Hi,

I own a mk1 808, can I simply fit a 250mb zip drive. Do I need to do anything with the firmware? Will my 100meg disks still work?

Cheers,
Duncan

*** EDIT ***
My bad... You do have to upgrade your SP-808 operating system (OS) to the SP-808EX OS to use the Zip250 & Zip750 drives.

Thanks Juke,

Awesome, 750 how much stereo sample time does that give you?

Looking on Ebay, the 750meg drive say they will read 100meg disks but not write to them, do you know if the 250meg drives will write to 100meg disks?
cheers

I can't remember how much exact stereo sample time but I believe whatever the sample time is with a Zip100 disk, times that by 7.
I found this doing a Google search. It shows pictures of an SP-808 with a Zip750 stating stating the sample time is 2 hours and 13 minutes in Stereo???




This is true for the Zip750 drive. It can read & write to 750 & 250 disks but only reads the 100 disks.
The Zip250 drive can read & write to the 250 & 100 disks but spits out the 750 disks.
Also... I reconfirmed... you do have to upgrade your SP-808 OS/Firmware to the 808ex OS to use the Zip250 and/or Zip750 drives.
)

On the matter of Zip Drives, certain Zip models are bound to fail and end up with the "Click-of-Death".
From personal experience, The Zip100's were more prone to die, then the Zip250's were somewhat ok, and with the Zip750's I've never had problems with.

Thanks for your reply:)
Is it straight forwards to upgrade the firmware to the 808ex system, is there a tutorial or instruction on the forum somewhere that you know of. I will have a search tomorrow. Cheers

otbt posted the files your need to do the ex upgrade...
http://sp-forums.com/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=22196

If I remember it depends if you are on a PC or Mac on how you do the update. I have a Mac so it was easy for me.

Here are the instructions I dug up:
The operating system of the SP-808/SP-808EX can be updated by using MIDI files supplied by Roland. Use the following procedure to update the operating system via MIDI:

1. Connect the MIDI OUT of a MIDI sequencer (computer-based, MC-50MKII, etc.) to the MIDI IN of the SP-808/SP-808EX.

2. Load the first MIDI file of the update into the sequencer.

3. Hold down the STATUS & EFFECTS buttons for Track A and then power on the SP-808/SP-808EX to display "MIDI UPDATE - Waiting MIDI . . ."

4. Send the first MIDI file from the sequencer.

5. Repeat step #4 for all 8 MIDI files.

6. When all the files have been sent, turn off the SP-808/SP808EX and turn it back on.