Hello, it’s me again. Can’t believe this is the third project update already and we have already raised $20000 or 400% of our goal! (This was the original target and the minimal cost for producing 500 units). Anyways, here’s the updates for this week.

 203 FlexCord

First, we have unlocked our first stretch goal! Every Matrix (any version) backed will now come with an additional FlexCord!

FlexCord is a custom USB cable that we engineered for Matrix. It is made of food-grade silicone and is extremely flexible! It is also paired with top-tier USB connectors and custom-molded rubber plugs. (The glyph on the USB A plug resembles the center key on the Matrix!)

The biggest reason behind making this cable is that we want it to be easy to straighten so it can look very nice on camera. Also as a perfectionism engineer, I just want everything to be hand-crafted to be as perfect as possible. In fact, this cable actually went through 4 different revisions to for me consider as perfect.

It has turned out completely blow my and others’ exceptions and often got praised as the best cable ever made by a lot of people in the community.  

Additionally to that, it is also virtually impossible to get unintentionally tangled and it is heat resisted to at least 500 °C (or ~1000  °F).

However, it costs almost 10x to make than your run-of-the-mill USB cables but We hope it is worth it and all of you will enjoy it as much as we do.

Visual Performance

Currently, there are two major ways of playing visual performances:

1. Using Ableton Live (Optionally with M4L and Apollo Studio) - The OG way of playing visual performance.

2. Using visual performance-specific applications （Unipad or Superpad Lights)

Both ways of playing have some major downsides. 

In order to play light shows on Ableton Live, you will need to purchase Ableton Live Suite and M4L. Just figuring out all the plugins and issues of it not working correctly can cause a lot of hassles and requires a lot of experience. 

With software like Unipad, it is more beginner-friendly but only available on Android phones and it is filled with ads. 

Project Amethyst

We don’t want our users needing to go through all of those troubles, so we and friends of 203 started a community project aiming to streamline visual performance production, distribution, and consumption.

We as 203 will fund this project and make sure it is not just free but also ad-free for everyone. We will try to support as many grid controllers on the market as possible, including the Novation Launchpad series, DJTT’s Midi Fighter 64, and more.

This is an immense undertaking for us, so we will be breaking it into parts. The part one we want to tickle is the consuming part:  How can we get users to start playing effortlessly?

Amethyst Player

The amethyst player is a web app available on play.203.io right now. It can be used on most platforms including Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, or even your Samsung Smartthings Fridge (no external controller support tho, dun). 

The project has been live for almost a year now and it currently plays Unipack and Superpad Lights projects so everyone can get started with all the existing content that the community made in the past.

Amethyst Player also provides a lot of unique features that allow users to get started easier than ever like timeline jumping, learning mode, etc.

Amethyst Studio & Amethyst Marketplace

All contents that the Amethyst Player is using are existing content. For the health of this community, it’s important to make the creation workflow effortless as well.  The next step for us will be to make an advanced content creation suite. This will gives out creators more freedom to create.

The last part will be the distribution. For that, we want to create a marketplace for our creators to release their content into the marketplace to enjoy. Closing the loop for the ecosystem.

Production Update

This week we will be finishing the production for the PCBs; production sample review and production for the keypad and packaging.

Matrix packaging sleeve sample

Matrix device info label - Made of anodized aluminum 

Last but not least, we are sending Matrix for CE & FCC compliance this week!

Easter Egg - TRS Midi Out Module

I have heard a lot of requests for Midi out (and CV out) capability on Matrix. To answer that, I will be unlocking one of Matrix’s hidden features early to enable TRS Midi out.

The adapter board will be connected to Matrix’s USB C port and break out a USB C for you to use as normal and a TRS midi out port.

If you prefer your port to be hacked in then never, the adapter will be available for every backer for $8.

Please leave a comment below if you are interested so we will have a rough estimation of how many we might need to be making.  We might be also making a CV out version if there is enough demand!

I would love to make a proper Matrix interface dock with midi in out thru / CV gate pitch mod / sustain pedal port, etc. However, that would take a lot of time to engineer and cost a lot to make.

Since this is a makeshift solution, we can not guarantee to support it forever. If we ever dropped support for this module, we will be refunding credits for you to use toward a properly made interface dock.