VG-88 V2 Firmware Upgrade - FREE OF CHARGE !!!

Started by Cristofe, October 04, 2010, 05:27:48 PM

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Cristofe

Hey y'all, I'm no stranger to Roland 24 and 13 pin gear. I've owned and used most of it over the years
but only just recently dipped my toes into the VG waters with the acquisition of a VG-88. As it is a V1
I got a pretty good deal on it. I'm also an electronics tech and I've repaired and modded all sorts of gear.
I'm big into hardware,(and software), synths and I've performed many successful firmware upgrades.
Sooo....after reading the documentation, I didn't think that performing a V2 upgrade would be problematic.
I created the necessary jig plug and followed the directions carefully...i.e. powering up the VG while depressing the output selection and right cursor buttons. According to Roland's .pdf this should have
resulted in first "dL" being displayed and then "--". Instead what I got was "88" and "E3". Now the Roland
document is in the typical "rost in transration" format of most Roland docs so I thought ok, maybe they got it backwards. So I tried powering on while holding output select and LEFT cursor. This procedure resulted in "88" but then the requisite "--" characters appeared. So ok, the VG now appeared to be ready to receive data so using the recommended UpdSMF I initiated the boot update and sent it the first smf. It looked good at first...the blinking dots appeared indicating a transfer was taking place...but then at about
70% the VG display changed to F8. And there I am....I've tried everything I can think of but no joy.
Any thoughts or suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated!!

Cheers.......Cristofe Chabot
            Stonetree Productions
    http://www.myspace.com/cristofe
 

Brent Flash

Welcome to the group Cristofe!  :)

Don't know who has the answers to your question but hopefully someone will chime in and help you out.

Macciza

Don't know if you've seen this but it may help . .
I know the VG8 upgrade was user installable - I did one or two - but here they say that Roland should upgrade the VG88 . . .
Hears hoping you don't need them to fix your 'possibly' disabled machine . . .

Cheers
'70s Strat, Brian Moore iM, VG-8, VG-99, FC-300, VL-70m, StringPort, SoftStep, Sentient6, iMac QC i7 27".

Cristofe

Quote from: Macciza on October 04, 2010, 06:44:32 PM
Don't know if you've seen this but it may help . .
I know the VG8 upgrade was user installable - I did one or two - but here they say that Roland should upgrade the VG88 . . .
Hears hoping you don't need them to fix your 'possibly' disabled machine . . .

Cheers


Thanks for the replies! Fortunately, although my first attempt did not succeed, my VG is still functioning fine
......as a V1.... :-\

Cheers.......Cristofe

Macciza

Again , don't know if it will help but I just saw a vg v2 upgrade on ebay - incase yours is cactus . . .But didnot copy the link - somewhere in the states, the united ones that is
. .
'70s Strat, Brian Moore iM, VG-8, VG-99, FC-300, VL-70m, StringPort, SoftStep, Sentient6, iMac QC i7 27".

Cristofe

Thanks but the V2 upgrade kit that is listed on eBay consists of the jig plug, the midi files vg88_201-208,
UpdSMF and user patches. I already have all of that.

Cheers......Cristofe

Elantric

#6
You may have a bad situation.

The Roland VG-88 "V2" upgrade was originally released to be a user installable upgrade - but due to numerous "bricked" VG-88's due to poor SMF MIDI File reception, - Roland officially pulled the upgrade off their servers, and the policy is to have an authorized Roland service center perform the upgrade.


I think your best path is to contact Roland - however if your VG-88 is bricked, it may be cheaper to locate a used VG-88 V2 on ebay - typically run $200-$350 USD these days

Cristofe

Quote from: Elantric on October 05, 2010, 09:21:30 AM
You may have a bad situation.

The Roland VG-88 "V2" upgrade was originally released to be a user installable upgrade - but due to numerous "bricked" VG-88's due to poor SMF MIDI File reception, - Roland officially pulled the upgrade off their servers, and the policy is to have an authorized Roland service center perform the upgrade.


I think your best path is to contact Roland - however if your VG-88 is bricked, it may be cheaper to locate a used VG-88 V2 on ebay - typically run $350 USD these days


Hi Elantric, Thanks for the reply but I got it sorted! I'm aware that hardware can be bricked by bad midi transmission. Too fast, too slow, too erratic...I know....the hard way...from experience. My DAW is fine tuned for exactly this sort of procedure. So that definitely was not the problem. The problem was these old eyes!! I mistakenly built the jig plug with a 470k Ohm resistor instead of the required 47k. It caused no harm as it was too high a value for the boot update to start. In any case, I built a new plug with the proper 47k resistor and the update ran flawlessly. I'm now a very happy V2 camper!! Mmmnn....now where'd I put those GR-300 wavesynth patches....LOL!! ;D

Cheers.......Cristofe Chabot
            Stonetree Productions
http://www.myspace.com/cristofe
http://www.myspace.com/stonetree1

Buco

Hi there,
I have a friend who picked up VG-88 and was told it was a V2 but it's V1.2
Would you be willing to lend the kit to perform the upgrade?
We'll pay (obviously) for 2-way shipping and a fee if you wish.
We're in Chicago.
Thanks

alanw57

Hi Cristofe
Can you tell me how you did the upgrade.  I'd like to do it on my VG88 v1.  Do I need some midi files and some hardware?
Al

Quote from: Cristofe on October 05, 2010, 11:38:00 AM
Hi Elantric, Thanks for the reply but I got it sorted! I'm aware that hardware can be bricked by bad midi transmission. Too fast, too slow, too erratic...I know....the hard way...from experience. My DAW is fine tuned for exactly this sort of procedure. So that definitely was not the problem. The problem was these old eyes!! I mistakenly built the jig plug with a 470k Ohm resistor instead of the required 47k. It caused no harm as it was too high a value for the boot update to start. In any case, I built a new plug with the proper 47k resistor and the update ran flawlessly. I'm now a very happy V2 camper!! Mmmnn....now where'd I put those GR-300 wavesynth patches....LOL!! ;D

Cheers.......Cristofe Chabot
            Stonetree Productions
http://www.myspace.com/cristofe
http://www.myspace.com/stonetree1

Dmerrick

#10
I see on EBay that a guy has a kit for upgrading a VG88, is this hard and is it worth it? I have two 88's and love them.

