Disklavier

I obtained my software via email from Mr. Brandon at Yamaha.  I found 
a link somewhere on Yamaha's site for a link to request the flash 
update, and Mr. Brandon responded with an attachment.  Unfortunately, 
I don't remember where I found that link specifically.  If you have 
any trouble getting the flash update, post another message, and I can 
email a copy to you privately.

In terms of the matching of the diskettes with the CDs, the pre-
recorded diskettes from Yamaha are clearly marked (with title, 
publisher, and catalog #) of the "matching" CD.  Also, if you try to 
play a diskette with the wrong CD, the Disklavier is smart enough to 
refuse and tells you that there is a mismatch between the disk and CD.

There is also a new printed manual about the "Smart" feature.  In the 
email from Mr. Brandon, there was an offer to request this by email, 
which I did do.  Within a couple days, I had my copy of this by snail 
mail.  The maual looks like it might be an initial "draft" since the 
language is not very "polished."  See my earlier post about 
impressions about the manual (not the greatest!), but the "Smart" 
feature itself seems to work perfectly.  The manual is really needed 
so you know how to record your own piano accompaniments to your own 
commercial CDs you have on hand.  You can even save your "Smart" 
accompaniments to memory disk.  You really don't need this manual to 
play the pre-recorded software from Yamaha, because that process is 
obvious and idiot-proof (you just load both the diskette and the CD 
at the same time and press play; the manual says always to put the CD 
in first, but I found that that is not really necessary).  

The flash update does NOT yet appear on the Disklavier software 
update page.  In an email Mark Wisner sent me, he indicated that the 
powers that be at Yamaha have not yet made the decision to make this 
update available to everybody.  Apparently, they expect anyone who is 
interested to request it individually.  For those of you who might be 
interested, the specific program versions that permit the new 
features are: CTRL=4.44 and DSP=1.23.


--- In disklavier@y..., Tom Wheeler <tnwheeler@n...> wrote:
> Folks,
> 
> I am totally confused as to what is happening on the Smart Piano 
> firmware upgrade.  I notice a press release in the "What's New" 
Yamaha 
> Newsletter that states that Smart Piano software and (apparently 
the 
> firmware required to play it) has been released.  However, there is 
no 
> reference in the press release as to where to obtain the firmware.  
I 
> have been watching the Yamaha disklavier support page diligently 
for any 
> new release of firmware, but the latest release is March 12, 2002 
and is 
> clearly not the firmware needed for playing Smart Piano disks.  To 
> further add to the confusion, I notice that both Hal Leonard and 
> Yamaha's own MusicSoft web sites are showing numerous Smart Piano 
> software disks which I assume are really available for purchase. 
>  Finally, I note (as per the e-mail below) that some individuals 
> apparently have been able to obtain a beta version of the firmware -
- or 
> is this the official public release of the firmware required to 
play 
> Piano Smart disks?  
> 
> I have a Yamaha DC3A disklavier purchased about one year ago.  With 
the 
> firmware upgrade, I would be happy to purchase and try out the 
Smart 
> Piano software.  Can anyone clear up my confusion by answering the 
> following questions: (1) Where can one go to obtain the firmware 
upgrade 
> to play Smart Piano disks? (2) Is this an official Yamaha released 
> version of the firmware or simply a beta test version of the 
firmware? 
> (3) If the firmware is only available as a beta test version, when 
does 
> Yamaha plan to release the official version of the firmware and 
will it 
> be posted in the usual place at 
> http://www.yamaha.com/ycaservice/group005/fgrop005.htm? (4) When 
you 
> purchase a Smart Piano disk, does it tell you exactly (i.e. by 
Universal 
> Product Code No. or some other exact identifier) what CD it is 
attended 
> to be used with?
> 
> Tom