Imagination Works | Drawings and services

Archos 70b Helium – new 7″ IPS Android 4.4 tablet PC with 4G and 4-cores processor

Among Android tablet PCs there is a new device : Archos 70b Helium – tablet PC under 4.4 version of this OS operation with 7″ multitouch IPS screen with 1024 x 600 pixels resolution, 4G LTE and 4-cores processor Mediatek MT8732, working on 1.5 GHz frequency. In it following are built-in : graphical chip Mali 760 MP2, 1 GB of RAM, 8 GB of on-board memory with ability to extend via Micro SD flash cards with 64 GB max size ( larger ones are, probably, also supported ) and 2 Micro SIM cards slots. Device can be used as phone with support of 2G ( GSM 850, 900, 1800 and 1900 ), 3G and 4G LTE networks; it supports satellite navigation system GPS+A-GPS and gravity and acceleration, lighting and proximity sensors are built into it.

Tablet PC Archos 70b Helium ( back panel )

In Archos 70b Helium two average for tablet PCs cameras are placed : 5 MP main one ( with support of Full HD 1080p video recording ) and 2 MP frontal one; it supports wireless Bluetooth ( +Bluetooth Smart Ready ) and Wi-fi ( +Direct ) connections for remote data transfers and communications with other devices, without NFC support. On external panels it has : Micro USB 2.0 port for connection to computer, external devices plugging-in and battery charging, 1/8″ mini jack headsets and headphones connector, power and volume control buttons and microphone and speaker. Device’s body is made from plastic, its sizes are 188 ( width ) x 109 ( height ) x 10 ( depth ) mm and mass is 278 g. Charge of Li-pol battery is 2500 mAh – this is a very small parameter for tablet PCs and with 4-cores processor it will be enough for maximum 2 – 4 hours of intensive work.

Package contains : Archos 70b Helium tablet PC itself, USB cable, recharger, warranty card and user’s guide. From one side : tablet has 4G, 4-cores processor and not bad cameras; from the other : it has very small battery charge, 4-cores processor with 1 GB of RAM is not needed, 2-cores here is quite enough, and cameras of tablet PCs will not give high quality photos and videos due to small sensors and lens anyway. Wherein for much smaller sum there is ability to buy Android tablet PCs with 2-cores processors, 3G ( 4G often is not needed and previous connection standard is enough ), weaker cameras and much more capacitive batteries; also for much smaller sum there is ability to buy Windows tablet PCs with 4-cores processor Intel Atom, working on 1.83 GHz frequency, 16 GB of on-board memory and much more capacitive batteries. So, overall, it is better to not buy this tablet and look on other devices.

Samsung Galaxy S7 + Edge – new 5.1″ and 5.5″ AMOLED Android 6.0 smartphones with metallic body

Smartphones Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge

Company Samsung presented new Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge smartphones with 5.1″ and 5.5″ multi touch AMOLED screens with 2560 x 1440 pixels resolution, OS Android 6.0 and metallic body. In them following are built-in : 8-cores processor, 4 GB of RAM, 32 or 64 GB of built-in memory ( depending on modification ) with ability to extend via Micro SD flash cards with 200 GB max capacity and 2 SIM cards slots ( one of them is combined with flash card slot ). Smartphones can work in 2G ( GSM 900, 1800 and 1900 ), 3G and 4G LTE networks; GPS satellite navigation and lighting, proximity and Hall sensors, gyroscope, compass, barometer and finger prints scanner are added to them.

Smartphone Samsung Galaxy S7 ( top view )

In Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge two good for smartphones cameras are placed : 12 MP main one with LED flash and 5 MP frontal one with light-strong f/1.7 lenses; they support wireless Wi-Fi ( 802.11 b/g/n/ac ), Bluetooth 4.2 and NFC connections for remote data transfers and communications with other devices. On their external panels following can be found : Micro USB port for connection to computer, external devices plugging in and battery charging; 1/8″ mini jack headsets and headphones connector, speaker and microphone and buttons for powering and volume control. Devices’ body is made from metal and glass, screen’s glass is tough and their bodies are water and dust proof; Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge sizes are 69.6 ( width ) x 142.4 ( height ) x 7.9 ( depth ) mm and 72.6 ( width ) x 150.9 ( height ) x 7.7 ( depth ) mm and masses are 152 and 157 g. Their batteries capacities are : 3000 and 3600 mAh, with remote charging support, these are good parameters for smartphones.

