Oberheim DPX-1 Problem

HxC Floppy Emulator E-mu Emulator I & II support
Post Reply
pedrozakatchku
Posts: 14
Joined: Thu Jul 30, 2015 11:43 pm

Oberheim DPX-1 Problem

Post by pedrozakatchku »

Hello,

today I received my HxC SD Floppy Emulator and I installed it into my DPX-1 module instead of the original 3,5 floppy drive. My goal is to be able to play the original emulator II sample patches (E-mu system library, Omi libraries etc), I received on the CD along with the DPX player.( So far, I worked with just few 5,25 Emu discs I also receive with the device). I followed all the steps described in the manuals including formating the sd disc properly, putting the configuration file into it, converting the files from my cd (already present on my pc hard drive) into the .hfe format and the result is that when I put the sd card into the DPX-1 and switch it on I get "dE" message which means "dics error". Despite that I can easily browse the folders and files present on the sd card via HxC buttons. I can also see the names and number of the patches I converted via the software but when I press the "load" button I just get "nD" (no disk) message and DPX produces only the initial "empty sound". I searched the forum here and I already tried few things to solve it including flipping the connection cable of the HxC drive or disconnecting the other 5,25 drive but nothing helped yet. I must say I have not tried to mess with the jumpers because I do not understand it at all. Could the wrong jumpers setting be the problem? Also, I am not sure if I coverted the patch files properly cause when I tried according to the manual, the "treat input files as Raw files" should be left blank but with this setting the program did not converted the files, it converted them just when I marked this field. I do not know what to try next. Could you please somebody help me to set up the HxC to work with DPX-1 properly?

Thank you in advance! Any input would be appreciated.

Petr

pedrozakatchku
Posts: 14
Joined: Thu Jul 30, 2015 11:43 pm

Re: Oberheim DPX-1 Problem

Post by pedrozakatchku »

An update on my problem: When I choose a file and press the middle button on the drive it writes "T:000/080 S:0"

Jeff
Site Admin
Posts: 8092
Joined: Fri Oct 20, 2006 12:12 am
Location: Paris
Contact:

Re: Oberheim DPX-1 Problem

Post by Jeff »

What is the old disk drive jumper setting ?

pedrozakatchku
Posts: 14
Joined: Thu Jul 30, 2015 11:43 pm

Re: Oberheim DPX-1 Problem

Post by pedrozakatchku »

Jeff wrote:What is the old disk drive jumper setting ?
Hello Jeff, thank you for your feedback. The setting of the original 3,5 drive is as per the picture:

http://popscene.sweb.cz/Jumper%20setting.JPG

Jeff
Site Admin
Posts: 8092
Joined: Fri Oct 20, 2006 12:12 am
Location: Paris
Contact:

Re: Oberheim DPX-1 Problem

Post by Jeff »

Ok. Have you set the emulator to ID0-A ?

pedrozakatchku
Posts: 14
Joined: Thu Jul 30, 2015 11:43 pm

Re: Oberheim DPX-1 Problem

Post by pedrozakatchku »

Jeff wrote:Ok. Have you set the emulator to ID0-A ?
Hello Jeff. Yes I have set the number 1 jumper on the emulator to position ON. So it seems the connection and jumper setting of the emulator to my DPX is in order? Then there must be some silly mistake I do whem I am configuring ther emulator via Configuration Software or during converting the files to . hfe files. Here is small recapitulation of what I do: I format the SD Card to FAT32. I save the HXCSD.CFG file onto the card ( Setting Auto or Generic Shugart with the same result). I take file named "01" (size 474kB) from the FMS LIBRARY folder from my Emulator II sound bank CD and convert it using the Emulator Software to file named " FMS. LIBRARY_01.HFE" (size 1,91 MB). The conversion only works when the "Treat the input file as Raw file" is marked on. I also did the HXCFE_V1_8_8.40.UPD update and also saved the Floppy_Profile.fpf file using the "Load raw File Format Configuration" menu with no data changed there but with no success. The original 5,25 Floppy Drive on my DPX still loads the EMULATOR II discs successfully. Any opinion would be appreciated. Many thanks. Petr

swissdoc
Posts: 27
Joined: Fri Jul 11, 2014 9:55 pm

Re: Oberheim DPX-1 Problem

Post by swissdoc »

