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For really accurate GPS that isn't in the PPS series (Miltiary) the best you can come up with as a consumer would be something like GNSS paired with RTK (Real Time Kinematics). There is a product called Piksi that was kickstarted and it costs around $999 and will net you 1CM accuracy. The way it works is having a base station with a precisely known location, a mobile unit with GNSS and a radio link between the two to compare latency some other black magic. In a month or so I am gearing up and looking at some lower cost options such as using the pretty good UBLOX receiver a lot of multicopter flyers use and building the required radio link hardware. I need inch precision and have thought about looking into WAAS which is provided by the FAA. I need to keep costs down for a prototype but I have a client that occasionally gives me bizarre build requests and I really like this project. Edit: WAAS is not the answer I need  Might have to shell out for the Piksi kit.Humphreys has a new favorite as of 09:20 on May 16, 2015 |
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May 16, 2015 09:06
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azflyboy posted:Modern GPS receivers do have some limits in them to prevent military use, since GPS receivers capable of operating above 60,000ft in altitude or is moving more than 1000 knots require special export authorization to keep them from being used in things like missiles. And, not Or. The restrictions are for devices moving too fast while too high, it's totally fine for a civilian GPS receiver to work above 60,000 ft or while moving faster than 1000 knots, just not when both conditions are true. Of course, a lot of commercial receivers do cut out when either condition is true, which is a real pain if you're doing something like amateur rocketry where you want an accurate fix on the apex of your flight (where you're above 60,000 ft but moving rather slowly).
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May 16, 2015 09:39
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Delivery McGee posted:Edit: though I guess he may be explaining for the benefit of the Europeans among us, with their weird-rear end phone plugs. There's the jokes about the Polish, but there's always some truth in stereotypes: Just about every European country has its own phone plug, and these days they all convert to RJ11 inside said plug. The base lines are just a pair of copper wires anyway. Sidenote on DSL: VDSL2 user with 70Mbit/10Mbit line here, there's even a decent bit of stretch in the system thanks to things like vectoring.
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May 16, 2015 09:41
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1000 Brown M and Ms posted:I don't know if I'd call much audophile grade stuff 'popular', at least outside it's niche. When it comes to the guitar itself guitar players generally find the one they like and stick with it forever. Guitars themselves don't really need to change much. What's changing is all the stuff between the guitar and the listener. Part of it is skills; your skill with an instrument can get totally, completely hosed if you pick one up that's too different. The guitar player doesn't want to relearn how to play the drat thing all the time but still wants to make cool new sounds nobody has ever heard. Aside from that you can't really do much with the strings themselves at this point; they vibrate at certain frequencies. It's what you do after it leaves the guitar that really matters.
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May 16, 2015 10:04
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Yeah, I'll have to concede to you. The amp and any effects are far more important to your sound than the guitar itself and guitar players are far more willing to mess with those than their guitars. It's late, I'm not thinking properly. I even play guitar myself so I should know this
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May 16, 2015 10:52
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Humphreys posted:For really accurate GPS that isn't in the PPS series (Miltiary) the best you can come up with as a consumer would be something like GNSS paired with RTK (Real Time Kinematics). There is a product called Piksi that was kickstarted and it costs around $999 and will net you 1CM accuracy. gently caress yeah. I can finally get that GPS mouse.
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May 16, 2015 10:54
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GLONASS is a hugely more entertaining initialism than GPS. EDIT: SMERSH was way cooler of a name than CIA.
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May 16, 2015 11:01
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ToxicSlurpee posted:Guitars themselves don't really need to change much. I contend that the electric guitar definitely needs an update. For instance, the usual connection is an unbalanced mono jack-terminated cable, plugged into the cheapest and shittiest receptacles known to man, even on expensive instruments. This causes hum, bad connections and interference picked up both by the instrument itself and the generally long cable run to the amplifier. There's got to be a better way, everything else on stage is using balanced connections and is generally well-behaved, but guitars are special little snowflakes that are hell to deal with.
