PA500 converted to PA800 with 256MB RAM and colored LCD

Stratario · Post by **Stratario** » Wed Aug 24, 2011 12:43 am

PA500 comes in four variaties: Standard, Chinese, Oriental, and Persian. Somebody just converted a PA500 Persian in Iran. It runs the PA800 operating system and has a color LCD. The memory has been upgraded to 250MB. They have also developed a low cost MP3 player/recorder for it. The reason for for the upgrade has been to make PA500 a sampling keyboard. Here is the link to the video in Farsi language. I could not hear the sound when I played it in Windows Media player and Quicktime player. But with the free shareware IrfanView it played fine with sound.

http://uppit.com/pezk3glii92a/Pa500_Sampler.rar

Sam CA · Post by **Sam CA** » Wed Aug 24, 2011 2:55 am

Stratario wrote:PA500 comes in four variaties: Standard, Chinese, Oriental, and Persian. Somebody just converted a PA500 Persian in Iran. It runs the PA800 operating system and has a color LCD. The memory has been upgraded to 250MB. They have also developed a low cost MP3 player/recorder for it. The reason for for the upgrade has been to make PA500 a sampling keyboard. Here is the link to the video in Farsi language. I could not hear the sound when I played it in Windows Media player and Quicktime player. But with the free shareware IrfanView it played fine with sound.

http://uppit.com/pezk3glii92a/Pa500_Sampler.rar

I would've listened to it, but this link is not providing an audio track, it requires you to install some kind of software.

Thoraldus · Post by **Thoraldus** » Wed Aug 24, 2011 3:15 am

The free VLC Media Player plays it fine.

http://www.videolan.org/vlc/

Stratario · Post by **Stratario** » Wed Aug 24, 2011 3:48 am

Sam,

I opened the video in Windows Maker and saved it. It plays fine now with sound. Here's the new link from my version:

http://www.4shared.com/video/3xzzHeA9/K ... A800_.html

Sam CA · Post by **Sam CA** » Wed Aug 24, 2011 2:22 pm

Ok, I watched it all. It was interesting. He didnt' talk about the details and the way he hacked the system, but basically this PA500 is running like a PA800/PA2x now. He did say that he had to replace the LCD. Apperently PA500's LCD only supports black and white???

He has also designed an mp3 player board for it that is much cheaper than the original. He's also got 256 mg ram..etc. He's using some kind of USB 2 to USB 1 adaptor and that's how sets/samples are loaded into the keyboard.

Thoraldus · Post by **Thoraldus** » Wed Aug 24, 2011 6:20 pm

Sam,

Best I can figure out by looking at the schematics you would need at a minimum a PA800 main-board ($365 US) and the PA800 Color LCD assembly ($350 US) I wonder what he did about the added in/outs on the rear panel?

Interesting but I think I would rather pick up a refurbed or used PA800.

Rick

Sam CA · Post by **Sam CA** » Wed Aug 24, 2011 6:43 pm

Thoraldus wrote:Sam,

Best I can figure out by looking at the schematics you would need at a minimum a PA800 main-board ($365 US) and the PA800 Color LCD assembly ($350 US) I wonder what he did about the added in/outs on the rear panel?

Interesting but I think I would rather pick up a refurbed or used PA800.

Rick

According to the video, he didn't replace the main motherboard, but modified it. I have no clue how he did it, but you probably know better if this is possible. If I ever find a way of contacting him , I'll ask him about the cost. Who knows how stable the keyboard would be after the changes and stuff. Not worth it at all.

Vangelismusic · Post by **Vangelismusic** » Wed Aug 24, 2011 9:01 pm

This would be a dream come true, lightweight keyboard with 256 megs RAM sampler and Oriental, I do not want anything else

wish we had more information.

Sam CA · Post by **Sam CA** » Wed Aug 24, 2011 9:48 pm

Vangelismusic wrote:This would be a dream come true, lightweight keyboard with 256 megs RAM sampler and Oriental, I do not want anything else wish we had more information.

I posted the link on some Iranian keyboard player group on facebook, and some keyboardists from Iran posted more info about it. I chatted with someone who actually owns one of these.

This would not make any sense financially in the US, but apperently it makes whole lot of sense in the Middle East as used electronics don't lose their resale value all that much. Some dude in Iran has actually figured out how to do this, and has registered it as a ligit business. ha ha ha

They don't change the mainboard, but only modify it. it's done in two ways actually. You can either choose to get your PA500 run PA800 OS, or you can choose to keep your current OS, and load a hacked/modified version of it. If you load PA800 OS, then you would lose some of the features of the PA500 . Like you can no longer use the user scale buttons , becaues it would now act as a PA800 keyboard. You would also lose styles and sounds that came with it. So then, you have to load them back as foreign samples and user styles.

He said it cost about $800 US dollars to do this. So altogether he paid $1600 for this keyboard which now has a sampler and 256 mg ram. He said a lot of people who can't afford a Pa800/2x.etc... are doing this over there.

Vangelismusic · Post by **Vangelismusic** » Wed Aug 24, 2011 10:52 pm

What about the color screen? is that changed? MAN! 800 bucks is somewhat steep isn't it? for only a program? no hardware added?

Sam CA · Post by **Sam CA** » Wed Aug 24, 2011 11:10 pm

Vangelismusic wrote:What about the color screen? is that changed? MAN! 800 bucks is somewhat steep isn't it? for only a program? no hardware added?

No, that $800 includes the LCD screen, 250 mg Ram and labor.

If you choose to run your PA500 like a PA800 it'll cost you that much, and you must change the LCD screen. If you choose to run your PA500 with the hacked PA500 OS, then, you can save $360 by keeping the factory LCD.

I'm just quoting what he told me, and many others confirmed that. He said more and more people choose the latest second method, because it's cheaper as you dont' have to replace the LCD, and you don't lose factory sounds, styles and PA500 specific features not available in other PA series!

with either methods you can have a Pa500 with sampling capability and 250 mg ram!

PersianKORG · Post by **PersianKORG** » Fri Aug 26, 2011 4:33 pm

Hi every one!
sorry because my english isn't good enough.
I'm some one of Sampling and Converting pa800 Group in Iran.
The Project of sampling Pa500 has been canceled.and it isn't True;
That video was a sample video and it device wasn't stable.we didn't convert any device and the project has been suspended.

Sam CA · Post by **Sam CA** » Fri Aug 26, 2011 5:27 pm

Thanks for confirming that....

moebrand · Post by **moebrand** » Fri Aug 26, 2011 9:43 pm

I am looking to add extra Ram to my pa800 for long time, but haven't found the place to do it in Canada.

Sam CA · Post by **Sam CA** » Sat Aug 27, 2011 12:39 am

moebrand wrote:I am looking to add extra Ram to my pa800 for long time, but haven't found the place to do it in Canada.

I've read on this forum that an electronic store in Germany does that. Apperently, they ship you the kit and you do it yourself type of thing.

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PA500 converted to PA800 with 256MB RAM and colored LCD

PA500 converted to PA800 with 256MB RAM and colored LCD

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pa500 Sampling Canceleed and Is Fake!