Multiple shades of gray/white

Robin Nixon · Post by **Robin Nixon** » Wed Apr 03, 2013 5:25 pm

Dear Ableton,

I just got my Push today and while it looks a great piece of kit, my one has a variety of different shades of white, probably a half dozen or more different ones, varying from different levels of grey to sort of light tan colors or greeny ones, or even bluish ones (and no, I'm not referring to the squares that should be blue).

By changing the scale to 'Dmnshed' or 'WhleTne' I can move the blue lights to different places and note when doing so that the off-color buttons remain in the same places. It's as if a bunch of different batches of LEDs were assembled together, sort of displaying white.

I have used the device in other modes too, and it's just not easy as there are so many different colors on screen at a time. Also my devices colors are nothing like those on the Ableton website images or videos, or any of the images on Google, or in the manual - all of which show uniform colors, not a hodgepodge of slightly different ones.

Is there a software fix for that - or else how can I return mine for replacement?

Thanks - Robin.

Asymmetricalmusic · Post by **Asymmetricalmusic** » Wed Apr 03, 2013 5:43 pm

There's a ton of us who are unhappy with the LED pad colors

I don't think returning it will get you a better or different LED pad colors.

Perhaps a software or firmware update......

Time will tell........

Personally I don't like the Pads turn dark red when record enabled. It make me think that there is a clip there. so it goes.......

lo.key · Post by **lo.key** » Wed Apr 03, 2013 5:48 pm

the pad colour is fairly addressable in the py scripts. Im planning on switching out all instances of 'white' for another colour, at least until they offer some calibration...

Tarpinian · Post by **Tarpinian** » Wed Apr 03, 2013 6:11 pm

I noticed this as well, I think it has to do with the RGB led's just not being all perfect. It's not that bad on mine, so I don't really have issue with it. Also I noticed if you photograph it the color variations don't really show up, so that might be part of whats going on in the marketing materials, besides ableton was probably using prototype units with hand picked perfect led's and doing a bit of color correction

if it's not a big deal I would not even think about exchanging it, as most units prob have the same thing and we are in the middle of a push drought.

Bobbyandreano · Post by **Bobbyandreano** » Fri Apr 05, 2013 5:42 pm

It's a QC issue at the LED component level with no calibration method to be offered.

"Hi there,
Thanks for the feedback and for taking the time to communicate with us about Push. Regarding the LEDs, please understand that it is difficult to maintain perfectly consistent color across 64 pads. We conducted extensive usability testing with Push, and found that the minor variances in brightness did not detract from Push's usability. Additionally, please note that, due to the nature of RGB LEDs, variances in color may appear more pronounced when the LEDs are set to white.

If you have any questions or if there is anything else we can help you with, please just ask.

Best regards,
Ableton Support"

Robin Nixon · Post by **Robin Nixon** » Fri Apr 05, 2013 5:50 pm

Thanks for the feedback. Ableton's care for customer experience of their products is terrible.

In my view it's in Microsoft territory (forcing Metro on people who don't like it in Win 8, for example). It's perfectly easy to get good quality RGB LED sets with almost no colour variation - I have plenty of devices that have multiple buttons that display colours all the same with no perceptible variations. The Push, however, looks like a patchwork quilt of colours.

This is the same thinking that stops Ableton from allowing the mouse scroll wheel to zoom in and out in arrangement view. In their opinion pressing [+] and [-] is perfectly good so they won't bother adding it, even though it's surely only a few hours work to make thousands of users happy.

Sadly my high hopes for the Push are dashed and I'm now going to begin transitioning away from Ableton. I have new high hopes for a certain newer product due out soon...

Robin Nixon · Post by **Robin Nixon** » Sat Apr 06, 2013 10:39 am

By the way, here's what my Push looks like for anyone interested:

Asymmetricalmusic · Post by **Asymmetricalmusic** » Sat Apr 06, 2013 2:23 pm

Wow that looks a lot worse than the one I got.

artpunk · Post by **artpunk** » Sat Apr 06, 2013 2:48 pm

Robin Nixon wrote: ...I have new high hopes for a certain newer product due out soon...

You can't leave us hanging like that! Do tell!

Robin Nixon · Post by **Robin Nixon** » Sat Apr 06, 2013 3:09 pm

artpunk wrote:
Robin Nixon wrote: ...I have new high hopes for a certain newer product due out soon...
You can't leave us hanging like that! Do tell!

This ... http://blog.dubspot.com/bitwig-studio-d ... first-look

artpunk · Post by **artpunk** » Sat Apr 06, 2013 4:21 pm

Robin Nixon wrote:
artpunk wrote:
Robin Nixon wrote: ...I have new high hopes for a certain newer product due out soon...
You can't leave us hanging like that! Do tell!
This ... http://blog.dubspot.com/bitwig-studio-d ... first-look

Ah, that old chestnut! I thought that might be what you were referring to, but was hoping there might be something 'newer' and different!

Ursadorable · Post by **Ursadorable** » Mon Apr 08, 2013 2:45 pm

Robin Nixon wrote:By the way, here's what my Push looks like for anyone interested:

Egads! I'm afraid to see what mine will look like when it will arrive. For the price, I'd expect much better QC.

Disfigurine · Post by **Disfigurine** » Mon Apr 08, 2013 6:16 pm

Bobbyandreano wrote:It's a QC issue at the LED component level with no calibration method to be offered.

"Hi there,
Thanks for the feedback and for taking the time to communicate with us about Push. Regarding the LEDs, please understand that it is difficult to maintain perfectly consistent color across 64 pads. We conducted extensive usability testing with Push, and found that the minor variances in brightness did not detract from Push's usability. Additionally, please note that, due to the nature of RGB LEDs, variances in color may appear more pronounced when the LEDs are set to white.

If you have any questions or if there is anything else we can help you with, please just ask.

Best regards,
Ableton Support"

It seems as though they are still sending out Canned responses. I received pretty much the same answer, word for word. So I replied. waiting for another response.

Robin Nixon · Post by **Robin Nixon** » Mon Apr 08, 2013 6:21 pm

I got this slightly more detailed response from Ableton (emphasis mine):

Thanks for the feedback and for taking the time to communicate with us about Push.
Regarding the LEDs, please understand that it is difficult maintain perfectly consistent brightness across 64 pads.
We conducted extensive usability testing with Push, and found that the minor variances in brightness did not detract from Push's usability.
Additionally, please note that, due to the nature of RGB LEDs, variances in color may appear more pronounced when the LEDs are set to white.
We are investigating ways to re-calibrate the LEDs via the firmware but we cannot promise that this will be implemented.
We will of course notify you of any changes.

Ursadorable · Post by **Ursadorable** » Mon Apr 08, 2013 6:27 pm

Still, there's no excuse for this.. it just means they bought low grade LED's instead of insisting on in-spec ones. Does Ableton really expect us to believe that it's that hard for a $600 piece of hardware to have $0.10 LED's instead of $0.02 seconds or thirds that some other customer didn't want? If it's a matter that the LED's are getting differing amounts of current, and thus different shades, then that's just poor hardware design. Either way, someone was slacking in QC.

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