Akai S2000

HxC Floppy Emulator Akai Keyboards/Samplers support
Metabolis
Posts: 2
Joined: Sun Jan 28, 2018 4:35 pm

Re: Akai S2000

Post by Metabolis »

It's funny that I finally get around to buying a gotek drive (and HXC firmware) for my S2000, start searching and the helpful info I find incorporates something from my webpage. Glad s2kdie came in handy for something!

Will be flashing my drive this weekend so hopefully it's smooth sailing. If so, might try the S900 next. Cheers guys.

Metabolis.
http://wiw.org/~meta/s2k.php

Metabolis
Posts: 2
Joined: Sun Jan 28, 2018 4:35 pm

Re: Akai S2000

Post by Metabolis »

Image

Pretty much worked straight away. Thanks again to those who contibuted helpful info. :D

I might rewrite s2kdie to work with the hfe images.

djdonovan
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Aug 08, 2018 4:24 am

Re: Akai S2000

Post by djdonovan »

First off, this has been a helpful thread, so thank you all.

I am struggling to get this up and running. I have gotten as far as getting my S2000 to load the OS, however it doesn't always work. At first I thought pressing the buttons (I have the LCD version with the two buttons v0.9.27a). Pressing left button decrements the current file. Pressing the right button increments the current file. I have the DSKA0000 files on my drive. First is the OS and then I have the other 98. I also have the HXCSDFE.CFG file. Holding either buttons "fast" scrolls up or down. Pressing both doesn't seem to do anything. As it stands, turning the unit on doesn't seem to load the OS file. The only way I can get it to work is if I move to the adjacent files to the OS file "0000" and sometimes it seems to "catch" and then start loading. My screen looks like this:

DSKA0000
000/099 T:00.0

When it catches the value in the T starts to change (assuming it's showing progress of the load)

When I get the OS loaded, I try to go to the next file and either save a renamed single or format the floppy and I get "NO DISK"

I think I was able to update the firmware. I added the UPD file and pressed both buttons on power up.

Any help in understanding what is going on would be greatly appreciated.

Couple other questions...

Am I correct in assuming:
Given that any transfer of information between the USB and sampler needs to be done through the "Floppy", it seems sort of difficult to edit files on the computer, then convert to SND with Awave, then inject (I'm guesstimating the process based on my current insight into the tools) the information into the Floppy image using the disk edit utility s2kdie (which only seems to work on Linux with fdutils) and then load it into the sampler? :) Does it still make sense to use some sort of SCSI connection for this? At that point, is there a way to load the OS via SCSI? Also given the fact that my floppy does work, why not leave it in there given the headaches I am having? I know this is 20 questions, but hopefully someone kind enough to reply gets where I am going with this. Maybe someone could offer some insight into a workflow other than those that sample/resample through the Akai save to disk, etc. BTW I have an MPC2000xl (With CF card) and it's much easier to move sounds back and forth, but the MPC is missing the goodies in the S2000.

Sorry in advance for the novella :) All the best.

Jeff
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Re: Akai S2000

Post by Jeff »

I am sorry to say that you have a counterfeit firmware.

Here is what you should see with a true HxC firmware :

Image

To get the right and true HxC firmware, and then get further support here, please get a license :

https://hxc2001.com/store/index.html

Once done, i will send you something by email to install the HxC firmware (no serial/usb cable needed !)

djdonovan
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Aug 08, 2018 4:24 am

Re: Akai S2000

Post by djdonovan »

Thank you Jeff!

I took care of payment.

djdonovan
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Aug 08, 2018 4:24 am

Re: Akai S2000

Post by djdonovan »

So after a few days, finding out that I had grey market/bootlegged firmware, and a bad stick (for updating the firmware at least), I was able with the patience of Jean-François, to get everything up and running. Thank you!

