Ahlborn Galanti remote control

[ab1078]

Hello all,

Does anyone have an idea of where I can find a replacement interactive programmer remote for my AG3200? Or, do any of you know how to bypass needing the remote to make changes to the original settings? I have been in contact with the company several times and keep getting the "it will be sent out today" response. Months later, still nothing. Any ideas appreciated.

Thanks!

[arie v]

Hi,

You don't state what country you are in, or what company you are dealing with.

Have you tried the dealer where it originally was bought from?

You pretty much need the Interactive Programmer to make some changes, as well as to save the default voicing parameters.

AV

[ab1078]

Arie,

I'm in the United States. I have been in contact with Ahlborn-Galanti(General Music USA) directly. I was told several times that they would be sending me a new remote control, but after several conversations I have yet to actually receive anything from them.

Hi,

You don't state what country you are in, or what company you are dealing with.

Have you tried the dealer where it originally was bought from?

You pretty much need the Interactive Programmer to make some changes, as well as to save the default voicing parameters.

AV

[arie v]

Hi,

I shall rattle some chains on your behalf. Can't promise you more at this stage.

AV

[mashaffer]

I have to admit that I don't get the idea of a remote for an organ. "Honey, where did you put the remote? I want to play the organ." Isn't it bad enough that you need a remote in order to use a TV/DVD/CD etc.? I would have thought that a slide out control panel would have done the job nicely.

mike

[Jan Girardot]

Mike, read Arie's message #2, above. it explains the purpose of the "remote" to us uninitiated folk.

Thanks,

. . . Jan

[mashaffer]

Yes, but why not have that function integral to the instrument itself? Not trying to be dense, it just comes naturally to me. ;)

mike

[Jan Girardot]

Would you also have Rodgers (and Allen, maybe) provide a programing remote with every model that allows revoicing so the owners could tweak the voices to suit their ears?

Hmmm.....don't think that's gonna happen.

[Kurzweil]

I have always believed that the purpose of a remote control was to save the effort of standing up and walking across the room. Hence their "need" for TV's, VCR's, and DVD players. It has always bothered me that the loss of such a device then reduces the usefulness of the item significantly. I don't mean having to walk across the room; that probably is to our benefit, lazy fat asses that we are, at least in the US. I'm talking about no longer being able to turn on closed caption, or even record (on some VCR's).

Now you are sitting at the organ and want to save some "default programming parameters". I have to agree with Shaffer; understanding the purpose of the remote in no way justifies its choice as the interface. In playing an organ you never want to be across the room; why not put the controls right there at the organ?

The earliest remote controls had a wire connecting them to the device. Audio tape decks, even some VCR's. Even a tethered remote would make more sense in this case. There is simply no reason that I can conceive of whereby the organist would want to make these changes AWAY from the console. The wireless handheld remote is a stupid choice for this particular application, IMHO. Just something to lose track of with no obvious benefit to compensate for that risk.

[Benchkey]

The AG remote is a very handy device, and certainly a lot nicer than those found in drawers which can decapitate the unwary's kneecap. On the AG series there is a little green window on the dashboard into which many parameters can be entered, but not all the voicing requirements. Those must be accomplished from the remote. The remote also allowes the voicer to walk about the sanctuary to check how the voicing sounds. As a dealer I've only had one faulty remote and received a replacement within a few days of asking, but glitches do happen in the shipping department of any firm. Most organists guard the remote as they don't want it in the hands of anyone who is not versed in its use, and certainly not in the hands of the Vicar who may decide to make changes while the organist is playing.

[Kurzweil]

in the hands of the Vicar who may decide to make changes while the organist is playing.

Well, I can now conceive of a reason why having the device portable might make some sense. Still, poor positioning in a drawer that can cause injury does not seem like a powerful argument for detaching the device from what it controls. I can understand being loyal to a product one represents. After all, the features are presented to the dealer and seldom is an opinion requested. But I still wonder if any organists prefer this handheld device to mounting the controls somewhere on the console. When the model is an antique, the company long having discontinued it, leaking batteries destroyed the remote, etc., what will future users come up with?

