DP-32SD retrofit Midi in/Out

[Tony Keys]

Hi all
I'm and electronics design engineer and recently purchased a Tascam DP-32SD and like everyone who has one, was disappointed that Midi implementation had been taken out of the SD version of this great Multitrack.

After looking at the circuit diagrams, I can see that the components for Midi that should be on the Main circuit board have been omitted, even though the positions and circuit board holes are there. They have just not populated the components to make Midi work.
Now, although I can insert all the components (as in the DP32 model) back in position, there is going to be a software issue, because with no CD Burner or Midi the software would have been re-written so as to bypass these items in order for the software to run the DP-32SD version.
However , I am wondering whether by overwriting the DP-32SD software with the DP32 update file (designed for the DP32) the software may recognise the now included hardware and might work.
Of course, they may have written some code into the system that will not allow an overwrite of DP32 software on top of an installed DP-32SD system. But it might be worth a try.
What I DON'T want to do is "Brick" my machine by corrupting the operating system. !
The first thing I'm going to do is add all the Midi components back onto my Main Circuit board and turn it on and see what happens. Then when I'm brave enough I'll try to overwrite the software so it recognises the Midi circuitry.
I'll keep you posted. When I've installed all the Midi components, I'll report back here.

Fingers crossed.

Keeezy

 

[shredd]

Yee-Zuz Gawd.
I know that a lot of people who are into studio gear are smart (a LOT of them hang out here) - but I am flattened by your proposing this. I'll be watching with great interest!

I'm "one of them" - who thinks that Tascam absolutely jumped the shark by eliminating MIDI capability in the DP-xxSD.
So much so, that I stayed put with my 2488neo for YEARS after the DP-xxSD became the newest/biggest thing...I had "missed" my chance to jump on the DP-xx with MIDI, and the SD model was a no-go.
SO...I was delighted to, in the last year, discover a mint-condition DP-32 w/full MIDI at a great price. I jumped on it like a politician on a pig-trough spending bill.

Good luck - I'll be watching!!!

 

[Phil Tipping]

What I DON'T want to do is "Brick" my machine

Get in touch with @Guilherme re. his recent post.
Interesting that 2 similar upgrade ventures pop up on the same day. Good luck

 

[-mjk-]

Since the 2 machines are so similar, I highly doubt that updating the "wrong" firmware will brick it because this is entirely possible to do accidently. I'm sure its been done.

 

[Guilherme]

What I did for the SD-008 was to update the header of the firmware file to cheat the update process, allowing me to update it with the SD-008EX firmware.

I think you could do the same here, there is a chance that it will work. Just keep in mind that there is some risk involved.

I checked both versions of the firmware, and you just need to add the "SD" bytes into DP-32 firmware. Look the screenshot.

 

[-mjk-]

If, the SD version boards are indeed unchanged from the original and have the holes for the components and cabling, and if you populate the board (with the correct components of course) and connect a burner, would it not become a non-SD version? That's the point of the modification, so, why wouldn't the non-SD version firmware work as is? The SD versions also appear to have the bay for the burner that is covered with a panel. I think after that, all you'd need is a DIN standard hole punch.

I have a DP-32 and having the MIDI is why I bought it. Its very useful with drum recording. But don't discount the CD burner though. I never thought I would use it, but one day I put a commercial CD in the burner and I realized I could rip the CD to wav files. I hadn't considered that use when I bought it but now I'm listening to my CDs on my phone.

 

[shredd]

rip the CD to wav files

I can't beleeve that a maroon like me is the one to point this out:

You can take the *.WAV files you ripped from your CD's and convert them to MUCH smaller MP3's...there's free sites all over the i-net that do this.
I do it often - I have my ENTIRE music collection (over 3000 MP3's) on my ol' iPhone! And, of course, being an iPhone, it's beautifully organized into playlists, sortable by artist, genre, blahblahblah...

 

[BazzBass]

But mp3s are much much much poorer quality than wavs

 

[-mjk-]

Its all about the source.

In my above example, I put a commercial CD into the DP-32 burner and exported the tracks. The only available option for that is to save them as .wav files.

