Patches and discussion for Ensoniq VFX family

Hi,

I left my unit on for about three weeks and came back to it to find that the display is only dimly lit on the left side (no chars...) and no sound. Has anyone had issues like this and repaired them? The fuse is okay.

Michael

Hi Jammie.

You are a tremendous wealth of knowledge here. Am I correct to assume you are a technician? I am the guy with the TS-12 that doesn't make a sound anymore. I don't have a voltmeter or any testing equipment and I am not really technically savvy on the level of trouble shooting.

Since I am such a dummy, I had this thought (tell me if you think I am going the wrong direction): I want to purchase an other TS (10 or 12 would work, right?) and start changing out components until I discover the problem, i.e., mainboard, then analog board, then output board, then power supply, and so on. Once I have isolated the "problem child" I can call TheSoniq and order the part....What do you think? OR, are you moving to Colorado, USA in the next few weeks??? LOL.

Anyway, I wanted to express my sincere appreciation for your expert advice and fantastic detail here. Seriously, it is such a huge help to us peons! :-P 

Please let me know what you think about my "troubleshooting" technique. Thanks a million.


Peace,
David aka UCanDream




________________________________
From: jammie <jammie.emma@blueyonder.co.uk>
To: Ensoniq-VFX-SD@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Mon, April 26, 2010 8:19:01 AM
Subject: Re: [Ensoniq-VFX-SD] VFX-SD power on problem

  
if the screen is dimly lit then its a psu problem the power to light  the fip comes from a - voltage system of ac from the transformer the rom chips hold tthe routines for switching the fip on via the 2 fip processors 1 for rom the other for column
 
the fip column controller has multi inputs which are programed to switch on functions of the fip based on the cumminication provided for each input these are the led switches on the front panel when pressing 1 it will set a cummincation routinre which brings up a specific message on the fip
 
now the screen board has 2 5v supplies 1 digital the other is for the wheel and floppy drive check the digital opamp 5 v circuit from the psu to make shure that you are getting the 5vdc
 
give your psu a overhaul new caps 105oc grade of the same capacitance and same voltage if you cant get the same voltage then get the nearest high voltage say if its a 4700mf 16v and you cant get 1 then up grade to a 4700mf 35v this is exeptable as long as the voltage is not lower than specified 
----- Original Message ----- 
>From: Lee_Michael_ A 
>To: Ensoniq-VFX- SD@yahoogroups. com 
>Sent: Monday, April 26, 2010 2:54 PM
>Subject: [Ensoniq-VFX- SD] VFX-SD power on problem
>
>  
>Hi,
>
>I left my unit on for about three weeks and came back to it to find that the display is only dimly lit on the left side (no chars...) and no sound. Has anyone had issues like this and repaired them? The fuse is okay.
>
>Michael
>
>
________________________________

>No virus found in this incoming message.
>Checked by AVG - www.avg.com 
>Version: 8.5.437 / Virus Database: 271.1.1/2835 - Release Date: 04/25/10 18:31:00
>

VFX and SD1 have issues with over heating... not only you should NOT let them on for such a long time, you should also put some kind of cooler in front of the psu (read about it in the older messages)...

--- In Ensoniq-VFX-SD@yahoogroups.com, "Lee_Michael_A" <lee_michael_a@...> wrote:

>
> Hi,
> 
> I left my unit on for about three weeks and came back to it to find that the display is only dimly lit on the left side (no chars...) and no sound. Has anyone had issues like this and repaired them? The fuse is okay.
> 
> Michael
>

now your board comes up with no error masseges if it does not then its a ribbon cable problem check continuity of the pins from the main board and analog board first with power of then check the ribbon conection between the output board and analog board to see if you get continuity you just need a volt meter with continuity function bleeper it will sound if you have a closed circuit if its an open circuit you will get no sound which means there is a break in the continuity of the circuit and that will be your problem

if all is correct then do a continuity check between the inpu connector of the analog board there are some 5vdc 7805 and some -5vdc 7905 and some 15vdc 7815 and -15vdc 7905 check first that there is continuity from the input to each ic if there is then switch power on and check input voltages 18-19vdc on input to the 7805 and 7815 and -18-19vdc to the 7905 and 7915

if the input voltage is correct then all is well with the psu now check that the correct voltage from the regulators are present between 4.8 and 5vdc for the 7805 and 14.7-15vdc for the 7815 and -4.8-5vdc for the 7905 and -14.7-15vdc for the 7915 voltage regulators 

check this first 

your keyboard does not have the poly boards and so wont suffer the calibration problem
as it dont have poly pressure but has hammeraction keys and a mono pressure keyboard controller

