OK, I understand your point.
The EmuComBox USB/RS422 device is aimed to be compatible with the "normal" RS422 interface of the EII, so an EII RS422 board that works with the Mac should also work with the USB/RS422 device.
In fact the "Mac compliant" RS422 interface on the EII is the only one that I can use myself for testing the USB device, so the USB/RS422 device certainly does not need additional changes at the EII RS422 side.
I can not 100 pct confirm right now that it will be possible in the future to transfer samples with the EII, nor can I confirm yet that setting sample points and naming will be supported.
The reason for this is that I first have to investigate the RS422 instruction set of the EII. For sure this instruction set supports all these features, since the Mac supports them too via SDII, but the instruction set itself is not documented anymore (lost in a fire I guess :-) so it must be reverse engineered first. This is exactly what I'm going to do the next few weeks and I'm pretty sure I will succeed ... but I'm not 100 pct sure of course. That's why I can't confirm it yet.
The only instructions that I have reverse engineered in the past were the bank transfer commands. So that's what's currently already supported in EMXP.
Anyway: the minimum hardware that you will need is an upgrade of your EII to RS422. Even if EMXP would never support your requested features, this upgrade would still allow you to use a Mac with your EII.
I know the PDF document about SoundDesigner for EII gives the impression that upgrading from RS232 to RS422 is easy - and maybe it is, I haven't done it myself - but perhaps you should also check some past messages on this board related to this topic.
E.g. the ones in the thread http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/emulatorII-list/message/2120
Good luck with the upgrade.
///E-Synthesist
--- In emulatorII-list@yahoogroups.com, Mike Borish <mborish_2000@...> wrote:
>
> I was wondering if the RS422 board needed to be altered in any way to work with
> the RS422/USB converter. If I have to make an RS422 board to talk to a Mac,
> which is very likely, and spend lots of time on it, I only want to make one
> instead of making one, getting mad because there is a better one and then making
> another one to work with the RS422/USB Windows setup.
>
> Here's my logic: If this project you are working on turns out really well in the
> future, a system that works with Windows 7 would be preferred over a vintage mac
> as long as I don't have to make destructive modifications to my EII A vintage
> mac probably has all sorts of problems that I'm not interested in fixing. Plus
> my audio hardware and software are already associated with my Windows machine.
> I will be easier to send samples I just recorded from my windows 7 machine
> directly to the EII. I haven't even looked into how I would record a sample
> with the EII / Mac setup. Again, my objective is to streamline the sampling
> process, be able to set loop points at the zero cross, and be able to name
> files.
>
> According to your instructions here
> http://www.emulatorarchive.com/assets/PDF/SD%20for%20EII%20Troubleshooting.pdf,
> if I have a rev 0 board, I shouldn't have to slash any traces. Upgrading
> doesn't look that difficult.
>
> Who knows, maybe I'm trying to bite off more than I can chew? I didn't read
> every single manual either. Maybe I missed something?
>
> -Mike
>
>
>
>
>
> ________________________________
> From: esynthesist <esynthesist@...>
> To: emulatorII-list@yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Mon, August 16, 2010 4:01:04 PM
> Subject: [emulatorII-list] Re: USB/RS422 device news
>
>
> I'm not sure if I understand you correctly here.
>
> If you are asking whether the USB/RS422 is reverse compatible in order to use it
> with a vintage Mac... why would you want that ?
> I mean: this USB/RS422 device expects the EII to have an RS422 board installed.
> The USB/RS422 device does not aim to add RS422 capabilities to the EII - it does
> add these capabilities to the PC !
> Or to put it in other words: it adds USB capability to the EII, on condition
> that the EII already contains RS422 (native or after upgrade).
>
> So... if your EII has RS422 and you have a vintage Mac with SDII, then the
> USB/RS422 device is completely useless.
> Just connect the two with a DB25<->minidin8 cable.
>
> And if your EII does not have RS422, the device will not solve that. You first
> have to upgrade your EII.
> Note also that upgrading your EII from RS232 to RS422 is really not easy. It's
> not just simply adding a piggyboard. You need to cut traces and all that kind of
> stuff. I don't know anyone who was brave enough to perform this conversion on
> his/her EII.
>
> Do I understand your problem correctly or am I somewhere missing the point ?
>
> ///E-Synthesist
>
> --- In emulatorII-list@yahoogroups.com, Mike Borish <mborish_2000@> wrote:
> >
> > Is this RS422 thing reverse compatible? Can I still get all of the benefits of
> >
> > SDII on a vintage Mac with this RS422 thing you're working on?
