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Poorly Emu EMAX

Poorly Emu EMAX

2015-04-23 by crx091081gb@...

I've moved back in with my folks for a bit and have decided to try and revive an old Emu EMAX that I left here when I moved out naively thinking that soft synths could replace analog filters. When I used to use it I remember that the keys would freeze quite a lot until a well placed thump brought them back, forgive me I was young and knew no better. Eventually it used to load samples scrambled like it was playing through the entire memory in sequence and then it just packed in altogether complaining that disks weren't formatted when they were.


I just tried powering it back up, there was some smoke (I think something was growing / nested inside) but it still seems to be working, the disk drive problem is still there. I get the screen asking me to insert a disk and then it tells me the disk isn't formatted.


I've got a copy of the service manual (with a few pages missing), I'm happy to stump up the $15 for a complete copy if needs be.


I'm about to open her up and see what's what. I have a spare AMIGA disk drive that I was thinking I might swap it in and see if that gets me anywhere.


All tips gratefully received.


Robin

Re: [emax] Poorly Emu EMAX

2015-04-23 by Ted Summers

Use EMXP and OmniFlop to make an OS disk (if you don't know what features you have (SE / SCSI) start with OS 3.2), available in the files section.

As to your other described problems, you may wish to start by reseating all the ICs on the main board.

-T



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On Thu, Apr 23, 2015 at 10:57 AM, crx091081gb@gmail.com [emax] <emax@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

I've moved back in with my folks for a bit and have decided to try and revive an old Emu EMAX that I left here when I moved out naively thinking that soft synths could replace analog filters. When I used to use it I remember that the keys would freeze quite a lot until a well placed thump brought them back, forgive me I was young and knew no better. Eventually it used to load samples scrambled like it was playing through the entire memory in sequence and then it just packed in altogether complaining that disks weren't formatted when they were.


I just tried powering it back up, there was some smoke (I think something was growing / nested inside) but it still seems to be working, the disk drive problem is still there. I get the screen asking me to insert a disk and then it tells me the disk isn't formatted.


I've got a copy of the service manual (with a few pages missing), I'm happy to stump up the $15 for a complete copy if needs be.


I'm about to open her up and see what's what. I have a spare AMIGA disk drive that I was thinking I might swap it in and see if that gets me anywhere.


All tips gratefully received.


Robin


Re: [emax] Poorly Emu EMAX

2015-04-26 by crx091081gb@...

Well after a two day fight with an old PC just to get access to a floppy drive I had it up and running fairly quickly once I got the system disk made. I swapped out the old floppy drive as it seemed dead and took the PC one that I'd used to write the disk. I needed to solder across some patch points to set it to DS0 and it's a fraction too wide but whatever, it works!

I need to do a full test and calibration, I'll read the service manual...

One thing I notice is the keys are still very sticky and a bit unreliable, I'm guessing cotton wool buds and IPA should clean the membranes?

Thanks for the help T

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