No matter how you slice it, CD resolution is 16 bit, 44.1 kHz. You can resample that and upscale is but there won't be an increase in quality, only file size. Since mp3 files are also 16 bit, 44.1 kHz files they are a good choice for CD music consumption. At that point its about the data rate so one could argue that upping the "quality" setting on the mp3 to a higher data rate might sound better. It depends on what you're using and how good your hearing is. tbh I just left the files as .wav files because I couldn't be bothered to convert them.

Maybe its me but I also don't trust those cheap converter programs. I use RX 10 Advanced and there a number of options one can choose in the conversion process and RX can also do batch work, making it easy to do an entire collection of files in one go. I use RX to process files I get for mixing before I begin the mixing process. I suppose I should do a video on that but I digress. mp3s are fine for CD playback as the resolution matches. Try exporting at various data rates and see what sounds best to you.

 

[Tobermory]

I expect that there must be a difference between the H/D and SD version hardware somewhere, to provide an SD card interface in place of the previous H/D interface. Though this could be separated from the main board in such a way that the main board is the same in both.

Since you have been looking at the silicon on the circuit board(s), Tony, can I ask if you noticed whether the core of the DP-32 is a sequential processor or programmable logic?

Asking because I have always been intrigued by Tascam providing two products as similar as the DP-32 and DP-24. And wondered if the DP-32 has a more powerful processor or just more logic, to support playing back those extra eight streams of audio?

 

[-mjk-]

There is no HD interface on the DP-24/32. Its always been SD card based.

 

[shredd]

There is no HD interface on the DP-24/32. Its always been SD card based.

They might be thinking of the 2488's, which were HD-based...(shrugging?)

 

[Arjan P]

Since mp3 files are also 16 bit, 44.1 kHz files they are a good choice for CD music consumption. At that point its about the data rate so one could argue that upping the "quality" setting on the mp3 to a higher data rate might sound better.

That is not correct, actually. If, for comparison, you express CD-Audio quality in bitrate, you'll come to 44,100 samples x 16 bits per second= 705,600 bits/second, which equals 705.6 kbps. Depending on your choice in quality, an mp3 file ranges in bit rate between 8 kbps and a maximum bit rate of 320 kbps. 20 years ago 128 kbps was considered a 'standard' mp3, which saved you roughly 9/10th of the file size (because not only the math itself defines the bits that can be dropped).

Where have the other bits gone? Well, mp3 uses an algorhythm to reduce the file size by removing audio content (in frequency and time) that the human hearing will not miss.. So you can say an mp3 is 44.1 or 48 kHz but not 16 bits. A certain bit rate defines the quality, 320 kbps being the highest. I would add that almost noone will hear the difference between 44.1/16 bit wavs and 320 kbps mp3s, certainly not on a phone..

 

[Arjan P]

As for the original post, I hope you can make it work, but even if you do succeed, you'll probably end up with a machine that is MIDI capable, but lacks all the stuff that was introduced on the new model, like the SD-card reader that was mentioned before, but probably a lot more stuff...

It sure is an interesting experiment though!

 

[Mark Richards]

The DP-24/32/SD has proven to be a very reliable and stable platform.

Keep in mind: If people hack the firmware or hardware, there could be unanticipated impacts to the internal operations (like subtle hardware timing differences which won't be handled correctly with the wrong f/w version; changes in button functions; changes in how functions operate; etc.) beyond just changing bytes and adding parts. If so they'll be on their own down the road as far as any troubleshooting assistance goes.

The first question I'd be asking: Has the platform (hardware or software) been altered in any way. If so, I wouldn't have any troubleshooting help to offer.

 

[-mjk-]

but even if you do succeed, you'll probably end up with a machine that is MIDI capable, but lacks all the stuff that was introduced on the new model, like the SD-card reader that was mentioned before, but probably a lot more stuff...

The original DP machines were all SD card based. The second series had to be differentiated somehow, and Tascam chose to add "-SD" to the model number. Due to the naming convention of these models (which is terrible, IMO), now people who have no personal experience with the original units think they must have been HDD based. Who can blame them?