How to open the Korg Prophecy (to check the eproms)

previewlounge · Post by **previewlounge** » Thu Mar 16, 2017 2:31 am

Hi All, first post fro me

i'm glad to say, just purchased a Korg Prophecy.

would like to open the unit to see if the firmware eproms are soldered in or not, before going on the search for the mythical Firmware 20

Any advice would be awesome.

I'm looking at the underside of the keyboard now, serial number says 045490 (i hear it is possible to check if a Prophecy is a very early model, and thus having its eproms soldered in, although have not found a list as of yet).

got the Prophecy Service Manual pdf open, trying to figure out what screws to undo and what ones (if any) to leave in.

Thanks for any help ..

Ciao for Now,

Previewlounge in Tasmania

thehighesttree · Post by **thehighesttree** » Sun Apr 30, 2017 12:33 am

Just check the service manual....looks brutal! I've never had mine apart in the ~3 years I've owned it, but being so heavy I assume there's a lot you'd need to sift through to get to the firmware EPROM. I'd recommend ID'ing what PCB has the EPROM on it with the service manual (can't check it, I'm at work). Once you establish this, start disassembling from the bottom and KEEP TRACK OF YOUR SCREWS! Line up a series of glasses if you need to and order them from first-to-last removed to you can retrace your steps.

If you're at the point of installing an EPROM, I probably don't need to warn you about static discharge. Good luck!

previewlounge · Post by **previewlounge** » Sun Apr 30, 2017 7:55 am

opened and closed Prophecy three times..

bent one of the original eproms on removal

broke a pin from one of the new ones on insertion or should i say reinsertion after incorrect order.

kept the screws separate successfully for the first two openings yay

they are now however all together in a glass jar lol.

shall post progress pics if anyone is interested

actually the dude who sold them to me is the coolest cat in the business and is going to sort me out with a replacement eprom for the one with the busted pin

he also made a 20 minute instructional video on how to resolder a pin back onto an eprom chip, or replace the pin with a part of copper wire.