UNKNOWN ARTEFACT: Sound Engineers, apply here!

[Lord Syd]

So this really got me intrigued.

Sorry up front for my bad english, I' no native speaker

I downloaded a free sound analysis software (RavenLite if anyone is interested) and did some experiments.

First I tried speeding up the whole file. The interesting thing that happened at 3.5x: You could hear clear notes which sounded like beeing played by a brass instrument going between high and low tones that reminded me of morse. But this may be to straightforward.

The frequenzy of said notes for the low ones is around about 1600 to 1700 hz, the high ones seem to be 100 hz higher, but this is hard to see through all the noise.

This is what I could from fiddling around for ten minutes. Maybe someone can be checking the morse theory?

Will be back later after some more testing.

Cheers,

Lord Syd

Edit: Well, did't see there was a second page to this thread. Seems I am a little late with my analysis. Sorry.

 

[Cougar]

Or possibility (3) RNG audio to mess with the heads of people like us.

That's what I meant with (2) . The random-number generator (if it is random) seems to only generate sequences where "1" or "0" cannot appear more than twice in a row, so each digit is not generated independently.

 

[deusx_ophc]

Aren't you looking too far into this, trying to find a pattern and all? Sounds pretty straightforward to me: there's something organic and alive in that thing, awaiting for the right moment to burst out.

I have a feeling that by bringing and selling those things in stations, we're actually assisting the Thargoids in their (surely violent) come back.

huzza common sense prevails after all. michael was just saying, listen, thargoids inside!! leave it alone!

 

[gary.brain]

I went for the simpler route.

In my audio app the Lowest volume marker is 42, middle volume all 5 hit 30 and highest volume marker tone in 26

42 30 26 Close to AO

and if you play around with the order they are close to some other.

Will see how it goes....

 

[Dagless]

Ok, this 6 and 7 digit thing is bothering me. In binary, a 7 digit number starting with 01 would be the same as a 6 digit number starting with 1. So why do we see examples of both? Or even 6 digit numbers starting with a 0?

For consistency it would make sense to either have all 7 digit numbers (no matter what the first digit), or truncate numbers before the first 1. Having both formats is weird.

Does that make sense to anyone?

 

[Epicurean Dream]

Our job is to listen to those recordings and attempt to prove a pattern exists.

I don't agree with this. Shouldn't our job be to listen to the recordings and attempt to discern whether a pattern does or doesn't exist?

My only big argument here is that "data" is currently being extrapolated from extremely tainted samples and the binary premise is entirely un-substantiated. We need to really prove the basics, study the audio much more deeply and rule out any false positives or human error before we begin even thinking about meaning.

I agree. We need to deconstruct the recordings, and gather more of them before we do anything else. I will help with this when I have time as I have a lot of experience with audio engineering. This includes not basing analysis on unsubstantiated presuppositions! We should only be treating it as binary/meaningful at all when the other, less exciting, possibilities have been ruled out.

 

[VR Mr Teatime]

So, instead of speeding up the audio to listen for Highs and Lows, (which I believe is clouded by the erratic 'heart beat' sounds it makes, causing there to be no discernible pattern) I listened to it at plain old 1X, and I hear a pattern of 7 notes. First four (ending with the iconic foghorn note), then three. These repeat, without fail, every time. AND they coincide with when the UA 'lights up'.
Now, I'm not fully convinced that the Thargoids 'want' us to find them, because if they knew our culture they would just emit a message in english (for example), but for now let's assume that for simplicity, we can use all our human tools to decode it.
I took the seven notes and corresponded them to notes on a keyboard.
The first is D (27) - A (34) - D (27) - D (3)
The second is F (30) - C# (2) - D# (28)
I'm trained in music, but by no means a tone expert so I would love for someone to check me. This results in seven alpha notes, or 12 numeric digits. These twelve digits could be used to make a 3-axis coordinate system, with 4 digits each. You would result in (27.34, 27.33, 02.28)
Just one of the many ways to interpret the sound, but I believe looking at the notes themselves is more reliable than the binary system of highs and lows, because there is a definitive pattern, and it's not just high and low, there are multiple notes being used.

.
I think I am hearing D/A/F/A(440hz) in the "whale song" part.
.
The first A is an Octave higher than the A @440hz (concert pitch) - D is in the same octave as the A(440hz) - F is Octave above 440hz - drops to A (440hz)
.
When Lave Radio Live is over I'll have a crack at some others, but those 4 notes seem to correspond to yours feugan.
.
Shame there's not an F# and B with add9th's - it would be Message in a Bottle then ;-)
.
Oops edit - I swear the high and possibly low tones are using a Ring Mod effect (similar iirc to the effect used on the Dalek voice from Dr Who), not that it may be relevant.....