If you are having problems, in addition to exploring the previous posts, I'd suggest:
  • Make sure you have a license. Costs very little and supports the supporters and devs.
  • What you initially see on the screen is indicative of the type of firmware you have. Pass this to support
  • The process for updating the firmware is straightforward. If something isn't working, it's means there is most likely a problem with the stick
  • Once you update, you should be able to go back to the original stick (in my case it just wast reading for the firmware update, but after loads the OS
Now my next challenge is how to edit the disk files on a mac :D I wonder if I'm foolish enough to try porting the php/C code to Node... :P

Jeff
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Re: Akai S2000

Post by Jeff »

djdonovan wrote:
Fri Aug 10, 2018 11:30 pm
Now my next challenge is how to edit the disk files on a mac :D I wonder if I'm foolish enough to try porting the php/C code to Node... :P
But the HFE disk browser is already available for Mac.

Worst_Poster
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue Jun 05, 2018 11:06 am

Re: Akai S2000

Post by Worst_Poster »

Hi Jeff

I have installed two gotek HXC in Akai S2000 with no problem.

I just got a Lotharek Rev F but i can't get it to work at all. I tried every ID option, the same files i used on the Gotek, and the files from the Quick Install package, and updated the firmware, tried flipping the cable. it won't load the disk image.

I didn't think i needed a pullup resistor on R12 because this guy got it to work without a resistor, and i never needed to put a resistor on the Gotek: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIEnW0u8kEk

What options do i have? I see in the video the screen shows the disk is being read, but on mine it just flashes the read signal maybe for a moment and then does nothing.

If i switch in a Gotek HXC or the original floppy drive it instantly loads the OS disk, so i am confused.

richcolour
Posts: 1
Joined: Mon Mar 11, 2019 11:32 pm

Re: Akai S2000

Post by richcolour »

Wanted to share my experience of getting an S2000 working with a Gotek USB drive. It’s taken quite a few days with some mis-steps along the way. Here’s what eventually worked for me:

Stuff needed:
• Akai S2000 sampler
• Dell GX620 running WindowsXP (old PC from 2006 with floppy drive)
• Gotek USB drive emulator (the cheapest I could find on Amazon £19.09: “ Yosoo SFR1 M44-U100 K Updated Version USB Floppy Drive Emulator “)
• OLED display (£1.89 on eBay: “0.91 inch IIC I2C SPI 128x32 White OLED LCD Display Module For Arduino PIC I4N6”)
• USB2.0 stick (Kingston DT microDuo 8gb)
• STM32 USB HxC Floppy Emulator Firmware (€10 from hxc2001.com)
• HiLetgo CP2102 USB 2.0 to TTL 5PIN Serial Converter Module for flashing Firmware (Amazon, £4.88)
• Pin Header strips for the Gotek (pins for PCBs, £4 on Amazon)
• HxCfloppyEmulator application from hxc2001.com
• Fdrawcmd.sys driver from simonowen.com
• BHOBuds_dot_com ‘s disk images, link is earlier in this thread
• Many S900 3.5” floppy disks.

Instructions:
1) Soldered seven header pins onto the Gotek board. Connected the USB to Serial Programmer to it. This guide helps: https://youtu.be/-K31S2xqZIk

2) Flashed the firmware using the BootLoaderFlasherTool (SecSerialBridge.exe). It comes with the purchase of STM32 USB HxC Floppy Emulator Firmware. Followed the ReadMe file in the Tool folder.

3) Fitted OLED display, but had to solder four header pins onto it first. Followed this wiring diagram : https://www.exxoshost.co.uk/forum/viewt ... =593#p4087

4) The Gotek board has one jumper fitted across the S1 pins.

5) The ribbon connector is connected so that Pin 1 on the Gotek is connected to Pin 1 on the Akai motherboard. Finished fitting the Gotek into the sampler.

6) Formatted the USB stick to FAT32.

