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VFX-SD hard wireing "keyboard boards" -HELP

VFX-SD hard wireing "keyboard boards" -HELP

2001-03-13 by svenburen@hotmail.com

Hi !
I have a VFX-SD that havent been used for 3 years. Now it always works 
well for 7-10 minutes - then some keys doesnt work at all whereas 
other play "doublenotes"(=two notes at a time", after a few more 
minutes it freezes completly  - reinitialising or restarting doesnt 
work, the battery though old is tested and seems to work properly. 
I'll have two wait for two hours before I can turn it on for 10 more 
minutes - hefty limitations on a mans creativity...  

So I guess it is the connection of the two boards within the keyboard 
itself (that I've read about on this group and internet sites)that 
isnt working. I have removed all the keys (cleaned and dusted 
everything) but I havent dismantled the two boards from the keyboard  
- Now, How should the connection between the two boards within the 
keyboard be made. (I'm a technical imbecile so please forgive me if 
I'm being really stupid...) Since I havent removed the boards from the 
keyboard I just see the back of them and as a lay man my description 
of how they are connected on the back goes as follows: "Currently 
there are 12 small "elevations" on the side of the boards. they are 
connected by 8 thin cupper-threads of approx 1cm length, four 
"elevations" thus have no connection." So what should I do:

1) clean these 8 connections and hope for the best ?
2) add some wires (to some of the remaining 4 elevations, what type of 
wire should I use) ?
3) remove the boards and clean their front side (I do not believe I'm 
capable of that..)
4) do something else with the VFX-SD
5) step out of nostalgia and buy myself newer gear (I'd hate that 
since I love my VFX-SD though our relationsship currently is going 
through a rather difficult phase....

PS Can I test the synth without all the keys or do I have to put them 
all back to place before I turn it on  

Kindest regards
/svenburen

Re: [Ensoniq-VFX-SD] VFX-SD hard wireing "keyboard boards" -HELP

2001-03-13 by Todd Bryant

Running into the same problem, I tried cleaning the connections, which didn't work. My next course of action is to find a electronics repair company who can hard wire the connections for me. I thought of trying to do it myself, but after seeing how small those connections are I feel this is something best left for a professional.
Good luck,
Todd

Show quoted textHide quoted text
----- Original Message -----
From: svenburen@...
Sent: Tuesday, March 13, 2001 5:49 AM
To: Ensoniq-VFX-SD@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Ensoniq-VFX-SD] VFX-SD hard wireing "keyboard boards" -HELP

Hi !
I have a VFX-SD that havent been used for 3 years. Now it always works
well for 7-10 minutes - then some keys doesnt work at all whereas
other play "doublenotes"(=two notes at a time", after a few more
minutes it freezes completly - reinitialising or restarting doesnt
work, the battery though old is tested and seems to work properly.
I'll have two wait for two hours before I can turn it on for 10 more
minutes - hefty limitations on a mans creativity...

So I guess it is the connection of the two boards within the keyboard
itself (that I've read about on this group and internet sites)that
isnt working. I have removed all the keys (cleaned and dusted
everything) but I havent dismantled the two boards from the keyboard
- Now, How should the connection between the two boards within the
keyboard be made. (I'm a technical imbecile so please forgive me if
I'm being really stupid...) Since I havent removed the boards from the
keyboard I just see the back of them and as a lay man my description
of how they are connected on the back goes as follows: "Currently
there are 12 small "elevations" on the side of the boards. they are
connected by 8 thin cupper-threads of approx 1cm length, four
"elevations" thus have no connection." So what should I do:

1) clean these 8 connections and hope for the best ?
2) add some wires (to some of the remaining 4 elevations, what type of
wire should I use) ?
3) remove the boards and clean their front side (I do not believe I'm
capable of that..)
4) do something else with the VFX-SD
5) step out of nostalgia and buy myself newer gear (I'd hate that
since I love my VFX-SD though our relationsship currently is going
through a rather difficult phase....

PS Can I test the synth without all the keys or do I have to put them
all back to place before I turn it on

Kindest regards
/svenburen



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RE: [Ensoniq-VFX-SD] VFX-SD hard wireing "keyboard boards" -HELP

2001-03-13 by Everett, Jimmy

What Up fellows,
have any of your tried an authorized Ensoniq repair shop or called Ensoniq/Emu? Go to their web site at www.ensoniq.com they also have a few trouble shooting area that might help?
Show quoted textHide quoted text
-----Original Message-----
From: Todd Bryant [mailto:todd_bryant@...]
Sent: Tuesday, March 13, 2001 6:34 AM
To: Ensoniq-VFX-SD@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [Ensoniq-VFX-SD] VFX-SD hard wireing "keyboard boards" -HELP

Running into the same problem, I tried cleaning the connections, which didn't work. My next course of action is to find a electronics repair company who can hard wire the connections for me. I thought of trying to do it myself, but after seeing how small those connections are I feel this is something best left for a professional.
;
Good luck,
Todd

