Casio CZ/ VZ/ FZ - Pro Series

Only someone should! (not me, I can't solder or program for peanuts)..

but over at the korg poly 800 groups, there's people doing all sorts
of crazy tweakifying midi updates controlling cutoffs and what not. 

We need to show the world how brilliant our beloved CZs can be.
Imagine the wonderful feeling of raising the DCW envelope with a nice
big knob (ahem). 

I think the value of these synths would go up a lot if someone figured
it out. Well I think their value will go up in the future anyway, as
they are lush and unique sounding synths....but real-time sysex
control would just be to die for....

C'mon CZ-freaks, let's get physical!

P.S Sorry, but I have no clue about how hard this is to do or
schematics or anything like that, so if I sound ridculously naive,
please forgive me.

Attempting something like this would probably mean you'd have to have a
spare CZ synth to experiment on, as you'd need to be able to update/modify
the firmware. I for one, am not willing to part with my CZ. I don't really
know enough about electronics to be able to attempt something like that
anyhow. The Korg Poly 800 is an analog synth, which means modifications like
that would be much, much easier.

On Wed, Feb 11, 2009 at 3:20 PM, dreamend <dreamend@...> wrote:

>
>
> Only someone should! (not me, I can't solder or program for peanuts)..
>
> but over at the korg poly 800 groups, there's people doing all sorts
> of crazy tweakifying midi updates controlling cutoffs and what not.
>
> We need to show the world how brilliant our beloved CZs can be.
> Imagine the wonderful feeling of raising the DCW envelope with a nice
> big knob (ahem).
>
> I think the value of these synths would go up a lot if someone figured
> it out. Well I think their value will go up in the future anyway, as
> they are lush and unique sounding synths....but real-time sysex
> control would just be to die for....
>
> C'mon CZ-freaks, let's get physical!
>
> P.S Sorry, but I have no clue about how hard this is to do or
> schematics or anything like that, so if I sound ridculously naive,
> please forgive me.
>
>  
>


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Well, it would be nice if someone could help us mod this beautiful machine......Even only getting more output level, with a better S/N ratio....

--- Mer 11/2/09, jeff bornhoeft <jbornhoeft@...> ha scritto:
Da: jeff bornhoeft <jbornhoeft@...>
Oggetto: Re: [CZsynth] Has anyone ever tried to update this synth 2 make it  respond real-time to sysex?
A: CZsynth@yahoogroups.com
Data: Mercoledì 11 febbraio 2009, 23:38











    
            Attempting something like this would probably mean you'd have to have a

spare CZ synth to experiment on, as you'd need to be able to update/modify

the firmware. I for one, am not willing to part with my CZ. I don't really

know enough about electronics to be able to attempt something like that

anyhow. The Korg Poly 800 is an analog synth, which means modifications like

that would be much, much easier.



On Wed, Feb 11, 2009 at 3:20 PM, dreamend <dreamend@yahoo. co.uk> wrote:



>

>

> Only someone should! (not me, I can't solder or program for peanuts)..

>

> but over at the korg poly 800 groups, there's people doing all sorts

> of crazy tweakifying midi updates controlling cutoffs and what not.

>

> We need to show the world how brilliant our beloved CZs can be.

> Imagine the wonderful feeling of raising the DCW envelope with a nice

> big knob (ahem).

>

> I think the value of these synths would go up a lot if someone figured

> it out. Well I think their value will go up in the future anyway, as

> they are lush and unique sounding synths....but real-time sysex

> control would just be to die for....

>

> C'mon CZ-freaks, let's get physical!

>

> P.S Sorry, but I have no clue about how hard this is to do or

> schematics or anything like that, so if I sound ridculously naive,

> please forgive me.

>

>  

>



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]




 

      

    

           
  
    
	
	 
	
	








	


	
	


      Passa a Yahoo! Mail.

La webmail che ti offre GRATIS spazio illimitato, 
antispam e messenger integrato.
http://it.mail.yahoo.com/              

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Hi all,

I have a VZ-10M but haven't been doing much with it because I am the
engineer that produced the HAWK-800 kit for the Korg Poly-800.

