17-Nov-24 : Recent updates



Issues with ZEIT Version 02-12 are still on-going / work-in-progress. I've solved the issues with the mysterious crashes around the Midi FX unit, which now works as it should. The behaviour of the Random function took a while to resolve - calculating a random number whilst in interrupt state would cause playback to slip noticably. You'd get away with it if only one or two tracks were playing but the fault would become obvious after that. I've resolved the issue by using a new random number generator which has nothing to do with the Arduino Library function. It uses a JKISS routine and a fast look up table to reduce the calculation time to around thirty microseconds per sequence.

I still have around thirty bugs / issues to resolve before version 02-14 is released although a few more have been added in the last couple of days. Those that remain are non-critical i.e. they don't crash the unit.

All of the current round of ZEIT Replacement CPU's have been allocated to existing customers and will ship before the end of the month. There are no known issues preventing shipment.

Next, some really good news.

We made some major progress with ZEIT's Ecosphere over the last month.

The ZEIT Replacement CPUs are based around an Arduino Mega 2560 CPU which is still an active part even if it is looking a little pedestrian when compared with other microprocessors these days. We've been looking for a way to give ZEIT a bit more power for a couple of years now although the stumbling block has always been that ZEIT is essentially a +5 volt system and most modern microprocessors operate at +3.3 volts. It isn't possible to run the existing ZEIT hardware at the lower voltage.

We figured out a few years ago that the simplest means of modernising ZEIT would be to add an external processor connected to the MIDI ports and to use the existing hardware as a smart front end. The new processor would provide extra MIDI ports, a smart patch bay and, of course, USB support.

I'm delighted to report that we've achieved our main goal, which was to develop a smart external board that would bring ZEIT fully up-to-date. The board runs on a Teensy 4.1 processor running at (wait for it) six hundred megahertz compared to the Arduino's sixteen megahertz. The new board supports four extra MIDI ports, USB as standard and has outputs for MIDI clock, trigger and gate, and a few other features. And, no, this isn't vapourware. Here's a snap of ZEIT driving Alchemy inside Logic Pro...



The new board (dubbed Mozart) will also enable us to implement a better version of the Composer and some extended library functions. Best of all, it also runs the standard Teensy Audio System so we'll be able to add a series of software synthesisers and samplers to the mix.

We're absolutely thrilled with the new board. It has exceeded our expectations and we can't wait to get this product out there for our users to experience.

Special thanks to our beta-testers and friends who have helped and advised on this project. We're incredibly grateful for your encouragement and support. (And patience, too!)

14-Jun-24 : Software Release 02-10 III

ZEIT Version 02-10 was released into the wild earlier this month. We expected one or two issues but so far, so good, as they say. Quietly pleased.

19-May-24 : Zyra : New Product Announcement

We're delighted to announce a new product, Zyra.

Zyra is a combination of step sequencer, drum machine, sample playback engine, rompler, polyphonic synthesiser, USB audio interface and a whole lot more. This is an early prototype of what is, rather obviously, a very capable system. We're still in the process of figuring out exactly what it will do.

We'll be posting videos of work-in-progress on our YouTube channel over the summer. The target release date is Christmas 2024.

28-Mar-24 : Software Release 02-10 Part Two

I'm presently going through each and every step in the new software, version 02-10, hunting for code that isn't to specification or just doesn't work. It's been an interesting journey. For instance...

In verison 02-10, you can change the way the knobs behave. Originally, the routing was fixed - row one was for note pitch, row two and row three were for the controllers one and two respectively. In the new system, you can send any of the rows to any of the following:

1. Note Pitch
2. Note Velocity
3. Gate Length
4. Repeat Count
5. Step Probability
6. Controller One
7. Controller Two

That change is now in place and working as it should. Similarly, the File Renaming Scheme has been reworked in the last week so that it's more intuitive.

The Scene Manager isn't quite right yet. I'll sort that next week.

ATEM support - I now have all of the boards required to build the ATEM test unit. See? I said you hadn't been forgotten!

14-Mar-24 : Software Release 02-10 Part One

Software version 02-10 is nearing release. Whilst this update will be fairly complete, it won't be the final version for the new CPU boards. I've updated the list of those features that won't appear in the 02-10. Don't worry. It's not that big...

1. The Composer
2. Edit Hold

See! I said it wasn't all that big...

09-Mar-24 : i/o boards IV

I built up four of the new i/o boards - two switch boards and two potentiometer boards - and they worked perfectly first time. I'm pleased. We can now offer a replacement service should any of the boards fail in the field. We'll also offer an upgrade service especially for the potentiometer boards. Fitted with the Thonk 10K potentiometers, the feel is amazing and exactly what it should have been twenty years ago.

04-Mar-24 : i/o boards III

The re-worked i/o boards for the re-engineered ZEIT sequencers arrived last week. They're a perfect fit. Even better, I tested these boards against a couple of Thonk's 9mm pots. They're also a perfect fit and they feel very solid and very reliable.

This resolves a long-standing quality issue with these sequencers in that the only potentiometers available at the time (2003) and at a resonable cost were made by ALPS, and they never, ever felt right. We could have used more expensive alternatives but that would pushed the cost of the sequencer to the point where it was no longer viable i.e. £5 per pot x 48 pots = £240!!!!

Pleased.

09-Mar-24 : i/o boards II

I built up four of the new i/o boards - two switch boards and two potentiometer boards - and they worked perfectly first time. I'm pleased. We can now offer a replacement service should any of the boards fail in the field. We'll also offer an upgrade service especially for the potentiometer boards. Fitted with the Thonk 10K potentiometers, the feel is amazing and exactly what it should have been twenty years ago.

27-Feb-24 : i/o boards I

The new i/o boards arrived yesterday. They fit perfectly and I'm optimistic that they'll work exactly as intended.

This is good news. It means that we'll be in a position to begin building a small batch of products that were shelved roughly fifteen years ago when supplier problems crippled the company.

Fingers crossed.

Contact Infection Music

You can contact Customer Services by clicking here.

Please note that Customer Support hours are (for the time being) Monday - Thursday : 0830 - 1730, Friday : 0830 - 1330.

The Customer Support Office is closed Saturday and Sunday, and all major holidays.