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May 16, 2015 17:01
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KozmoNaut posted:I contend that the electric guitar definitely needs an update. For instance, the usual connection is an unbalanced mono jack-terminated cable, plugged into the cheapest and shittiest receptacles known to man, even on expensive instruments. This causes hum, bad connections and interference picked up both by the instrument itself and the generally long cable run to the amplifier. Seriously, the quarter inch jack is standard for guitars. The quarter inch jack has been used since the 19th century. Yet still used for that purpose.
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May 16, 2015 17:27
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Couldn't you replace it with a DAC and then whatever your favorite digital connector is?
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May 16, 2015 17:27
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Boiled Water posted:Couldn't you replace it with a DAC and then whatever your favorite digital connector is? It would be an ADC, but yes, guitars with RJ45 jacks are a thing that exists.
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May 16, 2015 17:34
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I was thinking we could go to XLR plugs (or TRS jacks in a pinch) and do balanced connections. However, both ideas require the instrument to be powered, so you either have to run a power cable or change batteries all the time. Also, digital (or "modeling") guitars have been made, but they have never become popular. A lot of people think that audiophiles are the last die hard analog fanatics, but they're nothing compared to guitarists.
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May 16, 2015 17:37
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For sure. You can change so much of the electronics in a guitar to do pretty much whatever you want. There is no reason to use a 1/4" jack other than that's what the convention is. I said it earlier - most guitarists are actually incredibly conservative and resistant to change when it comes to the guitars themselves. You hear stories of famous guitar players using one or two guitars throughout their entire careers (Brian May of Queen is a good example). It's somewhat justifiable, considering that different guitars can be very different to play. Still, the electronics of a guitar have very little to do with the physical playing of one. KozmoNaut posted:I was thinking we could go to XLR plugs (or TRS jacks in a pinch) and do balanced connections. Depending on the power needed that might not be such an issue. Plenty of guitars have onboard preamps that require batteries and they're popular enough. KozmoNaut posted:Also, digital (or "modeling") guitars have been made, but they have never become popular. A lot of people think that audiophiles are the last die hard analog fanatics, but they're nothing compared to guitarists. Are those the guitars that had MIDI or some kind of synthesizer onboard? I've never played one, but my impression was that they weren't popular because a guitar (or any stringed instrument for that matter) is a really lovely way to control a synth. 1000 Brown M and Ms has a new favorite as of 17:48 on May 16, 2015 |
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May 16, 2015 17:42
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1000 Brown M and Ms posted:Are those the guitars that had MIDI or some kind of synthesizer onboard? I've never played one, but my impression was that they weren't popular because a guitar (or any stringed instrument for that matter) is a really lovely way to control a synth. I don't think the Variax line from Line 6 is midi, as such: http://line6.com/variax-modeling-guitars/variax-standard/ They're pretty neat. They have a bunch of different guitar sound profiles built in, and you can even change to alternate tunings with the flick of a switch. They used to do a bass as well, which spanned from double bass to various vintage and modern electric basses. Dunno why they dropped that again.
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May 16, 2015 18:01
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KozmoNaut posted:I was thinking we could go to XLR plugs (or TRS jacks in a pinch) and do balanced connections. Balanced sources don't necessarily require power. Dynamic microphones, for example.
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May 16, 2015 18:02
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KozmoNaut posted:I don't think the Variax line from Line 6 is midi, as such: Those look pretty interesting actually. I'd like to find out how they work, but I get the feeling all that is a trade secret. I'm a bit dubious about the alternate tunings, since I can imagine it would feel a bit weird to play a note but hear a different one. I guess I'll have to play one to see what it's like.
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May 16, 2015 18:13
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1000 Brown M and Ms posted:I'm a bit dubious about the alternate tunings, since I can imagine it would feel a bit weird to play a note but hear a different one. I guess I'll have to play one to see what it's like. No weirder than manually retuning your guitar to something like DADGAD instead of EADGBE, I assume.
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May 16, 2015 18:25
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I meant in the sense that the alternate tunings are done by the software (I assume). I presume the guitar doesn't actually change the string length/tensions like a mechanical tuner, so, for example, you'd play an E but a D comes out of your amp instead. I can imagine that being a little weird.
