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Re: [disklavier](laptop)

Re: [disklavier](laptop)

2003-04-10 by Allan Zalamea



Spencer,

I guess I'm all lost with all the requirements for a laptop on a disklavier. Here are all the specs of my hardwares and the disklavier.

Disklavier -�Piano Player Control Wagon PPG10R�( separate consul cabinet) �on a grand piano that plays�

�������������������� only Eseq files

�������������������� Yamaha MU90 Tone Generator, Amplifier, Equalizer and�2 speakers

Laptop -� Nec Versa dx486 , 350mb hd , 16mb ram� ,� with LPT port and USB port, no sound card

Software - Win95 ( coz' win98 is too large for a 350mb hd ), Cakewalk pro, Vanbasco player, 95 jukebox��.

Cables�� -�� Midi cable ,� cable with LPT male on one end and a USB on the other end ( sorry don't know

������������������ the name of that cable)

Note:� My disklavier, tone generator and piano is in good setup and is playing all my eseq files on a diskette including those piano pieces with XG ( accompaniment).

My problem is how to setup my old obsolete laptop with all the specs I mentioned above. I'm willing to buy any accessories needed to complete the setup. By the way, I'm from the Philippines and hope that the required accessories�are�easily available here.

Hope that you can help me with my predicament. Thanks.

Allan

>From: Spencer Chase
>Reply-To: disklavier@yahoogroups.com
>To: disklavier@yahoogroups.com
>Subject: [disklavier] (unknown)
>Date: Tue, 8 Apr 2003 10:34:20 -0700
>
>Greetings disklavier,
>
>I have not had very good luck with Midisport interfaces and old
>computers. Their drivers and support are pretty bad. Fine for the
>latest machines but not much else. Roland makes a USB interface that
>is cheaper and has worked with no problems on every machine I have
>used it with. Just plugs and plays the way it should.
>
>Can you run win 98 on a 486? If not, it is unlikely that any USB
>devices can be made to work without a huge effort.
>
>You can also use a PC card adapter. They make them for game and
>joystick use and have MIDI thrown in. I bought some generic thing on
>E-Bay for about $15 that works just fine on an old notebook, P266
>running Win 98 SE.
>
>The Win 98 Media Player is just about the only piece of really good
>software by microsoft. This or any other program that uses the
>direct-x multimedia interface will play MIDI perfectly even with other
>tasks running. Without this you would have to make sure that the
>computer was running only the MIDI program or the music might be
>erratic.
>
>--
>Best regards,
>Spencer Chase
>67550 Bell Springs Rd.
>Garberville, CA 95542 (POSTAL SERVICE ONLY)
>Laytonville, CA 95454 (UPS ONLY)
>mailto:spencer@...
>http://www.spencerserolls.com
>http://www.spencerserolls.com/MidiValve.htm
>(707) 984-8356
>

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Re[2]: [disklavier](laptop)

2003-04-10 by Spencer Chase

Greetings Allan et Al.

I have spent countless hours trying to get obsolete computers to do
useful tasks and have finally given up except for the more recent
obsolete ones. It is just too difficult to find all the documentation
and the necessary accessories. Just trying to find old versions of
software that work is difficult. Besides, there are often improvements
in software. When a good program comes along (rarely) you are not
likely to be able to use the old beast with it.

MIDI does not take much and a machine dedicated to it does not need to
be the latest.  This is not the problem, it is trying to put al the
antique pieces together. It they were together to begin with and
you like it, by all means, keep it running until it smokes but trying
to go backwards is a waste of time. Once you get it working you may find
that it dies shortly afterwards and leaves you looking for the exact
same mess you had finally figured out.

Today you can get a laptop with a p266 processor, very good display, usb 10
to 20 gig hard drive etc etc for less than $300 on E-Bay. Just add a
Roland Edirol USB interface and you have a midi player for about $350
and a good one at that.

I have two Toshiba Tecra 550 CDTs doing exactly that and they are even
the notebooks that I take with me when traveling. I don't need to
impress fellow travelers with a $2000 machine running MS word and if
one get lost or smashed I am out a whole lot less.

