The downloadable file at the bottom of the page contains the latest operating system for the Prophet ’08. It also includes detailed installation instructions.

When to Update Your OS

Most OS updates fix only minor bugs that most users never encounter. If you are experiencing a problem with your instrument, please contact out Support Department for help in diagnosing the cause before doing anything else. Unlike on computer, the OS on your instrument can never become corrupted, so re-installing your current OS won’t fix a hardware problem, and is not recommended. In addition, loading an OS improperly could disable your instrument, leaving it in need of servicing. So if you have any questions or are unsure about what you’re doing, please contact us before attempting to update your instrument’s operating system.

How to Update Your OS

The Prophet ’08’s operating system is updated via MIDI. You will need a DAW, MIDI utility, or other application capable of opening and sending MIDI System Exclusive (SysEx) messages. MIDI-OX (Windows) and SysEx Librarian (Mac OS) are shareware MIDI utilities that can reliably be used to update DSI instruments. You will also need a MIDI interface to transmit the SysEx file from your computer to the Prophet ’08.

Instructions given below:

I. CHECKING YOUR PROPHET ’08 KEYBOARD’S INSTALLED OS VERSIONS
II. UPDATING THE PROPHET ’08 KEYBOARD’S OS
III. CHANGES AND NEW FEATURES
IV. ADDITIONAL NOTES

I. CHECKING YOUR PROPHET ’08 KEYBOARD’S INSTALLED OS VERSIONS

The Prophet ’08 Keyboard has two types of processors, Main (AKA “PIC”) and Voice, and each has its own operating system.

To display the installed OS versions:

• Hold the Global button and press the LFO 1 button.

The current Main operating system is version 2.3; Voice is version 1.5.

II. UPDATING PROPHET ’08 KEYBOARD’S OS

Prophet ’08 Keyboard’s operating systems are updated via MIDI. You will need a DAW, MIDI utility, or other application capable of opening and transmitting MIDI System Exclusive (SysEx) messages. SysEx Librarian (Mac OS) and MIDI-OX (Windows) are shareware MIDI utilities that can be downloaded from:

http://www.snoize.com/SysExLibrarian/

http://www.midiox.com/

For more details about these MIDI utilities, including specific settings and troubleshooting information, see “Using SysEx Librarian.txt” or “Using MIDI-OX.txt” included with the OS download.

You will also need a MIDI interface to connect your computer to Prophet ’08 Keyboard.

IMPORTANT NOTE

If for some reason you decide to revert to a previous version, you must revert the Voice OS before the Main OS.

To load the OS:

1. Connect your computer’s MIDI out to Prophet ’08 Keyboard’s MIDI in.
2. Open the OS file in a MIDI utility, DAW, or other application capable of opening and transmitting SysEx files.
3. Transmit the file to the Prophet ’08 Keyboard.

While the OS file is being transmitted, the display reads either “Main OS Load” or
“Voice OS Load” and counts down for the duration of the transfer. When the countdown
concludes, the display changes to “Writing Now!” as the file is written to memory. As
the OS is being written, the front panel LEDs will flash in sequence. Do not turn off
Prophet ’08 Keyboard while the OS is writing! When the write is complete, normal
operation will resume.

If you’re updating both operating systems, repeat the procedure above with the other OS file.

IMPORTANT NOTE

There is a Global parameter named EncMode (short for Encoder Mode). After installing the new Main OS, go to the Global menu and set the appropriate Encoder Mode for your Prophet. If you do not do this, the encoder response may be wrong and performance will be adversely affected!

To determine the correct Encoder Mode for your Prophet:

If your Prophet has only rotary encoders (except the master volume knob), choose Non-Det (non-detented). Early standard Prophet ’08s and all Special Editions originally shipped with non-detented rotary encoders. That is, all the controls rotate smoothly and without detents or obvious steps. On these Prophets, this parameter should be set to Non-Det. Another easy way to identify these Prophets is that the only lined knob is the silver volume knob.

If you have a Potentiometer Edition (PE) Prophet, whether purchased that way or converted from the earlier hardware version, set the parameter to Detent. This is true even for those PEs that have a mixture of detented and non-detented encoders. (Detented encoders turn in discrete steps or soft “clicks”; non-detented encoders turn smoothly and endlessly.) How do you know for certain if your Prophet is a PE? If the filter’s Frequency control has definite minimum and maximum settings (that is, it doesn’t just turn endlessly), it is a PE.

III. CHANGES AND NEW FEATURES

Several new features have been added to the Prophet ’08 since its initial release. Some or all of the features listed below may be new to you or changed, depending upon the OS version you are updating from.

GLOBAL PARAMETERS
Poly Chain
Sustain
Audio Out
MIDIParamLCD
ControlReset
BalanceTweak
PotMode
EncMode
MultiMode

SEQUENCER PARAMETERS
Slew

MISCELLANEOUS PARAMETERS
Arpeggiator Mode

For a complete description of the additions and changes, please download the latest
version of the operation manual from the DSI site.

IV. ADDITIONAL NOTES

If you are updating from an early version of the OS, you may have to reset the LCD contrast (Global menu) after loading the new OS.

If the LCD is completely blank:

1. Press Global.
2. Press +/Yes 11 times.
3. Use PARAM 2 to adjust the contrast.

You may also have to recalibrate the wheels:

1. Turn the mod wheel all the way off (down), and while also holding the pitch wheel off, hold down Global and press the Mod 1 button.
2. Return the pitch wheel to center, and hold Global and press Mod 2.
3. Move the Mod wheel all the way on (up), and while also holding the pitch wheel all the way on, hold Global and press Mod 3.