> >
> >
> > Right now, I'd be happy with a RS422 board with an accompanying cable and SDII
>
> > boot disk/install disk (so I don't have to monkey with the file conversion
> > from Win 7 to Mac) and to replace the RS232 port that is in my EII SN#608. If
>
> > this EMXP thing gets going, I guess I could purchase the cable and upgrade.
> >
> > Is there anybody that has manufactured RS422 boards and SDII disks for sale to
>
> > replace the RS232 board that is in my EII?
> >
> > Thanks again guys. I am absolutely amazed at how much work people have done
> > with this thing.
> >
> > -Mike
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > ________________________________
> > From: esynthesist <esynthesist@>
> > To: emulatorII-list@yahoogroups.com
> > Sent: Mon, August 16, 2010 4:20:29 AM
> > Subject: [emulatorII-list] Re: USB/RS422 device news
> >
> >
> > The specs have been released a few months ago.
> > You can find them here:
> > http://users.skynet.be/emxp/EMUCOMBOX.htm
> >
> > So far these kits are not for sale - they are DIY.
> > There's currently a problem with the availability of the main component of the
>
> > device however (Atmel AVR demo board) - it seems almost no shop was able to
> >ship
> >
> > them during the last few months :-)
> >
> > This week I will have all components to build the alternative device, but I
> >have
> >
> > to build a prototype first before I can really confirm it works. I hope I can
> >do
> >
> > this still in August.
> > Perhaps if that one works I will build and ship a few of them to some people...
> >
> > The specs of this device for DIY would be released too of course.
> >
> > The USB/RS422 should work with Windows 7. I only tested it with XP and Vista,
> > but it uses a very simple USB driver which probably can be installed on W7 too.
> >
> >
> >
> > Regarding you questions about sample loops and file naming on EII display: be
> > aware that the device is 'just' a connector between the RS422 interface and the
> >
> > USB port of the PC. All othe stuff must be solved by software, either on PC
> >side
> >
> > or on EII side. EMXP currently only supports transfers of complete banks in
> >SDII
> >
> > format over RS422. The next version v301 will probably support EII sample
> > transfers too (perhaps even with loop point support from WAV), but by no means
>
> > this can be compared to a full VST controlling the EII from a PC. That's my
> >next
> >
> > project :-)
> >
> > ///E-Synthesist
> >
> > --- In emulatorII-list@yahoogroups.com, Mike Borish <mborish_2000@> wrote:
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > What is the status of this USB/RS422 kit? Are they available for sale?
> > >
> > > Is this the end all to the EII working in tandem (Storage/Load/etc. ) with
> > > windows 7? Can I set sample loops on the zero cross and name files that show
> >
> > >up
> > >
> > > in my display window on the EII?
> > >
> > >
> > > I can assemble it if necesary.
> > >
> > > -Mike
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > ________________________________
> > > From: David <jeepcherokee_10@>
> > > To: emulatorII-list@yahoogroups.com
> > > Sent: Thu, April 22, 2010 4:31:16 PM
> > > Subject: [emulatorII-list] Re: USB/RS422 device news
> > >
> > >
> > > great !! can't wait to see these specs when ready. my E-II is
> > > waiting patiently ....
> > >
> > > will you be selling these units as a DIY kit of schematics, firmware, & a
> > > parts-list for ordering my own parts? or will you actually sell the completed
> >
> > > unit assembled ?
> > >
> > > also, will it work in both 32-bit and 64-bit Windows 7 ?
> > >
> > > thanks
> > > David
> > >
> > > --- In emulatorII-list@ yahoogroups. com, "esynthesist" <esynthesist@ ...>
> > > wrote:
> > > >
> > > > Well I have currently the "expensive" prototype USB/RS422 device which is
> > > >working fine for a few months already with both my EII and Emax :)
> > > > By the way: "expensive" means about USD 50... But hey, the new one will
> >even
> >
> > >be
> > >
> > > >cheaper and smaller and easier to assemble so that sounds really great !
> > > > Note: in the meanwhile EMXP v2.08 is ready for use with USB/RS422, but it
> > >will
> > >
> > > >only be released once I receive the confirmation "from Australia" that the
> >new
> >
> > >
> > > >device is ready and schematics are published :)
> > > >
> > > > ///E-Synthesist
> > > >
> > > > --- In emulatorII-list@ yahoogroups. com, Mike de Vries <mrjdevries@ >
> > wrote:
> > > > >
> > > > > Um.. it's on it's way.. trust me.. It's on it's way.. Just gotta make the
> >
> > > >slacker work hard on making a cheaper prototype.
