As promised, here is an update of our progress with the tuner module.

Two modules are being sent to alpha testers tomorrow, with the rest of the alpha group due to receive them as soon as we get more stock. Testing will be against 1.03 which is based on the currently shipping software. We are also testing a number of modules in Cambridge.

The dimensions of the module are 83x83x33mm. Someone asked if it will fit through the bottom hole in the car mount - the answer is yes, with about 1mm to spare.

I've linked to a couple of photos. These are real modules which I just photographed, but note that the silk screen print is mocked up.

Rob

The front face..

The rear face..

~~~ drool.

Thanks for the update Rob, much appreciated!!!!!!


|| loren.cox ||

Great to see some non-vapourware! Just a couple of questions though.

That doesn't look like a standard car aerial socket, more like a CB socket. what is it?

The Remote socket is for things like the Sony control stalk isn't it?

What's the ID select?

Murray 06000047
I don't think, therefore I am not.

A few of my last cars have had an arieal socket like that ( BMW Audi and my mums peugeot ) so it is that type i don't know what it is called. I have never seen a bannana type to that type converter before but i am sure you can do it.

As to the id select look in the technical forum about it as there is some more mentioned there about it. Basically if you have two cars the empeg will know what car it is in for different eq settings i think

As to the silk screen printing Why it is going to be lurking in everyones dash board no ones going to see it. I don't think it will increase brand awareness i certainly hope you aren't going to start sticking words all over the front of the players.

But thanks for the update i hope that it sails through the alpha team testing it looks like a very neat little unit just hope you have got extension cables as i had an alpine head unit with a box that big hanging off the back for no reason and god was that a pain in the tits it fit into some cars.

Are they going to be sent out by serial number for those who want it or is it going to be first come first served

That doesn't look like a standard car aerial socket, more like a CB socket. what is it?

It's one of two different types of standard sockets for car radio antennas. I've mostly seen that type of socket on european cars. You can get an adapter plug to change the socket type.

The Remote socket is for things like the Sony control stalk isn't it?

Yes, that is exactly what it is for. It was already announced at the Woodside meet.

What's the ID select?

So that you can have different tuner IDs in different cars in the same household, and switch your empeg between them, and it will have different "personality profiles" for each. Similar to how it has a "home" and "car" personality, it will also be able to discern which car it's plugged into and remember its settings (EQ, loudness, fader, etc.) accordingly.

___________
Tony Fabris

The aerial socket is a European type (these are replacing the older style in most countries worldwide). The tuner will ship with an adapter, so it doesn't matter which connector you have in your car.

Rob

I'll 2nd the drooling

*dances in his chair*

12gig red mk2 -- 080000125

Sorry if this is redundant...
How much?
Can we Pre-Order?
What is the distribution order for who gets them first?
Sorry for all the questions but I really want one!!

12Gb MKII 080000516 Blue

I hope they go in order by serial number :-)

#78

Rob

If you need an alpha tester for Australian conditions I would be more than happy to test out the module here in Australia.


Jamie

MKII 12GB Blue 080000438

For some reason I can't see the links to the photos in your post...?

can you post the urls again...?

Cheers

Kim

Update: thanks... not sure if you changed anything but I can see them now... :)

Edited by kimbotha on 09/05/01 08:03 AM.

Ditto for New Zealand conditions
[which are not necessarily the same as Australian conditions]

Hey I'll even pay for the cost of the unit+shipping to be on the alpha testing team!

One thing comes to my mind about the sony stalk connector - how can you select if you have the stalk-stick left or right handed?

TeeMcBee
Got my Mk2! # 080000143

if you read this post
you will see that Sony Stalk support is coming, but not in 1.03 and probably not in 1.1 either (unless someone indicates otherwise).

But yes, thats one of the issues I guess the EMPEG folks have thought of. Sony users of the RMX4S have a couple of buttons they can press and hold - for about 2-3 seconds to indicate to the (Sony) head unit which way the stalk is mounted - hopefully the EMPEG Tuner module will also honour this or something like it so that the orientation can be configured easily without any requirement to edit configuration files.

Alternatively a couple of new menu entries may be added to the main EMPEG menus that allow the orientation to be set that way.

