Synth 1.2.0 Beta Firmware #1

Synth 1.2.0 Beta Firmware

This is the first Beta for Synth 1.2 focusing on interface improvements and disabling effects when they aren’t in use to free up some of the CPU.

New Features

  • Effects (Rev, Mod, Del) are not activated when not used in a scene
  • Dim Mode added to the system settings.
  • Interface improvements to help avoid clipping and distortion
    • Master Volume now shows dB values instead of a line
    • Mixer Level meter turns red when clipping
    • Maximum mixer sends set to 0dB instead of +12 (Old projects will still load with the value saved at +dB settings)
  • Added screen indicators to help troubleshoot when a Synth isn’t playing a sound
  • Added an all note off option to stop hanging notes
    • Access via Main Menu > All Notes Off

Fixes

:warning: Beware that beta releases might introduce new bugs that may lead to loss of work, data corruption, performance degradation, or crashes. We recommend backing up your SD card before trying the beta.

If you run into any issues please share them with us by logging a Beta Bug in Backstage.
Thank you.

INSTALLATION GUIDE

Synth Firmware:
Synth_v1.2.0.1663beta.psf.zip (1.9 MB)

Download and extract the firmware above
Copy the .psf firmware file to your Synth SD card → Firmware folder

  1. Best Practice: save your current scene to avoid any potential data loss
  2. On the Synth menu navigate to Main Menu → System Settings → Firmware → Update Firmware → .psf file
  3. Click the encoder and confirm with Yes
  4. After the update create a new scene to initialize the config settings
19 Likes

@Mitch won’t pin you down to these kind of statements…

But it seems like we’re back at the situation before the ’Polyend week of updates’ notifications. Two separate feature betas, which are still not integrated into one beta release that builds upon the latest stable release.

With Step released (that does contain software) and another Synth beta announced it seems we are ‘back’ in line… or will Play / Play+ users see their new betas arrive ‘soon’, too? So, simply asking for a bit more transparency here.

I just made an unlisted video where I’m adressing a chord pack edit button bug.
The button of ch edit is not appearing when using chord packs. But sometimes it is…
Am I doing something wrong?

Am I doing something wrong?

Kind regards.

Oke I figured out I had to press a pad in order for the button to appear. Lol.

1 Like

Sure, I guess I was unclear there sorry. I meant Play should see a beta before Tracker. So Play will receive a new beta before Tracker. Again, sorry, but I can’t give a timeline. It isn’t the same team doing updates for Synth and Play, so it really isn’t about moving anyone to the back of the line.

Step updates - the first update will be pretty basic and the firmware at launch is very stable, so this could happen even before Tracker updates. The Step isn’t going to take away from Play updates, many features could be added across both devices.

6 Likes

This is quite a significant update, thank you!
It makes Program Change almost usable :wink: Almost because Synth no longer has critical issues when using PC (as reported here and here) but the defect with samples not reloading for WAVS and GRAIN engine presets is still there. I described the details and recorded the video here.

It’s a pity that we lost the ability to preview presets in PC mapping but if that’s the price for a stable device then I’m okay with that. Is it a temporary solution or it’s going to stay like that for good?

Really appreciate these beta updates! Thanks ya’ll! :slight_smile:

1 Like

Lol when did this 1.2.0 beta sneak out? I just seen it now!

I got email confirming there was a new firmware and video, yet this post says it’s 10 days old. I am confused, but either way thanks polyend team :smiley: Nice improvements!

2 Likes

Yesterday I had my first go to and so far so good!

About this:

Why not do the same than the Play/Play+ have, for consistency and because it works (and maybe you can even reuse some code)?

Grid brightness
* High
* Medium
* Low

It’s not just for wording consistency. High / Medium / Low gives you three options where Dim mode on/off gives only two.

Yesterday I enabled it and it was already a big improvement but… in a dark studio (imagine just some RGB leds on) and on a session creating sounds, I ended up with a slight headache. You are staring at those pads all the time.

There is an important detail with the Synth compared to the Play/Play+: while the grid surface is fairly equivalent, in the Synth the pads are always on, while in the Plays you can count on half of the pads or more turned off in regular sessions. That means double the brightness or more for the Synth even when Play and Synth pads have individually equivalent brightness. The bigger size of the pads in the Step might play a role too, but I’m not a scientist and I can’t prove it. :wink:

No matter what you do, please offer a setup that is comfortable for rather dark situations.

4 Likes

I also had this thought. Dim is great but why not have the same levels as Play? Should be very similar code, no?

2 Likes

A suggestion for a third, “Low” brightness option, calculated from the current “Dim Mode”

  • Pressed pads: use Dim Mode’s highlighted pads (root notes) brightness.
  • Highlighted pads: use Dim Mode’s default pad brightness (non-root notes).
  • Default pads: turned off, zero brightness, the white plastic is enough to see them.

Default brightness would be “High”, the so-called Dim Mode would be “Medium”, and the option proposed above would be “Low”.

I can turn all this into a wish, if you don’t think it’s a straightforward improvement to the beta.

1 Like

I think there might be some technical limitations to doing a Low mode like this or any lower implementation - i think with non-root notes off the brightness varies based on how bright other colors would be - basically it wouldn’t be uniform, look like some lights are on and some aren’t and add confusion.

1 Like

Mmmok. The root notes are in regular patterns, the “turned off” pads would turn on when pressed, and the user would be the one selecting this mode, but ok.

If you keep this Dim Mode alone, or add a third, I suggest dimming the highlighted pads a bit more. Staring at these for long periods with dimmed lights doesn’t feel good (to me). There is room for contrast with the default pads, which have an ok brightness.

And… I realize I might start sounding obnoxious, so I’ll leave it here. Thank you for reading. :dark_sunglasses:

1 Like

Okay, but 0 brightness, or maybe even 10-20% brightness, will not actually be 0 brightness because it bleeds from the other pads, so you get some default pads that look lit and some that don’t.

And don’t worry you aren’t obnoxious, I see ya!

3 Likes

Sounds beautiful! :wink: The reason to propose this “Low” mode isn’t aesthetic, so aesthetic perfection is not a goal. Bleeding light from neighbor pads won’t bother your eyes in dim light, and this is what matters.

Besides, checking the Play+ and also running a test with the Synth, it doesn’t even seem that much light would bleed, but if it does, no problem. (What test with the Synth, I hear you ask? In Dim Mode, pick a low-brightness pad and press the 8 surrounding pads so that all of them produce bright light. Check how much brighter the surrounded pad looks compared to the rest. Subjective and distorted, I know, but good enough and cheap to test.) :sweat_smile:

2 Likes

@here we just officially released Synth Firmware 1.2.0
It’s identical firmware, so those of you running this beta — you don’t need to update.
Once again, thanks for your support!

5 Likes