Let me give you a bit of an idea how difficult the task was.

I started the project late 2006. I began by determining if it was
feasible to change the hardware to use a larger amount of memory if it
was supplied to owners in some sort of a kit. I then moved on to
beginning to disassemble/reverse engineer the little 8K ROM where the
Poly-800 software resides. Although the Poly-800 is analog, it is
still mostly software controlled. About March 2007 I realized the idea
was very possible and I developed a prototype board. I then began the
tedious task of reverse engineering all of the 8K of software. Toward
the end of 2007 I had added quite a few new MIDI features including
SYSEX patch send and receive as well as adding MIDI controllers for
VCF cutoff, resonance etc. At that point I had enough interest from
Poly owners that I developed the printed circuit board, the
construction and installation instructions and MIDI implementation
charts etc. In March 2008 the kit was made available and about 25 or
so have gone out the door to happy Poly-800 fans. From March 2008
until now, I've developed MIDI NRPN control of parameter editing, two
new SLFO's are implemented, the well known modifications called FM-800
and Moog Slayer are now under envelope or LFO modulation control and
the list goes on. And the development is still underway as I am now
trying to develop a third kit that will fit into the Poly-800 MK2.

However, the Casio's CZ/VZ series are a completely different animal
compared to the Poly-800. But I'll have a look at the schematics (if
they're available somewhere) and see if I think it would be possible.
My thinking is that such a project (if technically possible) would
take around three to four years to make happen. I say that because of
my own experience with the Poly-800 HAWK-800 project and because the
Casio CZ/VZ series are a far more complex instrument.

Now where are those schematics?

Mike.


--- In CZsynth@yahoogroups.com, "F.Manduca" <resistenzaaoltranza@...>
wrote:
>
> Well, it would be nice if someone could help us mod this beautiful
machine......Even only getting more output level, with a better S/N
ratio....
> 
> --- Mer 11/2/09, jeff bornhoeft <jbornhoeft@...> ha scritto:
> Da: jeff bornhoeft <jbornhoeft@...>
> Oggetto: Re: [CZsynth] Has anyone ever tried to update this synth 2
make it  respond real-time to sysex?
> A: CZsynth@yahoogroups.com
> Data: Mercoledì 11 febbraio 2009, 23:38
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>     
>             Attempting something like this would probably mean you'd
have to have a
> 
> spare CZ synth to experiment on, as you'd need to be able to
update/modify
> 
> the firmware. I for one, am not willing to part with my CZ. I don't
really
> 
> know enough about electronics to be able to attempt something like that
> 
> anyhow. The Korg Poly 800 is an analog synth, which means
modifications like

> 
> that would be much, much easier.
> 
> 
> 
> On Wed, Feb 11, 2009 at 3:20 PM, dreamend <dreamend@yahoo. co.uk> wrote:
> 
> 
> 
> >
> 
> >
> 
> > Only someone should! (not me, I can't solder or program for peanuts)..
> 
> >
> 
> > but over at the korg poly 800 groups, there's people doing all sorts
> 
> > of crazy tweakifying midi updates controlling cutoffs and what not.
> 
> >
> 
> > We need to show the world how brilliant our beloved CZs can be.
> 
> > Imagine the wonderful feeling of raising the DCW envelope with a nice
> 
> > big knob (ahem).
> 
> >
> 
> > I think the value of these synths would go up a lot if someone figured
> 
> > it out. Well I think their value will go up in the future anyway, as
> 
> > they are lush and unique sounding synths....but real-time sysex
> 
> > control would just be to die for....
> 
> >
> 
> > C'mon CZ-freaks, let's get physical!
> 
> >
> 
> > P.S Sorry, but I have no clue about how hard this is to do or
> 
> > schematics or anything like that, so if I sound ridculously naive,
> 
> > please forgive me.
> 
> >
> 
> >  
> 
> >
> 
> 
> 
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  
> 
>       
> 
>     
> 
>            
>   
>     
> 	
> 	 
> 	
> 	
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 	
> 
> 
> 	
> 	
> 
> 
>       Passa a Yahoo! Mail.
> 
> La webmail che ti offre GRATIS spazio illimitato, 
> antispam e messenger integrato.
> http://it.mail.yahoo.com/Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 
> 
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>

I Have the service manual for Casio CZ 5000:

http://www.4shared.com/file/40060398/87aff40d/Casio_CZ_5000_Service_Manual.html

:)



2009/2/12 korgpolyex800 <korgpolyex800@...>

>   Hi all,
>
> I have a VZ-10M but haven't been doing much with it because I am the
> engineer that produced the HAWK-800 kit for the Korg Poly-800.
>
> Let me give you a bit of an idea how difficult the task was.
>
> I started the project late 2006. I began by determining if it was
> feasible to change the hardware to use a larger amount of memory if it
> was supplied to owners in some sort of a kit. I then moved on to
> beginning to disassemble/reverse engineer the little 8K ROM where the
> Poly-800 software resides. Although the Poly-800 is analog, it is
> still mostly software controlled. About March 2007 I realized the idea
> was very possible and I developed a prototype board. I then began the
> tedious task of reverse engineering all of the 8K of software. Toward
> the end of 2007 I had added quite a few new MIDI features including
> SYSEX patch send and receive as well as adding MIDI controllers for
> VCF cutoff, resonance etc. At that point I had enough interest from
> Poly owners that I developed the printed circuit board, the
> construction and installation instructions and MIDI implementation
> charts etc. In March 2008 the kit was made available and about 25 or
> so have gone out the door to happy Poly-800 fans. From March 2008
> until now, I've developed MIDI NRPN control of parameter editing, two
> new SLFO's are implemented, the well known modifications called FM-800
> and Moog Slayer are now under envelope or LFO modulation control and
> the list goes on. And the development is still underway as I am now
> trying to develop a third kit that will fit into the Poly-800 MK2.
>
> However, the Casio's CZ/VZ series are a completely different animal
> compared to the Poly-800. But I'll have a look at the schematics (if
> they're available somewhere) and see if I think it would be possible.
> My thinking is that such a project (if technically possible) would
> take around three to four years to make happen. I say that because of
> my own experience with the Poly-800 HAWK-800 project and because the
> Casio CZ/VZ series are a far more complex instrument.
>
> Now where are those schematics?
>
> Mike.
>
> --- In CZsynth@yahoogroups.com <CZsynth%40yahoogroups.com>, "F.Manduca"
> <resistenzaaoltranza@...>
> wrote:
>
> >
> > Well, it would be nice if someone could help us mod this beautiful
> machine......Even only getting more output level, with a better S/N
> ratio....
> >
> > --- Mer 11/2/09, jeff bornhoeft <jbornhoeft@...> ha scritto:
> > Da: jeff bornhoeft <jbornhoeft@...>
> > Oggetto: Re: [CZsynth] Has anyone ever tried to update this synth 2
> make it respond real-time to sysex?
> > A: CZsynth@...m <CZsynth%40yahoogroups.com>
> > Data: Mercoledì 11 febbraio 2009, 23:38
>
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Attempting something like this would probably mean you'd
> have to have a
> >
> > spare CZ synth to experiment on, as you'd need to be able to
> update/modify
> >
> > the firmware. I for one, am not willing to part with my CZ. I don't
> really
> >
> > know enough about electronics to be able to attempt something like that
> >
> > anyhow. The Korg Poly 800 is an analog synth, which means
> modifications like
> >
> > that would be much, much easier.
> >
> >
> >
> > On Wed, Feb 11, 2009 at 3:20 PM, dreamend <dreamend@yahoo. co.uk> wrote:
> >
> >
> >
> > >
> >
> > >
> >
> > > Only someone should! (not me, I can't solder or program for peanuts)..
> >
> > >
> >
> > > but over at the korg poly 800 groups, there's people doing all sorts
> >
> > > of crazy tweakifying midi updates controlling cutoffs and what not.
> >
> > >
> >
> > > We need to show the world how brilliant our beloved CZs can be.
> >
> > > Imagine the wonderful feeling of raising the DCW envelope with a nice
> >
> > > big knob (ahem).
> >
> > >
> >
> > > I think the value of these synths would go up a lot if someone figured
> >
> > > it out. Well I think their value will go up in the future anyway, as
> >
> > > they are lush and unique sounding synths....but real-time sysex
> >
> > > control would just be to die for....
> >
> > >
> >
> > > C'mon CZ-freaks, let's get physical!
> >
> > >
> >
> > > P.S Sorry, but I have no clue about how hard this is to do or
> >
> > > schematics or anything like that, so if I sound ridculously naive,
> >
> > > please forgive me.
> >
> > >
> >
> > >
> >
> > >
> >
> >
> >
> > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Passa a Yahoo! Mail.
> >
> > La webmail che ti offre GRATIS spazio illimitato,
> > antispam e messenger integrato.
> > http://it.mail.yahoo.com/Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
> >
> > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> >
>
>  
>



-- 
Patrick Wichrowski

tecladista e maluco de plantão
www.myspace.com/patrickwichrowski


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

--- In CZsynth@yahoogroups.com, "korgpolyex800" <korgpolyex800@...> 
wrote:
>
> My thinking is that such a project (if technically possible) would
> take around three to four years to make happen. I say that because 
of
> my own experience with the Poly-800 HAWK-800 project and because the
> Casio CZ/VZ series are a far more complex instrument.
> 
> Now where are those schematics?
>

The VZ series already has full sysex implimentation for transferring 
patches to and from a library.  The problem is that all parameters 
must be sent at once, making it impossible to tweak a single 
parameter in realtime.  So changing the software in the ROM to allow 
for single parameter receiving should do the trick, but I suspect the 
reason Casio didn't allow individual parameter changing for real-time 
control in the first place is because the processor is way too slow.  
It's of a similar era as the Poly 800, so the cpu is probably of 
similar power, but the Poly probably has a lot less work to do.  The 
VZ10M is notorious for bogging down when too many oscillators are 
open without any hacking done to it.

Hi Mike,
I have a paper copy for the VZ-10M that's too big for me to scan 
unless you want it piecemeal. I got it from www.transanalog.com This 
guy has a bunch of service docs and he repairs and mods a lot of 
synth gear. I just fixed a garbled display in a VZ-10M and have begun 
to learn how to program this strange but great sounding beast.

My biggest wish for any of the VZ or CZ gear is looping envelopes or 
maybe your SLFO. You get this great filter or VCA sweep with up to 8 
stages and then it's all over, from hero to zero.... Kaplooie. 

Great to see you're looking into fooling with other gear!  Have you 
looked at the roms yet???  Fran

--- In CZsynth@yahoogroups.com, "korgpolyex800" <korgpolyex800@...> 
wrote:
>
> Hi all,
> 
> I have a VZ-10M but haven't been doing much with it because I am the
> engineer that produced the HAWK-800 kit for the Korg Poly-800.
> However, the Casio's CZ/VZ series are a completely different animal
> compared to the Poly-800. But I'll have a look at the schematics (if
> they're available somewhere) and see if I think it would be 
possible.
> My thinking is that such a project (if technically possible) would
> take around three to four years to make happen. I say that because 
of

> my own experience with the Poly-800 HAWK-800 project and because the
> Casio CZ/VZ series are a far more complex instrument.
> 
> Now where are those schematics?
> 
> Mike.

--- In CZsynth@yahoogroups.com, "narfman96" <narfman96@...> wrote:
> My biggest wish for any of the VZ or CZ gear is looping envelopes or 
> maybe your SLFO. You get this great filter or VCA sweep with up to 8 
> stages and then it's all over, from hero to zero.... Kaplooie.

That's a good example. Of course, my biggest wish is generally more
voices. :)

For a long time, I've been thinking the best way to do this kind of
experimentation would be in software that's a faithful emulation of
the process by which these synths create their sounds. That way you
don't end up risking rare hardware. And you'd have something when your
rare hardware dies someday. :(


> > Now where are those schematics?

This question is also relevant to my idea. :)

Not that I have any time right now to follow up on it...

Hi,

What fixed the garbled display on your FM-10m?

Thanks,

Tim.