Casio HT-700 Repair and Review
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 28 ก.ย. 2024
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In this episode I take a look at the Casio HT-700 keyboard and do some minor repairs and a full demonstration. You can hear the multi-track song here:
/ casio-ht-700-groove
You can see Rene's remix of the 8-Bit Keys theme here:
• 8 bit Keys Theme Remix
There's a rumor going around that Michael Jackson's change in appearance was due to the 8-Bit Guy trying to Retrobrite him.
LOL
Andy Doane
Good one, that made me laugh
There’s another rumor going about that 8 Bit Guy did all the keyboard work for Michael Jackson because he saw so much potential in a 11 year old’s heart in the early 1980s, and that talented kid grew up to be a keyboard repair guy. Cool story intended to be a joke, but i don’t see adding a punchline anytime soon, because there was no punchline. Sike!
How do I like this comment more than once?
Tremendous!!!!11
There's also a rumor that Michael Jackson released a new version of his song "Bad": "Dead". "I'm dead, I'm dead, you know it, I'm dead..."
I absolutely love how this keyboards sounds! It hits the spot right between realistic and synthetic.
8-Bit Keys, the most criminally-underrated channel on TH-cam.
lol
Strelnikov_ YES
Not anymore
The sound of that keyboard is stellar. Just, what else can scream "welcome to the 80's" quite like that heavily synthesized audio? It's the sound of video games from the late 80's and 90's and it encapsulates the childhood of so many people and grants a feeling of anemoia for those who missed out on such media because they were born too late to grow up with it. Such a cool bit of kit and I'm glad you were able to get everything working again. It makes some great sounds for when you really want to embrace that synthwave genre.
Here's a brief look into the synthesis engine that the HT-700 uses. The HT-700 uses a synth method called "Spectrum Dynamics" or SD for short.
SD works by using two digital oscillators where one is used as the main body of the sound and the other as overtones. The overtone and body oscillator have their own DCA that allows their volume to fade in and out independantly of each other.
Both are then mixed together and sent to the analog filter section which has its own DCA as well. Then it's outputted to amp and thats it.
The biggest issue with SD, or rather Casio's implementation, was that the Oscillator DCA's were nonprogrammable and thus you ironically had no control over the very thing the SD was special for. All you could do was choose waveforms and that was it.
Hope you all found this tid bit interesting.
I think you can program the oscillators on the HT-6000, and change the envelope curves on both waveforms. Or at least it has a lot more preset waveforms to choose from than the HT-700.
So its west Coast synthesis method mixed with east Coast. Interesting for sure
Well I own many synthesizers and some keyboards ,this casio ht-700 is actually a digital synthesizer with analogue filter which in ht-6000 you can explore more.This pro synth-keyboard from casio were not went good on sales, cause casio had already the famous cz line which was the most advanced for sound synthesis..casio perhaps wanted to bring something between the cz and other keyboards but there was not so good of quality ..but the engine circuit inside can produce timbres that are good for some kind of music especially instrumental..
That sounds suspiciously similar to Casio's "vowel-consonant" synthesis.
@@diggydude5229 having owned a 3000 and still have a 700 they are both very versatile, real synths, once cheap, the 6000 is as far as I have read massively more versatile with I believe double the oscillators and basically everything else ! I want one ha ha
That doesn't sound like a bad keyboard. It has rather unique sounds for the instrumental music.
I have no clue about electronics nor do I play piano/keyboard however between you and Markusfuller's channel I love watching these Teardown/Repair videos! Thank you, I appreciate what you do.
love me some marcusfuller
Bo88y Beretta is
Does not matter how much you know, what matters is if you are willing to try things and learn. That is the basics for all repairs and design of everything that has ever been made. Just remember some websites such as archive.org, servicemanuals.net, or manualslib.com and spend some time on trying to find manuals. If you have to download anything other than a PDF, or give them any information (unless you are buying something) go elsewhere as they are a scamming site, and there are many.
