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        MIDI-OX >> Questions and Discussion >> Help! Desperate - Roland U-20
        
(Message started by: Lissa on Jun 16^th, 2017, 12:29pm)

Title: Help! Desperate - Roland U-20
Post by Lissa on Jun 16^th, 2017, 12:29pm

Hi there, I bought a Roland U-20 from Ebay a while back. I plugged it in and all the lights come on but there is no sound. This beautiful keyboard of my dreams cost two hundred dollars and I can't play it at all. I noticed it has a place for a "ROM, or RAM" in the back; but there is no cartridge or whatnot (I obviously do not know the correct terminology here. I have been trying to find a solution for so long now. It is in such amazing shape; like brand new for something from 1988. It was my dream to learn how to operate and play something of this caliber. Does anyone know why it turns on when plugged in (the lights all come on; I can even change settings, etc.); but there is no sound at all. I am so very desperate for a solution and was obviously ripped off. I love this keyboard; even though I can't play it. Please - if anyone can help; please reply!!
Than you so much,
Lissa

Title: Re: Help! Desperate - Roland U-20
Post by Lissa on Jun 16^th, 2017, 9:57pm

Please, if any of you that have read this post knows of a reason why there is no sound - even a hunch; I would dearly appreciate it. I have never owned anything like this. I am 47 - been playing keyboards since I was 4 years old (my parents had a GB band for over 20 years). I grew up watching my dad play and am self taught. I have Yamaha keyboards (three of them), and my old Casio that I learned on when I was about 14 years old. I have ordered books and downloaded so much about how to record; how to use a keyboard of this magnitude and what it can do. I can't claim to understand it all yet, but at my age - I just have time..or I hope I have time to fix this in my lifetime. If any of you think its a lost cause; please let me know. Thank you to all - I am new here and have read through several of your posts today - they were all an inspiration to me. Thank you for ANY advice at all.
-Lissa

Title: Re: Help! Desperate - Roland U-20
Post by Breath on Jun 16^th, 2017, 10:40pm

Hi Lissa,
it sounds all very frustrating.

Although I don't have a U-20, to start with I would test out the demo songs.
Go to page 10 of the manual (there is a link further down to where you can get the manual) and setup the outputs to an amp or headphones.
Page 11 to power it on and page 12 to play the demo.
If you get sound out, the the audio circuits are OK.

Then I would do a factory reset or initialization.

From https://www.sweetwater.com/sweetcare/articles/roland-u-20-initializing-restoring-factory-settings/

The following procedure can be used to clear the internal memory and reload some of the factory settings:

(CAUTION: All USER information will be lost. Be sure to back up any information you wish to keep.)

Original factory data for the U-20 must be loaded in via MIDI or a memory card.
There is, however, a memory clearing function that returns most of the other parameters to their original factory settings.
Use the following procedure to initialize the U-20:

1. Press PART and RHYTHM simultaneously to enter ROM play mode.
2. While holding MARK and JUMP, press ENTER to enter Test mode.
3. While holding JUMP, press NUMBER 7.
4. Press ENTER.
5. Press VALUE [^] to confirm.
6. While holding MARK and JUMP, press EXIT to exit Test mode.

Note: See “Loading System Exclusive Data” for the procedure to load the factory data through MIDI.

Try this and see what happens. Let me know.

The next thing to do will be to download the factory presets and put them into the synth.
There is lots of U-20 info here http://www.polynominal.com/Roland-u-series/Roland-u20.html
Check the links to the User Manual and the Factory presets on the right hand side, halfway down the page.

Or at Roland http://www.rolandus.com/support/general_apps_tools/ down near the end of the page.

The preset file is likely to end "something.syx" which is a System Exclusive (sysex) file

Are you familiar with Midi and MidiOx ?

Let me know if you would like me to explain how to send the file to the synth.

All the best
Royce