Greg

Alternatively a couple of new menu entries may be added to the main EMPEG menus that allow the orientation to be set that way.

I imagine this will be the method as per the car phone mute function.

Murray 06000047
I don't think, therefore I am not.

Doesn't anybody read anything here!! > How much? Someone has already answered in THIS THREAD that Rob has said they will cost $99 or there abouts > Can we Pre-Order? If you aren't getting one because you took part in the special offer for people who bought the MK1, then you won't be able to order one until they appear in the online store, and the European online store *might* be up and running by the end of the month. > What is the distribution order for who gets them first? I would assume that they will be sent out in the order that the Mk2s were ordered by the Mk1 owners (appart from those sent to Alpha testers, some of whom have them already). Would only be fair. When they appear in the online store it will then be on a first in, first served basis as usual no doubt.

(list 6284, Mk1 S/N 00299 4GB blue [for sale]. Mk2 S/N 080000094 6GB blue)

Thanks, but I believe the alpha team already stretches to Australia. We put some thought into inviting participants from a range of countries and backgrounds, to test all aspects of our hardware, software and UI.

As we have a convenient sized team I guess it's going to be one of those exclusive little clubs where you only get to join if someone leaves first. That's why we can't publish the names of everyone on the team - their lives could be in danger!

Rob

Well done that boy, you have paid attention. You can have seconds of spotted dick at lunch.

Rob

I think it's likely that stalk support will be included with 1.1 - but it may not be fully remappable at that point (at least, not in a pretty way). Left or Right handedness would seem an ideal candidate for the player settings dialogue in emplode.

Rob

I was curious, are the alpha testers just for reporting bugs, or can they influence cosmetic changes too?

The alpha team, like the population of this BBS, isn't shy about commenting on any subject. Whether it be bug reporting, wish-list items, etc., the alpha team says what's on their mind.

The thing to understand is that the developers listen to all suggestions, whether they come from the alpha team or from the "wish list" forum on this BBS. They make their own decisions, and the alpha team members don't have any more influence on those decisions than anyone else does.

I was also wondering if they were all tech people. I think it might be nice if you had some non-technically oriented minds on the team it would be nice.

Yes, there are some non-tech people on the team, chosen partially for that reason.

___________
Tony Fabris

You can have seconds of spotted dick at lunch.

You foreigners have some weird sayings. ;)

(O|||||O)

That's why we can't publish the names of everyone on the team - their lives could be in danger!

(Cue James Bond music)

No one knows about the secret defensive features built into the Alpha team's empegs. You thought the stun/kill button on the prototype remote was a joke?

___________
Tony Fabris

(Cue James Bond music)

No one knows about the secret defensive features built into the Alpha team's empegs. You thought the stun/kill button on the prototype remote was a joke?

On the same subject, I'm getting quite scared of the post on another thread which starts "I want to coat a substrate with a few 100nm of durable materials with considered indices of refraction". Does this sound like Dr Evil to anyone else? Is he going to launch these substrates into space and use them to focus giant lasers onto world governments, unless he receives one meeelion dollars? Or perhaps onto us, unless he receives a tuner?

Peter

I wouldn't worry. If that happens, we just have all the empeg owners remove their faceplates and aim their empegs at the sky. The combined RF emissions will fry the electronics of his Death Satellite and knock it out of orbit.

___________
Tony Fabris

We're not foreign, we're British...

(queue rousing, patriotic music)

__
Unit serial number 47 (was 330 in the queue)...

"You're French?! Then what are you doing in England?"

32GB (JUST UPGRADED!) Mk. II BLUE
Detroit, MI USA
www.PfeifferBeer.com

"Mind yer own beezneees!"

___________
Tony Fabris

Yes, there are some non-tech people on the team, chosen partially for that reason.

..and also for their winning smiles.

Will 1.03 be released for the MKI as well, and if so, will it have any new radio features???

TommyE

(queue rousing, patriotic music)

Rule, Britannia! no doubt (I don't know why, but it always reminds me of David Niven and gorilla suits). But the dick was without a doubt a long distance one, no?

Cheers!

Dragi "Bonzi" Raos
Zagreb, Croatia
Q#5196, MkII#80000376, 18GB green

I meant "cue" obviously...

