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This page contains S‑50, S‑550, S‑330, W-30 and S‑760 information about; STARTUP UTILITY DISKS - Creating Boot Disks, Booting The Sampler S‑50 SUPPORT FILES + INFO - Startup Disks, Library Disks And Manuals S‑550 SUPPORT FILES + INFO - Startup Disks, Library Disks And Manuals S‑330 SUPPORT FILES + INFO - Startup Disks, Library Disks And Manuals W‑30 SUPPORT FILES + INFO - Startup Disks, Tips & Tricks And Manuals S‑7xx SUPPORT FILES + INFO - S‑750, S‑760 & S‑770 Startup Disks FDD SUPPORT FILES + INFO - Inexpensive After‑Market Floppy Disk Drive DIY's ACCESSORIES - Color Monitor, Composite Video, Mouse, Remote Control, Digitizer MAGAZINE ARTICLES - Reviews and Feature Reports From "The Old Days" OPERATING SYSTEM MATRIX - Current, Legacy and Recommended O/S *.OUT / *.IMG / *.S50 / *.W30 FILES - Share Your Sampler Library With Others ALTERNATE SAMPLE LIBRARIES - Freebies For Your Sample Library GOTEK, GOTEK, GOTEK - By far, the most heavily traveled road on my website! |
 I think these two topics are important enough to place at the top of all my synth INFO webpages 2) I receive a lot eMails and field many questions at synth related forums and also on Facebook. The most common question I get about problems with a synth has to do with errors when trying to load Patches and Tones. About 99.9% of the time, the problem always turns out to be a crappy MIDI interface. If you have a cheapo MIDI interface which looks similar to the one shown on the right... throw this piece of shit in the trash! Do It Now. Seriously! This thing is total junk and you get what you pay for. Inexpensive MIDI interfaces like this are unable to properly regulate the buffering of MIDI data. They will work fine with simple messages such as CC, Note On, Note Off, etc... however, when you try to send SysEx messages which are much longer, the SysEx data cuts off after only sending a few bytes. Investing in a higher quality MIDI interface will solve Load/Save errors and other communication problems |
STARTUP UTILITY DISK 
If you recently purchased an S‑50, S‑550, S‑330 or W‑30, you might find yourself without the required Startup Utility Boot Disk to get things rolling. Unlike a regular synthesizer, you can't power on an S‑Series or W‑Series sampler and start playing music right away. An operating system needs to be loaded manually before it will work
The three options you have are;
S‑50 RSB Disk Image Library (80 Disks)
This 80 disk set contains the entire S‑50 Sampler Library issued by Roland
S‑550 RSB Disk Image Library Converted To S‑50 Format (60 Disks)
This 60 disk set contains the entire S‑550 Sampler Library issued by Roland
S‑50 L-Series Disks (L-501 through L-509)
This 45‑disk set was released in 1987 and also appears on the LCD‑1 CD‑ROM
Some of these samples are not in the S‑50, S‑550 or S‑330 RSB Libraries
Q: How Do I Use S‑550 Sampler Disks With An S‑50?
A: Create an SYS‑505 Utility Disk then boot the S‑50 with the SYS‑505 Utility Disk. Using the S‑50 "Convert Load Function" will enable S‑550 and S‑330 disks to be loaded into the S‑50. Likewise, using the "Convert Disk Function" will enable S‑550 and S‑330 disks to be converted to the S‑50 sample format and then saved (See page 8 of the SYS‑505 Library Converter Manual)
S‑50 System Utility Disk v2.0
This 3.5" floppy disk image file allows you to create a System Utility Disk which is used to boot an S‑50
File Format: *.OUT file for use with the OMNIFLOP or SDISK utility. To use with a factory firmware FDD/USB, rename the file to 000.IMG
S‑50 System Boot/Utility Disk v2.0
Note: For unknown reasons, this System Boot/Utility Disk on the Roland website has the Total Volume Output set to zero
It's been online for downloading like this for about 15 years now and they haven't fixed it. Weird!
Once this disk is loaded, to get sound out of your S‑50, use the following procedure:
S‑50 SYS‑505 Utility Disk v1.00
The SYS‑505 Utility Disk will convert S‑550 or S‑330 Roland Sound Library disks for use with an S‑50
File Format: *.OUT file for use with the OMNIFLOP or SDISK utility
SYS‑505 Utility Disk v1.00 SYS‑505 Library Converter Manual
OMNIFLOP Utility
Point‑and‑click WINDOWS program for creating Roland sampler 3.5" floppy disks from *.OUT disk image files
OMNIFLOP is a better alternative than using the outdated DOS based SDISK Utility
You will need to make sure that the floppy disk drive you are using is internal and is able to read/write 720KB disks
I have used OMNIFLOP with excellent results on Windows 7 (Ultimate 32‑bit) and also Windows XP (Professional)
I created some useful installation notes here
File Format: *.EXE File For WINDOWS
Download OMNIFLOP here
S-50 Internal 720KB DS/DD 3.5" Floppy Disk Drive
Toshiba P/N: FDD 4261A0K (The Original Factory Installed Model - Early Production Runs)
Toshiba P/N: FDD 4261G0K (The Original Factory Installed Model - Late Production Runs)
Chinon P/N: FZ-357 (After-Market FDD Works By Simply Moving Jumpers)
Sony P/N: MPF920-Z/121 (After‑Market / DIY Requiring Some Soldering)
Panasonic P/N: JU256A-488PC (After‑Market / DIY Requiring Some Soldering)
Samsung SFD-321B/LE (After-Market FDD Requires Some DIY Wiring)
Mitsubishi P/N: MF355F‑3490UC (After‑Market / DIY Requiring Some Soldering)
Note: Mitsubishi P/N: MF355F‑3490UC has a White Bezel
* More info about installing these inexpensive After‑Market FDD's can be found at this link
The S‑50 reads and writes sampler data using the 720KB DS/DD format. Some users have reported good results using 1.44MB 2HD 3.5" blank disks by covering up the hole on the opposite side of the write‑protect tab with opaque tape. I have had mixed results in the past so I only use the hard to find and (sometimes) more expensive 720KB DS/DD disks
An excellent source for inexpensive recycled 720KB DS/DD 3.5" floppy disks is floppydisk.com
Note: Buying a box of 50 diskettes direct from their main website is $7 less than their eBay storefront
If you are considering updating your S‑50 to work with a GOTEK USB Floppy Drive Emulator, see the information at this link
Starting Up & Powering Off The S‑50
Before turning the power on or off
Creating Sub Tones On The S-50
The S-50 Owner's Manual and Supplemental Notes have a section detailing the steps for creating Sub Tones
Unfortunately, those instructions do not work
I have created a webpage with detailed instructions showing the correct procedure
File Format: Webpage Link
Creating Sub Tones On The S‑50
S-50 Supplemental Notes
Official Roland document with details about Performance Disks, Patches, Sub Tones, Sampling and more
File Format: *.PDF File
S‑50 Supplemental Notes
S-50 Owner's Manual and Service Notes
File Format: *.PDF File
S‑50 Owner's Manual v2.0 S‑50 Service Notes v10‑88
S‑50 Noise, Static or Distortion Problems?
Two solutions are available at the DIY Page
S‑550 RSB Disk Image Library (60 Disks)
This 60 disk set contains the entire S‑50 Sampler Library issued by Roland
S‑50 RSB Disk Image Library Converted To S‑550 and S‑330 Formats (80 Disks)
This is the entire 80 disk S‑50 RSB Library converted over to the S‑550 and S‑330 formats
S‑550 L-Series Disks (L-501 through L-509)
This 45 disk set was released in 1987 and also appears on the LCD‑1 CD‑ROM
Some of these samples are not in the S‑50, S‑550 or S‑330 RSB Libraries
Q: How Do I Use S‑50 Sampler Library Disks With An S‑550?
A: The easiest way is to use the S‑550 "Convert Load Function" which enables S‑50 disks to be loaded into the S‑550 sampler. Using the S‑550 "Convert Disk Function" will enable S‑50 disks to be converted to the S‑550 sample format and then saved (See page 147 of the S‑550 Owner's Manual)
S‑550 System Utility Disk v1.13
This 3.5" floppy disk image file allows you to create a System Utility Disk which is used to boot an S‑550 (for systems without the HD5-IF SCSI interface card)
File Format: *.OUT disk image files for use with the OMNIFLOP or SDISK utility. To use with a factory firmware FDD/USB, rename the file to 000.IMG
S‑550 System Utility Disk v1.13
S‑550 HD5‑IF Hard Disk Utility Disk v1.03
This 3.5" floppy disk image enables use of the optional HD5-IF SCSI controller card and hard drive for the S‑550. Also, I
only use the CD‑5 CD-ROM Utility Disk v1.00 disk because it's the only one which allows my setup to use a ZIP drive
and more than one SCSI device at a time. For unknown reasons, the HD5‑IF Hard Disk Utility v1.03 and CD‑5
CD-ROM Utility Disk v1.02 disks won't enable my setup to use multiple SCSI devices. If you have more than one
SCSI device connected to the S‑550, I recommend using only the CD‑5 CD‑ROM Utility Disk v1.00 to boot your
sampler, format the hard drive, configure, and save the Hard Drive and FDD system disk configurations. In fact
Roland only has the v1.00 disk available for downloading from their website & v1.02 is nowhere to be found!
VERY IMPORTANT: If you want the S‑550 to boot from a hard drive and not from the floppy drive, you will need to
configure the HD5‑IF Hard Disk Utility Disk v1.03 or CD‑5 CD-ROM Utility Disk v1.00 disks differently from the
default settings. Detailed instructions are at this link
File Format: *.OUT disk image files for use with the OMNIFLOP or SDISK utility
HD5-IF Hard Drive Utility Disk v1.03 HD5-IF Owner's Manual (v.88-4)
This 3.5" floppy disk image enables use of the optional Roland CD‑5 CD‑ROM player (and other select external
CD‑ROM players, ZIP drives, hard drives and SCSI devices). Some S‑550 owners, including myself, have had
problems using Version 1.02 with ZIP drives and multiple SCSI devices. Using this older Version 1.00 solves most
problems with ZIP drive compatibility. Included with a new CD‑5 player was CD‑ROM disc L‑CD1. This CD‑ROM
contains a large sound library equal to 165 floppy disks. VERY IMPORTANT: If you want the S‑550 to boot from a
hard drive and not from the floppy drive, you will need to configure the S‑550 CD‑5 CD-ROM Utility Disk v1.00
differently from its default setting. Detailed instructions are at this link
File Format: *.OUT disk image files for use with the OMNIFLOP or SDISK utility
CD‑5 CD‑ROM Utility Disk v1.00 CD‑5 Owner's Manual (v.88-11)
(v1.02 is available here but it's extremely buggy. Roland won't even post this version on their website!!!)