----- Original Message -----
From: svenburen@...
Sent: Tuesday, March 13, 2001 5:49 AM
To: Ensoniq-VFX-SD@yah! oogroups.com
Subject: ;[Ensoniq-VFX-SD] VFX-SD hard wireing "keyboard boards" -HELP

Hi !
I have a VFX-SD that havent been used for 3 years. Now it always works
well for 7-10 minutes - then some keys doesnt work at all whereas
other play "doublenotes"(=two notes at a time", after a few more
minutes it freezes completly - reinitialising or restarting doesnt
work, the battery though old is tested and seems to work properly.
I'll have two wait for two hours before I can turn it on for 10 more
minutes - hefty limitations on a mans creativity...

So I guess it is the connection of the two boards within the keyboard
itself (that I've read about on this group and internet sites)that
isnt working. I have removed all the keys (cleaned and dusted
everything) but I havent dismantled the two boards from the keyboard
- Now, How should the connection bet! ween the two boards within the
keyboard be made. (I'm a technical imbecile so please forgive me if
I'm being really stupid...) Since I havent removed the boards from the
keyboard I just see the back of them and as a lay man my description
of how they are connected on the back goes as follows: "Currently
there are 12 small "elevations" on the side of the boards. they are
connected by 8 thin cupper-threads of approx 1cm length, four
"elevations" thus have no connection." So what should I do:

1) clean these 8 connections and hope for the best ?
2) add some wires (to some of the remaining 4 elevations, what type of
wire should I use) ?
3) remove the boards and clean their front side (I do not believe I'm
capable of that..)
4) do something else with the VFX-SD
5) step out of nostalgia and buy myself newer gear (I'd hate that
since I love my VFX-SD though our relationsship currently is going
through a rather difficult ph! ase....

PS Can I test the synth without all the keys or do I have to put them
all back to place before I turn it on

Kindest regards
/svenburen



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Re: [Ensoniq-VFX-SD] VFX-SD hard wireing "keyboard boards" -HELP

2001-03-13 by Bill Wilcox

Sven,

I had an unrelated, but equally baffling, problem with my SD1 not long ago.  It froze  up spontaneously and would not reinitialize at all.  On the advice of a former Ensoniq tech, I opened the hood and located the power supply (far left, just to the right of the disc drive.  There are seven (or so) wires coming out of the power supply.  Disconnect each one carefully, with a small screwdriver (and the power off, of course), and reconnect.  Do each one individually so they don't get mixed up, and do each end of each wire.  Do this carefully as the connections, while sturdy, are not invincible.  If the connections look really gritty, clean 'em off.  After this is done and the top is screwed back down, do the "7-times on-off" hard restart.  "?" you say?  So did I, but here's the routine.  Turn on the power and when the display begins to light up, turn it off.  Do this 7 times.  Really.  On the 7th ( or maybe 8th ) startup, the display lit up and the machine worked as advertised.  If the display shows gibberish at this point, do a normal reinitialize and you should be back to normal.

There you have it.  Not sure if this will help and you may have done most of this procedure already, but it worked for me.  Good luck

Bill Wilcox
bwilcox@...

>>> <svenburen@...> 03/13 4:46 AM >>>
 Hi !
I have a VFX-SD that havent been used for 3 years. Now it always works 
well for 7-10 minutes - then some keys doesnt work at all whereas 
other play "doublenotes"(=two notes at a time", after a few more 
minutes it freezes completly  - reinitialising or restarting doesnt 
work, the battery though old is tested and seems to work properly. 
I'll have two wait for two hours before I can turn it on for 10 more 
minutes - hefty limitations on a mans creativity...  

So I guess it is the connection of the two boards within the keyboard 
itself (that I've read about on this group and internet sites)that 
isnt working. I have removed all the keys (cleaned and dusted 
everything) but I havent dismantled the two boards from the keyboard  
- Now, How should the connection between the two boards within the 
keyboard be made. (I'm a technical imbecile so please forgive me if 
I'm being really stupid...) Since I havent removed the boards from the 
keyboard I just see the back of them and as a lay man my description 
of how they are connected on the back goes as follows: "Currently 
there are 12 small "elevations" on the side of the boards. they are 
connected by 8 thin cupper-threads of approx 1cm length, four 
"elevations" thus have no connection." So what should I do:

1) clean these 8 connections and hope for the best ?
2) add some wires (to some of the remaining 4 elevations, what type of 
wire should I use) ?
3) remove the boards and clean their front side (I do not believe I'm 
capable of that..)
4) do something else with the VFX-SD
5) step out of nostalgia and buy myself newer gear (I'd hate that 
since I love my VFX-SD though our relationsship currently is going 
through a rather difficult phase....

PS Can I test the synth without all the keys or do I have to put them 
all back to place before I turn it on  

Kindest regards
/svenburen



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