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Mystic38 · Senior Member Joined: 27 Dec 2010 Posts: 266

I am a BIG fan of a friendly user interface.. to me an easy friendly interface, along with ergonomic comfort, means for more extended, more relaxed and more fun at the board.

I have looked at the videos that RC put onto youtube and I have some real concerns over who was in control over the design.. as it would appear that the Kronos has been designed to look cool rather than easy to use..

1. while the large color screen is nice, to me Korg should have looked hard at the Fantom G and angled the screen so that you can see and manipulate the onscreen icons without perpetually leaning over...its NOT an iPad.

2. In the videos, it seems that the onscreen icon/buttons are at times small.. the guy doing the demo seemed to frequently hit the wrong item and was peering intently like a hawk over a mouse to make sure he got the right icon.... MORE pages bigger font please!

3. the general buttons and knobs are trendy clean design.. but small and close together....larger and better spacing is MUCH easier ..

4. onscreen pads?.. i wont mention those.. oh...wait..

If all editing and patch creation is to be done bent over the Kronos peering through reading glasses like Bob Cratchitt over Scrooge's ledger then using the synth engines is gonna get old real quick.
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Shakil · Posted: Tue May 17, 2011 9:59 pm Post subject:

+1 agree on the small font size ..

But, there are some nice touch UI features on KRONOS... for example, the main program screen appears like a dashboard. You tap on a display image, and it jumps to that section for detailed editing.

But, you can't even see the synth editing screens from SONG and COMBI modes....

For editing sounds (programs), software editor would help.
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Roland Fantom-G6 ARX1, Korg M3-m exb-Radias, Korg Z1-18v, Roland MC-808, Roland MC-909, Korg microKontrol.

EXer · Last edited by EXer on Tue May 17, 2011 10:28 pm; edited 1 time in total

Chriskk · Senior Member Joined: 10 May 2011 Posts: 349

I don't understand why Korg decided not to angle the screen.

TSUNAMI · Posted: Tue May 17, 2011 10:34 pm Post subject:

Agreed, So far it really is the only gripe I have, for me it wont be a deal breaker though .........

So cant wait to get it Smile

X-Trade · Posted: Tue May 17, 2011 11:24 pm Post subject:

I've noticed in comparing it to the OASYS that text on the same screen is a lot smaller.

Kronos has a smaller screen and higher resolution, but the text has stayed the same (pixel-wise) for many things, making it smaller on the Kronos' screen. Quite often you see blank expanses where there was once much larger text. It doesn't make sense to me - like they have scaled the UI components but not changed the fonts.
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aron · Posted: Wed May 18, 2011 12:51 am Post subject:

This is a good point. When I was using the Motif XS in sunlight, I couldn't see a thing on the LCD. It was very, very difficult to work on it. Thankfully Yamaha did something really cool in that it was functionally the same as the older Motifs with just button pushes. So I hope the Kronos will be as easy to use when you can't see the LCD very clearly due to glare or sunlight.
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Korg Kronos, CASIO PX-5S, Yamaha VL1, author of unrealBook for iPad.

sparkie · Posted: Wed May 18, 2011 2:04 am Post subject:

Yeah I have been bitchin about the stupid screen ever since I saw it.. so now you say the screen isnt even angled at all?? Lies totally flat?? WTF ..

What stupid dumbass is behind designing the interface on the keyboard and the screen?? Maybe he is a "hunchback" or something?? Squinting to find what you are looking for, and then leaning over is a real pain in the ass and makes the keyboard a "CHORE" YES CHORE" Mr Korg ...to play!! NOT FUN TO PLAY!! I guess they expect us to lean the keyboard 60 degrees in to play it or something? Bad enough they took the pad buttons off but now this??

I have one on order, but screw what it sounds like... as I swear if it is hard to see and a backbreaker then its going back as a return,,, and Ill buy a Jupiter 80 with a tilt screen with the better interface. If enough people return it because of that then maybe the next damn time they will design it with a tilt screen. Evil or Very Mad

For the contest, I think What I will do for A kRONOS is... Send Korg a hardware designer or get a crowbar and pry up the screen!

Lou · Posted: Wed May 18, 2011 2:39 am Post subject:

I don't think it is entirely flat - level with the top surface.
Looking here at the teaser Akos put up, if you look, you will see that it is in fact angled. Just how much though, I guess you will need to sit in front of one?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gG7rTUB2WP0&feature=youtu.be
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Lou

sparkie · Posted: Wed May 18, 2011 3:16 am Post subject:

Yeah but if you notice Akos is standing up leaning over to look at it?? Maybe Korg designed it so you have to be standing to play it?? Huh! You think?

Just again watched Aaron demo from the All Access Party.. Everytime he makes a selection notice how he leans over to see the screen. Any video you see in every instance, even RIch does it, the person making the demo is struggling to see the damn tiny ass screen. Korg I guess cant correctly calculate eye viewing angles? Or maybe you have to have a big fat butt to view the screen. Why such an important part of the keyboard is overlooked is beyond me. The M3 and OASYS was fine but they went backwards on this design.. Maybe they saved $9. Hurray for Korg!

What fun.. looking at the flat screen on a 30 degree angle..
http://stlcm.com/posted/Kronos1.mov
http://stlcm.com/posted/Kronos2.mov
http://stlcm.com/posted/Kronos3.mov
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nowtime · Full Member Joined: 27 Aug 2009 Posts: 216

I feel your pain at the possibility of future pain, but don't worry about it until the time comes. Wait for actual reports of first hand usage. Maybe it won't be as bad as you are imagining. If it is a mess, then don't buy it ( Crying or Very sad

) or return it and deal with what is at that time.

Akos Janca · Posted: Wed May 18, 2011 6:58 am Post subject:

ScoobyDoo555 · Posted: Wed May 18, 2011 8:28 am Post subject:

The other thing to consider is that we're still in V1 territory of the OS..... so bigger fonts etc could be something on the "to do" list.

The angle on the screen doesn't bother me tbh, for several reasons -

1. Depending on the gig, it will be on an angled top-tier, so I'll see it anyway.
2. Whilst playing, I don't give a flying fook what's on the screen - I'm too busy battling with all of those black & white keys!!! Laughing

For controller stuff, I've yet to find a touchscreen interface that's good enough/durable to do the job - so all the harware sliders etc will be utilised instead.

If I'm editing, I'll be sat over the machine anyway.

Just my 2p Smile

Dan
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aron · Posted: Wed May 18, 2011 8:36 am Post subject:

As long as we can read the patch list, it should be fine. I hope the LCD doesn't wash out in sunlight. Then we are screwed when we play live.
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Korg Kronos, CASIO PX-5S, Yamaha VL1, author of unrealBook for iPad.

sparkie · Posted: Wed May 18, 2011 11:25 am Post subject:

Thanks Akos, when you get your video completed we'll check out how easy and comfortable you are reading the screen,, That is ...When... you get the video finished.