMillen be persuaded to release a version of the Stringport guitar software for the DF and DT RIP's that used an iLok key or something similar for security. The additional development cost could be offset by the savings in not requiring the Stringport hardware, packaging and shipping given it could all be delivered via a download with an iLok key, MIDI I/F and the Gibson cable being the only extra hardware required.

I realise the software modifications would require use of a DF and or DT for a while but it does not seem like a major rewrite of the code would be needed, more some fine tuning and user interface modifications which while not trivial may be cost justified if a few dozen copies were sold. If there was sufficient interest perhaps a pre order list might work out. I would prefer one less piece of hardware in the audio chain if possible and the choice of buying the Stringport box if I wanted the option to use a conventional Roland ready guitar as well. What do those who know more about this think, is it a viable proposition?

vanceg-fgn

#3
I  understand what you are getting at. Since you already have to carry the Robot Guitar box with you, you don't want to carry another one which serves the same purpose of getting hex guitar signal into the computer.  I can see where you are coming from.

You would need to address your question directly to the company; I am not an employee and can't comment on their behalf.

That said, the StringPort is light enough that I'll be using it alongside my VG-99.  One thing I plan to do is combine the two interfaces using the Macs Aggregate Audio feature and end up with a true quad output.  And there is a MIDI I/O and aux input on the SP. And you can use SP with your other guitars. So there are some additional advantages to using both the SP and the Robot Guitar box (or VG-99, or all three!) together.

I do see your point, though.

Vance



Quote from:  yzept on February 07, 2010, 05:10:54 AM
Just wondering aloud, The Stringport is essentially an six channel A/D box plus hardware key that will only add latency, driver overhead and whatever signal degradation the A/D's in the string port introduce. It would seem given the DF and DT RIP's and drivers already perform all the required functions except that of a hardware key and MIDI interface. Could Keith McMillen be persuaded to release a version of the Stringport guitar software for the DF and DT RIP's that used an iLok key or something similar for security. The additional development cost could be offset by the savings in not requiring the Stringport hardware, packaging and shipping given it could all be delivered via a download with an iLok key, MIDI I/F and the Gibson cable being the only extra hardware required.

I realise the software modifications would require use of a DF and or DT for a while but it does not seem like a major rewrite of the code would be needed, more some fine tuning and user interface modifications which while not trivial may be cost justified if a few dozen copies were sold. If there was sufficient interest perhaps a pre order list might work out. I would prefer one less piece of hardware in the audio chain if possible and the choice of buying the Stringport box if I wanted the option to use a conventional Roland ready guitar as well. What do those who know more about this think, is it a viable proposition?

yzept

Vance,

Hi and thanks for the quick and insightful response. I too would like quad or more outputs and more inputs preferably with phantom power but my preference would be using an Audiofire2 or 4 to get there. My reasoning behind this is an uneasy feeling about multiple audio driver stability and the subtle complexities of writing even one that behaves itself. It is diabolically difficult to create from scratch a suite of multi channel low latency audio drivers that covers Windows 7 to OSX 10.6.2 without finding that the drivers take more effort to maintain than the host application itself. Keeping MIDI and the various audio channels working in a multi driver environment on multiple platforms is not a place I would want to find myself writing code.

The ability to use an Audiofire2 or 4 and sharing the driver with the RIP appeals to me a great deal. ECHO's drivers are among the better on offer and do currently support daisy chaining multiple ECHO Firewire devices. Given we have to have them loaded for the RIP and 5.5.2 seems to work fine for multiple ECHO devices already this could be worth considering as well. ECHO have had some major work (many months) getting this happening and they know the hardware, firmware and software they are dealing with intimately plus can rewrite the firmware to overcome incompatibilities, timing and contention issues. I guess I would not want to inflict the level of pain I am anticipating when multiple driver families from different companies not all of which have the same priorities have to play nice on multiple software platforms. I may be overly pessimistic about this bit but given the number of audio interfaces I know that don't play with others and in fact barely work on their own I think keeping it simple has some appeal.

