JUKEBOX - any suggestions ?!?!?!?
My KN7000 (acquired last summer) didn't come with the Panasonic Card Reader in the Jukebox 2.4 box (previous owner sadly deceased). I find I can't load Audio onto the SD card (I'm using my ancient XP laptop) because Jukebox 2.4 won't recognise the SD in either the laptop SD slot or the generic card reader.

I understand that the later version Jukebox 5 works with the KN7000 and can work with any card reader. Unfortunately, Version 5 (or any other version!) seems to be unavailable, even as a torrent download.

I would have replaced my broken KN6500 with another KN6500 if I'd have known I couldn't use Audio on the KN7000. (The KN7000 is so much heavier, although admittedly it's very useful to have the SD function!). I stuck with Technics as I do a lot of sequencing, am familiar with the sequencer, and need to be able to use all my old Technics Sequences (and don't much like the over-heavy Yamaha bass!)


I had been hoping to load an Audio accompaniment for one of my soloist singers to perform in our concert in a week's time. And I was really looking forward to delving into the audio side of things for other performances!!!

Does anyone have any suggestions please?

Hi Katrina - there comes a moment when initially loading Jukebox v2.4 into your PC/Laptop when you get to nominate where (which port in old language) the software should expect to find the SD Card.
Try deleting and reloading Jukebox v2.4 and watch out for that opportunity.
I use my windows 7 laptop and Jukebox recognises an SD Card in the laptop SD slot straight away.
There may also be a screen on Jukebox v2.4 where you can change the point where the SD Card is, going from memory.
One other thing - some little while ago my Windows XP desk top computer no longer seemed to want to work with Jukebox v2.4 and always rejected it as having a virus which was strange. It was as though Windows XP had taken against Jukebox v2.4
Hope this helps. Certainly the Audio facility is brilliant for backing tracks for supporting singers.

Hi Katrina,

The SD Jukebox program will only work with the Panasonic USB SD Card Reader/Writer module. It won't work with any other generic SD Card readers, whether they are external or internal on your Laptop. Why Panasonic imposed this restriction is beyond comprehension !!!
Your only chance is to obtain the "SD Audio PC Writing Kit SZ-CB7" which included the reader/writer module..... The kits do appear occasionally on eBay - try registering a 'Watch' for Technics/Panasonic items on eBay and you can be alerted by email when they appear for sale.

As an alternative, you could use an MP3 player connected to the Line Input of your KN7000 to play your 'backing tracks'. I know of other KN7000 owners who have used this method, and whilst not quite so convenient as playing from an SD Card in the KN7000, it does provide a workable alternative.

Hi Roger,

Really appreciate you getting back to me so quickly.

I was all set to do what you suggested, but now (she says, tearing hair out!) I find the laptop we had lent our daughter for university has returned with no functioning sound-card. (And a whole load of other stuff wiped). I can use it for TechManager and that's about it at the moment.

However, I was a reading a thread started by you last summer
http://www.synthzone.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/369476/Re_SD_Jukebox_for_KN7000#Post369476

when you had the trouble with XP and was wondering if you perhaps got hold of the Jukebox Version 5 suggested there? John (JD5live) may have sent you a copy. 23 July 2013 as it was he suggested this as a better version of Jukebox for the kn7000


Is it at all possible that you installed that version and then forgot about it? Elsewhere I read that it is actually impossible to use a different card-reader with version 2.4 - although, if I can find the original sound card drivers I will certainly try your suggestion.

I am also considering whether to attempt to load Windows onto my Mac as a virtual Windows, but a bit worried about messing up my Mac.

or try and get hold of a new or 2nd-hand cheap laptop just for the keyboard.

Could you perhaps tell me how you managed to get your KN7000 programmes working on the more modern Windows? Is it by using compatibility mode?

Hello Bill!

Just found you've posted a reply. Thanks!

I understand, via the thread I've linked to in my other reply to Roger, that the Jukebox Version 5 works fine with the KN7000 and avoids the need for the Panasonic card-reader.

Yes I have been looking on Ebay and Amazon. The last time anyone sold one was in April, though there was one in a foreign country for a ridiculous amount of money (hundreds!)

If I was able to get the Panasonic Version 5 Jukebox software that would perhaps be quicker.

Why isn't life simple?

