LZX Industries 2021-2022 Product Roadmap

Category: Unknown · Tags: — · Posts: 43

#1 — creatorlars · 2020-12-31

Hi everyone! I’d like to present the below roadmap without any discussion of specific dates or dollars yet, please. I’m happy to answer other questions, if it’s something I can speak to yet. We felt like this was an important junction in which to share with you the list of SKUs planned surrounding the projects next on deck for us throughout 2021-2022. Things may change (especially the exact names of everything) but this is the vision as it currently stands.

Happy New Year!!

docs.google.comhttps://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/17mzTI1H8ZDVgfa6kyP8qNMzeVJbAJWX5lr9pFxGbe-0/edit?usp=sharinghttps://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/17mzTI1H8ZDVgfa6kyP8qNMzeVJbAJWX5lr9pFxGbe-0/edit?usp=sharingSheet1

52HP Video Synthesis Standalone Instruments (EuroRack Mountable) - Automata Series Chromagnon,Quadratic Video Synthesizer,Inspirations: analog computers, vector displays and vectorscopes, Navigator, Shapechanger, Polar Fringe,...

Link: LZX Industries Roadmap 2021-2022

#2 — rempesm · 2020-12-31

@creatorlars I think you just made my brain explode. Huge thanks to you and your team for making such wild experimentation with video signals possible and still providing for the DIY community. Look forward to seeing this roadmap play out and see where you go from here!

#3 — luix · 2020-12-31

This is an amazing and ambicious roadmap

cant wait to see how this new instruments/modules make the current LZX evolve, grow and inspire all LZX pilots.

May main interest is in the new quadrature vcos “rotate” and “scroll” wanted to know if they are planed as video bandwidth modules (rotation, etc) or just subaudio rated like the navigator.

#4 — creatorlars · 2020-12-31

Re: Rotate & Scroll, oscillators are analog VCLFOs that will go into audio range for modulation. The Verbs panel are all 2-in-1 + combo functions. For example, Rotate is a Rotator + VCLFO, where the combo function is “Auto Rotate.” The Rotate angle itself, I’m not sure how we’ll derive it for the module.

If you want the “ultra rotator”, that’s all inside Chromagnon. This one is meant more for quick ramps processing in a synthesis patch.

The Scroll function is a video phase shifter, allowing you to slide your analog ramps around in whatever vector the ramps are oriented. So you can make any pattern drift like an analog VCO does, but with much more control. The Verbs+Foundation panels as a system, propose a video synthesis methodology which is absent of high speed VCOs; it’s all done by ramps shaping. That’s why we have Perspective, which is a massive “Wall Of Ramps” module with lots of fixed sources.

#5 — anticipatexpectation · 2020-12-31

This all sounds amazing! Any interesting interface ideas you can talk about for working some of these, more or deeper responseive data/info of function, joy stick, jog wheel, maybe something like the e touch touche? Would love to see a cv tuning oscope type module (or potentially firmware if possible for existing modules) specifically for lzx signals I can fit into the rack. Really excited about lzx’s future!

#6 — creatorlars · 2020-12-31

Covidiot & Spritechild will both feature some conceptual control panel elements, continuing in Escher Sketch’s tradition. Memory Codex will definitely feature a transport and jog wheel. The analog modules are very strictly gridded out in this new series, minimal markings and comprehensible. Foundations + Verbs are meant to be a bit austere and classic – they are classroom / lab instruments.

#7 — Fabong · 2020-12-31

The sync generator / ramps combo makes a lot of sense to me, nice

#8 — creatorlars · 2020-12-31

It is the long awaited “Wall Of Ramps” that has been requested many times! In the Foundations + Verbs system concept, all of the waveform sources come from this module providing reference ramps and angles. Patterns are created by Fold (which is the equivalent to a dual VCO, when provided ramps sources.) Patterns are given motion (rotation or drifting) with Scroll and Rotate modules. Kind of like a “step by step build your own pattern with action verbs” concept.

#9 — Jesse · 2021-01-01

Can you speak more about Memory Codex? Been excited about a sampler since when you were just dreaming up Mempal years ago. Would it basically piggyback on TBC2’S inputs and beable to utilize those 2 channels to sample from? Preview monitor(s)? Jog wheel YES PLEASE!

Would you expect potentially lengthy sample times? Not trying to corner you into any kind of promises - just curious if you’re expecting something like 1min+ sample capability?

