I used to play this too. :) That game was bad ass. There is a patch that lets it run on XP... *hint hint*

http://www.populousrevolution.strate...downloads.html

What really gets me is that people are having so many problems without USB and without the VC plugin, even with 1.1 that is terrible. :(

So I reckon a bunch of you wouldn't actually recommend a TI at this point? I was playing tossup between the A6 and the TI and leaning to A6 and just pick up a desktop Virus C or something later, or a TI desktop a long way down the road if the bugs get all ironed out.

How good is the TI over the C in your opinion if the TI aspect is completely taken out of the picture? What is this about internal bus and effects routing better on the C? Any detail?

I totally agree. The synth should work without any major bugs in normal mode. If it doesn't, access shouldn't sell it yet.

edit. The software integration should be just an option. All the functions should be accessible from the synth.

I wish I could recommend the TI, but I can't, unless you're just planning to use it in single mode via ol' fashioned MIDI cables. Running in sequencer mode and multi mode my Polar has issues. I haven't had arp timing problems, but I get nasty crashes that may be occurring when I have multiple arps running on multiple parts simultaneously.

I may simply have a faulty unit - I don't know. I am weary of being a beta tester for Access. I'd throw the damn thing out the window if it wasn't the best-sounding synth I've ever played.

My desktop TI is going back to the dealers, while I was discussing the whole debarcle with the engineer, he mentioned an interesting thing.

He said that numerous TI's had gone back to Access in Germany because of a batch of faulty DSP chips.
It seems they had appeared to test ok, but had not remained in spec after a few hours use.
True or not, it might explain a few things.

Could you please give a detailed description of the faults which made your TI stand out?

I mean how did they know your TI had faulty DSP?

You may listen to many sci-fi stories from distributors, I havent bought a processor yet which appears to be faulty in the meantime.Maybe I'm wrong....

Well, after emailing Access with the beta form, they replied very quickly and without any further questioning directed me to send it back for repair in warranty.

I think the clincher was that all my issues where in standalone mode.

I have described the faults elswhere.

If you read my post, I made it clear it was the engineer at the dealers NOT ACCESS that said it may be a faulty DSP.

The engineer obviously has some experience because they had sent back multiple units to Access with the same or similar issues.

I imagine Access do not want the public to think they are sending out faulty units, so they have been (as usual) schtumm on the whole matter.

Same here, and I've sent in the beta form, but not heard back from them.

Did they suggest you send it to them (Access) directly, or to the retailer that you purchased the TI from?

Via the dealer