A-157 Trigger Sequencer Update

Here's an update on the long-awaited A-157 (or whatever the module-number will be) Trigger Sequencer module.
I wrote about this highly interesting module earlier, you can find that post HERE

This is what Dieter Doepfer's feedback was, when this step-sequencer got mentioned this week in the Doepfer A-100 Usergroup :

A-157 Prototype(s) , as shown at NAMM 2010

"...it will definitely come !
At present we are waiting for the new PCB prototype with 16 x 8 buttons and LEDs.
Our first plan to use two pc board with 8x8 buttons and LEDs did not work because this would cause a gap between the steps 8 and 9 because of the space required for the PCB connectors.

Our plan is to separate the 16x8 button/LED board from the control unit as it seems that there are two groups of users: those who vote for a simple, easy to use (and soon available) version and those for a "sophisticated" version with additional features (probably with LC display to handle all functions).
The plan for the simple version is to have only two clock/start/stop inputs available (clock #1 for the units 1-4, clock #2 for 5-8) and a simple memory management (similar to the TR808).

For the "sophisticated" version there are plans like independend first/last step for each row, copy and paste functions between rows and memories, right/left shift of complete rows, longer patterns (A, AB, ABCD), maybe intros, fill in's, track programming, more than two clocks and some more.

To handle these additional functions probably an LC display and additional buttons will be necessary.
But this information is very preliminary.
One could use the standard control unit at first and then replace it by the high end version as soon as it is available. "