Casio CZ/ VZ/ FZ - Pro Series

Hi, does anyone know where I can get one of these? Or anyone interested 
in selling me one of their spare ones? I need one to edit and save my 
Casio PG380 guitar synth's custom user sounds. I never see them on 
ebay, they seem as rare as hen's teeth...

Cheers, graham

I have seen VZ RAM cards on ebay once or twice over the years; they are 
very rare to find. I don't scout e-bay much, but if I do find one, I 
will mention it here.  Best of luck.  

In CZsynth@yahoogroups.com, "gmeredith1" <gmeredith1@...> wrote:
>
> Hi, does anyone know where I can get one of these? Or anyone 
interested 

> in selling me one of their spare ones? I need one to edit and save my 
> Casio PG380 guitar synth's custom user sounds. I never see them on 
> ebay, they seem as rare as hen's teeth...
> 
> Cheers, graham
>

I don't know anything about the Casio guitar synths and I don't have
enough time to research it properly, so what I'm about to suggest may
be totally wrong: If this guitar synth is compatible with the VZ
series of keyboards, wouldn't it also have sysex (MIDI messages that
communicate the internal state of the synthesizer)?

If it has sysex, that would be a really great way to back up your
sounds.  Back them up to a computer via sysex and save them with
unlimited space forever.  Sysex is way cooler than cartridges, if it's
available.  It can be a pain to figure out, but it's worth it.

--- In CZsynth@yahoogroups.com, "gmeredith1" <gmeredith1@...> wrote:

>
> Hi, does anyone know where I can get one of these? Or anyone interested 
> in selling me one of their spare ones? I need one to edit and save my 
> Casio PG380 guitar synth's custom user sounds. I never see them on 
> ebay, they seem as rare as hen's teeth...
> 
> Cheers, graham
>

It would be great if you could, but alas, the PG380 only has MIDI 
out. It has no editing facilities on board, either, nor any user-
programmable memories, it's just a playback module. It does have RAM 
and ROM card slots, though, for extra sounds, so what all PG players 
do is buy a VZ1/10M module and a RA500 RAM card, and program user 
patches on the VZ and save it to the RAM card, then put the RAM card 
in the PG.

I have heard that some people have reported that their RAM cards no 
longer work (they do have a replaceable button battery in them that 
will need replacing) even after replacing the battery. If anyone has 
a dead RA500 card they want to get rid of, you can donate or sell it 
to me. I want to try and develop a DIY RAM card for the VZ/PG synths, 
but I need to open it up and see what's inside so I can clone it. 

I will then write up an illustrated DIY instruction manual on how to 
make one, and upload it to this site. I think the overall cost of the 
parts should be about $30.


cheers, Graham

--- In CZsynth@yahoogroups.com, "Fulfil Objective" <kasploosh@...> 
wrote:
>
> I don't know anything about the Casio guitar synths and I don't have
> enough time to research it properly, so what I'm about to suggest 
may
> be totally wrong: If this guitar synth is compatible with the VZ
> series of keyboards, wouldn't it also have sysex (MIDI messages that
> communicate the internal state of the synthesizer)?
> 
> If it has sysex, that would be a really great way to back up your
> sounds.  Back them up to a computer via sysex and save them with
> unlimited space forever.  Sysex is way cooler than cartridges, if 
it's
> available.  It can be a pain to figure out, but it's worth it.
> 
> --- In CZsynth@yahoogroups.com, "gmeredith1" <gmeredith1@> wrote:
> >
> > Hi, does anyone know where I can get one of these? Or anyone 
interested 
> > in selling me one of their spare ones? I need one to edit and 
save my 
> > Casio PG380 guitar synth's custom user sounds. I never see them 
on 

> > ebay, they seem as rare as hen's teeth...
> > 
> > Cheers, graham
> >
>

Okay, that makes sense.  They probably couldn't fit a lot of
electronics in a guitar.

You probably know about this already, but there is a document that
describes how to make carts for CZ series synths.  It is located in
the files section of this yahoo group, as well as other places.  Just
wanted to mention it.  Of course you will still need a VZ cart...


--- In CZsynth@yahoogroups.com, "gmeredith1" <gmeredith1@...> wrote:

