Anybody knows if more features are in the works for the unofficial firmware? Or if it’s mostly considered done?
Depends entirely on the whims of the developers, if there’s someone with the chops to contribute, or if there are any ideas good enough (and possible to fit in the firmware, unsure how much room may be left!) to sell them on.
1 Like
Ok. Any word on how much resources are left on the hardware side of MD?
No clue how much freedom they may have in the firmware or how much extension they may have available to offload to secondary processing(?)
Honestly this is the sort of question that eats away at a person with unbounded desire and wanting without reason.
I like new stuff to play with but why fantasize over what could be forever when you’ve got more than enough in front of you?
It’s cheaper than GAS, but similarly unproductive.
To your greater questions, you can get a little more information on how the X releases work on the discord 
3 Likes
Glad you uncovered my motivation for asking.
Actually I’m just curious and fascinated. Not really wishing for more per se.
1 Like
Good good 
You will find more direct, and potentially more technical engagement on the project here- Machinedrum X // MCL
Hi, I just bought a super old Machinedrum SPS-1 MK1 that’s on OS 1.20
Can I upgrade to this one, without a megacommand? Or is this unofficial firmware only for users with a megacommand device? Also C6 doesn’t work on my new laptop, will Sysex Librarian be fine too?
Best
Remco
Yes, you can upload the custom firmware to any MD model using any sysex transfer tool.
EDIT: sorry I replied to the wrong post @iostream, not sure how that happened. This post was meant to be a reply to your post above mine @ocmer
4 Likes
thank you jw, much appreciated!
1 Like
Not sure why, but I went to startup menu, #5, “ready to receive midi upgrade” and then went into Librarian, pressed “play” button, but machinedrum is not sensing anything is coming in?
I have my scarlett interface connected from MIDI out to MIDi in of the Machinedrum. The cable does work because the MD reacted to MIDI sync via ableton, I tested that. What else could be going wrong?
Tough to say without it in front of me, I remember having to fiddle with some settings in Sysex Librarian to get everything working before I switched to C6 & a TM-1. Sorry I’m not more help.
I suggest skimming the Sysex Librarian manual & making sure the midi ports are configured correctly. Besides that, turn the delay up high (start with 10ms and go up) in the sysex menu and do some test transfers with the MD with a single kit or pattern. The firmware transfer will take 30 minutes or so so its best to make sure its all working before you try doing the firmware. If your delay is set too low, you can get errors.
Ahh my bad, it just took the MD a minute before it started recognizing that data was being sent to it! I’m simply used to the snappity fast new digitone and digitakt’s
My pauses between messages is set to 152 milliseconds. Should be more than enough I suppose then?
Cheers and thanks for answering so quickly!
1 Like
yep that should work. hope you enjoy the custom firmware, it really is something special. While the firmware is transfering, I sugguest you read over the documentation on how to use the new NFX machines, they are very powerful but not quite as intuitive as the rest of the Machinedrum & take some trial and error to wrap your head around.
1 Like
Wow thanks! Remember, I’m coming from OS 1.20 from the stone age so I’ll have to read all the notes of what they ever improved to know what new feautures I have haha!
The unofficial one I take also has the official firmware improvements included in it or do I need to load on official OS 1.63 as well?
Yes, with the final OS release being in 2016 and the unofficial FW releasing in ~2020 I have to imagine they built the custom firmware on top of 1.63. You couldn’t load both at the same time anyways, you can only have one firmware loaded on the machine at a time.
Ahh makes sense! Thanks. Only 3 Trig steps left until completion, can’t wait to squeeze out a sawtooth bassline 
1 Like
We need a video of that super old monstrosity-machine banging beats 
4 Likes
Hi! I just got a machinedrum mk2 with the x.04 installed. I would like to update to the latest OS but I only have Syntakt as an interface. Does anyone have experience updating the machinedrum with any of the takts or digitone? If yes could you please let me know how you connect via midi the machines? Thank you!
If you can send Sysex files to the Syntakt over USB You should be able to just use the MIDI Thru on the Syntakt connected to the MDs Input. Someone more experienced with MIDI may hopefully chime in here, I’m pretty new to the protocol but that sounds like it would work on paper
Thanks for the answer!