Random popping in SQ 6

[KeithJ A&H]

@BradWalker – Sorry, but there is no way we can provide you with SQ-MixPad for iOS other than through the app store.

@volounteer – Once we understand exactly what’s causing this, it will be fixed and an update will be made available. We did not release an update expecting there to be an issue and I’ve just re-read to check, but am not sure it’s possible to explain the reasons for the changes to messaging any better than in my previous post.

Thanks,
Keith.

[Mfk0815]

Keith, my suggestion is to hire some lazy software developer, since they do not like to write code that much as the diligent ones 😉 That prevent the code from being changed every now and then. The additional precondition for that new developers is, of course, that they have to be very clever, laziness alone is not enough. 🙂

[KeithJ A&H]

@Mfk0815

heh, genius!
It’s that perfect balance between working smart and working hard – until now we have stupidly only kept on those who do both.

Keith.

[volounteer]

@KeithJ A&H

You did not explain anything previously just noted that messaging changed with every new version.

I can believe you all do not know what is causing the problem.
But messaging changing every release is an architectural fail.

As to @Mfk0815 and his suggestion, I would note that lazy software programmers are the problem. They want to write something that sort of works good enough as fast as possible and do not care about side effects that causes.

A better solution would be to double the pay for programmers, but only hire those who write correct code 10x faster than average.
And yes, studies show that there is a 10x difference between good fast coders and slow terrible ones.
The programmer would be happy to get paid more, AH would save 2x the cost of software development, and the other saving put into keeping the managers away from them and interfering with their efforts by asking for needless bureaucracy hoop checking.

[Mfk0815]

I think you both missed the idea behind my statement. If you have diligent workers they like to write a lot of code and if you have diligent workers in an agile development process, they love to rewrite the whole code, because they love to write tons of lines of code. This person also finds it ok to write similar code again and again. All this code has of course to be tested, using unit tests or automated integration tests which means that they can write even more code, but this code again has to be tested and so on.
A clever, lazy worker starts at the beginning to think about how to reduce the amount of code be creating a clever software design, with the possibility to be extended by new features no one can imagine at the moment. The later one will help to avoid rewriting the code again and again when new features have to be implemented.

That thoughts came into my mind when Keith explains that the messaging is changing from version to version. My first question was „how can this happen all the time?“ I am writing multi-tier software solution for decades now. And because some of that applications have a very long development live cycle, a stable and extendable communication protocol is really important. Especially when you have to maintain backward compatibility. And since OS platforms like iOS or android do not allow you to install several versions of applications, backward compatibility is even more essential.

But again, just my 2 cents.

[volounteer]

@Mfk0815

We are nearly in complete agreement.

A well run shop would have systems architects putting together a system that would not have such problems. Then they can exit.
Then systems engineers would design the system. May be needed again if changes occur in the future.
Finally programmers would do the software per the specs from the systems people. And no unapproved changes.
Also follow all coding standards as well as documentation standards.

Agile is a total fail except for very small quick and dirty solutions.

I have no idea how AH could need different messaging every release. I doubt @KeithJ A&H really knows either.
I am guessing the mgmt is clueless about software and just hope the coding clowns can deliver something that sort of works.

Closest thing I recall was pcwrite a very early word processor where the idiot rewrote the UI every time.
The basic program was good but every feature he added he totally screwed over the UI with more changes.
So after you had just learned the old one you needed to start over. He soon failed when stable software arrived elsewhere.

[D3F]

Hey guys don’t blame A&H, backward compatibility is costly and time consuming.
Let’s look at OS like macOS and Windows.
Every version of macOS causes many incompatibility of software on only several dozen of Apple devices. They just don’t care about it. Windows can provide compatibility at few milions different PC configs from different vendors even with software which was written 20 years ago, but with some random stability issues (it’s not possible to test every config). So it depends of development strategy.
There are many bussiness corelations beetween development costs, time and price of the final product.

@KeithJ A&H
If Google and Apple stores policies will allow this, you could publish 2 version of the app, ‘SQ MixPad’ and ‘SQ MixPad Legacy’ (or backup etc.).
The first would always be the newest version like v1.5.x , the second one release back v1.4.x.

This also could help unreconstructed peaple who ‘forgot’ to turn off autoupdate in app store 😉

[volounteer]

@D3E

Not blaming AH for backward compatibility.

Are questioning why their messaging changes with each version.

We would like to know their strategy and how they trade off time cost and other factors to decide what to do.

[Tim]

I just purchased my 2nd SQ5 Digital Mixer April of 2020 and I installed immediately the 1.5 version firmware. I have been getting random popping across all the Input Channels. I love the new RTA overlays over the EQ’s and I really do not want go back to using the older firmware which was suggested as a fix til a new firmware update come out to address this problem. I wanted to know how much longer will we have to wait for the new firmware update to fix this problem. I’m also open to a beta version to see if this fixes the problem.

[BradWalker]

Wanted to report we had a successful “pop-free” weekend and in the shop this past week after going back to V1.4. The V1.5 scenes all loaded without any real surprises, just had to make some HPF adjustments. Yes, I miss the RTA, but I can set up SMAART from the PAFL buss like I used to if I really need to.

Here’s hoping the quirk is resolved quickly and become solid so a maintenance release can get out the door.
Brad

[churchingnv]

Good morning. Any updates on this? We keep limping along, but it is very hard!

[KeithJ A&H]

Hi Chris,

We have now got to the bottom of the issue and are working on the fix which will be included in a maintenance release. Once completed, tested and signed off we will get this straight up on the site.
Unfortunately, as with any release, it’s not possible to provide an ETA as something could be found at the 11th hour which requires further development time.

So I’m sorry I don’t have more info or any guess at the time frame, but it will be soon!

Thanks,
Keith.

[volounteer]

@KeithJ A&H

Is the cause of the problem a trade secret or can you tell us what did it?

[KeithJ A&H]

@volounteer – always appreciate a curious mind!
But yes, you will have to put this one down as a trade secret.
I can confirm it is completely related to the V1.5.0 release and only presented on a small number of units however.

I thought you used a Qu? Are you thinking of getting an SQ?

Cheers,
Keith.

[volounteer]

@KeithJA&H

I see the SQ as the logical next step when we outgrow the Qu32.

[Author]

Posts