OMNIFLOP Utility
Point‑and‑click WINDOWS program for creating Roland sampler 3.5" floppy disks from *.OUT disk image files
OMNIFLOP is a better alternative than using the outdated DOS based SDISK Utility
You will need to make sure that the floppy disk drive you are using is internal and is able to read/write 720KB disks
I have used OMNIFLOP with excellent results using Windows 7 Ultimate 32‑bit and Windows XP
I created some useful installation notes here
File Format: *.EXE File For WINDOWS
OMNIFLOP
S-550 Internal 720KB DS/DD 3.5" Floppy Disk Drive
Toshiba P/N: FDD 4261A0K (The Original Factory Installed Model - Early Production Runs)
Toshiba P/N: FDD 4261G0K (The Original Factory Installed Model - Late Production Runs)
Chinon P/N: FZ-357 (After‑Market FDD Works By Simply Moving Jumpers)
Sony P/N: MPF920-Z/121 (After‑Market / DIY Requiring Some Soldering)
Panasonic P/N: JU256A-488PC (After‑Market / DIY Requiring Some Soldering)
Mitsubishi P/N: MF355F‑3490UC (After‑Market / DIY Requiring Some Soldering)
Note: Mitsubishi P/N: MF355F‑3490UC has a White Bezel
* More info about installing these inexpensive After‑Market FDD's can be found at this link
The S-550 reads and writes sampler data using the 720KB DS/DD format. Some users have reported good results using 1.44MB 2HD 3.5" blank disks by covering up the hole on the opposite side of the write‑protect tab with opaque tape. I have had mixed results in the past so I only use the hard to find and (unfortunately) more expensive 720KB DS/DD disks
An excellent source for inexpensive recycled 720KB DS/DD 3.5" floppy disks is floppydisk.com
Note: Buying a box of 50 diskettes direct from their main website is $5 less than their eBay storefront
If you are considering updating your S‑50 to work with a USB Floppy Drive Emulator, see the information at this link
Starting Up The S‑550
Before turning on the power, you should follow these steps to ensure the sampler works properly
Powering Off The S‑550
Before turning the power off
S-550 Supplemental Notes
Official Roland document with details about Performance Disks, Patches, Sub Tones, Sampling, SCSI and more
File Format: *.PDF File
S‑550 Supplemental Notes
S-550 Owner's Manual and Service Notes
File Format: *.PDF File
S‑550 Owner's Manual v1.1 S‑550 Service Notes v11‑88
S‑330 System And Utility Disks
The S‑330 System Disk and the Utility Disk Image *.OUT files plus system documentation are available at the Li'l Chips Systems homepage in the Roland Support section;
"Li'l Chips Systems" Roland Download Page (filename: Roland_S-330_Sampler.zip)
S‑330 Sound Library
S‑330 Sound Library
The S‑330 is able to read all S‑550 Sound Disks
Plenty are available for downloading at the SAMPLES Page
S-330 Internal 720KB DS/DD 3.5" Floppy Disk Drive
Teac P/N: FD-235HF-A527(The Original Factory Installed Model - Early Production Runs)
Toshiba P/N: ND-352S-A
(The Original Factory Installed Model - Late Production Runs)
The S-330 reads and writes sampler data using the 720KB DS/DD format. Some users have reported good results using 1.44MB 2HD 3.5" blank disks by covering up the hole on the opposite side of the write‑protect tab with opaque tape. I have had mixed results in the past so I only use the hard to find and (unfortunately) more expensive 720KB DS/DD disks
An excellent source for inexpensive recycled 720KB DS/DD 3.5" floppy disks is floppydisk.com
Note: Buying a box of 50 diskettes direct from their main website is $5 less than their eBay storefront
If you are considering updating your S‑330 to work with a USB Floppy Drive Emulator, see the information at this link
Starting Up The S‑330
Before turning on the power, you should follow these steps to ensure the sampler works properly
Powering Off The S‑330
Before turning the power off
S‑330 Owner Manuals and Service Notes
File Format: *.PDF File
S‑330 Owner's Manual + Guide Book v12‑88 S‑330 Service Notes v05‑88
W‑30 Sound Library
W‑30 Sound Library
The W‑30 is able to read all S‑50, S‑550 and S‑330 Sound Disks
Plenty are available for downloading at the SAMPLES Page
W‑30 System Utility Disk v1.10 (non-SCSI Systems Only)
This 3.5" floppy disk image file allows you to create a System Utility Disk used to boot a W‑30
File Format: *.OUT disk image files for use with the OMNIFLOP or SDISK utility. To use with a factory firmware FDD/USB, rename the file to 000.IMG
W‑30 System Utility Disk v1.10
W‑30 Hard Drive And CD-ROM SCSI Utility Disk v1.07
This 3.5" floppy disk image enables use of the optional KW30 SCSI IC chip and external Hard Drives, ZIP Drives, CD-ROM's and SCSI2SD Card
VERY IMPORTANT: If you want the W‑30 to boot from a Hard Drive or SCSI2SD device, read the setup suggestions found at this link
File Format: *.OUT disk image files for use with the OMNIFLOP or SDISK utility. To use with a factory firmware FDD/USB, rename the file to 000.IMG
W‑30 Hard Drive And CD-ROM Utility Disk v1.07
OMNIFLOP Utility
Point-and-click WINDOWS program for creating Roland sampler 3.5" floppy disks from *.OUT disk image files
You will need to make sure that the floppy disk drive you are using is internal and is able to read/write 720KB disks
I have used OMNIFLOP with excellent results using Windows 7 Ultimate 32-bit and Windows XP
I created some useful installation notes here
File Format: *.EXE File For WINDOWS
OMNIFLOP
W‑30 Internal 720KB DS/DD 3.5" Floppy Disk Drive
Chinon P/N: FX‑354 (The Original Factory Installed Model)
Chinon P/N: FZ‑357 (After‑Market FDD Works By Simply Moving Jumpers)
Teac P/N: FD‑235HF‑C529 (After‑Market FDD Works By Simply Moving Jumpers)
Teac P/N: FD‑235HF‑C929 (After‑Market FDD Works By Simply Moving Jumpers)
NEC P/N: FD1231T (After‑Market / DIY Requiring Some Soldering)
Sony P/N: MPF920‑Z/121 (After‑Market / DIY Requiring Some Soldering)
Panasonic P/N: JU256A‑488PC (After‑Market / DIY Requiring Some Soldering)
Mitsubishi P/N: MF355F‑3490UC (After‑Market / DIY Requiring Some Soldering)
Note: Mitsubishi P/N: MF355F‑3490UC has a White Bezel
* More info about installing these inexpensive After‑Market FDD's can be found at this link
The W‑30 reads and writes sampler data using the 720KB DS/DD format. Some users have reported good results using 1.44MB 2HD 3.5" blank disks by covering up the hole on the opposite side of the write‑protect tab with opaque tape. I have had mixed results in the past so I only use the hard to find and (unfortunately) more expensive 720KB DS/DD disks. It's difficult to find replacement floppy disk drives similar to the Chinon style because normal PC drives are set as "Drive Select" and Pin 34 is wired as "Disk Change". The Chinon is set to "Drive Select 0" and Pin 2 is wired as "Disk Change". The Teac FD‑235HFC529 is a dual format drive. It is able to read and write 720KB DS/DD disks and also 1.44MB 2HD/DD disks so the jumpers need to be set accordingly or it won't work with the W‑30. Use this diagram for the correct jumper settings. There are several Teac drives in the FD‑235HF series but only certain models will work with the W‑30, one of which is the C529. Other FD‑235HF drives in the same series do not have any jumpers! This Teac part number has a black bezel and is usually way overpriced on the used market because it's a difficult drive to source. If you are looking for a replacement floppy disk drive, the info at Neil's Webbly World is required reading
An excellent source for inexpensive recycled 720KB DS/DD 3.5" floppy disks is floppydisk.com
Note: Buying a box of 50 diskettes direct from their main website is $5 less than their eBay storefront
If you are considering updating your W‑30 to work with a USB Floppy Drive Emulator, see the information at this link
W‑30 3.5" Floppy Disk Load Errors
If you see an error message on the LCD window which reads "DISK LOAD ERROR xx", the following have been my experiences:
DISK LOAD ERROR 08 ‑ Usually a non‑O/S 3.5" floppy diskette, a damaged floppy diskette or incorrect density (should be 720KB)
DISK LOAD ERROR 10 ‑ Almost always traced to a 3.5" disk drive hardware failure or the ribbon cable is plugged in upside‑down
DISK LOAD ERROR 18 ‑ Miscellaneous hardware failure (3.5" disk drive or external hard drive)
Starting Up & Powering Off The W‑30
Before turning the power ON or OFF
W‑30 Tips And Tricks
Menu Navigation
When I first got my W‑30, there were a couple of simple things I couldn't figure out and finding how to do it in the manual was a lost cause (as is the case with most Roland Owner's Manuals from this era). Take note of these tidbits;
The Screaming Banshees From Hell
Over time, the high voltage inverter circuit which drives the bright blue electroluminescent panel for the LCD backlight will fail. It causes a high pitched and incredibly annoying shrill. Replacing the electroluminescent panel will not solve this issue. The only solution is to replace the entire LCD assembly. It's a lot of DIY work but luckily, you can find an inexpensive modern day replacement LCD for only $24 (USD). This replacement completely removes the high voltage inverter circuit and does not rely on a backlight panel. As a bonus, there are four colors to choose from with the new LCD - White (over Black), Black (over White), White (over Blue) or Black (over Monkey Vomit Green)
W-30 LCD Replacement DIY - Ver. 20190321
Real‑Time Filter Control For Your W‑30
A very cool, easy and inexpensive DIY using a minimal amount of parts
Hidden W‑30 Patches
There are 16 extra Patches hidden on W‑30 boot disks. You can access these Patches by using the W‑30 Utility Disk v1.10 boot disk or Hard Drive And CD‑ROM Utility Disk v1.07 boot disk. Because a maximum of only 16 Patches can reside in sampler RAM memory, these extra Patches are not loaded automatically at boot time. To use them, you will need to temporarily delete a few Patches residing in sampler RAM memory. This method will work regardless if you boot the sampler from a floppy drive, hard drive, GOTEK or SCSI2SD. As long as you don't Save FD or Save System, the Patches you temporarily delete will remain intact the next time you boot‑up the sampler. You can listen to the Alternate Factory B Samples here
W‑30 Techno Stuff
In lieu of reposting a lot of W‑30 technical info which is already online, I'll suggest that you visit two of the best W‑30 webpages I've seen. "The Unofficial W‑30 Homepage" is an archived site from the 1990's but there are a LOT of goodies to be found there, especially in the TIPS/INSTRUCTIONS, EXPANSION, and FAQ sections. Another excellent resource, especially for electronic freaks like myself, are the twelve detailed webpages at "Neil's Webbly World"
Unofficial W‑30 Homepage Neil's Webbly World (W-30 Page)
W‑30 Owner Manuals and Service Notes
File Format: *.PDF File
W‑30 For FD, HD, CD Owner's Manual v89‑04A3 (Updated + Expanded) W‑30 Service Notes v05‑89
(Note: Also known as the KW‑30 SCSI Upgrade Kit Manual)
S‑750 / S‑760 / S‑770 Sound Library (Actually the S‑770 library... but these also work with S‑750 and S‑760)
S‑750 / S‑760 / S‑770 Sound Library
S‑750 System Boot Disk v2.25
This 3.5" floppy disk image file allows you to create a System Utility Disk used to boot an S‑750
File Format: *.OUT disk image files for use with the OMNIFLOP or SDISK utility
S‑750 System Utility Disk v2.25
S‑760 System Boot Disk v2.24
This 3.5" floppy disk image file allows you to create a System Utility Disk used to boot an S‑760
File Format: *.OUT disk image files for use with the OMNIFLOP or SDISK utility
S‑760 System Utility Disk v2.24
S‑770 System Boot Disk v2.25
This 3.5" floppy disk image file allows you to create a System Utility Disk used to boot an S‑770
File Format: *.OUT disk image files for use with the OMNIFLOP or SDISK utility
S‑770 System Utility Disk v2.25
S‑760 Internal 1.44MB DD/HD 3.5" Floppy Disk Drive
Chinon P/N: FZ-357 (The Original Factory Installed Model)
The S‑760 reads and writes sampler data to the 3.5" floppy disk drive using the 1.44MB DD/HD format. Note the unusual Jumper configuration on the back of the FZ‑357 disk drive. Detailed info about some possible drive replacements here
If you are considering updating your S‑760 to work with a USB Floppy Drive Emulator, see the information at this link
S‑760 Encoder Replacement DIY
Although it's not exactly a "Drop-In" solution, this rotary encoder replacement works extremely well. It requires an inexpensive custom PCB, a low‑cost commonly found rotary encoder and little bit of soldering
S-760 Encoder Replacement DIY
S‑760 LCD Issues
The most common failure on the S‑760 is the custom made LCD display. Almost every S‑760 owner has had a LCD screen failure of some kind in the sampler's life. The problems are usually broken lines, missing/illegible text, a black screen or a bright green screen with no text at all. It's impossible to fix this problem even if you disassemble and clean contact surfaces inside the display. The only solution is to use an external Mouse+CRT -or- find a New Old Stock (NOS) LCD replacement on eBay. The problem with using an external Mouse+CRT is you need to read the LCD in order to set the sampler into the correct display mode. It's a Catch-22! Something else to note about the original LCD (DMF‑50374NYU‑LY)... the S‑760 Service Notes list the screen resolution as 320x80 pixels. This is most likely a misprint because the actual resolution of this LCD is 160x64 pixels
S‑760 Firmware
To identify the version of the S‑760 boot PROM (IC15), hold down the PREVIEW(PUSH) knob and the F1 button at the same time while turning on the power. The ROM version will appear on the LCD screen. The final firmware version for the boot PROM is v1.11 which can be downloaded for free at the Synth & Sampler Firmware webpage in the event you want to burn your own EPROM
S‑760 Test Modes
An extensive array of different tests are explained in detail starting on Page 6 of the S-760 Service Notes v12‑93. Be aware that this test mode is destructive and requires an external SCSI hard drive and a copy of the S-760 Test Disk. You will need a Windows PC and a blank DS/HD 1.44MB floppy disk to create your own copy of this test disk. Complete test instructions and an executable copy can be downloaded for free from www.chezrossi.net/s760/testmode.htm
Starting Up & Powering Off The S‑760
Before turning the power on or off
S-760 Support Documents
File Format: *.PDF File
S-760 Demystified (Roland Document SN42 v1.0)
S-760 Demystified (This is the Keyboard Magazine reprint version w/images)
S-760 Supplemental Manual (Quick Tour, Owner's Manual Corrections, SCSI and more)
SCSI Transfers With The S-760 (Roland Document SN44 v2.0)
Digital Sampler Compatibility Guide (Contains a very complete list of compatible external SCSI devices)
CD-ROM Audio Drivers For The S-760 (Roland Document SN43 v2.0)
S-760 Owner's Manual and Service Notes
File Format: *.PDF File
S‑760 Owner's Manual v11-93 (Advanced) + v0196 (Basic) (English)
S-760 Service Notes v12‑93
S‑760 Owner's Manual v2 (Italian)
S‑760 Owner's Manual v2 (Hungarian)
After‑Market Floppy Disk Drives
DIY info for replacing an unreliable or broken FDD using inexpensive Chinon, Teac, Panasonic, Mitsubishi, NEC & other brands. Some of the instructions are easy as moving/adding jumpers while others require a steady hand w/advanced soldering skills
FDD Tech
ACCESSORIES: COLOR MONITOR / COMPOSITE VIDEO / MOUSE / RC‑100 / DIGITIZER
Q: Can I plug an LCD Flat Screen VGA Color Monitor into the S‑50, S‑550 or S‑330 DISPLAY OUT Port for use as the display device?
