Strange G Computer issues on my 6032...please help!

[bholl]

Hello everyone!
This is my first post - thank you for welcoming me to your community!

I recently purchased and installed a 6032 with 26 mic/line modules, 4 dual line input modules, and 2 stereo modules. The computer has been a huge pain to get going, but I feel like I am SUPER close finally. Just one last issue that I can't figure out.

Whenever the computer is on, all channel cut switches also cut the channel to the right - so cutting channel 1 also cuts 2, and channel 2 also cuts 3, etc… Not 1/2, 3/4, 5/6, but 1/2, 2/3, 3/4, etc… and sometimes one more channel further down the desk as well, but not consistently in a pattern. This only happens when the computer is turned on. Also, the cut switches don't light up properly when the computer is on. They light properly when a solo is pressed, but not when the individual cut switch is pressed. They do function properly when the computer is turned off.

I have enabled Stereo Modules in TR setup, but I don't think that is what is causing the problem since this isn't part of TR.
Justin Herlocker also replaced all the chips on my Analog In and Analog Out cards a couple weeks ago.

If anybody has any ideas, please share them. This is driving me CRAZY.

Thanks in advance!

[waltzingbear]

I would check the setup files first and see if you have MUX enabled. It may be that you have MUX enabled and the modules in the wrong slots (the BCD code assigns on the bottom of the card)

I'm not 100% sure but you can turn the MUX off and see if that makes a difference. For good measure you should set them to the correct BCD codes anyway. Its in the manual.

I'm assuming that the problem was there before the rechip job??

also make sure the module assigns are correct in the setup files. ie mono vs stereo, etc.

Alan

[SSLtech]

That's a puzzle...

If you have an 8ch bypass, 50-way loop-back ribbon, try inserting that, and see if the issue changes. -Just as a quick "upstream/downstream" test.

Assuming that the fault is in the computer, what does the Analog input test show? (not bargraphs; absolute data fader values.)

Also, try the analog output ramp test. See what happens when the ramps run, firstly on all channels, and secondly on a single channel (status-button-selected). Does the status button on channel 3 cause a ramp to appear on channel 4, for example?

My line of inquiry here is basically trying to start out by seeing whether the first sign of anything wrong happens before the computer reads it, after the computer reads it, or in the console itself.

Keef

[bholl]

Thanks for the info, guys!
I'll try all this stuff today.

@Alan - where do I find the individual module assigns in setup? I have been thinking that somethibg like that may the issue, but haven't been able to find anything of the sort in setup. Just TR global enable for stereo modules.

And yes, this issue was present before re-chip. We thought that might fix it, but it didn't.

Thanks again!

[waltzingbear]

I am terrible at remembering where anything is in hte setup menus. I have to use the manual most of the time to find what I know is there.

Alan

[SSLtech]

Alan, when you say MPX are you thinking of the 03 (TR ) cards?

If so, they have no effect whatsoever on the automation.

All of the Automation multiplexing is done inside the computer on the Analog input and Analog output cards. From there on, it's a hard wire to every single channel and back again, through the 50-way ribbons.

Apologies if I'm misunderstanding, but the automation (fader and mute) of course has to work without multiplex, since lots of consoles were delivered without Total Recall, and therefore without multiplex cards, so I don't see that as a potential issue, unless I'm misunderstanding (which happens so much more often these days!)

[Artur D'Assumpção]

I have to ask, is this an VCA or Ultimation console?

Also, have you ran through the console configuration and objects assignment? If that's not correct in software land you'll definitely experience weird problems.

Cheers,

Artur

[waltzingbear]

Yes Keith, probably what I was thinking about.

I wasn't thinking about the "automation" per se. but about the crossing of assignments within the computer, such as what I believe Artur was referring to in his last post. ie thinking about the computer as an assignable matrix. 

With the computer off, the board actions are correct, with the computer on commands are coming out the wrong spigot.

Alan

[SSLtech]

With the computer off, on a TR console the CMOS switches default to 'looping-back' the automation/cut voltage...

I have to ask as well, is this ultimation?

[paramountrec]

I seem to remember that at one point there was a resistor change required on one of the computer boards for one of the software updates, and that if you ran the new software without the resistor change, you would get those symptoms (how's that for vagueness?).  Does that ring a bell with anyone?  I probably have some documentation buried in a file somewhere at work.

Many years ago I was helping a studio with an install, and their console had the same issue.  I called SSL and described the issue and received a mild scolding.  It turns out the console owner had not bought the upgrade (which included the resistor and instructions), but had just copied someone else's floppy. SSL was nice enough to tell me which resistor to change, but it was too long ago to remember.

[bholl]

Thanks everyone for the replies!
Still, no luck getting it to work.
To answer a few of you who inquired, this console has VCA automation.
That resistor swap is very interesting. If you could find that documentation, I would be very grateful and interested to try it.
This issue is driving me nuts. I am nearly certain that I have everything configured right in setup and objects, but somebody mentioned setting up individual channels as mono/stereo/etc, and I don't know where to find that. Only found the stereo module enable in the TR setup and I know that has nothing to do with my issue.

Thanks again!
Bobby

[Artur D'Assumpção]

Bholl,

I would advise you follow the computer service manual closely. They have step by step the configuration of the computer, including the default card I/O configurations and how you configure the objects.

That's the only thing I see that may be giving you those weird symptoms.

Enter in admin mode (procedure on the manual - section 1-10), go to the object configuration, clear everything and do from scratch. This procedure is described on the service manual, for each object you have to press by order the status button of each channel strip attributing the correct objects (including master fader - section 1-19).

Also would be worth to go through all the S14 cable connections (section 1-17), both under the patchbay and on the computer. For these I would advise you to follow the manual suggestions, since group faders and patchable VCAs (if you have them) should come on a specific order. Make sure everything is tight in connected, it happens to have the IDC connectors not perfectly connected and you have weird outcomes.

If in the end this doesn't solve you might have indeed some hardware issues on the Analog I/O cards. Does the problem happens with all channels?

Cheers,

Artur

[sintech]

I am nearly certain that I have everything configured right in setup and objects, but somebody mentioned setting up individual channels as mono/stereo/etc, and I don't know where to find that. Only found the stereo module enable in the TR setup and I know that has nothing to do with my issue.

Thanks again!
Bobby

The computer sees the VCA/Cut just as a mono strip, and the TR knows the channel is stereo via the multiplexer card... so your right, it's just setting that "Stereo Module Enable" in the setup menu.

[bholl]

@Artur - Thank you for your detailed reply! I have done that process at least 8 times now with no luck. It seems that it doesn't have anything to do with the setup or configuration because it happens with multiple program discs. I just put in another one that I have, to try and configure it, and the problem was still there from the very beginning.
I also checked all connectors and they all seem to be in good repair, as well as connected to the proper location.

I'm seriously pulling my hair out over this issue.

Thanks again for your help, everyone. I'll keep digging and report back when I figure it out.

[paramountrec]

So I dug through my SSL Field Service Bulletins and found one pertaining to the computer Analog Output card, 82E42. "To ensure correct functioning of the computer fader returns when mixing with all types of G-Series processors".
Change R6 from 7k5 to 2k2.
Bulletin Ref#406/4k/444 Jan 1991.  It says it's applicable to computers with 2 Analog Output cards fitted.

That sounds like what I changed all those years ago, though I think that console only had one output card.  I remember the SSL tech saying it had something to do with system timing, which makes sense: R6 is controlling the pulse width of the output multiplexer inhibit signals.

Maybe a long shot, but have a look at R6