Evolver Keyboard Operating Systems

The Evolver Keyboard has two processors, Main and DSP, and each has its own operating system.

To check the installed versions in your Evolver Keyboard:

Hold the RESET button and press the OSCILLATOR 1 button. The Main and DSP versions are displayed.

This is the only accurate method of determining the installed version. The paper labels on the chips are not to be relied upon and the editor software may not display the correct version.

OS Download

The Main and DSP operating systems are available for download in SysEx format.

Please note: Most OS updates fix only minor bugs that the vast majority of users never encounter. If you are experiencing a problem with your instrument please contact for help in diagnosing the cause. The OS will not "go bad" or become corrupt unless there is a hardware problem, so re-installing the OS will not help and is not recommended. A failed OS reload could leave you with a useless instrument in need of even more servicing.

Similarly, if one of the installed OS versions in your instrument is already the current version, there is no need to reinstall it. For example, if your Evolver Keyboard is already running DSP OS 3.4 with an earlier version of the Main OS, just update the Main OS.

Files may open in your browser rather than downloading. If that occurs:

Mac OS—Control-click the link and choose "Download Linked File" or "Download Linked File As...." Alternately, right-click the link with a multi-button mouse.

Windows—Right-click the link and choose "Save Target As...."

Important note!
Main OS 2.x is compatible with both standard edition and potentiometer edition (PE) Evolver Keyboards. However, if you have a standard Evolver Keyboard—that is, not a PE—running Main OS 1.5, there is nothing to be gained from updating to Main OS 2.x. OS 2.x simply adds support for the potentiometer-equipped panel boards.

Installation

The OS can be installed using any of the methods discussed in Operating Systems for DSI Products. When the Main SysEx load begins, the display reads "Main OS Load" and counts down for the duration of the transfer. When the countdown concludes, the display changes to "Writing Now!" As the OS is being written, the front panel LEDs will flash in sequence and then normal operation will resume. Do not turn off the Evolver Keyboard while the OS is writing!

While the DSP SysEx loads the display reads "DSP OS Load" and counts down. When the countdown concludes, the front panel LEDs flash in sequence as the DSP OS is written to the flash memory. Then, normal operation resumes. Again, do not turn off the Evolver Keyboard while the OS is writing.

Troubleshooting

Updating the OS is generally very easy, but occasionally there are problems. The most common symptom is that the countdown stops before the OS has transferred completely. This typically occurs because either the data transfer is overwhelming the synth or because some spurious MIDI data (such as clocks or merged data) is affecting the transfer. In the first case, see if you can reduce the transfer rate and/or buffer size of the program being used to transfer the SysEx data. In the second case, make sure there is no other MIDI data on the buss while loading the OS. In rare cases, MIDI drivers have also been known to interfere with SysEx transfers. If all else fails, check for updated drivers for your interface or try another MIDI interface.