#10 — Robbertunist · 2021-01-01

Awesome news to begin 2021

Thanks @Lars & to everyone @LZX & the community members here for helping to make 2020 bearable

I haven’t read the Google doc but things sound super interesting from what’s written in the connects so far

Happy New Beer

from Berlin

#11 — Jesse · 2021-01-01

Holy shit also triplet? You’re suggesting it’s 2 TVFKG’s? Rad.

#12 — Robbertunist · 2021-01-01

creatorlars wrote:

It is the long awaited “Wall Of Ramps” that has been requested many times!

& it’s got the Tower implemented into it?

Kinda teasing

#13 — sean · 2021-01-01

This all sounds amazing.

[Putting on my patience pants.]

#14 — joem · 2021-01-01

Nice. Can’t wait to see how it all turns out! Sounds like there’s going to be A LOT that I’m going to want to get! I better start saving now!

#15 — creatorlars · 2021-01-01

The vision for Memory Codex at the moment involves the theme of a multi-track compositor. I want the ability to composite a 15 minute short film, for example, gradually over several months and across many sessions, by carefully layering masked patterns onto frames; I want to be able to do this like a stop motion designer would, frame by frame, and also in algorithmic ways with voltage control in real time. I want an internal compositor used to mix down to a master file like you would with a 4-track. So that’s my direction of interest. Ed and Jonah have their own ideas on what they’d like to see out of it as well, and have some very interesting ideas from the clip sequencing and programming angles. So we’ll all collaborate and we’ll be in the position to really get some early feedback from you when we preview some of the features.

As far as latency goes – and immediate (like being able to load a bank of clips and switch/play across them with zero latency up, is important, even if that caps your sampling time in a way that continuous streaming modes don’t.)

Since the design has committed to being able to upgrade from the TBC2 hardware, we will work with that as our base for Codex. Meaning our limitations on sampling times and decoding speed are going to get worked at and optimized for the platform, and we won’t know what they exactly are until we hit them. It’s possible we’ll change have to change course or the identity of the module as we go. We also don’t know how much the expander panel is going to cost or how much external hardware is going to be involved. But we DO have a pretty badass structure on which to do all of this, with the software architecture for TBC2/Mempal starting to mature.

#16 — creatorlars · 2021-01-01

That’s correct, Perspective has angled ramp outputs just like the Tower idea, in, at a minimum, 45 degree angle increments (so 8 jacks of linear ramp vectors.) We may do 30 degree increments, or some mixes. Maximum jack density in our new form factor is 32 jacks in 12HP. It will probably be more like 24 outputs. There will probably be a noise source and low frequency ramp/envelope as well.

#17 — Robbertunist · 2021-01-01

Thank you for the unintended yet extraordinary (& slighty blated

) winter solstice gift

@creatorlars

#18 — reverselandfill · 2021-01-01

good news for this new year!

All the DIY things sound wonderful! (as well as all those monsterpanels)

#19 — VanTa · 2021-01-01

Amazing news!

Very thorough and ambitious, it’s great.

I’m intrigued about spritechild and SSE. Since diver and MP/TBC2 are completely different platforms I have no idea at this point what Spritechild could be. Exciting!

#20 — vhsdestroyer · 2021-01-01

Super stoked for memory codex and spritechild. It seems to me like the plan is to have larger dense modules which will have features not available on the combinations of smaller modules. Im very excited about the new line of diy options, though I can already assume I’m going to be building a new case. In the third generation and beyond post the sampler/mixer module was mentioned. Im just curious a bit about the ambition there, if it will be more than just A/B composition along with sampling.

#21 — omiindustriies · 2021-01-02

I’m curious about the Spritechild, I can’t find much info on google about the SSE, what exactly are its functions?

#23 — sean · 2021-01-03

creatorlars wrote:

The vision for Memory Codex at the moment involves the theme of a multi-track compositor. I want the ability to composite a 15 minute short film, for example, gradually over several months and across many sessions, by carefully layering masked patterns onto frames; I want to be able to do this like a stop motion designer would, frame by frame, and also in algorithmic ways with voltage control in real time.

This sounds kind of bonkers. In maybe both senses, as the real-time applications sound great whereas a stop-motion-like workflow sounds absolutely maddening to me, personally. But flexibility to different preferences/possibilities would be super.

