Korg Poly800/EX800 Users

Hi Poly 800 fans,

I just added two new polls for the group to participate in. The two
polls are related in that I am trying to gauge how to move forward
with the software upgrade and determine if it is worth continuing with
a hardware upgrade kit or not.

The existing ROM in your EX800 or Poly800 MK1 could be swapped out
with a new ROM that would contain much better use of controllers and
sysex single patch upload/download abilities. However, I cannot fit
those new functions into the little 8K ROM unless I remove other
functions. The two specific function groups that would have to be
removed would be the sequencer and the tape save/load functions.
What is nice about doing a simple ROM swap out is that the ROM sits in
a socket on the board. So it is very easy to remove it and replace
with a new ROM. The bad news is that the little 8K ROM just won't be
able to take much more that a few extra controllers and new single
patch sysex functions.

So the only way to really remake the Poly800/EX800 is to build a
retrofit kit that expands the memory significantly. This then will
allow all of the existing functions to remain in place and will allow
all of the new controllers and sysex functions and then, will allow us
to create new envelope generators, LFO waveforms, and a whole list of
new performance functions that would never ever fit into that little
8K ROM. The bad news is that the retrofit kit would require
desoldering IC29 from the main board. If you've never desoldered chips
from boards before then this could be a very difficult task with the
risk of damaging (and rendering useless) your beloved instrument. The
retrofit kit would come with excellent instructions but removing IC29
will require skill that perhaps some of us just don't have. As part of
the retrofit service, I am thinking about doing a board swap out
program where you would ship your main board to me, I would do the
modification and then ship it back to you. But there would be an
additional labor charge and some risk attached to shipping your board
to me and then back again. Unfortunately, those of you who live
outside of the USA would have to either modify the board yourself or
give it to a technician that could do the job for you.

So the two polls are just a way for me to gauge the best way forward.
And I will very much appreciate your input as I continue to make
progress on the new software.

Thanks again,

Mike.

This was a tough test.

Sure, to have everything on board would be super. But... You can't
deny that swapping socketed ICs is much simpler. Don't matter what
your technical expertise level is.

The only thing I couldn't figure out of the easy ROM replacement
(c'mon, I'm lazy with my hobbies) is: How do I make syx files from
the sounds I gathered on tape for the last twenty years?

The only solution would be: Load the tapes before the ROM upgrade and
fill in the blanks on a spreadsheet. And then make it backwards after
the ROM upgrade. (at almost 240 banks of 64 patches per cassette that
would take for ever)

Probably the funniest route would be: swap the ROM, drool with the
new synth for a while and soon we'll have a bigger and better
organized library in months.

I don't want to promote either choice. Let everyone be heard by
themselves at the poll.

Thank you,

Jose Curvo

This was a tough test.

Sure, to have everything on board would be super. But... You can't
deny that swapping socketed ICs is much simpler. Don't matter what
your technical expertise level is.

The only thing I couldn't figure out of the easy ROM replacement
(c'mon, I'm lazy with my hobbies) is: How do I make syx files from
the sounds I gathered on tape for the last twenty years?

The only solution would be: Load the tapes before the ROM upgrade and
fill in the blanks on a spreadsheet. And then make it backwards after
the ROM upgrade. (at almost 240 banks of 64 patches per cassette that
would take for ever)

Probably the funniest route would be: swap the ROM, drool with the
new synth for a while and soon we'll have a bigger and better
organized library in months.

I don't want to promote either choice. Let everyone be heard by
themselves at the poll.

Thank you,

Jose Curvo

Jose , you hited exactly my question about method of transformating
old tapes/wavs to sys-ex datas. And that was, why I voted for middle-
way. I can imagine manual writing with my 7-8 banks, but your
colletion...
If it will not be possible by technical way (i believe it will be),
we can help us by human way - kind of distribution of work.



--- In korgpolyex@yahoogroups.com,
"josevazcurvo" <homem_eletronico@...> wrote:

>
> This was a tough test.
>
> Sure, to have everything on board would be super. But... You can't
> deny that swapping socketed ICs is much simpler. Don't matter what
> your technical expertise level is.
>
> The only thing I couldn't figure out of the easy ROM replacement
> (c'mon, I'm lazy with my hobbies) is: How do I make syx files from
> the sounds I gathered on tape for the last twenty years?
>
> The only solution would be: Load the tapes before the ROM upgrade

and

> fill in the blanks on a spreadsheet. And then make it backwards

after

> the ROM upgrade. (at almost 240 banks of 64 patches per cassette

that

> would take for ever)
>
> Probably the funniest route would be: swap the ROM, drool with the
> new synth for a while and soon we'll have a bigger and better
> organized library in months.
>
> I don't want to promote either choice. Let everyone be heard by
> themselves at the poll.
>
> Thank you,
>
> Jose Curvo
>

I wasn't sure how to vote on this either because the questions were a
single choice. So I guess we can hash it out here and get a much
better understanding.

Jose, you definitely cannot part with 16,000 patches you've worked so
hard to create. I hope you have these backed up about 50 layers deep!
Can someone who has a midi eprom save all these as sysex for you?
That would solve the problem but you would have to send them and
decide if they should be shared or not.

An eprom that sends sysex and has the tape functions would enable all
the work anyone has to get saved. Then if the new super enhanced
version was used the EX could become everything Mike designed it for.
The best of both worlds would be a switch to boot with the rom you
intend to use for the moment. Swapping chips could lead to disaster.

