Can the Ensoniq VFX be converted to a rack-mount? Has anyone had experience trying to run one without a keyboard cable?
I’ve done something similar. The Ensoniq ASR 10 rackmount version into the ASR 10 Keyboard version. Alot of soldering.
I got a funny feeling the circuit boards are too wide to fit between the rack rails. the VFX never made it to a rack unit. The ASR-10 did have a rack unit and they had a keyboard bypass cable and /or circuit board just cant remember, its been awhile since I opened it up.
the OS will run a scan on the keyboard to make sure the keybed is working right. So you would need to simulated that somehow - which might not be all that hard. But I don’t know if it scans the individual keys or sections. From my understanding the scan is to calibrate the after touch sensors which are inductive coupling type of sensors.
I have the later TS10 which uses the later keybeds, are similar to the older generation, but not exchangeable. If the keybed has a problem (mine does) it will state something is wrong with the keybed, but will eventually boot up.
That might be the same for the VFX. If you disconnect the ribbon cable that goes to the keyboard circuit board, then boot it up, if it does allow you to boot up without the keyboard being connected , than Bobs your aunt…
Not too sure about BIgMike D63 changing a rack unit to a keyboard unit. that for me doesn’t make sense. The way ensoniq runs - every circuit board has its own cpu to control the electronics within the board, with a control line gin gto the main board to tell the master cpu on what’s going on. So to connect a keybed to the rack unit you would need to have the proper logic to get the right signals - the right way to the cpu - which would mean one would have to know the OS - or alter the OS in order for the signals to be recognized.
All ensoniq are designed that way. And I have service manuals for the ASR-10R, TS-10, MR-76, and the EPS, and they all state on how the OS works when trouble shooting.