On Tue, May 26, 2020 at 04:57:14PM -0700, Mark Knecht wrote:
I purchased [a TC Electronic Plethora X5]. It works
well (so far).
It's Linux internally running 4.9.47-rt37.
I'm curious: how do you know which kernel your Plethora X5 uses?
Also, do you know which microprocessor(s)/FPGA(s) the Plethora X5 uses?
I'm partly asking because I wonder if the X5 might be able to run
software from Mod Devices or vice versa. Mod Devices makes ARM-based
multi-FX guitar pedals that run Linux: akin to the X5 but using
LADSPA/LV2 plugins instead of TonePrint ones:
https://moddevices.com
Finally, do you know if TC Electronic has published any of the source
code relevant to the Plethora X5? If they are distributing GPL'ed
software (e.g. as X5 firmware updates), then they may need to publish it
by law. See for example:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gpl-violations.org#Notable_victories
Access to the source code would make it easier for developers to enhance
the X5's functionality and to fix shortcomings like the one you describe
below.
The biggest issue - there is apparently no way to back
up your
settings which reside in the Plethora X5. The TonePrint editor
communicates with the Plethora over USB or BlueTooth but apparently
acting as little more than a monitor. You can create and edit settings
for each of the 5 pedal models you are running in a single board but
it seems the only way to store them is in the Plethora itself. My
(very limited) initial investigation leads me to believe that there
are no data files left on the Windows machine and all data is only in
the Plethora X5.
If you plug the Plethora X5 into a Linux box via USB, how does it
present itself to the host?
# Run this on your GNU/Linux box with the X5 not connected:
lsusb --tree > /tmp/lsusb_x5_disconnected.txt
# Run this on your GNU/Linux with your X5 powered up and connected
# to it via USB but everything else the same as above:
lsusb --tree > /tmp/lsusb_x5_connected.txt
# Copy the output of this command and paste it into a reply to this
# email:
diff /tmp/lsusb_x5_disconnected.txt /tmp/lsusb_x5_connected.txt
Therefore, be it fire, theft or accident, if something
goes wrong with
your Plethora all of your personally created sounds are lost. (I'm
waiting for confirmation of this from TC Electronic but so far I
cannot see why this wouldn't be true.)
Please can you update this thread with TC Electronic's reply when you
receive it?
Thanks.
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