I got this keyboard for Christmas 1987. I still have it. It’s still in great shape and I’m pretty sure I even still have the manual for it in my big box full of manuals in the garage. I haven’t touched it in quite a few years but you have made me want to dig it out and dust it off and your channel(s) has made me realize that it deserves a home in my retro game room. Thanks!
Excellent video as usual David!
Caleb Goodwin how did you made that conclusion? The video just came out.
Got here at like 15 views. It's been out for like 10 hours. Just finished it now.
Caleb Goodwin weird, for me it just came out.
Yeah, TH-cam notifications are always late. I got my notification 10 minutes ago, just while I was watching this.
Look at EpicLper's comment
That new intro song is just pure love in my ears
I seriously want Rene Didden to post the full track somewhere, I love it!
EpicLPer Was just about to ask if we could get the full version.
I love it too!
Who did it? Anyone know?
AndeGott546 Productions my GUESS is that a combination of The 8-Bit Guy, a bag of weed and Sonic The Hedgehog made it. Have you checked out his other channel, "8-Bit Keys"?
You owe us no apology for setting your own schedule. Besides, 1-2 a month on a side channel is cranking them out pretty good.
My oh my, the Typhoon sound though! The 80's just blew through my headphones and into the cosmos beyond. Thanks, Casio and 8-bit guy!
You make interesting videos, keep doing your thing, I enjoy watching them! :)
The sounds are very agreeable to me even though they are synthetic. The kind of stuff you pay a premium for these days.
rimmersbryggeri my thought exactly
I heard simular sounds in a novation synth we had at my old job in a music store. The mistake they made was to call these noises things like piano and E piano when they are clearly not.
rimmersbryggeri yeah. but that doesn't make them bad sounds
Exactly. I meant if you can get them for cheaper in an older package it's way cooler.
If I'm using an old keyboard, I'm not really looking for "realistic" sounds. There's usually sort of an uncanny valley effect on these kinds of keyboards. A clearly synthetic voice is more appealing to me than a somewhat realistic voice that isn't quite realistic enough to pass off as a real instrument. If I wanted a good piano sound, for example, I'd just use a real piano. I like old keyboards specifically because they sound synthetic.
Exactly! I wish more people got that.
Exactly, I was thinking the same thing when I saw the video.
Even classical music sounds better with proper synthetic sounds.
Each keyboard reflects the sub culture behind it. Remember, it is a commercial product designed to make money for its creator. As a musicologist I like this sort of thing.
Besides... You can never replicate sounds like a saxaphone.
I've yet to hear a synth one that sounded real.
Hey David! I'd love to see you take on other older electronic drum machines, keytars, and other unique ones. I loooooove old electronics and love how you break down features and how they're made. I think one of my favorite types of videos you do are restorations, there's something so.. Calming about it! Thank you for the great content!
I freaking love it when this man repairs stuff. I'd break something for him just to watch him repair it lol. Not something of his of course, but mine.
I love how Enya is your go to demo song ❤️❤️❤️
You did an astonishing job of restoring this keyboard, you proved that even a cracked or rusty motherboard can be still used by desolder and wiring stuff directly to eachother.
I am amezed that once you extended those screw holes by drilling that you did not end up drilling trough the other side of the plastic.
Glad to see the synth was easy to repair. It has quite a distinct sound across all instruments - the Typhoon one reminds me of Giana Sisters and the Level 1 music!
YES! You're the first person I've seen mention that. When I first played the sound that is the first thing that came to mind. I had actually meant to mention that in the video and I forgot.
This was my first keyboard. Loved it at the time. Interestingly, I really liked the data entry knob *because* it had a hard stop. Easier to "feel" without having to look at the display. Each to their own :-)
Oh, that backgroundmusic took me back to the eighties!