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May 16, 2015 18:33
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I have a Variax, it's pretty cool. Alternate tunings are only weird if you can hear the non-amplified guitar. As it's software pitch-shifting (on each string separately to allow for polyphonic uses) it will only be present through the amp. Besides modeling like 2 dozen different electric 6 and 12 string guitars, It also models acoustic guitars, a banjo, a sitar and a few resonators. Overall it's seriously impressive, as long as you approach it as emulating the "style" of a certain guitar, not an exact replica. E: I also have an Axe-FX, which pretty much shot guitar amp emulation to par with analog amps. It nails practically every amp model featured while providing some of the highest quality effects I've ever used. I don't think traditional tube amps will disappear, but more and more bands will rely on an Axe-FX or similar for touring purposes. The Gasmask has a new favorite as of 18:50 on May 16, 2015 |
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May 16, 2015 18:45
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Yeah, I'm sure it can do a reasonable copy of a '50s Telecaster, but it won't sound like a well-loved and much played actual vintage '50s Telecaster with the frets all worn down etc. That specific Telecaster is one of the best-sounding guitars I've heard in person. Looked like poo poo, but sounded like angels singing. It needed no pedals or special amp settings or anything, it just sounded smooth as gently caress on its own. I wonder if my dad's friend still has it.
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May 16, 2015 18:47
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The Gasmask posted:I have a Variax, it's pretty cool. Alternate tunings are only weird if you can hear the non-amplified guitar. As it's software pitch-shifting (on each string separately to allow for polyphonic uses) it will only be present through the amp. Good to know. I definitely need to try one out sometime. TBH I'm more of a bass player so it sucks they don't make the bass one anymore.
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May 16, 2015 18:56
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Guitars are fascinating for what goes in and out of style. Custom Headless 8-string multiscale guitars are selling like hotcakes with some luthiers having year-long wait lists (I lost my spot for a .strandberg* thanks to missing an email, over a year waiting down the drain), and these are features that were relegated to a few weirdos in their garages 15 years ago. While things like Steve Vai monkey grips and fat semi-hollow guitars peaked and are now shamed. I'm certain this extended range infatuation will die off soon though. I may be fully immersed in it, but they're tough to play, hard to mix in a band context, require tons of DIY knowledge (have fun finding a tech who can set up something like the Ibanez FX8 bridge), and only have good resale value if they fall under a small umbrella of ever shifting desirable brands - that Strictly7 you spent $2300 on when they were king poo poo might sell for $1400 if you can find someone who will ignore the horrible defects.
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May 16, 2015 19:03
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And yet a Gibson Les Paul or a Fender Stratocaster will literally never go out of style, ever.
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May 16, 2015 19:05
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Computer viking posted:It deserves more than a short phone post, but in short: It was written specifically for good multimedia and desktop performance, and it's a fairly clean and modern design that delivered nicely on that. The API is also a nice clean C++ affair that forces you to write the GUI in a different thread than the rest, which helps it feel responsive even under load. Also, the UI. God why has no one cloned the way it let you tab windows together? The only thing that has done so is Haiku (which admittedly improved it by adding automatic handling rather than forcing the user to manage it directly)
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May 16, 2015 19:13
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Yeah, guitar players are certainly an interesting breed. Look at the Stupid Music poo poo thread. I think a lot of the trends in guitars depend on what genre you're in. Pointy Flying-Vs and Explorers never went out of style in metal for example.
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May 16, 2015 19:14
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1000 Brown M and Ms posted:Stupid Music poo poo thread. NMD? IYG? E: VVVV Ah, I see. I usually don't venture into GBS 
KozmoNaut has a new favorite as of 20:18 on May 16, 2015 |
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May 16, 2015 20:12
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GBS http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3597233
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May 16, 2015 20:15
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I dunno man, this was posted on the first page. And I'm pretty sure we can all agree that it is one of the greatest things ever (also, surprisingly not a photoshop).
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May 16, 2015 20:23
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Well, I did say 'interesting', that doesn't always mean 'bad'. And that is one of the greatest things ever. Bass players are special.