It should not be that difficult to get a similar computer in the
Philippines, it may just take a while in shipping. I do not really
recommend this but companies like Tiger Direct (good selection, good
prices but horrible confused service) offer similar IBM and Tecra
computers refurbished by someone or other for about the same price.
-- 
Best regards,
Spencer Chase        mailto:spencer@...
67550 Bell Springs Rd.
Garberville, CA 95542 (POSTAL SERIVICE ONLY)
Laytonville, CA 95454 (UPS ONLY)
mailto:spencer@...
http://www.spencerserolls.com
http://www.spencerserolls.com/MidiValve.htm
(707) 984-8356

Re: [disklavier](laptop)

2003-04-11 by allanz_2000

Spencer,
Thanks for your advice and the time you spent for my problem. I guess 
I have to look for a newly obsolete one as you have said. I really 
appreciate your kindness and now I'm sure to follow your advice on my 
next move.
Allan

- In disklavier@yahoogroups.com, Spencer Chase <spencer@m...> wrote:
> Greetings Allan et Al.
> 
> I have spent countless hours trying to get obsolete computers to do
> useful tasks and have finally given up except for the more recent
> obsolete ones. It is just too difficult to find all the 
documentation
> and the necessary accessories. Just trying to find old versions of
> software that work is difficult. Besides, there are often 
improvements
> in software. When a good program comes along (rarely) you are not
> likely to be able to use the old beast with it.
> 
> MIDI does not take much and a machine dedicated to it does not need 
to
> be the latest.  This is not the problem, it is trying to put al the
> antique pieces together. It they were together to begin with and
> you like it, by all means, keep it running until it smokes but 
trying
> to go backwards is a waste of time. Once you get it working you may 
find
> that it dies shortly afterwards and leaves you looking for the exact
> same mess you had finally figured out.
> 
> Today you can get a laptop with a p266 processor, very good 
display, usb 10
> to 20 gig hard drive etc etc for less than $300 on E-Bay. Just add a
> Roland Edirol USB interface and you have a midi player for about 
$350
> and a good one at that.
> 
> I have two Toshiba Tecra 550 CDTs doing exactly that and they are 
even
Show quoted textHide quoted text
> the notebooks that I take with me when traveling. I don't need to
> impress fellow travelers with a $2000 machine running MS word and if
> one get lost or smashed I am out a whole lot less.
> 
> It should not be that difficult to get a similar computer in the
> Philippines, it may just take a while in shipping. I do not really
> recommend this but companies like Tiger Direct (good selection, good
> prices but horrible confused service) offer similar IBM and Tecra
> computers refurbished by someone or other for about the same price.
> -- 
> Best regards,
> Spencer Chase        mailto:spencer@s...
> 67550 Bell Springs Rd.
> Garberville, CA 95542 (POSTAL SERIVICE ONLY)
> Laytonville, CA 95454 (UPS ONLY)
> mailto:spencer@s...
> http://www.spencerserolls.com
> http://www.spencerserolls.com/MidiValve.htm
> (707) 984-8356

Re: [disklavier](laptop)

2003-04-16 by bdpotts

Allen,

I was doing a little research, but I can't find any details on PPG10R 
and I'm not familiar with it.  I found some information on the MU-90, 
but not on the "wagon".  Conceptually, you should be able to hook 
things up like you want.  You may want read and try some of the 
following things.

It sounds like the way you have it now you can play ESEQ diskettes on 
the wagon with accompaniment on the MU-90, is this correct?  If this 
is true than the PPG10R must have a MIDI out port that you have 
connected to the MU-90 MIDI in.

