I think I am interested in the hard drive option for KN 5000. I live in Michigan and can't seem to find anybody that knows anything about it.

About how much does it cost?
Where can you get it done?
Is it possible to install yourself (I have some electronics experience)?
and finally
Is it worth the trouble??

Thanks

Dick

The HD-AE5000 hard drive is a unique design which includes some additional audio features for the keyboard. Although the hard drive itself is a standard item, the circuit board and connections to the keyboard electronics are unique. The software is intermingled with the keyboard software after installation. It is very easy to install (takes about 10 to 15 minutes). I paid $750 in the U.S plus another $80 for the Tech Manager Software. A really steep price but once you have the hard drive you wouldn't want to live without it. For sources of supply contact Key Soft Service at the following address. http://www.keysoftservice.ch/

Hi Dick,

I completely concur with Bob Hendershot on all counts. The HD-AE5000 hard drive price is steep but once you have it you won't know how you ever lived without it. Yes, the installation is an easy 'snap' too.

Dick, I think the HD-AE5000 hard drive is certainly 'worth' the money and trouble considering the added value of being able to categorize/store (by artist, song type or whatever method you setup) and then load any of your songs almost instantly (2-3 sec). Other HD-AE5000 features include loading by number or loading songs (such as a complete performance set) in succession (file load script). With the Keysoft Service optional software called 'Tech Manager' you can backup all your hard drive data as well as edit and move/group your songs to specific areas of the hard drive. You can also output the bass/drums to an independent audio output for even more realistic sound.
 
- Scott

I have never got the HD-TechManager working with my Laptop computer with standard EPP or ECP configuration neither with the bi-directional setting. The same was with my mini-tower PC, which started to work with an additional parallel port (printer) card.

Today the new computer chip sets no more supports the ISA bus for what my additional LPT card is made. Now I wanted to update my computer to the new millenium model.

The question is:
Can I get the HD-Techmanager to work with the new PC:s?

Note! The HD-Techmanager as well as the hard disk is not compatible with KN3000 hard disk neither with the new KN6000!
-= Matti =-

Matti, I have used the Tech Manager with three of my computers. On one, a laptop, I just use the built in parallel port. I did have to reset the port to the EPP mode. I just finished building a 650mhz AMD Athlon machine with a mother board that supports one ISA card which I use for a second parallel port. The other machine uses PCI slots for everything although the parallel port is on the motherboard. All of the computers have worked fine with the Tech Manager. I don't see why the Tech Manager would care where the LPT port was located. I'm sure it would work OK.

I think I'm not alone with my LPT-port problem because there is a long story on how to set up an additional working LPT-port at: http://www.keysoftservice.ch/pport_config-e.htm
My computer has an Intel ATX motherboard and both my laptop and desktop are working well with external CDR-writer throug LPT-port and with all modes (ECP, EPP and bi-dir). The problem is not in the LPT-port but in KeySoftService's LPT-driver! (I have designed systems working with bidirectional data communication using the 'new' LPT-port's biderectional properties - there has been no need to use external cards)
I'm still waiting for a new driver program for my HD-AE5000 manager. - Matti

Hi Matti,

I am very disappointed to hear that you are not able to get your 'HD-Tech Manager' software to work with your current PC computer configuration.

I have the 'HD-Tech Manager 5000' software installed on my old 133 mhz Toshiba 'Satellite Pro' laptop and it works fine. It is connected to my KN5000 keyboard via the laptop's parallel port with the parallel port set to: 'standard-Bi-directional' mode.

I have run both the earlier 'HD-Tech Manager 5000' version 1.44 as well as the current version 2.0 and have not experienced problems.

Matti, you say that you are waiting for a new 'driver program' for your HD-AE5000 Manager. Are you speaking of the HD-AE5000 OS (current version 1.15i) which is installed into the KN5000 keyboard itself or a specific 'driver update' for the 'HD-TechManager 5000' software program located in the PC computer? Matti, have you spoken directly with Roland Schmid ((+41)-41-922 03 14) at Keysoft Service concerning your port configuration problem? I have found the quickest way to get questions answered and issues resolved at Keysoft Service is to speak to or sent email directly to Roland Schmid.

My chief complaint about the 'HD-TechManager 5000' software program is the slow file 'transfer rate' between the PC and the KN5000 keyboard. I heard that a new 'HD-Tech Manager 6000' is currently being developed that will no longer rely on the 'slow' Parrallel Port but instead support a much faster port (USB or serial?) to speed data transfer rate. Unfortunately the new KN6000 version of 'TechManager' will not be able to be used with the KN5000 keyboard.

