Holly,
I hope Yamaha hears your comments. After 3
years with a DC3A Pro, I must say you have stated what I feel quite
learly. I have computer professional for over 30 years, so I'm used to
technology but learning how to interface with and use the computerized
features of my Disklavier has been one of the toughest learning curves I've ever
had. Once I learn some part of it, everything works extremely well
and I'm thrilled with the result. But they make all this a lot more primitive
than it should be, and a lot harder to learn.
You are right. It is 2003, and the computer side of
these pianos *is* a lot more like 1994. Ok, now I'll go back to being
quiet, but you hit a nerve...
Phil
-----Original Message-----
From: holly hegeman [mailto:hhegeman@...]
Sent: Tuesday, August 12, 2003 10:04 AM
To: disklavier@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [disklavier] File downloadsActually, Todd is correct mid2eseq and vice-a-verse work just fine in windows. Windows xp will format a 720 k floppy if you use the trick of using 1.4 MB floppies and tape over the open hole (not the locking hole) with non-transparent tape. The computer than thinks it is a 720k. YOU MUST BE Patient. It takes a long time for the computer to see this disk (most people give up and think it won't work). Once it sees the disk a popup window will appear and tell you that the disk is unformatted and ask you if you would like to format it. One of the options will be to format a 720k disk. Again, be patient it takes awhile. Good luck!
I realize that I am relatively new to all this, having just purchased my piano in July, but I have to say this. After going through what I have been through and after reading posts such as this, heres my comment.
Yamaha needs to get with it. This is 2003, not 1997.
For as much as we all pay for our pianos and for as much as we want to use them easily and without having to go through convoluted measures to do so, Yamaha does nothing but make all of this MUCH more difficult then it has to be.
First, as a Mac user since 1984, and as someone whose entire business is Mac-based, I finally gave in the towel and had to purchase a used Windows PC with Win 98 installed two weeks ago, simply so I could download files from the Yamaha website to play on my piano.
This is nothing short of ridiculous.
The company should have Mac-compatible software extractors available. This is a no-brainer.
In addition, the companys insistence on using its proprietary file method, which makes so many things that much more difficult, is also something that needs to be changed.
In terms of documentation, I find the owners manual to be lacking, and have learned so much more of what I need to know here, than in there.
In terms of midi support, explanation, and set-up suggestions and comments, the support provided by the company is almost useless.
Again, only due to the wonderful information that you folks provide, have I been able to figure these things out. Or at least some of them. Still working on others....<g>
I dont regret purchasing the piano at all. I love it. I have no complaints with the instrument at all.
But, I do regret that Yamaha seems to be dropping the ball here with us and our instruments on many levels. I think the company could market the disklavier brand, music, files, and entire experience in a much more positive, and certainly much more technologically exciting manner. Translation? It would make the ownership of a disklavier much more valuable, and it would be much more profitable to them as well.
-Holly Hegeman
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