I know that there must be a reason that an engineer chose this method for creating the controlling device as a portable. I'm still waiting to hear it presented however. Those drawers have become very ubiquitous for both theater organs and classical where programing needs to hide away - - multiple registration sets or multiple users. Do organists really prefer a hand held remote to a drawer? All that said, maybe a forum dealer for Galanti can help the OP get his missing remote replaced. He's probably willing to pay for the device.

[michaelhoddy]

It's useful for voicing out in the room, for keeping all the buttons and busy-ness off the console itself (which I appreciate), and ESPECIALLY useful for triggering the sequencer when you're organist and also directing a choir away from the console. You can play the organ accompaniment into the sequencer and trigger it from your music stand in front of the choir loft. I made good use of this in one smaller church where I did double duty.

It's a radio-frequency remote, so it doesn't need to be line of sight.

When we sold these organs, we provided floppy disks with common hymns on them, and the priest or officiant on the altar could play back music for daily masses or other services for which the organist might not be available. More useful than you might think, and in smaller parishes where you have to improvise with what you have available, a potential lifesaver.

[arie v]

Hi,

The Interactive Programmer for Ahlborn-Galanti organs, is a radio frequency based device which looks like a remote control, and that is pretty much how it works. The name is trade marked and the concept was patented by GeneralMusic.

It first came out with the Chronicler II in 1992, and did the following, allowed voicing of the organ, could be used as a control for sequencing (performance record and playback), and operated the disc drive, on which you could store performances, voicing, and combinations. In my opinion, for the time it was a great tool, and very innovative. Perhaps, because it was a patented idea, other organ builders did not use the idea.

As to the AG-3200 instrument, it uses essentially the same device, except that with the new organs, having different features, the device has a different silk screened face on it. The original device will work with the new organs.

With the new organs, one does need the Interactive Programmer to store default (power on) settings, voicings, etc. However secondary stop lists, interactive channelling etc. can be set without the device.

I would say that there are still benefits to this idea. One is that the software to run the organ parameters, are all contained in the organ. That means as long as you have the remote, you can make changes. Most organ companies now have voicing programs where you need a computer, the computer whose software is not likely to be around in 20 or 30 years. That is even if you can find the disc where the voicing program can be found.

The downside, of this device is they can be lost. And people do lose them, and replacements are not cheap.

AV

[don60]

Hello all,

Does anyone have an idea of where I can find a replacement interactive programmer remote for my AG3200? Or, do any of you know how to bypass needing the remote to make changes to the original settings? I have been in contact with the company several times and keep getting the "it will be sent out today" response. Months later, still nothing. Any ideas appreciated.

Thanks!

I sent you a private message.

[Gemshoorn]

I would say that there are still benefits to this idea. One is that the software to run the organ parameters, are all contained in the organ. That means as long as you have the remote, you can make changes.

As I said in the other thread, I have a new organ (a European model) which comes also with a remote control. Although I have yet to fully explore its capabilities, it seems to me that everything voicing and finishing related can be done using the buttons on the console under the LCD display. There is even a dedicated button to access the external USB storage. The remote is an added bonus for fast access of all these functions (many button clicks through the console controls for something that needs one click on the remote).

But for the recordings that I did, the remote was godsend. I needed to be near to my recording device in order to adjust the microphones' sensitivity while navigating the sequencer with the remote in order to reach the highest volume part of the piece stored in it. That would normally require two persons (one near the microphones checking sensitivity, another one in the organ to manipulate the built-in sequencer controls) and I did it effortlessly alone.

Most organ companies now have voicing programs where you need a computer, the computer whose software is not likely to be around in 20 or 30 years. That is even if you can find the disc where the voicing program can be found.

In fact, this was for me a deal breaker with these companies. The one offering computer-free on-board and remote controls won.

The downside, of this device is they can be lost. And people do lose them, and replacements are not cheap.

Just curious, we talk about how much?