The Yamaha AN1x Synthesizer mailing list

Does your AN1X lock up occasionally - ?!  Mine does – or, 
rather, it has just started to.  Never did before.  Wonder 
why?

Seems to happen only when I am pushing it hard, and in ways 
in which it has not been pushed before.  Specifically, I have 
recently discovered the joys of setting Tempo to MIDI 
alongside a software sequencer.  

But the combination of that setting, a powerful voice and, 
generally, live filter/res & FX tweaking sometimes produces 
what I can only describe as a a lock-up - at some point the 
controls 'freeze' and I cannot change the patch.  The only 
way I've found of getting round it is to switch off and on.  

Anyone else had this?  Is it a problem?  Any way of avoiding 
it?

Thx

H

Perhaps it is time to replace the battery? Just a thought.

Hover

-----Original Message-----
From: christone@... [mailto:christone@onetel.net.uk] 
Sent: woensdag 10 maart 2004 18:23
To: AN1x-list@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [AN1x] Does your AN1X lock up occasionally - ?!

� Does your AN1X lock up occasionally - ?!� Mine does � or, 
rather, it has just started to.� Never did before.� Wonder 
why?

----- Original Message ----- 

From: "Hover" <hover@...>
From: christone@... [mailto:christone@...] 
. Does your AN1X lock up occasionally - ?! Mine does - or, 
rather, it has just started to. Never did before. Wonder 
why?

Maybe you already know this but in case...

Pretty much anytime this happens with any musical equipment using
microprocessors, the very first thing to try usually is, back up anything
you want saved (or if you don't have it hooked up to a PC, write down the
parameters to any patches you don't want to lose) and do the system factory
reset which would set all settings back to the factory reset.

If that doesn't work, and one feels mechanical, open up the unit, blow it out
with the vacuum cleaner plugged into the opposite end (blowing) and then
vacuum afterwards. (of course...with the power off)...and plugs that seem 
unpluggable one can unplug and then replug them....maybe som contact cleaner.

While it's open, use eyes and nose. Look for any burnt looking, or wrong looking
components, sniff around for any very burnt smell...

If that doesn't work get it serviced! (assuming the battery isn't the culprit as someone
else mentioned).

When I went to electronics school, our teacher used to recall working in the local
TV repair shop as a kid, getting paid to blow out and vacuum the incoming TV sets.
He said "a surprisingly high number of TVs were okay just after that..." and never
needed more servicing.

Jim

Jim's got a great point about dust being an enemy... but I'd also like to 
suggest considering the sensitivity of the MIDI input section of the 
AN1x.  My setup has a MIDI patchbay which is very useful but often 
confuses the AN1x.  When confused, it displays "Illegal Data".  We've 
called the MIDI police but they don't know what charge to place on the 
offending synth.  :-)

There's been a lot of discussion on this list concerning the sysex 
response and various MIDI cards.  I had a similar problem where the synth 
would lock up during patch bank dumps to it.  A different MIDI card 
(actually a joystick port converter) solved the lockups.

The assumption of the group is generally that the AN1x can't handle 
certain data rates or dropped packets or something of that sort.  So you 
might try using a MIDI data stream analyzer program (MIDIOX is a good 
one) to see if there are any irregularities.

--- In AN1x-list@yahoogroups.com, <christone@o...> wrote:
> Does your AN1X lock up occasionally - ?!  Mine does â€" or, 
> rather, it has just started to.  Never did before.  Wonder 
> why?

Not recently, no. The only time my AN1x has 'locked up' was during the 
occasional SysEx dump from AN1xEdit. This occurred more frequently with my =
old 
Opcode Studio 128x (multi-port MIDI Interface/Patchbay) than it did using a=
n Opcode 
Translator Pro (2x2 MIDI Interface with seperate printer & modem ports.) I =
haven't had 
any problems to speak of with an Emagic MT4 but then again I seldom use AN1=
xEdit 
any longer.

The beauty of the Translator Pro was that the AN1x was the *only* device ru=
nning off 
the modem port and my hw sampler was the only device on the printer port - =
no 
sharing of the MIDI bandwidth between multiple devices on one port!!! 
 
> 
> Seems to happen only when I am pushing it hard, and in ways 
> in which it has not been pushed before.  Specifically, I have 
> recently discovered the joys of setting Tempo to MIDI 
> alongside a software sequencer.  
> 

I can imagine if you are synchronizing the Arp/Seq to MIDI Clock *and* you =
are 
making _wild_ tempo changes it would be easy to overrun the AN1x - or any o=
ther 
hardware synth for that matter.

> But the combination of that setting, a powerful voice and, 
> generally, live filter/res & FX tweaking sometimes produces 
> what I can only describe as a a lock-up - at some point the 
> controls 'freeze' and I cannot change the patch.  The only 
> way I've found of getting round it is to switch off and on.  
> 

Again, I suppose it depends on how much real time data you are transmitting=
 to the 
AN1x simulataneously. MIDI CC's take up no where near the amount of bandwid=
th 
SysEx packets do but, if you're sending multiple MIDI CCs (Mod Wheel, Pitch=
 Bend, AT, 
74 FC, 71 Rez, etc.) while syncing tempo and effects - anything is possible=
!

> Anyone else had this?  Is it a problem?  Any way of avoiding 
> it?
> 

Try easing up on the amount of real time messages and see where the thresho=
ld is 
for your MIDI Set-up. Just out of curiousity - what type of MID Interface a=
re you 
using?

Jon

----- Original Message ----- 

From: "Ed Edwards" <edward.edwards@...t>
To: <AN1x-list@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Thursday, March 11, 2004 1:04 AM
Subject: Re: [AN1x] Does your AN1X lock up occasionally - ?!


> Jim's got a great point about dust being an enemy... but I'd also like to 
> suggest considering the sensitivity of the MIDI input section of the 
> AN1x.  

Thanks, and I hadn't even thought about mentioning (because it seems like
it would be second nature) that if it is locking up or hanging somewhat
regularly...I mean if it usually hangs up after an hour or so, so it is easy
to reproduce or know if it is better....the absolutely FIRST thing to do is
to unplug ANY MIDI cables running to it and see if it locks up with no
external input...just by playing it.

Isolate the problem!

----- Original Message ----- 

From: "James Acker" <jacker@...>
To: <AN1x-list@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Thursday, March 11, 2004 7:37 PM
Subject: Re: [AN1x] Does your AN1X lock up occasionally - ?!


> 
> Isolate the problem!
> 

Though it probably won't hang up then. I reread your post.