Members juno6 Posted October 20, 2010 Members Share Posted October 20, 2010 Yeah, any news??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tvirostek Posted October 27, 2010 Members Share Posted October 27, 2010 Yeah, any news??? The long delay in the upgrade is (mostly) because of switching to a new USB controller. FTDI are switching from the VNC1 to VNC2 which is more customizable, faster, cheaper, better, etc. They had problems with the first batch of chips and had to partially redesign it. I got my first batch of the new ones a couple of weeks ago. I'm currently in the middle of starting a new job, and just moved into my new house so a lot of my tools and test equipment are still packed up. However the new board is complete and ready for programming and testing. It's getting closer... -Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members juno6 Posted October 27, 2010 Members Share Posted October 27, 2010 The long delay in the upgrade is (mostly) because of switching to a new USB controller. FTDI are switching from the VNC1 to VNC2 which is more customizable, faster, cheaper, better, etc. They had problems with the first batch of chips and had to partially redesign it. I got my first batch of the new ones a couple of weeks ago. I'm currently in the middle of starting a new job, and just moved into my new house so a lot of my tools and test equipment are still packed up. However the new board is complete and ready for programming and testing. It's getting closer... -Tom Yeah! Great news Tom! I Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members synthjoe Posted October 28, 2010 Members Share Posted October 28, 2010 I'm ready to buy my second DSS1 just to have it upgraded! Great news! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tvirostek Posted November 1, 2010 Members Share Posted November 1, 2010 I have started checking out the development tools for the Vinculum II USB controller. They are porting the old Vinculum firmware to the new architecture and aren't done yet. They have a version of firmware that will support one USB port (which is how the kit first shipped). Unfortunately it doesn't support firmware updating from USB yet; I'll have to wait until they do before I ship the board. In case anyone's interested, I still have a few already modified DSS-1's for sale. Contact me at tomvirostek [at] mac [dot] com if you're interested. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tvirostek Posted November 1, 2010 Members Share Posted November 1, 2010 I've updated my website at http://web.me.com/tomvirostek. I've changed the pricing page to reflect the non-availability of the kit, and I've added a FAQ. I've also updated the blog section. -Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members juno6 Posted November 1, 2010 Members Share Posted November 1, 2010 com if you're interested.I die to see a pic of all those DSS-1s piled up! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members juno6 Posted November 2, 2010 Members Share Posted November 2, 2010 here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members iblamesummers Posted November 2, 2010 Members Share Posted November 2, 2010 everytime i see this thread it makes me want to buy a DSS-1. i'm a Korg n00b too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members juno6 Posted November 3, 2010 Members Share Posted November 3, 2010 everytime i see this thread it makes me want to buy a DSS-1. i'm a Korg n00b too. Buy one from Tom. For less than $500 you can get one with the upgrade, which is, imo, extremely cheap for such a moster. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members McHale Posted November 3, 2010 Author Members Share Posted November 3, 2010 I'm almost debating buying one from Tom as well. The DSS-1 is a pretty slick machine but without the upgrade, is pretty limited. The upgrade makes it a fairly flexible sampler w/ analog filters. The upgrade alone with the labor and testing is worth $500. The DSS-1 is basically free. And who wouldn't want a free DSS-1? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members synthjoe Posted November 3, 2010 Members Share Posted November 3, 2010 I think McHale is quite spot on. DSS-1 was always quoted as a great synth with variable waveforms and nice filters. The upgrade turns it into quite a usable sampler WITH very nice filters. The piano I sampled from my Ketron SD2 sounds better to my ears than my Kurzweil 2600. Honest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members iblamesummers Posted November 3, 2010 Members Share Posted November 3, 2010 Buy one from Tom. For less than $500 you can get one with the upgrade, which is, imo, extremely cheap for such a moster. how much is the actually upgrade though. cuz i think there is a DSS-1 here at a local pawn shop for $250 & i haven't even tried talking them down becuz its been sitting there forever. plus the purchase would have to be longer term becuz i know for certain my next synth purchase will probably be a V-Synth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tvirostek Posted November 5, 2010 Members Share Posted November 5, 2010 Regarding pricing of the update, I'm targeting a price of $250. Keep in mind that you have to install it yourself and source the new floppy and LCD yourself as well. That price may change by the time the kits are ready. The new board is up and running. I'm debugging some issues right now but it is looking good. There may have to be a few code tweaks here and there, and once the USB firmware is user-updatable I'll be selling the kits again. -Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tvirostek Posted November 5, 2010 Members Share Posted November 5, 2010 I'm almost debating buying one from Tom as well. The DSS-1 is a pretty slick machine but without the upgrade, is pretty limited. The upgrade makes it a fairly flexible sampler w/ analog filters. The upgrade alone with the labor and testing is worth $500. The DSS-1 is basically free. And who wouldn't want a free DSS-1? Hey did you ever get the slider board re-installed? If so, have you used the upgrade machine much yet? -Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bp Posted November 7, 2010 Members Share Posted November 7, 2010 This takes me back. I wonder if I still have my old floppies. I sampled the raw MiniMoog oscillators into the DSS-1 and was wonderful to have a polyphonic Moog for the first time. Nice filters. Great but large. