Mooger, as always, you're a rock star.

Not my thread, and I have nothing real to contribute, but it's nice to see someone always bring the goods.

VFD THEORY OF OPERATION Ensoniq used an NEC FIP (Fluorescent Indicator Panel) series display, the type of which is known generically as a vacuum fluorescent display (VFD). The VFD can roughly be conceptualized as a combination of grid position and character segments. Each grid corresponds to the ho...

The RAM cart is very useful on the CZ-101, it expands the memory to 32 patches. On the 3000/5000 you can't do that. I believe you mean the CZ-101 has 16 internal patches plus an additional 16 with the RAM cart (which is true), but just to clarify, the RAM cart holds 32 patches but on the CZ-101 onl...

OK, I get you. You mean to actually isolate the filament from the PCB. I can eyeball the +9VAC trace from the connector all the way to pin 74 of the display (top left corner). Yes - it branches off via the central 10uF capacitor, then to a diode and some other stuff. The -9VAC trace goes direct fro...

The forum login timed out on me so I will re-write this shortly: 1. The Cable is OK, all voltages are correct at the display end - while it is not connected. 2. Vbb is shorting out at on the display board. Resistance between the Vbb and GND pins is 0.00 Ohm. 3. Very possible short with the filament...

The Power Board is back in order! OK, Vbb is back and chirping at 54.3 volts. The problem now moves on to the display board. Ahead of things, I replaced the three 10uF axial caps just to make sure they are clean and fresh. Now, when I connect the display board and power up, I immediately blow fuse ...

* Is there any reason to suspect that the Smartmedia card, which works just fine right now plugged into the RS7000, would lose its data if I removed it and plugged it into my USB Smartmedia reader? Or was she just being paranoid? IMO, a bit of paranoia is healthy in a case like this. Smartmedia is ...

Because Creative seems to have gone slack on hosting their legacy E-mu stuff, it's a bit difficult to piece together the needed software to make working OS update disks for the EOS line of E-mu samplers (Ultra 5000 and so on). I've put the files EOS470.EXE and FLASHPRP.EXE into a bundle, but more im...

So the VBB voltage has gone up a couple volts from what it was previously? I have a feeling it is one of the caps, especially since you didn't have a particularly valid way of testing them. If the voltage is correct after the fuses then you know it's not the transformer. And since VBB is too low whe...

Awesome thread, thanks! If it's possible, I'd like to request this feature: -Saving MIDI Channel after the synth is shut off. I can switch my AX60 to any channel, but if I turn it off and back on, the channel is reset back to 1. Any way to make it permanent, until changed? Haven't totally explored ...

All the old Roland gear with the LMH switches seem to be this way. I think it's just how they are. I have a JX8P which is only usable with the volume up all the way and with the switch in the "H" position, and even then it needs some kind of an external boost from a mixer, etc. Some people say these...

A DW6000 enthusiast tried to modify it to add more rom and waveforms: Project 72 - Korg DW-6000 wave memory expansion Yes, that's exactly what I was referring to. What I meant was that the Akai AX80 uses the same CPU, yes, but Project 72 was the same/similar goal in the same Korg family so it would...

Wanting to get back to his music ASAP, he "repaired" the burnt fuses by wrapping a short length of wire on their exterior and stuck them back in. Next time he suffered a spike or power surge, there was no fuse to protect the components down the line, resulting with blown resistors R2, R4 and perhap...

If you are totally sure you measured 50VDC on J3 pin 3 (aka point 21 in the service manual) previously ... No - I am not totaly sure. I am rather sure I overlooked this somehow. I actually can't recall seeing a 50v reading previously, so this was the dead spot from day 1 that I got the synth. The b...

I just checked the Vbb bus - it is OK all the way to J3 on the power board Sorry for the confusion. I meant the physical line of the Vbb starting from J3 on the power board, via the cable to the display board and all the way to the last component being "supplied" - is continuous, no breaks or funny...