Package contains : Samsung Galaxy S7 or S7 Edge smartphone itself, USB cable, recharger, headset, warranty card and user’s guide. Smartphones are great : with large screen, powerful system, tough body and good cameras; currently they are available for pre-order and will show up in shops at 11 March of this year; taking into account their characteristics, there is ability to anticipate very high price on them : its is quite possible, that it is better to buy quality Android or Windows smartphone with not so advanced characteristics and good tablet PC or camera with interchangeable lenses, or them both, maybe even cheaper.

Focusrite Clarett 2Pre – Thunderbolt audio interface with 192 kHz and 24 bits and 119 dB dynamic range

Thunderbolt audio interface Focusrite Clarett 2Pre

Among audio interfaces of new generation there are devices, working through Thunderbolt connection, for example, Focusrite Clarett 2Pre – interface with 192 kHz, 24 bits and dynamic range up to 119 dB. Thunderbolt – is a new connection standard, developed by Intel company and giving throughput 20 Gbits/s, thereby it releases limits of USB 2.0 connection on channels amount, sampling rate and precision per sample. On frontal panel there are : 2 combined XLR/TRS 1/4″ jack connectors with gain control knobs with back light and instrumental Hi-Z work mode, AIR function and phantom power +48 V switches with indicators for both of them; main outputs volume control knob; power, Thunderbolt connection and device blocking indicators; and TRS 1/4″ jack monitor headphones output with volume control. On back panel there are : power button, power adapter input, Thunderbolt input, optical digital input, MIDI input and output and 4 linear TRS 1/4″ jack analogue balanced outputs.

Thunderbolt audio interface Focusrite Clarett 2Pre ( back panel )

Inputs of Focusrite Clarett 2Pre in microphone mode have following characteristics : THD+N 0.001 % and noise level -128 dB; in linear : THD+N 0.001 % and dynamic range 118 dB; in instrumental : THD+N 0.001 % and dynamic range 116 dB. Linear outputs : THD+N 0.0007 % and dynamic range 119 dB, monitor headphones output : THD+N 0.0008 % and dynamic range 116 dB. With it following are supplied : Focusrite Control mixer, VST plugins Softube Time and Tone Bundle, TSAR-1R Reverb, Tube Delay and Saturation Knob and AAX, AU and VST Red 2 and Red 3 plugins. Currently device works only in Mac OS X 10.9 and newer, manufacturer promises support of Windows in near time, in Apple‘s OS it works with support of Core Audio interface, via which it can interact with modern DAWs : Avid Pro Tools, Ableton Live, Steinberg Cubase, FL Studio, Cackewalk Sonar, REAPER and others. Its body is made from aluminum with beautiful scarlet color.

Package contains : Thunderbolt audio interface Focusrite Clarett 2Pre itself, warranty card and user’s guide; Thunderbolt cable should be bought separately. All in all interface is good, provides high dynamic range of digital to analogue and analogue to digital conversions and small THD+N level; from the other side : in 2 inputs audio interfaces class there are great USB devices ( of Steinberg, Behringer, Focusrite itself, Roland, ESI, M-Audio and other manufacturers production ), which handle their tasks, work in Windows and cost less. So in entry-level audio interfaces class it is better to buy USB devices and look on Thunderbolt interfaces only in classes of middle and large devices.

Pioneer SE-MJ522T – 40 mm monitor headphones with 10 Hz – 28 kHz and microphone

Company Pioneer continues to rejoice with great headphones and presents SE-MJ522T – 40 mm monitor headphones with 10 Hz – 28 kHz reproducible sounds frequencies, microphone and closed back architecture. Their sensitivity is 105 dB, impedance is 32 Ohms, maximal input power 1000 mW and mass is 105 g ( these are light headphones ). To both cups 1.2 m cable is connected with microphone and smartphones control buttons, placed in volume control module, and 1/8″ mini jack gold-plated connector. Package contains : Pioneer SE-MJ522T headphones themselves, adapter to 1/4″ jack plug, warranty card and user’s guide. Headphones are great, they have large diaphragms, very wide frequencies range and good other characteristics, wherein they cost around 20 USD : all in all Pioneer is one the top and does not overprice its devices, as well as some other headphones manufacturers do.

