Post by daverj » Wed May 11, 2016 2:17 pm

Some of the new modes:



3D scope

This is similar to the classic Fairlight type of display, showing a scope type waveform repeating off into the distance over time. It follows the same rules as the regular scope modes, so needs to be triggered to continue to display waveforms.



The display can be shown in black and white, like the animated GIF in the original post, or displayed in one of three color modes. The colors are changed across the X, the Y, or the Z axis (width, depth, or height). The small preview image in the first post shows one of the colored versions.



Spectrogram

A spectrogram shows the frequency spectrum vs signal strength at those frequencies over time. This is a scrolling display. There are choices of two directions and four speeds per direction. The classic direction for a spectrogram is side to side. But the LCD has built in hardware that allows me to scroll faster vertically. So the spectrogram can scroll from top to bottom quickly or from right to left slowly. The fastest top to bottom speed takes about 5 seconds to get from top to bottom, while the slowest takes about 16 seconds. The fastest right to left speed takes about 12 seconds and the slowest takes about 30 seconds.



I used colors representing signal strength that are similar to the classic colors used by Adobe software in there spectrum displays. There are settings for top frequency (20KHz, 10KHz, 5KHz, and 2.5KHz) as well as a gain adjustment for the intensity of between 1x and 64x. (the same settings I use in the spectrum analyzer modes)



BPM meter

This works like a frequency meter, but measures BPM. It expects a signal crossing the zero volt threshold to trigger it. It also displays a beat count that advances each time a beat is received. You can set the top of the beat count to a number between 2 and 16. So each time the beat pulse arrives the beat count number moves up one and then starts over again at 1 after reaching the top number that you set. There is also a "bump" control that allows to to force the count to jump up or down by one so that the count matches whatever count is in your head with the type of music you are making. So that, for example, a count of 1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2, ... will have the "1" fall where you expect it on the beat you expect.



The BPM meter will measure BPM in the range of 20 to 1000 BPM



Metronome

This is a visual only type of metronome. The O'Tool doesn't have an output to put out a beat. You can set the metronome to a speed between 20 and 400 BPM. You also set a beat count between 2 and 16 and while displaying the moving metronome image it will advance the beat count number each time the metronome crosses the center of the display. This is the same place where a mechanical metronome would click as it rocks back and forth. But since the O'Tool can't click, instead it flashes the bar white and advances the beat count.



User configuration

The O'Tool Plus can remember a given mode to open at power-up. It can also remember all the settings for all the modes. So that once you change settings to the way you like them and save them, then after that they will come up that way each power up.



It also has three separate "users" that each have their own settings for each mode and a separate mode that is remembered as the power up mode. You can easily switch between the users, either temporarily within a session or have it remember the change for the next power up. You can then use these different user settings for different ways that you use your synth. Such as home, studio and performance. Or for perhaps three different types of music or three different types of composing, or three different ways of working with your synth.



You can quickly save all of the settings for all modes, and remember the current mode for the next power up by simply holding down the left two buttons for 5 seconds. Or you can remember all the settings for only the current mode, without changing settings for other modes and not changing the power up mode, bu holding down the right two buttons for 5 seconds.



You can also go into the configuration menus and manually change all of the settings for any user, the current user or any other, including changing the navigation mode, power on mode, power on user, and all sorts of other things.