Huge news about the Petit Crouton/New TCSS Soundboard

[Zook]

and there's that. ^_^ thanks!

i guess it would be hard to get it to display a bargraph as well with only 2 accent LED pads, so i'll just hold off on that question and try to figure out how to wire 7 LEDs to various points in the saber.

You are asking a mid range board to perform like a high end board. If you want those features buy a CF.

To others...
If we had named this board just simply the TCSS board we would not be hearing all the people complaining it only has *gasp* 2 sound fonts. BUT since its a plecterlabs product people think it should be just like a CF with swappable fonts, drive multiple accent LEDs etc. That was never the intent of the boards. Why would Erv' release a second CF? Why would he create his own competition and shoot himself in the foot?

[Grackle]

So a few thoughts and questions:

It's my understanding that the CF and derivatives have no support for string-type blades and scrolling ignition/retraction effects, is that correct?
With a lack of that, and no ability to change the sound fonts (which I thought was the entire point of spending the extra money and effort to get a CF-style board in the first place, especially with them costing more $$$ than a MR board -or even a complete MR saber- off ebay does), I'm having a hard time understanding exactly what the point of these boards is? The integrated LED driver for luxeons? What are the selling points of these boards (i.e. why would I want to buy one, as opposed to, say a 2010 Hasbro toy board and a TCSS constant current driver board - I'm asking for the sales pitch here!)

I think part of the contention over the fixed font choice is that it's a deliberate crippling of the design - code had to be *added* to the vanilla CF code to restrict it; I would presume this is so they do not eat into Erv's market/margins/profit, which is understandable (after all, computer CPU and video card makers do the same thing all the time)... but it does beg the question: If Erv is licensing one of his designs for outsourced mass production to increase the supply, why not license the CF board itself, instead of a cut down version? They could still sell the license-built CF boards for the same price as Erv sells his, with part of the cost going directly to Erv as a license fee for each unit sold - that way he still makes his profit (and without the hard work of him having to hand-make every CF board - more time for the bakery!), it cuts out the stupid reselling on ebay for ridiculous prices, and everyone who wants one can have a real CF board... (and there's even still a place for the PC in that scheme, since many sabersmiths would still get them as a cheaper alternative to the CF for sabers that don't require all the features of the full model...)

In regards to the contention over whether the LM/DM fonts are better/worse than the stock FX fonts, I think a less contentious path would have been to just use cleaned up and expanded remakes of the stock MR light/dark fonts (with the extra clash/swing/blaster sounds added, of course), rather than forging entirely new territory. At the least, people wouldn't be complaining it "sucks more than the FX" sounds because it would essentially be as close to them as possible, just cleaned up

(and not that the hard work in making them isn't appreciated, either)

Just some thoughts I've had about it, since I recently had a discussion over which card to use in my 'extra-fancy, cost-is-no-object' high end saber commission someone's making for me, and we both finally decided that, given the wide open option of using any of the currently available sound cards (at the time of a few weeks ago, at least), including CF and PCU, for what he's building, the only option that does what we need is the same old MR boards we've been tearing out of sabers for years now... depressing

[Azmaria Dei]

You are asking a mid range board to perform like a high end board. If you want those features buy a CF.

i plan on continuing to try to get a CF as well, but i do want to try to get everything i can out of these boards though. ^_^ and see if there are other things that they can do combined with other bits of small hardware and circuits running parallel to it.

[RevengeoftheSeth]

I guess I was right to use the CF as the mystery board in my sig, then! I can't wait!

[Zook]

So a few thoughts and questions:

It's my understanding that the CF and derivatives have no support for string-type blades and scrolling ignition/retraction effects, is that correct?
With a lack of that, and no ability to change the sound fonts (which I thought was the entire point of spending the extra money and effort to get a CF-style board in the first place, especially with them costing more $$$ than a MR board -or even a complete MR saber- off ebay does), I'm having a hard time understanding exactly what the point of these boards is? The integrated LED driver for luxeons? What are the selling points of these boards (i.e. why would I want to buy one, as opposed to, say a 2010 Hasbro toy board and a TCSS constant current driver board - I'm asking for the sales pitch here!)

I think part of the contention over the fixed font choice is that it's a deliberate crippling of the design - code had to be *added* to the vanilla CF code to restrict it; I would presume this is so they do not eat into Erv's market/margins/profit, which is understandable (after all, computer CPU and video card makers do the same thing all the time)... but it does beg the question: If Erv is licensing one of his designs for outsourced mass production to increase the supply, why not license the CF board itself, instead of a cut down version? They could still sell the license-built CF boards for the same price as Erv sells his, with part of the cost going directly to Erv as a license fee for each unit sold - that way he still makes his profit (and without the hard work of him having to hand-make every CF board - more time for the bakery!), it cuts out the stupid reselling on ebay for ridiculous prices, and everyone who wants one can have a real CF board... (and there's even still a place for the PC in that scheme, since many sabersmiths would still get them as a cheaper alternative to the CF for sabers that don't require all the features of the full model...)

In regards to the contention over whether the LM/DM fonts are better/worse than the stock FX fonts, I think a less contentious path would have been to just use cleaned up and expanded remakes of the stock MR light/dark fonts (with the extra clash/swing/blaster sounds added, of course), rather than forging entirely new territory. At the least, people wouldn't be complaining it "sucks more than the FX" sounds because it would essentially be as close to them as possible, just cleaned up

(and not that the hard work in making them isn't appreciated, either)

Just some thoughts I've had about it, since I recently had a discussion over which card to use in my 'extra-fancy, cost-is-no-object' high end saber commission someone's making for me, and we both finally decided that, given the wide open option of using any of the currently available sound cards (at the time of a few weeks ago, at least), including CF and PCU, for what he's building, the only option that does what we need is the same old MR boards we've been tearing out of sabers for years now... depressing

sigh...

well anyone want to chime in on this...I am done. I am tired of trying to explain the benefits of the board to those that do not bother reading anyway considering its been covered over and over.

