S4 HA w/OS 1.46 Half Moon Now Selectable

[k_rami]

I contacted Nord support, they acknowledged the bug. Now we have to wait for the next version...

[Mighty Motif Max]

If nobody has answered that by the time I get back down south next week, I will check as I should be receiving my NS4 HA88. Will check the topic then.

My NS4 88 arrived yesterday, with OS v.1.46. I do not see three boxes when switching the rotary pedal type to half-moon.

[Mighty Motif Max]

I contacted Nord support, they acknowledged the bug. Now we have to wait for the next version...

I wonder what’s been acknowledged as a bug:

A) that the half moon does not work in stop mode?

B) that the half moon switch selection is available in the systems menu on all models of the NS4 instead of just the NS4 Compact, where the latter would be in line with the information in the manual? The same limitation is on the NS3 series, just the Compact supports a Half Moon Switch. I had both a NS3 Compact and a NS3 88 for some time and sold the NS3 88, but if I remember correctly I could not even select a Half Moon Switch in the systems setting on the 88 model, just on the Compact

C) both?

[cgrafx]

The NS4 Compact is not special... all of the NS4 keyboards use the exact same main board and firmware. The only thing that determines which version is a set of jumper pins that get shorted with a connector plug that shorts different pins. So there is absolutely no reason for the half-moon switch not to work on all version of the NS4.

It would actually have been extra work for Nord to specifically program that functionality out of the other configurations.

[Schorsch]

On page 60 it's clearly mentioned that 'Half Moon Switch" can only be chosen on the Compact as the rotor pedal type:

Bildschirmfoto 2025-03-19 um 09.54.57.png (48.21 KiB) Viewed 1682 times

This was also true on the NS3, so the manual is telling kind of bullsh... if they don't distinguish between different models in their OS to enable / disable the option for "Half Moon Switch"?

[cgrafx]

I can't say that Nord didn't make a distinction if the unit was set to Compact vs Non-Compact, but in order to do that somebody at Nord had to specifically add additional code to the firmware to disable the Half-Moon switch functionality.

If that is the case, then Nord's programming department gets a HUGE fail. It is/was entirely wasted effort as there is/was ZERO reason to have done this.

Not only is there no reason to make that functionality model specific, it added additional code that now had to be tested (which clearly they have failed at) and disabled functionality for absolutely no purpose.

[maxpiano]

Not only is there no reason to make that functionality model specific,

No technical reason for sure but... maybe a marketing one...? (since Half Moon holes are only present on NS3/4 Compact)

[Schorsch]

If that is the case, then Nord's programming department gets a HUGE fail. It is/was entirely wasted effort as there is/was ZERO reason to have done this.

Not only is there no reason to make that functionality model specific, it added additional code that now had to be tested (which clearly they have failed at) and disabled functionality for absolutely no purpose.

I fully agree with that, it's a kind of stupid decision to exclude the Half Moon Switch option on the Non-Compact models.

Saying this it remains a fact that the Half Moon Switch is "officially" supported by Nord on Stage Compact models only according to the manuals. Therefore, even if they fix the bug in the software causing the rotary sim to not go to Stop mode when the Half Moon Switch is set into the middle position, I would expect it to work in that way on the Compact only and this option disappearing in the settings of the other models rather than making it available for all models.

No technical reason for sure but... maybe a marketing one...? (since Half Moon holes are only present on NS3/4 Compact)

Yep, I believe that they consider Compact models as the only ones people want to use a Half Moon Switch with because these are very much build for organ players with the waterfall keybed included, and that made them provide mounting holes for the Half Moon Switch on the Compact models only and remove the menu option for the Half Moon Switch on the other models - really stupid and too short-sighted from my point of view

[maxpiano]

No technical reason for sure but... maybe a marketing one...? (since Half Moon holes are only present on NS3/4 Compact)

Yep, I believe that they consider Compact models as the only ones people want to use a Half Moon Switch with because these are very much build for organ players with the waterfall keybed included, and that made them provide mounting holes for the Half Moon Switch on the Compact models only and remove the menu option for the Half Moon Switch on the other models - really stupid and too short-sighted from my point of view

I agree because anyway on the weighted versions you may still want to use a double switch pedal to do the same as the Half Moon (and today you can't, only Fast/Slow) ...

[ESFlash]

cgrafx mentioned a jumper that tells the keyboard if it's a Compact or HA.

It would be interesting to see a list of the Differences, Capabilities and Functionality between the S4 HA & Compact that the jumper enables and disables between models.

Not having STOP in the middle position on the HA, while not a show stopper, would be nice for those who prefer using the three position switch, as designed, and not foot pedals or a foot switch or the existing keyboard panel buttons. STOP still works on the keyboard via the control panel even with the half moon installed on the HA.

My S4 HA, like all S4 HA's, didn't include half moon mounting holes. I used heavy duty double sided tape, rated at 60 lbs (27 kg) shear, which made a strong bond between the switch and keyboard.