I finalized the HxC installation on DPX-1 just now, as a simple test, take Empty_Disk_000.hfe from the Quickinstall Prophet 2000 collection and store this directly on SD card. Make sure that HxC is set to Disk A. Make the Empty_Disk_000.hfe image the active disk and then press LOAD on DPX-1. The display on DPX1 should show P2 and you should hear stepping noises.

Jumper A0 has to be on, the rest has to off.

Check the floppy connector, the red wire is line 1 and has to go to pin 1. You may need to turn the connector upside down, so the notch goes not into the slot but points into thin air. I had to do this and it is reported here in another thread as well...

As it looks like the connector is flipped as well as the power lines are, no idea on which drugs the Oberheim team was back then :-)

If the Propet 2000 image loads fine, then you have a faulty conversion procedure. I assume you have .EII file from the OMI collection. Those you need to convert with E2DPX from here http://users.skynet.be/emxp/DPX.htm to .DPX files, those you then convert to .HFE by loading them (not raw loading) in the HxC Tool or you can use the batch convert feature.

pedrozakatchku
Posts: 14
Joined: Thu Jul 30, 2015 11:43 pm

Re: Oberheim DPX-1 Problem

Post by pedrozakatchku »

swissdoc wrote:I finalized the HxC installation on DPX-1 just now, as a simple test, take Empty_Disk_000.hfe from the Quickinstall Prophet 2000 collection and store this directly on SD card. Make sure that HxC is set to Disk A. Make the Empty_Disk_000.hfe image the active disk and then press LOAD on DPX-1. The display on DPX1 should show P2 and you should hear stepping noises.

Jumper A0 has to be on, the rest has to off.

Check the floppy connector, the red wire is line 1 and has to go to pin 1. You may need to turn the connector upside down, so the notch goes not into the slot but points into thin air. I had to do this and it is reported here in another thread as well...

As it looks like the connector is flipped as well as the power lines are, no idea on which drugs the Oberheim team was back then :-)

If the Propet 2000 image loads fine, then you have a faulty conversion procedure. I assume you have .EII file from the OMI collection. Those you need to convert with E2DPX from here http://users.skynet.be/emxp/DPX.htm to .DPX files, those you then convert to .HFE by loading them (not raw loading) in the HxC Tool or you can use the batch convert feature.
Hello Swissdoc, thank you very much for your advice. I tried to load Empty_Disk_hfe fro the Quickinstall prophet 2000 and it works fine :) Now, I have got another issue. Is there any chance to make the E2DPX utility work without having the 3,5 floppy drive installed on the PC? Mine does not even have the slot for connecting the standard floppy drive and the E2DPX seems not to be working without it. When I start it, it writes "incorrect parameter list" :(

swissdoc
Posts: 27
Joined: Fri Jul 11, 2014 9:55 pm

Re: Oberheim DPX-1 Problem

Post by swissdoc »

You need to provide some parameters to this command line tool, it is written to you command window when you run the e2dpx.exe without parameters, in the end you see some examples. Tool is not requiring an installed disk drive:

Code: Select all

    USAGE: E2DPX <B|S> [<EII-file>] [<DPX-file>]

     with: B        = Batch  (all EII files in folder will be processed)
           S        = Single (only the input EII file will be processed)
           EII-file = Input  EII file (required in Single mode,
                                       ignored in Batch mode)
           DPX-file = Output DPX file (optional in Single mode,
                                       ignored in Batch mode)

           [Note 1: put filenames between " " if they contain spaces]
           [Note 2: filenames should not exceed 256 characters]

     e.g.: E2DPX S PIANO.EII GRAND.DPX
            (will convert file PIANO.EII to GRAND.DPX)
           E2DPX S "PIANO 1.EII"
            (will convert file PIANO 1.EII to PIANO 1.DPX)
           E2DPX B
            (will convert all EII files in the folder)

swissdoc
Posts: 27
Joined: Fri Jul 11, 2014 9:55 pm

Re: Oberheim DPX-1 Problem

Post by swissdoc »