> > > > >
> > > > > --- On Wed, 24/3/10, Dana Fiorucci <dfiorucci@> wrote:
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > From: Dana Fiorucci <dfiorucci@>
> > > > > Subject: [emulatorII- list] Re: Trying to run SD for EII on a New MacBook
> >
> > >Pro
> > >
> > > >17" 2.4 ghz
> > > > > To: emulatorII-list@ yahoogroups. com
> > > > > Received: Wednesday, 24 March, 2010, 6:07 AM
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > ÃÆ'ââ¬Å¡
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > I had at one time a Stealth G-Port adapter running from a dual 1.25 but
> >was
> >
> > >
> > > >unable to get it to work but that was in OS 9.22
> > > > > In theory it may work in OS 8.6.
> > > > > Too bad someone can't make a USB to RS-422 adapter that would be
> > >compatible.
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > Visit Dana's Synth Site
> > > > > http://members. cox.net/synths/
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > I realize this is an old message, but I felt it was necessary to provide
>
> > >some
> > >
> > > >info here for archival purposes.
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > I remember trying to get that Keyspan USA-28 adapter to work with a MOTU
>
> > >MIDI
> > >
> > > >Express for Macintosh, on a Blue & White G3, running Mac OS 8.6. It would
> >not
> >
> >
> > > >work because the adapter could not provide as high as a 1MHz signal to the
> > >MIDI
> > >
> > > >interface. It did, however, work with a 56K modem that needed a lot less
> >than
> >
> >
> > > >1Mhz.ÃÆ'ââ¬Å¡
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > According to what I've read in the RS-422 spec PDF provided on this
> >board,
> >
> >
> > > >the Emulator needs a 500kBaud signal from the Mac. If my understanding is
> > > >correct, this is above what the Keyspan USA-28 can provide, and thus it will
> >
> > >not
> > >
> > > >work for Emulator II to Mac purposes.
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > For the record, in my case, what did work for the MIDI Express was a
> > >special
> > >
> > > >Geoport adapter that could be installed in the Internal Modem slot on the
> >Blue
> >
> > >&
> > >
> > > >White G3. The "Yosemite" Blue & White G3, and the "Yikes" G4 are the only
> >two
> >
> >
> > > >machines that accept this adapter, and thus are the two most modern Macs
> >that
> >
> > >I
> > >
> > > >am aware of that in theory can communicate directly with the Emulator
> >II.ÃÆ'ââ¬Å¡
> >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > I will test this to confirm.
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > --- In emulatorII-list@ yahoogroups. com, "djfiorucci" <dfiorucci@ .>
> > >wrote:
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Leave it to me to get a brand new computer and try to make it work
> > > > > > with one of the oldest pieces of gear in my studio.
> > > > > >ÃÆ'ââ¬Å¡
> > > > > > Anyway here is the little project I'm working on at this point.
> > > > > >ÃÆ'ââ¬Å¡
> > > > > > I've setup Basilisk II on my new MacBook Pro with OS 7.1.
> > > > > > For those of you who don't know Basilisk II is a old mac emulator.
> > > > > > Yep I'm booting the same image that I have on a Mac SE/30 and a Mac
> > >LCIII.
> > > > > >ÃÆ'ââ¬Å¡
> > > > > > I've added a Keyspan Twin Serial adapter in hopes to communicate with
> > > > > > the Emulator II thru Basilisk II window.
> > > > > >ÃÆ'ââ¬Å¡
> > > > > > Okay here is where I think I'm not getting communication.
> > > > > > Since the driver for the Keyspan is running in OSX I don't think the
> > > > > > OS 7.1 system sees it.
> > > > > > (By the way other than not seeing the connection port SD for EII is
> > > > > > running great inside Basilisk II.)
> > > > > > Does anyone know what OS will still run SD for EII but also address
> > > > > > USB ports?
> > > > > > 8.0 to 8.6?
> > > > > >ÃÆ'ââ¬Å¡
> > > > > > I can setup Basilisk to run all the way up to OS 8.6 I think.
> > > > > >ÃÆ'ââ¬Å¡
> > > > > > Another thought if there was a driver that could be added to 7.1
> > > > > > system folder to enable it to use the USB ports via the Keyspan
> >adapter.
> > > > > >ÃÆ'ââ¬Å¡
> > > > > > This would be so cool to be able to run SD for EII from my new MacBook
> > > > > > Pro.
> > > > > >
> > > > >
> > > >
> > >
> >
>