Aerodrums and Aered forums

Hello.
I am considering buying the Aerodrums 2. I already own the first version and am quite satisfied with it, apart from minor details. So far, I've been put off from buying the second version by the relatively high price, to which I also have to add the cost of the device that will run the application and visualization.
However, what bothers me most is the fact that, unlike the first version which used a single computer/notebook for control, version 2 effectively uses two computers in series – an internal one within the device itself and a second one in the device that handles the application and visualization. I have read that if the WiFi network is unstable, there can be a delay in the visualization compared to striking the individual elements of the drum kit. I think this must be very unpleasant, perhaps even unusable.
Furthermore, WiFi might not be available everywhere, meaning we would rely on a data connection, which also might not always be perfect. Is it possible to connect the tablet or smartphone with a cable, without the need for a wireless network?
It should also be noted that the screen size of a smartphone is not ideal for visualizing a drum kit, and if we use a tablet and don't have one readily available, it's another additional investment, increasing the price by at least another $200.

Hi, about needing a second device, that device can be a Windows/Mac computer or an Android/iOS tablet or phone. If you own one of those then there should be no need to buy an additional device. Using the app for visualization is optional. Many people use Aerodrums 2 for drumming without connecting the app at all, and only using it when they need to configure settings.

About the potential for a "delay in the visualization", we have not seen issues with WiFi latency between the Aerodrums 2 device and the device running the app. I'm curious to know where did you read that?

If WiFi is not available then the Aerodrums 2 device creates its own "hotspot" network that you can join on the device that you're using to run the app. This makes it possible to use Aerodrums 2 with the app anywhere, whether WiFi is available or not. We don't support a wired connection between the Aerodrums 2 device and the app device currently, but we might support this using a USB cable in the future if there are good reasons for it.

Please ask if you have any other questions. Thanks

Hello, thank you very much for your comprehensive answer. I would like to ask one more question. Is it true that Aerodrums 2 only has preset kits that cannot be individually configured? I really liked this option in the original version. If I buy Aerodrums 2, is the nice case included in the price, or do I have to buy it separately? It wouldn't be a problem to make one myself, but it would be a nice bonus. One more question. If I used Aerodrums 2 without visualization—just setting the parameters in the app—would it be realistic to play blind, so to speak, and still hit the right parts of the kit?
Thanks in advance for your reply.

When Aerodrums 2 was launched earlier in the year it only had preset kits. But that has changed. We have since added support for creating your own kits. This means you can add whatever pieces you want in your kit, position them wherever you like and change the sounds of each piece.

The hardcase is not included by default, it is available as an add-on at checkout. The box that the parts come can be re-used though and is suitable for transport/storage.

It is definitely the case that you can play blind and not miss any hits once you have gotten used to where the pieces of a kit are.

Richard, thank you for your reply.
Great. Does this update need to be installed on the device, or is it part of the app on my phone/tablet/laptop?
Sorry for the silly questions, but I'm not very knowledgeable about IT.

The software running on the Aerodrums 2 device itself is referred to as the firmware. The software running on your phone/tablet/laptop is the Aerodrums 2 app.

Generally when we release a software update it is required to update both the firmware and the app.

When you run the app, it will automatically check if an update is available. If it is then the app will give you the option to update the firmware. If you tell it to update then the app will download the necessary file, copy it to the Aerodrums 2 device and then the Aerodrums 2 device will update itself.

In the future we expect fewer firmware updates as the platform stabilizes, but more app updates as we release new content.

Thanks for the comprehensive answer. I really appreciate that you, as the developer and author of Aerodrums, are responding to me directly. The whole Aerodrums community feels like one big family to me. Thank you for what you do. I originally had the idea of getting an acoustic drum kit, but Aerodrums 2 seems like a better choice to me now.