>
> It would be great if you could, but alas, the PG380 only has MIDI 
> out. It has no editing facilities on board, either, nor any user-
> programmable memories, it's just a playback module. It does have RAM 
> and ROM card slots, though, for extra sounds, so what all PG players 
> do is buy a VZ1/10M module and a RA500 RAM card, and program user 
> patches on the VZ and save it to the RAM card, then put the RAM card 
> in the PG.
> 
> I have heard that some people have reported that their RAM cards no 
> longer work (they do have a replaceable button battery in them that 
> will need replacing) even after replacing the battery. If anyone has 
> a dead RA500 card they want to get rid of, you can donate or sell it 
> to me. I want to try and develop a DIY RAM card for the VZ/PG synths, 
> but I need to open it up and see what's inside so I can clone it. 
> 
> I will then write up an illustrated DIY instruction manual on how to 
> make one, and upload it to this site. I think the overall cost of the 
> parts should be about $30.
> 
> 
> cheers, Graham
> 
> --- In CZsynth@yahoogroups.com, "Fulfil Objective" <kasploosh@> 
> wrote:
> >
> > I don't know anything about the Casio guitar synths and I don't have
> > enough time to research it properly, so what I'm about to suggest 
> may
> > be totally wrong: If this guitar synth is compatible with the VZ
> > series of keyboards, wouldn't it also have sysex (MIDI messages that
> > communicate the internal state of the synthesizer)?
> > 
> > If it has sysex, that would be a really great way to back up your
> > sounds.  Back them up to a computer via sysex and save them with
> > unlimited space forever.  Sysex is way cooler than cartridges, if 
> it's
> > available.  It can be a pain to figure out, but it's worth it.
> > 
> > --- In CZsynth@yahoogroups.com, "gmeredith1" <gmeredith1@> wrote:
> > >
> > > Hi, does anyone know where I can get one of these? Or anyone 
> interested 
> > > in selling me one of their spare ones? I need one to edit and 
> save my 
> > > Casio PG380 guitar synth's custom user sounds. I never see them 
> on 
> > > ebay, they seem as rare as hen's teeth...
> > > 
> > > Cheers, graham
> > >
> >
>

Thanks, yeah, I've seen the CZ DIY cartridge info. Although it has 
made me think that I could design my own "cartridges" for the PG/VZ, 
by installing a standard NV-RAM chip in a socket inside the VZ (or 
around the back of it, externally), hooked up to the card connection 
lines. I could then save VZ user patches to this chip as the "card" 
memory, then pull the chip out and plug it into a similar setup in 
the PG.

Cheers, Graham



--- In CZsynth@yahoogroups.com, "Fulfil Objective" <kasploosh@...> 
wrote:
>
> Okay, that makes sense.  They probably couldn't fit a lot of
> electronics in a guitar.
> 
> You probably know about this already, but there is a document that
> describes how to make carts for CZ series synths.  It is located in
> the files section of this yahoo group, as well as other places.  
Just
> wanted to mention it.  Of course you will still need a VZ cart...
> 
> 
> --- In CZsynth@yahoogroups.com, "gmeredith1" <gmeredith1@> wrote:
> >
> > It would be great if you could, but alas, the PG380 only has MIDI 
> > out. It has no editing facilities on board, either, nor any user-
> > programmable memories, it's just a playback module. It does have 
RAM 
> > and ROM card slots, though, for extra sounds, so what all PG 
players 
> > do is buy a VZ1/10M module and a RA500 RAM card, and program user 
> > patches on the VZ and save it to the RAM card, then put the RAM 
card 
> > in the PG.
> > 
> > I have heard that some people have reported that their RAM cards 
no 
> > longer work (they do have a replaceable button battery in them 
that 
> > will need replacing) even after replacing the battery. If anyone 
has 
> > a dead RA500 card they want to get rid of, you can donate or sell 
it 
> > to me. I want to try and develop a DIY RAM card for the VZ/PG 
synths, 
> > but I need to open it up and see what's inside so I can clone it. 
> > 
> > I will then write up an illustrated DIY instruction manual on how 
to 
> > make one, and upload it to this site. I think the overall cost of 
the 
> > parts should be about $30.
> > 
> > 
> > cheers, Graham
> > 
> > --- In CZsynth@yahoogroups.com, "Fulfil Objective" <kasploosh@> 
> > wrote:
> > >
> > > I don't know anything about the Casio guitar synths and I don't 
have
> > > enough time to research it properly, so what I'm about to 
suggest 
> > may
> > > be totally wrong: If this guitar synth is compatible with the VZ
> > > series of keyboards, wouldn't it also have sysex (MIDI messages 
that
> > > communicate the internal state of the synthesizer)?
> > > 
> > > If it has sysex, that would be a really great way to back up 
your
> > > sounds.  Back them up to a computer via sysex and save them with
> > > unlimited space forever.  Sysex is way cooler than cartridges, 
if 
> > it's
> > > available.  It can be a pain to figure out, but it's worth it.
> > > 
> > > --- In CZsynth@yahoogroups.com, "gmeredith1" <gmeredith1@> 
wrote:
> > > >
> > > > Hi, does anyone know where I can get one of these? Or anyone 
> > interested 
> > > > in selling me one of their spare ones? I need one to edit and 
> > save my 
> > > > Casio PG380 guitar synth's custom user sounds. I never see 
them 

> > on 
> > > > ebay, they seem as rare as hen's teeth...
> > > > 
> > > > Cheers, graham
> > > >
> > >
> >
>