 

[AH_ImADot]

Maybe it's "The Blue Danube".

 

[Dagless]

Maybe it's "The Blue Danube".

If it is, it's been remixed by Autechre.

 

[Bloomoo]

First of all, congratulations to all the commanders who found the artefacts and have uploaded the sounds.

I've only just managed to get back to my main PC for the first time in a few days, and started checking over the sounds for myself.
And so far it is pretty much in agreement with Ayo and Zenith above, with the remaining differences highlighted below.

The discrepencies are mainly where the sound is very faint, or where the last 2 digits are obscured by the tuba/honk/whatever sound.
So hopefully the extra confirmation will help someone, as I've still no idea what they might mean!!

 

[Grumbleweed]

.
I think I am hearing D/A/F/A(440hz) in the "whale song" part.
.
The first A is an Octave higher than the A @440hz (concert pitch) - D is in the same octave as the A(440hz) - F is Octave above 440hz - drops to A (440hz)
.
When Lave Radio Live is over I'll have a crack at some others, but those 4 notes seem to correspond to yours feugan..

I'm liking this train of thought, as opposed to binary, as the pitch definitely changes. When you get the notes (man I really want one of these for myself!) :

The first is D (27) - A (34) - D (27) - D (3)
The second is F (30) - C# (2) - D# (28)

The frequencies of the notes are (according to this source) :
http://www.phy.mtu.edu/~suits/notefreqs.html

D=293.66hz
A=880hz
F=698.46hz
A=440hz

No idea what that means, but frequency is a physical constant right? I am also fairly sure that the notes change (in crease in pitch) over time, so therefore we'd end up with a whole bunch of numbers.

And there's a kind of teleprinter (Eddie the ships computer from the BBC TV show version of Hitchhikers?) in there too..

 

[Archvillain]

In my opinion, there is something speaking strongly against the hypothesis that these are binary encoded numbers.

I have seen a lot of transcripts now, and have done a few by myself.

In all the transcribed binary strings, I have not seen *a single instance* where a digit repeated itself more than twice. If these seven-digit groups would encode numbers, this is extremely unlikely - what should be the reason that only numbers with this property appear in the set of coordinates (if they are coordinates)?

I can see only two possibilities at the moment:

(1) A different encoding than just binary numbers which has the inherent property that a digit can only appear twice in a row
(2) A pseudo-random pattern, generated to fit this property with the intention that "it sounds better that way" (which would be sad)

This is an absolutely compelling point, and just as importantly, it also demonstrates that the high-low signals are not random. (It was already compelling to me that the high-low signals are so clear and loud and structured that they are clearly a signal).

My first reaction (to your observation that there are never more than a pair of matching bits) is; this suggests every two digits is a number, giving us a string of numbers ranging from 1-4, which in turn looks like a base-four number system, but that would bring us back to expecting random chance to produce larger groupings of highs or lows than occurs.

Alternatively, approaching the problem from the direction of guesswork rather than observation, if what we're looking for might be grid coordinates, and if that co-ordinate system is the game's galaxy map, then we're looking for a way for the signal to represent negative values as well as positive.
But if we're instead looking for directions from the current location of the artifact to somewhere else, then we'd expect a different signal if the artifact is listened to in a different system. And no-matter which system it's in, eventually the signal should start repeating (but possibly not until after a few drops and pickups).

 

[ev3slay3r]

If you plug the coordinates Feugan suggested in as galactic coords into ISDB, you get the systems in the link below within 300LY (of that coordinate) :


ISDB (Internet Stellar Database)

It only shows the first 100 because to be more accurate you need to adjust the Equatorial Coordinates (I think, astronomy is a rather new interest of mine).
Will be adding these and the other (unlisted) ones to my exploration list.
Picked 300LY as that's the range of human inhabited space in E: D if I remember correctly, although it's a bit generous - think it's more like 200ly.

If anyone else comes up with potential coords, that website is definitely helpful.


EDIT (wanted to add a reply without double posting) :

Alternatively, approaching the problem from the direction of guesswork rather than observation, if what we're looking for might be grid coordinates, and if that co-ordinate system is the game's galaxy map, then we're looking for a way for the signal to represent negative values as well as positive.

It doesn't have to represent negative numbers, but it very well is a variable that should be considered.

 

[Gavski]

The message is, and I quote:

BE SURE TO DRINK YOUR OVALTINE

I knew it! It's a Thargoid propaganda message.

 

[marx]

I've started recording as well, as Cmdr Hulos generously gave me an UA for free. I'll record in more systems tomorrow, but in the meantime, here are four more samples for everyone, with the locations marked down:

- He Bo 3
- He Bo 5, first take - cut short because I accidentally bumped the throttle and flew past the artefact. I scooped it up and jettisoned it for the next recording.
- He Bo 5, second take
- He Bo 6

All of these were made in the "night time" dynamic range. If memory serves, He Bo 5 might have had some extra noise from a Steam overlay notification - sorry about that.
Have fun with them!