(but then they do say us Brits are good a queuing, which probably explains how the original empeg ordering system came about)

__
Unit serial number 47 (was 330 in the queue)...

Cheers Rob

It was worth a go I would do anything to get me one of those tuners.


J

MKII 12GB Blue 080000438

I guess 1.03 will be released for the Mk.1, as our builder automatically builds for both revisions. I doubt it will have any new tuner features - the idea with 1.03 is to get basic tuner functionality in NOW, with new features appearing in 1.1.

Rob

Ermm... I tend to prefer my deserts over a small distance.

Rob

"Doesn't anybody read anything here!! "
Yes we do... however there Dirk ol' buddy, not all of us have time to search through tons of old posts for a couple of quick answers.

Rob... What the hell does "You can have seconds of spotted dick at lunch. " Mean??? If it really refers to food (I hope) you guys are just plain whacked. Here in the states (Tea party thing) that sounds like an advance no real man would ever want to hear.
Very odd indeed.



12Gb MKII 080000516 Blue

Ermm... I tend to prefer my deserts over a small distance.

Errr, forget it, the wrong dick...

Dragi "Bonzi" Raos
Zagreb, Croatia
Q#5196, MkII#80000376, 18GB green

I think this should remain one of those mysterious British things. I'd hate to spoil the gruesome mental images you have with the equally gruesome reality of spotted dick. Suffice to say, it becomes a more enticing proposition if you cover it with custard.

Rob

What the hell does "You can have seconds of spotted dick at lunch. " Mean???

See here.

Roger - not necessarily speaking for empeg

I actually appreciated Robs offer, and was quite looking forward to a second helping of spotted dick . Unfortunately the cook in the cafeteria here (in Germany) had absolutely no idea what it was so I won't even get a first helping (can't be bothered finding a recipe and trying to teach him how to make it either. It is one of those things you should just know! ).

Oh and flashman "ol' buddy", my name is Derek, not Dirk (I'm not German, even though I live in Germany), and if you don't want to seach through tons (or even tonnes) of old posts for a couple of quick answers, try the Search option. It does work! Tony can tell you how it works if you can't figure it out (and if he doesn't have a FAQ on it already ). Sorry to be a bit picky, but it is just a little annoying when the same questions get asked again and again, and especially when it occurs numerous times in the same thread!

Derek

(list 6284, Mk1 S/N 00299 4GB blue [for sale]. Mk2 S/N 080000094 6GB blue)

Errr, forget it, the wrong dick...

Don't worry, Bonzi, some of us were listening very carefully even though you said it only once (and shame on you Rob for getting hold of the wrong end of the dick, after we were discussing that very programme at the curry shop).

Peter

dick

Um, no kids read this BBS, right?

Peter

That hits like a dick on a drum...
( dutch saying meaning : that doesn't make sense )

Frank van Gestel

i love this forum we start off with a picture of the tuner module and end up with links to pudding recipes

now GO AWAY, or i shall taunt you a secont time...

12 gig, green...

Shape into a cylinder :)

Okay, I already knew what spotted dick was, but that recipe seems almost pornographic now! ;)

DiGNAN
Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da, etc.

the search function can be a pain in the arse sometimes... do a search on "tuner" and you'll get about 800 results..

32GB (JUST UPGRADED!) Mk. II BLUE
Detroit, MI USA
www.PfeifferBeer.com

I don't mean to get off topic, and I'm not sure if this has been released in any of the "1.1 version feature leaks", but is the Tuner (software, not hardware) going to be improved with the 1.1 release?

I remember that my MK1 tuner wasn't really all that awe-inspiring. I'd go so far as to say the display was actually very, very, VERY dull (contrary to the WOW factor of everything else the empeg does). Is the ability to use visuals when listening to the radio a technical possibility now? (I remember with MK1 it wasn't, but that might have changed with MK2).

Again, sorry if this duplicates previous posts... If it does, I'm sure Tony will point me there in the next few minutes.. ;)

(O|||||O)

1.1 will include some new tuner functionality and it is now possible to have visuals for the tuner and aux input. That hasn't been implemented yet, and all I can really say it to wait and see if it makes that release - I don't know yet!

