Roland FC-100 standalone Midi Controller

Mentalo

Mentalo

Active Member
Germany
A question for the tech geeks: Is there any way to make the Roland FC-100 MIDI-capable as a standalone unit without resorting to DIY modifications (not a fan of modifying vintage gear)? I know that with the MkII version it was possible using the RMC-1 accessory, but that unit has basically become unobtainium. Does anyone have any ideas?
 
Well.... not really. You would probably be best of (re)creating a circuit to translate from RRC to MIDI. Not a trivial task, but doable. Probably easiest to use a microcontroller for some flexibility if you're going that route.

RRC-to-MIDI.jpg


 
I already feared that this is going to be the answer. Due to my inherent laziness and lack of experience I might keep dragging the GP-8 as the Midi converter around.
 
It would be nice to use Cat 5 with a disconnect on both ends the FC-100 and the GP-8, If I was to covert it. That is how the Digitech 1101 is connected and you can buy large spools of Cat 5 for cheap, RJ-45 connects are simple enough.
 
Mentalo said:
Due to my inherent laziness and lack of experience I might keep dragging the GP-8 as the Midi converter around.
Click to expand...

Tis certainly the easiest solution. Technically even building it from scratch wouldn't be too hard, though I'd take a different approach than the RMC-1. Map the output of the FC-100 (in mode "I" as that's all the MK1 supports) and implement the MIDI out from the same microcontroller. Feedback (changing LEDs and the 7-segment display on the FC-100) would be doable, too. The EV-5 is just a passthrough, if I'm not mistaken (should you use one attached to the FC-100). As it happens I do have a few of those PC910 phototransistors from fixing a SoundCanvas. Ultimately, RRC is very similar to MIDI, but they made it a 'custom' system to facilitate power for the 'remote control' (foot controller) and analog transport in parallel.

XTRXTR said:
It would be nice to use Cat 5 with a disconnect on both ends the FC-100 and the GP-8, If I was to covert it. That is how the Digitech 1101 is connected and you can buy large spools of Cat 5 for cheap, RJ-45 connects are simple enough.
Click to expand...

Yup, agree. The only analog signal running through that link is a copy of the output that's intended for the Tuner output on the FC-100. Not very critical when it comes to a little buzz, IF anyone actually uses it at all. I'm actually using STP with RJ45 between some XLR patchpanels as interconnects between racks. Zero issues.

full
 
@PelliX we have similar gear setups. I have an eight XLR in on the front and 8 XLR out on the back with 8 1/4" out as well to run to a mixer for live recording. I used to do the recording for original demos tracks using a DAW it was the only computer that had MS XP, I think it was Syntheiser or something like that. I also had some digital interface between that would then connect with Firewire to computer. A lot of old stuff I have laying around in my stage rack rolling cases. I remember having to shut down the wifi controller when recording because it had that pesky interrupt ping (hello are you still there?) that would glitch the recordings.

Man I forgot more than I remember. lol
 
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