Korg Poly 800 Battery replacement and factory reload.
8-Bit Keys・14 minutes read
The focus of the unboxing video was an older amateur keyboard donated by Benjamin Rumore with features such as MIDI capabilities and a unique battery replacement method. The keyboard, a Poly 800 released in 1983, includes a variety of functions like a foot pedal for program changes, cassette interface, and stereo line outputs, requiring special steps for disassembly, cleaning, and connecting to a laptop for sound loading.
Insights
- The focus of the channel is on exploring older, amateur keyboards like the Poly 800 released in 1983, highlighting its features, disassembly, cleaning process, and battery replacement with detailed instructions.
- Despite the lack of a sound list and parameters in the owner's manual, connecting the keyboard's tape interface to a laptop for loading digital information is achievable using a standard male to male 1/8th inch phone cable, enabling users to access various factory default sounds like piano, saw wave, strings, and ghostly sounds.
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Recent questions
What is the focus of the channel?
Older, amateur keyboards over professional ones.
How many keys does the Poly 800 keyboard have?
49 full-sized keys.
What components does the keyboard have?
MIDI in and out, foot pedal, cassette interface, and more.
How is the battery on the motherboard replaced?
With a CR2032 battery and hot glue for stability.
How can the tape interface be connected to a laptop?
Use a standard male to male 1/8th inch phone cable.
Related videos
Summary
00:00
"Vintage Keyboard Restoration: Poly 800 Revival"
- Benjamin Rumore sent a generous donation of a keyboard in an unboxing video last month.
- The focus of the channel is on older, amateur keyboards rather than professional ones like Korgs, Rolands, or Yamaha DX-7.
- The Poly 800 keyboard, released in 1983, has 49 full-sized keys and can play 4 or 8 notes at a time.
- The keyboard has MIDI in and out, a foot pedal for program changes, cassette interface, write protect switches, stereo line outputs, and a power plug.
- The keyboard stores program patches in volatile memory with a battery backup on the motherboard.
- The process of disassembling and cleaning the keyboard involves using Windex and alcohol, considering repainting, and removing unnecessary parts like straps.
- The keyboard has 8 circuit boards inside, with connectors for easy removal, and a well-built key mechanism and battery compartment.
- The battery on the motherboard is replaced with a CR2032 battery and hot glue for stability.
- After reassembly, the keyboard initially had no sound due to the battery change, but eventually, a working patch was found.
- Programming all the sounds manually would be time-consuming due to the lack of a sound list and parameters in the owner's manual.
14:09
Loading Digital Sounds to Keyboard via Laptop
- To connect the tape interface to a laptop for loading digital information, use a standard male to male 1/8th inch phone cable, with one end in the laptop's headphone jack and the other end in the interface. Switch the tape control to enable, power on the keyboard to see "TAPE" on the LED screen, press load, play the sound file on the laptop, and wait for the screen to show "GOOD" indicating successful loading. The keyboard's factory default sounds were different from the ones initially on it, with specific sounds like number 12 resembling a piano, 18 a saw wave, 42 strings, and 56 a ghostly sound.
