I’m currently organizing to get another batch of EPS16 SCSI boards made. I’m doing a bigger order this time so I won’t run out as quickly.
I have completely sold out of all the other boards, but will get more made, depending on customer demand. This includes the 5530 clone board and the ASR-10 SCSI and digital input boards.
I had some left over bare boards and parts from the first generation DSS-1 upgrade. It’s been quite a while since I built those, and getting all the pieces together was more work than I thought…the parts are harder to get now, the Xilinx ISE software won’t run properly on Windows 64 bit, I didn’t properly document which versions of the design files should be used, etc. Finally got them finished, though.
Many people have been asking about the new version, and unfortunately I don’t have an answer yet. I do have a large amount of the hardware design done, and getting the last of the original upgrades finished off has put me in the right frame of mind to continue on with the project. Time is the biggest resource that I lack. I’m at work 60 hours a week and unable to do work on outside projects during that time, and those of you with children know how your free time disappears on the weekends.
In the meantime I’ve started a few smaller projects, experiments really, to keep active. One of these is a digital output board, so you can bypass the DAC’s. For those synths and samplers which are mostly digital anyway. I’m going to try modifying a few of my synths and see how it goes. Will it sound better, bypassing the ancient analog sections? I’m going to find out.
Hi Tom, really admirable to see folks still working on stuff for the older gear. If you haven’t solved the issue with ISE on x64, you may want to consider running a vm and installing the 32bit Windows on that. I’d be interested in any DSS1 upgrades you may happen to have laying around
Thanks again!
I have two prototype boards that I think I can modify for USB, but I only have the 2MB upgrades left not the 16MB.
Tom,
You made this post on my birthday, and I’ve been lurking aorund here for years, so I guess I’ll get into the queue for the EPS-16+ SCSI board. Only thing i’m missing right now. Let me know if you need any support. Thanks.
Hello Tom, “digital output board” kit sounds good!
I think it would even be more interesting for 90’s digital effect processors (eg Ensoniq DP/Pro, DP2, DP4, nearly all Alesis, DigiTech, Dynachord, Eventide H3000, Art, Boss SE-xx, Korg A2/3/SDD, entry level Lexicon like Vortex, Peavey, Roland RSP/SDE/SRV, Yamaha SPX … )
One key point would be to guide us where to pick-up signal (and clock if not embedded in signal).
Quantec or Publison Infernal Machine signal, might be too exotic…
But on the other hand, it should even be easier to pick-up signal with models where digital I/O was optional, like for the DigiTech S400 or the Ensoniq DP/Pro (prototype existed but has never been released : https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=303074 )
And if more than a digital stereo output pair, then the sync clock distribution requirement is raised, or a digital async device like TC konnect X32 is required…
Digital effect processors would also command for the digital output’s twin : the digital input :]
Anyway, i would be very interested to listen to the digital output of a Yamaha TX81Z 😉
In addition to the ‘generic’ digital i/o circuitry, there would have to be a small, custom board to adapt each type of DAC or ADC. For parallel DAC’s there would have to be a serializer and clock generator. Serial DAC’s may just need a tap of the bit clock data, and l/r clock. Other devices would need a more complicated setup, as they often used the DAC as an ADC as well with a comparator circuit.
Hello Tom, I´m very interested in the scsi board for Eps 16 plus rack. I´m waiting.
Regards from Spain, thank you so much.
Another person eagerly awaiting the EPS-16+ SCSI board. It is great that you are doing this for the community.
Check the site at least once a week hoping that the EPS16+ SCSI kit will be available sooner than later. Great things take time though, I know.
Appreciate your efforts for the vintage sampler community!
I’m just about ready to do another run of the EPS16 SCSI boards. Just getting the funding together through other projects (which have been full of delays themselves).