Internal ZipDrive Kits
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You might be tired of lugging your SCSI drive around with you when you take your Ensoniq sampler to gigs. You see other keyboardists just take there one keyboard and plug it in.

Here's a solution: with our Internal ZipDrive Kit's for the Ensoniq EPS 16-Plus, ASR-10/88, or ASR-X, you can replace the floppy drive with a high speed, high capacity ZipDrive. No more LOT'S of FLOPPIES, no more WAITING for loading, no more LUGGING around that extra piece of equipment.

It's easy to install - takes about an hour. The kit comes with all the custom cables and instructions. Download them if you want to know more.

Important note: The SCSI 100mb ZipDrives needed for this kit are not made anymore, so you need to have a drive before this kit would be useful to you. It is NOT recommended to buy the kit without having a 100mb ZipDrive SCSI in your possesion that you know works first.

EPS/ASR Internal ZipDrive Kit	. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	$49.95
ASR-X Internal ZipDrive Kit	. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	$49.95

Download EPS/ASR Internal ZipDrive Kit Instructions
Download ASR-X Internal ZipDrive Kit Instructions

Details

SCSI, not Floppy: The Internal ZipDrive Kit works off the SCSI Interface within the Ensoniq, not the floppy controller. Don't think you can hook the ZipDrive up to the floppy controller - not even a IDE ZipDrive. It's not the same thing. Instead, using some special cabling, we hook a SCSI ZipDrive (called the "SCSI Insider" by Iomega) up to the internal SCSI Interface board

Testimony: Although it's not the greatest "musical" gig, I play in my worship band at church, which is made up of mostly volunteers. I do it, not for a musical challenge (heavens!), but it's important for the life of the people at the church. And I want to sound good, so the ASR-10 fits the bill - but it also means running over on Wednesdays, setting up, breaking down, setting up on Sunday, breaking down, until I go nuts. The ease of setting up ONLY the keyboard has really saved the day for me - it's like having a ultra-powerful synth to lug around! Not only that, on some occasions I play "keyboard" drums on other gigs - since (good) drummers are a priceless commodity. The ASR-X is valuable fo that - so it's much easier to grab the X, pop it into a gig bag, and go off - no external SCSI drive and associated mess to deal with.

Tradeoffs: But there is some conveniences you give up by removing the floppy. For instance:

• How do you write sounds to the ZipDrive, when you have no way of getting them into the ASR in the first place?
• You can only format a SCSI Drive within the EPS/ASR by booting up with a floppy. There's no floppy drive anymore.

Big problems, sure. But they can be resolved by using a computer or another EPS/ASR (that has a floppy), you can transfer sounds and format carts. This could be friend's, or a music store's instrument - if you plan right, you can transfer all your sounds at one time. Both the RCS Tools programs or the Giebler EDM (for the PC), or EPSm for Mac, support Ensoniq SCSI Devices.

Trick to format: A neat little trick enables you to "format" carts: Have 1 formatted blank ZipDisk handy. Use the COPY SCSI DRIVE function, and when it prompts you INSERT SOURCE DISK, have that one inserted. When it prompts you to INSERT DEST DISK, insert an non-Ensoniq-foramtted ZipDisk. The EPS/ASR will recognize the cart as non-formatted, and prompt FORMAT AND ERASE DISK? Press Enter, and the EPS/ASR will format the ZipDisk, and then start the copying process. So you DON'T have to boot up with the floppy to format, really.

Why it works, while other won't: Be it blessed that the Iomega makes a standard form-factor internal version of the ZipDrive. Strangely, there are no SCSI Internal versions of ANY of the popular removable devices made - EZFlyer 230, Syjet, Nomai 540/750, EZ135. That's because of the computer industry that "drives" the drive makers - PC's are historically IDE based, and historically Mac (always SCSI) users use external devices. The EZ135 is an exception, since you can rip the drive part away from the case - and fit it into a 3.5 space. But - it's not made anymore!

Other concerns: Will it void the warranty? Unfortunately, yes it does. However, this is an issue which will only concern the ASR-X - your EPS or ASR-10 is most likely out of warranty. Our initial submission of the ASR-X Internal ZipDrive Kit to Ensoniq was rejected for the following reasons:

• Failure to advise in the manual to make the sure the ASR-X was unplugged. We have made the changes in the manual.
• We suggested, and provided the parts, to drill into the power supply casing to secure the assembly. Ensoniq rejected this because of UL policies and other concerns. We have rectified this by using strips of Velcro.
• Ensoniq felt that some of the ribbon cables were flopping around and were not secured. We have added securing clips to address this issue.
• Concern that ASR-X Pro users would not be able to upgrade their FlashROM's, since the Ensoniq designed the upgrading process to ONLY come from the floppy drive. We have addressed this in the sense that this does not affect ASR-X "Amuteur" owners, and that ASR-X Pro users can easily reconnect their floppy drives for the estimated tri-monthly upgrade. We have added instructions in the manual for this.
• Since the ZipDrive Kit had not been approved or disapproved at the time, we mentioned that it would be wise to put the floppy drive back in when bringing the ASR-X in for service, to avoid confusion for the service centers. Ensoniq would need us to make mention that the warranty would be voided. Since now Ensoniq has made an official position of the kit warranty status, this issue has been already been resolved.

Presently there is a revised kit on it's way to Ensoniq which addresses all these concerns; hopefully an approval will be forthcoming. Concern: with the ASR-X Pro, the FLASH-ROM updating feature is can only be done by the floppy drive. As mentioned above, simply reconnecting the floppy drive for that one operation solves that issue. Since the Internal ZipDrive Kit does not destroy or use your floppy drive connections or drive, and supplies an extra hex wrench for you to open the ASR-X Pro, the floppy is still available for you to use. Other concern: Is the floppy power supply adequate for the ZipDrive? Answer: YES! A common floppy drive draws about 1.5-2A, while the printed specs show the ZipDrive requires 5v 1.7A. And even if there is another consideration - hey, we've used ours about 6 hours a day for a year - hasn't caused a problem! And for the other kit's we've sold - no problem there either.

How 'bout the Original EPS?: The Original EPS, due to it's more primitive internal SCSI configuration (not the SCSI board itself), is not compatible with the ZipDrive at all.

How 'bout the 16-Plus?: This modification is fully supported for the 16-Plus as well. The only additional concern is that the 16-Plus will not work with most ZipDrives by itself, due to the more primitive nature of the 16-Plus SCSI Interface. Possible solutions are:

• Using another SCSI Drive in the chain. This will supply the term power needed to support the Zip.
• Connecting a powered terminator to the back of the 16-Plus. We recommend the APS SCSI Sentry II, $69.95, 1-800-554-3943, part number 1009-018. They do not sell outside the US - in that case, contact RCS - we can export it to you.
• Modifying the Ensoniq SP-1/2 SCSI so that it supports termination power (see Hacker article, or the RCS web site)
• Buying a SL-1 SCSI Interface - this is a 3rd-party EPS SCSI interface that supports the above modification. It is available from RCS.

ZipDrive Quirks: Here's a brief summary:

• Don't use the ZipTools disk (the one that comes with the ZipDrive) - it is write-protected. You can only take the protection off by formatting it in a computer.
• You must have a formatted (any format) ZipDisk in the ZipDrive when the ASR boots up and does SEARCHING SCSI DEVICES. Otherwise, the ZipDrive and anything physically after it in the SCSI chain will not be seen by the EPS/ASR.
• You must turn on any hard drive before you turn on the EPS/ASR (obviously the Internal mod is an exception, since the EPS/ASR turns it on itself).

Last updated on March 25, 2004

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