Yamaha DTXpress/DTXplorer/DTXtreme

I just upgraded my DTXpressII kit with a PCY150S to use as a ride 
cymbal. Unfortunately, it only seems to read two zones, not three. It 
reads the bow OK but the bell reads as edge and the edge does not 
trigger at all nor does it choke. I have tried a number of trigger 
drivers with no success. The stereo cable tests good. Am I missing 
something? Does anybody know how to troubleshoot and/or repair the guts 
of one of these cymbals? I am a fairly good tech. HELP.....

--- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, "tunedude10" <toddbob@...> wrote:
>
> I just upgraded my DTXpressII kit with a PCY150S to use as a ride 
> cymbal. Unfortunately, it only seems to read two zones, not three. It 
> reads the bow OK but the bell reads as edge and the edge does not 
> trigger at all nor does it choke. I have tried a number of trigger 
> drivers with no success. The stereo cable tests good. Am I missing 
> something? Does anybody know how to troubleshoot and/or repair the guts 
> of one of these cymbals? I am a fairly good tech. HELP.....
>

I am guessing here a bit as I don't have a PCY150S.  If you have a
multimeter I can tell you how to check if the pad is working. 
However, while all the inputs can accept dual zone pads, only inuts 2,
6 and 7 are compatible with 3 zone pads on the DTXpress II, so make
sure you are using one of those.  Also, you need to tell the module
you have a PCY150 in the trigger edit menu for the input you are using.

Keith.

--- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, "Keith" <keith@...> wrote:
>
> --- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, "tunedude10" <toddbob@> wrote:
> >
> > I just upgraded my DTXpressII kit with a PCY150S to use as a ride 
> > cymbal. Unfortunately, it only seems to read two zones, not 
three. It 
> > reads the bow OK but the bell reads as edge and the edge does not 
> > trigger at all nor does it choke. I have tried a number of 
trigger 
> > drivers with no success. The stereo cable tests good. Am I 
missing 
> > something? Does anybody know how to troubleshoot and/or repair 
the guts 
> > of one of these cymbals? I am a fairly good tech. HELP.....
> >
> 
> I am guessing here a bit as I don't have a PCY150S.  If you have a
> multimeter I can tell you how to check if the pad is working. 
> However, while all the inputs can accept dual zone pads, only inuts 
2,
> 6 and 7 are compatible with 3 zone pads on the DTXpress II, so make
> sure you are using one of those.  Also, you need to tell the module
> you have a PCY150 in the trigger edit menu for the input you are 
using.
> 
> Keith.
>
Keith, thanks for the reply. I would be interested in ANY info you 
have on troubleshooting these cymbals and/or pads. An update, I got 
my cymbal working temporarily by cleaning the contacts at the ribbon 
that connects to the circuit board. It only lasted 2 days though. 
Otherwise it worked well. I seem to be having a similar problem with 
a 3-zone pad (TPY65S). I do not know how those Yamaha 'film switches' 
work and could really use some theory here.
Todd

--- In DTXpress@yahoogroups.com, "tunedude10" <toddbob@...> wrote:
> Keith, thanks for the reply. I would be interested in ANY info you 
> have on troubleshooting these cymbals and/or pads. An update, I got 
> my cymbal working temporarily by cleaning the contacts at the ribbon 
> that connects to the circuit board. It only lasted 2 days though. 
> Otherwise it worked well. I seem to be having a similar problem with 
> a 3-zone pad (TPY65S). I do not know how those Yamaha 'film switches' 
> work and could really use some theory here.
> Todd

Todd,

I haven't taken all my pads apart becuase I have had any problems,
although there are pictures in the photos section from OGD who has
taken just about everything apart.

If you measure the resistance from the ring of the connector to the
sleeve, you should get a high resistance when neither rim switch (or
rim/bell for the cymbal) is pressed, say >1M ohm.  With one rim switch
pressed you should get a low resistance - mine are around 15 ohms. 
Then with the other pressed instead, you should get 10k ohms.  There
is a 10k resistor in series with one of the rim switches which is used
to distinguish between them.

I don't know which is the most likely area for problems - the FSR
switches, bad soldering joints or the flat foil connectors.

Keith.

> >
> Keith, thanks for the reply. I would be interested in ANY info you 
> have on troubleshooting these cymbals and/or pads. An update, I got 
> my cymbal working temporarily by cleaning the contacts at the ribbon 
> that connects to the circuit board. It only lasted 2 days though. 
> Otherwise it worked well. I seem to be having a similar problem with 
> a 3-zone pad (TPY65S). I do not know how those Yamaha 'film switches' 
> work and could really use some theory here.
> Todd
>

There is alot of talk on the dtxperience forums about a bad batch of 
ride cymbals.  Search for the word "batch" to read about it.  Take care.