A FAQ for the Orba 2, 3 and the Chorda

 (I've got bored answering questions about Apps and content for these devices. 

I can't help at all for the Artiphon Instrument and the Orba 1. 

If anyone has good firmware files for the Orba 2 and the Orba 1 I would happily add them for others if I think they are viable ie: someone has used them successfully. I can't test them myself. Content for the Orba 1 might also be useful.)


No versions of the apps for mobile devices have surfaced at the time of writing. I believe iOS is blocking and/or deleting the app. The Android app is no longer on the store.

Firmware:

The latest version of the firmware for the Chorda can be loaded. There was only one update for the Orba 3 as far as I am aware - it was a fix for a bug which could stop the device working, so it should be used. These are included in this package, with instructions. It includes the PC and MacOs Apps. The apps are also still available at Artiphon.com if you prefer. Here: https://www.mediafire.com/file/yh4zj6xx5cacjet/TYYTappendix.zip/file

The latest PC app may not run on a new PC or a new installation of the OS. This can be fixed by hand installing the correct old Visual-C Runtime. (Some older versions of the PC app will run, but will only be properly compatible with older versions of the firmware. Try v. 1.0.584.)

This may help with Visual-C Runtime: https://www.techpowerup.com/download/visual-c-redistributable-runtime-package-all-in-one/ it worked for me.

(I think it is vcredist2013_x64.exe or vcredist2013_x86 you want but others may work. I don't know.)

The lastest firmware v. 1.3.1 and the latest app is v. 1.0.670 for the Orba 2 and Chorda. The Orba 3 is different - I don't know the version numbers, and I don't have one to check it. No known working version of the latest firmware for the Orba 2 has surfaced at time of writing. 


Content:

I made a package which contains all the Artiphon content that I could find. I am not sure if it is complete -  there may be one or two late items missing. These can be copied into the app data on the Public/Shared folders by hand.  https://www.mediafire.com/file/13clvnbxfid0ptg/Artiphon_Presets.zip/file

Note: uninstalling the app will not remove the content files so you don't have to worry about losing them that way, but I would always advise making backups, just in case. 

These content files can be copied from one computer to another if they are put in the right place. This works even transferring from Windows to Mac, or Mac to Windows.


The Preset Creator still works and presets made by users can be shared by using the "Share" option in the apps. This will make an Artibundle file which others can use. If any are sent to me, and the creators wish, and I think they are OK and useful for others, I will put them into a package in due course. 


I am still making some custom presets myself and I will share some good ones here, but that will not last long I suspect, I'm almost worn out!


A footnote: I did come across a comment that the bug on the Orba 3 related to it failing to cope with high frequencies. I have had presets that cause the Chorda and Orba 2 to be erratic and crash and reboot, and I suspect it is also a high frequency problem, but I am not sure, and the consequencies are not disasterous. Orba 3 users should apply the updated firmware, or at least avoid trying to get the device to play in the very highest octaves.

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