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I usually practise through my Mac but I've just bought this sound module (circa 1989!) so that I can play away from the computer.

It all seems to be working OK but an error message comes up saying the internal battery is low. From what I've read in the manual this is only for remembering settings so it's not a big deal to me.

I wonder if it could damage the module though, maybe through a leaking battery or whatever?

Secondly it says the battery must be replaced by a Roland service center. That sounds like an expensive option for a near obsolete sound module even if I could find a Roland service center! Any idea if I could replace the battery myself?

Thanks for any advice!

Digital pianos and similar devices like sound
modules are essentially computers, and
like computers they have a small, rechargeable
nickel-cadmium or lithum battery inside.
In a personal computer this battery keeps
the time and date function running; in
a digital piano it stores keyboard settings
that are non-default.

There is apparently also a miniature battery
charger inside a computer or digital piano that
recharges this battery, but this takes a while,
about 1 hr., which is why when you turn
on a pc or dp you should leave it on for
at least an hr. so the battery will get
charged. If you don't, the battery will
go dead, and the date won't work on
a pc and settings will not store on a dp.
I always leave my pc and dp on for at least
1 hr., and I've never had to change the
battery in either. On your sound module, if you
leave it on for several hrs. each time
you use it, this might recharge the battery
so that it's restored and you don't have to
replace it.

Worth a try, thanks for the suggestion!

Digital pianos and similar devices like sound
modules are essentially computers, and
like computers they have a small, rechargeable
nickel-cadmium or lithum battery inside.
In a personal computer this battery keeps
the time and date function running; in
a digital piano it stores keyboard settings
that are non-default.

There is apparently also a miniature battery
charger inside a computer or digital piano that
recharges this battery, but this takes a while,
about 1 hr., which is why when you turn
on a pc or dp you should leave it on for
at least an hr. so the battery will get
charged. If you don't, the battery will
go dead, and the date won't work on
a pc and settings will not store on a dp.
I always leave my pc and dp on for at least
1 hr., and I've never had to change the
battery in either. On your sound module, if you
leave it on for several hrs. each time
you use it, this might recharge the battery
so that it's restored and you don't have to
replace it.

Hmm, not looking so good. It'sbeen plugged into the mains for a while now but if anything it's worse. The screen just shows gobbledygook and I can't get any sounds out of it at all!

I have found some instructions for resetting the ROM after installing a new battery

"1. Memory press Jump and value up arrow
2. enter ROM play mode
3. hold mark and jump press enter
4. hold mark press part inst right arrow
5. press enter
6. press value
7. hold mark & jump & press exit
Then grab the following sysex file and load it to U220 only if you want to restore the original factory settings. You may want to do a sysex dump via your midi program and save your existing data before doing this. ROLAND'S Library and patch page."

and I have the files to reinstall on another site here http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Lakes/9276/

I imagine I could get hold of a suitable battery so the only problem is how to get the data from my computer onto the u-220!

First how do I connect it, midi to USB cable? or could I do it through my keyboard which has a USB connection and midi out? I'm not sure it's worth the extra expense of a battery and usb/midi cable

Second what kind of software do I need to put the .syx (sysex) files on the sound module? I've searched the net but have only found sequencers. I'd really like to be able to work from my Macintosh but I could use a Windows machine if necessary.

BIG thanks for any help!

Might want to email Roland support and see if someone will send you some instructions for replacing the battery. This is pretty old unit now; I'm pretty sure original owner's manual didn't have battery replacement instructions, but maybe someone at Roland will just tell you how to do it. Worth a shot. In my experience, Roland has excellent support department.

Thanks for the reply, no there's no instructions in the manual but the instructions I found online are supposed to be reliable. Unfortunately Roland don't support this module any more (not surprisingly!) so I don't hold much hope there but I am going to ring them just in case.

I have a nasty feeling I'm going to have to return the module and try and get my money back though Pity because it sounds pretty good on the only voice I've been able to use.

