Everything, including the music file had to fit into 64KB of memory
Each disk has a total capacity of 360KB
 
Photo gallery
 
The Phillips Ampico-Apple system was developed in the early 1980s, with most of those produced still in use.
Apple II computer playing one of the 1500 items recorded for the system into our 1923 5'3" Knabe Ampico A, shown here with its roll drawer open.
Eroll files were stored on 109 5.25" floppy disks. The files are now stored as sound files on audio CDs and computer.
For more information, download file "About the erolls"
Peter Phillips in 1979 operating the roll recording machine.
The system included a test program for the Ampico. As shown on the left, the piano keys are listed by name (A, B etc to A#). When selected, that note repeats on the piano. The expression system can also be fully tested.
This is one screen of many in the Ampico test program
Playing PA midi files is easily done from a computer with a MIDI adaptor.

The MIDI adaptor connects to a USB port, then into the piano's MIDI IN socket. The computer can be any laptop or desktop.
We use these CDs to play the Ampico from a standard CD player
We believe this is the world's first computerised piano
550MHz laptop that runs WindPlay to play into a MIDI piano
At 7'8", the piano has a big sound
Toshiba laptop running vanBasco MIDI player (free from the internet) playing PA MIDI files on the Disklavier
The instrument we listen to: a C7 MKII XG Disklavier
Click for Fantasie Impromptu (excerpt) played by Nikolai Orloff
Click to stop music
Fantasie Impromptu (excerpt
A life time project
Is this the world's first computerised piano?
Phillips Ampico-Apple system
PA-eroll MIDI files
Toshiba Satellite laptop with Windows XP, more than enough for MIDI
MIDImate MIDI adaptor, costing less than $50
Duo-Art PEDA, plays rolls, soon to play erolls
Duo-Art pedal electric Weber upright
Recently acquired and restored (by Peter) is this pedal electric 1929 Duo-Art Pianola. One day it will play from Duo-Art erolls!
Now retired, this computer, a Win 98, 500MHz Compaq Armada 100S laptop, is all you need for MIDI
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PA erolls
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CEUS project
Click here for photos of making the CEUS project recordings