Problems with Studer remote

[Seek]

Hello. I've been reading this forum for a long time, but this is my first post. I'm in the process of receiving parts for a couple of projects, but in the meantime my tape machine isn't completely working.

I moved my A827 to a new building by truck. Before I moved it, everything was working fine. Last night I tried to use it, and everything worked except for the remote. It won't power up.

I'm relatively new to this equipment, so there might be something really obvious that I'm missing. The cable seems to be intact. The cable is zip tied to the remote so I don't think anything would have happened on that end--the connectors are in tight.

The connectors on the tape machine end seem to be okay. I took them apart; the tape machine connector is jammed with wire, I don't think anything would have come loose in there. The autolocator timer connector feels loose on the outside since the outer cable jacket ends a little early, leaving the individual wires to be clamped down. However, on the inside everything seemed fine. Exception: the wire from pin 1 doesn't have a jacket as it enters the outer cable jacket, and there are a few strands broken. This pin is labeled shield in my manual.

Edit: more data (more details provided in a subsequent post). I had the machine plugged in with several other pieces of gear and the power switch light was flickering. I then tried plugging in the machine on its own, and the light stayed on solid. If this flickering meant that the machine wasn't getting enough power, could that have caused a problem with the remote?

If anyone has any suggestions about things I should try, no matter how basic (or difficult) they seem, I would appreciate it very much. It's hard to imagine that the remote would have broken during the move: it was never mishandled. So my suspicion is that it's something obvious, or maybe something with the cable.

If this isn't an appropriate place to post this, I will remove it. Though if anyone has a suggestion of where I can go for help, I'd appreciate that too.

Thank you for your time.

 

[gyraf]

Maybe John Klett's forum over at PSW?

Jakob E.

 

[Seek]

Thank you Jakob. Due to your post, I just registered and posted over there.

Also, I investigated the pin number of the exposed wire, and updated my first post to reflect the results. It's the shield, so I don't think it's a problem.

Jonathan

 

[pucho812]

you might have already did this but are you sure that the remote is selected on the machine. I have walked into that one before. fook whats those buttons i'm refering to. IT's right near the button for 15/ 30 IPS and alignemtn A or B buttons. Should be something like REM and TD. Make sure those are selected. You have to tell the machine to use the remote. It is possible to shut it off. check that first. I should be going by work today I can check for you and get the right buttons but off had it's something like REM and TD. Do you have the manual check those up and buttons around there. :thumb:

 

[Seek]

Thank you pucho812, my machine defaults to having the TD REM button on and the REM IF button off. I tried switching each back and forth, but no luck.

I only have the operator manual, but reading through I didn't find anything (other than some info on the TD REM and REM IF buttons).

I discovered a disturbing additional data point (I'll edit the first post to refer to it): I noticed that the light on the tape machine's power switch came on when I power up the machine, but then went out or flickered. The power chain was: A827-->power strip-->power strip-->power conditioner-->outdoor type extension cord. There were a few of other pieces of gear turned on as well (mixer, computer, audio and midi interfaces) plugged into the power strips. I then just plugged the tape machine directly into the outdoor type extension cord, without anything else connected, and the light stayed on solid.

It seems that the machine wasn't getting enough power, could I have hurt something or tripped something related to the remote due to this? What is the significance of the state of the power switch light?

 

[pucho812]

this is the an appropriate place for this. we are all techy people and we love to help.

Hmmm o.k. so it looks like at first you were not getting enough current. Shuldn't effect it seriously at all. When you power up and it cycles threw it's diagnostics does it give any errors?

 

[Seek]

Thank you. It's a good feeling knowing that people are willing to help. I look forward to being able to provide some of my own.

Every time I've watched it power up it says, "no errors detected". To include when I had it plugged in the original way.

 

[pucho812]

o.k. this is dumb but is the remote plugged into the right port?
Does the remote show signs it is getting power?
if it is showing signs of getting power then the remote has to be turned off in the machine. I'm going into work this afternoon I will check our repair manual... But, in the user manual it should talk about how to set up the remote I have a feeling that you might have acidently shut it off. I had problems with studer remotes on various other machines. For example the a-80 remotes had their own PSU and no matter what happened one should never shut off as it would loose breaking curve, the time it would take the machine to stop and start tape from various positions. If it did that you had to reset it. not a big deal but a deal none the less.

 

[Seek]

[quote author="pucho812"]o.k. this is dumb but is the remote plugged into the right port?[/quote]

The two ports it's plugged into are labeled "Audio Remote" and "Autolocator Timer". The panels on the remote are labeled "A 827 Multichannel Controller" and "Autolocator".