JD5Live (John) has just this moment sent me Sd Jukebox version 5 bless him so I'll have a go with it on my desktop computer and see what happens. My laptop is missing at the moment but when I loaded Jukebox v2.4 on it strangely enough it just worked and with the SD Card just in the SD Card slot of the laptop...weird.
I wouldn't mind betting that I've got a KN7000 audio version of the song you want to back your singer with - as a matter of interest what is the song?

Yours truly reporting back that version 5 works brilliantly with my Windows XP desktop computer - either John or I may be able to help you further Katrina.
Rog

Although substantially true, this is not absolutely true, since my old laptop could write audio to sd through its inbuilt slot since made by Toshiba, a co-inventor of the SD format. They obviously had all of the relevant sd code in their firmware, something that all hardware does not necessarily have (those that do not pay the royalties). Also my Panasonic PCMCIA SD reader could write audio (another defunct format). Whether any models today can do this I can't say without having tried every one. The limitation was a result of the "secure" part of the format. It was designed to preserve copyright on retail downloaded music to prevent copying, but this part of the technology never took off commercially. Remember at the time SD was still a new format vying to usurp Compact Flash from top spot, let alone things like MMC and XD which have since disappeared into history, like Technics.

Dear Roger, Bill, Alec, John

You must think me awfully rude for not having responded to all your helpfulness.

EXPLANATION & APOLOGY FOLLOWS - but you may wish to skip over this paragraph as it's quite boring !
I had to teach this afternoon/evening (also have 4 hours non-stop tomorrow, Sat) and have been sitting up to 1.30am trying to figure out what my daughter has done to our old XP laptop when she had it at university. Seems to have disabled the onboard sound card to make room perhaps for all her graphics programmes until she got her own laptop. Have spent hours downloading drivers/restarting etc and have been all through My Computer, with a tooth comb (though not literally, you may be pleased to hear!). Will see what happens if I plug in some cheap USB speakers as I can't find the sound card !!!! " NO AUDIO DEVICE" It never was my own personal laptop (hubbies). I used to have a desktop with a Soundblaster Audigy - but the wretched thing blew - it was 11 years old, but I kept upgrading it (obviously a bit too long!!!)


I AM SO APPRECIATIVE OF ALL YOUR HELP & CONCERN and can't believe, John, that you have gone to so much trouble considering your present circumstances.

That really is Marvellous news about the Jukebox v5. (I have sent PMs to John & Roger). Have you tried it on the KN7 yet, Roger?

Very interesting about the Toshiba laptop SD, Alec. (So happy you still take an interest in the Technics forum). (Unfortunately, my old laptop is a Fujitsu Siemens). Can't wait to have another go with the old thing at lunch time - after the required cup of tea etc.

Sorry to be so brief (?????) but sleep calls…..

Yes Katrina - I have tried v5 and put the SD Card into my KN7 and it works - brilliant.

:)Katrina check your mail.

Thanks ever so much for your considerable help, John and Roger too.

I've sent emails to you both. But wished to acknowledge on Synthzone how helpful you've been.

I now (probably) need to wait until after the Saturday concert to upgrade the KN7000 from v1.3 to v1.4 &1.6 as despite the Jukebox 5 working brilliantly and not needing the special card-reader, the KN7000 refuses to acknowledge there is audio on the 1 GB SD (it's a plain SD, not SDHC). (Formatted on Jukebox 5). Unless the problem is that the card is too big or something.

I am hoping that I can upgrade the keyboard after next weekend's Concert, and then it will recognise audio.

Will keep you posted

There's a PANASONIC SZ-CB7 SD AUDIO PC WRITING KIT available on ebay (UK) if anyone is interested......

Check Here : http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PANASONIC-SZ-CB7-SD-AUDIO-PC-WRITING-KIT-for-TECHNICS-SX-KN7000-KEYBOARD-/331160040624?ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:GB:3160

Bill you gone and done it ,you spotted it first!!
Katrina I would take a look as if you can get it for a good price it could be a great standby,just checked my PC tower as I have had to fit a new card reader unit and guess what it don't like Jukebox (Ha Ha) so I am looking after my Panasonic cards writer!!! Regards John.

Ooh!
Thanks to you both.

Oh dear, John! Yes perhaps I'd better try and get it then!!!!!

Incidentally, have ordered a whole load of 2GB SDs from various places, (some of which have later confessed they don't actually have them even though on their website). But just hoping I can get at least a couple of SDs that actually work, (the 4 x Sandisks, all 1GB, wouldn't work in the KN7, even though fine in Jukebox).