A: LOL! You should know by now that almost EVERYTHING Roland makes uses proprietary external devices and it's never easy getting things to work correctly. Making a 15‑pin LCD Flat Screen VGA Color Monitor work is much trickier than just using a simple adapter cable. Several solutions are available and they all require additional external electronics. One of the more interesting and cost effective solutions is the use of a GBS 8200 CGA To VGA Video Converter Board. The current cost on eBay is about $17 USD and you will also need to buy an 8‑pin DIN male connector, an inexpensive wall‑wart power supply and an enclosure for the board. This video board is a compact device measuring 4.0" x 4.5" x 0.75". I have put together a DIY guide with detailed instructions about how to connect this board to an S‑50, S‑550 or S‑330 (See the DIY PAGE)
Q: Can I plug an old-style CGA or EGA color monitor into the S‑50, S‑550 or S‑330 DISPLAY OUT Port for use as the display device?
A: Again... LOL! Roland Proprietary. There are several old-style CGA and EGA monitors which are known to work well with the S‑50, S‑550 or S‑330. However, you can't just plug the monitor in directly. Each one requires a special adapter cable before it can work. Each monitor will require a different style cable because Atari monitors use 13‑pin plugs, Commodore monitors use 9‑pin plugs, etc...
You can find the diagrams and pin-outs for those cables here
Custom-made adapter cables by Redmond Cable Corp here
DIY instructions for making your own Atari SC1224 / SC1435 adapter cable here
DIY instructions for connecting VGA/CGA/EGA/RGB monitors here
Q: What are my options if I don't have an CGA, EGA or VGA color monitor?
A: The S‑50, S‑550 and S‑330 all have a Composite Video OUT jack which is used to connect an RCA cable to a TV or a monochrome CRT. The output video signal is monochrome but it is still very usable when making on‑screen menu selections
One option for using the Composite Video signal is an inexpensive device called the EasyCap‑DC60 which enables a Composite Video IN signal using the USB port on your PC or laptop via the supplied software. The EasyCap‑DC60 cost is $7 USD on eBay but I have seen it sell for as low as $4.25 USD in some auctions
One of the least expensive options for connecting an external display is a monochrome monitor. One visitor to this website has had great success with the Sony PVM series which are made in 9", 14" and 20" models. These are mainly used as surveillance security monitors and the screen display is crisp and clear. These can be found on eBay for low $$$. Model: PVM‑97 is especially interesting because it has dual A/B inputs which is great if you have more than one S‑Series sampler. The connector on the back is BNC but this is easily solved by using a low‑cost RCA to BNC adapter
If your computer has a video card with a Composite Video IN jack, you can simply use an RCA cable to get a Composite Video OUT signal from the S‑50, S‑550 or S‑330. If your computer has a video card with an S‑Video IN jack, you can make an easy DIY cable using a 4‑pin mini DIN plug, a 470pF capacitor, and an RCA plug. Because this is a video signal, be sure to use shielded cable. Non‑standard 7‑pin mini‑DIN connectors (termed "7P") are used on some computer video cards [PC and Mac]. A 7‑pin socket accepts, and is pin compatible, with a standard 4‑pin S‑Video plug which is the type used for this DIY cable [Click to enlarge image]
Used ATI Radeon X1300 Video Cards sell for less than $6 on eBay. I used a similar card like this one for years to view the composite video output from my S‑50. It was not in color but it did the job. The big advantage was that this card plugged into the PC which eliminated the need for an additional monitor or TV
Another low‑cost option is an unused VHS deck gathering dust somewhere. Some models have S‑Video and/or Composite Video IN jacks. Connect the sampler's Composite OUT signal to the VHS deck, then connect the VHS deck Video OUT to a TV or a computer video card and for little or no investment... you're good to go. If you are trying to connect your S‑50, S‑550 or S‑330 to equipment using PAL and not NTSC video standards, all bets are off. I can't provide any help. When PAL is involved, my eyes glaze over and everything starts to get foggy... just like the snow on a TV that can't receive a good signal. I know absolutely nothing about PAL
Q: Can I use a regular PC mouse with the EXT CONTROL Port on the S‑550 and S‑330?
A: And Again... LOL! Roland Proprietary. The only type of mouse which works when plugged in directly is a Roland MU‑1 or other MSX‑type mouse. These are nearly impossible to find and are insanely expensive compared to a normal PC mouse (See the DIY PAGE for a way to use an inexpensive PS/2 mouse)
Q: What is an RC‑100 Remote Controller?
A: The RC‑100 has a very long hard‑wired cable which plugs into the EXT CONTROL Port of the S‑550. It adds the alpha dial found on the S‑50 and duplicates all of the front panel buttons as a convenience device so that you won't need to hover over the S‑550 while editing. It also has a 9‑pin connector on the back so either a mouse or a DT‑100 (but not both) can be used. The RC‑100 is nearly impossible to find on eBay or from other sources
Q: What is a DT‑100 Digitizer Tablet?
A: The DT‑100 plugs into the EXT CONTROL Port of the S‑50. It has a stylus and a flat surface which is used to draw waveforms. The DT‑100 also performs menu navigations just like an MU‑1 mouse. There is a clip at the top which is used to hold paper in place over the tablet to protect the drawing surface. The DT‑100 CANNOT be plugged into the EXT CONTROL Port of the S‑550, S‑330 or W‑30. There are no menu choices to support it. However, the DT‑100 CAN be used with the S‑550 and S‑330 if it is plugged into the EXT CONTROL Port on the optional RC‑100 device. A high-res scan of the most boring manual Roland ever printed is here
Q: What are the current System and Utility versions for some of the Roland samplers?
A: This list is unverified and by no means complete but it's pretty close. I was able to compile these by reading the headers on various 3.5" floppy disks
Q: Where can I find more info about the S‑50, S‑550, S‑330 W‑30 and S‑7xx samplers?
A: Since the early 1990's, John Sellens has maintained an excellent resource for the S‑Series and W‑Series samplers. Plenty of downloads, sample libraries, utilities, info and newsgroup discussions from the 1980's & 1990's is there. Luckily for us, it is still operational to this day. I was using it when it was just an FTP site and web browsers weren't even developed yet. You can find everything under the sun about the S-Series samplers at sgroup.ca. There is also a special interest group geared towards the S‑Series and W‑Series samplers at Facebook called the Roland Sampler Information Exchange. Joining is FREE and easy.
S-Series Resource: SGroup.ca
Facebook: Roland Sampler Information Exchange
THE FRONT DISPLAY PANEL IS BLANK / FREAKING OUT / INTERMITTENT
Q: I have an S‑50 / S‑550 and the display screen is blank or acts weird. What can I do?
A: Some owners have reported failures with bad solder connections on the FIP display. Use a magnifying glass to inspect for hairline cracks and reflow NEW solder if needed. The FIP driver coil for the display panel is also a common point of failure with the S‑50, S‑550, Super JX‑10, MKS‑70 and other Roland synths. The cause is a manufacturing defect which has been traced to the Sumida Corporation, the only supplier of this coil (P/N: 12449251). Unfortunately, sources for replacement coils are very difficult to find. A supplier on eBay has some redesigned replacements which sell for $75 USD. Another hope is to find an old coil from a cannibalized Roland product which uses the same part number. The JX‑10, JX‑8P, GM‑70, GR‑1, DDR‑30, S‑50 and S‑550 synths/samplers all use the same part number. However, be aware that these coils may also be defective. There seems to be no rhyme or reason as to when or if a coil will fail. Guy Wilkinson has a webpage with detailed troubleshooting of the FIP display and FIP coil at this link
Note: The image on the right shows the coil on an S‑550 Main Board as denoted by the silkscreen label T1. The coil for an S‑50 is located on the Panel Board Assembly and has a silkscreen designation of L1 even though these are the same part number. Also, the MKS‑70 synth uses a nearly identical coil but the windings are slightly different. The coil from an MKS‑70 will most likely work in a pinch
MAGAZINES - KEYBOARD CLINICS - MISCELLANEOUS DOCUMENTS
*.OUT AND *.IMG FILES - SHARE YOUR SAMPLER LIBRARY
Q: Is it easy to share samples with other S‑50 / S‑550 / S‑330 / W‑30 owners?
