Roland MC-80 can use a CF Card as a hard drive !!!!

[weepabieke]

Dear Friends! i wanted to share with you that recently after several trials i have finally made the Roland MC-80 Sequencer use a Compact Flash (1GB) as its Hard Drive. And the best fact is ... cost me under $20 Bucks! No more Zip disks or Floppies. I have not secure it in place yet, I am still working to create a permanent setting for it in the hard drive area. Here is what i got: 1 Dual CF Compact flash to 40 pin ide adapter. And 1GB Compact Flash card (Pulled from my Fantom) ... It works ONLY with the 40 PIN IDE CABLE. DO NOT USE THE IDE POWER SUPPLY CABLES. I DOES NOT NEED IT AND IT CAN DAMAGE YOUR HARDWARE . Also i had the latest OS installed. By no means i suggest anything nor ar resposible for damages, is only that i wanted to share this with owners of the MC-80 who are looking for ways to have a bigger storage capacity and cant find Hard drives or Caddies. Weeepa!

[seapad]

Hi,
I have been trying to get this to work, first with a CF/IDE adapter card, then with a Transend solid state drive but I have had no luck - perhaps because my mc-80 has the roland harddisk caddy so I have been using that to make the connections. Your message suggests you are making a direct connection without the caddy - is this correct?

Can you tell me exactly what make of CF / IDE adaptor you are using.
Thanks
Seapad

[weepabieke]

Hi there! i did took out the hard drive caddy. I used a generic cf card reader that i purchased in e-bay for $4 bucks (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 0536496789) and used the ide cable only. IT DOES NOT REQUIRE THE POWER CABLE! you have to be crative and find a way to make the card reader stable and isolated. (I used DUCT TAPE) Good look ROberto

[seapad]

Thanks for the information.

I will give it a go.

Seapad

[dwighte]

Hi,

I tried this with other CF card reader/CF card combinations and couldn't get it to work. I have ordered the item you mention and will give that a go.

Please can let me know the exact CF card you are using with the reader in case I get problems with my CF cards.

Thanks!
Elliot.

[chadboschert]

Hi there,

Just curious if you would want to sell your Hard Drive Caddy #HDP88-DLE mounting kit for the MC-80?

I will pay top dollar as I have a hard drive and cannot get a New mounting kit from Roland USA.

Please let me know, I can wire the money via PayPal or express mail you a Money Order.

Thanks for your consideration.

Chad Boschert.
chadboschert@live.com

[mangoband]

HELP.....Any one got the info to Re-fit the mc-80 Hard Drive, with a compact-flash .......

[ronwag]

A couple of questions for those who have successfully used the card in place of the HD

!. When you install it do you format it just as if it was the Hard drive?

2. Is it possible to load the mem card from your PC and plug it back into the MC80? or
do you have to load it one floppy at a time?

Thank you so much. I've bought the card holder and the card, but I'd
prefer to learn exactly what to do from those who have been there.

Ron

[dhm75]

Hi everyone,
I've removed my Zip 100 drive and used the same 40 pin cable to connect the CF Card Reader .
I have installed the CF Card drive and connected as required .....but the drive is not recognized by my MC80.
I have tryied all possible combinations for the Jumper settings,also with or without power cable connection ....but the drive is not recognized.

Can you help me here please ? very much appreciated.
regads dmm75

[seapad2]

A couple of questions for those who have successfully used the card in place of the HD

!. When you install it do you format it just as if it was the Hard drive?

2. Is it possible to load the mem card from your PC and plug it back into the MC80? or
do you have to load it one floppy at a time?

Thank you so much. I've bought the card holder and the card, but I'd
prefer to learn exactly what to do from those who have been there.

Ron

1. Yes - I formatted as FAT16 on the PC then inserted into the MC-80 and reformanted with the MC-80... then load your files.
2. Yes - make sure your MC-80 is turned OFF when you remove or re-insert the CF card

BTW certain CF cards do not work(eg: PC133) - I use "Kingston Compact Flash 4GB" (#'s on card 9904524-036.A00LF 7493041-0309501)
Bear in mind that the MC-80 will only formant 2GB as it used 32kB clusters