Feedback and improvement

OWL
#1

Dear users,

So we would be eager to get more feedback on the tools we develop (OwlSim, OwlNest, OwlWare) and see what do you think we could improve !
On our todo list, there is:

  • improving documentation
  • improving OwlWare ease of use
  • adding some parameter utilities (ramps, averages, etc.)
  • adding some more DSP classes (biquads, etc…)
  • adding Midi support into patches
  • adding the expression pedal parameter in OwlSim
  • adding a single / series / parallel patches mode in the Owl
  • etc…

Giom, for the Owl team

#2

Hi, here is an early feedback after writing a patch and tested it with OwlSim (I don’t own the pedal).

OwlSim (I’m using Reaper 64 bits on Windows 8 64 bits)

  • the effect choice dropdown menu is behind the GUI (JUICE bug ?)
  • how to test the expression pedal ?

Patches

  • performances guideline should be great : is there functions (pow, tan, etc.) to avoid ? how to estimate the patch footprint (for example, are too many libs included) ?
  • what are parameters E and F ? Expression pedal ?
#3

Parameter E is the Expression pedal indeed. I have just added it in OwlSim, and Martin added it it in OwlNest 2 days ago.

For the dropdown menu it must be a Juce bug…

You are right we should have a Performances guideline. Will work on that.

#4

I’ve started a patch coding guidelines document:
http://hoxtonowl.com/wiki/Patch_Programming_Guidelines

Please feel free to add / edit!

The OwlSim drop-down issue is a bit strange, I will try to recreate.

#5

Long thread here on the drop-down box issue:
http://www.juce.com/forum/topic/combobox-popup-menu-appears-behind-main-component
Jules doesn’t seem very interested…

Possible workaround in Reaper:
“It happens if i open the plugin in his own plugin window without the FX Stack on the left. It seems to work if the plugin is embedded in the FX window.”

#6

Is it possible to know if an expression pedal is connected, for example to use a knob only if there is no exp pedal ? Or to use a default value of a parameter otherwise controlled by the exp pedal ?

#7

Just started building OwlWare for the first time. All compiles fine.

Some minor things –

The version number of the GCC-ARM toolchain has changed, and with it the directory name, so “make” won’t find a compiler. I created a symlink for now; there may be better long-term options to deal with GCC-ARM versioning.

In contrast to what the README says, “make bin” is not actually needed, it appears OwlWare.bin is now already built as part of the default make target.

#8

Also successfully uploaded the firmware now, using “make dfu”.

dfu-util reports “Error during download get_status” but doesn’t exit with an error status, so I assume that’s fine.

The OwlWare README doesn’t explain how to put the device in DFU mode, might be good to mention there – especially since it just boils down to “hold down the LED pushbutton while you plug in”.

(Or include a link to the full explanation here: http://hoxtonowl.com/wiki/Update_Bootloader#Enter_DFU_Mode )

#9

Blondinou: it is a tricky question, we thought about ways to detect the presence of the Expression pedal, but actually it is not straightforward… But maybe we’ll find!

Martin: thanks, we’ll edit accordingly.

#10

The expression pedal tip and ring inputs are both normalled to ground when nothing is connected. The plan was to configure the tip as an input with a pull-up resistor, so that if no pedal is connected it will be pulled to ground, and we’ll read a 0 at the pin.

However with the pedals I tested with, this doesn’t work - the pull-up is not strong enough to counteract the low resistance (~10kOhm) of the pot inside the EP, so even when plugged in we still get a logical 0 at the tip.
However, it has just occurred to me now, it might be possible to use a hardware interrupt to detect when something is plugged in or out: there should be a floating pin which the internal pull-up can pull up for at least an instant as the plug is inserted. Not entirely sure if that helps us much since we still won’t know if the jack has been plugged in or out, or what it is that has been dis/connected. But it’s a start.

An easier way would be to monitor the parameter to see if it ever goes over 0. If it does, something is connected. However we would still need the interrupt to know if it gets disconnected.

#11

Hey I just got my Owl pedal today and so far I really like it. I realise that it’s still fairly new and you guys are working on it. That makes me excited to see future updates and releases. Some of the patches are a bit crappy in my opinion (maybe not someone else’s!) but others are great so I can see there’s lots of potential with this.

Is there any way in the world to make the expression input a tap input for a delay? If there’s any way to implement that, this pedal is perfect in my opinion.

Cheers!