Elantric

#11
Not worth it.

Roland was still doing VG-88 updates free, just pay 2 way shipping.

Its an extremely white knuckle upgrade, 30%  who try to do it themselves "brick" the VG-88 - and today most VG-88 parts are no longer available.

(why is that?)

Because in 2005 there became massive global RoHS/WEE standards, and today electronics components must now be lead free (there are exemptions for military and medical electronics)



more here
http://export.gov/europeanunion/weeerohs/index.asp


Dmerrick


butelo77

#13
Today I tried to update the Roland VG-88 yto version 2.0 and now the machine is blocked!!!!!!!, doesn´t work!!!!!!!!!!!!!

datsunrobbie


Elantric

QuoteToday I tried to update the Roland VG-88 yto version 2.0 and now the machine is blocked!!!!!!!, doesn´t work!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Call Roland asap.

A short history, Roland released the VG-88  V2 Firmware update in 2001, but 6 weeks later they removed this from all Roland public servers because most folks failed and bricked their VG-88. I understand a corrupted VG-88 Flash IC chip must be replaced after a firmware update failure.
Normally this would be a minor problem, but remember Roland US Service department is about as equipped in the tool department as a Radio Shack - meaning they only do motherboard swaps, they do not troubleshoot down to the component level - so this becomes a major repair bill. Remember the VG-88 is 13 years old, and most of the internal flash chips are now obsolete and no longer available - due to the global lead free Wee/RoHS initiative in the electronics industry in 2005
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Restriction_of_Hazardous_Substances_Directive
Call Roland and report back what they say.     

elmo7sharp9

Following an enquiry I made through the Roland UK website, Roland honoured their 2002 offer to upgrade any VG-88 to Version 2 firmware.

The upgrade was performed on the day the unit arrived and was back with me the very next day - postage and packaging costs for shipping the VG-88 back to me were met by Roland.

I'm not even the original owner!!!

i find this level of service quite incredible, especially for a product that's long out-of-production.

Delighted...

billbax

Hi Elmo,

That's really good to hear.  I've always found Roland UK to be extremely helpful, but this sounds extra special.

Good one!

Bill

Elantric

#18
QuoteThat's really good to hear.  I've always found Roland UK to be extremely helpful, but this sounds extra special.

Indeed!! Remarkable Service -

I know in general I'm rather harsh in my comments regarding Roland - but I should make a caveat / exception for the EXCELLENT support Roland UK provides all their customers - frankly compared to USA, its a very different company

There exists a very proactive, smart, knowledgeable and engaging Roland UK Sales/Support network -

Roland UK remains the only Roland site that has a real "User to User Forum" too -that predates our VGuitarforums by a few years !
   
http://www.rolandforums.co.uk/forums/




mooncaine

The 2 times I had to call Roland's USA service people, I got great, attentive service from a knowledgeable person (on one call) and for the second call, it was to ask about updating the 88. They said ship it and let them do it. I did, and they returned it to me very quickly, not only updated but also cleaned. I think this was all before 2004, maybe as far back as 2000-2001. It looked new again. Good customer service, and the fact that Roland supported and repaired their own gear, encouraged me to choose them again when I bought the VG-99.

teejay

Just to add a +1 to the Roland UK customer care.
Had an issue with a set of PK5 bass pedals, told them I wasn't the original buyer, and got brilliant, fast, free service.
Needed the mounting screws for my ( again used ) TD8, sent an enquiry to find out what size / length they were, and how much they cost if they stocked them, got an email back within hours saying a set were in the post for me.
Great service, unfortunately not that often received from other companies.

That's all folks......

Regards,

TeeJay
Custom KGB headless, internal GK2a and sustainiac stealth plus. GR55 straight into PA.   Guitar out (COSM) feeding digitech VL4 vocal harmoniser.

Elantric

QuoteCan you tell me how you did the upgrade.  I'd like to do it on my VG88 v1.  Do I need some midi files and some hardware?

Anyone who needs their Roland VG-88 upgraded to "V2" firmware needs to contact their nearest Roland Service Center - Many Roland shops still perform the update for free.

melodisk

#22
Hi Guys,

just got myself an old vg88 with version 1 firmware, i seems to be difficult to upgrade
but im willing to take a chance,should it be bricked then i will get an never unit,
can anyone send me the files for this please ???

Best Regards

Kim

Elantric

#23
Anyone who needs their Roland VG-88 upgraded to "V2" firmware needs to contact their nearest Roland Service Center - Many Roland shops still perform the update for free.



Roland Corporation U.S.
5100 S. Eastern Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90040-2938
Customer Service Tel: (323) 890-3700

Tony Raven

If you need Roland service, & llive in the United States, you're probably more fortunate than me -- the nearest Service Center is ~360 miles away. :'(

Starting point: http://www.rolandus.com/support/service_repair/service_centers/

However, many (if not most) say they'll perform "in-home service on HP and KR Digital Pianos, and AT Atelier Organs." Should you have good fortune, the notation you want to see is Carry-in service on Roland and BOSS products.