Most of the synths/modules use a lithium battery and most of them DO NOT have any sort of battery charger in the unit. Many of them use very common CR2032 or similar flat, round batteries, in most units they have a 7-10 year life span (YMMV). I recently replaced one on one of my SY99 RAM modules, bought one with the solder tabs pre-attached (recommended) for $2.95 US and soldered it in. I have six of these batteries in my SY99, one for the keyboard itself and five for the five RAM modules. Out of the three synths I currently own, all three have had batteries replaced, not expensive or complicated to do.
Clyde

Thanks Clyde, I don't anticipate any problems replacing the battery but then you have to reinstall the sysex files, I've no idea how to do that or even how to connect the u-220 to the computer. I'm guessing I'll need a midi to USB cable which will cost me £20 and then may not work. May not be worth it for a unit which is probably only worth £40?

If anyone has any experience of reloading presets I'd love to hear how it's done!

I've done it many times for a Yamaha sound module.
After setting the desired voice and channel assignments from the front panel controls, I transmitted a bulk dump from the module and recorded it as a midi track in Cubase. Then each time I boot up, I simply solo that track to the module and my settings are restored.

Thanks Joe but I'm a complete beginner and I didn't understand a word of that lol! Can you explain in terms an idiot can understand?

First do I need to use a Midi to USB cable?

Second is there any free software available to communicate with the sound module?

Third, I can't set the sound module because if I press any button I get a screen of gibberish, the only hard coded info seems to be piano 01, everything else has to be loaded from the computer. I have the files (assuming they aren't corrupt) but I don't know how to get them onto the sound module.

Thanks again!

Yes you would need some kind of Midi to usb interface. I use a Midisport 1x1 that is usb powered and has midi in and midi out jacks for the midi device, and usb jack for the computer.

There is free software out there. Search Google for "MIDI software". Maybe someone else can reccomend a good one, I've never used anything but Cubase myself.

Not being familiar with your sound module, I can't answer your third question. My sound module doesn't have an internal battery, and so does not remember settings when powered down. It powers up in default mode (all 16 channels set to piano 01). If you can't change any settings from the front panel of your module, I would suspect some defect in the device. I can't believe the battery would be necessary for anything other than memory of your settings. Since it's obviously out of warranty, I think you have nothing to loose by replaceing the battery yourself (if it's a plug in).

You say you have the files on your computer. How did you get them, and what type of files are they? What file extension? .mid?

Hope this helps,
Joe_

Thanks Joe, that helps a lot! I have read online that the u-220 does indeed "forget"everything once the battery goes flat though I don't remember where I saw the info now.

The files are sysex files (.syx) which I got via this page

http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Lakes/9276/

U220 and u20 presets(Netherlands) from the Patches link

I found the ROM resetting instructions on another site.

Roland never released this info, replacing the battery in the u-220 and u-20 was strictly a Roland service engineer job! Presumably someone leaked the info long after the units ceased production.

Anyway, if someone had given me the module I might be tempted to try and get it running but I bought in the understanding that it was fully functional which it obviously isn't. I think I'll just try and get my money back.

Thanks for all the help!

Well it turns out the fix was pretty simple, the battery is a very common type and a new one cost very little, once I'd got myself a midi/USB lead replacing the presets was easy and the unit is now working! Sounds pretty good too considering how old it is. As a solo instrument the piano sounds do sound like good synthesised versions rather than a real acoustic but I'm not sure you'd notice amongst other insrtuments, I'm impressed!

Oh and for anyone whose been reading my "Less sophisticated piano" thread it also has an OK Honkytonk preset

I know this thread has been inactive for almost a year now, but it is the same exact issue that I'm dealing with & I was lucky to find it.
I am a bass player who played in a 3-piece band that did covers by Rush, Deep Purple, etc. I retired about 14 years ago, and (like most of us) couldn't imagine selling all my stuff. Well, I recently moved to Nashville, TN & hooked up with a couple of musicians and decided to pull my stuff out of mothballs to add some keys to our material, as needed.
When I pulled out my Roland U220, the battery was dead (surprise!) Following BazC's lead, I replaced the battery (not an issue), got the factory settings online (they are MID files, vs SYS ??), downloaded sequencer software, & ordered a USB / MIDI cable.
My question is: once I get the cable, can anybody tell me how to perform the next step (load the file in)? I have pulled it into the sequencer software, but I don't "see" anything.
BazC - if you're still out there, please reply.
Thanks...

