Emax

Hi everybody. So I’m new to this forum and to the Emax in general, so I’ve got some basic questions that I’m hoping you guys might be kind enough to answer for me. I just got an Emax Plus Rev 1.0 HD with the SE upgrade. It's got a slim floppy compact flash SCSI drive installed. It can also take the traditional 3.5" floppies.

My first question is regarding formatting disks. I obtained an OS disk (3.5") with operating system 3.2, but the software version on my Emax is Plus Rev 1.0. Does this mean I’ll need to track down a floppy disk with the Plus Rev 1.0 software on it in order to format other floppy disks? If I copy the OS 3.2 to the Emax it will erase and write over the (superior?) Plus Rev1.0 software with the older 3.2 software. Or maybe I’ve got it wrong- is the 3.2 OS better than the Plus Rev1.0?

2nd question should be simple, and I’m sure I’m overlooking something: Some of my presets only have 4 note polyphony. Why is this and how can I change this to 8?

Thanks for any advice.

Hey Ted, I tried to format floppys after the Emax booted from its CF compact flash (SCM PCD50b) SCSI drive and at the end of the disk formatting process it reads "disk error." I've tried several times with several different disks. Any recommendations moving past this? Really, I don't even care about the compact flash drive, I just want to use floppys with it.

Anybody know of any good Emax repair shops in NYC?

On Sep 30, 2014, at 3:57 PM, Ted Summers djtbs1@... [emax] <emax@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

In regards the 3.2--- booting from 3.2 floppy won't even see the SCSI HD, etc. 3.2 is the older OS....

You shouldn't use 3.2 except as an emergency "boot up" disk to verify the Emax can boot up.
Optimally, you should have a couple of disks that have PLUS 1.0 for that purpose also.

If the Emax boots from HD / flash media and you are seeing version information in the menu as Emax PLUS 1.0, choose to format a floppy disk and it will write that OS to the disk you are formatting.

Then to verify the floppy is valid, power off and boot from it.

-Ted

On Tue, Sep 30, 2014 at 12:13 PM, nickshopa@... [emax] <emax@yahoogroups.com>; wrote:

Hi everybody. So I’m new to this forum and to the Emax in general, so I’ve got some basic questions that I’m hoping you guys might be kind enough to answer for me. I just got an Emax Plus Rev 1.0 HD with the SE upgrade. It's got a slim floppy compact flash SCSI drive installed. It can also take the traditional 3.5" floppies.

My first question is regarding formatting disks. I obtained an OS disk (3.5") with operating system 3.2, but the software version on my Emax is Plus Rev 1.0. Does this mean I’ll need to track down a floppy disk with the Plus Rev 1.0 software on it in order to format other floppy disks? If I copy the OS 3.2 to the Emax it will erase and write over the (superior?) Plus Rev1.0 software with the older 3.2 software. Or maybe I’ve got it wrong- is the 3.2 OS better than the Plus Rev1.0?

2nd question should be simple, and I’m sure I’m overlooking something: Some of my presets only have 4 note polyphony. Why is this and how can I change this to 8?

Thanks for any advice.

Are you using TRUE DSDD disks? People's successful use of HD disks is sketchy...YMMV. it is also possible the floppy drive is going bad if it wasn't new to begin with (ie person bought a used one off ebay to put in).
Replacement drives are out there - you can pick up a NEW slim floppy for as little as $15 on ebay....

-T

On Thu, Oct 2, 2014 at 3:57 PM, Nick Shopa nickshopa@... [emax] <emax@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

Hey Ted, I tried to format floppys after the Emax booted from its CF compact flash (SCM PCD50b) SCSI drive and at the end of the disk formatting process it reads "disk error." I've tried several times with several different disks. Any recommendations moving past this? Really, I don't even care about the compact flash drive, I just want to use floppys with it.

Anybody know of any good Emax repair shops in NYC?

On Sep 30, 2014, at 3:57 PM, Ted Summers djtbs1@gmail.com [emax] <emax@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

In regards the 3.2--- booting from 3.2 floppy won't even see the SCSI HD, etc. 3.2 is the older OS....

You shouldn't use 3.2 except as an emergency "boot up" disk to verify the Emax can boot up.
Optimally, you should have a couple of disks that have PLUS 1.0 for that purpose also.

If the Emax boots from HD / flash media and you are seeing version information in the menu as Emax PLUS 1.0, choose to format a floppy disk and it will write that OS to the disk you are formatting.

Then to verify the floppy is valid, power off and boot from it.

-Ted

On Tue, Sep 30, 2014 at 12:13 PM, nickshopa@... [emax] <emax@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

Hi everybody. So I’m new to this forum and to the Emax in general, so I’ve got some basic questions that I’m hoping you guys might be kind enough to answer for me. I just got an Emax Plus Rev 1.0 HD with the SE upgrade. It's got a slim floppy compact flash SCSI drive installed. It can also take the traditional 3.5" floppies.

My first question is regarding formatting disks. I obtained an OS disk (3.5") with operating system 3.2, but the software version on my Emax is Plus Rev 1.0. Does this mean I’ll need to track down a floppy disk with the Plus Rev 1.0 software on it in order to format other floppy disks? If I copy the OS 3.2 to the Emax it will erase and write over the (superior?) Plus Rev1.0 software with the older 3.2 software. Or maybe I’ve got it wrong- is the 3.2 OS better than the Plus Rev1.0?

2nd question should be simple, and I’m sure I’m overlooking something: Some of my presets only have 4 note polyphony. Why is this and how can I change this to 8?

Thanks for any advice.

I guess I'll swap out the floppy drive with a new one then! What particular brand of disks do you recommend? I'm using Maxell MF2HD and Sony 10MFD-2HDcf. I think Sony's labeling is a bit excessive...