One thing I know I have been doing a lot lately using Coge (the VJ software I have) is use audio reactivity to control position in clip, like I gather one can do with short animations in Memory Palace (I don’t have one). But, as long as I encode in HAP format, Coge can handle quite long video clips, scanning through them at will. By shifting the audio sensitivity and, especially, the start and end points within the clip, you can create a lot of dynamism with just a single clip. It is really almost like granular synthesis for video. Would love to get that functionality — especially easier modulation of start/end points — into the modular world.

Maybe this is more a “Player” thing than a “Codex” thing? But being able to do this with both clips and live samples would be really, really cool.

#24 — vhsdestroyer · 2021-01-03

Yes!! This and a random position trigger would be amazing. Favorite part about r_e_c_u_r

#25 — allthesixes666 · 2021-01-05

looks great and am especially looking forward to the DIY bits!!!

#26 — efp3 · 2021-01-07

So excited about all of this! Hope the cases come towards the front of production as well! Great job!

#27 — Robbertunist · 2021-01-07

There’s a thread that’s the equivalant of this one on the Facebook LZX community group page. Lars said LZX are happy to receive any feedback on what people want to see offered by them in the coming year or 3. For now the plan is a 52HP beginner’s case and a 204HP case. My suggestion was to double the 204HP option but folding it over so it’ll be an ideal 4 row touring case for instance.

#28 — Dr_Rek · 2021-01-07

Thank you for posting here @creatorlars and sharing this with us.

Super much excite! Starting a savings for all the tings!

Covidiot sounds great, been wanting to have a vidiot in the eurorack rather than to the side.

So many other things sounds amazing too!

#29 — sean · 2021-01-19

After spending some time with this, I realize I’d love to hear more about the new power options.

#30 — catbiscuits · 2021-01-22

Just saw this. I’m hoping that the Transceiver can do HDMI input and output simultaneously? If it can’t, I guess one way would be a big improvement anyway.

#31 — creatorlars · 2021-01-23

Yes, like TBC2, the Transceiver would be a compact, complete HDMI based system core (syncgen + HDMI to RGB decoder + RGB to HDMI encoder.) So in the scope of the new lineup, minimal digital IO in the absence of analog video IO, would be an option from the start.

#32 — creatorlars · 2021-01-23

OK, lets go over the power options.

First, a note: a big thing with our new catalog is the presence of OEM options. These sit in a kind of “pro user/modder” space, where we hope to offer a larger variety of components that aren’t full retail modules, but also aren’t DIY assembly kits. So, akin to installing a new hard drive in your PC, or a replacement part for your appliance, or upgrading the rotors on your drone. So we plan to open up a lot of our inventory of sub assemblies and replacement parts to you, in this way.

And a secondary note: from the perspective of the retail modules and cases, there’s nothing new you need to worry about. Your EuroRack cases will host the new modules and the new cases will host your old modules.

That said, retail modules will now all come with a “12VDC/EuroRack To LZX Rear Power Entry PCB” installed on the rear. This is effectively a small +/-1A +/-5V power supply using some high efficiency switchers + ultra low noise LDOs (TPS7A47 series from TI) that we’ve been developing for a couple years. All modules will power off either 12V DC barrel or EuroRack power, with this assembly installed.

There are a few reasons this is relevant:

– All modules now run off analog +/-5V power rails natively. If you remove the “12VDC/EuroRack To LZX Rear Power Entry PCB” assembly, or build a DIY module that excludes it, then you can supply +/-5V power directly via a Molex MiniFIT-4 power cable that looks like this:

– If you socket a “12VDC/EuroRack To LZX Rear Power Entry PCB” into a “Molex MiniFIT Power Distribution Bus,” you now have a modular +/-5V LZX power supply that powers off of either a DC wall-wart or a EuroRack power supply.

For DIYers and OEM modders, a new option is to run the modules off a +/-5V power supply only (either with your own linear +/-5V supply, or the “12VDC/EuroRack To LZX Rear Power Entry PCB” socketed on the “Molex MiniFIT Power Distribution Bus”.) This should be a positive move for the development of the community as a whole, as most modern video ICs or high precision analog parts are designed for +/.-5V rails. So as native power goes, it’s a much better fit for a video synthesizer (or hi fi audio device) than EuroRack’s +/-12V standard. For those of you building huge DIY systems, you can save some cash and gain some performance at the same time, by moving to +/-5V power on new builds.

