Teenage Engineering OP-Z

instantjuggler · 2019-09-16T18:45:17.094Z

kasselvania · 2019-09-16T18:50:42.946Z

Saw you mentioning the rumble over on the OP Forum earlier today. I’m excited af to check it out. Haptic feedback seemed like a curio more than anything, but I have hope!

shellfritsch · 2019-09-16T19:14:30.401Z

i was able to beta test this module – it’s surprisingly fun. i have observed the unit resonating (quietly) when on the right surface. mostly i just like playing bass notes in and feeling the response. makes it feel more like an acoustic instrument.

while anyone could argue for more practical uses of the expansion port, it’s obviously not always about that with TE

freqout · 2019-09-17T02:09:19.231Z

Not interested in the rumble pack, but I could imagine it could be pretty pleasing if they used it to make rotating the encoders have a nice haptic click response as you spin them…

crazeebo · 2019-09-18T10:27:35.402Z

i’ve become to love this machine because you can get your very own Sound out of it. i didnt think this was possible before i bought it. will need to install my samples to go even more personal. ^
NO DOUBLE TRIGS/BENT BANANAS OR OPLABS FALLIN’OUT

freqout · 2019-09-19T06:14:30.265Z

Once you plug an OP-Z into an iPad, is there any way to disable the iPad using the OP-Z for audio output?

I bought a usb hub with a headphone jack, but as soon as I plug the OP-Z into the hub, the headphone jack stops working and disappears as an output option in AUM.

I have no idea what’s to blame here… AUM for not listing all the output devices? iOS for perhaps eliminating visibility of possible output devices in the presence of the Z? Teenage Engineering for not having a way to disable the Z acting as a sound output device?

In any case, I am curious if anyone knows a solution/workaround.

vcvcvc_val · 2019-09-22T12:54:06.543Z

That’s a really cool idea on the encoders… I nabbed the rumble pack just because I’m originally a bassist (upright and electric) so feeling the low freqs works really well for me. Super handy when youre using the built in speaker but still wanna know just how long the low end on the kick you picked is gonna stick around.

ears · 2019-09-22T16:04:07.091Z

Yeah it seems silly but I love how the rumble pack makes my OP-Z feel. It’s not a game changer music wise, it just makes a fun toy even more fun. Feeling the sound in my hands when I play piano, trombone or bass always has been this thing that makes playing more enjoyable.

LLK · 2019-09-22T17:05:19.683Z

Anyonr got an idea of how it impacts battery life? Vibrations are usually what drains the life out of gamepads more quickly.

kasselvania · 2019-09-22T17:22:07.830Z

I’ve actually been hearing people report on OP Forum that when they would get 6 hours normally, the usage of the rumble drops it to closer to 4. Some people reported 5 though. All in all, it seems minimal.

forestcaver · 2019-09-22T17:58:47.919Z

Umm - not convinced that “minimal” difference means that you can get 50% more battery life if you dont use the rumble thing ! That seems pretty significant to me…

kasselvania · 2019-09-22T18:21:25.408Z

It’s pretty wild This device gets at much time as it does, and in all honesty, losing roughly 25-33% off battery life to gain haptics is not so bad. As well,a reduction down to 4-5 hours would be a relatively inconsequential difference for most users.

forestcaver · 2019-09-22T18:30:03.887Z

It’s less than advertised though - when I decided to buy one they were advertising it had enough battery life to cross the Atlantic three times…

vcvcvc_val · 2019-09-22T21:57:12.904Z

Agreed – plus it’s super easy to just hit the lefthand button and turn off the rumble! Really sweet to have that functionality right there without a menudive of any sort (still getting used to all the button chords needed to efficiently navigate this thing )

Anfim · 2019-09-22T22:08:13.335Z

kasselvania:

It’s pretty wild This device gets at much time as it does

Is it? I’m surprised at how short it is considering it doesn’t have a screen, which is the biggest battery drain on devices like smartphones. From a quick google it also seems like its processor is also less power-hungry than your average snapdragon. The Z must have a really small battery.

edit: yeah I can’t find solid mAh numbers but the battery looks a lot smaller than one you’d see in a smartphone https://boulderhackerspace.com/2018/10/31/teenage-engineering-op-z-teardown/
I guess this makes sense as the physical controls require a significant amount of space.

LLK · 2019-09-22T22:17:49.179Z

That is my biggest gripe with it also, so that’s why I asked, I end up having to charge it way more often than I’d want to, which, for a device with no screen where portability is the most pleasant aspect about it, is really really weird to me. I’d want to use it more ! I’m not even sure it really holds 6 hours personally, or it’s just THAT much fun that I don’t realize it’s lasted that long when it dies on me also, since there’s a huge buzz noise problem when you connect it to a computer and leave the battery charging on, battery life is even more important.

So, yes, granted, it’d be absolutely pedestrian, practical, “not what TE is about”, but I’d get an added / extended battery right away, so that I don’t have to use external ones which kind of makes the whole thing less portable to begin with and steal the cable away from a possible computer connection.

25/33% less with the rumble pack is acceptable for a rumble pack overall, it’s just time I wouldn’t want to waste. I like haptic feedback, but I mostly play the opz in trains so I’ve got vibrations already !!

kasselvania · 2019-09-22T22:18:26.586Z

If you open it up, you see the battery has a very low capacity. The thing has a third of the space available for modules, plus the encoders. The battery says right on it and it’s 750mWh. There are more hardware components than a phone or anything else. A Phone is literally a battery with a few components and input methods. Plus, when driving audio, they don’t line up to the OPZ’s length of time.

Anfim · 2019-09-22T22:22:21.904Z

Pretty sure that if you stick an iphone in airplane mode and play music with the screen off it’ll happily go for at least a full day! But yeah 750 is indeed super tiny, 6 hours out of that is pretty good considering everything the Z is capable of.

I wonder if anyone would have taken issue with this thing being a little bigger, with a larger battery and buttons.

kasselvania · 2019-09-22T22:24:50.335Z

I mean,I might have given up the option for interchangeable modules for a bigger battery, but I usually don’t have issue with power consumption issues.

wednesdayayay · 2019-09-22T23:45:00.745Z

hopefully at one point there will be a battery capacity extension module!