TD8 update.. Help!!!

[balinche]

I tried to upgrade my td8 to v1.10. I tried Roland's SMF utility first. Afterward,I checked the revision number and
found that it hadn't changed. So, I tried to do it manually. One smf at a time.I followed the instructions
posted at here but I did not see any other light on (except for PLAY) while I was playing the midi files.
I changed out the midi cable in case it was bad.... Same result.....

Now I get a blank screen when I turn the td8 on. It doesn't respond to any keys. Is there a way to boot the
unit up or will I have to take it to a service center?
Has anyone else had this problem...?
I appreciate any help I can get on this...

------------------
TS

[F.o/GraViTy]

I tried to manually install this update first. This caused the same problems that you are now experiencing.
USE the Roland program to do this!
Patience is a must.
The update takes quite a while.
Read, then write down the instructions to follow during the update.
The Roland program works fine.
Your TD-8 is not busted.
G

[balinche]

Thanks, I will try it again with the Roland utility.
Should I expect all the buttons to light up at some point. (this happened last night).
What mode does the td-8 have to be in to do
this? Simply booted or like below....


..2. Power on while holding [SETUP]+[REC], and you will
enter Update Mode. [SETUP] will light.

...3. Continue holding [REC], release [SETUP], and press [DOWN].
[CHAIN] will light.

ETC.....

Again, thanks for you help
TS


[This message has been edited by balinche (edited April 13, 2002).]

[This message has been edited by balinche (edited April 13, 2002).]

[This message has been edited by balinche (edited April 13, 2002).]

[This message has been edited by balinche (edited April 13, 2002).]

[F.o/GraViTy]

Follow the instructions precisely.
Be prepared to wait.

Beats getting an expansion card, then getting a cymbal upgrade!
Good luck
G

[wincent]

As I said in this other thread, attempting this update left my TD8 in an inoperable state. :-(

Followed the instructions exactly, but made the bad decision to use Cubase on a Mac to play the SMF files.... sigh...

Eventually found the SMF updater application for the Mac on a page full of Japanese text, but it still didn't work. After the update runs, the TD8 won't "boot". Also, during the update the status lights didn't behave as the instructions said they would.

So I guess I have to send this sucker in to get fixed now.... sigh... I wonder if it's gonna cost me $$$$....

All this to get it to remember my click settings between sessions! Not that there will be any "sessions" for a while... :-(

[kreja]

Hey bud... I just got my TD8 this evening, and had downloaded the update from Roland as a ZIP file... My friend (a MIDI keyboardist using Cakewalk) tried unsuccessfully to install the update several times before I could get over there, but we finally got it installed. We followed the instructions of the readme file explicitly one at a time -- however it didn't work until we set the clock speed on the files to 50BPM. It took a while, but the TD8 did exactly what it was supposed to do and it works...

Now if the D*** Hart Mega Pro triggers will just get here I can play the thing (SIGH!!!)...

[wincent]

Thanks man, I really appreciate the tips. I will try again at 50 BPM and let you know what happens.

[wincent]

Just one quick question....

Are the instructions accurate when they say.....?:

..5-1 While receiving data, [TRIGGER] will light.
..5-2 While writing data, [REC] will light.
..5-3 When writing is completed and the unit is waiting to receive data,
[PLAY] will light

For me, the trigger light comes on and never goes out no matter how long I wait. Also, the play light stays illuminated the whole time. After a while I see the RIM light come on and stay on.

It has done this for me no matter what I've tried: using Cubase, using Midiography, using Roland's UpdateSMF utility, and trying again with Cubase at 50 BPM....

Everyone keeps saying, "follow the instructions EXACTLY", but what can you do when the TD8 isn't responding like those instructions say it should????

I am particularly interested in hearing more detail from those people who's updates failed at first and eventually worked....

[wincent]

Ok, made a little bit of progress....

It seems that the RIM light lights up when there's a problem. I found that turning off "midi-thru" in Cubase enabled the TD8 to update with the first file with no problems. For the first time ever, I actually saw the REC light go on and then the PLAY light like it says it should in the instructions.

But it failed midway through the second file.

I tried slowing it down to 50. Failed. Speeding it up to 160 failed. Slowing it down to 40. Failed. Not sure where to go from here....

[newpark]

Got my update to work on a 2nd attempt. As previously said follow the instructions exactly and I used windows media player to play the files...that worked perfectly. On the first attempt something went wrong with my computer so I couldn't finish all the files so I switched the unit off then on only to get a blank screen, from what I remember I just started download the files from scratch and it worked OK...if I were you try windows media player (if you are using windows)...

[kreja]

When if finally worked, it was a matter of being very... VERY meticulous, playing each track one at a time (no jukebox or chain) and watching for the behavior as listed... yes the lights go on and off according to the sequence of steps. Good luck.

[wincent]

Thankyou to everybody for your advice. I must admit though that I am tired of reading that I must "follow the instructions exactly" because this is what I have been doing from the very beginning.

This update process seems so flaky; following the steps EXACTLY with each file sometimes produces the desired result and sometimes not. At times a given file will work, at other times not. There seems to be no rhyme nor reason to it.

This is true when using a 3rd party app like Cubase (Mac) and also when using the tools supplied directly by Roland (Midigraphy Mac and the Update SMF program for Mac).

Getting towards the end of my tether here... Updates shouldn't be as painful as this. The procedure sucks big time.

[wincent]

One other comment that I might add: several people have said things like, "Don't worry, your TD8 is not busted; you have to be patient; do it properly and it will work for you; it failed for me at first and worked on the third try" etc.

I am wondering whether these statements are universally true. In other words, might there be instances in which the unlucky TD8 owner finds him/herself with a failed update from which recovery is NOT possible?

The following comments from this page at www.roland.co.jp (the only really helpful page I've found on the subject) lead me to fear that irrecoverable errors are indeed possible, if not common. These are translated from Japanese to English using babelfish, so beware, they are a bit munged...

When it updates the TD-8, first the system * program is eliminated, of next the system * program new version is written with the standard MIDI file.
When the system * program is eliminated, because it becomes not be able to use the TD-8, when there is no playback environment of the standard MIDI file, please do not do after update job no matter what.

and:

As for update in this system * program, if it executes according to procedure, as for especially problem it is not, but when 10001, unexpected accident such that power source is cut off during update job occurs, there are times when the system of the TD-8 not be able to use is destroyed, becomes. In this case please consult the Roland place of business or the service * station.

and:

When update ends normally, [ the KIT ] blinks.



*

When the other button lights up, verifying the connection and setting of all equipment, please redo from procedure 2.
When even then going well, please consult the Roland place of business or the service * station.

[ufotofu]

If I understand correctly, the TD-8 update provides only trigger selections for the v-cymbals, but these can be duplicated just as well using the stock settings. The update does not increase performance of the module (as the TDW-1 does for the TD-10) but only convenience.

Could someone please confirm this? (I know this has been discussed before but I'm still not certain.)

[gobbledgak]

I'm in the same boat as ufotofu: I'm not completely sure what this TD-8 does. It is really something worth all of the hastle, or is it an application-specific update only necessary for those with V-Cymbals? If someone could simply lay down the specifications of this update, I would be quite appreciative.

Thanks,
Chris