Rob

ClemsonJeep: I took your 1024x768 picture of your Jeep and resized it so it would work with the BBS's 65x75 format! Now everyone's page will load quicker and your Jeep wont look "squished"! I did it in PNG and JPEG formats... Hope you don't mind, I was just bored..

32GB (JUST UPGRADED!) Mk. II BLUE
Detroit, MI USA
www.PfeifferBeer.com

I thought most browsers would support PNG by now... guess not. Here is the JPEG.

32GB (JUST UPGRADED!) Mk. II BLUE
Detroit, MI USA
www.PfeifferBeer.com

can't see that one at all! It's so tiny!!

as the actress said to the bishop

Murray 06000047
I don't think, therefore I am not.

Is it really too small? It is hard because the BBS only allows images 65 pixels wide and 75 pixels tall (good for portraits) but cars are usually shot horizontally...

32GB (JUST UPGRADED!) Mk. II BLUE
Detroit, MI USA
www.PfeifferBeer.com

1.1 will include some new tuner functionality and it is now possible to have visuals for the tuner and aux input. That hasn't been implemented yet, and all I can really say it to wait and see if it makes that release - I don't know yet!

That's good news that the hardware allows you to sample from the radio and get the information needed for visuals....

But you didn't mention if the tuner is going to look any "prettier" than the boring (my opinion of course...) MK1 tuner screen.

(O|||||O)

Where do you even see that picture? I mean I know I put it in my profile, but I have yet to see where you actually SEE the picture in any of the forum pages...

Otherwise I would have probably resized it myself by now. :)

(O|||||O)

The picture only appears if you've enabled that feature in your BBS profile. I also have the pictures turned off, so I never noticed it either.

___________
Tony Fabris

If you want pretty you will be able to switch to a visual. I'm not sure what else we can do with the main tuner screen, it shows the info you need to see!

Actually, I just realised that if you don't have RDS the screen must look quite empty. RDS add's a scrolling show information line, station name, RDS indicator and probably other stuff as well.

Rob

All I could think of for that would be to either just show the station number in large text, or have the option of naming presets in emplode. Can you do either on the Mark 1 tuner?

Otherwise, I can't imagine there being much to show without RDS

DiGNAN
Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da, etc.

Yes the Mk1 tuner does allow you to set the station name. It will even get it for you automatically if the station transmits RDS text. You can of course give the station preset a different name to the one transmitted (well I'm pretty sure you can - it's a while since I used my Mk1). The station frequency is displayed, as is the preset number, any live RDS text being transmitted my the station, and of course the station name. I thought the radio display on the Mk1 was pretty good actually!

(list 6284, Mk1 S/N 00299 4GB blue [for sale]. Mk2 S/N 080000094 6GB blue)

For anyone in the DC area (ClemsonJeep, etc): any stations in our area with RDS? I imagine if any had it it would be DC101, they're always touting "the strongest signal on the east coast [maybe metro area]", and they did have web broadcast for a while, so I bet they;d be on top of stuff like this.

My next bet would be 106.7. Man, wouldn't it be cool to listen in to Redskins games on WJFK and have the score updated on the botom of the screen? Man...

I can't wait for the tuner!!

DiGNAN
Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da, etc.

Actually, I just realised that if you don't have RDS the screen must look quite empty. RDS add's a scrolling show information line, station name, RDS indicator and probably other stuff as well.

Yeah, that's basically what I was referring to. None of the channels in my area (when I had my MK1) had RDS, so from what I remember it was a pretty empty display in radio mode.

I guess there really *ISN'T* much to display if there is no RDS info, I guess my complaint was that the space that was used just looked very barren.

Maybe should be moved to Wish Lists, but my perfect radio display would have the channel freq, the channel name (either RDS or entered manually), the current time (clock) and the antenna strength. It would be nice to have this in a type of "skin" format I guess, so that it wasn't just text in different locations. Maybe have borders or some such around the different bits of information.

It's hard to explain what I have in mind... if someone has a screen cap of the MK1 tuner and could post it, I could mod it up to give you guys a better idea of what I'm visualizing. :)

(O|||||O)

Did you ever have your Mk1 whlie you were in the DC area? This does not bode well

Oh well, radio will still be nice, even if I never listen to it

DiGNAN
Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da, etc.