A: Absolutely! The OMNIFLOP utility makes it super simple to create your own 3.5" disk image files which can be uploaded or eMailed
ALTERNATE SAMPLE LIBRARIES
File Format: Freebie *.OUT Disk Image Files here
If you recently purchased an S‑50, S‑550, S‑330 or W‑30, you might find yourself without the required Startup Utility Boot Disk to get things rolling. Unlike a regular synthesizer, you can't power on an S‑Series or W‑Series sampler and start playing music right away. An operating system needs to be loaded manually before it will work
The three options you have are;
- Create your own Startup Disk using one of these freeware utilities on a computer
- WINDOWS
- SDISKW v1.6 ‑ Requires an internal or external 34-pin 720KB DS/DD 3.5' Floppy Disk Drive (FDD) ‑ or ‑ an external USB 720KB DS/DD FDD. See install notes here
- MAC ‑ SMAC ‑ You will need access to an older Mac computer with a 3.5" floppy disk drive and an older version Mac O/S
- ATARI ST ‑ SAMATARI ‑ This is a Catch‑22. You first need a Roland formatted disk before writing a disk. Ummm......
- WINDOWS
- Replace the S‑50 / S‑550 / S‑330 / W‑30 internal 3.5" floppy disk drive with a USB Floppy Disk Drive Emulator
- There are a few hardware devices on the market which do this. They range anywhere from $26 (USD) to $190 (USD)
- I highly recommend buying a low‑cost USB Floppy Disk Drive Emulator and updating it with the free FlashFloppy firmware. It makes using the sampler sooooo much easier. Plus, there's no need to worry about any FDD mechanical failures down the road. The cost you save from not having to buy any 3.5" floppy disks will quickly pay for the cost of the USB Floppy Disk Drive Emulator
- There are a few hardware devices on the market which do this. They range anywhere from $26 (USD) to $190 (USD)
- Purchase a Startup Utility Disk from eBay
- The average cost is about $12 USD
- You will eventually need one of these options to build‑up your sampler library
- 3.5" 720KB DS/DD floppy disk drive for your computer and a zillion DS/DD floppy disks
- USB Floppy Disk Drive Emulator installed inside the S‑50, S‑550, S‑330 or W‑30
- External SCSI Hard Drive, ZIP drive and/or CD‑ROM (None are compatible with the S‑50 or S‑330)
- Only certain types and sizes of hard drives and specific models of CD‑ROM's and ZIP drives are compatible
- The S‑550 requires the HD5‑IF SCSI Interface Card which is nearly impossible to find these days
- The W‑30 requires the KW‑30 SCSI IC chip upgrade which is very inexpensive and easy to find on eBay
- The average cost is about $12 USD
S‑50 RSB Disk Image Library (80 Disks)This 80 disk set contains the entire S‑50 Sampler Library issued by Roland
S‑550 RSB Disk Image Library Converted To S‑50 Format (60 Disks)This 60 disk set contains the entire S‑550 Sampler Library issued by Roland
S‑50 L-Series Disks (L-501 through L-509)This 45‑disk set was released in 1987 and also appears on the LCD‑1 CD‑ROM
Some of these samples are not in the S‑50, S‑550 or S‑330 RSB Libraries
Q: How Do I Use S‑550 Sampler Disks With An S‑50?
A: Create an SYS‑505 Utility Disk then boot the S‑50 with the SYS‑505 Utility Disk. Using the S‑50 "Convert Load Function" will enable S‑550 and S‑330 disks to be loaded into the S‑50. Likewise, using the "Convert Disk Function" will enable S‑550 and S‑330 disks to be converted to the S‑50 sample format and then saved (See page 8 of the SYS‑505 Library Converter Manual)
S‑50 System Utility Disk v2.0
This 3.5" floppy disk image file allows you to create a System Utility Disk which is used to boot an S‑50
File Format: *.OUT file for use with the OMNIFLOP or SDISK utility. To use with a factory firmware FDD/USB, rename the file to 000.IMG
S‑50 System Boot/Utility Disk v2.0Note: For unknown reasons, this System Boot/Utility Disk on the Roland website has the Total Volume Output set to zero
It's been online for downloading like this for about 15 years now and they haven't fixed it. Weird!
Once this disk is loaded, to get sound out of your S‑50, use the following procedure:
➤ Press FUNCTION
➤ Press P7
➤ Press Arrow Down 3 Times ▽ ▽ ▽
➤ The display should now read "17 Multi Patch Level A 0"
➤ Use the Alpha Dial to increase the Volume Output from 0 to 127 (or whatever level you want)
➤ Remove the v2.0 Boot Disk, insert a new Sound Disk and use the 11 Load All command
➤ You should now hear some sound
➤ Use the 25 SAVE SYS command so you won't need to change it every time (Owner's Manual p.109)
Special thanks go out to S‑50 sampler owner "Open Mirror" for this very useful fix!!!
Note: New to S‑50 menus? Press these buttons: PLAY > DISK > PATCH > P5 > SHIFT > ENTER
(The PATCH button acts as a toggle between some hidden menus - Owner's Manual p.23)
S‑50 SYS‑505 Utility Disk v1.00
The SYS‑505 Utility Disk will convert S‑550 or S‑330 Roland Sound Library disks for use with an S‑50
File Format: *.OUT file for use with the OMNIFLOP or SDISK utility
SYS‑505 Utility Disk v1.00 SYS‑505 Library Converter ManualOMNIFLOP Utility
Point‑and‑click WINDOWS program for creating Roland sampler 3.5" floppy disks from *.OUT disk image files
OMNIFLOP is a better alternative than using the outdated DOS based SDISK Utility
You will need to make sure that the floppy disk drive you are using is internal and is able to read/write 720KB disks
I have used OMNIFLOP with excellent results on Windows 7 (Ultimate 32‑bit) and also Windows XP (Professional)
I created some useful installation notes hereFile Format: *.EXE File For WINDOWS
Download OMNIFLOP hereS-50 Internal 720KB DS/DD 3.5" Floppy Disk Drive
Toshiba P/N: FDD 4261A0K (The Original Factory Installed Model - Early Production Runs)
Toshiba P/N: FDD 4261G0K (The Original Factory Installed Model - Late Production Runs)
Chinon P/N: FZ-357 (After-Market FDD Works By Simply Moving Jumpers)
Sony P/N: MPF920-Z/121 (After‑Market / DIY Requiring Some Soldering)
Panasonic P/N: JU256A-488PC (After‑Market / DIY Requiring Some Soldering)
Samsung SFD-321B/LE (After-Market FDD Requires Some DIY Wiring)
Mitsubishi P/N: MF355F‑3490UC (After‑Market / DIY Requiring Some Soldering)
Note: Mitsubishi P/N: MF355F‑3490UC has a White Bezel
* More info about installing these inexpensive After‑Market FDD's can be found at this link
The S‑50 reads and writes sampler data using the 720KB DS/DD format. Some users have reported good results using 1.44MB 2HD 3.5" blank disks by covering up the hole on the opposite side of the write‑protect tab with opaque tape. I have had mixed results in the past so I only use the hard to find and (sometimes) more expensive 720KB DS/DD disks
An excellent source for inexpensive recycled 720KB DS/DD 3.5" floppy disks is floppydisk.com
Note: Buying a box of 50 diskettes direct from their main website is $7 less than their eBay storefront
If you are considering updating your S‑50 to work with a GOTEK USB Floppy Drive Emulator, see the information at this link
Starting Up & Powering Off The S‑50
Before turning the power on or off
- Make sure there is no disk in the 3.5" floppy disk drive!
- When power is initially applied to the disk drive or when it is powered off, in some instances, a momentary power surge is created which can damage data on the disk
Creating Sub Tones On The S-50
The S-50 Owner's Manual and Supplemental Notes have a section detailing the steps for creating Sub Tones
Unfortunately, those instructions do not work
I have created a webpage with detailed instructions showing the correct procedure
File Format: Webpage Link
Creating Sub Tones On The S‑50S-50 Supplemental Notes
Official Roland document with details about Performance Disks, Patches, Sub Tones, Sampling and more
File Format: *.PDF File
S‑50 Supplemental NotesS-50 Owner's Manual and Service Notes
File Format: *.PDF File
S‑50 Owner's Manual v2.0 S‑50 Service Notes v10‑88
S‑50 Noise, Static or Distortion Problems?
Two solutions are available at the DIY Page
S‑550 RSB Disk Image Library (60 Disks)This 60 disk set contains the entire S‑50 Sampler Library issued by Roland
S‑50 RSB Disk Image Library Converted To S‑550 and S‑330 Formats (80 Disks)This is the entire 80 disk S‑50 RSB Library converted over to the S‑550 and S‑330 formats
S‑550 L-Series Disks (L-501 through L-509)This 45 disk set was released in 1987 and also appears on the LCD‑1 CD‑ROM
Some of these samples are not in the S‑50, S‑550 or S‑330 RSB Libraries
Q: How Do I Use S‑50 Sampler Library Disks With An S‑550?
A: The easiest way is to use the S‑550 "Convert Load Function" which enables S‑50 disks to be loaded into the S‑550 sampler. Using the S‑550 "Convert Disk Function" will enable S‑50 disks to be converted to the S‑550 sample format and then saved (See page 147 of the S‑550 Owner's Manual)
S‑550 System Utility Disk v1.13
This 3.5" floppy disk image file allows you to create a System Utility Disk which is used to boot an S‑550 (for systems without the HD5-IF SCSI interface card)
File Format: *.OUT disk image files for use with the OMNIFLOP or SDISK utility. To use with a factory firmware FDD/USB, rename the file to 000.IMG
S‑550 System Utility Disk v1.13S‑550 HD5‑IF Hard Disk Utility Disk v1.03
This 3.5" floppy disk image enables use of the optional HD5-IF SCSI controller card and hard drive for the S‑550. Also, I
only use the CD‑5 CD-ROM Utility Disk v1.00 disk because it's the only one which allows my setup to use a ZIP drive
and more than one SCSI device at a time. For unknown reasons, the HD5‑IF Hard Disk Utility v1.03 and CD‑5
CD-ROM Utility Disk v1.02 disks won't enable my setup to use multiple SCSI devices. If you have more than one
SCSI device connected to the S‑550, I recommend using only the CD‑5 CD‑ROM Utility Disk v1.00 to boot your
sampler, format the hard drive, configure, and save the Hard Drive and FDD system disk configurations. In fact
Roland only has the v1.00 disk available for downloading from their website & v1.02 is nowhere to be found!
VERY IMPORTANT: If you want the S‑550 to boot from a hard drive and not from the floppy drive, you will need to
configure the HD5‑IF Hard Disk Utility Disk v1.03 or CD‑5 CD-ROM Utility Disk v1.00 disks differently from the
default settings. Detailed instructions are at this link
File Format: *.OUT disk image files for use with the OMNIFLOP or SDISK utility
HD5-IF Hard Drive Utility Disk v1.03 HD5-IF Owner's Manual (v.88-4)This 3.5" floppy disk image enables use of the optional Roland CD‑5 CD‑ROM player (and other select external
CD‑ROM players, ZIP drives, hard drives and SCSI devices). Some S‑550 owners, including myself, have had
problems using Version 1.02 with ZIP drives and multiple SCSI devices. Using this older Version 1.00 solves most
problems with ZIP drive compatibility. Included with a new CD‑5 player was CD‑ROM disc L‑CD1. This CD‑ROM
contains a large sound library equal to 165 floppy disks. VERY IMPORTANT: If you want the S‑550 to boot from a
hard drive and not from the floppy drive, you will need to configure the S‑550 CD‑5 CD-ROM Utility Disk v1.00
differently from its default setting. Detailed instructions are at this link
File Format: *.OUT disk image files for use with the OMNIFLOP or SDISK utility
CD‑5 CD‑ROM Utility Disk v1.00 CD‑5 Owner's Manual (v.88-11)(v1.02 is available here but it's extremely buggy. Roland won't even post this version on their website!!!)