Truls Osmundsen And the best part is that it's free download for all: soundcloud.com/eox-studios/falling-in-love-with-you :)
Downloaded, put on disk in the car. I also now follow you on soundcloud :)
The NEC D23C256 is a 32kByte mask ROM. Those other OKI 6294 Chips are 8KByte of static RAM each, no ROMs. And yes that D78C10 is in fact the CPU. From all I can see that "MIDI Controller Chip" is just another static RAM, but a very fast one, like the cache chips for old 80486 boards. Edit: The OKI 6294 are not static RAMs but percussion generators. Very misleading numbering. The small "MIDI controller chip" is a static RAM but not a fast one, just a small one.
The schematic refers to the 6294's as "percussion generator 1/2". The pin assignments are completely different to an SRAM :-)
EDIT: Also the speed grade of the actual SRAM is 150ns. The trailing zero is usually left off. In '87, if you could even get an 8KB SRAM in 15ns grade, it would cost a fortune! No way the bean counters would go for that. If you don't need the performance, don't pay for it :D
That's weird anything with 62x4 is usually static RAM. Yeah 1987 is a bit too early for cheap fast RAM. However back then there were "fancy" 300 mil 150ns SRAMs around in order to "safe space". But I have seen weirder things like an ITT4017 (in Delta-Lab delays) that is actually 16kx1 DRAM and not a HEF4017 counter... Could you please provide a link to that CASIO schematic?
Sure thing! The PDF is available here:
synthstuff.wordpress.com/2012/01/04/casio-ht-700-mods/
Thanks. Those OKIs are weirdos and very misleading numbering. They only use one chip select signal the write signal and the 8 data bits. They also got the CLK signal that tell that they have some counter like stuff in it. Apparently they got 4 channels each and only the MIX out is used. The DAC converters or at least some PWM DAC thing seems also to be inside them.
The OKI MSM629x series usually relates to sound chips of one sort or another. The 6295, for example, was used in a lot of early arcade machines for general purpose 4-bit ADPCM sample playback. I can't find a datasheet on the 6294 but from the information we now have available, I can guess it works a little bit like the 6295 but has a mask ROM for the waveforms rather than arbitrary ones being loaded by the host CPU. Cheapest possible way to make something that did the job well enough, I suppose!
your example of how-to doing small repairs is valuable and inspiring. thanks!
2:48 Stewie Griffin pronunciation of "wHHeel!"
*hwheel*
*Much* better spelling. Thanks! :)
That's actually the way every English speaker in the world used to pronounce that sound. Why on earth would they write it WHeel if it was pronounced weel? Language changes, and most young English speakers today do not pronounce the h sound anymore.
Correction, that's how *awesome* English speakers pronounce the "wh" sound! :)
I didn't even notice the first time around
JB-Weld FTW!
It's great stuff ...metal filled epoxy, dries at room temp, reasonably long work time, and it can be sanded and drilled once dry. I used to use it all the time in robotics projects in college. I even know a guy that fixed a crack in the engine of his WWI biplane with the stuff. It was a stop-gap solution, but he managed to fly it home! It should definitely be your go-to for any broken plastic.
Happy today, 8-bit keys and techmoan videos.
Always enjoy watching your videos David, reminds me of my childhood, with all the "old" tech
you should cover one of casio's early 80s vowel consonant keyboards, the mt-65 is essential
I love the organ sounds on the MT-70. The jazz organ makes a fairly convincing Hammond B3 substitute. Got her hooked up to a Korg G4 rotating speaker simulator right now, but haven't done much with it yet.
That multitrack sounded a lot like one of the songs for the game Raptor: Call of the Shadows, one of my favorite top-down fighter plane shooter games. Really fun to listen to!
Wow this synthesizer produces great sounds!
I really liked the song you made!! The sounds of this keyboard really remind of the late 80s.
Simply the best retro site I have ever seen. clear and easy to follow. Some of those old boards were so much fun. I owned a Casio Mt800, PT80 and a Poly 800. All the best and thanks
Omg! I have a hardware store and I wish my clients tried to find the screws they need by themselves. They are always like: "too short.... too long.... too thick.... not the right type etc......" and I am so boreeeeddd.. I wish I had David as a client he could have as many screws he want for free!
Τάσος Παραστατίδης guess you could say u are getting _screwed_
Giggity!