One thing I don’t know yet, is if modules will be available fully assembled without the rear power entry board, as an OEM assembly. That may cause some issues/confusion with retail.

All this will make a bit more sense if I can show you some shots of the boards and connectors in place. I asked Jonah to snap a screenshot of the 3D model and will add to this post when I get it.

#33 — catbiscuits · 2021-01-23

How about a minimal eurorack module that would have a barrel connector on the front and one of those molex distribution sockets on the back? That way you could plug a beefier power supply into a case to power these modules?

#34 — sean · 2021-01-23

Thanks for the thorough reply! Haven’t quite wrapped my ahead around it all yet, but looking forward to seeing how it comes together.

One question: when you say…

retail modules will now all come with a “12VDC/EuroRack To LZX Rear Power Entry PCB” installed on the rear.

…does that mean the continuing modules from before (Memory Palace and other Orions, for instance) will begin to feature these as well? Or just new designs?

#35 — creatorlars · 2021-01-23

It will depend on the module. Most modules from the past few years have hi fidelity +/-5V power entry already integrated, or in the case of Memory Palace or Chromagnon, we want those to remain native 12V entry because they have integrated internal power supplies/controllers. The difference here is we are externalizing our typical power entry circuit onto a separate assembly. Then we can build that one assembly in larger quantities, which helps keep the cost down on those expensive LDOs. And it also enables the +/-5V native approach, which some will find exciting.

#36 — creatorlars · 2021-01-23

The “Molex MiniFIT Power Distro Board” will have a EuroRack frontpanel option for sure, if that’s where you want to mount the power supply. For 12V DC distribution, we have a DC distro module that’s 4HP and will be coming out with TBC2.

#37 — creatorlars · 2021-01-23

Here are the renders I mentioned, of what one of our new module assemblies will look like with and without the rear power board:

#38 — joem · 2021-01-23

That’s pretty cool. So there’s a cutout on the power board that lets the molex connector poke through? Am I interpreting it right? So with the power board on the module, you could power it with any one of the three(!) power connections?

#39 — creatorlars · 2021-01-24

So there’s a cutout on the power board that lets the molex connector poke through?

Yes. But this is just for clearance reasons (see below.)

Am I interpreting it right? So with the power board on the module, you could power it with any one of the three(!) power connections?

Not quite – with the PCB installed, access to the Molex header is physically blocked. That’s so you don’t accidentally install the power board + an external 5V supply at the same time.

With the PCB installed, you can use either Euro or +12VDC to power directly. The power entry board itself is a small PSU that takes 12V input, switches that to +/-5.5V, then drops that to +/-5V across the two RF grade LDOs. This mockup is using an old part, the DC barrel should be right angled. This is why we have a half-height PCB here, is because it gives you room to plug cables in, parallel with the module’s front.

The Euro and +12V inputs are OR’ed thru big schottky diodes – so it would be “safe” to accidentally have both connected at once. That’s not something I wanted to do to those pretty +/-5V precision rails in the intermediary connector (hence the requirement for blocking the Molex connector with the rear PCB in place.)

Without the PCB installed, you can connect +/-5V directly to the Molex connector.

(This is just a first prototype, obviously!)

#40 — Tremendm_Labs · 2021-03-30

Is the Pendulum still in production?

#41 — vhsdestroyer · 2021-03-30

I don’t believe so but I pm’d you a link to a new one.

#42 — addamm · 2021-04-19

creatorlars wrote:

Yes, like TBC2, the Transceiver would be a compact, complete HDMI based system core (syncgen + HDMI to RGB decoder + RGB to HDMI encoder.) So in the scope of the new lineup, minimal digital IO in the absence of analog video IO, would be an option from the start.

This sounds great. Is the plan for the Embedded - Player to have a screen? Or, will Decoder + Transceiver + Player offer something similar to TBC2 will with the addition of HDMI?

I’m guessing we are still months out from seeing diy options for these?

#43 — Robbertunist · 2021-06-17

Lars posted a couple of images from gen.3 generic module design. & a couple of more in the comments so I’ve just updated this comment.

A 12HP module with Sync connectors:

12HP & 8HP modules side by side:

https://m.facebook.com/groups/lzxindustries/permalink/1846070795564232/?anchor_composer=false

#44 — killumina · 2022-04-16

Is the Chromag preorder a preauth or the full amount? Would like to commit but also pay down some CC$ in the meantime

Edit: N/m, went with the preorder anyway.