Disklavier

Still waiting for Yamaha to send out this announcement! :)  I stopped 
by my local Yamaha dealer and chatted with the sales folks who sold 
me the Mark III that I own.  They were more than happy to have me 
trade in my Mark III for a Mark IV piano!  Frankly, they told me they 
were suprised that there was not an upgrade path as there always had 
been in previous versions.  Still waiting to somehow sign up for 
Disklavier radio and send Yamaha my monthly subscription fee...  

--- In disklavier@yahoogroups.com, "sjhart110110" <sjhart110@...> 
wrote:
>
> BUENA PARK, Calif. — April 1, 2008, Yamaha Corporation of America, 
> Piano Division, introduced the Disklavier Mark III control box 
> upgrade for its Mark III full-function series of performance 
> reproducing pianos. The upgrade offers current customers of the 
> world's most advanced pianos a host of innovative technological and 
> entertainment enhancements which are currently only available in 
the 
> newest Disklavier Mark IV models.
>  
> The Yamaha Disklavier Mark III Control Box Upgrade is aligned with 
> Yamaha's vision to let previous owners of their pianos utilize new 
> features.  
> 
> The Hardware Upgrade will be available to Disklavier owners 
directly 
> through a Yamaha's authorized dealer network. 
> 
> The upgrade involves complete removal of the Mark III control box.  
> The new control box has built in features very similar to the Mark 
> IV Disklaviers pianos.  This includes a hard drive, Internet 
> connection, and other features.  Complete details can be found at 
> Yamaha's web site www.yamaha.com.  Additionally, the piano can be 
> controlled via a new wireless pocket device.  A remote control 
> screen will become available at a future date.
> 
> The new Mark III control box introduces Disklavier Music Store. 
Like 
> the Clavinova's Internet Direct Connection feature, this capability 
> enables users to access the Internet directly from the Disklavier 
> Mark III's pocket or tablet remote controller screens without the 
> use of a computer. As with the Clavinova, an Internet connection 
can 
> be made wirelessly or through a cable. Users simply establish an 
> account over the secure server, and then may immediately download 
> the songs directly to their instrument. Users may even listen to a 
> song preview before purchase. An appropriate high-speed Internet 
> connection is required to use this feature.
> 
> Equally exciting is the new Disklavier Radio which offers a range 
of 
> streaming MIDI music stations for Disklavier owners to choose from, 
> including pop, jazz and classical formats. This subscription 
service 
> will stream PianoMusicSoft™ selections to Internet-connected 
> Disklavier Upgraded Mark IIIs & IVs worldwide, to play 24 hours a 
> day, seven days a week.
> 
> "The new Mark III control box enables us to continually improve our 
> customer's experience via a new hardware device," states Jim 
> Presley, Disklavier Marketing Manager.  "Although we cannot upgrade 
> the physical piano hardware, by giving customers this control box 
> upgrade they can utilize many new features that are only available 
> today in the Mark IV series of Disklaviers", states Bill Brandom, 
> National Disklavier Marketing Manager.  "We took Mark III 
customer's 
> feedback directly to Yamaha senior management and they responded by 
> putting a program in place which ultimately led to the creation of 
> the new Mark III control box".
> 
> The new Disklavier Mark III control box will be available in April 
> 2008.
> 
> For more information write Yamaha Corporation of America, Piano 
> Division, P.O. Box 6600, Buena Park, CA 90622; telephone (714) 522-
> 9011; or e-mail infostation@...
>