Hi GJ

You mentioned: "you have to leave the old technology when you find a new and better one to replace it."

Of course new technology will replace the old. But the new technology understands the old and is capable of imitating it. The KN7000 was built after the KN5000, so it's builders should be able to incorporate a KN5000 "save as" feature.

When the person records a song arrangment using the KN7000, that person will save it in KN7000 format, and take advantage of the new technology. Wonderful! If that person knows others who doesn't have a KN7000 or an organization that has an older model lets say a KN5000. That person then would be able to do a "save as" of that same song in KN5000 format for the person to use on the KN5000. Yes it won't have all the new technology, but hey it's being played on a KN5000 that doesn't have it in the first place.

Most can't wait to get the next model, and gradually the current one that was really popular looses interest and goes to the KN/PR older models graveyard. Quickly, less then a year after the new model hits the market.

Just expressing a view point that Technics should have their instruments more compatible from model to model. And not just drop it like it never existed. Which brings us back to 2 original issues. Tony Lawton's KN6500 concern about being obsolete and Technics marketing strategy$$$

Anthony

Anthony, I think we have pretty much the same points of view about
this matters, but between the KN5000 and 6000, and then 7000 there
is quite a difference in the fileformats used, also the have all
the new sounds etc. used.
This we also see when load a KN2000 pattern to KN3000, and so on,
there is a lot of settings and changes to make before it sounds
reasonable, and also of course when we convert downwards, we see
the same happen on almost all

To have a backward model save option would have been nice of course,
but it would also put the price even higher.
Also a big question is if this would be any useful for most of the
users?
After all, you leave the "old" model for a new one, the second hand
buyers will also have a "new" model, and a lot of new stuff to explore.

Well, the risk of being obsolete and the marketing strategy will most
probably still be as we've seen it, regardless of what product we buy.
I think they call it progress.....

Happy playing.
GJ

totally impractical; development time and software rom would take up more man-hours and cost than many new features of each generation of keyboard. Pay extra for losing new features - in exchange for the feature of occasionally saving a file in an old format just so it can sound a lot worse

Hi All,

That is one thing I really agree with that when a new model comes out all support and new products are directed toward the new models. Even if the new styles can not be loaded and played in the "old" models there could still be some new styles produced or versions of the new model styles made available.

If I'm not mistaken (and I could be) even the KN6000 web site has been abandoned.

However, this is not unique to Technics. Sadly the support of new products for older models whether for keyboards, autos, software or whatever is most often left up to a third party market.

In the keyboard market however, most of the money is in the sale of the keyboard itself and not in the addons so there is not a big reason to have third party items.

Best Wishes
Heather

I think we have not to leave the old technology when we buy a a new and better kb.
As you say, if KN7000 was built after the KN5000, it's builders should be able to incorporate a KN5000 "save as" feature. If not, the current kb that was really popular past year looses interest and goes to the older models graveyard.

Technics should have their instruments more compatible from model to model. Probably, Yamaha succes is its compatibility. All PSRs are compatible: so, its songs and styles may be loaded and listened in all PSR, with minor modifications. Because of that, PSR are so popular.

But KNs are not compatible. So, and because of all support and new products are directed toward the new models... old models owners are "lost" (the KN6000 web site has been abandoned).

I think this marketing style is not typical of all manufacturers, as some of you say. For example, new Roland kbs may load all Roland styles (the low priced EM25 may do it). Yamaha kbs may load all yamaha styles and songs. Yes, the support of new products for older models is most often left up to a third party market, but there is more compatibility than Technics do. It gives more life to old models.

Because of that little compatibility, owners of old Technics kbs buying a new kb may be tempted to buy a non Technics kb...

I would like Technics be better in compatibily matter. Great sounds, great styles, great building, but ...


