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How do "Smart PianoSoft" disks work??

How do "Smart PianoSoft" disks work??

2006-01-17 by rwberry99

Hi All,

For the most part, I've had no problems with my "Smart PianoSoft"
(SPS) disks.  I've been pleasantly suprised how well they work.

I recently bought the SPS disk that goes with the OCR of the musical
"Pippin".  I have owned the OCR CD for several years (and it's catalog
number didn't match the SPS disk) but I figured it was worth a try.  I
ordered the SPS disk and sure enough, when I pressed play it simply
indicated "Wrong Disk" and started playing only the accompanying MIDI
tracks.

I then order the CD through the Amazon link on the
www.yamahamusicsoft.com site.  Looking more closely, the description
of the CD in Amazon doesn't match the catalog number on the SPS disk
either, but for $11.00, I thought I would take a chance.  The CD
arrives and I get the same "Wrong Disk" message.  I poke around a few
more sites, and found yet another version of the disk, so I ordered it
as well.  I get the same behavior.

Now I realize, I could most likely return the SPS disk to Yamaha since
their link appears to be broken.  But I thought I would poke around on
the disk itself and see if I could circumvent whatever test the DKV is
doing.

Even before ripping the diskette, the first thing I noticed was the
the SPS disk only thinks there are 14 tracks versus the 15 track on
all my CDs.  So I ripped the CD and burned a copy with the same
"serial" number but with the tracks in the order the SPS disk expects.
 The DKC doesn't even recognize the CD-R disk.

So I ripped the SPS diskette and see several MIDI files and two MNG
files.  I figure one (or both) of the MNG files contains some kind of
checksum that identifies the CD, but there's nothing that jumps out
when I look at them.

Has anyone out there run into this kind of problem?  Is there a
resolution?  Can you use some kind of magic key sequence that bypasses
the CD check?

I haven't tried creating a floppy with the contents of a working SPS
disk, so I'm not sure if that even works.

Just so you don't get the wrong idea, this is a legitimate copy of the
SPS disk.  It just doesn't work.

Thanks in advance,
Bob

Re: How do "Smart PianoSoft" disks work??

