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VirDIS® (Virtual Disk Image Server)
for Roland, Korg,
AKAI, Yamaha,
etc. Digital Audio Recorders/Samplers
Testimonials
"Can't tell you how awesome it was
to export my .wav files to an ISO {file} and burn it with the 48x on the PC. A
real time-saver!"
- Nick Morabito, Los
Angeles, CA
"VirDIS totally rocks.
A must-have tool if you're a serious 2480 user. It nicely bridges the gap
between the 2480 and PC. Track Exports/WAV Imports no longer require
wasting expensive CD-Rs and the task is handled more quickly. With VirDIS
I can easily copy 2480 project data to/from my PC hard disk. On the PC
project data can be written to DVD for permanent storage. VirDIS
streamlines my operation and is a great time saver to boot."
- Frank Cupal, F&S Productions, Houston, TX
"VirDIS
would have to be one of the most innovative third party interfaces developed for
the Roland VS-2480HD on the retail market today. .... As a
VirDIS
user, I can say that
VirDIS
is something I now use with confidence, and rely upon daily for every recording
made on the Roland VS-2480 including cross-platform projects. .... I recommend
this product to all VS-2480HD users wanting an efficient method of storage to PC
HDD (including DVD-R backup) and VS-2480 Track (.WAV) transfer."
- Paul Webber,
Winyard Productions, Melbourne, Australia
What it is
Leveraged upon the large code library of the
VirtualSCSI line of emulation
products Virtual Disk Image Server provides an easy to use means for the
non-programmer to emulate on a PC certain SCSI storage device-types
(like Hard Disk, CD-R, etc.) used by members of the audio
recording engineer community and others.
VirDIS
is really easy to use - it simply takes
the place of a Hard Drive and/or a CD-R device. Your PC supplies the
'virtual' media for both in the form of files (PC disk space). You just
plug in the
VirDIS Target
board,
install the software, cable up to the
audio recorder and go!
How it works
Four software modules and, of course, ASC's Target Bus
Adapter upon which they run, create the illusion of a 'real' SCSI device.
The top level GUI (Graphical User Interface) takes the user's inputs and
sends them down to the underlying system modules. The topmost of these
creates the actual device-emulation environment. The next layer is the
SCSI target command Library, which executes SCSI Target functions. At the
bottom is the complex Kernel Mode Driver, which interacts with the Target
Bus Adapter hardware and SCSI bus.
Using a simple graphical interface combined with a VirDIS
SCSI Target Bus Adapter the user creates/selects a filename to
use which will be a block-for-block representation of the selected SCSI
device-type. After setting a SCSI ID and setting (for new files) a
desired device-size (limited only by Target PC storage) the user simply presses a button to load and start
the device emulation. Another button allows the 'ejection' of the
disk-image file and load or mount another.
One key advantage of VirDIS is that these emulation files (disk-images)
can be stored, re-used, compressed and sent via the web to customers,
collaborators, etc. Audio operations like Track
Export/WAV Import, HD Backup, etc. can be performed directly on these disk-image files
rather than using 'real' device. And not only easier but
much faster!
Burning through CD stacks to backup your hard drive is now a distant
memory!! Backups are now managed beautifully on your PC.
Device-types
Currently, there are two supported device-types with a third and possibly
others anticipated in the near future. The two emulated types are CD-R and
Hard Disk. The next device-type will be DVD-R with others possibly added
later. Users of audio recording equipment such as the Roland VS2480 may
cable up to the PC on which VirDIS is hosted and select the
devices and configuration that the equipment will detect on the SCSI bus.
The user selects the type of device to emulate by clicking on the appropriate
control in the top-most window.
Supported Recorder/Sampler devices:
HD & CD-R
- All Roland VS recorders with SCSI connectors
(other vendors being added)
HD only (currently)
- Korg D-16, AKAI S5000 (others being added)
Background
VirDIS sits atop a tried and true set of
SCSI Target Mode system modules that
have close to 12 years of history behind them. Since 1996, following a
long history of SCSI Host Adapter development and production, Advanced Storage
Concepts has specialized in the development of SCSI Target Mode tools for DOS
and later for Windows.
VirtualSCSI has mainly been marketed as a advanced tool
for system developers seeking to 'virtualize' SCSI hardware peripherals like
disks, tapes, scanners, optical disks, etc. Initially concentrating on
the base functionality by building a library of SCSI Target function calls
which in turn communicate with one of the most complex kernel-mode drivers in
the world, ASC subsequently developed source code for a limited set of
device-type emulations beginning with Hard Disk.
It is upon these software components and ASC's line of SCSI Target adapters
that new graphical user interface of the
VirDIS rests. New methods of inter-module communication were developed in
order to display 'live' or quasi real-time information that percolates up from
(and down to) the SCSI Target adapter via the driver and library modules.
Features:
Upcoming NEW features:
-
Support
for Yamaha
and AKAI
samplers coming soon.
-
Effects
card 'Plug-In' functions support: 2009.
-
Track-At-Once
option for CD
Mastering: 2009.
-
Support
for Vista Operating System (in progress).
-
Support
for laptops (2009?).
-
DVD
emulation (future).
3rd Party tools:
For use with VirDIS (HD emulation only) the VS Wave
Export utility will allow VirDIS users to open *.HDD file and access/extract
the embedded WAV files:
http://www.thegoodlibrary.com/VSWaveExport.html.
This allows recording engineers to make projects and use the vastly
increased space of a 'virtual' Hard Drive rather than being limited to the
CD size, ~700MBs. For other 3rd party tools and utilities see our
recommended sites.
TroubleShooting:
System Requirements:
- IBM PC-compatible running Windows NT4.0 or above (XP recommended/Vista
support to be announced).
- Single open, 32-bit, +5Volt-only PCI, short slot. This slot will have a
single keyway
at the far side (i.e. away from the PCI brackets) of the slot (see
for slot/keyway location).
- A VirDIS
SCSI Target adapter board (included with VirDIS).
- A disk (any kind - local or networked) with sufficient space for storing
the user's multiple disk-image file requirements.
- A SCSI cable with a SCSI HD50 connector on the
VirDIS Target adapter
end and a DB25
connector on the
audio recorder end. (Available from ASC or certain computer stores.)
Current version:
2.2.15 - next version (2.3) release Jul 2009
Where to get it:
eBay (search term: 'VirDIS') or with CC
direct from ASC.
Payment options: PayPal,
all
major credit cards, wire transfer, money order, check
Shipping: UPS,
US Mail - anywhere in the world |