OMNIFLOP Utility
Point‑and‑click WINDOWS program for creating Roland sampler 3.5" floppy disks from *.OUT disk image files
OMNIFLOP is a better alternative than using the outdated DOS based SDISK Utility
You will need to make sure that the floppy disk drive you are using is internal and is able to read/write 720KB disks
I have used OMNIFLOP with excellent results using Windows 7 Ultimate 32‑bit and Windows XP
I created some useful installation notes here
File Format: *.EXE File For WINDOWS
OMNIFLOPS-550 Internal 720KB DS/DD 3.5" Floppy Disk Drive
Toshiba P/N: FDD 4261A0K (The Original Factory Installed Model - Early Production Runs)
Toshiba P/N: FDD 4261G0K (The Original Factory Installed Model - Late Production Runs)
Chinon P/N: FZ-357 (After‑Market FDD Works By Simply Moving Jumpers)
Sony P/N: MPF920-Z/121 (After‑Market / DIY Requiring Some Soldering)
Panasonic P/N: JU256A-488PC (After‑Market / DIY Requiring Some Soldering)
Mitsubishi P/N: MF355F‑3490UC (After‑Market / DIY Requiring Some Soldering)
Note: Mitsubishi P/N: MF355F‑3490UC has a White Bezel
* More info about installing these inexpensive After‑Market FDD's can be found at this link
The S-550 reads and writes sampler data using the 720KB DS/DD format. Some users have reported good results using 1.44MB 2HD 3.5" blank disks by covering up the hole on the opposite side of the write‑protect tab with opaque tape. I have had mixed results in the past so I only use the hard to find and (unfortunately) more expensive 720KB DS/DD disks
An excellent source for inexpensive recycled 720KB DS/DD 3.5" floppy disks is floppydisk.com
Note: Buying a box of 50 diskettes direct from their main website is $5 less than their eBay storefront
If you are considering updating your S‑50 to work with a USB Floppy Drive Emulator, see the information at this link
Starting Up The S‑550
Before turning on the power, you should follow these steps to ensure the sampler works properly
- Make sure there is no disk in the 3.5" floppy disk drive
- When power is initially applied to the disk drive, in some instances, a momentary power surge is created which can damage data on the disk
- If NOTHING will be plugged into the 9‑Pin EXT CTRL Port on the front
- Hold down the numeric "1" button on the front panel while turning on the power
- If you don't, you will be unable to navigate any of the menus using the front panel buttons
- Hold down the numeric "1" button on the front panel while turning on the power
- To use a MOUSE with the 9‑Pin EXT CTRL Port on the front
- Hold down the numeric "2" button on the front panel when turning on the power
- If you don't, the mouse will not work properly
- Hold down the numeric "2" button on the front panel when turning on the power
- To use an RC‑100 REMOTE CONTROLLER with the 9-Pin EXT CTRL Port on the front
- Hold down the numeric "3" button on the front panel when turning on the power
- If you don't, the RC-100 will not work properly
- Hold down the numeric "3" button on the front panel when turning on the power
- If no button is held down during power‑up, the system will default to the settings previously saved on the Start‑up Utility Disk
- Saving the default start‑up settings on the Start‑up Utility Disk for OFF, MOUSE or RC‑100 is not explained very well in the S‑550 Owner's Manual
- Press the DISK button followed by the MENU button
- Use the arrow buttons to select SAVE SYS and then press the EXECUTE button
- With NOTHING plugged into the EXT CTRL port, press the numeric '1' button followed by the ENTER button (this setting will appear in the text box as OFF)
- With a MOUSE plugged into the EXT CTRL port, press the numeric '2' button followed by the ENTER button
- With an RC‑100 CONTROLLER plugged into the EXT CTRL port, press the numeric '3' button followed by the ENTER button
- Press the COMMAND button followed by the EXECUTE button to save the new default setting you have chosen onto the start‑up disk (OFF, MOUSE or RC‑100 )
- Note: For convenience, you can save these default start‑up settings onto any disk which contains a valid S‑550 System O/S
- Saving the default start‑up settings on the Start‑up Utility Disk for OFF, MOUSE or RC‑100 is not explained very well in the S‑550 Owner's Manual
- After owning an S‑550 for a little while, I never knew how to bypass that annoying message, "Load Next Disk?". It turns out all you need to do is press the DEC/NO button. Just thought I would pass that along. I haven't read the entire manual. Go figure :^)
Powering Off The S‑550
Before turning the power off
- Make sure there is no disk in the 3.5" floppy disk drive!
- When power is disconnected from the disk drive, in some instances, a momentary power surge is created which can damage data on the disk
S-550 Supplemental Notes
Official Roland document with details about Performance Disks, Patches, Sub Tones, Sampling, SCSI and more
File Format: *.PDF File
S‑550 Supplemental NotesS-550 Owner's Manual and Service Notes
File Format: *.PDF File
S‑550 Owner's Manual v1.1 S‑550 Service Notes v11‑88S‑330 System And Utility Disks
The S‑330 System Disk and the Utility Disk Image *.OUT files plus system documentation are available at the Li'l Chips Systems homepage in the Roland Support section;
S‑330 System Boot Disk v1.03 S‑330 System/Sound Disk I v1.00 (Piano) S‑330 System Utility Disk v1.03 S‑330 System/Sound Disk II v1.00 (Multi Patch)
"Li'l Chips Systems" Roland Download Page (filename: Roland_S-330_Sampler.zip)S‑330 Sound Library
S‑330 Sound LibraryThe S‑330 is able to read all S‑550 Sound Disks
Plenty are available for downloading at the SAMPLES Page
S-330 Internal 720KB DS/DD 3.5" Floppy Disk Drive
Teac P/N: FD-235HF-A527(The Original Factory Installed Model - Early Production Runs)
Toshiba P/N: ND-352S-A
(The Original Factory Installed Model - Late Production Runs)The S-330 reads and writes sampler data using the 720KB DS/DD format. Some users have reported good results using 1.44MB 2HD 3.5" blank disks by covering up the hole on the opposite side of the write‑protect tab with opaque tape. I have had mixed results in the past so I only use the hard to find and (unfortunately) more expensive 720KB DS/DD disks
An excellent source for inexpensive recycled 720KB DS/DD 3.5" floppy disks is floppydisk.com
Note: Buying a box of 50 diskettes direct from their main website is $5 less than their eBay storefront
If you are considering updating your S‑330 to work with a USB Floppy Drive Emulator, see the information at this link
Starting Up The S‑330
Before turning on the power, you should follow these steps to ensure the sampler works properly
- Make sure there is no disk in the 3.5" floppy disk drive
- When power is initially applied to the disk drive, in some instances, a momentary power surge is created which can damage data on the disk
- If NOTHING will be plugged into the 9‑Pin EXT CTRL Port on the front
- Hold down the ← button on the front panel while turning on the power (Left Arrow Button)
- If you don't, you will be unable to navigate any of the menus using the front panel buttons
- Hold down the ← button on the front panel while turning on the power (Left Arrow Button)
- To use a MOUSE with the 9-Pin EXT CTRL Port on the front
- Hold down the ↓ button on the front panel when turning on the power (Down Arrow Button)
- If you don't, the mouse will not work properly
- Hold down the ↓ button on the front panel when turning on the power (Down Arrow Button)
- To use an RC-100 REMOTE CONTROLLER with the 9-Pin EXT CTRL Port on the front
- Hold down the → button on the front panel while turning on the power (Right Arrow Button)
- If you don't, the RC-100 will not work properly
- Hold down the → button on the front panel while turning on the power (Right Arrow Button)
- If no button is held down during power‑up, the system will default to the settings saved on the Startup Utility Disk
- If the settings on the Startup Utility Disk are set for use with a Mouse or RC‑100 and nothing is connected to the 9‑Pin EXT CTRL Port, none of the buttons on the front panel will work
- After owning an S‑550 for a little while, I never knew how to bypass that annoying message, "Load Next Disk?". It turns out all you need to do is press the DEC/NO button. I'm assuming the same applies to the S‑330
Powering Off The S‑330
Before turning the power off
- Make sure there is no disk in the 3.5" floppy disk drive!
- When power is disconnected from the disk drive, in some instances, a momentary power surge is created which can damage data on the disk
S‑330 Owner Manuals and Service Notes
File Format: *.PDF File
S‑330 Owner's Manual + Guide Book v12‑88 S‑330 Service Notes v05‑88W‑30 Sound Library
W‑30 Sound LibraryThe W‑30 is able to read all S‑50, S‑550 and S‑330 Sound Disks
Plenty are available for downloading at the SAMPLES Page
W‑30 System Utility Disk v1.10 (non-SCSI Systems Only)
This 3.5" floppy disk image file allows you to create a System Utility Disk used to boot a W‑30
File Format: *.OUT disk image files for use with the OMNIFLOP or SDISK utility. To use with a factory firmware FDD/USB, rename the file to 000.IMG
W‑30 System Utility Disk v1.10W‑30 Hard Drive And CD-ROM SCSI Utility Disk v1.07
This 3.5" floppy disk image enables use of the optional KW30 SCSI IC chip and external Hard Drives, ZIP Drives, CD-ROM's and SCSI2SD Card
VERY IMPORTANT: If you want the W‑30 to boot from a Hard Drive or SCSI2SD device, read the setup suggestions found at this link
File Format: *.OUT disk image files for use with the OMNIFLOP or SDISK utility. To use with a factory firmware FDD/USB, rename the file to 000.IMG
W‑30 Hard Drive And CD-ROM Utility Disk v1.07OMNIFLOP Utility
Point-and-click WINDOWS program for creating Roland sampler 3.5" floppy disks from *.OUT disk image files
You will need to make sure that the floppy disk drive you are using is internal and is able to read/write 720KB disks
I have used OMNIFLOP with excellent results using Windows 7 Ultimate 32-bit and Windows XP
I created some useful installation notes here
File Format: *.EXE File For WINDOWS
OMNIFLOPW‑30 Internal 720KB DS/DD 3.5" Floppy Disk Drive
Chinon P/N: FX‑354 (The Original Factory Installed Model)
Chinon P/N: FZ‑357 (After‑Market FDD Works By Simply Moving Jumpers)
Teac P/N: FD‑235HF‑C529 (After‑Market FDD Works By Simply Moving Jumpers)
Teac P/N: FD‑235HF‑C929 (After‑Market FDD Works By Simply Moving Jumpers)
NEC P/N: FD1231T (After‑Market / DIY Requiring Some Soldering)
Sony P/N: MPF920‑Z/121 (After‑Market / DIY Requiring Some Soldering)
Panasonic P/N: JU256A‑488PC (After‑Market / DIY Requiring Some Soldering)
Mitsubishi P/N: MF355F‑3490UC (After‑Market / DIY Requiring Some Soldering)
Note: Mitsubishi P/N: MF355F‑3490UC has a White Bezel
* More info about installing these inexpensive After‑Market FDD's can be found at this link
The W‑30 reads and writes sampler data using the 720KB DS/DD format. Some users have reported good results using 1.44MB 2HD 3.5" blank disks by covering up the hole on the opposite side of the write‑protect tab with opaque tape. I have had mixed results in the past so I only use the hard to find and (unfortunately) more expensive 720KB DS/DD disks. It's difficult to find replacement floppy disk drives similar to the Chinon style because normal PC drives are set as "Drive Select" and Pin 34 is wired as "Disk Change". The Chinon is set to "Drive Select 0" and Pin 2 is wired as "Disk Change". The Teac FD‑235HFC529 is a dual format drive. It is able to read and write 720KB DS/DD disks and also 1.44MB 2HD/DD disks so the jumpers need to be set accordingly or it won't work with the W‑30. Use this diagram for the correct jumper settings. There are several Teac drives in the FD‑235HF series but only certain models will work with the W‑30, one of which is the C529. Other FD‑235HF drives in the same series do not have any jumpers! This Teac part number has a black bezel and is usually way overpriced on the used market because it's a difficult drive to source. If you are looking for a replacement floppy disk drive, the info at Neil's Webbly World is required reading
An excellent source for inexpensive recycled 720KB DS/DD 3.5" floppy disks is floppydisk.com
Note: Buying a box of 50 diskettes direct from their main website is $5 less than their eBay storefront
If you are considering updating your W‑30 to work with a USB Floppy Drive Emulator, see the information at this link
W‑30 3.5" Floppy Disk Load Errors
If you see an error message on the LCD window which reads "DISK LOAD ERROR xx", the following have been my experiences:
DISK LOAD ERROR 08 ‑ Usually a non‑O/S 3.5" floppy diskette, a damaged floppy diskette or incorrect density (should be 720KB)
DISK LOAD ERROR 10 ‑ Almost always traced to a 3.5" disk drive hardware failure or the ribbon cable is plugged in upside‑down
DISK LOAD ERROR 18 ‑ Miscellaneous hardware failure (3.5" disk drive or external hard drive)
Starting Up & Powering Off The W‑30
Before turning the power ON or OFF
- Make sure there is no disk in the 3.5" floppy disk drive!