2006-01-22 by sjhart110110

--- In disklavier@yahoogroups.com, Chine-Chine Wang <ciniminis@g...> 
wrote:
>
> You can convert "Smart PianoSoft" titles into a format that works 
the same
> way as the "PianoSoft Plus Audio" titles.
> 
> What you will need:
> 
> - The Smart PianoSoft floppy disk, and the matching original music 
CD (as
> long as you know the content matches it's fine - we don't care 
about the
> disc ID that the DKV control unit checks for).
> 
> - A program that rips regular music CDs into .WAV files.  I 
personally use
> (and recommend) dBpowerAMP Music Converter.
> 
>  - A program that allows you to copy the files from the copy-
protected
> Yamaha floppy to your hard drive, and convert them to .MID files.  
Look in
> the group's file archive or Carol's website, there're several 
options.
> 
> - A program that converts the .MID files into "analog MIDI" audio 
in .WAV
> format.  The only program I know of that does this is MID2PianoCD, 
a
> freeware by Mark Fontana.
> 
> - A sound editing program that can edit left and right audio 
channels
> separately.  I like to use an old program called CoolEdit, but
> unfortunately this excellent software has been bought over by 
Adobe, renamed
> to Audition, and is now over blown and over priced.  You can try 
GoldWave or
> Audacity.
> 
> - A CD burner drive and CD burning program if you want the 
resulted tracks
> on a CD.  Alternatively, you can also use any player that can 
connect to
> your DKV control unit via the left/right (white/red) RCA input 
ports and
> play stereo .WAV files without mixing the channels.  An iPod would 
work.
> 
> The steps:
> 
> 1. Rip the music CD tracks into 16-Bit/44100Hz/MONO ("mono" as in 
combining
> the original left and right channels) .WAV files.
> 
> 2. Rip and convert the Smart PianoSoft floppy into .MID files.
> 
> 3. Use MID2PianoCD to convert the .MID files into .WAV files.
> 
> 4. Using your sound editing program of choice, open the .WAV file 
converted
> from the Yamaha floppy.  You will see that the "analog MIDI" data 
is on the
> right channel, while the left channel is empty.
> 
> 5. In the same program, open the mono .WAV file (of the same song) 
converted
> from the music CD.  Copy the entire wave form.
> 
> 6. Now it's the tricky part, you have to figure out the time 
offset for
> pasting your copied wave form into the empty left channel of the 
other .WAV
> file.  Since there is no visual indicator in the flatline-looking 
analog
> MIDI channel, you pretty much have to use trial and error to get 
it exactly
> right.  I usually start at a 3-second offset (i.e. pasting in the
> left channel with a starting point 3 seconds later than the right 
channel),
> save it, put it on my iPod, connect it to my DKV and have a 
listen.  If the
> DKV piano part is out of sync with the part coming out of the 
speakers, I go
> back to the computer and move the left channel forward of backward 
a little,
> then listen again.  Note: You can bypass the transfer to iPod part 
if the
> computer you're doing the conversion on has a decent soundcard (it 
is
> important that the audio channels do not bleed into each other) 
and is close
> enough to be connected directly to your DKV by audio cable.  In 
either
> case,, you will probably need a converter "Y" cable that has 
stereo mini
> plug on one end (to plug into your computer or iPod's headphones 
jack) and
> left/right RCA connecters on the other end (to plug into the DKV 
control
> unit).  Also, do not even consider converting the .WAV file 
into .MP3 - the
> MP3 compression will result in signal loss and randomly missed 
piano notes,
> even at high bit rates.
> 
> 7. Once your resulted .WAV files have the piano part and the audio 
part in
> sync, you can burn them as a music CD and it will work the same 
way as a
> "PianoSoft Plus Audio" CD.
> 
> Albeit it's quite a lot of work, this way you can have your 
own "best
> of" collections of songs from different "Smart PianoSoft" 
floppies.  I now
> use my old iPod (those older iPods are so *bulky* to carry around;-
) as a
> jukebox that stores and plays these combined piano/audio songs on 
my
> Disklavier.
> 
> CCW
> 
> 
> On 1/17/06, rwberry99 <rwberry@t...> wrote:
> >
> > Hi All,
> >
> > For the most part, I've had no problems with my "Smart PianoSoft"
> > (SPS) disks.  I've been pleasantly suprised how well they work.
> >
> > I recently bought the SPS disk that goes with the OCR of the 
musical
> > "Pippin".  I have owned the OCR CD for several years (and it's 
catalog
> > number didn't match the SPS disk) but I figured it was worth a 
try.  I
> > ordered the SPS disk and sure enough, when I pressed play it 
simply
> > indicated "Wrong Disk" and started playing only the accompanying 
MIDI
> > tracks.
> >
> > I then order the CD through the Amazon link on the
> > www.yamahamusicsoft.com site.  Looking more closely, the 
description
> > of the CD in Amazon doesn't match the catalog number on the SPS 
disk
> > either, but for $11.00, I thought I would take a chance.  The CD
> > arrives and I get the same "Wrong Disk" message.  I poke around 
a few
> > more sites, and found yet another version of the disk, so I 
ordered it
> > as well.  I get the same behavior.
> >
> > Now I realize, I could most likely return the SPS disk to Yamaha 
since
> > their link appears to be broken.  But I thought I would poke 
around on
> > the disk itself and see if I could circumvent whatever test the 
DKV is
> > doing.
> >
> > Even before ripping the diskette, the first thing I noticed was 
the
> > the SPS disk only thinks there are 14 tracks versus the 15 track 
on
> > all my CDs.  So I ripped the CD and burned a copy with the same
> > "serial" number but with the tracks in the order the SPS disk 
expects.
> > The DKC doesn't even recognize the CD-R disk.
> >
> > So I ripped the SPS diskette and see several MIDI files and two 
MNG
> > files.  I figure one (or both) of the MNG files contains some 
kind of
> > checksum that identifies the CD, but there's nothing that jumps 
out
> > when I look at them.
> >
> > Has anyone out there run into this kind of problem?  Is there a
> > resolution?  Can you use some kind of magic key sequence that 
bypasses
> > the CD check?
> >
> > I haven't tried creating a floppy with the contents of a working 
SPS
> > disk, so I'm not sure if that even works.
> >
> > Just so you don't get the wrong idea, this is a legitimate copy 
of the
> > SPS disk.  It just doesn't work.
> >
> > Thanks in advance,
> > Bob
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > To Post a message to the group, send it to:   disklavier@Y...
> >
> > To Post a private message to Todd Muncy, the group's founder and
> > moderator, send it to:
> > disklavier-owner@Y...
> >
> > To reach our group's web site go to:
> > http://Yahoogroups.com/group/disklavier
> >
> > Todd's family web site was completely updated 012/22/03.  It 
contains some
> > fun disklavier content and links to midi sites among many other 
things, The
> > url is:
> > http://MuncyFamily.com
> >
> > THINKING OF LEAVING THE GROUP?
> > If you are thinking of unsubcribing because you are getting too 
much mail,
> > go the the web site and change your email delivery option 
instead.  That
> > will fix the problem, while maintaining your access to the 
group.  If you
> > insist on leaving us completely send a blank email to:
> > disklavier-unsubscribe@y...
> >
> > Know someone who wants to join?  Have them send a blank email to:
> > disklavier-subscribe@e... or give them this link:
> > http://Yahoogroups.com/group/disklavier/join
> >
> > Yahoo! Groups Links
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
>

