Forgot to ask. What is a windows ringer?

Grandpa Doug

PS. I'm not really hip on windows lingo!

Hello, I can't resist but, just think...

You have a windows based keyboard, your playing in public, lots of people, good vibes, everything is going perfect. THEN IT HAPPENS! The keyboard locks up and you have to reboot!!! Right in the middle of the song... Not once, but many times.

A music virus attacks the keyboard and now the keboard starts playing songs off key. Worse, the virus formats the system, and you end up with a blank keyboard. Hmmm, right in the middle of playing a tune in public.

Anthony

Douglas Dean. There have been a number of occasions at Wersi concerts and demonstrations that the keyboards have locked-up (Wersi use WinXP OS) To reboot the board can take several minutes leaving an embarrassed player waiting on stage.
You state you have had no problems with your MAC. The reason is the MAC OS is very good and stable.
Spend some time with a Microsoft OS PC, then you will see the reason players do not want a MS Windows based keyboard.
I have good knowledge of PC's after many years of putting problems right (Still learning every day) I would never buy a board built around MS Windows.

Graham

Gee Whizz Graham, thanks much. You done a great job explaining. Had no idea the system was so unstable. Always thought the reason most people used MS windows was because of reliability even though it was not so user friendly as Mac. Guess one is never too old to learn. Come to think about it, one of the reasons other than the great sound and user friendly OS, I have always liked the technics boards is because of its reliability. Never has let me down on a job after all these years. No wonder Bebop said what he said. Don’t mess with my board.

Grandpa Doug

Hi all,

I totally agree with the anti-Windows sentiments. Having spent two hours this afternoon sorting out a problem with XP on my friend's PC, I have no wish to see it incorporated in my keyboard. It works fine just the way it is.

Cheers
Len C.

[This message has been edited by manorcourt1991 (edited 09-12-2003).]

Although I have not had problems with XP since Sevice Pack 1 was installed, I totally agree that a keyboard operating system should be completely tailored for the job it is to do.
There is very little that I can see that would be common to any PC operating system, whether it be Windows or MAC, except in these areas:

[*]Display driver - The keyboard only requires a simple driver. (A larger text screen with choice of font sizes for lyrics would be nice)

[*]File handling system. Here is where I believe that Panasonic could learn from the PC boys. I don't see why the SD Card has to be so awkward and require special software to interface the Card with the PC. My digital camera has a file system that is common in characteristics to the PC, The memory card is easily accessed for read and write and file management with any garden variety card reader.

Walt

[This message has been edited by Walt Meyer (edited 09-12-2003).]

I have spoken at length with wersi at various times and their story is the windows operating system is completely stripped down with non-applicable sections taken out - this has been done since win98 so there is nothing particularly new here.
A keyboard with cubase or sonar built in like the abacus would be an interesting concept, even though I remain doubtful at the present time over the stability, even though XP (SP1+) is probably the best windows yet.
Much more important, having used hard drive streaming sample generators they would open up a whole new ball game in sound quality, albeit at a price. You only need to listem to B4, FM7 etc for half a second to see that.
The reason MACS are so stable (but ask the people who moved to 10 early!) is that the peripherals and software is limited and therefore easy to debug fully in relatively fast time. The reason windows is less stable, apart from the laziness and incompetance of microsoft, is that there is a huge range of hardware/software to load in and interact with each other and windows to cause conflicts.

Douglas Dean. The main problem with MS OS systems is that most programs you install send files into the Windows directory. Very often when those same programs are uninstalled a number of files are left behind.
I Install & un-install a number of programs to try each week. Eventually the PC gets slower & slower due to all this clutter left behind.
There are a number of programs available one can install that can delete this clutter within reason.

The windows operating system can be reliable. PC’s used in the Office are very often used as they are purchased and very little programs are added. These then are reliable and in most cases stable.

If one never installs new programs onto a PC, which possibly a lot of uses don't, then Windows OS will usually run fine.
But just from my experience I would not want a board based on MS OS System.

Graham UK

The advantage of a Windows based keyboard would be the ability to add new sounds (sound fonts), new styles, even new hardware, without having to purchase a whole new keyboard. I upgraded my keyboard just to get a new flute sound. I bought the case, keybed, amplifier, speakers, o/s, styles, manual,box, just to get the flute sound. See how silly that seems? . If I had a Windows system, I would have purchased 1 flute sound font.
Starkeeper

You know, if Windows is going to have a place in the keyboard world. A good place for it is converting file formats from one another. From one Brand to another Brand. Or in the Technics World from Model to Model including cross model converting from PR to KN and vice-versa. This is where software shines at, is in the world of converting different file formats.

It sure would be great to have a converting software package that can take a KN5000 style in composer/panel memory format and convert it to load and play on the PR804. Or convert a PR804 style format and be able to load and play on the KN6500.

Anthony