Fairlight-CMI

Thanks for your comments Peter.

I should point out that I have no connection with Fairlight (the company)
these days, but I will pass on your comments to them.  I think supporting
things like 8 inch floppies is not as easy as keeping motorbike parts, but
perhaps if I do continue to develop a Series IV I could look into how the
old CMIs could be maintained better too.

Certainly the ability to transfer old sounds and sequances to the new
platform would be a noce option.

As the Series IV will have only one proprietary card, the support problem
is dramatically reduced compared to the many cards involved in the old
series. Also the cost is a dramatically less.


Best regards,

Peter

________________________________

	From: Fairlight-CMI@yahoogroups.com
[mailto:Fairlight-CMI@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Peter Kersten
	Sent: Thursday, 13 November 2008 10:24 PM
	To: Fairlight-CMI@yahoogroups.com
	Subject: [Fairlight-CMI] Re: Fairlight CMI series IV?



	Hi Peter,

	Interesting to say at least.

	However: as a IIx user, first thing that comes to my mind is lack of
	good service and upgrades.

	In 1979 I bought a brandnew Motorbike, limited edition even. And even
	today ALL parts can be obtained.

	How different is the story for my IIx, and all the other CMI systems,
	which cost 20 times the amount I paid for the bike.

	Look at the trouble it takes to even get a floppydrive replacement or
	a HD.

	From this point of view, I wonder what would happen if the card from
	the IV system dies on me in the future????

	My advice: Improve support.

	Kind regards,

	Peter Kersten.

	You should be proud of what you created Peter. A CMI system is
	something very special and it should not die a slowly death. Keep in
	mind that many musicians get very attached to their instrument. It
	sorta becomes part of them. Bob Moog understood this very well. Hope
	you do so to.

	--- In Fairlight-CMI@yahoogroups.com
<mailto:Fairlight-CMI%40yahoogroups.com> , <peter.vogel@...> wrote:
	>
	>
	> There have been discussions from time to time about replicating the CMI
	> using a software emulation. These efforts will have limited success
	because
	> the "Fairlight sound" relies on the peculiarities of the hardware
	used in
	> the original design.
	>
	> In the days when I was the designing CMI hardware, my greatest
	challenge was
	> to minimise the distortions and artifacts that were inherent aspects
	of the
	> hardware available at that time. In effect, we struggled to make the
	> Fairlight sound less "Fairlight". So the intimate details of what
	makes a
	> Fairlight sound like a Fairlight are indelibly etched in my brain.
	>
	> When Fairlight brought out the Crystal Core Engine last year, my
	imagination
	> ran wild. Here was a tiny board with enormous capabilities that could be
	> configured to faithfully reproduce the CMI hardware in its FPGA (Field
	> Programmable Gate Array). Every bit of the 1980's CMI hardware, the
	essence
	> of its sound, could be reconstructed faithfully in digital hardware
	form.
	>
	> To fully appreciate the astounding potential of the CC-1, download the
	> brochure here:
	>
	http://www.fairlightau.com/downloads/public/Fairlight%20NEW%20CC-1%20Brochur
<http://www.fairlightau.com/downloads/public/Fairlight%20NEW%20CC-1%20Brochur>
	> e%20for%20WEB%20VIEW.pdf
	>
	> I also recently discovered that ALL the IP relating to the original
	> Fairlight CMI including all of the hardware and filter designs, sample
	> libraries etc are still retained by Fairlight.au in Sydney.
	>
	> So I have been wondering if it would be worthwhile to develop a faithful
	> reproduction of the CMI on the "Virtual Hardware" of the CC-1?
	>
	> This would perform identically to the original CMI series II or III,
	but run
	> on a PC fitted with the Crystal Core card. The MIDI input would come
	> directly into the CC-1 so there would be no problem of latency
	introduced by
	> the PC.
	>
	> At this stage I'd like to "feel out" the market to assess the level of
	> interest in this project and whether the significant investment in
	R&D will
	> be worthwhile.
	>
	> The Fairlight Series IV (CC-1, I/O box and software) might be sold for
	> approximately $US5,000.00.
	>
	> So my question is, what do you think of this idea? How would a
	Fairlight CMI
	> at this sort of price be received by the market? Who would the
	buyers be and
	> how would I tap into them?
	>
	> What do you think?
	>
	> Peter Vogel
	>