I love the new intro theme. It sounds a lot better in this episode than it did in the next episode.
I love that sound to be honest
I got a HT700 a few years ago (picking it up is it's own story) and i love it. I use it for my side-project and already did the synth-pan flute sound in "Escape" with it.
This was my first keyboard that I got back in the late '80s, and I still have it. For a consumer-focused synth, it has a surprising amount of flexibility. I actually ended up making my own sounds quite often.
It is built quite cheaply, but mine has held up pretty well considering it's over 30 years old. The speakers occasionally come loose, and the power adapter has suffered years of abuse and had to be replaced eventually. There are also two keys whose hinges have broken, and now they are held in place with tape. I haven't taken it apart again to look at them, but I assume that the hinges are simply just bending plastic that eventually broke through.
Even after I got a Boss DS-330 and eventually software synths, I still continued to use the HT-700 as a MIDI controller until a couple of years ago. In spite of the tiny keys and fixed velocity, it served that purpose well. I mostly do step programming, so it wasn't really an issue.
I plan to hold onto this synth indefinitely. It may not be amazing compared to the other synths I've acquired since then (both hardware and software), but its hybrid nature creates sounds that I haven't encountered anywhere else.
8-bit keys makes my inner high school ebm goth kid smile.
Yeah, I found that too. fixing old keyboards can be surprisingly easy. I have a 1998 Yamaha PSR-79 keyboard that I got around that time, and through my own bad judgement it ended up with battery corrosion, and about 1/3 of the keys stopped working.
When I checked inside, the damage wasn't too severe, but I did notice how the keys themselves were basically just a dumb switch matrix attached to a ribbon cable.
Sure enough, a continuity check on the ribbon cable with a multimeter showed that two of the wires were broken.
So... I got some lengths of wire about the same size as the ribbon cable, and soldered it between the two ends of the broken wires...
And that fixed it. Nothing complicated. Anyone with a very basic understanding of how to solder and use a multimeter and a bit of logic could have checked it, worked out what was wrong, and fixed it.
It CAN be that simple in some cases...
That song at the end...total vibes of an 80's 16 bit adventure game of some kind
David, did you keep polarizing the speaker? If not, will be played in the counter-phase to another speaker.
Yes, I double checked the polarity was the same as it was before. I just didn't mention it in the video.
8-Bit Keys Can you do a review and repair of the Casio CTK-150, if you have one?
I do love the SD sound. I had the HT3000 but sold it when I got the Hohner version of the HT6000.
It’s off-white and has ring modulation. So cool.
Do you think it would be possible for you to make a video on retro game OST composition? What are the specifics compared to composing songs for anything else?
I think there is an 8-bit guy episode about that. Something like how old school music worked.
oh thats not what I mean, the hardware side of things, I was thinking about the composition, what makes the tunes 8-bitty so to speak, the chord progressions etc
I guess if you play music with square or triangle wave, it'll sound pretty 8-bitty.
There's a channel called 8-bit Music Theory which has videos about how music was composed for old games. It might have the kind of videos you're looking for.
yep, thats EXACTLY what I was looking for! Thanks :) I actually found it just earlier today through suggestions! Makes me wonder if the youtubes neural network suggestion algorithm made the suggestion based on my comment here, who knows all the things it takes into account!
it's good to see these once in a while. I don't even like music (I usually skip the multi-track sample you do) I come for you (david) would pretty much watch all your channels
I had one of this in 90's, had a lot of fun with it and used it in a rock band that I played.
I had this keykoard back in the early 90s, it rocked!!!... it's mainly feature for me was the kinda sequencer it has, it allowed me to make complete cover of various songs like "Big In Japan", "The Year of the Cat", "I Love to Hate You" and others... I could program drums, bass and strings very close to the original songs...
I mean, at 13 years old I made karaoke samples in my room... 30 years ago!!! Man, I miss that keyboard...
The end reminds me Dschinghis Khan - Moskau
David, you are a darn good musician. Keep doing what you do!