- When power is initially applied to the disk drive or when it is powered off, in some instances, a momentary power surge is created which can damage data on the disk
W‑30 Tips And Tricks
Menu Navigation
When I first got my W‑30, there were a couple of simple things I couldn't figure out and finding how to do it in the manual was a lost cause (as is the case with most Roland Owner's Manuals from this era). Take note of these tidbits;
- To modify the 60 character Disk Label / Disk Memo, press these buttons in order
USER 5 1 ENTER F5
Use the alphanumeric keypad or the dials to enter text and then save the Patch
- To modify a Patch name, press these buttons in order
USER 3 6 ENTER
Turn the CURSOR DIAL clockwise one click
Turn the VALUE DIAL counter‑clockwise one click
Use the alphanumeric keypad or the dials to enter text and then save the Patch
- To answer W‑30 menu selections requesting a YES/NO response, there aren't any YES or NO buttons to press!
The solution to Roland's convoluted menu architecture can be explained best with this image below and you can
use this same logic to answer similar YES/NO messages on the LCD screen
Over time, the high voltage inverter circuit which drives the bright blue electroluminescent panel for the LCD backlight will fail. It causes a high pitched and incredibly annoying shrill. Replacing the electroluminescent panel will not solve this issue. The only solution is to replace the entire LCD assembly. It's a lot of DIY work but luckily, you can find an inexpensive modern day replacement LCD for only $24 (USD). This replacement completely removes the high voltage inverter circuit and does not rely on a backlight panel. As a bonus, there are four colors to choose from with the new LCD - White (over Black), Black (over White), White (over Blue) or Black (over Monkey Vomit Green)
W-30 LCD Replacement DIY - Ver. 20190321
Real‑Time Filter Control For Your W‑30
A very cool, easy and inexpensive DIY using a minimal amount of parts
 
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Hidden W‑30 Patches
There are 16 extra Patches hidden on W‑30 boot disks. You can access these Patches by using the W‑30 Utility Disk v1.10 boot disk or Hard Drive And CD‑ROM Utility Disk v1.07 boot disk. Because a maximum of only 16 Patches can reside in sampler RAM memory, these extra Patches are not loaded automatically at boot time. To use them, you will need to temporarily delete a few Patches residing in sampler RAM memory. This method will work regardless if you boot the sampler from a floppy drive, hard drive, GOTEK or SCSI2SD. As long as you don't Save FD or Save System, the Patches you temporarily delete will remain intact the next time you boot‑up the sampler. You can listen to the Alternate Factory B Samples here
- Boot the W‑30 from either boot disk shown above
- After the sampler boots up
Press the SOUND Button
Press the F5 Button (5: Disk)
Press the F3 Button (3: Load Patch)
Press the F5 Button (Page)
- Use the CURSOR DIAL to highlight the Destination field
Use the VALUE DIAL to select any Patch 1 through 16
Press the F3 Button (Del P) - You may need to delete more than one Patch if the sampler RAM memory is full
Menu responds with "Are you sure?" (Note: There isn't a YES or NO button to press!)
Press the F1 Button (Delete)
- Use the CURSOR DIAL to highlight the Disk [FD] Patch# field
Use the VALUE DIAL to select any Patch 16 through 32
Press the F1 Button (Load)
Near the top of the LCD screen a message appears which reads, "Now Loading" and when done, "Complete" - To hear the new Patch
Press the PERFORMANCE Button
Select the same Destination Patch# you chose earlier
W‑30 Techno Stuff
In lieu of reposting a lot of W‑30 technical info which is already online, I'll suggest that you visit two of the best W‑30 webpages I've seen. "The Unofficial W‑30 Homepage" is an archived site from the 1990's but there are a LOT of goodies to be found there, especially in the TIPS/INSTRUCTIONS, EXPANSION, and FAQ sections. Another excellent resource, especially for electronic freaks like myself, are the twelve detailed webpages at "Neil's Webbly World"
Unofficial W‑30 Homepage Neil's Webbly World (W-30 Page)W‑30 Owner Manuals and Service Notes
File Format: *.PDF File
W‑30 For FD, HD, CD Owner's Manual v89‑04A3 (Updated + Expanded) W‑30 Service Notes v05‑89(Note: Also known as the KW‑30 SCSI Upgrade Kit Manual)
S‑750 / S‑760 / S‑770 Sound Library (Actually the S‑770 library... but these also work with S‑750 and S‑760)
S‑750 / S‑760 / S‑770 Sound LibraryS‑750 System Boot Disk v2.25
This 3.5" floppy disk image file allows you to create a System Utility Disk used to boot an S‑750
File Format: *.OUT disk image files for use with the OMNIFLOP or SDISK utility
S‑750 System Utility Disk v2.25S‑760 System Boot Disk v2.24
This 3.5" floppy disk image file allows you to create a System Utility Disk used to boot an S‑760
File Format: *.OUT disk image files for use with the OMNIFLOP or SDISK utility
S‑760 System Utility Disk v2.24S‑770 System Boot Disk v2.25
This 3.5" floppy disk image file allows you to create a System Utility Disk used to boot an S‑770
File Format: *.OUT disk image files for use with the OMNIFLOP or SDISK utility
S‑770 System Utility Disk v2.25S‑760 Internal 1.44MB DD/HD 3.5" Floppy Disk Drive
Chinon P/N: FZ-357 (The Original Factory Installed Model)
The S‑760 reads and writes sampler data to the 3.5" floppy disk drive using the 1.44MB DD/HD format. Note the unusual Jumper configuration on the back of the FZ‑357 disk drive. Detailed info about some possible drive replacements here
If you are considering updating your S‑760 to work with a USB Floppy Drive Emulator, see the information at this link
S‑760 Encoder Replacement DIY
Although it's not exactly a "Drop-In" solution, this rotary encoder replacement works extremely well. It requires an inexpensive custom PCB, a low‑cost commonly found rotary encoder and little bit of soldering
S-760 Encoder Replacement DIY S‑760 LCD Issues
The most common failure on the S‑760 is the custom made LCD display. Almost every S‑760 owner has had a LCD screen failure of some kind in the sampler's life. The problems are usually broken lines, missing/illegible text, a black screen or a bright green screen with no text at all. It's impossible to fix this problem even if you disassemble and clean contact surfaces inside the display. The only solution is to use an external Mouse+CRT -or- find a New Old Stock (NOS) LCD replacement on eBay. The problem with using an external Mouse+CRT is you need to read the LCD in order to set the sampler into the correct display mode. It's a Catch-22! Something else to note about the original LCD (DMF‑50374NYU‑LY)... the S‑760 Service Notes list the screen resolution as 320x80 pixels. This is most likely a misprint because the actual resolution of this LCD is 160x64 pixels
- Broken Lines or Garbled Text on the LCD (Setting the Mouse+CRT Mode)
If you are in a situation where you are unable to see any text on the LCD because it's garbled or illegible, you can still enable the Mouse+CRT mode blindly by following these steps;- Power On while holding the MODE button and keep holding it down for 15 seconds. This will put the S-760 into Setup Mode
- The MODE button should now be flashing its red LED
- The MODE button should now be flashing its red LED
- Press the UP ARROW three times △ △ △
- Press the DOWN ARROW button two times ▽ ▽
- Turn the ENCODER knob two clicks to the left ⚆ ⚆
- Turn the ENCODER knob one click to the right ⚆
- Press the EXIT button
- Although you may be unable to see it, the LCD will briefly display the message 'EEPROM Renewing.......' and the new settings you made are saved onto the EEPROM. At this point, the sampler will reboot and try to load the O/S from the Floppy Disk Drive, USB/FDD or SCSI Device. Note: Since you are doing everything blindly and depending on the age of your encoder and how accurate it tracks, you may need to attempt the encoder turns multiple times until you find the sweet spot
- Power On while holding the MODE button and keep holding it down for 15 seconds. This will put the S-760 into Setup Mode
- Broken Lines or Garbled Text on the LCD (Setting the RC100+CRT Mode)
If you are in a situation where you are unable to see any text on the LCD because it's garbled or illegible, you can still enable the RC‑100+CRT mode blindly by following these steps;- Power On while holding the MODE button and keep holding it down for 15 seconds. This will put the S-760 into Setup Mode
- The MODE button should now be flashing its red LED
- The MODE button should now be flashing its red LED
- Press the UP ARROW three times △ △ △
- Press the DOWN ARROW button two times ▽ ▽
- Turn the ENCODER knob two clicks to the right ⚆ ⚆
- Press the EXIT button
- Although you may be unable to see it, the LCD will briefly display the message 'EEPROM Renewing.......' and the new settings you made are saved onto the EEPROM. At this point, the sampler will reboot and try to load the O/S from the Floppy Disk Drive USB/FDD, or SCSI Device. Note: Since you are doing everything blindly and depending on the age of your encoder and how accurate it tracks, you may need to attempt the encoder turns multiple times until you find the sweet spot
- Power On while holding the MODE button and keep holding it down for 15 seconds. This will put the S-760 into Setup Mode
- Black or Solid Green LCD (Setting the LCD Contrast Adjust Mode)
If you are in a situation where you are unable to see any text on the LCD because it's solid black or solid green, the sampler settings may have gone haywire due to inactivity in storage, invalid EEPROM settings or other reasons. You can still still enable LCD CONTRAST ADJUST Mode blindly to brighten or darken the display by following these steps;- Power On while holding the MODE button and keep holding it down for 15 seconds. This will put the S-760 into Setup Mode
- The MODE button should now be flashing its red LED
- The MODE button should now be flashing its red LED
- Press the UP ARROW three times △ △ △
- Press the DOWN ARROW button three times ▽ ▽ ▽
- Turn the ENCODER knob to the left to make the text lighter ⚆ ⚆ ⚆
- Turn the ENCODER knob to the right to make the text darker ⚈ ⚈ ⚈
- Press the EXIT button
- The LCD will briefly display the message 'EEPROM Renewing.......' and the new settings you made are saved onto the EEPROM. At this point, the sampler will reboot and try to load the O/S from the Floppy Disk Drive USB/FDD, or SCSI Device. Note: Since you are doing everything blindly and depending on the age of your encoder and how accurate it tracks, you may need to attempt the encoder turns multiple times until you find the sweet spot
- Power On while holding the MODE button and keep holding it down for 15 seconds. This will put the S-760 into Setup Mode
- New Old Stock (NOS) LCD Replacement
Until recently (March 2019) there was an eBay vendor who still had NOS LCD's available for the S‑760. To date, I've not found any more of these for sale online. Although it's not the original part number, it works perfectly. Keep in mind that it's made by the same company who made the original model with a high failure rate. This newer model uses a low voltage LED for it's backlight. The original used an Electroluminescent (EL) backlight panel which required an additional high voltage circuit. This newer model bypasses the old high voltage circuit and has a yellowish color. The original LCD had a greenish hue. The newer model was quite pricey at $49 (USD) but, if you don't have the optional OP-760-1 Video Expansion Board with the CRT output... this is your only choice. The installation is somewhat challenging but anyone with soldering experience will be able to complete it in about 30 minutes or less. I was unable to "cleanly" unsolder the white wiring harness connector from the old LCD so I ended up cutting the wires and reattached them to the new LCD. The brand is Optrex and the part number is DMF‑50374NYU‑LY‑1. I've put together some notes about installing the DMF-50374NYU-LY-1 here
S‑760 Firmware
To identify the version of the S‑760 boot PROM (IC15), hold down the PREVIEW(PUSH) knob and the F1 button at the same time while turning on the power. The ROM version will appear on the LCD screen. The final firmware version for the boot PROM is v1.11 which can be downloaded for free at the Synth & Sampler Firmware webpage in the event you want to burn your own EPROM
S‑760 Test Modes
An extensive array of different tests are explained in detail starting on Page 6 of the S-760 Service Notes v12‑93. Be aware that this test mode is destructive and requires an external SCSI hard drive and a copy of the S-760 Test Disk. You will need a Windows PC and a blank DS/HD 1.44MB floppy disk to create your own copy of this test disk. Complete test instructions and an executable copy can be downloaded for free from www.chezrossi.net/s760/testmode.htm
Starting Up & Powering Off The S‑760
Before turning the power on or off
- Make sure there is no disk in the 3.5" floppy disk drive!