Huawei MediaPad T1 7 – 7″ IPS Android 4.4 tablet PC and smartphone with metallic body and 4100 mAh battery

Among Android 4.4 tablet PCs there is a new device : Huawei MediaPad T1 7 – tablet PC and smartphone with 7″ multitouch IPS screen with 600 x 1024 pixels resolution, body from aluminum and magnesium alloy and 4100 mAh battery. In it following are built-in : 4-cores processor Spreadtrum SC7731G, working on 1.2 GHz frequency, 1 GB of RAM, 8 GB of on-board memory with ability to extend via Micro SD flash cards with 32 GB max capacity ( larger ones are, probably, also supported ) and SIM cards slot. Tablet can work as phone with support of 2G ( GSM 850, 900, 1800 and 1900 ) and 3G networks, without 4G LTE support; in it GPS + A-GPS satellite navigation and gravity and acceleration sensor are built-in.

Tablet PC Huawei MediaPad T1 7 ( back panel )

In Huawei MediaPad T1 7 there are 2 relatively weak for tablet PCs cameras are built in ( however they are slightly better, than minimal ones ) : 2 MP main and frontal ones; it supports wireless Wi-Fi ( 802.11b/g/n ) and Bluetooth 4.0 ( +BLE ) connections for remote data transfers and communications with other devices, without NFC support. On its external panels following are placed : Micro USB 2.0 port for connection with computer, external devices plugging in and battery charging, 1/8″ mini jack headsets and headphones connector, microphone and speaker and power and volume control buttons. Device’s body is made from aluminum and magnesium alloy, its sizes are 191.8 ( width ) x 107 ( height ) x 8.5 ( depth ) mm and mass is 278 g. Battery charge is 4100 mAh, which is a good value for tablet PCs.

Package contains : Huawei MediaPad T1 7 tablet PC itself, USB cable, recharger, warranty card and user’s guide. From one side : tabler PC is quite functional, with metallic body and capacitive battery; from the other : it costs around 105 USD, for much smaller sum there is ability to buy similar Android tablet PCs and 8″ Windows tablet PCs, but with plastic body. So : is Huawei MediaPad T1 7 metallic body worth these money is quite a question.

KENEKSI Helios – 5.5″ IPS Android 5.1 smartphone with metallic body and tough glass for 120 USD

Chinese company KENEKSI introduced new Android 5.1 smartphone Helios with 5.5″ multitouch IPS screen with HD 720 × 1280 pixels resolution, metallic body and tough glass. In it following are built-in : 4-cores processor Media Tek MT6735 MP, working on 1 GHz frequency, 1 GB of RAM, 16 GB of on-board memory with ability to extend via Micro SD flash cards and 2 SIM cards slots. It supports 2G ( GSM 900 and 1800 ), 3G and 4G LTE networks and GPS + A-GPS satellite navigation, in it lighting, proximity and acceleration and gravitation sensors and fingerprints scanner are built-in.

Smartphone KENEKSI Helios ( back panel )

In KENEKSI Helios two average for smartphones cameras are placed : 8 MP main one with autofocusing and flash and 2 MP frontal one; it supports wireless Wi-Fi ( 802.11 b/g/n ) and Bluetooth 4.0 connections for remote data transfers and communications with other devices, without NFC support. On its external panels following can be found : Micro USB port for connection with computer and battery charging, 1/8 mini jack headsets and headphones connector, microphone and speaker, flashlight and power and volume control buttons. Smartphone supports FM radio broadcasts receiving; its body is made from metal, its sizes are 152.9 ( height ) × 77.4 ( width ) × 7.6 ( depth ) mm and mass is 153 g; it is supplied in 2 colors variants : black and gold. Li-ion battery capacity is 2650 mAh : this is enough for 300 hours in stand-by mode and 13 hours of talking, these are average values for smartphones.

Package contains : KENEKSI Helios smartphone itself, USB cable, recharger, headset, warranty card and user’s guide. Smartphone is good and is notable with its large screen, metallic body and tough glass in a first place, its other characteristics are also good, and with 120 USD price this is a very good and competitive device, which can occupy first places among other Android and Windows smartphones in value/price ratio respect.

Eudimorphodon – one of the first pterosaurs of Triassic period

Pterosaurs began their existence on the Earth in Triassic period, now it is not known for sure from which animals they evolved, presumably, from small carnivore dinosaurs; one of the earliest know flying reptiles is a eudimorphodon. Name of species means “True dimorpho teethed” or “Having two types of teeth“; at front sides of jaws they had fangs, at middle and back sides small teeth with 5 cusps, such teeth are specialized for hunting on fishes and insects. They differ animal very much from all later pterosaurs, so eudimorphodon is not their ancestor, but a spin off branch from main one. Their wingspan was 1 m, length was the same, mass was around 10 kg; they lived in late Triassic period around 210 – 200 millions of years ago.

