Korg Poly800/EX800 Users

Hi Poly Fans,

For those of you new to the list, a little update on my mod project.

Over the last 18 months, I have built a prototype hardware mod that
has a whopping 8K or ROM, 16K of flash EEPROM and another 16K of RAM.
This has allowed me to develop lots of new MIDI functions that the
Poly 800 MKI and EX 800 just never had. I've also been able to make
huge progress with some exciting new features that should give the old
synth some new character and flexibility.

Check out my blog page at
http://patrioticduo.tripod.com/korgpoly800ex800mkiii/

And now for the latest. Over the weekend, I all but completed the
global parameters editing software. We now have 64 available global
parameters that can be edited basically the same way as patches are
edited. You press the step key to drop into a new "Global" mode. Over
the next week or two I will actually connect those global parameters
to actual functions such as Omni on/off on power up, extended playing
range etc, sysx individual patch dump send (so you can send a single
patch to a second unit or to a computer) and odd/even cascade mode
(your two Poly's will now play 16 note poly together and patch changes
on the master can be automatically sent to the slave - something I
call "sync mode").

Within the month, I'm going to switch over to writing the joystick
code and keyboard code for the Poly 800 itself. Rather than try to
work out where the code for the keyboard and joystick is in the Poly
800 software I might as well just use the EX800 code that I've been
working with and just add my own routines for the joystick and
keyboard. That will allow me to configure the keyboard and joystick
with local control on/off and MIDI transmit channel settings.

Once I get that code completed (which I estimate shouldn't take more
than about two or three months), I will then only have to do the
actual artwork for the new printed circuit board that will handle the
new EEPROM and RAM and package everything up into a mod kit that you
can all get your hands on. I'll have to put some instructions together
and pictures on how to remove the one chip that has to be taken out of
the main board etc. But basically, I think that I should have a mod
kit ready for primetime probably around November or December.

Mike.