Off Network use, iOS

[Phil53]

Is it the case that, once the iOS configuration tool has loaded what is needs from the web, the tool will continue to work without a connection until the app is closed? Or are there features that need an active connection? A few times the app has stopped working with a white screen but I wasn't sure what I had just done; I wonder if I had lost a weak WiFi connection. (minor point - it would be nice if the app complained that it had no connection on startup rather than stopping with a white screen)

I sometimes have to autocalibrate the sensors, usually when the light has changed but maybe also when a temperature change has altered my peripheral circulation. That might be needed when 'off-network'. Could it be made internal to the device and triggered by a button press? Does plugging and unplugging the device reset the sensors to a default or to something related to the current lighting conditions?

Thanks.

(iOS has reported a big increase in my screen time since the WARBL arrived )

[admin]

The app should continue to work after losing internet as long as you don't force-close it (assuming it doesn't crash, etc.). You do have to open it before losing internet, however. I've been talking to Michael Eskin (who made the iOS wrapper for the web page) about this, and there's a chance he might be able make it so it can reload the page from a cache if you don't have internet.

I believe there is a workaround, which is to use the free WEB MIDI browser:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/web-mid ... 46217?mt=8

Michael based the app on this, but the original has slightly different behavior-- you can force-close the app and it will use a cached version of the page if you don't have internet. So, I believe even it if freezes or crashes and you re-open it, it will load the page. I'm not sure how long it keeps the cache, though. That might be an iOS thing. So, if you plan to use it without internet you'd probably want to open the page first to make sure it's still cached.

To use the above app, you enable Sysex in the settings, then navigate to this page: https://warbl.xyz/configureForApp.html and then bookmark it.

I could add autocalibrate as a button assignment option. My only worry was that it might be a bit dangerous because someone might trigger it accidentally if it's assigned to a button action. I guess if it were a "hold 2 and click 1 or 3" combination that might be safe enough. Thoughts on that?

My experience is that when calibration seems a bit off it's usually solved by washing my hands, but maybe lighting has some effect too. I've noticed some changes with temperature, but my hunch is that my fingers get a bit sweaty, which makes them reflect infrared differently. The way the sensors work is that they're constantly compensating for ambient light, so there's no calibration when you turn on the device, like there is with some other devices. Every time it takes a reading it measure the ambient light before reading the infrared reflected off your finger, so It's basically calibrating each sensor 1000 times per second. When you do the autocalibration it does take ambient light into consideration, but it only affects the low end of the sensitivity range, in other words how far away your fingers are first detected. If you autocalibrate in darkness and then play in sunlight it might think you fingers are within the range for triggering pitch bend when they're not, but "opening" and "closing" the toneholes should work the same.

Anyway, that's just the rundown of how the sensors work, but I agree that being able to autocalibrate without the app might be a useful feature...

[Phil53]

Thanks. I haven't had chance to try the WEB MIDI browser yet. Will do.

To start with I found it easy to press the top button without meaning to but I would have thought your suggestion, requiring two digits on the back down there, would be hard to do by accident.

One time where an autocalibrate was needed was when I was outside and it went dark whilst I was playing, another when it went from overcast to strong sunlight through a synthetic fabric shade that probably lets infra-red through. Maybe there was a temperature change that altered the blood flow in my fingers. I don't think I have played the device with dirty hands, but washing them, and especially doing the dishes, certainly changes the skin texture.

[admin]

Sounds good. When I’m home next week I can add autocalibration to the button options. The only thing that you’ll have to be careful of holding the device in such a way as to not cover any toneholes when pressing the button combination that starts autocalibration, as it’s easy to put too much pressure on the holes and throw off the calibration. Holding it by the sides when you press the buttons would probably work,

[admin]

I've added autocalibration to the button options in the attached beta version. Once you load this firmware "Begin autocalibration" should show in the buttons dropdown (actually if you have any 1.6 beta version it will show, but it won't do anything unless you have this latest )

As I mentioned above, you'll need to be careful using it so that you don't trigger it accidentally. I would assign it only to "hold 2, click 1" or "hold 2, click 3". Possibly a long-press would work, but even that might be too easy to trigger accidentally.

Also, as I mentioned above, you'll need to press the buttons without covering any of the toneholes, but holding the device at both ends, and then only covering the holes after the LED comes on.

[Phil53]

Thanks, but I don't see an attachment.

Please can you clarify how the timing works in autocalibration? I find it can take a second or two to settle my fingers down evenly especially the 7th hole. That is partially due to moving one hand from the screen. Is there a 'grace period' after holes start closing before the measurement used for the calibration begins? Does the end of the ten seconds get a higher weighting?

I am wondering if the tendency to get a passing note between XXX XXX and XXX XOO is my coordination when playing or something to do with my timing during autocalibration. With practice I can stop it happening but it often creeps back.

[admin]

Oops, sorry, here's the attachment.

The way autocalibration works is at some point during the ten seconds when the LED is on, you have to give each hole an example of being completely covered and completely uncovered, i.e. without the fingering being within a few inches of the hole. The examples can be very brief, so the hole doesn't have to be either covered or uncovered for any extended period of time, it just takes the maximum and minimum readings during those ten seconds. The reason I say to start calibrating with the holes completely uncovered is just to make sure that they get a examples of being uncovered at some point. However, if you're using buttons to trigger autocalibration it's very easy to squeeze the device while you're pressing the buttons, in which case you will likely be squeezing some of the toneholes too, giving them erroneously high readings of your fingers. That's why when using the buttons it's especially important not to be covering the holes when you begin.

I would guess that the passing note is more a matter of technique (not that your is poor, wind controllers are just unforgiving in this regard) than calibration). Some MIDI sounds are certainly much less forgiving than others in that regard.

[Phil53]

Thanks for the explanation. That works for me, thanks very much.

Is it possible to have the configuration tool showing the full firmware version? That would be useful for when it is not clear if an update worked - this one took me two goes to get the timing of the double click right.

[2Dog]

These are bata versions.

[Phil53]

Yes. I am suggesting that the app shows something like "1.6.b6" that, rather than "1.6" That way we can see if an upgrade has installed or not and have a reminder that it is a beta.