For the first time eudimorphodon skeleton were found in Italy in 1973 by explorer Mario Pandolfi near Bergamo city. Maybe on ends of tails of animals diamond-shaped flap were located, like later rhamphorhynchus had, but for now there is no exact data. Teeth of eudimorphodons came into tight contact, when jaws closed, on some of them there are wearing and friction traces, which means, that they were able to chew food and not only ate it whole or in a large chunks. Currently a couple of animals skeletons were found at different locations of the world, including Greenland and Texas ( USA ), which makes them one of the most studied pterosaurs, initially found in Italy.

Into the West ( The Lord of the Rings ) in DAW REAPER

… What can you see
On the horizon?
Why do the white gulls call?
Across the sea
A pale moon rises
The ships have come to carry you home …

Today we will talk about creation of variation of composition Into the West from The Lord of the Rings film in DAW REAPER. In addition to already confortable FM synthesis and effects we will use VST instruments MDA Piano and DSK Strings and compressor to keep in control dynamic range of main instrument. I took MIDI notes from Internet, thank you goes to their original author; in them there are 13 tracks, with simple MIDI instruments everything sounds more or less good, but with rich in frequencies and movement sounds of DAW there is a mess, so I left only 6 of them. Among them there are : 2 plucked strings instruments ( hybrid synthesizer Xenobioz Funxion with preset Pianoid VeloSens and reverberation effect and it again with Muted String preset and reverberation ); 1 atmospheric and basses instrument ( Xenobioz Funxion + modified preset Flute and DSK Strings with preset Simply Viola, to both of them I applied reverberation, this way one composite sound is produced and it them reflects in the hall, and phaser ); 1 piano ( MDA Piano + preset School Piano + reverberation ); 1 basses instrument ( DSK Strings + Simply Viola + reverberation ); and 1 singing instrument ( Xenobioz Funxion + modified preset Royal + reverberation ). Via this link you can download completed composition in FLAC format and archive with project file and sounds : Into the West ( The Lord of the Rings ) in DAW REAPER.

Instruments MDA Piano and DSK Strings in DAW REAPER

DSK Strings generates sound from recorded instruments samples; reverberation is implemented in it in not a best way : when notes are ended and at rapid start of next ones, reverberation does not completes in time and is interrupted with new notes beginning, this creates hearable noise and clips, so it is better to disable built-in reverberation in DSK Strings and use external effect for this. MDA Piano synthesizes sound via FM synthesis, MDA also has VST instruments ePiano and DX10 Synth, which create interesting sounds as well. For reverberation and phaser effects I used VST plugins, which come with ESI sound card : I like them more, there is ability to use built-in in REAPER effects instead of them or download from Internet VST plugins and experiment with their controls.

I did not used drums in this project, because they do not fit to this composition : it is ready and completed without them and they are excessive in it. Also I did not used tracks automation, because it is not needed. Main singing instrument has on 1 – 2 kHz frequencies sounds, which are far too loud, than other sounds, on some notes and start to cut hearing with their loudness; equalizer without automation does not fit well to them, because volume of these sounds is decreased with it in areas, where they are not on the peak. So, I used compressor to them with settings, allowing it to smoothly decrease volume of the peaks and not touch other places of instrument’s playing; all in all it worked out good.

Hybrud VST synthesizer Funxion in DAW REAPER

Then experimenting with balance of instruments volumes, so that they play in symphony and does not try to silence each other, than another small amount of strokes and tweaks and composition sounds, with subwoofer or multi-band speakers or headphones it should be completely good. That is all for today, if you have any questions, then ask them in comments to article. I already know which composition I’ll create next time, see you in the broadcast.