This is just my opinion. Also Mike, I would be willing to help. Do
you have the firmware from a Poly800 II? I can send it next time I
have the thing apart. If anyone has the MDX image and wants to share
it with the group I can make eproms for the cost of shipping. Has
anyone tried this MDX eprom in an EX-800? I intend on getting an EX
soon if I can find one that needs some TLC.

Fran

--- In korgpolyex@yahoogroups.com, "jusufzemplin" <jusuf@...> wrote:
>
> Jose , you hited exactly my question about method of transformating
> old tapes/wavs to sys-ex datas. And that was, why I voted for
middle-
> way. I can imagine manual writing with my 7-8 banks, but your
> colletion...
> If it will not be possible by technical way (i believe it will be),
> we can help us by human way - kind of distribution of work.
>
>
>
> --- In korgpolyex@yahoogroups.com,
> "josevazcurvo" <homem_eletronico@> wrote:
> >
> > This was a tough test.
> >
> > Sure, to have everything on board would be super. But... You
can't
> > deny that swapping socketed ICs is much simpler. Don't matter
what
> > your technical expertise level is.
> >
> > The only thing I couldn't figure out of the easy ROM replacement
> > (c'mon, I'm lazy with my hobbies) is: How do I make syx files
from
> > the sounds I gathered on tape for the last twenty years?
> >
> > The only solution would be: Load the tapes before the ROM upgrade
> and
> > fill in the blanks on a spreadsheet. And then make it backwards
> after
> > the ROM upgrade. (at almost 240 banks of 64 patches per cassette
> that
> > would take for ever)
> >
> > Probably the funniest route would be: swap the ROM, drool with
the
> > new synth for a while and soon we'll have a bigger and better
> > organized library in months.
> >
> > I don't want to promote either choice. Let everyone be heard by
> > themselves at the poll.
> >
> > Thank you,
> >
> > Jose Curvo
> >
>

16,000 patches? You can count 250 times less than that. The problem
with the way tape backup was implemented is: it wouldn't allow you to
save single patches. So as you went along you have banks full of
repeated patches but one or two new. Or worst 64 variations on LFO
speed trying to nail down a song tempo.

Why back up almost every step? Anyone working with a QX21 and the
Poly800 will understand this: Save it or regret it. If you forgot
their fire up sequence, you erased the Poly memory. Never figured out
why. Just kept it safe and turned the QX first then the Poly.

I'm all for sharing almost everything. But without a librarian to
sort the few good ones, I would be sharing the junk I never cared to
sort myself.

Yes it would be nice to have a few ROMs and pick up just the one best
suited for the job. Or someone with the full hardware mod who could
rent his time to translate mp3 to syx.

Is the 800 this especial? I love it, but it is like daydreaming.

Anyway, thank you all for sharing your thoughts. I'm flattered with a
patch count this big. I'm not *that* productive;-)

Thank you,

Jose Curvo

--- In korgpolyex@yahoogroups.com, "narfman96" <narfman96@...> wrote:
>
> I wasn't sure how to vote on this either because the questions were
a
> single choice. So I guess we can hash it out here and get a much
> better understanding.
>
> Jose, you definitely cannot part with 16,000 patches you've worked
so
> hard to create. I hope you have these backed up about 50 layers
deep!
> Can someone who has a midi eprom save all these as sysex for you?
> That would solve the problem but you would have to send them and
> decide if they should be shared or not.
>
> An eprom that sends sysex and has the tape functions would enable
all
> the work anyone has to get saved. Then if the new super enhanced
> version was used the EX could become everything Mike designed it
for.
> The best of both worlds would be a switch to boot with the rom you
> intend to use for the moment. Swapping chips could lead to disaster.
>
> This is just my opinion. Also Mike, I would be willing to help. Do
> you have the firmware from a Poly800 II? I can send it next time I
> have the thing apart. If anyone has the MDX image and wants to
share
> it with the group I can make eproms for the cost of shipping. Has
> anyone tried this MDX eprom in an EX-800? I intend on getting an EX
> soon if I can find one that needs some TLC.
>
> Fran
>
> --- In korgpolyex@yahoogroups.com, "jusufzemplin" <jusuf@> wrote:
> >
> > Jose , you hited exactly my question about method of
transformating
> > old tapes/wavs to sys-ex datas. And that was, why I voted for
> middle-
> > way. I can imagine manual writing with my 7-8 banks, but your
> > colletion...
> > If it will not be possible by technical way (i believe it will
be),
> > we can help us by human way - kind of distribution of work.
> >
> >
> >
> > --- In korgpolyex@yahoogroups.com,
> > "josevazcurvo" <homem_eletronico@> wrote:
> > >
> > > This was a tough test.
> > >
> > > Sure, to have everything on board would be super. But... You
> can't
> > > deny that swapping socketed ICs is much simpler. Don't matter
> what
> > > your technical expertise level is.
> > >
> > > The only thing I couldn't figure out of the easy ROM
replacement
> > > (c'mon, I'm lazy with my hobbies) is: How do I make syx files
> from
> > > the sounds I gathered on tape for the last twenty years?
> > >
> > > The only solution would be: Load the tapes before the ROM
upgrade
> > and
> > > fill in the blanks on a spreadsheet. And then make it backwards
> > after
> > > the ROM upgrade. (at almost 240 banks of 64 patches per
cassette
> > that
> > > would take for ever)
> > >
> > > Probably the funniest route would be: swap the ROM, drool with
> the
> > > new synth for a while and soon we'll have a bigger and better
> > > organized library in months.
> > >
> > > I don't want to promote either choice. Let everyone be heard by
> > > themselves at the poll.
> > >
> > > Thank you,
> > >
> > > Jose Curvo
> > >
> >
>