I gained remote code execution via MIDI messages to trick my synth into playing Bad Apple on its LCD

Wow, that's awesome!

I often think about the many devices I own with closed firmware in them, and the many amazing things these devices could be used for if they were more open and documented. Consider the amazing things people accomplish on old 80s/90s home computers and games consoles, often going way beyond what was thought possible with it at the time... the same could be done with so many other devices. Of course, people already do such hacking - like this example in the blog post. But the barrier for that would be so much lower if it didn't require elaborate reverse engineering (how do people find the time and energy for that....). I have a little collection of 90s synth modules, I would love to modify their firmware, if it was available.

Sometimes I wish there was a law that forced companies to open up datasheets/internal documentation/etc. for a product when they stop making it... But yeah, can't have that, of course.

4 comments

Seize the means of (music) production!
Wow, that's awesome!
I often think about the many devices I own with closed firmware in them, and the many amazing things these devices could be used for if they were more open and documented. Consider the amazing things people accomplish on old 80s/90s home computers and games consoles, often going way beyond what was thought possible with it at the time... the same could be done with so many other devices. Of course, people already do such hacking - like this example in the blog post. But the barrier for that would be so much lower if it didn't require elaborate reverse engineering (how do people find the time and energy for that....). I have a little collection of 90s synth modules, I would love to modify their firmware, if it was available.
Sometimes I wish there was a law that forced companies to open up datasheets/internal documentation/etc. for a product when they stop making it... But yeah, can't have that, of course.
oh yeah that was a good one
reminded me of the Fader Abuse demo
- since I'm At Keyboard now, Fader Abuse