This is not to say everything ECHO do is golden, I currently have two of their Pre8's which to be kind have issues that probably require a hardware go round to sort out and 200 of these escaped into the wild basically broken from the factory. Sort of the DF of the ECHO family. I suspect they will be a bit faster at fixing them than some Tennessee wood smuggling outfit but it is still annoying when you have to first prove they are not what they say on the box and then ship them half way round the world and wait while lots of microphones are connected to nothing. It seems to be the lot of those of us who want the newest box with the most features to enjoy these experiences. I have two first run Robots as well as a so far flawless DF, the second Robot was so I still had one to play while the first made many trips to have its not turning on disease eventually sorted. I was going to upgrade them when the kits came out but have ordered spare batteries just in case the upgrade turns out to be a bucket of warm puss as well. They both work fine now, why mess with success.

I am excited about the Stringport concept and the ability to put other software synthesisers into the mix. The AAS family and the xils 3 could be great not to forget all the Native Instrument options. The Trilian Total Bass Module could be a lot of fun so long as you have lots of RAM. The VG99 is a fantastic tool but there is a lot of other stuff we could do as well with a software based environment. A VG99 in Australia is also about twice the price which makes the Stringport look like a great way to get your feet wet before jumping in. At some point I should also learn to play guitar properly instead of proving HJ correct that there are idiots that will buy this stuff because its a lifestyle thing.

I wonder what Steve thinks?

Roger

vanceg-fgn

Yes, I, too am currently using an RME Fireface and I may just stick with it since it's so small and ROCK solid in terms of performance.  I just run the VG-99 into it digitally and do my quad work inside the laptop.  I had FULLY expected that the VG-99 would have the ability to run each of the six strings into the computer - I was highly disappointed that this is not possible. 

You can, of course, already integrate MIDI synths with your DF by just using the VG-99 or other device to convert to MIDI - Native Instrument until your heart is content. I use the AAS gear as processors inside Ableton (personally, I like processing a LOT more than synths...)

But I totally agree that there are some much more interesting approaches we can use if we have an ever-evolving environment like StringPort to work with rather than being stuck with fairly standard synths.

One interesting aspect about Stringport is that it's not converting to MIDI to drive it's internal synths.  Instead, it's directly using the data derived from the (quite extensive) analysis that the SP software is doing on the audio signal. Much more resolution and much more you can do with it than MIDI. Often blurring the line between processing and synthesis.

I understand your concept, I just don't know if it will make any economic sense whatsoever to write, deploy, test and maintain the code necessary to support a dongle system.  I honestly have no idea if KMI has considered this or not, but I would assume so, they are bright and experienced folks.

yzept

Vance,

I agree the iLok could be a PITA to implement and maintain but perhaps the unique firewire GUID each RIP has could be used instead. It's sort of a hard coded MAC address for firewire devices and would be straightforward to key the software to. It could then be possible to implement a common code base with no additional hardware requirements and a simple online unlock procedure on installation if you are using a RIP. If the software sees a Stringport Box it just runs and if it sees a RIP it checks the GUID against its encrypted SW key. I hate dongles too! You lose one and can sometimes kiss goodbye to 10K of software plus they do cause grief with each major OS revision and they take up a USB port you need for something else. The software effort to read the GUID is trivial and if they are bright and experienced keying the SW to an emailed unlock code would be no big task. If I were looking at it as 3000 potential customers that already have the hardware it would interest me.

Roger

vanceg-fgn

#7
I will be communicating with the company this week and will be sure to convey the fact that there is interest among some of the GF and GT owners to use SP software without the SP device. 

I would again suggest that someone who actually owns a DF contact KMI directly and request this feature - I can't speak with as much passion about this request as someone who actually owns a DF.

Just to make sure it's known (I mentioned it in another thread) I am not an employee of KMI.  I have done some contract work with them including demonstrating their products at NAMM.  I am NOT an official voice of KMI, but I AM very happy to convey your thoughts and requests toward the right folks at KMI...anything to help advance the technolgy and cool toys..I mean, tools.

