#62 version (the real latest) of the Korg 01R/W synth module.
Jun.01.1992	
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Factory installed ROMs in synth module provided by: Ferenc Dobos (Iram) - 17.05.2024
Description, chip readout and burn and test by : Csaba Toth (Leexus) - 31.05.2024

An interesting thing happened to us. A friend of mine has a Korg 01r/w module, which has firmware #62 version. On the internet there can be found the information that the #35 firmware was the last version for 01r/w modules. I didn't want to believe my eyes. But I've tried it and reproduced the content of the ICs to another ICs and it worked. 
This description was born to  dispel some erroneous information.

Original ROM chips (technically flash ICs) in the #62 version FW at Iram's module:
- IC31: Korg 912162 - LH521HM6 - Sharp Japan - 9243D
- IC32: Korg 912262 - LH532HM7 - Sharp Japan - 9244D


ROM chips used by me to burn in my 01r/w:
- IC31: Use 27C2001 EEPROM* chip (content is 256kbyte)
- IC32: Use 27C2001 EEPROM* chip (content is 256kbyte)

*During the EEPROM burning on MiniPRO TL866-II Plus with XG-Pro v12.50 and above version of software only worked the writing algorhytm with Fujitsu MBM27C2001 IC type selection in the XG-Pro software. 120ns EEPROM chips were used by me (the factory original chips were erased and overridden with the new content).
Further details: VPP Voltage I used: 12.00V, VDD Write: 4.40V, VCC Verify: 5.00V, Pulse Delay: 100us
Nor the NEC, OKI, ST or SGS-Thomson methods - after the successful burning - were failed when compared the content with the original. 
In addition, Winbond 29C020-90 or Winbond 29C020-12 (90ns or 120ns) flash ICs are also useable as I tried successfully.

About the content of the version #62 of the synth module. 
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There is a fail information on the Internet - we can say an urban legend - that FW #35 is the latest version for the module version of the synth. You can also find many hits also on ebay.. not a few.. All of them. But, it's simply not true! I had a factory installed #39 (22. April, 1992) in my synth module (on EEPROMS) - from back in the year 1992 - which is greater and newer than #35. 
Anyways, previously I have sent the #39 version the to the Synth DBWBP site: https://dbwbp.com/index.php/9-misc/37-synth-eprom-dumps
After our discovery we asked Ken Westover (Cliff Canyon) to modify the FW versions here based on our experiences in case of #39 and #62: https://indra.com/~cliffcan/01roms.htm thats since now why you found "for All" comment beside the #62 in the table.

The FW version #62 what we've found on this module and this version as far as we know is absolutely not available on Internet in this environment and recommendation to use it in 01r/w modules also. This seems to be REALLY THE LATEST version for the synth module! 
This FW is basically different from all previous versions of the module - such as #39 what I also had in my machine (also cannot be found on the net) or the well known #35 (falsely "last version"), because it is using a different methodology and structure which can be seen in the ROM binary content. This version is looks like nothing more than the keyboard version of FW. Yes, with exactly the same content! 
How can it be? It seems that in this #62 version was unified the synth FW version branch with the module FW version branch as a common FW for any geats. So, the two EEPROM chips having exactly the same firmware content!
Our experiment was kinda tricky. As you know, all of the other, previous module FW versions had two different size of chips before the #62 FW: a 256kbyte 27C2001 (IC31) and a smaller 128kbyte 27C1001 (IC32). At first time, I tried to readout the flash contents by this way, but when I burned out to the EEPROMs, the module was not able to boot in case of #62 version. I thought this is impossible, because the module HW gears are the same! Some trick can be there.. Finally I tried to read out using the same size (as  two 256kbyte chips) and I burned it... and it worked!!
How can it be? Back in the year 1992, the FW developers of the synth may have been tired at that time or just were lazy to carry on and maintain two separate FW lines and branches. Who knows.. I am pretty sure that in this FW version, the module seek the end of the file (EoF) on the second chip (IC32) as usually, but now in a different way. Not at the end of the second chip's 128kbyte final / last block.. the second 256kbyte's last part - a different way as it used to be on previous versions (due to that they had only a 128kbyte IC32 chip in case of #35, #39, etc. All of these dispite the fact, that a 01r/w module will never use other information from the second part of this second chip (IC32) - so the module is using only the first part of this IC32 chip. I guess the second part can have the floppy routines and extended sequencer handling information which are not relevant in case of the 01r/w module.
Later when I compared the read out files from the firmware versions we know from the Internet, I was surprised that module version of #62 FW is exactly the same version which the keyboard used in case of FW #62. It seems to be, this is the only FW version number and content which is the same version and has the same features on the keyboard synth and the synth module. 