- When power is initially applied to the disk drive -or- when it is powered off, in some instances, a momentary power surge is created which can damage data on the disk
S-760 Support Documents
File Format: *.PDF File
S-760 Demystified (Roland Document SN42 v1.0) S-760 Demystified (This is the Keyboard Magazine reprint version w/images) S-760 Supplemental Manual (Quick Tour, Owner's Manual Corrections, SCSI and more) SCSI Transfers With The S-760 (Roland Document SN44 v2.0) Digital Sampler Compatibility Guide (Contains a very complete list of compatible external SCSI devices) CD-ROM Audio Drivers For The S-760 (Roland Document SN43 v2.0)S-760 Owner's Manual and Service Notes
File Format: *.PDF File
S‑760 Owner's Manual v11-93 (Advanced) + v0196 (Basic) (English) S-760 Service Notes v12‑93 S‑760 Owner's Manual v2 (Italian) S‑760 Owner's Manual v2 (Hungarian)
After‑Market Floppy Disk Drives
DIY info for replacing an unreliable or broken FDD using inexpensive Chinon, Teac, Panasonic, Mitsubishi, NEC & other brands. Some of the instructions are easy as moving/adding jumpers while others require a steady hand w/advanced soldering skills
FDD TechGOTEK USB Floppy Drive Emulator (USB/FDE)
There are many methods of making a GOTEK USB Floppy Drive Emulator (USB/FDE) work with a Roland S‑50, S‑550, S‑330 or W‑30 sampler. The easiest way is to buy GOTEK Model: SFRM72‑FU‑DL for about $25 (USD) and simply plug it into the sampler where the floppy disk drive used to sit. The disadvantage of using this model is that there are very few bells and whistles available. The GOTEK factory firmware on this model uses a very boring 7‑segment LED display and the two buttons on the front make a clumsy user interface
Luckily, there are alternatives for updating the GOTEK firmware and the best version I've seen is available for free. You can purchase a low‑priced GOTEK for about $17 (USD), a nice, crisp OLED screen for $2, a rotary encoder for $3 and update the firmware yourself using free installation software. In the past, other firmware updates required a special serial interface and a $10 software license for each GOTEK you updated
The only extra hardware you need for this free FlashFloppy firmware update is a standard USB cable. When I updated my GOTEK with the FlashFloppy firmware, installed the OLED and rotary encoder, It worked perfectly the very first time I tried it. Very unusual for mods like this when trying to make 1980's technology work with modern gadgets. In fact, after all the updates went so smoothly, I thought perhaps that something had gone wrong
Keep in mind that the OLED screen and Rotary encoder are optional add‑ons but... for these low cost parts, I highly recommended adding them. It's like the difference between driving a Ford Pinto and a Corvette Stingray
A link to installing a GOTEK USB/FDE the easy way on your Roland sampler is here
(No soldering or extra modification is required for this method)
A link to installing a GOTEK USB/FDE on your Roland sampler using the free FlashFloppy firmware is here
(This firmware update requires free software installation and additional parts [optional] which requires soldering)
There are many methods of making a GOTEK USB Floppy Drive Emulator (USB/FDE) work with a Roland S‑50, S‑550, S‑330 or W‑30 sampler. The easiest way is to buy GOTEK Model: SFRM72‑FU‑DL for about $25 (USD) and simply plug it into the sampler where the floppy disk drive used to sit. The disadvantage of using this model is that there are very few bells and whistles available. The GOTEK factory firmware on this model uses a very boring 7‑segment LED display and the two buttons on the front make a clumsy user interface
Luckily, there are alternatives for updating the GOTEK firmware and the best version I've seen is available for free. You can purchase a low‑priced GOTEK for about $17 (USD), a nice, crisp OLED screen for $2, a rotary encoder for $3 and update the firmware yourself using free installation software. In the past, other firmware updates required a special serial interface and a $10 software license for each GOTEK you updated
The only extra hardware you need for this free FlashFloppy firmware update is a standard USB cable. When I updated my GOTEK with the FlashFloppy firmware, installed the OLED and rotary encoder, It worked perfectly the very first time I tried it. Very unusual for mods like this when trying to make 1980's technology work with modern gadgets. In fact, after all the updates went so smoothly, I thought perhaps that something had gone wrong
Keep in mind that the OLED screen and Rotary encoder are optional add‑ons but... for these low cost parts, I highly recommended adding them. It's like the difference between driving a Ford Pinto and a Corvette Stingray
A link to installing a GOTEK USB/FDE the easy way on your Roland sampler is here
(No soldering or extra modification is required for this method)
A link to installing a GOTEK USB/FDE on your Roland sampler using the free FlashFloppy firmware is here
(This firmware update requires free software installation and additional parts [optional] which requires soldering)
ACCESSORIES: COLOR MONITOR / COMPOSITE VIDEO / MOUSE / RC‑100 / DIGITIZER
Q: Can I plug an LCD Flat Screen VGA Color Monitor into the S‑50, S‑550 or S‑330 DISPLAY OUT Port for use as the display device?
A: LOL! You should know by now that almost EVERYTHING Roland makes uses proprietary external devices and it's never easy getting things to work correctly. Making a 15‑pin LCD Flat Screen VGA Color Monitor work is much trickier than just using a simple adapter cable. Several solutions are available and they all require additional external electronics. One of the more interesting and cost effective solutions is the use of a GBS 8200 CGA To VGA Video Converter Board. The current cost on eBay is about $17 USD and you will also need to buy an 8‑pin DIN male connector, an inexpensive wall‑wart power supply and an enclosure for the board. This video board is a compact device measuring 4.0" x 4.5" x 0.75". I have put together a DIY guide with detailed instructions about how to connect this board to an S‑50, S‑550 or S‑330 (See the DIY PAGE)
Q: Can I plug an old-style CGA or EGA color monitor into the S‑50, S‑550 or S‑330 DISPLAY OUT Port for use as the display device?
A: Again... LOL! Roland Proprietary. There are several old-style CGA and EGA monitors which are known to work well with the S‑50, S‑550 or S‑330. However, you can't just plug the monitor in directly. Each one requires a special adapter cable before it can work. Each monitor will require a different style cable because Atari monitors use 13‑pin plugs, Commodore monitors use 9‑pin plugs, etc...
Atari SC1224 / SC1435 Commodore 1080 / 1084 Mitsubishi DiamondScan Darius TSM-1431 Taxan 610 / 420 Sony KV1311 / PVM NEC 3D Magnavox 8762 Zenith ZVM133 Philips CM-8833 Sharp CU-14GB Roland CC-121Roland used to sell monitor adapter cables P/N: RGB-25N and P/N: RGB-25I
You can find the diagrams and pin-outs for those cables here
Custom-made adapter cables by Redmond Cable Corp here
DIY instructions for making your own Atari SC1224 / SC1435 adapter cable here
DIY instructions for connecting VGA/CGA/EGA/RGB monitors here
Q: What are my options if I don't have an CGA, EGA or VGA color monitor?
A: The S‑50, S‑550 and S‑330 all have a Composite Video OUT jack which is used to connect an RCA cable to a TV or a monochrome CRT. The output video signal is monochrome but it is still very usable when making on‑screen menu selections
One option for using the Composite Video signal is an inexpensive device called the EasyCap‑DC60 which enables a Composite Video IN signal using the USB port on your PC or laptop via the supplied software. The EasyCap‑DC60 cost is $7 USD on eBay but I have seen it sell for as low as $4.25 USD in some auctions
One of the least expensive options for connecting an external display is a monochrome monitor. One visitor to this website has had great success with the Sony PVM series which are made in 9", 14" and 20" models. These are mainly used as surveillance security monitors and the screen display is crisp and clear. These can be found on eBay for low $$$. Model: PVM‑97 is especially interesting because it has dual A/B inputs which is great if you have more than one S‑Series sampler. The connector on the back is BNC but this is easily solved by using a low‑cost RCA to BNC adapter
If your computer has a video card with a Composite Video IN jack, you can simply use an RCA cable to get a Composite Video OUT signal from the S‑50, S‑550 or S‑330. If your computer has a video card with an S‑Video IN jack, you can make an easy DIY cable using a 4‑pin mini DIN plug, a 470pF capacitor, and an RCA plug. Because this is a video signal, be sure to use shielded cable. Non‑standard 7‑pin mini‑DIN connectors (termed "7P") are used on some computer video cards [PC and Mac]. A 7‑pin socket accepts, and is pin compatible, with a standard 4‑pin S‑Video plug which is the type used for this DIY cable [Click to enlarge image]Used ATI Radeon X1300 Video Cards sell for less than $6 on eBay. I used a similar card like this one for years to view the composite video output from my S‑50. It was not in color but it did the job. The big advantage was that this card plugged into the PC which eliminated the need for an additional monitor or TV
Another low‑cost option is an unused VHS deck gathering dust somewhere. Some models have S‑Video and/or Composite Video IN jacks. Connect the sampler's Composite OUT signal to the VHS deck, then connect the VHS deck Video OUT to a TV or a computer video card and for little or no investment... you're good to go. If you are trying to connect your S‑50, S‑550 or S‑330 to equipment using PAL and not NTSC video standards, all bets are off. I can't provide any help. When PAL is involved, my eyes glaze over and everything starts to get foggy... just like the snow on a TV that can't receive a good signal. I know absolutely nothing about PAL
Q: Can I use a regular PC mouse with the EXT CONTROL Port on the S‑550 and S‑330?
A: And Again... LOL! Roland Proprietary. The only type of mouse which works when plugged in directly is a Roland MU‑1 or other MSX‑type mouse. These are nearly impossible to find and are insanely expensive compared to a normal PC mouse (See the DIY PAGE for a way to use an inexpensive PS/2 mouse)
Q: What is an RC‑100 Remote Controller?
A: The RC‑100 has a very long hard‑wired cable which plugs into the EXT CONTROL Port of the S‑550. It adds the alpha dial found on the S‑50 and duplicates all of the front panel buttons as a convenience device so that you won't need to hover over the S‑550 while editing. It also has a 9‑pin connector on the back so either a mouse or a DT‑100 (but not both) can be used. The RC‑100 is nearly impossible to find on eBay or from other sourcesQ: What is a DT‑100 Digitizer Tablet?