Vance

Quote from:  yzept on February 07, 2010, 03:35:01 PM
Vance,

I agree the iLok could be a PITA to implement and maintain but perhaps the unique firewire GUID each RIP has could be used instead. It's sort of a hard coded MAC address for firewire devices and would be straightforward to key the software to. It could then be possible to implement a common code base with no additional hardware requirements and a simple online unlock procedure on installation if you are using a RIP. If the software sees a Stringport Box it just runs and if it sees a RIP it checks the GUID against its encrypted SW key. I hate dongles too! You lose one and can sometimes kiss goodbye to 10K of software plus they do cause grief with each major OS revision and they take up a USB port you need for something else. The software effort to read the GUID is trivial and if they are bright and experienced keying the SW to an emailed unlock code would be no big task. If I were looking at it as 3000 potential customers that already have the hardware it would interest me.

Roger

yzept

Vance,

Thanks very much for all your time on this. I will contact KMI as you suggest. I think it is at least worth considering as at the right price perhaps with a get addicted free trial version it could be a popular alternative to the "standard" options and for the brave or foolhardy like me that think MAX for Live is a very good thing it would be Christmas on a stick. I personally have not yet heard a MIDI guitar that really did it for me. Somehow they are all sound a bit twonky, like grown up kids toys with much of the expression that is so much a part of the instrument filtered out and a kind of less involving thing happening. Happy to be proved wrong but I'm with you, the StringPort approach looks a lot more interesting and has the potential to be amazing.

Roger

MCK-fgn

Quote from:  yzept on February 07, 2010, 10:56:51 AM
At some point I should also learn to play guitar properly instead of proving HJ correct that there are idiots that will buy this stuff because its a lifestyle thing.

Roger, your post was very very insightful and witty. Very well articulated. The comment above fits my self-portrait perfectly. I look forward to seeing more of your posts!
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yzept

MCK,

Thank you for your kind words, in order to maintain some shreds of credibility I will refrain from mentioning the ESP Custom Shop Hanneman Urban Camouflage or 57 Strat or um any of the other key choices I made for lifestyle, sorry "investment" reasons. They are all vitally necessary to support my microphone library and software suite that justifies all the other high end computer and audio hardware required which was for something or other important like oh- thats right, helping me learn to play guitar better. People should not infer that I can't play, I can, a bit in fact my technique has been described as perf.. no I think the word he actually used was perplexing. What would Hank Marvin know anyway. Anyhow with three top quality tuners now I can at least keep my non Robot Guitar collection in tune although with all of them having tremolo bridges it is a challenge.

Persuading my wife we needed a Fryette Fatbottom 4x12 stack in the living area was made easy with an Aracom attenuator for the Fryette Sig-X to lessen the number of plates that shatter when my 11 year old daughter plays her 60th anniversary Jazz Bass. I relegated the other amps to the garage to free up a walking path. She is actually an accomplished Bass player with her own band and an excellent teacher who say she is ready to start recording. Yes that's the reason I needed the full Euphonics MC Control suite for Logic Studio and those 2 extra stereo coincident pair condenser microphones or were they for Final Cut Pro, no perhaps it was to round out the 13 other studio mic's.

Anyhow there is a plan and the Stringport is a vital part of it but first I need that Focusrite Liquid 4PRE because it will work really well with the RME Fireface and give me a much greater audio palette in recording my testing one two three vocals which could I pitch correct and edit with Melodyne Editor before using Maschine and Kore 2 to turn it into a dance track which I can tweak in Live with the AKAI APC40 controller. It all makes sense in the end. HJ was wrong, much too narrow in his thinking and failed to see the bigger picture. Guitars are just one piece of the puzzle!

Roger

Elantric-fgn

Hey - I used to work with Stevie Freyette 1980-1986 when we both worked at Valley Arts Guitar in Studio City, CA.

http://www.sfdamp.com/support_form.aspx

Great ears, great tube amp designer!
. . . the future ain't what it used to be . . .

yzept

So he was the other Steve at Valley Arts, it is a small world or else you know some of coolest people!
Steve Fryette is in my opinion making some of the best tube amps and cabinets available. With no restriction on choice the Fryette stack was head and shoulders better and more versatile than anything else I could find anywhere when I went looking. He apparently can still play hard and party harder according to the Aussies I know who have tried to keep up with him and that is saying something. He still has great ears too, one of the only people I know of who could identify the manufacturer, age and type of tube immediately, purely by listening to how it affects the sound of an amp. He does not compromise or cut corners in his designs and seems to be still really enjoying himself.

