That is correct, I always warn the buyer and also have a label on the box that describes the enclosed item and the cost to make going through customs easier. I have never had a unit returned or rejected because of a large VAT fee surprising a buyer (going on 10 years now).
Next-gen and mini Axoloti hardware discussion
Woodinblack
#348
As interesting as general taxation is as a subject, Maybe someone could start a new thread for vat discussions and we could just have info about next generation hardware instead?
tedopon
#349
For those of us who only care about international excise, this would be a godsend. I reload this post several times a day in anticipation of details related to import tariffs, yet there are occasionally statements regarding an STM core software/hardware hybrid audio device?
As a global economic dynamics enthusiast, I find I can only devote a small portion of my time to the hobbyist music technology fan forums. Please separate these topics so I don't have to read about kickass audio devices in the future.
Thank You
Gavin
#350
Due to personal fund crisis I would won't be able to get one straight away, but it will happen eventually. 
axoman
#351
Kinda hard not to spit back in the face of such sarcasm.
Perhaps Woodinblack and Tedopon might read back a bit and find that it was Urklang himself who asked about the taxation stuff. I doubt neither myself, Tele, Ersatz, Timeorspace, Mrdrbobo or in fact anyone else would be talking about it otherwise, so maybe quit the sarcastic remarks dressed-up as compliments.
axoman
#352
I know the feeling mate, especially as I just suffered open-wallet surgery myself buying a bloody laptop. Mustn't talk here though, how dare you speak of your personal fund crisis in this thread when such important people as Woodinblack and Tedopon are reading it?
Makes me wonder if they're socially impaired as a result of too much exposure to social media (that's the usual reason people post sarcasm for likes).
I've given them both a like, just to humour them.
Captain_Burek
#353
Guys, loosen up! Woodinblack wasn't sarcastic at all (and made a good point imho), and tedopon's post was actually really funny!
Woodinblack
#355
Would the original boards be available without the TRS connectors on it? I am assuming from the image they are 2.5mm (1/8") connectors?
I would be intending to gig any hardware I had so I would need to wire it up to 1/4" or something - 1/8" trs connectors are not something I would want live (any more than I already have).
urklang
#356
I can definitely make the base board available without TRS connectors for those that want it that way. The associated audio signals will still be available at test points even when the connectors are there though. You don't need to remove connectors in order to get solder-able access.
I think some kind of IO expansion with 1/4" jacks makes sense as well, probably configured in such a way that making guitar/bass/mic etc effects is easier. It may actually be merged with some kind of multi-channel feature that puts the additional digital audio IO peripherals on the H7 to good use. A related idea is this: allowing an Akso-style board to function as a proper USB audio interface. I think we should design this type of expansion with that in mind as well.
Woodinblack
#358
I realise you would still be able to get the audio either way, but you wouldn't be able to mount the board flush to the front of a case, so that you could access the USBs / SD card because the sockets might be in the way.
Obviously a standard expansion board would be a good idea anyway
mastaman
#359
I vote for digital IO expansion. ADAT IO and MIDI DIN IO on one expansion board would be really nice!
Blindsmyth
#360
Yes me too. I think more audio IO would be a gamechanger!! ADAT would be totally awesome, Teensy is capable of doing ADAT output and it makes me so jealous.
But as a starter spdif or i2s support would be great.
More midi io could be solved by usb hub support. then you could simply use a usb midi interface.
jaffasplaffa
#361
I think I saw on Github that in one of the experimental releases that USB hubs was supported. We can only hope it will make it into the official release eventually 
mastaman
#363
Yes ok, then i vote for drivers for the Unitor8 USB MIDI interface 
(or i have to get another class compliant USB box...i'm actually not a big fan of USB..it can be a bit flimsy..MIDI DIN is always rock solid) One of the really cool features of the Axo is the many connections onboard. Right now im trying to make a nice frontend for the FH-1 module and it is great to have all the built in connections. The FH-1 is only USB host.
ADAT would be sooooo cool...imagine hooking it up to a expert sleepers ADAT to CV module...or sending 8 channels from an audio interface as FX processing and back again...MINDBLOWING! but yeah SPDIF would also be cool, but maybe not mindblowing.
Blindsmyth
#364
Yess! Also great for drum machines, multi layer looper grooverbox patches where you want to record all the single elements for a proper mixdown in the DAW.
more dedicated midi io would be also nice, I suggested it more as a low hanging fruit that would make many people happy 
axoman
#365
I said it regards Johannes' board and I'll say it again regards Urklang's board, that the Axoloti board, by it's very nature, should be an unpopulated core board with headers that can accept breakout components for everything from the power jack to the type of audio connectors.
Johannes and Urklang are clearly very gifted and passionate engineers, but sadly neither of them appear to understand why a board like Axoloti is crying out to be unpopulated. I'll be supporting Urklang just as I supported Johannes, but honestly, I'm secretly swearing in my head over and over again with phrases like ...
"Why the f@ck do they keep populating these boards?"
"Have a word with that Teensy guy, he's got the right idea!"
Soffregen has the right idea. There is no need for him to concern himself with the power connection used, or the input jack used, or the MIDI connection used. I think the reason for this is simple; because when all is said and done, the Teensy is a development board, therefore, it's a pointless task to debate connections when headers free the user completely - so that's what it has - perfect!
Axoloti is a development board, and while there are things I prefer on Urklang's board, there are also things I prefer on Johannes' board. The problem is, no one is ever going to get it right until they release an unpopulated Axoloti board.
Axoloti should be unpopulated. Not because axoman said so, but because common sense says so where development boards are concerned. That way, you stand to please all users. Just put headers on the damn thing and connect stuff up to it with ribbon cables or whatever, just as an old floppy drive can be connected to a motherboard or whatever.
Honestly, if plugging a cable into a board is difficult, then the person incapable of doing so probably shouldn't be playing with an Axoloti anyway!
axoman
#366
Robertsonic's WAV Trigger and Tsunami boards are other good examples of the way to go for audio dev boards, look at it, you literally cannot fault the connection type chosen, because that decision, as it should be, is left to the purchaser of the board!
urklang
#367
You're basically describing what I've made. Teensy still has a USB connector and is no where near doing what our boards do in terms of audio; it's basically a processor and test points. My version is just taking a stand that beyond the first USB connector, we'll also have an SD card and a USB-C host on the base board. Everything else is available at a test point. The idea that those two extra connectors are causing more harm than good is just bogus. They're helping 99% of our users get things done out of the box.