UPDATED: Testing Times For Casio MZ-X500

[Happy Jack]

EDIT 12/08/2016:: Casio MZ-X upgrade Version 1.31 and MZ-X Sample Manager V 1.0.0 now available.

The much-awaited OS update 1.30 for MZ-X500 arrangers got pulled on the second day of release:

This from the Casio MZ-X Facebook site:

user quote: "...My pattern seq is now non functional post update and results in a complete lock up of the entire keyboard anytime I attempt to element copy."

Mike Martin for Casio quote: "I will contact Tokyo and make sure that the previous firmware is reposted and alert them to this issue."

04/08/2016 update Version 1.30 released.
05/08/2016 update Version 1.30 pulled.
08/08/2016 update Version 1.21 re-posted.
12/08/2016 update Version 1.31 posted.

...sans apology, explanation or helpful notes to all bemused owners.

Version 1.31 download link:
http://support.casio.com/en/support/dow ... 008&pid=20

source:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/Casio.MZ.X/

[Thoraldus]

Yep, the way they handled this issue in such a timely fashion convinced me to buy a MZ-X500

By the way, I know you're using Euro date formatting in your post, but it will be confusing to a lot of folks on this side of the pond. It looks like 1.30 was released in April and Pulled in May. Then Ver 1.21 was reposted in August and somehow 1.31 will be posted in December, all on the 8th of the month!

Personally I use YYYY/MM/DD formatting for my files. They automatically sort by date that way.

re: the "...sans apology, explanation or helpful notes to all bemused owners. " I think it's a cultural thing. I had similar issues when working with my engineering counterparts in Tokyo some years ago.

[Happy Jack]

"...Personally I use YYYY/MM/DD formatting for my files. They automatically sort by date that way. ..."

Glad 2 oblige ya, Thoraldus:

04/08/2016 update Version 1.30 released. = 2016/08/04
05/08/2016 update Version 1.30 pulled. = 2016/08/05
08/08/2016 update Version 1.21 re-posted. = 2016/08/08
12/08/2016 update Version 1.31 posted. = 2016/08/12
-------------

MEDIC : Don't panic, you've been in a crash, nothing broken...what is today's date!

PATIENT: In what format? Formal or informal, English or American English or ...

MEDIC: Forget it. Who's the President of the United States?

PATIENT: Are you telling me I'm NOT the President?
-------------
'Writing the Date':
https://www.englishclub.com/vocabulary/time-date.htm

[Thoraldus]

"...Personally I use YYYY/MM/DD formatting for my files. They automatically sort by date that way. ..."

Glad 2 oblige ya, Thoraldus:

04/08/2016 update Version 1.30 released. = 2016/08/04
05/08/2016 update Version 1.30 pulled. = 2016/08/05
08/08/2016 update Version 1.21 re-posted. = 2016/08/08
12/08/2016 update Version 1.31 posted. = 2016/08/12
-------------

MEDIC : Don't panic, you've been in a crash, nothing broken...what is today's date!

PATIENT: In what format? Formal or informal, English or American English or ...

MEDIC: Forget it. Who's the President of the United States?

PATIENT: Are you telling me I'm NOT the President?
-------------
'Writing the Date':
https://www.englishclub.com/vocabulary/time-date.htm

[Kevin Nolan]

Have to say - I watched the video pointed to in the other related post and am very impressed by this instrument, in particular its sound. Casio's releases in this regard have been quite impressive of late.

Can I ask you - are there differences between this and the typical Yamaha PSR-700 / 900 type arranger keyboards? Does this one go deeper in terms of synth / workstation features, sequencer and so on?

[Bachus]

Yep, the way they handled this issue in such a timely fashion convinced me to buy a MZ-X500

By the way, I know you're using Euro date formatting in your post, but it will be confusing to a lot of folks on this side of the pond. It looks like 1.30 was released in April and Pulled in May. Then Ver 1.21 was reposted in August and somehow 1.31 will be posted in December, all on the 8th of the month!

Personally I use YYYY/MM/DD formatting for my files. They automatically sort by date that way.

re: the "...sans apology, explanation or helpful notes to all bemused owners. " I think it's a cultural thing. I had similar issues when working with my engineering counterparts in Tokyo some years ago.

I am sorry Thor, but your American dates( and many other vallues) are confusing to the rest of the world that uses the european date notation and metric vallues...