Now to verify the second part.  It sounds like you said you already 
have the laptop connected to the MU-90, is this correct?  If not, it 
shouldn't be too difficult to do, although you won't be able to do it 
through USB (no WIN 95 support).  If your laptop has a regular serial 
port (it probably does) you should be able to get a cable to connect 
the laptop to the "Computer/MIDI interface" on the MU-90.  This 
connection should be a standard RS232C or RS-422 serial interface on 
the MU-90.  This cable should be pretty easy to find once you figure 
out what connections you need on either end.  One word of advice on 
this cable.  If you try it and it doesn't work, you may need a small 
cable called a "null modem" that switches the send/receive wires.  If 
you have the manuals you should be able to find the "pin out" for the 
serial port on the MU-90 and you can match it up with a standard 
serial "pin out" from the laptop.

Finally, does the PPG10R have a MIDI in?   I know it only plays ESEQ 
from diskette, but if it has a MIDI out, it probably has a MIDI 
input.  If it does you can run a cable from the MU-90 MIDI pass thru 
port to the PPG10R MIDI input.

If you followed this far there's only a couple things left to do.

1. Configure your software to send the MIDI stream through the serial 
port.  This shouldn't be too difficult.  It probably involves telling 
the software you have an external MIDI device connected to the serial 
port.  If you need to, you can contact tech support for the software 
to configure this.

2. Make sure the "Grand Piano" MIDI parts are not played by your MU-
90 but instead are "passed thru" to the PPG10R.  I'm not sure how to 
do this, but if you get this far I bet someone else here will be able 
to help.

Good Luck

Brian

Re: [disklavier](laptop)

2003-04-18 by Allan Zalamea

Brian

Thanks for your time. I bought my disklavier from grey market and it probably came from Japan. Anyway I've been enjoying it for 3 years now. Actually I'm looking for a manual on this model but nobody can help me on this even Yamaha company in Japan and here in the Philippines. I bought my Tone generator separately and it's doing a great job on my disklavier.

Yes my disklavier have a midi out and midi in. The midi out of Disklavier to midi in of tone generator. And midi in of disklavier to midi out of tone generator.

I have tried to connect my laptop to TO HOST of the tone generator, but it won't work or maybe I just missed some procedure. I used a serial cable with usb connection that i connect to the tone generator. By the way, what is a "null modem"?

Allan



>From: "bdpotts"
>Reply-To: disklavier@yahoogroups.com
>To: disklavier@yahoogroups.com
>Subject: Re: [disklavier](laptop)
>Date: Wed, 16 Apr 2003 20:30:27 -0000
>
>Allen,
>
>I was doing a little research, but I can't find any details on PPG10R
>and I'm not familiar with it. I found some information on the MU-90,
>but not on the "wagon". Conceptually, you should be able to hook
>things up like you want. You may want read and try some of the
>following things.
>
>It sounds like the way you have it now you can play ESEQ diskettes on
>the wagon with accompaniment on the MU-90, is this correct? If this
>is true than the PPG10R must have a MIDI out port that you have
>connected to the MU-90 MIDI in.
>
>Now to verify the second part. It sounds like you said you already
>have the laptop connected to the MU-90, is this correct? If not, it
>shouldn't be too difficult to do, although you won't be able to do it
>through USB (no WIN 95 support). If your laptop has a regular serial
>port (it probably does) you should be able to get a cable to connect
>the laptop to the "Computer/MIDI interface" on the MU-90. This
>connection should be a standard RS232C or RS-422 serial interface on
>the MU-90. This cable should be pretty easy to find once you figure
>out what connections you need on either end. One word of advice on
>this cable. If you try it and it doesn't work, you may need a small
>cable called a "null modem" that switches the send/receive wires. If
>you have the manuals you should be able to find the "pin out" for the
>serial port on the MU-90 and you can match it up with a standard
>serial "pin out" from the laptop.
>
>Finally, does the PPG10R have a MIDI in? I know it only plays ESEQ
>from diskette, but if it has a MIDI out, it probably has a MIDI
>input. If it does you can run a cable from the MU-90 MIDI pass thru
>port to the PPG10R MIDI input.
>
>If you followed this far there's only a couple things left to do.
>
>1. Configure your software to send the MIDI stream through the serial
>port. This shouldn't be too difficult. It probably involves telling
>the software you have an external MIDI device connected to the serial
>port. If you need to, you can contact tech support for the software
>to configure this.
>
>2. Make sure the "Grand Piano" MIDI parts are not played by your MU-
>90 but instead are "passed thru" to the PPG10R. I'm not sure how to
>do this, but if you get this far I bet someone else here will be able
>to help.
>
>Good Luck
>
>Brian
>

MSN 8 with e-mail virus protection service: 2 months FREE*

Re: [disklavier](laptop)

2003-04-18 by bdpotts

Allan,

You may actually be closer than you think.  You may want to try a 
null modem.