About the availability of this FW version.
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The factory installed ROM content was originally placed into this synth module on two Korg branded Sharp made LH521HM6 and LH532HM7 type flash ICs - with the marks: 912162 and 912262 (the same numbers as the keyboard version have). 
The version numbers already tells about it here that they having the same content for the synth module version as the keyboard version has. But we never saw before any module with FW version #62, never heard about it, never read it anywhere.
So this is an evindence that the firmware has a common and same content for the module and the keyboard version.
If you see the list if Ken Westover, you can see at the versions and dates that the module dates and versions are handled seperately (not following the FW version number consequently)..

ROM Versions
#	Date	Model(s)	
24	Jul.04.1991	fd	
25	Aug.19.1991	fd, non-fd	
27	Sep.20.1991	fd, R/W	
28	Oct.02.1991	fd	
31	Oct.12.1991	non-fd	
34	Nov.11.1991		
35	Nov.27.1991	R/W	
38	Mar.30.1992	R/W	
39	Apr.22.1992	fd, R/W	
54	Jan.16.1992	pro, proX	
55	Feb.04.1992	pro	
56	Feb.27.1992	pro	
58	Apr.01.1992	pro, proX
59	Apr.17.1992	pro
62	Jun.01.1992	all

..only when  you handle them as different branches:
Synth Keyboard ROM Versions
#	Date	Model(s)	
24	Jul.04.1991	fd	
25	Aug.19.1991	fd, non-fd	
28	Oct.02.1991	fd	
31	Oct.12.1991	non-fd	
34	Nov.11.1991		
39	Apr.22.1992	fd
54	Jan.16.1992	pro, proX	
55	Feb.04.1992	pro	
56	Feb.27.1992	pro	
58	Apr.01.1992	pro, proX
59	Apr.17.1992	pro
62	Jun.01.1992	all

Synth module  ROM Versions
#	Date	Model(s)	
27	Sep.20.1991	R/W	
35	Nov.27.1991	R/W	
38	Mar.30.1992	R/W	
39	Apr.22.1992	R/W	
62	Jun.01.1992	all

Anyways, we cannot found any hardware differences or other things in the synth module which has #35 FW, and the #39 versions of ours and this #62 version of Iram. 
These facts suggests us, that the FW #62 can be used in any 01R/W modules (we have European version with 220V power input in all three modules).
So, we can use this version as REALLY THE LATEST in our 01r/w modules!

Added Features of ROM #62 since version #58
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(NOTE, THAT THIS FEATURE LIST WAS MADE ORIGINALLY FOR THE KEYBOARD VERSION. SOME FLOPPY-RELEVANT PARTS ARE UNEFFECTED FOR THE MODULE VERSION OF THE SYNTH!)

Earlier ROM versions (lower numbers) may lack functions that are in later versions. 
Standard MIDI File (SMF) functions expanded with Compare function.
But be aware that SMF capability is not the same as GM capability. SMF lets you transfer Standard MIDI files using floppy disk. For General MIDI capability you MUST load a set of GM Progs and a Drum kit into the 01.

PCM Sounds (Multi- and Drum) are not affected by ROM upgrades.
(The following is from a list posting by Mac McMurry circa 1996. Some other "added features" may not listed here.)
Summary of Added Features
Standard MIDI Files, including the addition of Disk Mode Page 4.
Expanded COMPARE key function
SEQ Mode
  Mute/Solo Switches
  Display of patterns in the event list
GLOBAL Mode
  Effects Bypass Switch
  NUM option for Program Change Filtering
  ROM Demo Sequence (01/W only, no FD)
General MIDI Bank support
Direct Entry 

Here are some of the changes that came with ROM #62, as reported by a user who quoted from a 13-page booklet ("01/Wfd-01/W Standard MIDI File") that came with the upgrade.

Standard MIDI Files (SMF)
You can read and write Standard MIDI Files from a 720K DOS-formatted disk. "This standard makes it possible to use sequence data from a floppy disk regardless of the source equipment or manufacturer. Files of sequence data made on equipment that conforms to this standard can be loaded and played back on the 01/Wfd. In addition, sequence data created on the 01/Wfd can be saved to disk as a Standard MIDI File, making it possible to load and play back this data on other equipment as well."

NOTE: There appears to be a bug that can cause the 01 top panel buttons to stop working while using "Event Edit" on a SMF you just loaded. Click here to see details.

Disk Mode, Page 4 adds these functions:
*Load Std MIDI File* into a specific Song location (Song0-Song9). You can scroll through a list of SMFs on the disk in the drive.

*Set Date for Save* - specify a date between Jan-1-1980 and Dec-31-2079 to be stamped onto a saved MIDI file, which will appear as the DOS time stamp for that file in a disk directory.

*Save Std MIDI File*, selecting a Song location (Song0-Song9) to save, a DOS-compatible name (eight alphanumeric characters and the .MID extension), and the type of SMF, either Type 0 (single track) or Type 1 (multi-track).

*Format Disk* - formats a disk using the 720K MS-DOS format.