[This message has been edited by Bluebird (edited 11-26-2003).]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Bluebird:
......Probably, Yamaha succes is its compatibility. All PSRs are compatible: so, its songs and styles may be loaded and listened in all PSR, with minor modifications. Because of that, PSR are so popular.......
[QUOTE]

I wonder, how are the compability if you load a Tyros Mega Voice style into an old PSR?
GJ

Well, I refer to PSRs, not Tyros.
But all Tyros styles have been modified to may load in PSRs, and all PSRs owners may use them.

--- Please, I don't want blame Technics, of course. I ask for a better compatibility only: it's all.

Hi Guys and Gals! Ruthie is in the kitchen getting a lot of the stuff ready for the day that transforms me. She has a formula for thanksgiving day that works magic. She somehow takes a turkey, does her thing with it and about an hour after noon on thanksgiving day she has turned me into a PIG. So here I am, thinking, just thinking and sitting. Sitting by my old friend, Mac. Old Mac is letting me see into your thoughts for this morning. Compatibility, popularity of PSR’s, sending old keyboards to the graveyard. Just thinking. Why do I have a Mac and not a PC? Why do I have a KN7000 and not a Tyros? Choices! And more choices! Myself just asked me why? Well, that's a good question, Why? Why Mac and not a PC? Elegance my friend, just plain elegance. Solid operating system. No virus to speak of. Can make it into a PC with a few bucks worth of software. Why did I say KN7000 and Tyros? I look at those two words as top of the line in arranger keyboards. I guess that’s why. Why did I choose top of the line? I like top of the line. I also got the where with all to satisfy my few remaining years on earth. Because the KN cost a bit more than the Tyros? Could care less, just like top of the line stuff. I see Bluebird says - “Because of that little compatibility, owners of old Technics kbs buying a new kb may be tempted to buy a non Technics kb...”. Thinking about that makes me wonder. Why would I tradeoff such great sounds, great styles and great quality for the ability to degrade these with old technology? With this kind of thinking I suppose some would think that modern CD’s should be able to play on a machine made for 78’s with a needle. Why not? What do you think? Gunner quotes bluebird - Because of compatibility PSR’s are so popular. Lets take top of the line again. KN7000 and Tyros. KN6500 and PSR9000. I wonder what the number of each were sold in comparison. I suppose that if you take the complete line of Yamaha there would be more. I just wonder about the new KN and the Tyros. I would venture to say - Well what do you think? While sitting back and thinking it dawned on me that some people are living in the present and some kind of live in a dream world. Something like Alec the technicsplayer’s practicability and the dream wishes of others. Gunner wonders how is the compatibility if you load a Tyros Mega Voice style into an old PSR? I’m sitting here thinking and wondering. How would they? What do you think?

Grandpa Doug

If I don't remember it wrong, the Tyros styles have been modifyed unofficially
by the users, and not by Yamaha?
Also I think I've heard that they do not sound anything like the Tyros played
on the PSR's.
In fact I seem to remeber that the Yamaha lawyers insisted that users should
take the styles off of the web pages not so long ago, and is'nt it true that
there was a big fuss among the Yamaha users because of this?

Anyway, happy playing on whatever keyboard brand we choose to play on
GJ

Hi BlueBird:

Thanks for your feedback and feeling compatibility is important.

----General----

I mentioned a newer model having a "save as" feature as one of maybe many possibilites of making Technics instruments compatible. I'm sure there are other technologies that can make it possible to have Technics more compatible.

When the next new KN model comes out, most current KN owners will purchase it, regardless of compatibility. Yes their older files will probably work on the new model, but not vice-versa. So if any new songs were recorded and saved on the new model, it would only work for that model.

After hearing the feedback, it sounds to me that most all current KN owners prefers new sounds, and features, over compatibility. And probably why Technics do what they do, go with what's in demand. If compatibility is not a major concern/factor when purchasing the new model, then in Technics point of view, why bother making these compatible?

Anthony

[This message has been edited by AnthonyCian (edited 11-26-2003).]