Skip Navigation.
Section 0

ChromaTalk Archives: July 2001

Chroma foam damage

James Coplin

Can someone recomemend ways to clean fom damage from the wood on a chroma? Sorry if this has been discussed in the past.
mg

Chris Ryan [21030691]

Can someone recomemend ways to clean fom damage from the wood on a chroma? Sorry if this has been discussed in the past.

Check the list archives. The following threads have advice about this:

Re: Chroma knob

Go to first message in thread (June 2001)

Mark R. David [21030170+]

Paul,

Sorry it took so long to respond - I was on holiday till this week.

I haven't worked on the project since December, but here's the status. The circuit design is final and operational - I have a working version breadboarded, and am delaying doing the wire-wrap as long as possible. The Chroma server is done and working - I probably have a few fixes/enhancements here at home that aren't on the web site yet. The UI is in an interesting state: the half of it that manipulates and stores patches is done and works quite nicely (with one exception); I haven't even begun the "studio" half, which will record/edit/playback/overdub performances. The exception on the patch UI is that I still haven't rendered "wires" (either control or audio) to show what's connected to what. I have a couple of half-baked ideas involving splines and texture maps for this, but it's pretty complicated.

The circuit design is available on the site [which has disappeared; see Windows Editors & Librarians: Windows Interface for Chroma]. The Chroma server software is too, though I should probably rev it. The UI - I'll let anyone have what I've got so far, if they want it; but there's quite a bit left to do.

I guess I'd question the "must-have"-ness of my work. First, you need to build (or get built) the circuit. After that, all should be simple; but a lot of people, I suspect, won't necessarily want to go to that much effort.

Thanks for the input - let me know any other thoughts/questions you have

For I am Chromad : ) (patches?)

James Coplin

I finally got a Chroma!! : ). Thx to Chris for his help over the last few months. Now on to the fun. Are there patch banks available anywhere ?

Paul Hackett-Evans [21010094]

Congratulatulations Jim!!!

Where did you get it? There was one on eBay last week, was that it? Will you be putting its story on the Chroma Registry?? As for patches, look on the Chroma Website, here's the link to the downloads page [now obsolete], the patches are a click away from there... [see Patch Downloads]

If I can get hold of any which aren't on there, I'll post them too. But not until after I've got my restoration article finished!

Have fun!

James Coplin

Mine is form Mike Peake, one of the engineers at Alesis responsible for the Andromeda. It has some Anvil case crap on it that I will try to remove with lighter fluid or mineral spirits. Seems to be working fantastic, other than needing key contacts fully cleaned and one day hopefully someone may want to do the power supply for me.

Paul Hackett-Evans [21010094]

Thanks Jim,

That's really interesting, because I had wondered when I first saw the Andromeda if there was any inspiration in it's concept from the Chroma. In many ways I'd thought the Andromeda's a latterday Chroma - a genuine analogue synth controlled by advanced (for it's day) computer technology in a musician's keyboard. So it's fascinating to learn that Mike was a Chroma owner, I guess at least some of the spirit of the Chroma must have been in the back of the Alesis teamn's minds when putting their new keyboard together. Plus a host of other analogue synths too, no doubt!

(Guess what I want for Christmas!)

Dave Bradley [16330135]

MOTM and now Chroma - gee Jim, you're on all the best lists now!

Paul Hackett-Evans [21010094]

By the way, I didn't mean to give the impression that the Andromeda isn't an original and unique instrument in it's own right, it is unique and lovely. It's not derivative, rather I meant that there are elements of the concept that echo the nature of the Chroma, albeit in a different era.

And I'd love one of each!
Paul

Xtra Cassette interface cable ?

James Coplin

Anyone have a extra they wish to sell or donate ??. Building one is beyond my skill level. My batteries were replaced and I have no patches. p.s. Is there a initialize patch function ?
Thx
Jim

Matt Jasper

I'm not technically all that knowledgeable yet did manage to slice into a 5 pin din cable (often found among old computer debris) and (with kind help from someone on the list who told me which pin was for cassette audio in & out etc.) was able to fabricate an ugly yet functional cable. If all else fails, I do have the other end of the din cable lying around & all I have to do is find one of those stereo equipment connection/rca cables to patch it to. Best to get an original cable or find a din and slice it up yet let me know if this proves impossible & I can eventually fabricate you an ugly one for free. I did find the noisy modem-like patch output signal of the Chroma difficult to pre-amp properly. It took me some fiddling & I ended up using the preamp on an old reel to reel to boost the signal enough so my computer sound card could pick up the signal. Lots of experimentation to find best levels.....

Dave Bradley [16330135]

You used to be able to buy these cables at Rat Shack. It's worth a visit.

Chris Ryan [21030691]

I may have the part number somewhere; I'll have a look.

David Clarke provided a detailed wiring diagram for the cable: see Info on Chroma Cassette Cable (January 2001).

Chris Ryan [21030691]

According to an e-mail I received from Bernie Bean [21030671] (who once worked for Radio Shack) a couple of years ago, the Chroma cassette interface cable is "Radio Shack Model I / III /VI / Color Computer/MC10 Cassette Interface Cable (26-1206)."

Chroma buttons

Andi Beit [21030620]

I have a stupidquestion about the colors of touch panel of the rhodes chroma! On every picture I see on several publications the colors ar blue & green. On my chroma the colors are red& yellow. what does that mean? can anybody tell me?
regards
Andi Beit
megabyte-kitchen.com

Dave Bradley [16330135]

Every one I've ever seen are blue and green, including all the ones I've owned. Maybe yours is an early Arp version. If so, it is more collectible. Does it say 'Arp' anywhere on the machine?

Andi Beit [21030620]

No, I didnt see "Arp" anywhere on the machine. The SerNr. is 21030620. I got the chroma from a guy, who bought it years agoat "frankfurter musikmesse" he said.I equipped the unit 4 Years ago with the kenton midi interface ( didnt know, that there a better ones ) and it works fine until now. ps: knobs 37-45 are "orange".

Chris Ryan [21030691]

I have a stupid question about the colors of touch panel of the rhodes chroma! On every picture I see on several publications the colors ar blue & green. On my chroma the colors are red& yellow. what does that mean? can anybody tell me?

Another stupid question: is it an original Chroma and not a Polaris? Very early Polaris units had red and yellow pads, and later ones blue and green.

Andi Beit [21030620]

Its a real chroma!

Chris Ryan [21030691]

I'd love to see a picture--can you send one? I thought that even the ARP Chroma design had blue and green buttons. This would seem to be very rare indeed.

I do know that the panel "overlay" was designed to be replaceable in case of new or changed features or functionality. Maybe you got a test print or something.

Go to next message in thread (August 2001)