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: David L. aka UCanDream 
  To: Ensoniq-VFX-SD@yahoogroups.com 
  Sent: Monday, April 26, 2010 4:23 PM
  Subject: Re: [Ensoniq-VFX-SD] VFX-SD power on problem


    

  Hi Jammie.

  You are a tremendous wealth of knowledge here. Am I correct to assume you are a technician? I am the guy with the TS-12 that doesn't make a sound anymore. I don't have a voltmeter or any testing equipment and I am not really technically savvy on the level of trouble shooting.

  Since I am such a dummy, I had this thought (tell me if you think I am going the wrong direction): I want to purchase an other TS (10 or 12 would work, right?) and start changing out components until I discover the problem, i.e., mainboard, then analog board, then output board, then power supply, and so on. Once I have isolated the "problem child" I can call TheSoniq and order the part....What do you think? OR, are you moving to Colorado, USA in the next few weeks??? LOL.

  Anyway, I wanted to express my sincere appreciation for your expert advice and fantastic detail here. Seriously, it is such a huge help to us peons! :-P 

  Please let me know what you think about my "troubleshooting" technique. Thanks a million.


  Peace,
  David aka UCanDream




------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  From: jammie <jammie.emma@...>
  To: Ensoniq-VFX-SD@yahoogroups.com
  Sent: Mon, April 26, 2010 8:19:01 AM
  Subject: Re: [Ensoniq-VFX-SD] VFX-SD power on problem

    

  if the screen is dimly lit then its a psu problem the power to light  the fip comes from a - voltage system of ac from the transformer the rom chips hold tthe routines for switching the fip on via the 2 fip processors 1 for rom the other for column

  the fip column controller has multi inputs which are programed to switch on functions of the fip based on the cumminication provided for each input these are the led switches on the front panel when pressing 1 it will set a cummincation routinre which brings up a specific message on the fip

  now the screen board has 2 5v supplies 1 digital the other is for the wheel and floppy drive check the digital opamp 5 v circuit from the psu to make shure that you are getting the 5vdc

  give your psu a overhaul new caps 105oc grade of the same capacitance and same voltage if you cant get the same voltage then get the nearest high voltage say if its a 4700mf 16v and you cant get 1 then up grade to a 4700mf 35v this is exeptable as long as the voltage is not lower than specified 
    ----- Original Message ----- 
    From: Lee_Michael_ A 
    To: Ensoniq-VFX- SD@yahoogroups. com 
    Sent: Monday, April 26, 2010 2:54 PM
    Subject: [Ensoniq-VFX- SD] VFX-SD power on problem


      
    Hi,

    I left my unit on for about three weeks and came back to it to find that the display is only dimly lit on the left side (no chars...) and no sound. Has anyone had issues like this and repaired them? The fuse is okay.

    Michael





----------------------------------------------------------------------------



    No virus found in this incoming message.
    Checked by AVG - www.avg.com 
    Version: 8.5.437 / Virus Database: 271.1.1/2835 - Release Date: 04/25/10 18:31:00




  


------------------------------------------------------------------------------



  No virus found in this incoming message.
  Checked by AVG - www.avg.com 
  Version: 8.5.437 / Virus Database: 271.1.1/2835 - Release Date: 04/25/10 18:31:00

Well if your needing a powerboard or transformer theres a guy selling those parts on ebay right now.

--- In Ensoniq-VFX-SD@yahoogroups.com, "Lee_Michael_A" <lee_michael_a@...> wrote:

>
> Hi,
> 
> I left my unit on for about three weeks and came back to it to find that the display is only dimly lit on the left side (no chars...) and no sound. Has anyone had issues like this and repaired them? The fuse is okay.
> 
> Michael
>