Looks like there is a good archive up right now with HFE files for EII. They are not in DPX format then, but may load as EMU II disks from the 2nd drive.
http://www.dblondin.com/samples/EII_HXC.zip

pedrozakatchku
Posts: 14
Joined: Thu Jul 30, 2015 11:43 pm

Re: Oberheim DPX-1 Problem

Post by pedrozakatchku »

swissdoc wrote:You need to provide some parameters to this command line tool, it is written to you command window when you run the e2dpx.exe without parameters, in the end you see some examples. Tool is not requiring an installed disk drive:

Code: Select all

    USAGE: E2DPX <B|S> [<EII-file>] [<DPX-file>]

     with: B        = Batch  (all EII files in folder will be processed)
           S        = Single (only the input EII file will be processed)
           EII-file = Input  EII file (required in Single mode,
                                       ignored in Batch mode)
           DPX-file = Output DPX file (optional in Single mode,
                                       ignored in Batch mode)

           [Note 1: put filenames between " " if they contain spaces]
           [Note 2: filenames should not exceed 256 characters]

     e.g.: E2DPX S PIANO.EII GRAND.DPX
            (will convert file PIANO.EII to GRAND.DPX)
           E2DPX S "PIANO 1.EII"
            (will convert file PIANO 1.EII to PIANO 1.DPX)
           E2DPX B
            (will convert all EII files in the folder)
Thank you very much for an explanation. I have just converted the files successfully :)

pedrozakatchku
Posts: 14
Joined: Thu Jul 30, 2015 11:43 pm

Re: Oberheim DPX-1 Problem

Post by pedrozakatchku »

swissdoc wrote:Looks like there is a good archive up right now with HFE files for EII. They are not in DPX format then, but may load as EMU II disks from the 2nd drive.
http://www.dblondin.com/samples/EII_HXC.zip
Thank you for this link, I will try it later. I have just converted the files from my Emulator II Sample CD to .hfe files and everything works fine now :) I am so happy! I would like to thank you very much for your guide to make my DPX work all right with the Floppy Emulator!

swissdoc
Posts: 27
Joined: Fri Jul 11, 2014 9:55 pm

Re: Oberheim DPX-1 Problem

Post by swissdoc »

Great to hear, that it is working now. What sample CD do you have? The old OMI UOS Vol1 CD?

pedrozakatchku
Posts: 14
Joined: Thu Jul 30, 2015 11:43 pm

Re: Oberheim DPX-1 Problem

Post by pedrozakatchku »

swissdoc wrote:Great to hear, that it is working now. What sample CD do you have? The old OMI UOS Vol1 CD?


I have got E-mu System Library, Burmer Library, FMS Library and OMI 1-3 Libraries. Seems like I dont have any of the old OMI UOS libraries. I am bit off topic here now but I would like to ask you, have you ever compared the sound of DPX-1 loaded with Emulator II sounds and the same sounds played from the original Emulator II? I compared it with some demos of Emulator II from youtube and to me it seems like the sound of the DPX is just not there. To my ears it lacks some punch or top end the original Emulator II delivers. Still I think DPX is great sounding machine but I feel I will need to find original Emulator II for myself some time in the future :)

pedrozakatchku
Posts: 14
Joined: Thu Jul 30, 2015 11:43 pm

Re: Oberheim DPX-1 Problem

Post by pedrozakatchku »

swissdoc wrote:Looks like there is a good archive up right now with HFE files for EII. They are not in DPX format then, but may load as EMU II disks from the 2nd drive.
http://www.dblondin.com/samples/EII_HXC.zip
Have you already tried to load these? I switched the driver to B. I choose and load the sound, the display shows E2, it seems the sound is being loaded but in the end it is not and in the DPX stays the previously loaded sound...

Post Reply