The chanter
- Optical finger detection and covering of holes
- highly realistic, no hiding place from wrong notes
- works perfectly in every environment (any ambiant light, flashes and strobes). No dry finger problems.
- All dimensions and holes identical to traditional pipe-chanter
- Version with battery: powered by single AAA 1.5V battery (rechargeable or not)
- Rechargeable version: LIPO battery rechargeable through USB port, with 2 DEL charge/end of charge. Charge duration: half an hour.
- Jack 3.5 audio output
- Integrated sound closed to HIFI : 44100Hz 12bits
- Adjustable volume
- Adjustable amplifier gain (x1 for headphones, x2 for speaker)
- Built-in metronome
- 5 Real built-in sounds produced : great Highlands bagpipes, pratice chanter, smallpipe in A, gaïta in C, gaïta in Bb
- Adjustable pitch (drones + chanter)
- Full gaïta Seivane fingerings (http://www.seivane.es/files/pdf/seivane-digitacion.pdf) including half closed fingerings, but not the 4th LAb fingering (that keeps playing a FA/E as on the bagpipes).
- Sliding note on LG
- C setup: permanently setable to natural or sharpen
- F setup: permanently setable to natural or sharpen
- Vibrato on E and on D support since V1.9 (2016, octeober the 6th).
- Drones separate
- Recording and replay (one single tune stored)
- Optional Bluetooth 2.0 Incorporated only for communication with the remote software.
- Automatic snooze function when not in use
- Impressive power function (theorical 37H of continuously play) but only 1 - 3 hours when bluetooth is used
- Stock available for insertion into pipe bag for realistic playing experience
- Embedded LI-ION rechargeable battery : prototype being evaluated.
The a-box : a wireless repeater
- Remotely plays all a-pipes instruments with the same audio quality
- Plays also : metronome, vibrato, glissendo
- Audio output : jack 3.5mm
- Communicates with the chanter by radio at 2.4GHz
- Automatic and instantaneous connection with your a-pipes
- Low latency time (less than 1 millisecond)
- Powered by USB (using a-pipes cable)
- When the a-box is USB connected to a computer or Android device, the a-pipes is setable using the remote software - not available when the MIDI cable is plugged in.
- With the MIDI option, notes are sent using MIDI protocol across a removable RJ11/MIDI cable.
- a-box with MIDI is supported among others by Universal piper software.
- Electric drawn dramaticaly lower than using Bluetooth.
- Wide range (more than 17 meters without obstacles) and reliable connection.
Wireless use limitations
Because both Bluetooth and radio share the same frequency range than WIFI (2.4GHz), wireless playing can be badly impacted by intensive WIFI or wireless home phone traffic.
Remote configuration and remote play software on PC, Mac or Android device - Communicates with the chanter using USB, bluetooth or a-box+USB
- Advanced chanter configuration, sensibility setup hole per hole
- Using this software is never obligatory for standalone playing
- Downloadable for free
- Remote playing function through USB ou Bluetooth : notes played by a-pipes are played by the remote software using the same native sounds but in HIFI quality (44100 Hz/16 bits). User can also provide his own WAV samples, with any audio quality level. A free sounds library will be sharable on this site.
- Bluetooth limitations : maximum range of 10 meters, any obstacle should break the connection.
- Not remotely played : metronome, glissendo, vibrato.
- Record/replay/save functions ; saved tunes can be read by "BagPipe" free software that automaticaly builds and edit the music sheet!
- Duplicate notes playback on a MIDI port output.
