Conference napalm::commusic_v1

1904.0. "CASIO needs SW developers!" by NYJMIS::PFREY () Fri Feb 10 1989 15:38

    My husband is a multiple CASIO owner (FZ and VZ), and is in touch
    with their office quite often (he even won one of their sampling
    contests).  They have been sending him disks of field test SW
    (bad!), for his input. 
    
    Now, they tell him, the company has 'opened' the architecture to
    the FZ-1/FZ-10 samplers. They have sent him the documentation and
    floppy with the "FZ TOOL BOX" for software developers. The cover
    letter politely *begs* for 3rd parties to develop new applications
    for the FZ.
    
    I feel sorry for Casio America, they get little support from Japan,
    so they can't support their US customers, leading to lack of respect
    from US music stores (Roland must wine & dine the Synth reps at
    music stores, the way they 'push' Roland products over every other
    make)(In fact, I know they do, 'cause they have said so!).  
    
    The FZ is a great basic product (selling for $950 NYC these days). A
    new FZ-20 is scheduled to come out with a SCSI port, which may help
    acceptance into the music community (the load time for the FZ is
    it's biggest drawback). In the meantime, we need more *stuff* to
    enhance this baby!
    
    If anyone out there would like a copy of the documentation and
    floppy, send me mail @  NYJMIS::PFREY. It will require a 5.25"
    HD double sided diskette for the FZ TOOL BOX. The most difficult
    part is having a PC-AT with 5.25" and availability to a 3.5" drive.
    We will probably give it a try (I'm not a SW person, but have a cousin 
    who is...so). 
    
    Richard, interested?
    
    regards
    Pat Frey
     

    Tell me where they sell the FZ for $950 in N.Y.C.!
    I live and work in the city (right near Manny's) and the cheapest
    is $1295. The stupidest thing Casio ever did was drop the CZ line
    and substitute the incredibly overpriced VZ (not to mention dropping
    the MG510 midi-guitar which were selling like hotcakes while their
    PG380's were collecting dust!).
    
    			disgruntled Casio user
    

    FotoCell on W. 23rd St. advertises the FZ for 949.95
    in the latest Popular Photography  800-847-4092
    Oh...I just looked up Smile Photo's ad, and they list
    the FZ-1 for 899.95 !!!!! Their # is 800-372-3700
    or 212-967-5900.  We have ordered from them in the past,
    and it was not a 'bait & switch' proposition (at least
    it was legit at one time!).  Smile is at W. 35th St.
    
    I agree about the CZ series! The VZ's price will certainly come
    down. I mean, we got ours for free so I'm biased...but it's a
    great sounding machine (at least the equivalent of the DX7 II
    which costs about the same).
    
    It all goes to show...there is a R & D function in Japan creating
    this good stuff, but no-one in the rest of the world to support
    it!
    
    Pat
    

    Thanks for the research!.
      When I originally was shopping for a CZ101, I went to Smile Photo.
    The CZ's they had were Grey market with no warranty and an entirely
    different set of preset sounds. I naturally nixed the deal.