Roland Clan Forums

Seeing as the V-cards are now well discontinued, I'd like to see Roland make these available as a download at some point.

I would have bought both cards for mine, but they were discontinued before I had a chance to audition them!

I'm sure that they could do this (for a nominal charge)... just wondering what other peoples thoughts are on this.

It would take ten minutes for them to make a version of the VC-2 for example into a form that could be added to the RAM of a unit- exactly the same as the XT.

Excellent idea.

That's what I was thinking... Can't be much different to updating the V-synth OS.

I think the problem is that VC-1 and 2 were expensive purchases and Roland will be in trouble if they include them in an OS update (free or paid)- even though I suspect that is technically possible.

But in support of an OS3 with VCs included, discontinuing the cards and waiting a few years would create an opportunity to release an OS+VC without upsetting paying customers.

I'm all for a conspiracy on this one
B

I would imagine that the vc-os's would replace the V's normal os, rather than run along side it... but I see your point

Knowing the way that some clever minds work, I would imagine that somebody would work out how to crack the v-cards before too long... (adds to conspiracy!)

I think it would be better for Roland to offer them before that happened.

I tried to get hold of both cards for my last couple of live shows, but failed miserably.

It always seems odd to me that Roland discontinue a product just as people are getting to know about it. They should realise that hardware is a more specialist thing these days and producers/artists are less likely to come in contact with it than in previous years. A reliable recommendation always scores way higher than a sales guys.

None of my local stockists ever had a V-card on demo/in stock, and I don't really like buying without trying. I was the only producer in my circle that had a V-Synth, so I was a bit stuck for some hands on. So, no sale to Roland.

Could be worse though. Thankfully I didn't believe the 'future-proof' hype on the varios system. I could have been stuck with one of them and no V-cards... something I'd rather not think about! lol!

Its odd to discontinue copy protected flash memory software especially in the middle of the host keyboard's production. There's only so many write cycles flash will do so maybe its a shorter lifetime than the V-Synth itself. Does anyone know many write cycles for a VC card and for the V-Synth? Are they in fact the same and I'm making this up? Are all our keyboards going to fail in 2060 because of this?

It can be wiped accidently. I'm sure Roland will reflash it, but hey maybe not. You can reflash the V-Synth by installing an OS - this is more reassuring than a VC card which you can't reflash yourself. EDIT -- I just read the manuals for VC-1 and VC-2. The VC-1 cones with a recovery CD which is good, does the VC-2 come with one? I don't see it mentioned in that manual.

You can get knobs for 1980's keyboards, but you can't get a replacement VC-2.

Cheers,
B

quote: 'You can get knobs for 1980's keyboards, but you can't get a replacement VC-2'

Very true... so, if it were to become faulty in any way (under it's warranty) how would it be replaced?

I'm with you folks on this one. I'm a Varios owner, and I'm pretty heartbroken with Roland's hype-'em and leave-'em behaviour. I've managed to buy a VC-1, but I really wanted a VC-2. I can't afford to go out and buy a V-Synth XT or GT, or a VP-550.

I've been trying to pick one of these up online, but I'm always a day late or a dollar short. I agree that Roland could release this card as a download only, with PDF manual, for those of us with blank PCMCIA media. Download and create an imaged card. Sounds like a simple idea... At least they could release an SDK for this thing.

My contribution to this effort is that I've contact Roland's Customer Support (on more than one occasion) and suggest the release of this card as a download.

I'll keep this thread updated if I make any headway, but I don't suggest that any of us hold our breath.

As a user of the GT i too would like a download of the VC cards (D50 for me) Roland wouldn't have to invest much and could sell the downloads (hey it'd be nice if it was a freebie !)
They've got old products that could make them money !

Howling Terror, et al.,

The VC-1 is still for sale in Canada and the U.S. (as far as I know, the rest of the world, too). I got one, new, for $200.00, and I've seen them online for less than that.

It may be worth you picking up a VC-1 while you can. I've been trying to get the VC-2 online, and I haven't seen one for less than $400.00 used.

I'd love to see the download of both, and some other developments, as well (think Korg Legacy Collections...). Cakewalk even released all the old E-mu synth modules in software form.

Since I'm not holding my breath for Roland to humour us, perhaps if we keep this thread alive and try to turn it into a group plea to Roland, they may consider it. They wouldn't even have to manufacture the cards. I've stocked up on PCMCIA adaptors for CF, SD and so on, while they're still cheap and available.

If there is any interest in "lobbying" or "petitioning" Roland to release V-Synth and Varios updates, keep supporting this thread. I have a sneaking suspicion that I'll be re-living this experience, as I also have an MC-808 (multi-sample support)...

I'd think the E-Mu module software versions would be a clue, especially with Cakewalk and Roland moving closer together.

I'd easily imagine a rerelease of the D-50 at some point in a way that would work really well both with V-Synth GT and Sonar.

In fact, if I were Roland I'd hold off on that until I could rerelease a suite of D-50/TB-303/Jupiter-8 in softsynths and announce all three of those as available at the same time.

Perhaps they'll approach that with their ARX line, however, hard to know.

i'd love to see a series of VC cards based on various soft-synths. that way my varios could run as a dsp-based Absynth module. now that roland is marrying cakewalk, perhaps they can commandeer technology from Rapture
http://www.cakewalk.com/Products/Rapture/
and Dimension Pro
for use in the Fantom and V-Synth line
http://www.cakewalk.com/Products/DimensionPro/
and Z3ta+
http://www.cakewalk.com/Products/Z3TA/Default.asp\

If Roland were to offer them for $200 each I'd likely get them all because that would add flexibility -- use the sounds you get from your computer without having to lug your computer around...

Another member posted a thread some time ago regarding the V Synth & Varios
see http://forums.rolandclan.info/index.php ... d=4&page=1
In some ways I can understand why companies are vague about their future development plans (VC3??)
Let me know what you think guys...............