Quick ??? for the MPC gurus (scsi related)

street_muzikstreet_muzik 3,919 Posts
edited June 2009 in Strut Central
I've recently been organizing mpc floppies and I'm thinking an scsi drive might be nice. All these floppies are driving me batshit crazy. So does the mpc3000 use some kind of legacy scsi drive that's out of production, or will any old thing do? Thanks in advance for any help.

  Comments


  • externally you should be able to use most scsi drives just fine.. internally, not so sure..

    i'd probably go a card reader of some kind, the click of death is worth avoiding..

  • street_muzikstreet_muzik 3,919 Posts
    Click of death? That can't be good. I'm not thinking internal. So any zip drive with scsi connect is straight? 100mb would be a hundred times greater that 1mb, but the joy would be priceless.

  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Click_of_death
    http://www.grc.com/tip/codfaq1.htm

    I can't really talk, i'm using zips..

    Should be right with any 100mb zip drive i'm assuming. I dont own a 3000, just a 2k classic. Guessing it's the same principal though.

  • UnherdUnherd 1,880 Posts
    I was recently looking into adding an external card reader to my 2000xl so I could begin the process of transitioning away from zip. People on the mpc forums seem to recommend scsiforsamplers.com . The external ones look kinda expensive (and butt ugly) but at least you get guaranteed compatibility.

    If anyone finds somewhere significantly cheaper, please to post...

  • lambertlambert 1,166 Posts
    Yes. Scsiforsamplers is the way. Great customer service and the price you pay is for piece of mind. I've spent at least twice what I paid for my ex hd on zip drives that inevitably bit the dust, not to mention a whole back catalog of tracks that will never be heard again.

    I don't know though, that's just my experience. Maybe others have had a better one with zip drives, but after 10 years of disappointment and frustration I am thankful they are out of my life.

  • chasechase 767 Posts
    its been a while since I put a card reader in my 2kxl, but I remember I just had to find a card reader on ebay that had the jumpers on the back that made it either slave or master. It was only like $20 bucks, and worth every penny.

  • UnherdUnherd 1,880 Posts
    I want to keep my current internal and transfer everything to flash before the zip drive kicks the bucket.

    And Lambert, your right, I had a question about how the external flash drive worked, and dude responded to my email in like 4 minutes. No joke, whens the last time that happened?? Just got paid, think I'm bout to cop....

  • street_muzikstreet_muzik 3,919 Posts
    Yes. Scsiforsamplers is the way. Great customer service and the price you pay is for piece of mind. I've spent at least twice what I paid for my ex hd on zip drives that inevitably bit the dust, not to mention a whole back catalog of tracks that will never be heard again.

    I don't know though, that's just my experience. Maybe others have had a better one with zip drives, but after 10 years of disappointment and frustration I am thankful they are out of my life.

    OK, fusk a zip drive. I'm trying to get rid of disks, not replace the disk format,

    scsiforsamplers looks promising. Will check it out. Any recommendations on which drives are the best? I guess I could email them.



    Thanks a billion

  • 4YearGraduate4YearGraduate 2,945 Posts
    If you are using a 3000 just remember that the OS can only recognize a fixed amount of external space, regardless of the actual amount - i think its 800MB but i can't remember. It's under a gig for sure, so anything you buy beyond that won't do you any good.

    My 3000 is maxed out with memory and i use 512K cards, partitioning to Z. They work great and have room to spare in each partition.

    So, basically, don't overdo it.

  • lelandleland 43 Posts
    Take that shit to mpc-forums.com

    SCSI zip 100s are the cheapest, and in the highest abundance. Zips are noisy, small, and notedly unreliable.
    That being said, I never had many problems when I use to use them every day.

    = Micortech / Intermart PCD-25 PCMCIA card reader w/compact flash adapter. Rare as hens teeth.

    Rohan's 3.50 OS allows you to use a wider range of drives.

    Talk to JD over at scsi4samplers (his site is down, but he's around). He's currently working on an internal drive kit for 3000/60. I'm rocking internal card readers in mine and I'm never going back.

    Taza, if you need any help, hit me on the PM.

  • lelandleland 43 Posts
    ...and yeah Thes is right on, you can't use more than a gig of storage on a 60/3000. I know his zips failed in a tragic twist of fate. Fusk a zip, but it still beats a floppy.

  • 4YearGraduate4YearGraduate 2,945 Posts
    Yes, tragic and more like common. If you research it, it happened to thousands of zip users and a class action lawsuit was even filed. People lost things like their dissertations, research projects, etc. It's amazing they have still lasted for some people but the bottom line is, if you use a zip drive, it WILL fail, its just a matter of time.

    I would avoid Zip disks if you are a working professional who depends on your music as your livelihood - period.

  • street_muzikstreet_muzik 3,919 Posts
    Great info. It's all a creative journey for me. Been casually making beats for over 13 years. First with a cheap drum machine/sampler combo, then software.

    There are so many ways to do things that I found myself getting caught up in the process rather than the actual beats. Between Reason, Ableton, ProTools, etc, I spent half my time deciding what to use.

    When I got this MPC a year ago it was so refreshing to use a drum machine again. Coupled with my Factory Digi003 (control surface)I'm enjoying the process again.
    Using the mpc as the main sequencer connected to my retrofitted 808, to pro tools for plug in samplers, etc, this is my new standard configuration.

    Better to do more with less options than less with more options.

    Just thought I'd share.

