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Alpha: Basestation or Basestation Pro?

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written by: mikemilton

grin

Thanks - That's the plan although it will be fall once the pests diminish.

m

written by: vanMeerdervoort

Wed, 16 May 2012 09:50:48 +0100 BST

Hi,

Since my Alpha has not yet been shipped i figured I would like to know a bit more about basestation options and perhaps change the order a bit.

The alpha -per default- ships with the 'normal' basestation, as the site states because shipping to the USA per default is not yet an option. Can an order (to the Netherlands) be 'upgraded' to ship with Basestation Pro instead of the regular Basestation with the price difference calculated in? Or would I end up with two basestations? I sort of suspect only one basestation would be sufficient ;)

Is using sustain (for piano sounds) possible without a Pro basestation in some way or another?

Cheers :)

Vincent


written by: mikemilton

Wed, 16 May 2012 10:36:49 +0100 BST

Differences:

http://www.eigenlabs.com/wiki/What_is_the_difference_between_the_Alpha_and_Tau_b/

The smaller base station could conceivably be made portable wit a hefty enough set of batteries (add a laptop and portable sound system and stand of the street corner busking)

The MIDI implementation chart: http://www.eigenlabs.com/wiki/1.3/Midi_implementation_chart/
does not mention sustain but I'll try it out when I get a chance.

You can connect up the breath pipe (as is done in the Pico) or make up a talker, etc.

It also isn't clear if chaining the base stations is yet implemented (extension) but that would let you use the pro at your stage position with a short cable to the Alpha/Tau and have your computer quite a distance (for those of us who play large venues (not me).

I have the longest cable and find it quite handy for routing arround the edges of a room out of the way of tangles and trips.


written by: MarkPowell

Wed, 16 May 2012 12:33:26 +0100 BST

Because I got my Alpha 2nd hand I have a BSP. I'm not sure I'd pay the extra if buying new, but the sustain pedal does come in handy and ultimately I want to use pedals to control a looper, so it's nice to be able to run them through the base station. I do need to buy a long cable for the same reason as Mike though; I've lost track of the number of times I've run it over with my chair.


written by: MarkPowell

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:02:30 +0100 BST

Just ordered what is by some margin the most expensive cable I've ever bought. That's the problem with this place - it does have an enormous tendency to convince me to spend money! ;-)


written by: mikemilton

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:25:07 +0100 BST

@Mark

Of course, when you *use* the long cable the pedal connections are still close the the BSP.

Ultimately, I'd like:

Computer>USB> small base station>24m>BSP>6m+pedals>Alpha

In other words, the extension feature.

Perhaps I've spent even more of your money?? ;-p

@anyone: Is the extension implemented?

My application would be outdoors which I will do for now with the 24m cable omitting pedals and using the headphones.... Sitttin by the lake in the gloaming.


written by: MarkPowell

Wed, 16 May 2012 14:43:20 +0100 BST

That's not a problem Mike; I have no more money. ;-)

Your lakeside setup is pretty much my planned kitchen setup. That way I can practice while cooking dinner without dismantling the music room. Living in the North of England my oportunities for lakeside practice that don't involve waterproofs are fairly limited. Also, my nearest lake is about half a mile away, which is an awful lot of daisy-chained base stations. ;-)


written by: vanMeerdervoort

Wed, 16 May 2012 15:13:04 +0100 BST

@Mike I saw you're into photography, your description of your lakeside setup calls for a wonderful and dreamy pic of you + eigenharp + lakeside. Preferrably at sunset with a light layer of fog above the water. Perhaps a new topic with setups would be an option? Lakeside pic, Kitchen pic and so on...


also, could one not simply extend the pedals with a jack extension cable? The sustain pedal I have has a jack cable attached...

Just upgraded my order to BSP and 12m cable anyway :) Won't be for a few months *ahem* I suspect until I dare take the alpha onto a stage that requires a longer cable hehe


written by: MarkPowell

Wed, 16 May 2012 16:18:43 +0100 BST

.


written by: mikemilton

Wed, 16 May 2012 16:30:20 +0100 BST

grin

Thanks - That's the plan although it will be fall once the pests diminish.

m



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