Update:
I have four more recordings, from two different systems. Kaunan A 1 is quite interesting, as it broke the usual pattern twice: after the "whale noise", two tones came, followed by the clicks, then more tones.
- Alyuto A, first take
- Alyuto A, second take
- Kaunan A 1 - irregular parts are around 2:50 and 5:25
- Kaunan A 3

Update2:
Four more recordings this time as well:
- Hera 3
- Ross 154, first take (orbiting the star)
- Ross 154, second take
- Ross 154, Aster

As suggested, I also tried releasing the artifact inside a scoopable star's scooping zone. It degraded there the same way as usual. Unfortunately, due to a throttle accident I bumped into my artefact and destroyed it, so that's it for my recordings then.

Update3:
Here's a zip file containing just the chittering from the various locations.

 

[Renegade Roach]

We've checked and double checked, it keeps coming up the same thing. The message is; 'Mars needs women'.

 

[pryzm]

I'm glad you guys are having fun and keeping busy and all, but I really think you have gone too far analysing this, I don't think there is anything hidden in the sound at all. Who remembers the sour taste left from the titan x comp after all the theories and speculation and it was just random, just like this is just a sound created by an FD sound engineer. I wish I was wrong and FD were that crafty, but I think not from previous experience.

 

[Bloomoo]

My first quick pass with saman's new recordings, before I disappear off to bed are, are
HeBo3 010010 101100 010100 010011 101001 1001010 001010 0110110 0110101 10110
HeBo5 00110 001100 1001001 0110111 001001 0011
HeBo5 00101 001001 010101 110101 101100 011001 0110110 1101100 1001101 0110
HeBo6 00101 001011 0110010 1001011 0100110 1001100 0101001 0010010 001001 1001

But the more I look at the numbers, I'm coming to the conclusion they're not binary encoded numbers.
Something doesn't look right with the distribution of 1s and 0s to me, but that's just my gut feeling at the moment.
I think they may just be random until some event is triggered.

 

[Archvillain]

I'm glad you guys are having fun and keeping busy and all, but I really think you have gone too far analysing this, I don't think there is anything hidden in the sound at all. Who remembers the sour taste left from the titan x comp after all the theories and speculation and it was just random, just like this is just a sound created by an FD sound engineer. I wish I was wrong and FD were that crafty, but I think not from previous experience.

Do you think that FD is really not that crafty and people are just group-hallucinating that the sound of the nav-beacons includes morse-code that gives that name of the system? From previous experience you should notice that this game very much includes this kind of crafty work, and if you look at the pattern of the tones from the artifact, there is a lot of structure in there - they have more logic and structure and rules in them than morse code does, which implies signal (but could also be an intentionally-deceptive algorithm). It seems silly to me to dismiss all that evidence. Sure, it's too early to be certain either way, but I think the evidence is stronger in suggesting that there is something there, than that there isn't.

Regarding Titan X, I thought those theories were stupid, and I was right. Regarding the UA, I thought the theories that FDev deceived us in the AMA (and there was no object to find) were stupid, and I was right again. Now that we're analyzing the UA, I think most of the theories being thrown around are also stupid, but some of them are not stupid at all. Will I be right yet again? My track record on theories is 100% so far...

 

[feugan]

Reposted by popular demand, sorry about the formatting issues:

So, instead of speeding up the audio to listen for Highs and Lows, (which I believe is clouded by the erratic 'heart beat' sounds it makes, causing there to be no discernible pattern) I listened to it at plain old 1X, and I hear a pattern of 7 notes. First four (ending with the iconic foghorn note), then three. These repeat, without fail, every time. AND they coincide with when the UA 'lights up'.
Now, I'm not fully convinced that the Thargoids 'want' us to find them, because if they knew our culture they would just emit a message in english (for example), but for now let's assume that for simplicity, we can use all our human tools to decode it.
I took the seven notes and corresponded them to notes on a keyboard.
The first is D (27) - A (34) - D (27) - D (3)
The second is F (30) - C# (2) - D# (28)
I'm trained in music, but by no means a tone expert so I would love for someone to check me. This results in seven alpha notes, or 12 numeric digits. These twelve digits could be used to make a 3-axis coordinate system, with 4 digits each. You would result in (27.34, 27.33, 02.28)
Just one of the many ways to interpret the sound, but I believe looking at the notes themselves is more reliable than the binary system of highs and lows, because there is a definitive pattern, and it's not just high and low, there are multiple notes being used.