Loading a SMF: "you need to set track setting individually after the song name and performance data are loaded from the disk", meaning that your volumes and programs will not be set unless you have volume controller data and/or program changes saved in the SMF.

Saving a SMF: "Patterns are opened before they are saved. Because of this, a large portion of the disk's memory is used when saving a Song that uses several Patterns. This may make it difficult to re-load this data to the 01/Wfd."

"Follow P2-4 if you want to carry out the 01/W series formatting procedure". I've been burnt by this before. "Format Disk" is on line 4 on both the SAVE page (2) and the STD MIDI FILE page (4). You need to be sure which one you're doing before you do it, or you'll be frustrated when you can't get the disk you just formatted to Save All Data....

If you have a Macintosh, you can read and write 720K MS-DOS disks using the Apple File Exchange, the PC Exchange Control Panel, or a number of other things like that.

Expanded COMPARE key function
If the COMPARE key is pressed while in PROG Mode or COMBI Mode, the edit recall function will call up values last set in EDIT PROGRAM mode or EDIT COMBINATION. Same thing works for Combinations. Pretty cool, and if you use it, you can save LOTS of editing time by not losing your work.

Example: You edit Prog B31 into something you like, but you want to keep the original B31. You can press PROG and check Progs until you find one you don't mind losing (like B99). You then press COMPARE to retrieve your edited B31, then press REC/WRITE to save the edited B31 into B99.

Mute/Solo Switches
Used in SEQ Mode, after recording something: Highlight the bar under a Prog number. Press and hold the A-H button below the highlighted track. Pressing a numeric button will do the following things:

 0 - The track will be set to "PLAY"
 1 - The track will be set to "MUTE"
 2 - All tracks will be set to "PLAY", regardless of the letter key held.
 3 - All tracks except the selected track will be set to "MUTE". This is called "solo" since you will hear only the selected track.

The cursor must be on the Mute/Rec/Play bars underneath the desired track for this to work, or you'll change the program number. Click here for more details.

Display of patterns in the event list
In SEQ Mode: "If the piece contains a pattern which consist of two or more measures, (H) is displayed in the first measure of that pattern." This may just be errata and not a new feature.

Effects Bypass Switch
Global mode Page 0 Line 1. Has an added ON/OFF parameter called "Effect SW". When it's set to OFF, all effects are disabled.

NUM option for Program Change Filtering
Global mode Page 0 Line 5. In addition to DIS, ENA, and PRG, the Program Change filter has a NUM option: "Select NUM if you do not want to change the Bank using MIDI Bank Change."

ROM Demo Sequence (01/W only, no FD)
Global Mode Page 7 Line 1. (PRELOAD) has a command for "Load Demo Sequence". This will replace any data in the SEQ mode, and the ROM programs should also be loaded, since the demo uses them.

General MIDI Bank support
From page 2 of the installation instructions:

"P.125  Add the following sentence in the right hand column under the display for the pitch bend and aftertouch events.

* The "GM" and "GMD (GMDrum)" parameters in the bank are provided to control an external GM or other sound source. The voice and drum set used for GM are selected with the sound source corresponding to the GM sound source to which the data is sent.

MIDI message - GM: Bn, 00, 38, 20, 00
              GMD: Bn, 00, 3E, 20, 00
Also, if "---" is entered, the bank change will no longer be output in MIDI format."

The sequencer lets you define banks A, B, 2-127, GM, GMD, and ---. This lets you send General MIDI and General MIDI Drum bank select messages to an external GM sound source. "---" means "the bank change will no longer be output in MIDI format."

There are corrections to the MIDI Implementation charts. One updates the Device Inquiry chart to reflect the new ROM #, and the other two incorporate the fact that changes made in Program and/or Combination mode with Performance Edits (changing the attack, etc.) are valid in Edit Program and/or Edit Combination mode.

ROM #62 Bug: Buttons stop working
It's possible for one or more (even ALL) the buttons on the 01's top panel to stop working. If the EDIT PROG button still works, pressing that may solve the problem. If none of the buttons work, the only way to recover is to turn off power to the 01.

The problem appears when ROM#62 reads a SMF (Disk Mode, Page 4) that has multiple tracks on the same MIDI channel (a Type 1 SMF). While merging these tracks into one track, something causes one of the tracks to be shifted one measure earlier than it is on the floppy. If you try to look at the damaged measure in SEQ Mode [Page 5: Event Edit] you can cause certain buttons to stop working. In one instance, using the CURSOR UP button locked out the entire 01 top panel.

The cause seems to be when two tracks are on the same MIDI channel AND the last event on one track is in the measure immediately before the first event on the second track. The 01 appears to combine the last measure of the first track with the first measure of the second instead of keeping them separate.

The only solution is to merge the tracks yourself before saving the SMF to the floppy.


Added Features since ROM #35 until version #39 
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No information on that.
If you have, send us!

Added Features since ROM #39 until version #58
----------------------------------------------
No information on that.
If you have, send us!
