Will the QuNeo Max SDK come out at the same time?

[TomSwirly]

Hello! I'm having really good success using the SoftStep with the Max SDK, and I'm wondering if KMM would be releasing the QuNeo SDK ("Max box") close to as soon as they released the unit itself?

The Max box for the SS is tremendously simple and effective and I can probably make the QuNeo really sing if I have access to it!

Thanks in advance.

[Macciza]

Hey Tom
I have been wondering the same thing myself.
In fact, any hard technical specs would be great to get a bit of lead time development . .
OSC namespace info and default MIDI layouts and data . . .
With this info alone much could be done

Not been doing much lately but hoping to do a bit more now . . .
Cheers
MM

[TheSupport@KMI]

Right now we're not entirely sure if it will be released right when the QuNeo's start shipping or if it will come slightly afterward. Either way there will definitely be a Max dev kit for QuNeo. We'll let you know when we have a better idea.

[Macciza]

Hi
What about the OSC namespace or default MIDI mappings- patches and LED addressing?
Any info possible at this stage, please . . .
Cheers
MM

[TomSwirly]

Hey, Macciza! Good to see you!

If this unit is like the SoftStep, then its "native language" will be fairly raw MIDI and there will be some sort of software box that converts this into OSC.

That worked out fairly well in the SoftStep - the only issue there is that for some reason, three of the commands are done with System Exclusives which aren't supported by some sequencers, most notoriously Ableton and Max For Live. (There's a workaround discussed here but I got diverted by other issues - I do suspect I'll be able to make it all work.)

Hello, CarsonKMI, thanks for the reply! If you could post here even a sketch of what the software interface would be like, we tireless programmers could get a jump on the game. It doesn't have to be 100% accurate or 100% clear... nor do you even have to have the specific CC numbers or whatever you use.

[TheSupport@KMI]

Hey Tom,

You may not have seen it, but we recently posted an update video to the QuNeo Kickstarter page that gives a quick overview of what the editor software will look like and how it will behave (amongst some other info). It's written in C (no more Max/MSP) so it is very lightweight, and we're working hard to make it very easy to use and set up (which can be difficult when there are so many customization possibilities with this thing!).

Sneak peak of the editor (and other fun stuff):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... Sb_t_f2Ux8

Macciza,

We haven't come to an absolute decision on the higher resolution data yet. I believe that the hi-res data will likely be accessed using a different version of firmware for the QuNeo. As for the data itself we have been exploring a couple of options: OSC and 14-bit MIDI. OSC is a bit more lenient/open as to the bit-depth you can send, 14-bit MIDI is stuck at 14-bits (each control uses 2 CC values, one for the MSB and one for the LSB to give a range of 0 to 16384 (or 128*128 values (I love nesting parenthesis in text!))). What sort of stuff were you all thinking of using the hi-res data for?

Addressing the LEDs is, as of now, done by sending MIDI notes to the QuNeo (a bit like sending CCs to the SoftStep). In our editor each LED can be set to respond whatever note number and MIDI channel you like. You can see a little of how this will work in the video I linked to earlier in this post (especially around 1:30-1:45 or so).

-Carson

[TomSwirly]

Very exciting (particularly since my Softstep is down and I have no toys to program to...)

I'll be on it the moment it comes out!

I'm a tiny bit worried, frankly, by the C nature of your editor, because it means you have to reinvent a lot of wheels... Have you tested it in Max For Live?

I am frankly not so interested in the editor, and much more interested in the ability to talk to and from the unit from my own programs.

[TheSupport@KMI]

Well we've already got some C chops built up from when we made the 12 Step editor. The QuNeo editor should be nice, right now it's running at roughly 31-35MB of memory with 0.1-1% CPU. We did prototype all of the logic and code in Max, then we translate it over and refine it.

We are definitely taking people who will just want to build their own programs into consideration. You will be able to get hi-resolution data (or just regular MIDI if you want) out of the QuNeo to use however you please, and you will be able to send data to the QuNeo to turn any of the 251 LEDs on/off plus brightness level.

[Macciza]

Hi
It would be very unfortunate to have the OSC implementation nobbled by 7bit MIDI again -
it simply does not make sense to 'piggyback' OSC like this, it should be the other way in fact
OSC can quite easily replicate MIDI in all it's gory, whilst still doing what it was made to do with out blinking an eye

Particularly interested in OSC for the freedom of the address space as much as resolution, which can still get limited with hardware limitations -bit resolution of circuit etc
OSC system can be just more sensible / understandable - ie Fader1/x controls Fader 1 not CC#74 Channel 2
Doing a bit with Lemur and M4Lat the moment - again OSC provides so much more utlity here over MIDI.
Have mocked up a Lemuneo on it and figure I could experiment conceptually with some more info
I expect that I will eventually be able to run the Quneo with the iPad running Lemur for extra controll

14bit MIDI is a must have - filters and oscillators require the finer grain control in many synths these days
Also for an absolute must for pitchbend, Song Positioning etc should be able to intermingle with the 7 bit controllers

Is there a standard/ default /builtin CC to led mapping at all?
Again OSC can describe the interface some much nicer than MIDI - use arrays of data to address arrays of LEDS
or collectively like /leds/row1 or wildcarded /led/row[1-4}/col*/light 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 etc
Any way I guess you get the idea - please have a goo re-evaluation of the OSC possibilities
Separate firmware is hopefully a last resort -and if so it should be a very good OSC implementation . .

Cheers for now
MM

[TomSwirly]

Right... right. I guess with 251 LEDs, you really have to get beyond MIDI!

Well, I'm excited. Bring it on! I have my programming fingers(*) all clean and hovering over the keyboard.

(* - I have ten extra fingers I only use for programming...)