Thanks

On Thu, Oct 2, 2014 at 7:10 PM, Ted Summers djtbs1@... [emax] <emax@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

Are you using TRUE DSDD disks? People's successful use of HD disks is sketchy...YMMV. it is also possible the floppy drive is going bad if it wasn't new to begin with (ie person bought a used one off ebay to put in).
Replacement drives are out there - you can pick up a NEW slim floppy for as little as $15 on ebay....

-T

On Thu, Oct 2, 2014 at 3:57 PM, Nick Shopa nickshopa@... [emax] <emax@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

Hey Ted, I tried to format floppys after the Emax booted from its CF compact flash (SCM PCD50b) SCSI drive and at the end of the disk formatting process it reads "disk error." I've tried several times with several different disks. Any recommendations moving past this? Really, I don't even care about the compact flash drive, I just want to use floppys with it.

Anybody know of any good Emax repair shops in NYC?

On Sep 30, 2014, at 3:57 PM, Ted Summers djtbs1@...m [emax] <emax@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

In regards the 3.2--- booting from 3.2 floppy won't even see the SCSI HD, etc. 3.2 is the older OS....

You shouldn't use 3.2 except as an emergency "boot up" disk to verify the Emax can boot up.
Optimally, you should have a couple of disks that have PLUS 1.0 for that purpose also.

If the Emax boots from HD / flash media and you are seeing version information in the menu as Emax PLUS 1.0, choose to format a floppy disk and it will write that OS to the disk you are formatting.

Then to verify the floppy is valid, power off and boot from it.

-Ted

On Tue, Sep 30, 2014 at 12:13 PM, nickshopa@... [emax] <emax@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

Hi everybody. So I’m new to this forum and to the Emax in general, so I’ve got some basic questions that I’m hoping you guys might be kind enough to answer for me. I just got an Emax Plus Rev 1.0 HD with the SE upgrade. It's got a slim floppy compact flash SCSI drive installed. It can also take the traditional 3.5" floppies.

My first question is regarding formatting disks. I obtained an OS disk (3.5") with operating system 3.2, but the software version on my Emax is Plus Rev 1.0. Does this mean I’ll need to track down a floppy disk with the Plus Rev 1.0 software on it in order to format other floppy disks? If I copy the OS 3.2 to the Emax it will erase and write over the (superior?) Plus Rev1.0 software with the older 3.2 software. Or maybe I’ve got it wrong- is the 3.2 OS better than the Plus Rev1.0?

2nd question should be simple, and I’m sure I’m overlooking something: Some of my presets only have 4 note polyphony. Why is this and how can I change this to 8?

Thanks for any advice.

any DSDD disks should work properly. You cannot use HD at all unless you cover the hole for the HD (high density). If you haven't been doing that, that would be the first problem...

-T

On Thu, Oct 2, 2014 at 6:00 PM, Nicholas Shopa nickshopa@gmail.com [emax] <emax@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

I guess I'll swap out the floppy drive with a new one then! What particular brand of disks do you recommend? I'm using Maxell MF2HD and Sony 10MFD-2HDcf. I think Sony's labeling is a bit excessive...

Thanks

On Thu, Oct 2, 2014 at 7:10 PM, Ted Summers djtbs1@... [emax] <emax@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

Are you using TRUE DSDD disks? People's successful use of HD disks is sketchy...YMMV. it is also possible the floppy drive is going bad if it wasn't new to begin with (ie person bought a used one off ebay to put in).
Replacement drives are out there - you can pick up a NEW slim floppy for as little as $15 on ebay....

-T

On Thu, Oct 2, 2014 at 3:57 PM, Nick Shopa nickshopa@... [emax] <emax@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

Hey Ted, I tried to format floppys after the Emax booted from its CF compact flash (SCM PCD50b) SCSI drive and at the end of the disk formatting process it reads "disk error." I've tried several times with several different disks. Any recommendations moving past this? Really, I don't even care about the compact flash drive, I just want to use floppys with it.

Anybody know of any good Emax repair shops in NYC?

On Sep 30, 2014, at 3:57 PM, Ted Summers djtbs1@... [emax] <emax@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

In regards the 3.2--- booting from 3.2 floppy won't even see the SCSI HD, etc. 3.2 is the older OS....

You shouldn't use 3.2 except as an emergency "boot up" disk to verify the Emax can boot up.
Optimally, you should have a couple of disks that have PLUS 1.0 for that purpose also.

If the Emax boots from HD / flash media and you are seeing version information in the menu as Emax PLUS 1.0, choose to format a floppy disk and it will write that OS to the disk you are formatting.

Then to verify the floppy is valid, power off and boot from it.

-Ted

On Tue, Sep 30, 2014 at 12:13 PM, nickshopa@... [emax] <emax@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

Hi everybody. So I’m new to this forum and to the Emax in general, so I’ve got some basic questions that I’m hoping you guys might be kind enough to answer for me. I just got an Emax Plus Rev 1.0 HD with the SE upgrade. It's got a slim floppy compact flash SCSI drive installed. It can also take the traditional 3.5" floppies.

My first question is regarding formatting disks. I obtained an OS disk (3.5") with operating system 3.2, but the software version on my Emax is Plus Rev 1.0. Does this mean I’ll need to track down a floppy disk with the Plus Rev 1.0 software on it in order to format other floppy disks? If I copy the OS 3.2 to the Emax it will erase and write over the (superior?) Plus Rev1.0 software with the older 3.2 software. Or maybe I’ve got it wrong- is the 3.2 OS better than the Plus Rev1.0?

2nd question should be simple, and I’m sure I’m overlooking something: Some of my presets only have 4 note polyphony. Why is this and how can I change this to 8?

Thanks for any advice.