I am most concerned about your issue Matti because I also want to eventually purchase a new faster PC and need to make sure that the 'HD-TechManager 5000' software will be able to run on it. Please keep us posted on your latest developments.

Warmest regards from California (San Francisco Bay Area),

- Scott

Matti, are you certain that you have a good cable for your computer connection to the keyboard? When I first bought the Tech Manager it came with a damaged cable that would not work. Had to have a replacement cable sent before the system would work. The Tech Manager certainly is a marginal piece of software and is not well documented, but it does work.

Scott, I just built a new computer that runs at 650mhz. The Tech Manager works fine in it. There is no reason to believe that a faster PC would have trouble with the software.

Hi Matti,

I believe that Bob may be right. I remember hearing that a few of the first factory shipments of ' HD-TechManager 5000' shipments came with defective cables. I suggest you contact Roland Schmid and exchange your cable for a new one right away.

The cable required is a custom cable specifically made & configured to connect the PC & 'HD-TechManager 5000' software to the KN5000 keyboard. A standard parallel printer cable will NOT work. I think the required cable may have been designed to incorporate some kind of 'HD-TechManager' copy protection feature, though I'm not sure of this.

The current 'HD-TechManager 5000' is admittedly slow when transfering KN5000 hard drive data but it does what it is supposed to do: backup, catagorize, re-organize and re-name your hard drive song files. I believe that the slow data transfer rate is due to its' use of the PC's parallel port rather than supporting faster ports like USB . I have heard that the upcoming KN6000 version of this program (but unfortunately will not be able to be used with the KN5000, KN3000 or any other KN keyboard) will utilize your PC computer's faster ports (USB?) instead of the the SLOW parrallel port.

Both the HD-AE5000 hard drive and 'HD-TechManager' software are relatively expensive so I hope you will pursue getting this issue resolved right away. Matti, please let us know how things progress.

Good luck,

- Scott

Scott and Bob,

yes, I have sent e-mail to Roland Smith (KeySoft Service) and got one repply but never answer to my doubt about error/fault in software/hardware.

O.K. I have worked using that external LPT-card because my friend also had the same problem - and he neither got any answer from KeySoft Service. Both of us are working with additional cards.

Is this enough for verifying that the cable is O.K.? Maybe not, I made measurements on the cable and there was no breaks or short circuits but the doubt is that there is a 17 ohm resistance from PC ground to KN5000 ground! This may cause erronous behaviour of the connection on certain configurations, I'll try to make a new cable without this resistance, this will take some time to catch the material. For your interest there in a 'hidden' drawing on my measurements at: http://www.dlc.fi/~matsai/KN5000-ParallelCable.htm

Thanks for informing about the possible cable fault,
Matti

FYI, the problem that I had with the cable was that it was physically damaged. Somehow it had been smashed in handling or shipping and the connector would not fit onto the computer. The cable is not anything exotic and has the normal RFI filter at the computer end. I have always used the Tech Manager with LPT1. I have not tested it using a second parallel port (LPT2) connection.

Hi Matti & Bob,

Perhaps I might have mistakenly concluded that a 'specially designed' custom cable was required for 'TechManager' because of a message board posting or email I had read somewhere. Apparently some guy had obtained a copy of TechManager' (illegally?) w/o a cable and then had tried to re-design a standard parallel printer cable to connect his PC as well as adapt a cable connector that would fit at the KN5000's keyboard hard drive end. After his attempts at re-designing a cable, I think he gave up and went ahead and ordered a legitimate copy of of the program and the cable as well from Keysoft Service.

Anyway, sounds like you need to get in direct contact with Roland Schmid. You may need to make a telephone call to him directly. I gave the Keysoft telephone number in an earlier post in this thread.

I am sorry to hear of your troubles with the Tech Manager software Matti. Perhaps if Keysoft is not able to fix your problem, then at least they should refund your money. I had spoken with Roland Schmid by telephone in the past and he was quite responsive. In fact I think it was Roland himself who told me that there had been cable problems in the past. Perhaps he was referring specifically to Bob's smashed cable. Anyway, I confidently hope Roland will be forthcoming in response to your particular issue.

Good luck and keep us posted on your progress.

- Scott