Would be nice to see one floating around since Roland has all but admitted that distributing them wouldn't be illegal.

And I too looking for CM-32L or LAPC-I ROM file.

My email: bug808123@mail.ru

Regards,
Bug.

The following post implies very strongly than some people have the ROMs:
ROMs supported in Munt 0.1.3

I am shocked. I would have guessed that downloading such type of bioses is ILLEGAL but, after reading your posts, it seems that this couldn't be the case.

Do you have proof this is illegal? As far as I know Roland did not show any documents which could strongly confirm this. I browsed Roland website and the CM-xxx series are cutters, signmakers. We are talking about sound modules. There is difference between cutters and sound modules. I'm sure that every company (including Roland) uses other model names for two different product lines to not make chaos. You should also remember that users have right to have 1 backup copy. There is no description in which way such backup should be made. So think users have right to ask for such files if device loses its original.

Do you have any proof that it's not? Keeping in mind that all legal issues so far have dealt with the MT-32 only. It would be foolish to assume that the same holds true for the CM-32L, which is from 1989, not 1987. I'm pretty sure the CM-32L is subject to different terms (the Berne Convention Implementation Act of 1988 maybe) and still copyrighted.

Do you have any proof that it's not?
Do not have to to have proof:
Everything what is not forbidden is allowed.
If CM-32L ROM would appear on Net and Roland would tell to remove it - it should be removed. But if there is no ROM on Net we do not know Roland's attitude to CM-32L ROM distribution. I see Roland do not remember about LA synths.

The other thing is sending ROM via e-mail. If someone uses CM-32L and device is broken, I have right to ask for replacement. If there is no spare parts because of age of device the only way is to ask other, good poeple for missing part (ROM file to flash device chips). This is legal. If someone have it, send it to me via e-mail. zbiggy0@op.pl

You should also remember that users have right to have 1 backup copy. There is no description in which way such backup should be made. So think users have right to ask for such files if device loses its original.

Holy crap. I just downloaded MT-32 and SC-88 manuals from Roland's web site last weekend, and I can't find them on their site any more! I wonder if they had CM-series manuals on there before.

EDIT: Oops, jumped the gun again - look here: http://www.rolandus.com/support/product_manual.asp?Letter=C

zbiggy wrote:

If CM-32L ROM would appear on Net and Roland would tell to remove it - it should be removed. But if there is no ROM on Net we do not know Roland's attitude to CM-32L ROM distribution. I see Roland do not remember about LA synths.

I don't think you need the ROM to appear to know Roland's attitude - this would be quite obvious from their response to the MT-32 emulator, where they didn't even have a valid case and the ROM wasn't even being shared.

The other thing is sending ROM via e-mail. If someone uses CM-32L and device is broken, I have right to ask for replacement. If there is no spare parts because of age of device the only way is to ask other, good poeple for missing part (ROM file to flash device chips). This is legal. If someone have it, send it to me via e-mail. zbiggy0@op.pl

Roland (as of a couple of years ago) still sells technical manuals for their synths, including the old L/A ones. They might have replacement ROM chips too.

If you really do have a broken CM-32L, the first step for you would be to desolder the old ROM from your CM-32L. Before you do that, the ROM image isn't of any use in reparing your module.

You should also remember that users have right to have 1 backup copy. There is no description in which way such backup should be made. So think users have right to ask for such files if device loses its original.

Yes, but more precisely, you have a right to backup your own ROM. That's not the same as someone else having the right to distribute backup copies, even to the people who claim to own it already.

As for whether the ROM is copyrighted or not, one of the things that kept the MT-32 ROM in the clear was a lack of copyright notice on the ROM or in the manual, which before 1989 meant the work wasn't copyrighted (this is at least my crude interpretation of the law, I could be inaccurate).

However, 1989 is the year the CM-32L/LAPC-I was released. So it's likely that the CM-32L's ROM is protected under the new law and it would be nice if people didn't go around saying "Roland has admitted it's not illegal" when there is absolutely no basis for making such a statement.

I know about this adress and some things more. By talking 'remember' I thought customer service with spare parts, product description etc. If you find ROM files or any LA product info on Roland website let me know.

As I said, Roland still carries manuals for their LA synths on their web site.

As I said, know about this address with manuals. Emulator without ROM is useless, the same is with broken hardware CM-32L. The best way is to use wavetable synth (if it uses GS or XG have CM-32L sounds, 16bit quality, no hiss) with midi filter-splitter to load custom samples via DirectMusic.

Roland is childish and malicious, makes bad publicity. I will always avoid Roland products and tell other to do the same. Other comapnies publish ROMs on their websites for download. The license for such copyrighted (and fresh! 2003 year!) firmware says you can download and use it for non commercial use at home. Further distribution, disassembling, changing, reverse engineering is forbidden. But this is not obstacle because everyone can download firmware from company's website. This is professional, responsible and adult way of making good publicity. Shame Roland!

Other comapnies publish ROMs on their websites for download. The license for such copyrighted (and fresh! 2003 year!) firmware says you can download and use it for non commercial use at home. Further distribution, disassembling, changing, reverse engineering is forbidden.

Roland is a Japanese company and it is virtually unheard of for a Japanese company to do anything like that. Japanese companies always tend to be especially cold to and distrustful of foreigners and ambivalent at best. They have difficulty understanding that "fandom is a two-way street." From their perspective, there is no reason to allow an MT-32 emulator because there is no return behind it. Only the prospect of an involved legal battle with at their disadvantage disuaded them from proceeding against the MT-32 emulator. It simply wasn't worth it to protect their obselete synthesizer.

OK Now I understand this strange behaviour. Japanese have their own culture and thats all. But there must be other way to bypass this legal obstacle. Maybe a new, compatible ROM should be made with custom samples? If everything will stay as is we will never gain access to CM-32L emulation.

How look samples sent via sysex (is it raw PCM?, how many kHz, bits, stereo/mono?). Where is format description on the net?

Then it would no longer be true MT-32/CM-32L/CM-64 emulation.

Well, I'd like to have such a ROM as well, and not having owned a LAPC-1, I can't compare. Same with MT-32, I have to trust you that it sounds right, and what I'm concerned is not "does it sound 100% exact?", but "does it sound good?"

I'd prefer a correct solution over a wrong solution, but I'd also prefer any solution at all over none. Some games sound poor with just MT-32, and if they don't support GUS or GM, having a LAPC-1 replacement ROM is an engineering solution: make it work at all. (adlib doesn't count, IMHO the sound is not in the same league)

Remarkably few games support the extra sounds of the CM-32L/LAPC-I.

But it requires remarkably little effort to add the support for those few games 😀

And it takes remarkably little effort for me to say that it's irrelevant since nobody has those ROMs :p