In my Disklavier Upgrades guide article, I make reference several times to DKC-850 conversion cables. These are the cables you use to connect your older Yamaha Disklavier to a newer DKC-850 control unit (or a DKC‑800 converted to act like a DKC‑850). The original conversion cables were provided by Yamaha as part of the DKC-850 … Read more
The E3’s DKC-800 control unit can be repurposed as a DKC-850 upgrade system with nothing more than the correct power adapter, a single DIP‑switch change, and one adjustment to your settings. Now that the DKC-850 upgrade kit is discontinued, this approach is one potential way to bring your old Mark I, II, or III Disklavier … Read more
Unlike full E3 systems, the DKC-800 and DKC-850 piggybacked upgrades are powered by external AC adapters, such as the PJP-PS02. The original Yamaha Disklavier E3 installations use the Disklavier’s power supply, but these piggybacked installations require their own source of power. I recently had a customer reach out to me using an aftermarket power adapter, … Read more
Are you having problems with stale cookies? I recently assisted a customer via email who was having trouble using his Disklavier Piano Radio. I discovered the solution on Kevin Busse’s website; he in turn learned the solution from Yamaha’s Noah Jolly. You can read more about Noah Jolly on his website, Ground Grown Circuits. The … Read more
Yamaha Disklavier floppy disk drives are a notorious point of failure. Yamaha Disklaviers used floppy disk drives that were quite excellent for their time: They had all-metal frames, precision stepper mechanisms, and reasonably tolerant analog read electronics. Thirty-odd years later, however, these mechanical drives are far past their life expectancies. If you have an older … Read more
So you’ve decided to back up your Yamaha Disklavier floppy disks. And now you need a floppy disk drive that can read them! So what’s the best USB floppy disk drive for our purpose, and especially for reading those earlier, pesky 720 KB double-density (DD) variants used by early Disklaviers? This article explores various options, including … Read more
Electronic keyboard instruments—especially Yamaha Disklaviers, Clavinovas, stage pianos, and organs—represent significant financial investments. Some of these instruments cost well over $50,000. I’ve had a few customers ask me about the best surge protector for their Disklavier or other instrument. My predecessor in keyboard repair here in Maine, Nick Orso, was so enthusiastic about Tripp Lite … Read more
As an authorized Yamaha Service Center, I’m often asked how to connect Disklaviers to the local network. I believe this updated approach is quite simple, inexpensive, and will allow for higher connection speeds as Yamaha’s technology advances. This is the approach I trust in my customers’ homes. Previously, I used Powerline adapters to connect Disklaviers. … Read more
If you own a Yamaha Disklavier Mark I, II, II XG, or Mark III, you’ve probably noticed that official upgrade paths are limited. The DKC-900 upgrade doesn’t support these models, and the DKC-850—once a lifeline—has now been discontinued for years. But now, PianoStream can offer your older Disklavier renewed life! PianoStream is an easy, affordable … Read more
I’ve been developing software to assist player piano and, in particular, Yamaha Disklavier owners with common problems. I independently develop all my software, and it’s currently in its early development phase. If you have any notes, please don’t hesitate to contact me to report bugs or request features. Online Tools Roland Power Adapter Lookup Trying … Read more