Elantric-fgn

Quote
So he was the other Steve at Valley Arts, it is a small world or else you know some of coolest people!
Steve Fryette is in my opinion making some of the best tube amps and cabinets available. With no restriction on choice the Fryette stack was head and shoulders better and more versatile than anything else I could find anywhere when I went looking. He apparently can still play hard and party harder according to the Aussies I know who have tried to keep up with him and that is saying something. He still has great ears too, one of the only people I know of who could identify the manufacturer, age and type of tube immediately, purely by listening to how it affects the sound of an amp. He does not compromise or cut corners in his designs and seems to be still really enjoying himself.


i TOTALLY AGREE!

https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=31286.0

. . . the future ain't what it used to be . . .

MCK-fgn

Quote from:  yzept on February 08, 2010, 12:23:28 PM
HJ was wrong, much too narrow in his thinking and failed to see the bigger picture. Guitars are just one piece of the puzzle!

Roger that!!!  ;D ;D ;D

In the spirit of friendship & not turning this into a little boy's pissing contest I will refrain from making any references to my "lifestyle" purchases. Let me just say I think you are still ahead! My only saving grace is my 10 year old drummer daughter in addition to my 13 year old guitar/bass playing daughter. So if you only have 1 of those I might still have a little edge in the whole lifestyle thing but its never too late. With a little effort you can easily catch up on that front too!  ;D Play on my friend.

PS. Do appreciate your beautiful country & spacious accomodations you have over there. Managing all my lifestyle needs and finding space for them in our flat in Tokyo is causing me massive amounts of effort. Anyone remember an 80's computer game called Sokoban? No wonder it was invented in Japan. Thats me in that game pushing those boxes around all the time! Cheers
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yzept


MCK-fgn

Yup. That's it. Watashiva Sokoban des!
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vanceg-fgn

OoooooKAY now: Getting us back on topic ;-)

I spoke with Keith McMillen about the request to enable DarkFire guitars to directly access the StringPort software using the RobotGutiar (and, therefor, it's firewire driver).

It looks like this may not be _technically_ possible (or at least SIGNIFICNATLY more complex and difficult an issue than any of us understood):

I did not realize this, but it seems that there is a much tighter and more critical interaction between the StringPort driver and the actual audio processing software than I realized.  It seems that the SP driver is intimately tied into the entire SP engine.

One feature of StringPort that you all might not have been aware of is that StringPort uses a UDP network to communicate between the interface and the audio processing software.  This is going to allow for some VERY cool extensions of the SP software in the very near future....Including being able to run SP on multiple computers connected via Ethernet - Think "Mac Mini as Audio Accelerator". 

Here is a quote from Keith explaining some of this:

"The KMI StringPort uses handcrafted drivers that provide the lowest possible latency. Additionally our driver communicates with all of our software using a custom UDP network audio interface (working among cores on the same CPU or more). This allows the components of our software (analysis, poly-processing, synthesis, VST Wall, notation) each to run in its own DSP thread, thereby increasing efficiency by a factor of four.

Additionally, multiple instances of any of our applications can be  run on other machines that are connected via Ethernet. This allows practically unlimited CPU power for intense synthesis or audio processing  running remotely on multi-core machines. This also works for executing instances of other software that may have intensive CPU demands.

We have worked on this for over 24 months and it cannot be easily duplicated or tied to any other driver. Representatives from Apple were amazed at the speed and power of the StringPort at the last NAMM show. We plan to cooperate with all the major DAW companies to open the Ethernet/UDP network audio connectivity."

So, It may well be that the best cost/functionality may be achieved by DF owners simply running 13 pin out of the Robot Guitar box into the StringPort.  Or, I suppose if you REALLY wanted to, you could connect a GK-3 to your DF in ADDITION to the DF pickkup. 

