Share your knowledge on these two classic MPCs
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By mr_debauch Sun Dec 11, 2011 10:47 pm
just the other day someone discovered a place that sells scsi cf drives that should work in mpc models that have scsi...

they are internal drives though.. also they were nicely priced compared to the norm.. at around 60 or so a piece.

check around.. this thread was around like a day or two ago.
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By SEED78 Sun Dec 11, 2011 11:41 pm
yeah think it was the thread I was posting on, where they turned out not to work - as far as I can tell.

when I contacted the sellers they said they can get to work on 3000 but hadn't actually done it before, and I don't really want some random taking my 3000 apart then having it sat there with its guts hanging out not working. or worse still, it not working AND something happens to my floppy drive...

they mentioned something about the yamaha bridge will work then forwarded me a link to the thread on THIS forum where people can ONLY save program files...
By MPCHunter Mon Dec 12, 2011 1:15 pm
If you've ever looked inside an "external" SCSI CF reader, you'll find that 9 times out of 10 it's a IDE card reader paired with a SCSI-to-IDE bridge adapter.

I've installed both ACARD and Yamaha SCSI-to-IDE bridges inside MPC 3000s as well as other Akai samplers and they work with various devices including CF readers.

Formatting problems as in the other thread with the Yamaha bridge adapter are usually a sign of a blown SCSI fuse on the MPC 3000.

Not every combination of CF reader, Compact Flash card and bridge adapter has been tested under OS3.11 so you'll have to do your own research to find out what works best for you.

If the seller said it would work, try it out and if it doesn't work send it back. I don't understand what your concern is about something happening to your floppy drive when you are dealing with a SCSI device.

Besides the information in this forum, there is also a great deal of information posted on the Yahoo MPC 3000 group and the MPC Card Reader FAQ at http://midicase.com/card_reader_guide.htm
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By SEED78 Mon Dec 12, 2011 7:31 pm
Because they said it 'should' work, but that they had not done it before, it would be them fitting it for me - which in this kind of situation means anything could happen - and what with it being an internal drive then they would have to take the floppy out, meaning if the CF didn't work THEN something happened to the floppy or scsi connection, or if anything else happened while people I don't know are inside my 3000 I'm kinda F'd.

For all I know they are great guys and god's gift to samplers, but I don't know them - I've got every reason to be concerned.

I've yet to hear anyone give a name of a external that def works for the 3000 with no 3.5OS? is there that few people who have got one working?

gonna check some of those links - thanks v much!!
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By SEED78 Mon Dec 12, 2011 8:11 pm
from one of Rohan's old posts

In fact of all the SCSI card readers I have tested in my lab. With way more than an MPC3000...... The SCM/Intermart/Microtech PCD-25 is one of the only ones that follows "most/enough" aspects of the SCSI protocol to work correctly.

Suitably firmware equipped SCM/Intermart/Microtech DPA / PCD-15 models work also in this regard ......
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By SEED78 Tue Dec 13, 2011 1:32 am
because I thought it would be better to get someone who might have done it before to do it - plus as they were selling it would give me a better chance of getting refund if it didn't work while they were doing it (they live near me), turns out they hadn't (specifically on a 3000), and that it might not work anyway... which is why I'm asking about externals - IF I find one, I always have the option of trying to fit the PCD 25 / 15 internally once I've used it as problem free external for a while.

to be honest, there is enough info on here that if I had a drive I KNEW worked I would try to fit it myself.

IF yours works let me know asap and will buy off them

found a place that might have had the 25, either found it one here of another forum after large amounts of googling - was GUTTED to get this response:

Unfortunately theres a bit of irony here, i sold the only 2 used ones i had
saved from years ago last week to a guy for his samplers.

I don't have a source on any unfortunately.


HA, ok which one of you guys bought them? come on own up :lol: oh well, keep on looking.
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By mr_debauch Tue Dec 13, 2011 3:53 am
i used to see them all the time on ebay .. ones that were listed as "for the mpc 3000" or what ever (externals especially)... but they were quite expensive I thought. None the less, at least you could get one you know works right? (if money is not the main issue) ..
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By mr_debauch Wed Dec 14, 2011 12:35 am
that blows...

I suggest in the meantime, stopping by computer junk stores.. you know the type you walk in and they got bins of wires and old pci cards etc... sometimes you see outdated crap all piled in but there could be a cf drive dumped in the mix without the shop even realizing they are worth a small fortune.