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Teenage Engineering's PO-32 acoustic modem and synth implementation

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Re: Teenage Engineering's PO-32 acoustic modem and synth implementation

#21

Post by scarecrowbob »

somat wrote: post #19
scarecrowbob wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As I understand it, transferring data as audio goes back quite ways, right? I had a Commodore 64 that could use phillips tape. I'm drawing. blank, but IIRC there were musical instruments (maybe the roland juno 60?) in the 80s that were storing their data as audio, too.

Here, this is a lot of fun. http://www.whence.com/minimodem/

I mean, I'm thinking about upgrading from my tech license so I can start playing with digital modes on HF radio...

damn, this thread is making me feel old...

Re: Teenage Engineering's PO-32 acoustic modem and synth implementation

#22

Post by mobiledev2014 »

PunchyHamster wrote: post #13

Looking at this I can only think one thing: "Just put USB-C in, the connector is ten cents and it's far more convenient than hipster shit like this, you pretentious fucks"

This was released in 2017 for one thing. Considering that enough people are still interested in it a decade later they probably did something right.

Re: Teenage Engineering's PO-32 acoustic modem and synth implementation

#23

Post by reerdna »

chr15m wrote: post #18
socks wrote: post #7

Hey ericlewis - this is cool! Can I ask how you figured it out?! Doing this for my PO-33 was on my bucket list. I thought I might have to resort to voltage glitching to get a firmware dump, which is currently beyond my skills.

Me too, have been trying to crack this for so long!

I was able to get part way some years ago by demodulating the bitstream with gnuradio and then making small changes (like replacing one note with the next higher one) and noting the differences. So that is one possible, but probably too inefficient way.

I never got close to finishing or publishing anything. Awesome to see this released and I'll have to play with it!

Re: Teenage Engineering's PO-32 acoustic modem and synth implementation

#24

Post by Lio »

kmeisthax wrote: post #3

> The PO-32 is not receiving finished drum audio when you transfer a sound or a pattern. It receives structured data: Wait, isn't this what MIDI is for?

> Wait, isn't this what MIDI is for?

It is but I don’t think this Pocket Operator has MIDI without adding third party hardware.

Re: Teenage Engineering's PO-32 acoustic modem and synth implementation

#25

Post by Intermernet »

txbrown wrote: post #15
kmeisthax wrote: post #3

> The PO-32 is not receiving finished drum audio when you transfer a sound or a pattern. It receives structured data: Wait, isn't this what MIDI is for?

Would have been easier to say it receives patches - I think most people would get this.

The word "patch" has a naming conflict between the disciplines of synthesizers and software.

Re: Teenage Engineering's PO-32 acoustic modem and synth implementation

#26

Post by svantana »

socks wrote: post #7

Hey ericlewis - this is cool! Can I ask how you figured it out?! Doing this for my PO-33 was on my bucket list. I thought I might have to resort to voltage glitching to get a firmware dump, which is currently beyond my skills.

Unfortunately I think only a few of the PO's support this transfer method, and I don't think the 33 is one of them. They were never meant to be updated at all, as I understand it.

Re: Teenage Engineering's PO-32 acoustic modem and synth implementation

#27

Post by Cthulhu_ »

scarecrowbob wrote: post #11
chabes wrote: post #10

Digital modules from Mutable Instruments (and related clones + offshoots) use audio-based data transfer for firmware updates. Interesting way to give the consumer the ability to change the firmware without having to access the back of the module (there's a way to use a serial JTAG adapter as well). https://github.com/pichenettes/mutable-dev-environment?tab=r...

As I understand it, transferring data as audio goes back quite ways, right? I had a Commodore 64 that could use phillips tape. I'm drawing. blank, but IIRC there were musical instruments (maybe the roland juno 60?) in the 80s that were storing their data as audio, too.

Yus, apparently some software was broadcast on the radio, people could record it on tape and use it on their Commodore and such.

Re: Teenage Engineering's PO-32 acoustic modem and synth implementation

#28

Post by txbrown »

Intermernet wrote: post #25
txbrown wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Would have been easier to say it receives patches - I think most people would get this.

The word "patch" has a naming conflict between the disciplines of synthesizers and software.

what you mean? synthesisers are software... I think the context is clear here and we're talking about software made for music, so the usage of patch is accurate. If author wanted to use "patch" to mean patching a file they would likely be specific or context could be inferred.

"A patch is data for modifying an existing software resource such as a program or a file"

Which is what patching synths/drum machines (and files) does.

Re: Teenage Engineering's PO-32 acoustic modem and synth implementation

#29

Post by jvoorhis »

scarecrowbob wrote: post #11
chabes wrote: post #10

Digital modules from Mutable Instruments (and related clones + offshoots) use audio-based data transfer for firmware updates. Interesting way to give the consumer the ability to change the firmware without having to access the back of the module (there's a way to use a serial JTAG adapter as well). https://github.com/pichenettes/mutable-dev-environment?tab=r...

As I understand it, transferring data as audio goes back quite ways, right? I had a Commodore 64 that could use phillips tape. I'm drawing. blank, but IIRC there were musical instruments (maybe the roland juno 60?) in the 80s that were storing their data as audio, too.

Yeah, Juno-106 as well.

Re: Teenage Engineering's PO-32 acoustic modem and synth implementation

#30

Post by jasomill »

chabes wrote: post #10

Digital modules from Mutable Instruments (and related clones + offshoots) use audio-based data transfer for firmware updates. Interesting way to give the consumer the ability to change the firmware without having to access the back of the module (there's a way to use a serial JTAG adapter as well). https://github.com/pichenettes/mutable-dev-environment?tab=r...

On a similar if sillier note note, Korg made a Hatsune Miku guitar effect[1] that was programmable through audio sent from an iPhone app through the guitar pickup.

Annoyingly, the free app isn't available on the US App Store, so open source software would be useful (insofar as the ability to play back a predefined sequence of Vocaloid phonemes using an electric guitar is useful).

[1] https://www.korg.com/us/products/effects/mikustomp/

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