Maybe we need to change things and addapt to ansingle notation and measures, just let the UNnde ide which one...

But using American dates allwasy tricks me.. Maybe with this website being hosted from Europe, having european measures and dates is not such a strange thing...

Anyway, we need worldwide standards.... Which probably means the US and the UK needs to addapt

[fcoulter]

Personally I use YYYY/MM/DD formatting for my files. They automatically sort by date that way.

I am sorry Thor, but your American dates( and many other vallues) are confusing to the rest of the world that uses the european date notation and metric vallues...


Maybe we need to change things and addapt to ansingle notation and measures, just let the UNnde ide which one...

But using American dates allwasy tricks me.. Maybe with this website being hosted from Europe, having european measures and dates is not such a strange thing...

Anyway, we need worldwide standards.... Which probably means the US and the UK needs to addapt

I use yyyy-mm-dd. As with the above comment, it sorts nicely, but I don't like slashes.

To each his own. (Unless they're wrong.)

[Thoraldus]

Have to say - I watched the video pointed to in the other related post and am very impressed by this instrument, in particular its sound. Casio's releases in this regard have been quite impressive of late.

Can I ask you - are there differences between this and the typical Yamaha PSR-700 / 900 type arranger keyboards? Does this one go deeper in terms of synth / workstation features, sequencer and so on?

Sorry Kevin, your question got lost in the date debate

I had a couple Yamy PSR's in the past. I find the MX-Z500 to be a different sort of beast. There seems to be a LOT more degrees of freedom in customization. Which I like a lot. The one thing I do not like is that all the factory Tones & Rhythms do not appear to be re-writable like they are on Korg arrangers. On the other hand, importing a Yamy style was a breeze on my first attempt.

I know this is not much of an answer, but I'm still exploring this puppy!

Edit: Left out the NOT

[Happy Jack]

Have to say - I watched the video pointed to in the other related post and am very impressed by this instrument, in particular its sound. Casio's releases in this regard have been quite impressive of late.

Can I ask you - are there differences between this and the typical Yamaha PSR-700 / 900 type arranger keyboards? Does this one go deeper in terms of synth / workstation features, sequencer and so on?

Hi Kevin,

This comprehensive review of the Casio MZ-X's might be of interest to you:

https://azpianonews.blogspot.co.uk/2016 ... e.html?m=1

regards, Jack

[foxy]

The date question is an interesting issue and I must confess i get thrown by US practice. Here in Europe we go from "small to large", e.g. Day / Month / Year, same with addresses, as in Number / Road / Town/ Country.
I would suggest that logic dictates the "large to small" should be preferred but fear current practice is far too entrenched and before any US contributors feel vindicated on the date issue you'll have to change your addresses to Country / State / Town / Street / Number. Try it. Feels awkward doesn't it?

[Kevin Nolan]

Thanks Thoraldus and Happy Jack for your thoughts and pointers. Overall a very interesting keyboard (my first ever keyboard was the Casio 1000P - which I still have as it has an amazing sequencer with features still unique today). The Mz-X500 is definitely worth checking out (love Casio's Hex layering).

[Bachus]

Thanks Thoraldus and Happy Jack for your thoughts and pointers. Overall a very interesting keyboard (my first ever keyboard was the Casio 1000P - which I still have as it has an amazing sequencer with features still unique today). The Mz-X500 is definitely worth checking out (love Casio's Hex layering).

Definately a good thing those Hex layer sounds...

untill you think about it, with Korg and Yamaha layering several sounds is allready build into the soundengine itselves... You can have 2 times 8 layers of samples in the HD1 engine.. where most standard MZ-X500 sounds are single layers..

[Thoraldus]

The date question is an interesting issue and I must confess i get thrown by US practice. Here in Europe we go from "small to large", e.g. Day / Month / Year, same with addresses, as in Number / Road / Town/ Country.
I would suggest that logic dictates the "large to small" should be preferred but fear current practice is far too entrenched and before any US contributors feel vindicated on the date issue you'll have to change your addresses to Country / State / Town / Street / Number. Try it. Feels awkward doesn't it?

Here's an exercise. Clasp your hands, alternating your fingers. Note whether your right or left thumb is on top. Now re-clasp your hands switching which thumb is on top. Feels awkward, doesn't it. Yet neither way of clasping your hands is right or wrong, it's just what you are used to.