How are you connecting your ipod to your disklavier?  What model of 
Disklavier do you have?  Thanks!

Re: How do "Smart PianoSoft" disks work??

2009-01-24 by George Allison

I saw this old post and couldn't find a good reply to it, so I'll pass
this along....

I've had no trouble using iTunes to burn a CD with songs that match
the Smart Pianosoft floppy disk and then play it successfully in the
Mk IV.  In a couple of cases I had an old CD that didn't quite match
the version desired by the floppy -- in this case, I ripped it with
iTunes (set to wav format so there's no loss), rearranged the songs to
match the floppy, then burned a new CD which the Mk IV recognized and
read.  I've even burned a CD from song albums purchased in the iTunes
store that worked with the Smart Pianosoft floppy.

George

--- In disklavier@yahoogroups.com, "rwberry99" <rwberry@...> wrote:
>
> Hi All,
> 
> For the most part, I've had no problems with my "Smart PianoSoft"
> (SPS) disks.  I've been pleasantly suprised how well they work.
> 
> I recently bought the SPS disk that goes with the OCR of the musical
> "Pippin".  I have owned the OCR CD for several years (and it's
catalog number didn't match the SPS disk) but I figured it was worth a
try.  I ordered the SPS disk and sure enough, when I pressed play it
simply indicated "Wrong Disk" and started playing only the
accompanying MIDI tracks.
Show quoted textHide quoted text
> 
> I then order the CD through the Amazon link on the
> www.yamahamusicsoft.com site.  Looking more closely, the description
> of the CD in Amazon doesn't match the catalog number on the SPS disk
> either, but for $11.00, I thought I would take a chance.  The CD
> arrives and I get the same "Wrong Disk" message.  I poke around a few
> more sites, and found yet another version of the disk, so I ordered it
> as well.  I get the same behavior.
> 
> Now I realize, I could most likely return the SPS disk to Yamaha since
> their link appears to be broken.  But I thought I would poke around on
> the disk itself and see if I could circumvent whatever test the DKV is
> doing.
> 
> Even before ripping the diskette, the first thing I noticed was the
> the SPS disk only thinks there are 14 tracks versus the 15 track on
> all my CDs.  So I ripped the CD and burned a copy with the same
> "serial" number but with the tracks in the order the SPS disk expects.
>  The DKC doesn't even recognize the CD-R disk.
> 
> So I ripped the SPS diskette and see several MIDI files and two MNG
> files.  I figure one (or both) of the MNG files contains some kind of
> checksum that identifies the CD, but there's nothing that jumps out
> when I look at them.
> 
> Has anyone out there run into this kind of problem?  Is there a
> resolution?  Can you use some kind of magic key sequence that bypasses
> the CD check?
> 
> I haven't tried creating a floppy with the contents of a working SPS
> disk, so I'm not sure if that even works.
> 
> Just so you don't get the wrong idea, this is a legitimate copy of the
> SPS disk.  It just doesn't work.
> 
> Thanks in advance,
> Bob
>

Re: How do "Smart PianoSoft" disks work??

