Casio CZ/ VZ/ FZ - Pro Series

>1 - Anybody know where to find a user's manual for the VZ-10M? I just 
>picked
>one up and while I know how to program a CZ series, this one is MUCH more
>complex (which is a good thing). I found a service manual so I think I'm
>good on that, but a programming / user's manual would be VERY handy.

Unfortunately there isn't a copy of the manual online.  I think there should 
be .pdf files of some kind of VZ programming book (power play VZ I think 
it's called) floating around somewhere.  I'm sure someone else here knows 
where.  It's a decent book and it will help if you've got the basics of 
operation figured out.

I've got the manual but nowhere to host any .pdf files.  And I wouldn't know 
what to do anyway as I've got no experience with making .pdfs.  But if 
you've got specific questions then I could probably answer them as I'm 
reasonably adept at VZ programming.

>2 - Has anyone built their own RAM cards for the VZ? It should be easy if
>you know the connector pin out and can get a matching connector.

I was discussing this recently with Steve Gutteridge (who made the 
Easy-VeeZee page where you probably found the service manual).  The problem 
is the pinout for the card connector- it's not described explicitly in the 
service manual.  He theorized that it would be easy to put a RAM chip into a 
ROM card and use that.  I sent him scans of the inside of my ROM card (and 
by the way if anyone is thinking about opening up a rom card, don't) but it 
seems that RAM cards may have some extra stuff inside, plus there were still 
a couple of pins with unknown functions.  So progress has been made, but not 
enough.  Probably right now the easiest way to get more patches the DIY way 
would be to piggyback more RAM chips onto the original.  I was considering 
this but I think it's too much work.

>3 - Has anyone built their own RAM cards for the CZ-101? Again, it should 
>be
>pretty easy. I recall an article with schematics appearing in electronic
>musician MANY years ago, so maybe this is still around somewhere. I suppose
>the availability of PC based editors and librarians makes a cartridge seem
>unnecessary, but I'd still like to try and build one.

don't know anything about this

>4 - I'm looking for opinions on a CZ and VZ librarian / editor. From what
>I've seen, Midiquest 9 seems to be very versatile. It's a bit pricey, but
>it'll handle all of my equipment. Has anyone out there used it?

There's a dedicated free VZ editor on the Easy-VeeZee page- here:
http://www.steveandsally.freeserve.co.uk/casio/software.htm

I don't use it so I don't really know anything about it.  But it looks like 
it should work.

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