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Tascam 788 - replacing HDD with SSD
- Thread starter AlexBel
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shredd
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That's great!
When I spent a great many years on various incarnations of the 2488's, there was a looot of talk around about people replacing the 40G or 80G HDD w a SSD...there were even little kits out there to do it.
Noted yours was a 16GB (smaller than my 2488's stock 40 & 80GB drives)...am wondering how the various '88's would behave with a larger-capacity SSD (like into the upper 10's or even 100's of GB's?).
I never did it, as my 'neo had 80GB and I never even approached the space limits on ANY of the numerous large partitions.
It's also worth mentioning that none of my HDD's ever failed (even my 'neo, which was my studio workhorse for nearly 10 years).
But someone who maintains a large libary of work could surely benefit.
Perhaps you'd detail some of the process, for the benefit of future users/readers who wish to do this?
PS: the photos are great - but file sizes are SO BIG that it took over 5 minutes for ONE to load. Suggest uploading smaller file-size photos that still show what you want them to...
When I spent a great many years on various incarnations of the 2488's, there was a looot of talk around about people replacing the 40G or 80G HDD w a SSD...there were even little kits out there to do it.
Noted yours was a 16GB (smaller than my 2488's stock 40 & 80GB drives)...am wondering how the various '88's would behave with a larger-capacity SSD (like into the upper 10's or even 100's of GB's?).
I never did it, as my 'neo had 80GB and I never even approached the space limits on ANY of the numerous large partitions.
It's also worth mentioning that none of my HDD's ever failed (even my 'neo, which was my studio workhorse for nearly 10 years).
But someone who maintains a large libary of work could surely benefit.
Perhaps you'd detail some of the process, for the benefit of future users/readers who wish to do this?
PS: the photos are great - but file sizes are SO BIG that it took over 5 minutes for ONE to load. Suggest uploading smaller file-size photos that still show what you want them to...
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Unfortunately, I don't have any other SSD drives at the moment and I can't test the work with a larger capacity. But I assume that disks with a larger capacity will work. When I update the firmware to version 2.02, I'll try to buy another SSD and connect it.There's nothing to describe in detail, all I did was connect the SSD via an adapter bought on Aliexpress. After switching it on, everything worked immediately. Apart from what's in the photos, I didn't do anything, so there's nothing to tell 
I reduced the photos to 25 percent.
Sorry for my bad English, I use an automatic translator.
I reduced the photos to 25 percent.Sorry for my bad English, I use an automatic translator.
shredd
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English is pretty good. Usually "I use a Tascam 788" A.I.-translated to English comes out "I enjoy purple doughnuts while using astrophysics in the bathroom". 
Anyway - we'll be interested in how a larger-capacity SSD gets along with your 788, even with updated firmware.
Perhaps post a link to the source of the adapter, so others can look for it (or something similar)?
Anyway - we'll be interested in how a larger-capacity SSD gets along with your 788, even with updated firmware.
Perhaps post a link to the source of the adapter, so others can look for it (or something similar)?
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I can't find a link to the adapter I used, I bought it a long time ago. But there are many similar adapters on Aliexpress. You can find them by searching for "SATA to IDE". I ordered this adapter yesterday: https://aliexpress.ru/item/10050058...l.0.0.17a24aa6zmJhOA&sku_id=12000034660527810
When searching, you need to pay attention to the IDE connector. It should be 40pin Male and fit the hard drive cable. There are adapters with 44pin connectors, there are reverse adapters - SATA to IDE. But you need IDE to SATA on IDE 40pin, other types of adapters will be useless. Purchasing a larger SSD depends on when I update the firmware to 2.02. A forum member sent me the firmware file, for which I am very grateful. I ordered the flash memory chips for the firmware and now I just have to wait for them to arrive. And since China is celebrating the New Year, I think I will have to wait quite a long time.
When searching, you need to pay attention to the IDE connector. It should be 40pin Male and fit the hard drive cable. There are adapters with 44pin connectors, there are reverse adapters - SATA to IDE. But you need IDE to SATA on IDE 40pin, other types of adapters will be useless. Purchasing a larger SSD depends on when I update the firmware to 2.02. A forum member sent me the firmware file, for which I am very grateful. I ordered the flash memory chips for the firmware and now I just have to wait for them to arrive. And since China is celebrating the New Year, I think I will have to wait quite a long time.
Thanks for your post. I did this with one of my 788s a year ago and it runs like a dream. Huge memory and much faster processing, especially when backing up data or writing to cd drive. The 788 automatically formats whatever new HDD or SD it is connected to when you power it up.