2009-01-25 by Cheetham

Thanks - I've also just had a similar problem with a pianosoft disk 
and a CD ordered via the Amazon link. I contacted Yamaha who 
suggested upgrading my firmware (my Mk IV is still on v2, not the 
latest v3), but I doubt that is the problem and have yet to do it. I 
never though of looking at the order of the songs.

Is anyone at Yamaha aware of this problem - presumably with a limited 
number of CDs? The one I am ahving trouble with is the soundtrack 
from Grease.
Howard

--- In disklavier@yahoogroups.com, "George Allison" <disklav@...> 
wrote:
>
> I saw this old post and couldn't find a good reply to it, so I'll 
pass
> this along....
> 
> I've had no trouble using iTunes to burn a CD with songs that match
> the Smart Pianosoft floppy disk and then play it successfully in the
> Mk IV.  In a couple of cases I had an old CD that didn't quite match
> the version desired by the floppy -- in this case, I ripped it with
> iTunes (set to wav format so there's no loss), rearranged the songs 
to
> match the floppy, then burned a new CD which the Mk IV recognized 
and
> read.  I've even burned a CD from song albums purchased in the 
iTunes
> store that worked with the Smart Pianosoft floppy.
> 
> George
> 
> --- In disklavier@yahoogroups.com, "rwberry99" <rwberry@> wrote:
> >
> > Hi All,
> > 
> > For the most part, I've had no problems with my "Smart PianoSoft"
> > (SPS) disks.  I've been pleasantly suprised how well they work.
> > 
> > I recently bought the SPS disk that goes with the OCR of the 
musical
> > "Pippin".  I have owned the OCR CD for several years (and it's
> catalog number didn't match the SPS disk) but I figured it was 
worth a
> try.  I ordered the SPS disk and sure enough, when I pressed play it
> simply indicated "Wrong Disk" and started playing only the
> accompanying MIDI tracks.
> > 
> > I then order the CD through the Amazon link on the
> > www.yamahamusicsoft.com site.  Looking more closely, the 
description
> > of the CD in Amazon doesn't match the catalog number on the SPS 
disk
> > either, but for $11.00, I thought I would take a chance.  The CD
> > arrives and I get the same "Wrong Disk" message.  I poke around a 
few
> > more sites, and found yet another version of the disk, so I 
ordered it
> > as well.  I get the same behavior.
> > 
> > Now I realize, I could most likely return the SPS disk to Yamaha 
since
> > their link appears to be broken.  But I thought I would poke 
around on
> > the disk itself and see if I could circumvent whatever test the 
DKV is
> > doing.
> > 
> > Even before ripping the diskette, the first thing I noticed was 
the
> > the SPS disk only thinks there are 14 tracks versus the 15 track 
on
> > all my CDs.  So I ripped the CD and burned a copy with the same
> > "serial" number but with the tracks in the order the SPS disk 
expects.
> >  The DKC doesn't even recognize the CD-R disk.
> > 
> > So I ripped the SPS diskette and see several MIDI files and two 
MNG
> > files.  I figure one (or both) of the MNG files contains some 
kind of
> > checksum that identifies the CD, but there's nothing that jumps 
out
> > when I look at them.
> > 
> > Has anyone out there run into this kind of problem?  Is there a
> > resolution?  Can you use some kind of magic key sequence that 
bypasses
> > the CD check?
> > 
> > I haven't tried creating a floppy with the contents of a working 
SPS
> > disk, so I'm not sure if that even works.
> > 
> > Just so you don't get the wrong idea, this is a legitimate copy 
of the
Show quoted textHide quoted text
> > SPS disk.  It just doesn't work.
> > 
> > Thanks in advance,
> > Bob
> >
>

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