Frog floppy emulator

[PaulDF]

Hi,

did you poke the red LED through the hole so you can see it? I think this LED is just like the motor on a FDD - I don't do any changes whilst this is lit.

 

I tried to replicate your problem on my Bullfrog but didn't really get anywhere, when I read the showfiles on an empty partition it reported none, when I returned to partition 0 with showfiles in it read them, I can't remember now but it may have taken two attempts but I didn't have to reboot.

[RoyF18]

How does this work with things like system updates? To update the system normally you would put a floppy disk into the drive, then start the desk up and it recognises the file on the disk automatically. Is there a way to do that with the USB installed?

[PaulDF]

Updates for the operating system ended ages ago, if you wanted to you could put the update at disk 00 and the drive will read it when it starts.

[dbicker]

I have a question about how to update the library for the Fat Frog. I see the file on Zero 88 is 1.55Mb, but if we have to partition the USB drive into 1.44Mb segments, how can that work?

[david.elsbury]

Don't the instructions mention extracting the file (unzipping it?) and then putting it onto the floppy? Edited June 26, 2014 by david.elsbury

[vinntec]

This looks like a mistake as version 25 (the new one is 26) is only 343 KB! You could of course use the fixture tools on a PC to reduce the size, but I would put a note on the Zero 88 forum (http://zero88.com/forum/forum/93-frog-range/) - although they sometimes monitor this forum as well and might pick it up anyway.

[TomHoward]

This looks like a mistake as version 25 (the new one is 26) is only 343 KB! You could of course use the fixture tools on a PC to reduce the size, but I would put a note on the Zero 88 forum (http://zero88.com/forum/forum/93-frog-range/) - although they sometimes monitor this forum as well and might pick it up anyway.

Fat lot of good putting anything on the Zero88 forum will do you, I raised that with then in January that the new Fixture library is too big to fit on a floppy disk, and their solution is that you need to use Fixture Tools to edit it and remove the ones you don't need. Great but we run all office Macs - and many people are in colleges/schools where they don't have the freedom to install software on their Windows machines anyway.

 

It would be easier if they just made the last release that fitted on floppy disk (25) available for download, which again I suggested in Jan but still no luck.

 

http://zero88.com/forum/topic/6722-zero-88-fixture-library-release-26/

[jonhole]

although they sometimes monitor this forum as well and might pick it up anyway.

Correct :-)

 

This looks like a mistake as version 25 (the new one is 26) is only 343 KB!

Where did you get the 343KB file from? That sounds like it was probably a custom fixture, rather than a library.

 

 

 

 

 

Fat lot of good putting anything on the Zero88 forum will do you, I raised that with then in January that the new Fixture library is too big to fit on a floppy disk, and their solution is that you need to use Fixture Tools to edit it and remove the ones you don't need. Great but we run all office Macs - and many people are in colleges/schools where they don't have the freedom to install software on their Windows machines anyway.

 

http://zero88.com/forum/topic/6722-zero-88-fixture-library-release-26/

Tom, I'm sorry that you feel like this. We gave you quite a length reply answering all your points on that thread.

 

Please remember just how old this console is, and just how long ago we discontinued it, yet we've still created a solution for you to have the latest fixture files. Unfortunately it does require you to run on a Windows computer at this time. We've also had to change how our Fixture Library is created, as these old consoles only supported up to 128 fixtures per manufacture, which several manufactures have now exceded.

 

We seem to be in a catch 22 where customers complain if we don't have the latest profiles, but people also complain our library is too large?! We hoped our solution would support customers who had bought ANY Zero 88 console with fixture support, no matter of it's age, to continue the Customer Support we're famous for and our end users expect from us.

[ianknight]

Fat lot of good putting anything on the Zero88 forum will do you, I raised that with then in January that the new Fixture library is too big to fit on a floppy disk, and their solution is that you need to use Fixture Tools to edit it and remove the ones you don't need. Great but we run all office Macs - and many people are in colleges/schools where they don't have the freedom to install software on their Windows machines anyway.

 

So it's pressing enough to have just the Fixtures you need but not pressing enough to borrow a PC or set up BootCamp on one of your Macs to let you run the Fixture Editor? ;)

[vinntec]

Where did you get the 343KB file from? That sounds like it was probably a custom fixture, rather than a library.

Hi Jon - I unzipped the original ZIP file to check the size of the file inside (which had both the library file and the list of fixtures). At least since it was in my download folder, I assumed this was what it was. I wouldn't have edited it then saved it back as a ZIP?

[TomHoward]

We seem to be in a catch 22 where customers complain if we don't have the latest profiles, but people also complain our library is too large?! We hoped our solution would support customers who had bought ANY Zero 88 console with fixture support, no matter of it's age, to continue the Customer Support we're famous for and our end users expect from us.

What solution? The 'stripped down' floppy-disk sized fixture file doesn't fit on disk and there is no longer any download available for any fixture file that does fit on disk. To create two files with Manufacturers A-L and M-Z and hosting them, or simply hosting a version of release 25 (the last version which did fit on disk) would take minutes for you, and I suggested both, but still months later although I had a very lovely reply that you would be looking into it there's no action.

 

I'm not going to set up BootCamp for the sake of one manufacturer that doesn't provide a solution that works - and although we have Windows PCs, because we are an enterprise environment we don't have administrator rights on those PCs - as a lot of people in schools, colleges etc (where these desks are still common) would - so we can't install fixture tools - and shouldn't have to just to get any working fixture library - not just the latest - as older versions aren't hosted any more.

 

I don't fancy swapping out for a USB emulator as it seems a waste of time to me, considering the time you'd take swapping it out and chasing bugs I don't think you'd ever recoup that time or value in the saved floppy disks.

[jonhole]

Tom, which fixtures do you require and I will create the file for you...

[TomHoward]

We receive touring shows and groups - we only have some scrollers but we don't have access to a library any more, so we'd need library access. The point isn't for me either as in a pinch I could create the fixture tables, it'd be inconvenient but it wouldn't be a show-stopper, but it isn't fair on less technical users (of which there are plenty of this desk) to expect to have to install software and use fixture tools.

 

Every release you just need to break it half onto two disks for the stripped down version. It's all people are asking for and it isn't hard.

[Dave m]

I'm not very software literate, but couldn't the lib ray be on open access on a website with the ability to only download specific drivers?

 

I often deal with old motorbikes and there are sites where the original manuals are up for free download. You don't download everything, just the specific year/bike.

 

sorry if that's a daft idea!

[ianknight]

I'm sorry - I think I'm missing something here - I know I'm old and lose track easily but... You have touring shows and groups turn up on the doorstep and announce they're doing a show and do you have a fixture for your desk for the PyongZang 34 LED digital laser?

 

From my experience when I was in a touring venue, folk usually talked to us beforehand and gave us a list of what they were bringing which gave us time to prepare (and edit fixtures for our Strand 430) so it wasn't a question of "Sorry - can we hold your rehearsal whilst we figure out what fixtures?".

 

I think it's unreasonable to expect Zero88 to split their library in two (or perhaps more when the Library expands) because then the argument will become "Why do I have to have 4 floppy disks with fixtures on?". I understand your need to keep things simple but when fixtures are involved things get complicated anyway with operation modes, 8bit versus 16bit, number of operating channels - how will your less technical users get on then?