I'm glad you don't love the HT-700 as much as I do, or the 2nd hand value would skyrocket! This is a beautiful, programmable, 80's Casio with a resonant analog filter! Thanks for down-playing it!
Awesome fix. Its always really fulfilling, being able to revive old equipment. 🐱💻
i love my ht 700
I had the HT-700 way back in 1987. Thanks for posting.
Great video, as usual. You seem to have been infected by the "so" language tic in this one, count the number of sentences you start with "so" :P
The reason this happens is that much of the pieces are recorded separately, so when I connect all of the bits together in the final edit there end up being more "so" words than it originally sounded like. However, I can often run into the same problem using the word "next" or "now." it's a constant struggle.
So don't worry ;)
So, once I noticed this I couldn't stop hearing them. So. I counted 38 in total. So-so. I think David's content and production quality is great, *so* i'm not complaining.
Easy fix: Drop the conjunctions, all the "so"s, the "however"s, and the "now"s. Your writing is strong enough without them.
xjj99 at least he doesn't say "as you can see" 100 times
Coming for retro tech. Staying for the AWESOME music. I love the tracks you're usually playing
@7:00 enya
nice
Niklas Wallin No Holly for Miss Quinn. I was thinking the same.
"Watermark" (1988)... Not justified due to the sound...!
You know, I really love seeing videos where you repair a thing at terrible condition.
We are number one but it's performed by David Murray
my Dad has that key board he bought it new in 87 and still has it tucked away in the closet we fired it up a few years ago it was a little dusty but still works well the midi options really wake that thing up lots of fun best 300 dollars spent back in the day !!
"The electric piano sound doesn't sound that great". I strongly disagree!
From a recreation standpoint, it really isn't that good. Same with the piano, but there are some niche musicians that can use it.
Why would you expect it to be realistic? I think most people who play these old home keyboards now are doing it because of the way they do sound, not because they're looking for a realistic piano sound.
Correct. It isn't a great sounding piano though, but a great sounding sound nonetheless :P
Believe it or not.. I get a lot of people asking me which retro keyboard they should get so they can learn to play piano...and I usually tell them to avoid retro keyboards from the 80s because they usually don't have a good piano and rarely even a sustain pedal.
This thing is a dream keyboard for chiptune composers. Just put it through some chorus and verb...
Got exact same keyboard. Found it in a dumpster a decade ago. It had a broken power plug, and required minimal repair. It serves me to this day. Menus are quirky and hard to manipulate with the dial, but the sounds are good. Effects are very decent. The biggest problems for me is the lack of velocity sensitive keys. I often feed a newer keyboard though the MIDI port and use HT-700 as a tone generator to acquire velocity. Unfortunately there's almost no multitimbral functionality and no General Midi compliance, so it cannot be used as a retro gaming sound module.
After watching your videos for a while I decided to get a retro synth and I love it. Thanks David!
that's why when I take apart things to salvage, I always keep the screws. I have amassed quite the stockpile, and I even have the exact ones you needed.
I'm a big fan of your channel!! I have the HT-700 and really appreciate the insight into its inner workings! Keep up the great work!
Your song at the end got my son to start dancing. Thank you
Another interesting and entertaining video. Lovely sounds from this keyboard, it has a certain 16 bit video game sound to it. I will keep my eyes peeled for one!
The more and more I watch this channel, the more curious I am about what an old true professional keyboard sounds like.
Zanibar Reyener listen to a song from that era. professional musicians use professional gear
Wow that piece needs an extended version right away. It's so groovy! I can't stop listening.
No Holly for Miss Quinn! Oh man, I expect eargasms when I come on this channel but I was not expecting an Enya eargasm! I know what I'll be listening to for the rest of the day :D
Excellent tune! Reminds me of Depeche Mode when Vince Clark was still in charge. You capture that 1981 vibe completely. Thanks!
That multi track recording was really good! I think you should try and finish it and make it into a full song
Oh wow, that's the keyboard we had growing up, I used to enjoy trying out all the sounds as a child.