But I'm really thinking that the patch of least resistance may be a VERY attractive one in this case: Just do like the products are already designed to do and run out of your RobotGuitar box into the StringPort. Sure, you have 1lb (.453Kg) more to carry with you (weight of the SP and it's power supply).

That's what I know today!

MCK-fgn

Wow. This is amazing. So is the StringPort connects to the Mac via Ethernet cable rather than FireWire etc?
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yzept

Interesting, I'm certain it's a USB connection and there is no doubt UDP is transported painlessly via USB. RME have proved that with OSX 10.6.2 at least USB will have much lower latency than Firewire if the right magic smoke is used in the hardware. Around half in my limited experience comparing a Fireface 400 and a Fireface UC which could be a valid argument to go the Stringport hardware route. As far as I know the 8 pin out on the RIP would be as close as you can practically get to the individual string piezo's in terms of latency. The RIP still has to do the AD conversion and then package up the data streams and send them through the firewire driver. Sooooo there may be a persuasive argument that the Stringport hardware is better from a latency and packet routing perspective. It would be interesting to get Milo Street and Keith McMillen to talk about it except Milo is a bit busy debugging the Pre8 right now. Maybe sometime more hardware is a good thing.

vanceg-fgn

USB is, indeed, the physical connection that the SP uses.

Yzept: I was just speaking with RME about doing some comparisons between FF400 and FF400uc too!  You are already on this. Excellent.  I had NOT heard that RME was using a UDP over USB architecture.... do you know this for sure to be the case?

KMI is surely using "the right magic smoke" in the hardware to ensure low latency.  It's been really good so far...and as I understand, things are only going to get better from here.

Vance

yzept

Vance,
Sorry, I did not mean to imply that RME used UDP as the audio transport protocol for the FireFace UC. I have seen no specification and have no inside knowledge about the protocol employed. UDP is commonly used for MIDI over USB and should work very well for audio. I was trying to say RME had demonstrated that latency could be lower using USB compared to FireWire.

UDP has some advantages where packets are broadcast to multiple devices and carries little of the error correction overhead of TCPIP.

I will try and be more careful in constructing my usually overlong sentences.

Roger

Elantric-fgn

. . . the future ain't what it used to be . . .

vanceg-fgn

No worries!  I was just excited to hear that little tidbit...now I know it was a speculative tid-bit...and that's just fine! Yes, USB audio really got a bad rap (and I was one of those rappers) for quite some time.  I'm now changing my tune: If done right and done well, I strongly believe that USB audio will work VERY nicely. 

I'm interested to see what/how USB 3 helps or hinders the effort to move to lower latency and higher reliability for USB audio.

Vance

Quote from:  yzept on February 10, 2010, 01:12:00 AM
Vance,
Sorry, I did not mean to imply that RME used UDP as the audio transport protocol for the FireFace UC. I have seen no specification and have no inside knowledge about the protocol employed. UDP is commonly used for MIDI over USB and should work very well for audio. I was trying to say RME had demonstrated that latency could be lower using USB compared to FireWire.

UDP has some advantages where packets are broadcast to multiple devices and carries little of the error correction overhead of TCPIP.

I will try and be more careful in constructing my usually overlong sentences.

Roger

yzept

Finally on topic having led myself completely astray.

I can now provide some definite observations based on (very) recent personal experience.

On a Mac the StringPort and its drivers play nice with the RIP using 10.5.2 Echo drivers.

The Gibson "MIDI" 13 pin cable works fine to connect the RIP and StringPort.

StringPort when fully released for guitar is going to be better than sex, a lot better, I am not exaggerating.

Fully released is not soon, many moons will pass.

If you plan on buying a StringPort also plan on buying one of the new i7 Quad CPU MacBooks to be released shortly. A Core 2 Duo is not going to cut it.

A Dark Fire works well with StringPort, preferably with the Dusk Tiger firmware to keep Hex mode happening.

It takes a bit of work to tame noise and tweak setups but latency, performance and tone are all much better than I expected.

I think I see a SoftStep in my future.

Thank you sincerely Elantric and vanceg for sending me down this particular rabbit hole. I can definitely recommend the Red Pill.