7) Downloaded the Akai System Disk v2.0 and the HxC Config file, and copied these to the USB stick. The System Disk came from BHOBuds_dot_com ‘s link earlier in this thread, and the HXCSDFE.CFG Config file was the ‘Normal’ (not Indexed) config file from Jeff’s QuickInstall files for S2000. For quickness you can download them from my own site: http://mastermix.org/s2000

8.) On the PC downloaded and installed Fdrawcmd.sys floppy disk driver from simonowen.com

9) Now it’s time to convert the S900 floppies. Run HxCFloppyEmulator. Click [Floppy Disk Dump] . Most of my disks are S900 DSDD disks so I ticked [ ] Double Sided, and set Number of tracks to 80. Click [Read Disk] and wait a few mins. Close the dump window when done.

10) Click [Export]. Save as type IMG file (RAW sector file format) and name it something relevant. I start each name with a sequential number and write that number on the floppy too. To save time I copy the file name to the clipboard as it's needed later.

11) Click [Load Raw Image]. Set Predefined Disk Layout to Akai S3000 3”5 HD Floppy. Click [Load RAW file] and select the .IMG file from the previous step.

12) Click [Export]. Leave the file type as HFE file. Paste the file name from the clipboard and [Save].

13) At this point copy that exported .HFE file to the USB stick for testing.

14) Put the stick in the sampler, boot it up. Select the System Disk and after half a minute it should load. Now you can select your sample HFE file and try loading it.

15) If all is good repeat steps 9-12 for all your disks 😊

Big thanks to Jeff and all contributors in this thread!!

Jeff
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Re: Akai S2000

Post by Jeff »

Thanks for this feedback ! :)
BTW you can simply the last points : Just export to the raw/img format and change the extension to .aka or set the system family to akai on the emulator.
The firmware directly support raw/img files.

grasshopperliesheavy
Posts: 1
Joined: Sat Jan 11, 2020 12:20 pm

Re: Akai S2000

Post by grasshopperliesheavy »

Hi guys.
I'm new here, been lurking the forums for a while. Thanks to BHOBuds for his disk images, got me started using my s2000 again.
However, I have a question I can't figure out among all the information that is out there. It seems most people are using the HxC software to convert old sample disks to image files they proceed to load onto USB/SD for rompling. I am not interested in that (however, I have 30 something akai sample CD's i don't know what to do with, but thats another story), but I am interested in creating new images with wav files from my computer so I can load them into my standard program. It seems from the comments from richcolour and jeff that this should be easily done, however I can't figure it out. I managed to create a new empty image, drag in some wav files and save it as an hfe file, but my akai says no disk. I assume this is a format thing, do I need to convert the wav filies to a proprietary akai format before i drag them into the disk image, or do i need to do this formatting via the hxc software somehow? Like Jeff said "set the system family to akai on the emulator." Where? How? If there is a guide or something else that answers this question in a clear manner, please direct me to the document and forgive me for asking dumb questions.

antonis
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon Mar 16, 2020 12:24 pm

Re: Akai S2000

Post by antonis »

Hey! I need help with my gotek please!
I downloaded the (OS 2.00 and one blank floppy) and works perfect!
But the second link (98 blank disks for S2000/S3000) is not working.
Can you provide me with any other link or can you tell me how i could by myself create blank disks?
Thank you very much!

wastebeaker
Posts: 6
Joined: Mon Nov 28, 2016 1:48 pm

Re: Akai S2000

Post by wastebeaker »

Hi Antonis.
I just copied the blank disk image file from the first link. I just added incremental numbers in the file names, it worked for me

antonis
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon Mar 16, 2020 12:24 pm

Re: Akai S2000

Post by antonis »

Hi wastebeaker!
How did you do that?
did you get one blank disk from the first link and just copy it pasted and put increasing numbers on the floppy disks and read them as blank? can you save to them?

wastebeaker
Posts: 6
Joined: Mon Nov 28, 2016 1:48 pm

Re: Akai S2000

Post by wastebeaker »

yeah, i think si. it's been a while, but i atleast got it to work for me. i realize i'm replying a bit late here so you probably figured it out by now, but if not send me a pm with an e-mail, I'll send you the files and we can try to get it working

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