[sdiy] My new ESQ-1

[Rainer Buchty]

>If I go back and try to hit the same key again, it doesn't work. Change 
>programs, jump through some of the menus, and sometimes a dead key will 
>work again, but for only one keypress. This is sounding more and more 
>like an intermittent connection or perhaps a semi-dead/confused 
>keyboard processor.

I'd give the factory reset a try (hold down REC and press the upper left 
soft-button). I had an ESQ1 which acted all weird and erratic, after a 
factory reset it worked flawlessly again. 

If that doesn't help, it's still time to clean the contact springs, or 
chase the haircrack or cold solder spot -- or maybe replacing the 
keyboard processor, if necessary.

>The keyboard version shows the OS on the main display when I first fire 
>it up (although your excellent keypad shortcuts work also). It is 
>running v2.3.

Right, the ESQ1 shows that on the second line where the SQ80 says 
"calibrating keyboard, do not touch keys" :)

>I definitely would like to get the latest OS burned into some ROMs (don't
>have the equipment myself).

Need to check if our institute owns a programmer... My private one died 
some time ago and resisted all resurrection attempts.

>another AVR could handle the LFOs and EGs

Should be more than possible. In the ESQ1/SQ80 a single 2-MHz 6809 
doess *all* computing work; it's only assisted by the display/panel 
processor (button scanning, text printing) and the keyboard processor 
(scanning) -- plus, of course, the oscillator chip.

>But besides all that, I found your ESQ pages to be a great help. Thanks 
>Rainer!

Glad you like it. Usually I don't get much positive feedback, just 
people asking questions and then vanishing in the dark :)

Rainer