The trickiest part of the job was disconnecting the old HDD, the multi-pin connector was a VERY tight fit indeed. I ended up carefully levering it out by degrees, left a bit, right a bit and so on with a steel blade wedged in each end.
Incidentally I have had HDD failures in 788s, always secondhand machines so probably due to age, wear and tear, misuse or humidity problems. No such problems so far with SD but I guess it may well happen one day. I believe there is a limit to the number of times SD can be re-written.
The trickiest part of the job was disconnecting the old HDD, the multi-pin connector was a VERY tight fit indeed. I ended up carefully levering it out by degrees, left a bit, right a bit and so on with a steel blade wedged in each end.
Incidentally I have had HDD failures in 788s, always secondhand machines so probably due to age, wear and tear, misuse or humidity problems. No such problems so far with SD but I guess it may well happen one day. I believe there is a limit to the number of times SD can be re-written.
Just spotted several old posts querying "system check fail" message - this would indicate that (sadly) your HDD has crashed, unless you've managed to disconnect it somehow. Either way, it's a good opportunity to try SD upgrade.
PS regarding bigger capacity SD cards, I believe the 788 has a maximum number of partitions and a limit to the maximum partition size. Can't recall what mine is up to, it's certainly way beyond the original HHD. It used to only just manage a whole album's worth of mastered songs, but now I can easily work on two or three albums right up to mastering without having to constantly delete stuff.
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Hello, Jimnield!
I understand that the number of partitions depends on the capacity of the drive, and the size of the partition depends on the firmware version. I have firmware version 1.02 and it allows you to create partitions, as I remember, about 3-4 gigabytes. With a drive capacity of 16 gigabytes, 4 partitions are created and another partition, small in size - until the remaining space on the drive is filled. Version 2.02 should create partitions of a much larger size, but, unfortunately, the image for the CD with firmware 2.02 when flashing it into flash memory did not give a result, the device did not start at all. Apparently, the formats are different and, to flash the flash memory, you need to read the dump from the flash with firmware 2.02. Unfortunately, I could not find someone who could do this. Therefore, I will have to use the old firmware 1.02. Now I want to make a SCSI-CD emulator for transferring data to a PC.
Best regards, Alex.
I understand that the number of partitions depends on the capacity of the drive, and the size of the partition depends on the firmware version. I have firmware version 1.02 and it allows you to create partitions, as I remember, about 3-4 gigabytes. With a drive capacity of 16 gigabytes, 4 partitions are created and another partition, small in size - until the remaining space on the drive is filled. Version 2.02 should create partitions of a much larger size, but, unfortunately, the image for the CD with firmware 2.02 when flashing it into flash memory did not give a result, the device did not start at all. Apparently, the formats are different and, to flash the flash memory, you need to read the dump from the flash with firmware 2.02. Unfortunately, I could not find someone who could do this. Therefore, I will have to use the old firmware 1.02. Now I want to make a SCSI-CD emulator for transferring data to a PC.
Best regards, Alex.
Yes unfortunately Tascam 788 data is generally incompatible with modern software. You can of course easily swap your ssd card for a fresh blank card for each separate project/album.
Also, it is possible to swap the actual 788 internal software chip. Cheap 788s come up on eBay etc with no power supply, it's worth a gamble, might even be a pristine model. Either way, you have a good chance of getting version 1.10 or 2.02, the final upgrades of each, plus a whole batch of spare parts.
The chip has a retaining plastic collar holding it in situ. It's horribly stiff, I had to rock it left and right a bit to loosen it. Once that slides off it lifts out easily. There are instructions somewhere on the net.
Version 2.02 allows you to make standard wav files and you can also clone the master back onto the multitrack which can be very handy sometimes.
Also, it is possible to swap the actual 788 internal software chip. Cheap 788s come up on eBay etc with no power supply, it's worth a gamble, might even be a pristine model. Either way, you have a good chance of getting version 1.10 or 2.02, the final upgrades of each, plus a whole batch of spare parts.
The chip has a retaining plastic collar holding it in situ. It's horribly stiff, I had to rock it left and right a bit to loosen it. Once that slides off it lifts out easily. There are instructions somewhere on the net.
Version 2.02 allows you to make standard wav files and you can also clone the master back onto the multitrack which can be very handy sometimes.
They probably did back in the day but I imagine technical support has ended long since. The firmware is on the chip, it automatically formats whatever drive is installed.
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