Just found a good deal for one on eBay. Thanks for the video.
My parents had this keyboard when I was growing up! I have a lot of memories of it, especially that Typhoon sound, lol
That song you wrote sounds like something I'd expect to hear as the intro to an old DOS adventure game, probably a relatively serious sci-fi one.
Those waveforms are great. Now I want one.
The coolest thing to do with it is to set the HT-700 up in edit mode, select the function to select one of the 30 waveforms and turn the dial while playing the keys and hear it sweep the waveforms like a PPG Wave.
3:35 I love your version of Vangelis' Chariots of Fire'!
The Casio HT series was unique and quite powerful, especially the 4 oscillator HT-6000. The complex waveforms they generated made them like pseudo wavetable synthesizers, and set them apart from most subtractive synths that offered only the standard saw, square/pulse, and triangle waves.
I'm a big fan of Casio's '80s synths. I'd love to see a video on the VZ-1, which was Casio's take on FM synthesis and the successor to the CZ line.
I have a VZ-8M rackmount. I still love the HT-6000 more. Especially that waveform in the Cathedral patch that sounds like rubbing your finger on the rim of a wine glass.
Been waiting on this for a while. Great video!
Great song at the end! A great 80's era pop song!
The multi-trac music is really good. Thanks
The new intro song is just awesome.
Awesome, hope the next 8-bit keys sound track is out soon
I love those first three sounds. They don't sound realistic but they sound great. They remind me of some old games.
Hey David. Don't worry about the production time on the episodes, I would rather wait and have the well made episodes like you do now. also could you make video that shows how to use a usb to midi in and midi out. My gf has a keyboard and I ordered the midi cable, but I have a hard time finding good software and good use for it. I'm not able to play on a keyboard, but i have gotten a lot of interest in giving it a go after watching you on both your channels. Just an idea for a future episode, love your content, keep up the good work!
The repair and reviewi videos are my all time favorite videos keep it up 8-bit keys
Every time he says it was produced in 1980-something I get all warm inside.. Good times....
in some newer casio keyboards, there is a pattern (accmp drum track) which is used in the song 'Moving to New York' by 'The Wombats' throughout.
As person that loves channels like yours, I'm always dealing with the lack of screws
I was just waiting for somebody to make a joke about that.
All these old sounding keyboards are just so nostalgic when he plays a song.
Arithium 80's-power! (Nice profile pic)
Relatively new sub . Your videos are very informative . Great job . I'm mainly a guitar player by heart but since watching your videos I've been bitten by the vintage keyboard bug . I have three older ones and hope to get more . Also it's nice to know how to do some of the simpler repairs , thanks .
That multitrack song was great. Also it's interesting how 30+ year old keyboards can do that even present day entry level keyboards can't
I've worked at fastener warehouses, and I often frequent a warehouse near me for random stainless guitar screws. Look around your area for wholesale fastener warehouses and you can usually find a blister pack of whatever screw you need, retail hardware stores usually only carry what sells and special order from the. warehouse what they need. if you look up the warehouse and stop by, you can get your #3s, usually for free because they'd rather hand it over than deal with an invoice for a dollar's worth of hardware.
Remember those 80s boom boxes that had a built in keyboard? I'd love to see an episode on one of those.
Love the new intro!!!!! Oh and a huge fan!
Great video on a great little synth. I have had mine sine I was about 14 years old and it still works. Used it mainly with the Apple IIgs for midi work for the last few decades. Was originally purchased at Odd Lots in the mid to late 80s for 79 dollars as a birthday present. It was given as a replacement to the CZ series I originally bought but came with broken keys.
Awesome ep. We love all the 8-bit.
You know its gona be a good video when the intro is different
Is it strange I love this channel more that your main one
Love watching you fix these types of things!
This is definetly one of the older keyboards that we don't expect to have realistic sounds, we're finding some special sounds out of it instead what can't be shown on regular pcm keyboards. Some higher end versions of the SD synthesizers are of course has more features