ORBIT 0.8.0

Track-filter resonance and band-pass mode, plus merged SMK-37 support.

ORBIT 0.8.0 adds track-filter controls, preserves their values and macro
assignments in the new storage formats, and removes the built-in demo-song
loader. Official firmware binaries are FM-1 only. SMK-37 support is
included in the source, not as published model binaries.
Product introduction · User guide

Track filter, issue #5

The FX > FILTER page now has three controls on every synth track and
the drum track:

• FILT, KNOB 1: the existing -64..63 range. Zero remains OFF/bypass.
• RES, KNOB 2: adjustable resonance, 0..127. The default is 40 out of
  127, shown as about 31%, matching the previous fixed resonance.
• TYPE, KNOB 3: LP/HP or BP. LP/HP retains the original signed
  behavior: negative FILT closes the low-pass filter, positive FILT opens
  the high-pass filter. BP sweeps the band's centre from low to high across
  the same range, with zero still reserved for bypass.

The track filter is separate from ANALOG's engine filter and the master
filter. FILT and RES support step locks; TYPE is not a lock destination.
Synth macros can target RES and TYPE. Project/section saves retain both
values and their macro assignments.

For parameter-ID consumers, P_TRES is 63, P_TFTYPE is 64
(0 = LP/HP, 1 = BP), and P_E0 moves to 65. The track parameter
count is 73. Engine-control IDs in older saved locks and macros must
be migrated, not interpreted as the new filter controls.

Demo loader removed

The built-in FIRST LIGHT loader and DEMO SONG menu are removed. The
historical host-rendered audio example remains available in the docs.
The native preview's separate demo pattern is not a firmware boot pattern.

Updating does not erase an earlier working autosave. If old demo patterns
return, back up any wanted work, stop playback and confirm
SAVE > TOOLS > NEW. The screen shows NEW PROJECT; stopped autosave
then keeps the empty working project. See the guide.

Merged SMK-37 source support

The SMK-37 board port is now in the source tree. It adds velocity keys and
pads, fader banks, pitch/mod wheels and a pad sound picker while retaining
ORBIT's shared workflow. Model-specific default builds are available for
SMK-37 Pro, SMK-37 Elite and MKE-P37; FM-1 remains the default
target.

SMK-37 has sample flash for USR1/USR2 only and no TRS MIDI IN. Its
FELUCCA_UART must remain 0. Build and install the package for the matching
model, not the FM-1 package. See build commands
and SMK-37 controls and safety.

The v0.8.0 release does not include SMK-37 binaries. These model
commands remain available for source builds.

Projects, USER sounds and downgrades

Back up before updating. Keep that pre-update backup separate from
new 0.8.0 exports.

ORP8 uses the previous project's reserved track byte for RES and TYPE,
so project size stays unchanged. ORP7 imports preserve the existing
sound and sequence data, shift engine-control lock and macro IDs by two,
and initialize RES = 40, TYPE = LP/HP.

New OPB3 records store all 73 parameter values and four macro
assignments, including custom RES/TYPE destinations. OPB2 values and
macro destinations are mapped by their stored parameter count. UPB1
imports use engine-default macros because that format did not store
custom assignments. Missing controls take their defaults.

Stored values and sound recall are different: a USER bank retains the
captured filter values for backup/export, but loading a USER sound keeps
the destination track's live FILT, RES and TYPE, along with its other
mix and sequence context. The saved macro map is restored and addresses
those live values. Use a project/section to recall the whole track state.

Older firmware, including 0.7.0 and 0.7.1, cannot read ORP8 or OPB3.
It may treat new saves as empty and overwrite them through autosave.
Return to the matching pre-update backup when downgrading. Raw SLOOP 2.6
FUN6 remains unsupported; ORBIT's engine registry and layout differ.

Build and installation

Use the default build:

sh build.sh

The source version is ORBIT 0.8.0 and the default install identity
stays FM-1_900. Don't pass --release: its upstream single-digit
version scheme changes identity, appends BETA and does not accept 0.8.0.
SMK-37 source builds also use the default version path.

The official v0.8.0 firmware assets are the FM-1 orbit.fwsc and
SHA256SUMS. The public installer uses the FM-1 package; check that it
shows 0.8.0 before writing. Local site generation uses --version 0.8.0
with the actual 0.8.0 package. See BUILDING.md for
the site commands and CLI installation.

Validation and hardware evidence

The final no-demo firmware passed the full host suite, native-preview
checks and pi32v2 target build and budget checks. All 218 audio goldens
remained unchanged.

On 2026-10-27, the no-demo 0.8 hardware candidate was installed on
an FM-1. The write reached 100%, reboot completed and the FM-1_900
identity returned. The device owner confirmed a normal screen, cleared
the earlier working autosave with NEW PROJECT and accepted the hardware
for release.

INFO/PING requests timed out, so no successful firmware-version query
is claimed. The version-only 0.8.0 rebuild has not been separately
hardware-tested.

Final package hashes, resource measurements and detailed results belong
in the validation record. Earlier evidence stays
explicitly historical:

• 2026-10-15, ORBIT 0.7.1: software checks and package measurements.
• 2026-10-12, ORBIT 0.7.0: FM-1 installation, reboot, version and PING.
• 2026-10-10, ORBIT 0.6.0: installation and a short USB audio recording.

Those earlier results are not new 0.8.0 checks. Host tests and static
target-cost checks cannot establish hardware timing.

Source credits, GPL-3.0-only notices and the existing exceptions and asset
rights remain in place. See LICENSING.md and
CLUSTER asset provenance.