Does the remote show signs it is getting power?

It shows no signs of getting power. It also doesn't sound like it is either. Though the first few times I powered the machine on I thought I heard some clicking coming from the direction of the remote, but that may have been from the power conditioner.

if it is showing signs of getting power then the remote has to be turned off in the machine. I'm going into work this afternoon I will check our repair manual... But, in the user manual it should talk about how to set up the remote I have a feeling that you might have acidently shut it off. I had problems with studer remotes on various other machines. For example the a-80 remotes had their own PSU and no matter what happened one should never shut off as it would loose breaking curve, the time it would take the machine to stop and start tape from various positions. If it did that you had to reset it. not a big deal but a deal none the less.

Is there a way that the remote could have been turned off at the tape machine in such a way that it would appear that no power was reaching the remote?

I'm getting some suggestions from people over at R/E/P about the problem. They've had me check some fuses, but what I've checked so far has been fine. Looks like the next step may be to check with a multimeter that power is reaching the remote.

Jonathan

 

[pucho812]

hmmm lets see if I remember correctly the autolocatore ises 15 pin dsub right? and the remote uses a 50 pin sub?

 

[Seek]

[quote author="pucho812"]hmmm lets see if I remember correctly the autolocatore ises 15 pin dsub right? and the remote uses a 50 pin sub?[/quote]

Autolocator is a 9 pin, D-type. The remote is a 37 pin.

Jonathan

 

[pucho812]

I was close it's hard to do things from memory. um if the remote deosn't appear to be getting power then I would start to check the cards and connections. I have a feeling the remote got switched off. If I remember correctly there is a power switch on the remote itself I believe. then bust out a multi meter and see if your getting voltages in your dsubs. The unit didn't indicate that there is a problem on start up so should be fairly simple

 

[Crusty2]

[quote author="Seek"]
Is there a way that the remote could have been turned off at the tape machine in such a way that it would appear that no power was reaching the remote?
[/quote]

Isn't there a soft key that turns off the parallel audio port and swithes to a serial audio port? I seem to remember this.

Oh, you did pull the remote to make sure the cable was still plugged into it, right? Even though it's zipitied, it could have come loose inside the remote stand while being moved.

 

[Seek]

Thank you pucho812 and Crusty2.

I tried the multimeter on the remote end of the cable (wow, was it hard to get that connector off through those holes on the bottom, is there an easier way?), and at the connector on the tape machine. No power. I also checked the cards, and found a lithium battery with a sticker that reads "Replace by Oct 96" as well as a bit of crud on one of the cards (I have no idea what it is). I then confirmed that the cable connectors were in tight on the remote. I also experimented with the soft keys and learned a good bit more about the machine. Though it seems that changes were locked, or I wasn't understanding how to make changes (or if I even could from where I was at in the menu).

But, it turns out that the problem is probably a fuse. After checking the fuses that had been suggested to me, I went ahead and started to check all of the fuses. Fuse F3 at the bottom right (by the power switch) is blown. I have to buy some fuses tomorrow. I'll report back after trying it.

 

[pucho812]

much like alignments any changes made have to be stored. Hmmm a fuse, blown fuses usually indicate trouble be forwarned. As for replacing batteries that's to keep the stored changes made to the deck alignment such as rewind speed as well as tape alignment. As for checking with a multimeter and the hole is smaller then the leads, I have found sticking solder in the whole and testing off that to work wonders.

 

[Seek]

Thank you for the suggestion of using solder in the holes. I'll be using that tip for future situations with other gear as well.

Any tips on where to find the tech manuals for the A827? They show up repeatedly on the big auction website, but are there other sources?

Based on the last post I got at the John Klett forum at R/E/P, I'm curious about how big of a process changing that battery will be.

Thanks again.

Jonathan

 

[pucho812]

is it soldered in?
as for tech manuals check at the local studio or pro audio shop would be my suggesions. easy to find a tech from a studio with one that would copy it for you.

 

[Seek]

Success. I replaced fuse F3, and all seems to be well now with my remote and autolocator. Thanks for taking the time to help me out. Thank you all.

[quote author="pucho812"]is it soldered in?[/quote]
The batteries seem to be soldered in.

as for tech manuals check at the local studio or pro audio shop would be my suggesions. easy to find a tech from a studio with one that would copy it for you.

I need to do some research, I'm not sure who around here has an A827.

Jonathan