If someone has a genuine question I will try to help but all other posts will be ignored by me.

[Onli-Won Kanomi]

So a few thoughts and questions:

It's my understanding that the CF and derivatives have no support for string-type blades and scrolling ignition/retraction effects, is that correct?
With a lack of that, and no ability to change the sound fonts (which I thought was the entire point of spending the extra money and effort to get a CF-style board in the first place, especially with them costing more $$$ than a MR board -or even a complete MR saber- off ebay does), I'm having a hard time understanding exactly what the point of these boards is? The integrated LED driver for luxeons? What are the selling points of these boards (i.e. why would I want to buy one, as opposed to, say a 2010 Hasbro toy board and a TCSS constant current driver board - I'm asking for the sales pitch here!)

I think part of the contention over the fixed font choice is that it's a deliberate crippling of the design - code had to be *added* to the vanilla CF code to restrict it; I would presume this is so they do not eat into Erv's market/margins/profit, which is understandable (after all, computer CPU and video card makers do the same thing all the time)... but it does beg the question: If Erv is licensing one of his designs for outsourced mass production to increase the supply, why not license the CF board itself, instead of a cut down version? They could still sell the license-built CF boards for the same price as Erv sells his, with part of the cost going directly to Erv as a license fee for each unit sold - that way he still makes his profit (and without the hard work of him having to hand-make every CF board - more time for the bakery!), it cuts out the stupid reselling on ebay for ridiculous prices, and everyone who wants one can have a real CF board... (and there's even still a place for the PC in that scheme, since many sabersmiths would still get them as a cheaper alternative to the CF for sabers that don't require all the features of the full model...)

In regards to the contention over whether the LM/DM fonts are better/worse than the stock FX fonts, I think a less contentious path would have been to just use cleaned up and expanded remakes of the stock MR light/dark fonts (with the extra clash/swing/blaster sounds added, of course), rather than forging entirely new territory. At the least, people wouldn't be complaining it "sucks more than the FX" sounds because it would essentially be as close to them as possible, just cleaned up

(and not that the hard work in making them isn't appreciated, either)

Just some thoughts I've had about it, since I recently had a discussion over which card to use in my 'extra-fancy, cost-is-no-object' high end saber commission someone's making for me, and we both finally decided that, given the wide open option of using any of the currently available sound cards (at the time of a few weeks ago, at least), including CF and PCU, for what he's building, the only option that does what we need is the same old MR boards we've been tearing out of sabers for years now... depressing

Yes the Plecterlabs soundboards' real "integrated LED driver for Luxeons" always drove single in-hilt LEDs better than the Ultrasound did and that is a big part of the reason this is an improvement on what TCSS offered before...yes some people still build LED string or EL sabers but for the majority of DIY saber builders this is very welcome news.

Erv has stated his reasons for not mass production licensing CF here, FX-sabers and elsewhere before and I'm sure he doesnt want to again so I suggest you use the Search function...bottom line is its his right and his choice and we can support him for giving us CF at all, and PC-U, and now PC-L or choose to be ungrateful it isnt done differently? I choose gratitude for what we ARE getting in the PC-L over criticizing what it isn't.

Iirc when Henry Ford began mass production of automobiles he only offered them in black...I'm sure many people who bought them might have preferred being able to have one in another colour...but what mattered was that Ford made more automobies available to more people who otherwise wouldnt have been able to buy cars at all...that grew the market for automobiles and transformed automobiles from something only an elite few enthusiasts had or could have to something that now most people who want one can and do have.

Regular availability of PC-L removes a critical bottleneck and thus will allow the saber hobby as a whole to grow - this can only be a Good Thing regardless of whether you think it has everything YOU want. Please look at the Big Picture here folks; this is the best development for the sake of this hobby's future in a long time. Really. It is something everyone in this hobby should be grateful for. I am.

[Azmaria Dei]

Grackle - go read the first post. that has the sales pitch. if you want specific features, research the Petit Crouton and read up on it, or wait for the manual to come out for the locked version.

Zook/MH - i have another question that i should have probably asked earlier, and i hope it doesn't make me look too dim... is it safe to assume that the PC-L supports all the main LED output amperages that the CF and PC-U do? AKA, can i drive something at 800 or 1500mA just fine? thanks.

[cardcollector]

Ok, I am getting tired of this.

Guys come on- It is a freaking new Soundboard!!!! No, it is not the crystal focus, nothing else ever will be. This board is a far superior replacement to the Ultrasound (a crappy board to begin with for the price IMO)

NO- you won't be able to choose your font. But you have two AWESOME fonts to choose from.

Yes- the board costs $125. Who cares?!?! That is a great price for all the people we are supporting through this purchase. Plus, we paid just that amount for the US, which didn't have a warranty, didn't have alternative soundfonts, and sometimes didn't even work. Each of these board will be hand tested. Hello?!? HAND TESTED!!! If that doesn't say something about the quality I don't know what will.

Bottom line;
- If you don't want it, or think it is to expensive- don't buy it. More for the rest of us.
- If you wish it was something better; make your own or try to get a CF. Stop griping about how you wish this board was better.

This can be a great day (and still is) in Saberbuiling history. Stop ruining it by complaining about things you can't change.

[Jedibowls]

I totally agree with cardcollector. This is a great thing!!!!

[Onli-Won Kanomi]

This IS a great day in Saberbuilding history for anyone who can recognize what it means to the future of the hobby we all enjoy and Due Credit to all those whose hard work brought it to pass.