Operating Systems for DSI Products
All of our synths have multiple processors for performing different functions, and each processor has its own flash memory and operating system.
What are the current versions? What operating system(s) do I have?
Do I really need to update my operating system?
How do I update my operating system?
What are the current versions?
The table below shows the current operating systems for all of the DSI products.
Please note that different Evolver models have different OS versions. That's because all of them started with initial versions of 1.0 and were updated from there. For example, the desktop Evolver was already at version 3.0 when the Evolver Keyboard was released with an initial OS version of 1.0.
| |
Processor |
| Product |
Main |
Voice |
DSP |
| Evolver Desktop Module |
3.0 |
N/A |
3.4/3.5* |
| Evolver Keyboard |
2.2 |
N/A |
3.4 |
| Poly Evolver Rack |
2.1 |
2.2 |
3.5 |
| Poly Evolver Keyboard |
2.2 |
2.2 |
3.5 |
| Mopho Desktop Module |
1.4 |
N/A |
N/A |
| Mopho Keyboard |
1.2 |
1.2 |
N/A |
| Tetra |
1.5 |
1.2 |
N/A |
| Prophet '08 Keyboard |
2.3 |
1.5 |
N/A |
| Prophet '08 Module |
2.3 |
1.5 |
N/A |
| *There are two different versions of the Evolver DSP OS: 3.4 for serial numbers up to 1607 and 3.5 for serial numbers 1608 and above. |
What operating system(s) do I have?
DSI products display their current versions as described below.
For the Evolver Desktop:
Hold the Row 1 button and press Row 2. The Main (AKA "PIC") version is displayed.
Hold the Row 1 button and press Row 3. The DSP version is displayed.
For the Mono Evolver Keyboard:
Hold the RESET button and press the OSCILLATOR 1 button. The Main and DSP versions are displayed.
For the Poly Evolver Rack:
Hold the RESET button and press COMPARE. The Main, Voice, and DSP versions are displayed.
For the Poly Evolver Keyboard:
Hold the RESET button and press 1 in the number keypad. The Main, Voice, and DSP versions are displayed.
For Mopho, Mopho Keyboard, and Tetra:
The current version is displayed while powering up.
For the Prophet '08 (Keyboard or Module):
Hold the GLOBAL button and press the LFO 1 button. The Main and Voice versions are displayed.
Do I really need to update my operating system?
Most OS updates fix only minor bugs that the vast majority of users never encounter. If you are experiencing a problem with your instrument please contact
for help in diagnosing the cause. The OS will not "go bad" or become corrupt unless there is a hardware problem, so re-installing the OS will not help and is not recommended. A failed OS reload could leave you with a useless instrument in need of even more servicing. If you have any questions or are unsure about what you're doing, please contact us before attempting to update the operating system.
Two exceptions are Evolver Desktop Main version 3.x and Poly Evolver Rack Main version 2.x. The Evolver Desktop OS adds features and both OS versions improve compatibility with other Evolver models. See the specific OS pages for details.
How do I update my operating system?
The operating systems are available for download in SysEx (short for "MIDI System Exclusive") format. (Some updates may also require an upgrade to the hardware which typically means opening the instrument and replacing socketed parts.) Updates are loaded into the instruments via MIDI using one of several methods, including:
- The instrument's editor/librarian software
- A MIDI sequencer capable of opening and playing SysEx files
- A SysEx utility
There are a couple of utilities we recommend: MIDI-OX for Windows OS and SysEx Librarian for Mac OS.
Note: For MIDI-OX, the recommended Low Level Output Buffer settings are Size = 1,024 Bytes and Num = 128.
For download links and detailed instructions, click the appropriate link below.
Evolver Desktop | Evolver Keyboard | Poly Evolver Rack| Poly Evolver Keyboard
Mopho Desktop | Mopho Keyboard | Tetra | Prophet '08 Keyboard | Prophet '08 Module |