Roland STUDIO-CAPTURE – professional USB audio interface with 192 kHz and 24 bits

USB audio interface Roland STUDIO-CAPTURE

One of the most functional audio interfaces of company Roland is a USB dvice STUDIO-CAPTURE : professional studio interface with support of 192 kHz and 24 bits work mode, 16 inputs, 10 outputs and 12 VS PREAMPs. On its frontal panel there are : 4 combined XLR/TRS 1/4″ jack inputs ( 1 and 2 are instrumental Hi-Z inputs ), state indicators of all 16 inputs of interface with control buttons; preamplifiers control block, consisting of gain control knob and buttons for control of phase, LoCut filter, Auto-SENS function and phantom power +48 V enabling for microphone inputs; compressor control block with enabling button, Threshold setting knob and activity indicator; Direct Monitor control block with enabling button and volume control; 2 TRS 1/4″ jack outputs for monitor headphones and their volume control knobs; display with device’s parameters, buttons for menu control, Direct Monitor volumes indicators and power button. On back panel there are : power adapter input, USB Type-B port for connection with computer, MIDI input and output, coaxial digital RCA input and output, 8 TRS 1/4″ jack balanced linear outputs, monitor XLR outputs ( left and right ) with volume control enabling button, ground connector, 4 TRS 1/4″ jack inputs and 8 additional combined XLR/TRS 1/4″ jack inputs. All inputs of device are balanced, it is powered from power adapter.

USB audio interface Roland STUDIO-CAPTURE ( back panel )

Noise level of Roland STUDIO-CAPTURE when inputs and outputs are connected is -90 dB, dynamic range of analogue to digital conversion is 105 dB, digital to analogue : 114 dB, these are good characteristics for audio interfaces. Device draws maximum 1.6 A current, for it drivers are released for Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, 8.1 and 10 and Mac OS X with support of ASIO 2.0 and Core Audio interfaces, accordingly, which allow it to work with DAWs : Avid Pro Tools, Ableton Live, Steinberg Cubase, FL Studio, Cackewalk Sonar, REAPER and others. Device’s sizes are 284 ( width ) x 162 ( depth ) x 89 ( height ) mm and mass is 1.9 kg, its body is made from aluminum.

Package contains : Roland STUDIO-CAPTURE audio interface itself, USB cable, power adapter, CD-ROM disk with drivers, 2 rack mount angles, warranty card and user’s guides. Interface is very good and functional and delivers for studio all necessary connectors and functions with high components quality; there is also ability to look on top-level devices of Steinberg, Behringer, Focusrite, Roland itself, ESI, M-Audio and other manufacturers production; for small studios there is no need in such amount of connectors and there is ability to buy audio interfaces of these manufacturers with smaller amount of them for smaller price.

Little 110 km winter ride to concert Pincode Ensemble

Yesterday I rode to concert Pincode Ensemble in CK Ural, Spring is coming and on the streets it is again becoming warm enough for long-distance rides, soon at night times it will be not so cold and there will be ability to ride to mountains in the forest. Pincode Ensemble consists from Different Orchestra musicians and was created in 2012 year. I wished to come at 7 sharp, to prepare before performance, took with me hardware for high-quality audio recording, but winter makes its own adjustments into riding speeds, in result I canceled part of other businesses to not miss concert completely, and arrived only to its second part. I did not prepared hardware in the hall to not disturb musicians and other listeners and only recorded video. Concert was interesting, music beautiful, it is good to visit such events periodically. Tomorrow I’ll upload 1 more video.

Then small ride through pre-nighttime city after concert and 40 km of Polevskoy highway; 3/4 of a path I rode without a problems, stopping only periodically to walk and let legs’ fingers move actively and warm blood to run through them freely to heat them slightly up. During one of these walkings ( at 1 or 2 hours of night under Moon, looking through the haze of clouds ) car stopped nearby : “Did you broke something?” – “No, I walk and rest,” – “A, I thought you broke something,” – “No, everything is alright,” – I raised my hand, to say good bye : “Ok, good bye,” – human turned around and rode back to Polevskoy ( :-) , what impressed him so much, that he decided to not ride into Yekaterinburg? ); I rode and walked further home. Closer to Polevskoy I did not froze and did not tired, but brain started to sleep already, to not fall down from the bicycle, I stopped a couple of times and slept for a while on the handlebar, then walked and rode further; already nearing the city, I almost slept above the handle bar : it is interesting to be able to sleep, riding the bicycle, this is like dolphins do : part of a brain sleeps and part is working, higher cognitive functions almost sleep, organism by itself keeps a balance and rotates pedals, brain through the half closed eyes turns around obstacles and chooses road to home; that is good, that there is almost no cars at night time on the road. Closer to 3 hours of night I arrived to home, drank some tea, ate food and went to sleep.

The Spring is coming, give a road to her,
She is at the doorstep already.
Flowering and blossoming everything is .
The time have come to live, to love, to blossom and
To smell.

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