Conference napalm::commusic_v1

388.0. "Ensoniq Mirage Sampler - OpSys Glitch?" by MENTOR::COTE (High in The Custerdome...) Thu Jun 12 1986 13:44

    A couple months ago I scored a used Mirage. I've had absolutely
    no problems with it. Included were a handfull of sound disketttes
    which had various revs of the operating system. (V1.1, 1.2, 2.1).
    
    Last night I picked up a new disc from Union. A SCREAMING lead
    guitar. (V3.?) Brought it home, booted it up, loved it. It played real
    fine from the Mirage. 
    
    To understand the following "problem" fully, lemme explain my set-up.
    My DX21 is my 'controller'. All input to the sequencer must be done
    from it. By xmitting on different channels, I can direct the output
    to the DX (set to recieve on 2), the Mirage (3) or the JX (OMNI).
    The sequencer has an echo feature which allows me to play either
    the Mirage or the JX from the DX keyboard.
    
    Anywho, I do a bass line on channel 2, to be played to the DX.
    Following is a lead guitar line on 3, destined for the Mirage.
    I hit start and the DX plays fine, the Mirage plays only NOTE ONs!
    Once played and it stays! Even hitting the keys on the Mirage would
    not stop the cacaphony. Finally shut it up by doing a 'warm' restart,
    ie: loading the patches ONLY from disc again. Results were repeated
    from the sequencer.
    
    Fear strikes! The JX is causing all this! (see 261.28) I disconnected
    the MIDI cable between the Mirage and the JX. Still the same thing.
    
    Being the inquisitive type (and not wanting to drive back to Worcester
    to exchange the disc) I try to isolate the fault. First time out
    I find a fix. I load an early rev operating system from another
    disc and then load the patch from the new disc. Perfection! 
    
    Now this doesn't tell me what the problem is, naturally. As I see
    it, 3 things could be causing it....
    
                   A. Disc error (bad block, ect) on the new disc
                      in the area where the OS is written.
    
                   B. Non-upwardly compatible software.
          
                   C. Glitch.
    
    Anyone else run into anything like this? Or, any comments?
    (All purely academic, I plan to exchange the disc. Hopefully, that
    will cure it.)
    
    Edd

    The Mirage V3.0 OS has many new midi functions. I got a three
    page summary from my local dealer, Many of them were designed to
    work specifically with the DX-7, in fact the lastest Mirage ads
    all show the Mirage expander sitting on top of "old faithful" (A
    DX-7). Anyway, perhaps one of these new features is biting you.
    I suggest asking your dealer for a copy of this summary sheet.
    
    	- Rick
    

    Does the disk have software on it or just samples (maybe your note
    said, I read it real fast)?  If it's just samples, I don't see how
    the samples could be broken in a way that would make them play forever.
    
    len.
    

    As I understand it, Mirage discs have an autoloading operating
    system on each disc. (I think this is how they justify $20 for
    a $3 diskette.)
    
    From the powerup sequence it appears ROM searches for the OS on
    insertion. After OS loads, upper and lower patch 1 loads by 
    default. 'Warm start' does not reload the operating system, only
    the selected patches.
    
    And yep, forever. Nothing stopped. And anything that came over the
    buss just added to the mess and kept on going.
    
    Re;-1 What are some of these new features?
    
    Edd

    During the KMIDI jam Saturday I somehow blew my favorite sample
    for the MIrage, the stand-up bass. Apparently, either through
    transporting the unit with the disk still loaded (dumb, I know!),
    or some other evilness, I destroyed the area on the disk where the
    OS lives and where the bass sample data lives.
    
    Last night I ran down to Union to replace it, fully expecting to
    pay 20 clams. Much to my surprise, they fell over backwards trying
    to either salvage the old one (no hope) or give me copies. They
    finally sold me a Mirage factory disk for $3.00!!!!
    
                 NICE GOING, UNION!!!!
    
    Another endorsement.
    
    BTW... You Mirage owners DO back up your factory samples, right?
           I do (now).
    
    Edd