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May 16, 2015 20:26
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KozmoNaut posted:I was thinking we could go to XLR plugs (or TRS jacks in a pinch) and do balanced connections.
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May 16, 2015 20:41
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Yeah, that would probably be the best way to do it. I can't imagine it would take much more power than that.
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May 16, 2015 20:46
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KozmoNaut posted:Yeah, that would probably be the best way to do it. I can't imagine it would take much more power than that. Shielded CAT6a*, Power over Ethernet. DAC in the amp sending IP packets of uncompressed audio. I can imagine multiple annoying failure modes.  *Redundant, I know.
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May 16, 2015 22:33
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KozmoNaut posted:And yet a Gibson Les Paul or a Fender Stratocaster will literally never go out of style, ever. If it ain't broke don't fix it. Those are good guitars with good sounds that are everywhere. Easy to repair, easy to find people that know how to work on them, and that. Plus you can get a pretty good Strat on the cheap very easily so I imagine a lot of guitar players learned on one. They're familiar, solid guitars that aren't riding on silly gimmicks or being The New Big Thing.
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May 17, 2015 00:42
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I would hesitate to call modern Gibson LP's good guitars that are worth their price tag. I know they're a classic and all, but maybe it's time Gibson actually got with the times on things like guitar necks.
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May 18, 2015 10:32
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Gibson is going through a bad time at the moment as a company. Poor quality and construction standards, excessive price tags for the quality they have, some poor acquisitions of other brands and even getting busted by the feds for using illegally imported wood. I think that the importance of the guitar itself in the overall sound has been underplayed a bit. Particularly when it comes to pickups and the quality of wood in construction. The reason that vintage tele sounds better than a Variax modelling the same thing is that the older wood in the Tele has dried out over the decades, causing it to resonate better in sympathy with the strings. Those resonances feed back into the strings, causing them to change their harmonics and sustain notes longer. Cheap or poor-quality wood will muffle the strings. Brian May's "Red Special" sounds so amazing because it was made out of wood from a 400-year old antique fireplace - that, and its very unusual electrics, are why no other guitar on Earth sounds like it. Not all guitarists are as conservative as some of you make out. I no longer gig with an amp at all, I run modelling software through a laptop because it is cheaper, lighter, more reliable and the sound guy can do much more with my sound than mic'ing up an amp, and a lot of other guitarists are doing the same thing. There will always be classic guitar designs but for those on a budget, you can save a huge amount if you innovate. My PRS cost half as much as a Les Paul and in my view it's a superior guitar, albeit it's not quite able to recreate a Les Paul's sustain due to it not having the dense (and possibly illegal) mahogany body.
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May 18, 2015 15:22
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Some of the recent advancements in guitar tech really should catch on, but they won't thanks to traditionalism. Multiscale guitars fix the tension problem when using lower tunings (instead of having to use heavier strings), asymmetrical neck profiles are profoundly comfortable and I've heard great things about the crazy Rick Toone trapezoidal neck, Lace pickups nearly completely remove line noise while sounding crystal clear, individual saddle bridges are easier to work with, Luminlay side dots (glow in the dark) should be on every guitar, Hipshot open gear locking tuners just look cool, and things like bamboo necks or composite bodies have a better environmental impact. I know I'm missing tons, and they'll all become failed...
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May 18, 2015 17:49
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The Squier Strat I bought when I graduated high school (mid 1980s) had a crap connector and pickup switch that crackled and popped like mad even when it was brand new. I just figured it was due to being an entry level product. I quickly grew accustomed to fiddling with it each time I get it out of the case and it just became part of its "personality" but I don't think I'd tolerate that in any other piece of electronics.
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May 18, 2015 19:37
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CED was a cool idea. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XoTc9l7ObHY
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May 19, 2015 04:56
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I actually have a collection of CED movies and a player and it is a giant pile of poo poo.
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May 19, 2015 05:49
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I really want one to stack on top of my laserdisc and betamax players just because I'm that guy, I guess. I missed a chance to get a CED player and a stack of movies off Craigslist a few years ago, and I still kind of regret it.
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May 19, 2015 05:59
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