The quick answer:

A null modem is a short serial cable that simply connects pin 2 on 
one end (the transmit data pin) to pin 3 on the other end of the 
cable (the receive data pin) and vice' versa.

A little more detail if your interested..

Actually there are a couple more pin changes that also take place in 
a null modem.  Normally two devices that "talk" to each other over a 
serial interface have some type of "communications" device (like a 
modem) in between them.   The communications device handles switching 
the information coming from the "send data" wire on one end to 
the "receive data" wire on the other end. Normally two devices that 
are "speaking" to each other have some other data that they send and 
receive (called a handshake).  The communications device (modem) 
normally handles switching these around as well. 

Technically, a data terminal device (DTE) is typically connected to a 
data communications device (DCE).  This is what a standard serial 
cable in designed for.  However, you can connect to DTE devices 
together with a 'null modem' that switches the appropriate wires to 
make it look like there is a DCE device in between.



A summary of all this is is that you may want to run to your local 
computer store and find a "null modem" with the appropriate 
connectors.  It should only be a few dollars for this short cable and 
they are pretty common.  

The best thing that can happen is that it will clear up your problem 
and you can send MIDI data to you disklavier.  The worst that will 
happen is that can happen is this won't clear up your problem and 
you're out a couple of bucks for a null modem.

Good luck and let us know how it works out.

Brian

Re: [disklavier](laptop)

2003-04-18 by bdpotts

Allan,

Sorry I've been so wordy,  but I found some other information.

Yamaha has a special "To Host" cable (Part number CCIBM).  They may 
have some special wiring for their devices.  You may want to get this 
cable instead of the null modem.

If this is the cable you already have, have you installed Yamaha's 
serial port driver?  You can find it here:

http://www.yamaha.com/yamahavgn/CDA/KnowledgeBase/KnowledgeBaseDetail/
0,6401,CTID%253D500866%2526CNTID%253D21006%2526VNM%253DLIVE%2526LGFL%
253DN%2526AFLG%253DY,00.html


Note, if that link doesn't work simply go to yamaha.com select search 
(way down at the bottom) and search for CBX driver.

good luck again.  I promise no more posts unless you ask again (ha ha)

Brian

Re: [disklavier](laptop)

2003-04-19 by Allan Zalamea

Brian,
Thanks a lot.Gave me some homework to do. Hahaha. Thanks again
>From: "bdpotts" <bdpotts@...>
>Reply-To: disklavier@yahoogroups.com
>To: disklavier@yahoogroups.com
>Subject: Re: [disklavier](laptop)
>Date: Fri, 18 Apr 2003 15:16:59 -0000
>
>Allan,
>
>Sorry I've been so wordy,  but I found some other information.
>
>Yamaha has a special "To Host" cable (Part number CCIBM).  They may
>have some special wiring for their devices.  You may want to get this
>cable instead of the null modem.
>
>If this is the cable you already have, have you installed Yamaha's
>serial port driver?  You can find it here:
>
>http://www.yamaha.com/yamahavgn/CDA/KnowledgeBase/KnowledgeBaseDetail/
>0,6401,CTID%253D500866%2526CNTID%253D21006%2526VNM%253DLIVE%2526LGFL%
>253DN%2526AFLG%253DY,00.html
>
>
>Note, if that link doesn't work simply go to yamaha.com select search
>(way down at the bottom) and search for CBX driver.
>
>good luck again.  I promise no more posts unless you ask again (ha ha)
>
>Brian
>


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