New Teenage Engineering products

erm, I think that 128 applies to “pattn chains of up to 128” instead of “128 different patterns”, no? I mean, I’d love to be wrong but according to the manuals, there’s still only 16 patterns on the new POs.

Actually, if there were 128 patterns on the POs I’d be ecstatic! The ability of not being able to back up patterns would not be nearly as painful as it is right now…

I always wanted to ask though - what is the pin matrix behind the display for? TE states it being a “JTAG programming port”…???

erm, I think that 128 applies to “pattn chains of up to 128” instead of “128 different patterns”, no? I mean, I’d love to be wrong but according to the manuals, there’s still only 16 patterns on the new POs.

Actually, if there were 128 patterns on the POs I’d be ecstatic! The ability of not being able to back up patterns would not be nearly as painful as it is right now…

I always wanted to ask though - what is the pin matrix behind the display for? TE states it being a “JTAG programming port”…???[/quote]
You are right, my mistake, thanks for correcting. Well, that evens the playing field for my birthday wishlist a bit, then.
From: https://www.teenageengineering.com/products/po

all six units feature:

[ul]
[li]16-step sequencer[/li]

[li]16 patterns[/li]

[li]parameter locks[/li]

[li]built-in speaker[/li]

[/ul]

[ul]
[li]3.5mm audio I/O[/li]

[li]jam sync[/li]

[li]animated LCD display[/li]

[li]folding stand[/li]

[/ul]

[ul]
[li]clock + alarm clock[/li]

[li]battery powered (2XAAA)[/li]

[li]1 month battery life[/li]

[li]2 year standby time[/li]

[/ul]

1 Like

Right? Pretty impressive for a few months development.
Part of me wants them to take years to hone this, but then part of me realizes if that happens it will be $1k+

TE gets a lot of flack but they’re not forging their own path with inventive design for sure. Why shouldn’t making music be entertaining also?

Yeah this is what I’ve been thinking lately, especially arguing with people on other forums who for some reason don’t like TE products because they’re too small and not ‘classic’ enough :stuck_out_tongue:

The only thing I see as a negative point about the OP-Z is the potential it has to pull me away from the monomachine!

i don’t agree with the design philosophy behind the screen omission.
there’s some conflicting things about it being said by the developer himself, for instance he suggests in one video that after a month or so of usage with a screen - then it should be no problem to use it without. So, ok, you do actually need a screen - at least for a while ?
then there’s the screen itself … an ipad or iphone type of affair. expensive, and sorry not something I feel comfortable assuming that everyone has or worse, should have.

and when you see the data being displayed on the screen, especially the sequence data and parameter lock-ish stuff … well, navigating the same data with only a series of 16 tiny leds does not seem so kool to me. i guess you could just fiddle around a bit and knock out some doodads.

he also suggests that the video synthesis itself is carried out on the display device, i wonder if this was mis-spoken ? because I can see how a ipad etc can do that, running an app - but how is a tv supposed to do this ? or are tvs shipping with android built in these days ?

well, teenage engineering have a loyal following so I’m sure it will sell regardless : )

Maybe I’m just nuts, but I think how nice the MnM (or most other MIDI capable synths) would be working together.

But there’s still so much we don’t know yet. The OP-Z has 16 tracks, but maybe not all of them send/receive MIDI (or, shall I say, BLE MIDI)?

BLE = Bluetooth, Low Energy[/quote]
True, but I bought the OP-1 specifically to use it away from my other hardware, since my monomachine setup has grown to the point where it’s no longer very easy to take to gigs (MnM + JV1010 + ES-1 + KP3+ + Virtualizer Pro + mixer isn’t very practical) which is ironic because I bought the monomachine in order to play gigs without having a computer onstage!

Having said that, the temptation is there to have everything hooked up to each other and just make monstrous crazy tracks :smiley:

Adding the PO Robot to my birthday wish list. Hopefully they have the little cases ready before March!

Rytm food!

they should have built a mini projector inside the op-z, now that would have been innovative…

oh man! I need to get a USB-MIDI -> DIN-MIDI converter and get that going :smiley:

edit: and then record it live into patterns for some semi-generative fuckery!

oh man! I need to get a USB-MIDI -> DIN-MIDI converter and get that going :smiley:

edit: and then record it live into patterns for some semi-generative fuckery![/quote]
The Oplab is callin’ your name.[/quote]
I know I know… but it’s just so damn expensive. buuuuut it’d mean I could sync the op-1 to my gameboys as well, so… maybe

LOL, a mini projector that runs on… wait a sec, do you have any idea how much energy/power consumption and cost in parts it takes to run a projector (even a tiny one)? Even if it ran off unicorn farts, think of the battery life. Or the lack thereof. Hey, maybe it could have a Lego compatible hand-crank to keep it charged… at least it would be a good work out. :wink: [/quote]
No need for a projector at an era where everyone carries a screen in his pocket.
Plug the OPZ on a wifi emitter and use everyone’s screen :wink:

lol … I can’t take this level of ill-conceived commitment seriously.

But I will say one thing - obviously you need a display if you plan to visually synthesize, just like you need a speaker or headphone of some sort for audio. That is not my point in that respect. My point is - if he hasn’t mis-spoken - the visual synthesis is generated on an external device, specifically the display unit. This suggests the display has to b some kind of iOS/Android device. So how does this integrate with TV’s ? TV’s shipping with Android ? or will it be a chain of OZ-1 > ipad > wifi enabled tv ?

it’s not as cheap and simple as simply plugging the unit into a tv or projector, is my point. which adds to expense and ensures that display devices will have to be of a certain high spec or recently made.

Unless he mis-spoke of course. But since he said the visuals use the unity engine, he probably didn’t.

I know I know… but it’s just so damn expensive. buuuuut it’d mean I could sync the op-1 to my gameboys as well, so… maybe[/quote]
Also converts A4/AK’s CV out to MIDI.

It’s so damn expensive because it’s a swiss army knife! I see them used for $250 often.

my new po’s turned up today (tues)
arcade , office , robot.

thats pretty quick delivery , i ordered them thursday , shipped on friday from sweden to uk.

I just heard the Arcade chords can be transposed to any key.

Can someone confirm?

it can be transposed to 16 preset keys
dm
em
esus
e
f
g
c/g
e/g sharp
am
c/a
dm/a
d/a
a
b/a
c
d
you can chain sequences too , up to 128
while its playing you hold chord and one of the buttons 1 - 16

Thanks re5et! Arcade looks like it will indeed be tons o fun for me, as well as Office.

Not many. A couple in eurorack land, and some DIY arduino options. Some CV trigger to MIDI options exist in the Alesis Trigger IO or Roland TM-2, but CV/pitch + gate to MIDI ain’t that common.

There are a few MIDI-to-CV options out there, often with more CV/Gate outputs, but nothing is quite like the Swedish army knife of connectivity which is the Oplab.

I really like what Make Noise has done with the “0 Coast” synthesizer.
It is far more powerful if you’re using MIDI to sequence it, rather than a CV based sequencer. The MIDI input is dual channels. One channel converts to CV/Gate to drive the oscillator, the other converts to CV/Gate wire outputs for modulation. So on that second converter you can do CV to MIDI parameter locks from MD or MM.

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My Arcade arrived in the post yesterday. Had so much fun with it last night I didn’t get to bed until some ungodly hour. I recorded this on the fly with the rytm and light duties from the OT:

Yes, cool Arcade cha cha cha

I want mine :sob: