Jump to content
Please note: You can easily log in to MPN using your Facebook account!

new hardware vst player


c4

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 11
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Seems that one of the biggest issues would be how do you install VSTis that are copy protected? They make vague references to the issue that developers have expressed interest in supporting the platform, but I don't think many of the commercial VSTis would work on it.

 

Busch.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

no idea..I assume they have already thought of that and have some sort of "crossgrade" as they call it.. This looks like bad news for the plugzilla which is the same thing but 3 times as expensive..

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Receptor's hard-drive is 40 GB and it comes with 256MB of PC2700 RAM (upgradeable to 2 GB max). It uses a native Linux-based operating system. There's no mention of what processor is used or the clock speed.

 

From what I've heard, most VST plug-ins will work with it, although there appear to be issues with some. If I understand correctly, you install new plug-ins by attaching a normal PC to the Receptor via Ethernet cable. Also, there are 5 USB 2.0 ports on the device so together these things should hopefully handle many copy-protection issues.

 

Muse is setting up a website called plugorama.com which will be a one-stop shopping place for picking up plug-ins that work with the Receptor.

 

Ben

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Where are the specs? Why don't they put up the specs of it? Come on, we need to know the speed of the hard-drive, the chipset, the processor, etc.

 

From their web page:

"So, why shouldn't I just get a laptop?

Laptops are great."

 

Indeed.

 

"They're also expensive,"

 

Add a screen to this and it is a lot more expensive than a laptop.

 

"fragile,"

 

My laptop is far less fragile than the guitar of the guitarists in my bands. It also has metal all around.

 

"and designed to do word processing and spreadsheets, not music."

 

Crap. A laptop is not designed to do word-processing. It is designed to do anything that the software dictates. If the software does music, it does music. Please, get some lessons in computer sciences.

 

"As a result, you end up with all sorts of doodads hanging off the various ports, so they are prone to being disconnected during performances."

 

???? blah, blah, blah

 

"Also, the first time you drop your laptop, you will wish you had bought something more roadworthy."

 

Like the hard-drive in that thing can't crash.

Laptops are made to be roadworthy, they are made to be traveled with (well, some of them).

 

With a laptop you can choose your sound-card and the vst-host. You also have a big screen to see what's going on. Etc. Etc.

 

So I think we can savely conclude I don't like it. :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

And there is more! LOL

 

" if your clumsy drummer kicks out the power cable, Receptor restarts to where you were in seconds, making it perfect for live performance. Try that with a Mac or PC."

 

A laptop just switches to its battery when the cable is unplugged. It doesn't need to be restarted; it just goes on and on.

 

"Computers can be very complex, and they are designed to do a variety of things. This makes them somewhat unstable, especially when running a wide variety of programs."

 

Like you are obliged to run a wide variety of programs while on stage.

 

"Receptor™ is designed to do one thing and do it well, which makes it more stable and reliable than a computer configured to do a similar thing."

 

Which is a matter of tuning your pc. Some laptops can be bought tuned for music already, if you can't do it yourself.

 

" Finally, we have developed a dedicated front panel interface that makes it easy to use your VST software without having to be a computer genius."

 

VST developers create graphical interfaces just so you don't need to be a computer genius. If you strip them and just give the plain parameters without graphics, you'll might need to be a genius to understand it all.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Originally posted by dabowsa:

Its almost like they're trying to pretend they're a hardware synth instead of just a regular in a rack case that only does one thing. I guarantee they have a sound card and a hard drive with WindowsXP on it.

Yes, it does have a hard drive (40 GB) and they are using a Linux-based operating system.

 

I've decided to be an early adopter of the Receptor. I've ordered one, and I should be getting it in the next 10 days. I'll be happy to give my honest assessment of how it works as soon as possible.

 

For some of the best details, it's useful to look at the Receptor Manual . However, I have to say that Muse is giving the Receptor the "black box" treatment, in that some details (such as processor type) are not to be found in any of the current materials that are on their website.

 

Still, I really think it's fair to reserve judgment, good or bad, until we get one in our hands!

 

Ben

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I didn't know you could run VST's on a Linux machine - I'd have build a Linux laptop long ago.

 

I agree this machine has a place in the live music world, I just don't think they should pretend to be different than a laptop. I think fisheye pokes some valid holes in their responses.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
Very interested, but I could never buy one of these with only the vague half-assurance of future crossgrades and the suggestion that my current collection of comercial VSTis might or might not not work on it. Come on! I suppose I'd wait for the early word from users and then make a judgment call.
Check out the Sweet Clementines CD at bandcamp
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Originally posted by c4:

Ben

 

Have you had time to play with the receptor yet? how is it??

My unit is expected to arrive on Tuesday, and I'm planning to take the day off on Friday to install it and play with it.

 

As you will see on the Receptor forum , the launch of the product has not been smooth.

 

Prospective owners are complaining about the specs and copy protection, and the Plugorama website for installing new plug-ins is still not up, even though an August 23 launch date was initially promised.

 

I've gone through many ambivalent feelings about having ordered it. Just last week, I realized that I may have to pay a "crossgrade" fee even for the plug-ins that I own, in order to use them on the Receptor. On top of that, VST plugins with certain copy-protection features or file structures may not even work unless the plugin developer decides to support Receptor. I was upset when I learned all this and you can see the company\'s announcement about the crossgrade situation and my complaint about it .

 

On the other hand, when I tried to price a rackmount PC that would have all the features that I'd want, I'd have to spend at least $1000 more than the Receptor costs.

 

So despite all this uncertainty about my existing plugins and how the Receptor will work in general, I'm planning to give it a try. I definitely look forward to sharing my experiences with others on this forum at my earliest opportunity. Thanks for asking!

 

Ben

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...