Share your knowledge on these two classic MPCs
By jrides Tue Nov 04, 2003 6:03 pm
I have twe main questions....

I have a 60 with os 3.10e. Any of you guys using the SMF conversion tool from R.Linn's site? Is there a certain way you have to format a disk or something special you have to do to get the software to boot on a 60? I downloaded it...and unzipped it onto a dos formatted floppy. I think I may be doing something wrong. The instructions on R. Linn's site seem to assume you have two floppy drives instead of one.

Also... I am just getting into using it with the PC. I have Win98se. Whats up with the NoVolTrack deal? I tried it and it doesnt even show up in my registry. I found one for the MPC2000 that shows up. The one for the 60 doesnt. And of course when I put a 60 formatted floppy in windows tells me its not formatted.

Thanx in advance....

By elmacaco Tue Nov 04, 2003 7:00 pm
I've never used this progam, but the instructions say to format a 720 floppy on your pc, extract the zip file directly to the floppy disk, then take the disk and put it in your mpc then power up the mpc.

I wonder why you would be doing this? Loading the midi file to the pc for editing seems double work to me. Either edit the sequence in the MPC itself (my preference) or just record the midi out data into your computer and work from there. What exactly are you trying to do?

I have no clue what NoVolTrack is, care to elaborate?

By jrides Tue Nov 04, 2003 7:18 pm
elmacaco wrote:I've never used this progam, but the instructions say to format a 720 floppy on your pc, extract the zip file directly to the floppy disk, then take the disk and put it in your mpc then power up the mpc.


I left a message with the number on R.Linn's site... I dunno if I will get a call back or not. Hopefully if I dont, someone here will be able to help.

elmacaco wrote:I wonder why you would be doing this? Loading the midi file to the pc for editing seems double work to me. Either edit the sequence in the MPC itself (my preference) or just record the midi out data into your computer and work from there. What exactly are you trying to do?


For one im just testing out the different fucntions on my MPC. One of which I have never explored before. Just wanna see if this feature will be useful to me. Editing is not the only thing I could do on the PC sequencer. Im very good with visual cues and can work as fast or faster with the tracks on screen. Also muting and volume control are at disposal with the click of a mouse or I can use my Event EZBus to work with manual faders and actual mute buttons. I could use the sequencers automation features as well. Now granted...I dont even know if I will end up using the extra features but....im just trying to expand on the way I work as an artist and see whats most productive.

elmacaco wrote:I have no clue what NoVolTrack is, care to elaborate?


Basically thats in reference to a Windows Registry Entry that is supposed to allow MPC disks to "mount" in a pc floppy drive without destroying data. I am getting a disk not formatted box, when I put in a MPC formatted floppy so I was just trying to see what I was doing wrong.

By elmacaco Tue Nov 04, 2003 7:22 pm
is this something one can add to the registry? that would be cool.

By jrides Tue Nov 04, 2003 8:20 pm
Any one with some help on these matters feel free to chime in....
User avatar

By 5th el Tue Nov 04, 2003 8:33 pm
That NoVolTrack thing is in regard to zip disks.. If you put an akai zip disk into your pc zip drive, the pc tends to "signature" the zip disk in an area on the disk that the mpc uses for storage, therefore making the mpc think the zip disk is "corrupted." The registry entry prevents the pc from writing that "signature."


Respect

By jrides Tue Nov 04, 2003 8:51 pm
Is it really only with zip disks? I dont want to be one who spreads bad info. I plan on using MPC zip disks w/ my PC as well....so maybe that is how I came up on the info. If that is the case and it doesnt apply to floppies, will MPC formatted floppies work in a PC? If so, then whats the process?
By djames Wed Nov 05, 2003 1:12 am
I have a MPC 60 Mk I and I have no problem switching floppies between my PC and my MPC. I am running Windows XP. The only problem I have is that my MPC does'nt have 3.10 so after I save the .snd files from MPC Editor to my floppy my MPC cannot load the files, but it still reads them it just won't load em. All you should have to do is format the disk in your MPC and then put it in your PC. Save your files to a: and then put it back into your MPC. Hope that helps.
By fobedafied Wed Nov 05, 2003 1:17 am
djames wrote:I have a MPC 60 Mk I and I have no problem switching floppies between my PC and my MPC. I am running Windows XP. The only problem I have is that my MPC does'nt have 3.10 so after I save the .snd files from MPC Editor to my floppy my MPC cannot load the files, but it still reads them it just won't load em. All you should have to do is format the disk in your MPC and then put it in your PC. Save your files to a: and then put it back into your MPC. Hope that helps.


i wouldnt think that XP could read the disks if they were formatted in the MPC
:?:

Yep

By djames Wed Nov 05, 2003 1:24 am
my XP can. You can get XP to revert to any older windows OS by going to a files properties and setting it up, but mine reads it no problem. Only if I had 3.10.
By jrides Wed Nov 05, 2003 1:57 am
djames wrote:All you should have to do is format the disk in your MPC and then put it in your PC. Save your files to a: and then put it back into your MPC. Hope that helps.


Nahhhh I wish it was that easy. I can format on the computer and use load files that way. I just cant put a MPC formatted disk in my PC. It will alaways say disk not formatted. Any more takers? I know there is a simple solution....
By djames Wed Nov 05, 2003 3:00 am
What OS are you using Windows 98, 2000, XP....which one.

By jrides Wed Nov 05, 2003 6:01 am
Mpc 60 os 3.10e Win 98se...

By mpc3000 Wed Nov 05, 2003 3:26 pm
"I can format on the computer and use load files that way. I just cant put a MPC formatted disk in my PC. It will alaways say disk not formatted. Any more takers? I know there is a simple solution"

Use real DD disks? (not HD)