Casio CZ/ VZ/ FZ - Pro Series

Hi folks, just picked up a VZ-10M off ebay and all
that happens when I turn it on is a purple display
with some random glitched out characters
occasionally...it's also making this real whiny noise
while this is happening. doesn't seem to receive on
any midi channel I send it either, can't get a sound
out of it. please anyone let me know if this is a
common problem I can fix myself or if it's just
totally fried. Battery perhaps? I haven't had a CZ
synth before and was really looking forward to
exploring this machine's possibilities...a bit
dissapointed here! Anyone experienced this?  

Aaron

__________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
SBC Yahoo! DSL - Now only $29.95 per month!
http://sbc.yahoo.com

Hi Aaron,

On 10 Jul 2003 at 0:52, venetian snares wrote:

> Hi folks, just picked up a VZ-10M off ebay and all
> that happens when I turn it on is a purple display
> with some random glitched out characters
> occasionally...

Purple, should be some kind of green/blueish, I guess someone changed 
backlight, maybe this wasn't done that properly, opening and 
repositioning the LCD part on the contacts might help a bit... 

> it's also making this real whiny noise

The display I guess, not the output?

> while this is happening. doesn't seem to receive on
> any midi channel I send it either, can't get a sound
> out of it. 

The VZ-1 has a little MIDI on and off switch on the back side of the 
synth, I guess the VZ-10M is having one as well. Also initialising 
the Synth might help, if I remember right it's pressing the 
initialise button while turning the synth on and pressing Yes 
afterwards should do it...


Well, good luck!

...Summa
A Touch of Future - Project: http://www.mp3.com/AToF/
Casio CZ Synth Station: http://www.mp3.com/stations/CZ/ 

CZ/VZ list   : http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CZsynth
FMHeaven list: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/fmheaven/

Boycott the Premium Artist Service!!!

>Purple, should be some kind of green/blueish, I guess someone changed
>backlight, maybe this wasn't done that properly, opening and
>repositioning the LCD part on the contacts might help a bit...

This should be done very carefully or not at all, I heard Rainer Buchty 
ruined his FZ-1 by messing around with the display- One of the very thin 
ribbon cables to the LCD ripped and there's really nothing that can be done 
to fix that..

>>it's also making this real whiny noise

>The display I guess, not the output?

Could be the backlight inverter... might be worth unplugging the inverter 
power supply.  But I guess an easier way to check would be to find the pitch 
of the sound- if the inverter is making a sound it should be 400Hz.

>The VZ-1 has a little MIDI on and off switch on the back side of the
>synth, I guess the VZ-10M is having one as well. Also initialising
>the Synth might help, if I remember right it's pressing the
>initialise button while turning the synth on and pressing Yes
>afterwards should do it...

I don't think there's a MIDI switch on the VZ-10M but I haven't looked back 
there in a long time...

Initializing it is definately a good idea- first thing you should try 
because it's easy

The VZ-1 service manual is here: 
http://www.steveandsally.freeserve.co.uk/casio/documentation/service_manual/

Should be more or less the same guts as the VZ-10M, maybe different board 
layouts, etc. though.

I'm not going to open up my 10M to see what can be messed around but it 
wouldn't be a bad idea to make sure all the relevant ribbon cables are 
secure and not half-unplugged.

_________________________________________________________________
Add photos to your e-mail with MSN 8. Get 2 months FREE*.  
http://join.msn.com/?page=features/featuredemail

>> >Purple, should be some kind of green/blueish, I guess someone changed
>> >backlight, maybe this wasn't done that properly, opening and
>> >repositioning the LCD part on the contacts might help a bit...
> 
> This should be done very carefully or not at all, I heard Rainer Buchty
> ruined his FZ-1 by messing around with the display- One of the very thin
> ribbon cables to the LCD ripped and there's really nothing that can be done
> to fix that..
> 
> yes, he did.
> there¹ 2 cables ­ if they become broken you¹re lost. so be VERY careful!
> 
> check:
> http://www.cosmosynths.userpage.de/
> click CZ/FZ Stuff-Button, then FZ-Workshop and see Step/Pic 4b.
> there the FZ and the Cables.
> 
>>> >>it's also making this real whiny noise
> 
>> >The display I guess, not the output?
> 
> Could be the backlight inverter... might be worth unplugging the inverter
> power supply.  
> new inverter: ~4 Euro/ US$.
> 
> 
> But I guess an easier way to check would be to find the pitch
> of the sound- if the inverter is making a sound it should be 400Hz.
> 
> good luck!

-- 
Monster
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
http://www.cosmosynths.userpage.de
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++




[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]