DR16 problems............

hi,

my beloved DR16 recorder has been unuesable for a few months now, due to awful digital noise on replay.

it started out extremely low level, and didn't affect most rock stuff i was recording. the recorder was then taken to do some location stuff and mid session the noise suddenly jumped up to about -20db (about -4db analogue?).

the noise doesn't meter on the input, even monitering through the output converters there is nothing, but it meters on replay.

i have tried several different hard discs, and the problem is identical on all them. i've also been throuh the psu s which look ok, but i'm not sure how far digital equiptment can vary in terms of psu voltage.

anybody got a service manual?

thanks in advance

Check all DC voltages - start with the linear voltage regulator board. Also, check that the 5 volt output is really 5 volts. Check the fuses - I've had wierd symptoms with blown fuses. If they are out of regulation you'll get wierd hash everywhere. Also, maybe just try wiggling the connections between the processor board and the D-A board.

Just looked at the block diagram and info from the User Manual on line

"
On Playback the signal from the hard disk passes through the channel on keys 1-16 and into the TrackMix sextion of the recorder
In addition the signal is sent to the individual analogue output channels 1-16
unlike the inputs these outputs are fixed to the correspondign hard disk tracks
"

So....
I would look for a dodgy D_A convertor
have you tried digital out? does this have the noise on it?
if it does then it's deffo one of the D-A circuits...

the block diagram says there are a number od D_A chips

have you tired the following channel outs
Track out - 1,3,5,7,9,11
Track out - 2,4,6,8,10,12


Look at age 12 - and try all the combinations

the noise is on both the analogue outs and the spdif out.

it moniters through the converters on recording, but not back from the hard disc and the moniter when its recoding is free from noise.

Does anybody now if there is a master reset, for going back to factory settings?

toby

before trying anything fancy i would start looking for a loose connector or a card that needs to be reseated properly. Fixed one of those a few years ago with just touching and pressing the circuits when trying to find out if there were any contacts interupted. Could be some IC's too that need refitting. It's a strong beast, a friend used it to do 2 worldtours with it, they had only one backupmachine for datarecovery and they had only one major problem with which isn't bad considering the way most roadies handle gear...

Just WATCHOUT when touching the electronic parts inside, always unplug mains before doing so and STAY AWAY from large capacitors (big blue things), i learnt that one that VERY hard way by burning my fingers and severe pain in my hand and wristmuscles... Make sure you're standing on something dry and well isolated and don't use both hands at the same time in there...

Good luck!

Tony

think i ts been tracked down to a loose conection on one ribbon conectors on the processor board.

my weekend off is being lost to teaking all of them (there are alot!)

alright! :thumb: