Rhodes Chroma Polaris

> ... i have got a chroma polaris, and am trying to
> use it for a masterkeyboard for midi sequencing.
> but i dont know how to turn local off.

The information you're looking for can be found in Chapter 10 of the Polaris 
User's Manual 
(http://www.rhodeschroma.com/content/polaris/ownersmanual.pdf).

In summary, Lower Function, Interface, 1 controls whether the main sound is 
played by the sound-generating electronics of the Polaris or not.

(This info is also available in Chapter 12, the MIDI chapter, under the 
heading of "Data Stream Routing").

> also i was thinking of updating the os, is there
> anyway to get the eeprom update or download the code?
> is updating the os only a matter of burning
> eeprom chips and replacing them or is there more to it?
> my os is rev 5, is rev 9 the latest version?

I do believe that Rev 9 was the latest/last firmware for the Polaris.

The upgrade is essentially just a matter of installing EPROMs with the Rev 9 
code.  It is the case that internal memory locations have moved/changed, so 
the general recommended procedure would be to:

- back up any programs/sequences you have (that you want to keep).
- Install the Rev 9 firmware
- do a complete computer/memory clear/restart (as outlined in the Polaris 
service manual).
- restore the memory of the Polaris (i.e., the "what to do if you loose your 
memory" section from the Polaris service manual).
- reload the programs/sequences that you wanted.

I believe the Rev 9 firmware code is like already available on-line (I'm not 
sure where), but if you can't find it I would be able to e-mail a copy to 
you - there are 4 files, 8K each).

Chris Ryan (if you're listening) do you want to put a copy of the Polaris 
firmware on the Polaris portion of the Rhodes Chroma site?

David