I really want to get into the audio side, possibly combining with sequencing for the odd number (e.g. to add lines for my choir to sing, or whatever), so I really will need enough SD room for audio. Just wish I'd hopped onto the KN7 bandwagon a few years earlier!!!

Can anyone tell me, do TechManager and Jukebox 5 (or for that matter Song Manager) run OK if Windows SERVICE PACK 3 is installed?

I have Service Pack 2 at the moment. I remember reading on at least one of these programmes that it is configured for Service Pack 2. Don't want to do the Windows update to SP3 if it's going to mess up these programmes!

And yes, I'm running out of time because the XP updates won't be available in a few days time !

Hi Katrina,
I have windows XP with service pack 3 on my small ACER Netbook, which is permanently attached to my KN7000 and linked to my home network. Both Song Manager and Jukebox 5 work OK on this Netbook. I can't vouch for TechManager since I don't use it, but I see no reason why that program should not work OK, when SP3 is installed.
Should you experience problems with SP3 / TechManager, you can always uninstall SP3 by following the procedures detailed here : http://support.microsoft.com/kb/950249

Thanks Bill !

Sorry for tardiness in replying. Been a bit of a rush, and quite a few problems in the process, but have managed to download Service Pack 3 (but necessitating uninstalling Int Explorer 8 first!), and a reduced price (sale finished today!) Kaspersky Internet Suite, which requires a troublesome Network Framework 4 Manual installation, and after many problems with all this…..the Techmanager and Jukebox 5 appear to still be working!!!!

Hopefully will soon be able to download stuff again, for at least a year, without having to access internet on my Mac and transfer across every time!

Thanks for replying. It gave me the courage to try!

Hi Katrina, check out the new sounds that Daniel has uploaded, even more to play with !!!!!!!
Regards John.

Bill, and John,

Yes, I got the Panasonic card reader etc advertised on Ebay!

Thanks.

The concert had to be postponed by 2 weeks (problems at the venue). That was fun (NOT!!) trying to reorganise it, with all 14 participants! It's tomorrow.

So no time yet to try upgrading the KN7 to v1.6, nor to try Daniel's sound files

There really is no need to use floppy disks on the 7K, except to upgrade the system or use the midi or file type converters.

Say you have the supplied 8MB card still, use that as your download transfer "floppy".

Format the 8MB card, then perform any normal SD save on the KN7000 to the card.

Open on the computer, open the Private, Technics, KN7000 folders, delete the Kn7000mn.inf file (and the Kn7000mn.bak file if you have it). Open the TFLD001 folder and delete all the contents.

Job done.

Now copy the technics format files from inside the thread download zip to the TFLD001 folder.

You can see and load them in the 7k... name them properly and save to your other larger daily use SD card.

Next time you have some new technics format files, just delete the 2 inf and bak files, and empty the 001 folder again.

The technics format files must be numbered 01 to 20, you can just copy any complete floppy disk of 7k, 6k5, 6k, 5k, 3k, 2k format to the 001 folder to see all files in the 7k at once - unbelievably quicker than loading 20 files off floppy individually.

If you want to copy many floppy disks at once just create TFLD002, TFLD003 etc folders next to the 001 folder, fill each with a max of 20 technics format file groups numbered 01 to 20.

Then throw those awful floppys away, on the 7k they are just a waste of valuable lifetime!

Thanks Alec,

will follow your advice!

Just to reawaken this thread. I recently purchased an ipad and discovered that not only could I dropbox my mp3 files from my computer onto the ipad and thence into some very good mp3 player apps'; but having done that I only had to connect the sound orifice of the ipad to the rear sound input of my KN7000 and I had completely bypassed SD Cards etc with my backing tracks for my singers - see www.tributeartistes.com
Katrina you are it seems in much the same situation of providing backing for singers from time to time and this may be a better route for you than purchasing another laptop.

Hi Roger,
I advocated that method some time ago ... I got sick of all the converting to Secure SD, 'Checking Out' etc. which is a bit of a pain......
It's a whole lot easier just connecting a standard MP3/WAV/WMA player to the KN7000 (or earlier KNs) Line In sockets.
Admittedly, you need to carry an extra bit of kit to gigs and you don't have the 'Sync' facility, but they are only 'minor irritations'