A: The DT‑100 plugs into the EXT CONTROL Port of the S‑50. It has a stylus and a flat surface which is used to draw waveforms. The DT‑100 also performs menu navigations just like an MU‑1 mouse. There is a clip at the top which is used to hold paper in place over the tablet to protect the drawing surface. The DT‑100 CANNOT be plugged into the EXT CONTROL Port of the S‑550, S‑330 or W‑30. There are no menu choices to support it. However, the DT‑100 CAN be used with the S‑550 and S‑330 if it is plugged into the EXT CONTROL Port on the optional RC‑100 device. A high-res scan of the most boring manual Roland ever printed is here
Q: What are the current System and Utility versions for some of the Roland samplers?
A: This list is unverified and by no means complete but it's pretty close. I was able to compile these by reading the headers on various 3.5" floppy disks
CURRENT SYSTEM/UTILITY VERSION DATE DISK TYPE DISK HEADER
S-50 System/Utility 2.02 08 JUN/87 Boot/Sound S-50 MT25A
SYS-505 Converter 1.00 31 May/88 Boot/Utility S-50 MT25A
S-550 System/Utility 1.15* 01 APR/90 Boot/Utility S550 MT25B
CD-5 System 1.02** 05 Feb/91 Boot/Utility/SCSI S550 MT25B
HD5-IF System 1.03 23 JAN/89 Boot/Utility/SCSI S550 MT25B
Director-S 1.00 12 MAY/88 Boot/Sequencer S550 MT25B
S-330 System/Utility 1.03 18 NOV/88 Boot/Utility S330 MT25C
System/Utility 1.03 09 NOV/88 Boot/Utility S330 MT25C
Director-S 1.00 26 JAN/88 Boot/Sequencer S330 MT25C
W-30 System/Utility 1.10 01 APR/92 Boot/Utility W-30
Sys For FD/HD/CD 1.07 01 APR/92 Boot/Utility/SCSI W-30
S-760 System/Utility 2.24*** (No Date) Boot/Utility S770 MR25AP
S-750/770 System/Utility 2.25 (No Date) Boot/Utility S770 MR25A1
*v1.13 Appears to be more stable than v1.15 for non-SCSI systems so I always use v1.13
**v1.02 Has compatibility issues with ZIP & hard drives. Use CD-5 System v1.00 instead!
***S-760 Boot Disks are 1.44MB HD and S-50/550/330/750/770/W-30 Boot Disks are 720KB DD
LEGACY SYSTEM/UTILITY VERSION DATE DISK TYPE DISK HEADER
S-50 System/Utility 2.00 20 APR/87 Boot/Sound S-50 MT25A
System/Utility 1.06 02 DEC/86 Boot/Utility S-50 MT25A
System/Utility 1.02 09 OCT/86 Boot/Utility S-50 MT25A
Converted S-50 No System (No Date) Sound S-51 MT25A
S-550 System/Utility 1.01 17 NOV/87 Boot/Utility S550 MT25B
System/Utility 1.11 10 FEB/88 Boot/Utility S550 MT25B
System/Utility 1.12 12 MAY/88 Boot/Utility S550 MT25B
System/Utility 1.13 26 OCT/88 Boot/Utility S550 MT25B
CD-5 System 1.01 23 Jan/89 Boot/Utility/SCSI S550 MT25B
CD-5 System 1.00 22 Nov/88 Boot/Utility/SCSI S550 MT25B
HD5-IF System 1.00 11 Sep/87 Boot/Utility/SCSI S550 MT25B
Ver 1.xx Sound No System (No Date) Sound S500 MT25B
S-330 System/Utility 1.00 07 MAR/88 Boot/Utility S330 MT25C
System/Utility 1.01 11 MAY/88 Boot/Utility S330 MT25C
W-30 System/Utility 1.02 (No Date) Boot/Utility W-30
System/Utility 1.05 (No Date) Boot/Utility W-30
System/Utility 1.06 01 DEC/89 Boot/Utility W-30
Sys For FD/HD/CD 1.06 27 JUN/91 Boot/Utility/SCSI W-30
S-760 S-760 Sound 2.14 (No Date) Boot/Sound S770 MR25A2
S-760 System 2.20 (No Date) Boot/Utility S770 MR25AP
S-750/770 SYS-772 Sound 2.0 (No Date) Boot/Sound S770 MR25A2
S-760 Sound 2.14 (No Date) Boot/Sound S770 MR25A2
S-760 System 2.20 (No Date) Boot/Utility S770 MR25AP
SYS-772 System 2.21 (No Date) Boot/Utility S770 MR25A1
SYS-772 System 2.23 (No Date) Boot/Utility S770 MR25A1
SYS-772 System 2.24 (No Date) Boot/Utility S770 MR25A1
Q: Where can I find more info about the S‑50, S‑550, S‑330 W‑30 and S‑7xx samplers?
A: Since the early 1990's, John Sellens has maintained an excellent resource for the S‑Series and W‑Series samplers. Plenty of downloads, sample libraries, utilities, info and newsgroup discussions from the 1980's & 1990's is there. Luckily for us, it is still operational to this day. I was using it when it was just an FTP site and web browsers weren't even developed yet. You can find everything under the sun about the S-Series samplers at sgroup.ca. There is also a special interest group geared towards the S‑Series and W‑Series samplers at Facebook called the Roland Sampler Information Exchange. Joining is FREE and easy.
S-Series Resource: SGroup.ca Facebook: Roland Sampler Information ExchangeTHE FRONT DISPLAY PANEL IS BLANK / FREAKING OUT / INTERMITTENT
Q: I have an S‑50 / S‑550 and the display screen is blank or acts weird. What can I do?
A: Some owners have reported failures with bad solder connections on the FIP display. Use a magnifying glass to inspect for hairline cracks and reflow NEW solder if needed. The FIP driver coil for the display panel is also a common point of failure with the S‑50, S‑550, Super JX‑10, MKS‑70 and other Roland synths. The cause is a manufacturing defect which has been traced to the Sumida Corporation, the only supplier of this coil (P/N: 12449251). Unfortunately, sources for replacement coils are very difficult to find. A supplier on eBay has some redesigned replacements which sell for $75 USD. Another hope is to find an old coil from a cannibalized Roland product which uses the same part number. The JX‑10, JX‑8P, GM‑70, GR‑1, DDR‑30, S‑50 and S‑550 synths/samplers all use the same part number. However, be aware that these coils may also be defective. There seems to be no rhyme or reason as to when or if a coil will fail. Guy Wilkinson has a webpage with detailed troubleshooting of the FIP display and FIP coil at this link
Note: The image on the right shows the coil on an S‑550 Main Board as denoted by the silkscreen label T1. The coil for an S‑50 is located on the Panel Board Assembly and has a silkscreen designation of L1 even though these are the same part number. Also, the MKS‑70 synth uses a nearly identical coil but the windings are slightly different. The coil from an MKS‑70 will most likely work in a pinch
MAGAZINES - KEYBOARD CLINICS - MISCELLANEOUS DOCUMENTS
 "Keyboard Clinic: S‑50 / S‑550 / S‑330" 1991 Keyboard Magazine A great article from Keyboard Magazine January 1991 - Issue #177. "Keyboard Clinic: Roland S‑50 / S‑550 / S‑330 - Get The Most Out Of Your Roland". Eleven pages scanned at 300DPI, advertisements removed, placed into one large 6MB PDF file File Format: PDF Document (6MB) "Keyboard Clinic: S-50/S-550/S-330" |
 "The Roland S-760 Demystified" 1996 Keyboard Magazine A fantastic 7‑page article from Keyboard Magazine, January 1996. Quicker, more effective ways to make new samples, edit them, and store them to disk, plus advice from a pro on how to optimize memory and time‑stretch your beat loops. All pages have been scanned at 300DPI, advertisements removed, placed into one large 4MB PDF file File Format: PDF Document (4MB) "The Roland S-760 Demystified" |
 "W-30 Keyboard Report" October 1989 Keyboard Magazine An in‑depth review of the W‑30 with useful tips and detailed sequencer operation. Four pages scanned at 300DPI, advertisements removed and placed into one large 9MB PDF file File Format: PDF Document "W-30 Keyboard Report" - 1989 Review
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 "Samplers - Special Issue" March 1989 Keyboard Magazine Thirty‑seven pages of sampler comparisons. Bar charts, Frequency Response Curves, Comparison Charts and plenty of feature reviews to keep you busy. The S‑550 stacks extremely quite well next to the competition including Akai, Yamaha, Kurzweil, E‑Mu and other new samplers of the era File Format: PDF Document "Sampler Special Issue" - 1989 Report(Note: Be Patient... very large download file with hi‑rez scans) |
 "S-50 Keyboard Report" December 1986 Keyboard Magazine An in‑depth review of the "new" S‑50 using the recently released v2.0 O/S File Format: PDF Document "S-50 Keyboard Report" - 1986 Report |
S‑50 / S‑10 Sales Brochure Gatefold From 1986 Eight pages of Super High-res scans @600 dpi from the original Roland sales brochure File Format: PDF Document (10MB) S-50 Gatefold - 1986 Sales Brochure(Note: Be Patient... very large download file with hi‑rez scans) |
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"W-30 Review" July 1989 Music Technology Magazine Detailed overview of the newly released W-30  File Format: Weblink "W-30 Review - 1989"
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"Roland S-330 Review" August 1988 Music Technology Magazine In-depth review of the S-330 with user notes and operation tips  File Format: Weblink "S-330 Review - 1988"
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"S-50 Review" December 1986 Music Technology Magazine In-depth review of the S-50 with user notes and operation tips  File Format: Weblink "S-50 Review - 1986"
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"Roland S-550 Review" June 1988 Music Technology Magazine A brief overview of the newly released S-550  File Format: Weblink "S-550 Review - 1988"
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"S-550 And S-330 Comparison" June 1988 Sound On Sound Magazine A comparison of the S-550 and S-330  File Format: Weblink "W-550 & S-330 Comparison - 1988"
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"Roland S-50 Review" December 1986 Sound On Sound Magazine A brief overview of the newly released S-50  File Format: Weblink "S-50 Review - 1986"
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"W-30 Sound Structures" June 1989 Sound On Sound Magazine Sound Structures, MIDI And Sequencing For The W-30  File Format: Weblink "W-30 Sound Structures - 1989"
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"Roland S-760 Review" January 1994 Music Technology Magazine An overview of the newly released S-760  File Format: Weblink "S-760 Review - 1994"
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*.OUT AND *.IMG FILES - SHARE YOUR SAMPLER LIBRARY
Q: Is it easy to share samples with other S‑50 / S‑550 / S‑330 / W‑30 owners?
A: Absolutely! The OMNIFLOP utility makes it super simple to create your own 3.5" disk image files which can be uploaded or eMailed
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ALTERNATE SAMPLE LIBRARIESFile Format: Freebie *.OUT Disk Image Files here
Other Synthesizer And Sampler Homepages I Maintain
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Safety Precautions and Disclaimer
Modifications made to any factory stock equipment will always pose an element of risk. Sometimes mistakes are made which are irreversible. Improper soldering and handling of electricity can cause serious injury and damage the synthesizer. Use caution when handling static sensitive devices and the PCB. Make sure you are properly grounded, working on a static-free workbench or table and wearing eye protection during any soldering tasks. The author is not responsible for any damage or injury resulting from this DIY info. Use this DIY information at your own risk. And, I can't stress enough, the importance of wearing eye protection while soldering. That stuff flies everywhere sometimes!
Modifications made to any factory stock equipment will always pose an element of risk. Sometimes mistakes are made which are irreversible. Improper soldering and handling of electricity can cause serious injury and damage the synthesizer. Use caution when handling static sensitive devices and the PCB. Make sure you are properly grounded, working on a static-free workbench or table and wearing eye protection during any soldering tasks. The author is not responsible for any damage or injury resulting from this DIY info. Use this DIY information at your own risk. And, I can't stress enough, the importance of wearing eye protection while soldering. That stuff flies everywhere sometimes!
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