A SYSEX type file is "raw" midi data that is formatted to work with a specific musical instrument make or model. This is why it isn't technically "general midi" as it isn't meant for just any old instrument that understands midi. If you load such a file in a midi player you likely won't see any data is it doesn't contain any notes at all, just "SYSEX" or "System Exclusive" messages. If you play that file with the midi player it may actually send the data to the instrument unless that player is ignoring those commands upon loading.

On linux I have a utility called "amidi" that I can use to read and send raw midi data to the piano but I don't know what utilities there are for windows to do that.

I have done everything that the manual, and any help I have been able to find online has to offer, but I am not having any luck.
This is what I know:
The original U220 factory settings are in midi format, not sysex. I know I have everything hooked up because when I "play" it, I see the data flowing (using the midi monitor in the module).
Here is what the instructions say:
Loading Instructions for the U-220 RS-PCM Sound Module
1) Enter the edit mode by pressing the EDIT button.
2) Cursor to [Setup] and press the ENTER button.
3) Cursor to [MIDI] and press the ENTER button.
4) Cursor to [RX SysEx = ?] and use VALUE to select [On].
5) Cursor to [RXSysEx Device ID = ?] and use VALUE to select [17].
6) EXIT back to the main screen and play data in from the MicroComposer. While it is loading into the U-220, the display
screen will read) [Receiving Sys Ex].
7) When the screen returns to the patch window, VALUE up or down to another patch to confirm that the new data has loaded in.

Notes:

The manual says thtat in order to receive sysex messages, BOTH devices must be set to 17 (how do I set the PC to that?)
I am using Windows Media Player.
I do not see the "receiving sysex" message, there is no indication that anything is coming in, except the light on my USB / Midi cable shows data flow, & when I stop the sending, the status light on the module flashes momentarily.

I'm just about at the point where I should just scrap it & move on to something else .. unless anyone has any ideas.
Thanx.

I have one of these that I bought NEW - Yeah, I really AM that old.

It worked flawlessly until this morning.
It has always been in a brightly lit area, so I have been very tolerant of the display being weak and if I remember it went blank quite a while ago.
Now it has quit and I find that all those magic steps to button through and get the factory presets back are in fact on Roland's web site under SUPPORT !
Quite the article in fact.

I can't use all this until I get a display working and it seems the flat battery is the reason that I don't have a display.
Once I get the battery in I will need the file and (of course) the sites that this topic mentions are no longer there.

SO... if anyone still has the file, or knows where it is still maintained, PLEASE let me know.

Tnx,

\R

Just want to add that I booked a support via e-mail message to Roland at 8:26 this morning, FULLY expecting a "no longer supported" reply at best.

At 8:38 I had a message with the FULL reset/initialize instructions AND a copy of the file to be loaded.

Let me just say this;
TWELVE MINUTE RESPONSE TIME ON A 30 YEAR OLD PRODUCT ?!?!?!?!?
Un FRIGGIN' BELIEVABLE !!!!

I cannot imagine ANY manufacturer of ANY product doing this well on support, even their current production.
I keep checking the time stamps on the e-mail messages - Yup, 12 minutes.

AnthonyB,
(If you still read here ?)
The file I got from Roland is a .MID file and the man page for amidi indicates that aplaymidi should be used for those.
i.e. amidi is for raw .SYX files.
Anyway, thanks for the lead, I wwould MUCH rather attempt this with Linux than with Windoze.

Harley100,
You have either succeeded by now or given up.
If you stashed it in a closet I would be happy to give it a new home (-: