Exchange tips and tricks for the Akai MPC4000
By cleansocks Wed Aug 26, 2020 7:03 am
Hi,

Just like Vallixi OS for the 3000, I was wondering if someone possessed the programming knowledge, could an OS be written that could be embedded onto a chip and ran from the 4000? and what embedding said chip would take (is it pin / other kind of connection? or is there soldering involved?) if there are any 3000 users that have installed their vallixis maybe could help with this specific question...
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By MPC-Tutor Wed Aug 26, 2020 7:23 am
Anything is possible, but you have to wonder who would spend the 1000s of hours working on a firmware for a long discontinued, niche hardware unit made up of discontinued components, that might have maybe a few dozen people maybe interested in buying it. OS such as Valixi and JJOS are built by people who have full access to the original firmware (e.g. JJ was the lead developer for the MPC1000 OS) so development wasn't hindered by the need to reverse engineer etc.

I understand the labour of love thing, but I would have thought anyone with this type of skillset would be be best utilised working with hardware manufacturers to create completely new, modern machines.
By cleansocks Wed Aug 26, 2020 8:27 am
MPC-Tutor wrote:Anything is possible, but you have to wonder who would spend the 1000s of hours working on a firmware for a long discontinued, niche hardware unit made up of discontinued components, that might have maybe a few dozen people maybe interested in buying it. OS such as Valixi and JJOS are built by people who have full access to the original firmware (e.g. JJ was the lead developer for the MPC1000 OS) so development wasn't hindered by the need to reverse engineer etc.

I understand the labour of love thing, but I would have thought anyone with this type of skillset would be be best utilised working with hardware manufacturers to create completely new, modern machines.


What about Rohan? :hmmm: I read alot about him I don't think he was an employee though... in any case, I mean of course it's very difficult but It IS possible?

I mean specifically, to access the chip where all the software is written somehow... so you can edit it and apply it to a different chip . I of course can't do it i'm sure many can't but is it possible to access the software somehow?
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By MPC-Tutor Wed Aug 26, 2020 10:42 am
cleansocks wrote:What about Rohan? :hmmm: I read alot about him I don't think he was an employee though...


My understanding is that Rohan was given access to the source code by Roger Linn, i.e. an endorsed customisation of the original OS. I doubt that Rohan reverse engineered the OS.

I mean specifically, to access the chip where all the software is written somehow... so you can edit it and apply it to a different chip . I of course can't do it i'm sure many can't but is it possible to access the software somehow?


Porting the existing OS to a different chip would be a different proposition to your original question of 'creating a new OS', but I assume still ludicrously time consuming. But yes, these things are possible and people do reverse engineer operating systems, although again, the 'payload' for all that time spent hacking a niche audio sampler seems trivial when you could be hacking something more popular and current.

Hack the current MPC firmware and fix all the bugs and missing features and yes, your time will be well rewarded (this could pay for your lawyers).
By CharlesRandolph Wed Aug 26, 2020 10:47 am
MPC-Tutor wrote:
Hack the current MPC firmware and fix all the bugs and missing features and yes, your time will be well rewarded (this could pay for your lawyers).


Call: 1-800-LAW-SUIT :lol:

But I won't lie an updated MPC 4000 OS would be nice. Fix a couple of bugs, update the rear USB functions, add the ability to export audio
By dryad-66 Wed Aug 26, 2020 2:20 pm
I’m afraid this is about as relevant as a thread asking for an new Ensoniq ASR10 for 2020.Altho Behringer might try it so i guess anything is possible.....

I wonder how many 4000s where built?Still i cant see it a worthy investment,more a labour of love.Nothing has touch before or after this machine imo.Just look at the specs.And the great thing is its easy to use relatively and rock solid.
By CharlesRandolph Wed Aug 26, 2020 2:44 pm
dryad-66 wrote:I’m afraid this is about as relevant as a thread asking for an new Ensoniq ASR10 for 2020.Altho Behringer might try it so i guess anything is possible.....

I wonder how many 4000s where built?Still i cant see it a worthy investment,more a labour of love.Nothing has touch before or after this machine imo.Just look at the specs.And the great thing is its easy to use relatively and rock solid.


Maybe 5,000 units.
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By Lampdog Wed Aug 26, 2020 9:18 pm
dryad-66 wrote:Ensoniq ASR10 for 2020.Altho Behringer might try it so i guess anything is possible....

With a touch screen and grid view and I’m IN!!
By CharlesRandolph Wed Aug 26, 2020 9:52 pm
cleansocks wrote:so basically unless you have an in with the AKAI guys or Linn himself, then you're SOL in even attempting something close to Vailixi or JJOS


From what I know the 4000 was built by a different team and from it looks like they didn't turn over OS when In-music purchased Akai Pro. Maybe it's out there somewhere in JAPAN, never heard a company deleting an entire OS.