3.50 Floppy Disk to USB

[AtelierMan]

Does anyone know if there is a kit with which you can replace the 3.5 floppy disk drive with a USB drive on a Roland Atelier similar to the one available for Lowrey?

[andyg]

I'm on the case! A couple of my students want one if there is. I'll report back if I have news.

In the meantime, if anyone has any info - please tell us!

[lparsons21]

Andy, remember the guy that was selling a kit for the Lowreys a bit ago? That same rig is used in many places, knitting machines for one. It is pretty universal as far as I can tell. As long as the floppy drive in the organ is a PC floppy and not some strange proprietary one, it should work.

[psrick]

Here is a link to information on one such system (I haven't tried it):

http://www.plrelectronics.com/floppy_to_usb.php

[andyg]

That system only lets you put one floppy's worth on a stick. The one made for the Lowreys allowed you to choose your 'virtual' floppy. I've asked my local engineer to investigate as the floppy drive in the 90SL is a pain to swap. I'm not doing it unless I know it's going to work.

[AtelierMan]

Thanks for the quick work guys! I asked because I an seriously considering upgrading the a Atelier and have been reading up on AT90SL and was concerned with the 3.5 floppy becoming obsolete.

[andyg]

Way too many instruments using floppies for them to disappear just yet, and probably stockpiles of drives, but future-proofing is never a bad idea.

[Westminster]

Considering that the 5.25 floppies were only discontinued last year I wouldn't worry too much about 3.5 availability for the next few years. I still use them occasionally, but the flash sticks are certainly much more convenient. The amazing capacities really do make them a no-brainer.

[seamaster]

I was astonished when I bought my Roland E-80 a couple of years ago that it still had a floppy disc drive. They were rendered obsolete the moment the original iMac went on sale without one (1998).

[AtelierMan]

I have only iMac computers and in researching Ateliers I came upon this in the specs:

Operating System: Mac OS X v10.2 or later
Computer: USB ready Apple® Macintosh®
CPU/Clock: PowerPC G3 233 MHz or higher
Memory (RAM): 256 MB or more
* The ATELIER will not operate in the Mac OS X Classic environment.

Does anyone use Macs with their organs and what does this mean?
Makes me laugh when I look at my 33 year old Thomas and am learning about these new amazing Rolands and Lowreys. I gotta get one!

[seamaster]

I use one with my Roland E-80. You install the Roland software on your Mac, connect via a USB cable and you're in business.

[borntoplaymusic]

I have a Roland AT 90S. I got a chance to speak with a Roland representative recently about this very issue. He told me that the computers (2) in the Roland AT S and SL series cannot support a USB conversion. Only the new AT800/900 series which as (3) computers can support a USB drive.

[andyg]

My enquiries have drawn a blank on this, but it does depend what rep you talk to. Not all the sales guys (irrespective of company) are going to be 100% up on (relatively) obscure technical enquiries like this. I dont think Lowrey though it was possible either. In this case, however, it looks like they're right.

[andyg]

But there again the makers of this unit think otherwise, compatibility is seemingly handled in the unit, which appears to the host product as a simple 3.5 floppy.

http://www.ipcas.com/products/usb-floppy-emulator-fdd-to-udd.html

[cloverkid]

The usb "replacement" floppy device woks with an "industry standard" floppy. Aren't the floppy drive on the organs non-standard?

C_K

[andyg]

Some are, some aren't. These units definitely work on Yamaha and Lowrey. The drive in an AT90SL looks standard enough to me, though it's also a pig to get out unless you have the disassembly instructions.

[msgrillo]

to andyg

professore per la musica technica

with great respect...did have email with the clover kid and we did once email about a usb drive for a 90sl organ etc..
wondering whether you had direct contact with the ipsca people as to the possibility of their usb drive would work in a roland at90sl........ even though it is a bear to do work on....

if not then i will try to contact them directly and make the inquiry...the great thing is that you did find more about the usb drive and a company that is involved... now i can do more leg work and hope to give you my findings..

always a pleasure to email you...

thanks loads,
respectfully,
marsh grillo