Tue Sep 15, 2020 11:34 pm
Just a few notes on the activities at VPO Organtechnology LLC these days. Things are definitely moving slower in the age of COVID-19 but they are moving forward.
The Windows 10 Enterprise IoT LTSB 2019 operating system optimized for Hauptwerk-sound-engine-not-connected-to-the internet is just about ready. (Yes Virginia, you can connect it if you want to.)The sound engine will boot to Hauptwerk and your first favorite organ in under a minute and if you are using SSD drives even faster. It allows one button turn on and turn off or use the button for turn on and Hauptwerk for shutting the computer down. Using this version of Windows 10 Enterprise means that the feature set of Windows 10 Enterprise Ver. 1809 will not change over the 10 year life of the operating system. There are updates for security and bug fixes which Microsoft deems necessary but we are promised that the feature set will not be updated, if you don't want it to be. The catch is that in 2029 it will be necessary to reinstall a new version of the OS which is not trivial because there is no upgrade path.
Another change we are making to speed up the process of building Virtual Pipe Organs is the use of the Fatar "Tracker Touch", velocity sensitive (and yes the encoder is velocity sensitive also), 61 key keybed as the standard. Whether we are building a modular console from scratch or converting an Allen or Rodgers console to a MIDI controller. It turns out that we were spending so much time on the conversion of the older keyboards that it is actually less expensive to use the Fatars. So except for the present Rodgers in process or any other special requests, we will spend our time on getting you an organ quicker.
Another major change in philosophy will be the use of Audinate's Dante Audio-over-Ethernet technology to be able to offer digital multichannel audio systems running 64-channels over one CAT6e cable to the location of the amplifier/speaker combinations up to 100 meters away (minimum). Dante also requires no drivers as it uses a proprietary Virtual Sound Card and routing mapper to send whatever audio you need wherever you want it to go. All done over an Ethernet LAN connection.
And there's lots more to come.
Thomas
Complete Hauptwerk™ systems using real wood consoles, PC Sound Engines, Dante Audio for Home or Church. info (at) organtechnology.com http://www.organtechnology.comAuthorized Hauptwerk; Milan Digital Audio and Lavender Audio reseller.
USA and Canada shipments only.