Doepfer A-190-8 Midi/USB to Sync Interface Now Available

At the end of the year, Doepfer finally announced that the A-190-8 Midi/USB to Sync Interface is available starting today.

A-190-8 Prototype

Basically this module divides the incoming MIDI or USB clock messages into smaller steps.
You could look at the A-190-8 as a modular version of the MSY2 MIDI-to-SYNC Converter.

It was already announced in December last year, and besides the normal MSY2 functions this module also features multiple simultaneous outputs and added USB support.

Here are the most important features of this version of the module:

- Midi input (recognizes only Midi realtime messages clock, start, stop and continue)

- USB input for Midi via USB

-Clock outputs:
96: outputs the Midi clock 1:1 (96 pulses per measure/ppm or 24 pulses per quarter note/ppq)
32: outputs the Midi clock divided by 3 (32 pulses per measure/ppm or 8 pulses per quarter note/ppq)
16: outputs the Midi clock divided by 6 (16 pulses per measure/ppm or 4 pulses per quarter note/ppq)
8: outputs the Midi clock divided by 12 (8 pulses per measure/ppm or 2 pulses per quarter note/ppq)
1: outputs a pulse at the start of each measure

- Other outputs:
Start: outputs a pulse at each Midi Start or Continue message or generates a gate signal that remains in the high state until a Midi Stop message occurs (selectable via jumper)
Stop: outputs a pulse at each Midi Stop message
Reset: outputs a pulse at each Midi Start message that follows a Midi Stop message

- Wait control input, can be selected by means of a jumper between Gate function or Switch function: in - Gate mode the positive edge of a gate signal is used to init the Wait state, in Switch mode an external switch that connects to GND is used to init the Wait state (equivalent to Switch-Trigger)

- Wait button / Wait control input: Whenever the Wait button is operated or a positive voltage is applied to the Wait input the module waits for the next measure start until the clock signals are generated.

- LED displays for clock, "1" and start (display of Start depends upon the chosen Start mode, see above)
output voltages can be selected between +5V and +12V by means of an internal jumper (for DIN Sync applications +5V has to be used !)
firmware updates via USB (provided that there will be updates available)

More info at http://www.doepfer.de/home_e.htm

Doepfer Pre-MusikMesse 2013 Announcements

Dieter Doepfer made a few announcements today about the upcoming new modules and about the MusikMesse 2013, that will be held from the 10th to the 13th of April 2013 in Frankfurt, Germany.

I'm looking most forward to the new A-157 Mini Schaltwerk prototypes, i cant wait until the are finished.:
Doepfer stated that they " ...will hopefully show the "large" version of the trigger sequencer A-157/miniature Schaltwerk (8 rows with 16 steps each).
The 8x16 button/LED board is ready but I cannot guarantee that the controller board will be also ready for the Musikmesse."

One of the earlier
A-190-5 prototypes

They will also show the prototype of the new version of the A-190-5 Polyphonic USB/Midi-to-CV/Gate Interface (with LCD) and the A-190-8 USB/Midi-to-Sync Interface at the Musikmesse in Frankfurt.

These modules will be available about summer 2013. 

The other news:

The small version of the multiple A-180 is available in April 2013 (2 HP only, name: A-180-2)

The module A-171-2 (licensed copy of the Serge/CGS VCS) will be available about end of April or early in May 2013.
(It will be interesting to see how the Serge's new deal with TipTop works out - expect a surge of Serge for your Eurorack this year /PP)

A-171-2 Serge
Slew Limiter
prototype

The re-designed A-130 (linear VCA) is now delivered with a precision VCA circuit (SSM2164) instead of the CA3080).
The new A-130 is DC-coupled.

The re-designed A-131 (exponential VCA) is now delivered also with an improved VCA circuit (high end THAT VCA circuit instead of the CA3080).
The new A-131 is also DC-coupled.

The A-135 will be available from about May 2013 in a revised version with DC coupling of the signals and single outputs, i.e. it can be used also as 4 separate linear VCAs with manual gain, CV in with attenuator and signal in with attenuator.
Because of the DC coupling it can be used also for modulation signal processing (i.e. voltage controlled mixing of control signals).

So, a lot of updates, can't wait to see the first pictures of the A-157 combo coming from MusikMesse.
Are you going to MusikMesse this year and want to contribute pictures to PatchPierre.Net?
Feel free to contact me via the comments, email or Twitter, thanks in advance!

New Doepfer Announcements

Doepfer released preliminary information about two new modules.

The A-190-8 is a MIDI/USB to Sync interface.
Basically this module divides the incoming MIDI or USB clock messages into smaller steps.
You could see it as a modular version of the MSY2 MIDI-to-SYNC Converter that was announced in December last year, but with multiple simultaneous outputs and added USB support.
Funny that i already posted my idea for a module like this in late 2010 (Read that blogpost HERE)

A-190-8 Prototype 1

The main application of the module is the control of clocked A-100 modules like sequencers, sequencer controllers, trigger divider, trigger sequencer and similar units, but also to trigger/reset LFO's, envelope generators and more.

The A-190-8 will have 10 available outputs which are not yet fixed. 

Preliminary info can be found HERE, and if the users think other combinations of clocks or start/stop/reset outputs would be better, Doepfer can change that because the outputs are generated by the firmware of the processor.

Read some of the user suggestions at the Doepfer Yahoo Usergroup.

Doepfer left out the usual DIN SYNC socket because to create that you only need clock and start/stop on two pins of the DIN socket. 

If there are sufficient inquiries Doepfer may offer a special cable with two 3.5 jack plugs on one side and a DIN plug on the other. 

(For example to synchronize a TB-303)

A-180 Multiples and
a 2 HP blindplate,
the size of
the new A-180-2

For early in 2013 also a slim version of the A-180 Multiples module is planned.

This will be called A-180-2 and will be half the size of a regular A-180.

Because of the only 2 HP width nuts cannot be used to mount the pc board by means of the socket nuts at the front panel. 

Instead of that the PC board is mounted by screws and spacers at the front panel.(pic)

Personally i don't think i want one of those in my system because of how a nut-less module looks, but i can imagine there are people who applaud space-saving modules like this.

There were also a few other announcements/updates:
In December the A-192-2 (Dual CV/Gate-to-USB/Midi interface) will be available and even the hardware of the Polyphonic CV/Gate interface A-190-5 is ready.
"Christian (Assall) is about to program the firmware. But it takes longer than expected  and so the A-190-5 will be available early in 2013."

Special thanks to Bakis Sirros in the Doepfer Usergroup for sharing parts of this info.
Bakis can be found via multiple ways, support him and his band(s) to help the Greece economy a bit:

www.parallel-worlds-music.com
www.facebook.com/pages/Parallel-Worlds/192093934136476
www.myspace.com/interconnectedmusic
www.myspace.com/memorygeist
www.DiN.org.uk
www.vu-us.com