  • street_muzikstreet_muzik 3,919 Posts
    Found this FAQ. Seems to have pretty good compatability info.

    http://akaiscsifaq.digidude.net/

  • lelandleland 43 Posts
    The 3000 doesn't use SCSI the same way other Akai's equipped with SCSI do. Its generally less compatible. That FAQ seems to deal mostly with getting a an Akai rack hooked up to your computer via SCSI, to use Akai's MESA software for editing.

    Yeah, I've done some zip research myself, and they are flat out terrible. Millions of them are still working though, and I know more people running zips with their samplers than anything else. I've lost more floppies over time then zips.

    If yer a baus get a solid state card reader! Expect to pay in the neighborhood of $200 for mpc 3000 compatible solid state joint.

    Also, regardless of what you use, back up anything you wanna keep 2x. I even make several floppies when I use the SP. Its common sense but always needs repeating since my dude just lost a ton of hard work a few days ago.

    If your zip drive stops working, or clicking, never put another disk in it. Click of death is contagious!



    my 60II with microtech pcd-15 card reader

  • lelandleland 43 Posts
    here's the 3kle with a microtech pcd-25


  • street_muzikstreet_muzik 3,919 Posts
    Ieland, did you install it yourself?

    I just got an email back from scsiforsamplers and he reccomended the CF reader, external or internal.

    The internal kit is $133, external $139.

    Internal sounds like the best way to go for space reasons. If it's just pop the top of the mpc and plug in the parts, adapters, etc, then it's all good, but I don't want to buy a soldering iron. haha

    Do they still make 1gb CF cards?

  • street_muzikstreet_muzik 3,919 Posts
    On the other hand, an external may be a better bet in case I want to use it in the studio with another MPC. Still leaning towards internal.

    Thinking out loud.

  • lelandleland 43 Posts
    I did install them myself. I used the tips and links on www.MPC3000.com. Mike did a lot for the MPC 3000 when there was no other info on the web. This was before anybody figured out how to use card readers, which were a rarity because they bridged a short gap in digital photo technolgy, i.e. digital cameras used PCMCIA cards. Then modern adapters came out for compact flash, etc.

    He has an MPC->PC program http://www.midicase.com/mpceditor that is still really the only option for the 3000/60.

    I'm sure the install kits JD has are thorough, he knows his stuff. I've dealt with him a few times and he's a good dude. $150 for a drive and a kit is a steal, I'm gonna get more. They were nearly impossible to track down, I ended up finding one in Japan!

    You don't technically need to solder, but you will have to change the power connector to the drive. The MPC has a 5v floppy connector that needs to be changed to a molex PC type joint. Soldering it would be better than simply twisting it together and taping it up.

    They don't usually sell 1gb cards anymore, but it doesn't matter. bigger ones are damn near free, its just wasted space.

  • street_muzikstreet_muzik 3,919 Posts
    I'm definitely going with JD. Thanks again for the info. I can handle the internal job, but maybe I want to go external and keep my floppy intact. Hahaha! FUSK!!!


    Thanks again.

  • lelandleland 43 Posts
    You got it, good luck!

  • street_muzikstreet_muzik 3,919 Posts
    Just ordered the internal CF reader. For the Drive/Kit/new 1g cf card $138. Gave me a sick deal if I photograph part of the instillation for him. Righteous dude.

    http://www.scsiforsamplers.com/

  • street_muzikstreet_muzik 3,919 Posts
    MPC Fully upgraded.

    IMG_2705 /></a><br /><br />Full process photographed:<br /><a href=http://www.flickr.com/photos/tazacacao/sets/72157620536161516/http://www.flickr.com/photos/tazacacao/sets/72157620536161516/

    Wasn't hard at all but I had to improvise a little.

    Added internal scsi CF card reader and 32 mb of ram.



    Now all I need is the wood side panels and a custom face paint job.





  • DescryDescry 229 Posts
    you should take out your 2meg board...it'll give you axxs to all 32megs

  • street_muzikstreet_muzik 3,919 Posts
    Oh yeah. I thought someone might say that. The pic is before my ram arrived. 2meg board was removed upon instillation. I'm holding on to it in case I ever get a S2800, S3000 or S3200. Heard they fit in those.

  • DescryDescry 229 Posts
    dope. you can get a cover for your scsi jawn from scsiforsamplers. i got a whole tube of silicon gel left if you need some after you cop the cover.

  • BeatsoupBeatsoup 511 Posts
    New developments on the CF reader front. Say hello to the Artmix Stratos Raizin Monster. Works for the MPC 3k and a bunch of Ensoniq samplers too. You can even buy a cheap CF to SD adapter and it will work.
    http://www.ebay.com/itm/CF-RaizinMonster-and-internal-SCSI-conversion-KIT-bundle-set-for-AKAI-MPC3000-/262004493216?hash=item3d00af4ba0

    MPCstuff sells them for $100 more. Gross

    I bought this kit for my 3k and it's working well. Pretty easy install. Hotswaps (with minor delay) and can still use the scsi for zip disks too. Load saves fast no ugly zip sounds and data loss.

    Word of warning several small size 256-512mb off brand Compact flash cards didn't work for me. They would'nt save or format but loaded.
    Sandisk Ultra/ Extreme recommended by others, 1gb or larger for some reason works better I'm assuming. Probably the 3k being fussy. The dealer sent me a test Sandisk card after my problems (stand up guy). Also bought a cheap Trascend 2gb CF, works great.

    Another one to check is the Fuzzinmonster it's a SD reader by the same company. I'd assume it works.

    Not affiliated, just psyched people are keeping samplers alive and up to date.
    http://www.artmix.com/wordpress/
Sign In or Register to comment.