The Hawk kit gives you all the sysex functions plus a lot more and will greatly expand the functionality of your Poly-800. On the other hand, if you need to reload patches when there is no computer around, just put the .wav file on an iPod or other small audio player. You can also convert it to mp3 or any other format your little device supports. There is no reason to use a cassette tape.
Don B.
From:
korgpolyex@yahoogroups.com [mailto:
korgpolyex@yahoogroups.com ] On Behalf Of pan.ryba@...
Sent: Thursday, September 12, 2013
7:14 AM
To: korgpolyex@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [korgpolyex] RE: ROM
upgrade for original (1st-generation) Poly-800?
Sure you can store your patches to any other gear that can record audio signal.
E.g. your PC.
That's the easiest and inexpensive way.
--- In korgpolyex@yahoogroups.com ,
<korgpolyex800@...> wrote:
There was also the "MDK" upgrade for the Poly-800.
I looked at it once and it is one of the worst upgrades I've ever seen. Many cut tracks on the main board and all sorts of wires and a crappy little board with a bunch of insane logic chips and a larger EPROM.
Both the EX-800 ROM piggy back mod and the Korg MDK upgrade kits don't give you anything more than the EX-800 sysex dump/receive feature.
As bimmerfan says, the HAWK mod is probably the way to go. And since I produce the HAWK and AtomaHawk kits, you get current tech support for those kits.
Mike
From: bimmerfan222
<bperkins211@...>
To: korgpolyex@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Monday, May 27, 2013 2:13 PM
Subject: [korgpolyex] Re: ROM
upgrade for original (1st-generation) Poly-800?
Hey Greg,
I think the ROM mod you are asking about is an image of the EX800 ROM that you
piggy back into the Poly800.
You switch/boot up one or the other(two different ROM chips inside your Poly)..
original Poly ROM has support for the keyboard/joystick, the EX800 image does
not have support for the keyboard(it used up that memory for the sysex
support).
So I think the trick was to use the EX800 image to load patches in.. shut it
off, reboot with the Poly ROM and play the patches.
Not much of an improvement.. and all that work for such little return??
The invasive work needed is similar to what you'd do with the HAWK kit.. I'd
just do the HAWK mod and be better off in the end.
A much better machine with sysex dumps, CC# controling, NRPN control for every
single parameter and more.
Honestly, forget that EX800 ROM. .
that's what was done before the HAWK. It's an obsolete mod IMHO.
- Blaine
---
In korgpolyex@yahoogroups.com,
"Gregory" <GregCoben@...> wrote:
>
w:st="on">MIDI
>
> Hello all,
>
> I just joined the group, lots of interesting and valuable stuff
> here. I am an original owner of the first generation Poly-800 that I
> bought back in 1984. This is the one that does NOT have the
> System Exclusive function. But I still use it along with my other
player that
> vintage synth equipment in my 80's cover band. Anyway, after getting
> the dreaded "H5" display and suffering with an old cassette
> no longer rewinds (although my old Bic pen still works for that), I did
> some searching online and discovered that apparently there was a ROM
> Upgrade that came out that allowed the original Poly-800 to send and
> receive SysEx signals. I think this was before the Poly-800 mkII was
> released. I looked through the files and messages here in the group,
> but I didn't find anything specifally about this upgrade. Does
> anybody have any information on it? Thanks!
>
> Greg C.
>