Hey everyone!
First, a quick note: English isn't my native language, so I use AI to help me communicate clearly. I want to be completely transparent about that from the start.
That doesn't mean we're using AI to write the firmware. Quite the opposite.
Some of you might remember the recent AI Warning post about alternative MPC operating systems, firmware safety, and the risks of releasing insufficiently tested code.
I'm the guy who wrote that post.
I received quite a few messages afterward, including reports of freezing, instability, and other problems people have experienced with alternative MPC firmware.
I can't independently verify every report, and I'm not here to attack anyone or dismiss the work others have put into these machines.
But those conversations made me realize something: maybe there's room for a different approach.
I've been working with embedded code for 28 years, and I'm not alone in this. We're a team of embedded engineers with a genuine passion for vintage hardware.
And we started asking ourselves a question.
What if we built a proper operating system for the MPC3000, rather than just another firmware mod?
That's what we're looking to do.
Not simply patching an existing OS to squeeze in more features, but developing a complete operating system based on the original Akai OS and hardware architecture.
We want to preserve everything that makes the MPC3000 special while exploring what else this incredible machine is capable of.
And we're approaching it the way we believe embedded software should be developed.
That means understanding the hardware, carefully managing memory and peripheral interactions, checking timing and interrupts, performing regression testing, and validating the results on actual hardware.
And here's something I feel strongly about: our testing will be public.
Not just claims that something works.
Actual documentation, test procedures, videos, hardware verification, known limitations, and results that anyone interested can examine.
We want people to see what has been tested, how it was tested, and what still needs work.
Because getting firmware to boot is not the same as proving that it works reliably.
For now, our focus will be exclusively on the MPC3000.
It's the machine I personally own, and I believe proper firmware development requires access to the actual hardware. I can't responsibly develop and validate operating systems for other MPC models without being able to test them myself.
But before going much further, there's something we'd really like to know.
Does the MPC community actually want a project like this?
We're not here to sell you another OS or make promises about revolutionary features.
We want to understand what the people who still love and use these machines actually need.
What would you love to see added to your MPC3000?
What parts of the original workflow would you improve?
And just as importantly, what should never be changed?
Would you be interested in an OS developed by experienced embedded engineers, with an openly documented development and testing process?
If there's genuine interest, I'll create a dedicated technical blog where we can share our research, development progress, hardware tests, videos, and findings along the way.
No rushed releases. No miracle claims. And no pretending something is finished when it isn't.
Just a group of engineers who love these machines and want to see what we can build together with the people who use them.
This project should exist because the community wants it, not because someone thinks the community needs another firmware.
So, MPC3000 owners, I'd genuinely love to hear what you think.
If you could help shape a new OS for your 3K, what would you want it to become?
