Anyone Try MultiTrack on iPad?

[fgrittner]

I am also wondering about latency when using a USB audio device plugged into the iPad. Unlike a DAW, there won't be a way to adjust for latency. Would all class complaint devices have the same latency setting out of the box? I don't find myself having problems overdubbing with the iPhone, ProTrack, and MultiTrack, so perhaps my concerns are off base. Hopefully,those who have USB interfaces that work with the iPad can post their results.

Fred

[juicymichole]

Once my Apple USB-dock adapter comes in, I decided I'll just go to Guitar Center and try them out in the store if they'll let me. If not, I'll just do it in the parking lot and return it if it doesn't work.

If the latency is bad, a lot of those USB units have the hardware knob to adjust input vs monitoring.

As long as you aren't expecting to monitor with effects, those work really well with "zero" latency

[pwnified]

BTW, is there anything in OS 4 that will help or hinder your development of MultiTrack?

Fred

It's all good. The Shared directory should be great for transferring files to and from the desktop at high speed, but it'll need an app for the desktop which gives more control than just transferring files. The wifi server was better despite being slow, because you could do other things like renaming tracks, etc.
So maybe some protocol by dumping hidden text files into the shared directory as instructions to MultiTrack? We'll see.

[pwnified]

Do you know how much of the devices it will support?

In and Out?
More than 2 channels?
24 bit?

Trying to figure out which USB to get for experimentation.

Also, as far as 4.0 - something I kept thinking about while watching the Pandora demo was that something like Multitrack should be able to play it's audio in the background while the user opens something like thumbjam. Then, within thumbjam the user should be able to use the iPod transport to control multitrack. The saved audio from Thumbjam could then be copied back to multitrack.

If that is possible, or if multitrack had access to the thumbjam audio while playing, seems like it opens up a whole lot of possibilities. Alas, I'm probably dreaming

USB-Audio 1.0 at full speed is supported currently, which is 12 mbps bandwidth or about 1.5MB/sec. But I think 1.2MB a second is a more reasonable estimate. At 44100 hz, 16 bit we need 88.2KB/sec, so we get 13 tracks mono, of simultaneous throughput. Or 6 stereo which means 4 inputs and 2 outputs stereo, or even 2 inputs and 4 outputs (surround), but this is all speculation.

I'm not sure about the Multitasking yet. Not sure how much processor is available to background tasks so audio processing might not be available to a background task. But it will be great for coping from one app to another without closing/opening apps all day

[pwnified]

I am also wondering about latency when using a USB audio device plugged into the iPad. Unlike a DAW, there won't be a way to adjust for latency. Would all class complaint devices have the same latency setting out of the box? I don't find myself having problems overdubbing with the iPhone, ProTrack, and MultiTrack, so perhaps my concerns are off base. Hopefully,those who have USB interfaces that work with the iPad can post their results.

Fred

It's possible to adjust the latency by adjusting the buffer size, and then of course compensate in software. MultiTrack currently uses a buffer size of 512 for all devices, but faster devices really should be using a smaller size. Future versions of MultiTrack could expose this property in the settings.

[jorgren]

That's just shocking that they dropped support for line I/O on the iPad. Apple must hate their customers. But I guess they have a habit of regularly doing that sort of thing.

[fgrittner]

With the supposed leak of the next iPhone I am now wondering if the 30-pin connector on that phone will mimic the iPad and kill off the upcoming Blue Mikey 2.0 and the Alesis ProTrack? I would guess not; but If so, this would be just one more example of Apple's total control over the business and technology plans of third-party companies. I am sure Blue is bummed about the iPad.

[pwnified]

Yeah that surprised me too with the removal of the line in. I think that's why apple announced the USB thing right at the moment this was all starting to sink in... because seriously, without the line in and without USB audio, I personally would be complaining loudly

I think Blue makes some USB microphones already, so I wouldn't be surprised if they were the first to really grab this bull by the horns.

[fgrittner]

A bunch of companies already make USB converter plugs for microphones, complete with phantom power and monitoring. Blue makes one called the Icicle and costs around $40.

http://www.bluemic.com/icicle/

Specs:
Plug and Record - No Special Drivers Required
Built-in Studio Quality USB Microphone Preamp
Supplies 48V Phantom Power for Condenser Mics
Fully Balanced Low Noise Analog Front End
Analog Level Control
Phantom Power Active Light
Includes 6-ft USB Cable

[jorgren]

If Apple is yet again changing file transfer and file sharing, does this mean all the effort to get Audio Copy and Audio Paste implemented across apps is now wasted? Does it mean my iTouch will lose the WiFi transfer capabilities for any new or updated apps? Will I be starting all over again, trying to build a working studio in my iPod Touch? Will I now have to wait for all the app developers to shift once again to a new set of protocols, before they've even implemented the previous version?