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members solarguyroger Posted December 1, 2010 Members Share Posted December 1, 2010 Hi everyone....Im a fortunate owner of one of the first 25 boards and wanted to interject my 2 cents worth. I have been working on synths for close to 35 years and have seen all of them come and go. To have a mod like this is GREAT!!! The quality is superb and the install went quickly without a hitch. If you always wanted a great vintage synth this is one to pick. Tom and Jim's work is worth several times the price of the mod. Specs aren't everything ....sure newer samplers may have more memory or higher bit processors but the musicality is in the imperfection of a device. The filters in this thing are wonderful even by todays standards. So..... don't be afraid to plunk down your money on this one...it IS worth it! Customer service is also speedy, and where else do you get to talk to the actual designers? Waaaay cool! Thanks again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jercat Posted December 1, 2010 Members Share Posted December 1, 2010 If I buy one can I trade it in for an upgraded one? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members imissthewar Posted December 4, 2010 Members Share Posted December 4, 2010 As of Monday I'll be the proud owner of a DSS-1 with this modification. I have the entire Emax library in soundfont format on my mac...is there any way to convert for use with the DSS? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jbabb Posted December 5, 2010 Members Share Posted December 5, 2010 As of Monday I'll be the proud owner of a DSS-1 with this modification. I have the entire Emax library in soundfont format on my mac...is there any way to convert for use with the DSS? If you can transfer the library sounds into .WAV format, then just put them on a USB drive and load the sounds into the DSS1 and assemble a Multisound from them. You still have to set the loop points manually. Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tvirostek Posted December 17, 2010 Members Share Posted December 17, 2010 Status update: The new board is very close to completion. Just have to resolve the configuration of the new USB controller. I'm off work for a month starting in 2 weeks, and I hope to make good progress during that time. Thanks to all of you who have been waiting so patiently! Also Jim has the flash bootloader working - I'll post it and the latest software update once it's fully tested. I had to do another small batch of the old boards to have some spares - and I'll have another 4 or 5 modified DSS-1's ready for sale by the end of January. -Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members synthjoe Posted December 19, 2010 Members Share Posted December 19, 2010 Also Jim has the flash bootloader working - I'll post it and the latest software update once it's fully tested. Will it have some of the updates discussed earlier that could be downloaded to the first series of boards? Would be nice... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jbabb Posted December 22, 2010 Members Share Posted December 22, 2010 Will it have some of the updates discussed earlier that could be downloaded to the first series of boards? Would be nice... Yes, All the features that have been implemented are in the latest version. The software detects if it is running on the original or the new board and uses the appropriate floppy controller commands. The most recent changes (besides the new hardware support), have been bug fixes when writing a system to floppy and accessing a SCSI drive. Does anybody even use SCSI any more? -Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members synthjoe Posted December 24, 2010 Members Share Posted December 24, 2010 Does anybody even use SCSI any more? Thanks for the reply Jim! And even more so for the programming you're doing! SCSI must be transitional by now on the DSS-1, since your great development made it so much easier to use a flash-based device. So I guess it should be kept for compatibility, but flash is the new way to go with the upgrade, for sure - at least in my opinion. It would be nice to see some of the new functionalities in the new F/W (chord memory, alternate controllers, LFO waveforms, DSM-1 compatibility, etc.). Is there a version history, release note or similar available somewhere? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tvirostek Posted January 1, 2011 Members Share Posted January 1, 2011 Thanks for the reply Jim! And even more so for the programming you're doing! SCSI must be transitional by now on the DSS-1, since your great development made it so much easier to use a flash-based device. So I guess it should be kept for compatibility, but flash is the new way to go with the upgrade, for sure - at least in my opinion.It would be nice to see some of the new functionalities in the new F/W (chord memory, alternate controllers, LFO waveforms, DSM-1 compatibility, etc.). Is there a version history, release note or similar available somewhere? Once the holidays are over, I'll work on a document which lists the changes for each version. At this point I don't think any new functionality has been added, just changes to support the new hardware and fix some bugs. We've made good progress with the new board, however we've had to bail on the VNC2 because the current firmware seems to be problematic. Luckily the board was originally designed for the VNC1 so we'll use that for the foreseeable future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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