Hey, why'd you take off your jeep pic. I thought it was cool, even though it was squished. I keep the "show pics" or whatever it is on cause I like seeing what people use and I never really look at profiles. I like mine Gold star to the first person who can tell me what it is (Tony).

DiGNAN
Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da, etc.

Gold star to the first person who can tell me what it is (Tony).

Tough call at that size. Is it preproduction concept art of the dream sequences from Brazil?

"My complication had a complication."

___________
Tony Fabris

I still don't see where you see a "Show Pics" settings in the edit profile screen. I've looked through all 3 edit profile screens and don't see it. Am I blind? :)

(O|||||O)

Did you ever have your Mk1 whlie you were in the DC area?

Nope. I was one of thse first to upgrade to an Mk2 (I was queue number 596). This was back when I lived in SC, and we all know that SC is on the cutting edge of technology, so of course RDS would be everywhere down there.....[/sarcasm]

(O|||||O)

Nevermind, I saw the other thread about this... Neato.

(O|||||O)

ClemsonJeep, didn't know you were in the DC area! DC101 does broadcast it's call letters on RDS, though it's rare to get it. Actually, the best in the area for seeing RDS is NPR, believe it or not. They usually have an add for their web site, or some such, but they do broadcast the time, which means you can actually get the time set properly on a Mk. 1. I don't remember if there are any other RDS stations in the area, what with the rather weak tuner of the Mk.1
Can't wait to see the wife's Mk. 2 tuner.
Any chance you want to get together to compare installs, etc., sometime?

We had discussed having our own little DC/Metro area meet. We really should do that sometime. I'm back at home (from college) now and in the nortern Virginia area, so it's easily doable for me.

ClemsonJeep and I had even discussed having it at Great Falls park and he could go do some kayaking!

Anytime you guys are game, let me know!

DiGNAN
Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da, etc.

Cool! I'm an Old Hand now! I thought that was something around 1000. Very neat.

DiGNAN
Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da, etc.

In reply to:

---

Cool! I'm an Old Hand now!

---

Congratulations. Now what, pray tell, is that strange piccy you've got up there?

--
18GB red s/n 080000299, original pos'n 8724. Reproduction of this post is not permitted.

Aww, nobody knows what it is? You all must have your resolutions set pretty high (I'm on my dad's pc at 800x600 so it's pretty easy to see).

Anyway, since nobody's getting a gold star, the pic is a painting by Rimmer..."Day of the Fall" or something, can't quite remember the title at the moment. Anyway, it's the image that Led Zeppelin used as the symbol of their label, Swan Song. So it's on all the CD's from Physical Graffiti onward. I'm not sure how it's represented on the original LP's, though.

And now this thread has gone suitably off-topic. Sorry about that...

DiGNAN
Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da, etc.

Sure, I'd be glad to get together sometime. Things are pretty hectic around here currently, what with me looking for a job and whatnot. (damned dot bombs).

What part of VA do you live in? I'm in Ashburn (near Sterling).

(O|||||O)

You live in Sterling? I forgot that. hmm, you know, I'm out there alot now (it's amazing how a girl can get you to drive out 30 minutes, if no traffic), so it may be pretty easy to do something. Let me know if you guys figure something out

DiGNAN
Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da, etc.

30 minutes??!!!! Is that all?

Blimey, I used to ride from London to Brighton about 4 times a week to see Merry; about 70 miles each way. On a motorbike in bad weather, that's not a lot of Jolly , but being seeing Merry was!

One of the few remaining Mk1 owners... #00015

haha, well i did say if there wasn't traffic. this, for anyone in the area reading this, is the entire Georgetwon Pike and part of Route 7 at rush hour. that's definitely not 30 minutes. it's not as bad as yours though!

hehe, wow this has gotten off-topic

DiGNAN
Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da, etc.

I'm in Merrifield, right near Dunn Loring metro. Perhaps we could meet at either Fair Oaks or the Reston town center. Or another suggestion might work.
I'm available the 26th of May, or the 2nd of June, both Saturdays.
Perhaps it's time for another thread on this subject?

Pushing ever further away from the subject. Wouldn't it be nice if the BBS could also support 128x32. It looks like the area could fit it and then we could put up logos. I'm think our empegs look better than most of us. Maybe we could support up to 128x75 and then everyone could choose for themselves...

-jim 080000260 w/18G in a Carrera