Expansion Chassis HELP PLEASE!!!!

[ims3k]

I am running Pro Tools Version 5.3.1 on OS 9
24 Mix Plus, on a G4, (older dark grey model)
I recently purchased a used SBS 7 Slot Expansion Chassis Model: DDOO7-R (Pre- 2002), along with 2 mix farm cards.
So I have a total of three mix farms, and one core card.
I installed everything just like the Pro Tools Expanded Systems Guide recommended.
Host card in lowest number slot in computer, core card in slot 1 in chassis, mix farm cards in slots 2,3, and 4. ribbon cable etc.

Everything was installed just like the guide said, and
NO GO!!!!

Pro Tools gives an “Unable to locate DAE Deck error” then quits.
I then did a Digi Test, and It would not see the chassis, or cards.
Digi support recommends installing a CS update if the chassis was shipped after 2002, however mine was not, on the back is says it was shipped 2001.

Not sure what to do. I’m afraid if I update my stable running system it could cause problems.
Also I tested the new mix farm cards in the computer and they worked just fine.

Any help or thoughts would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks

[RobMacki]

It looks like your chassis is not supported. here

But you will have to search through here to see if you find that model under which OS and PT version supported. Keep in mind that your G4 may have some issues too. Is it AGP or PCI graphics? Either is supported under OS9 but not OSX.

Best of luck.

[ims3k]

Hey,
Thanks for the relpy.
It looks like my Chassis is supported.
I am using PCI graphic, OS 9
Still No Go
????

[Lee Blaske]

I guess the first thing to suspect is that the chassis is not working. Are there any jumpers on the host card, backplane, etc.? If so, are they set correctly. Test the chassis with just the core card to see if that might work (or alternately, I suppose you could experiment with some other PCI card in the chassis, like a USB card, etc.).

You might experiment with the host card in a different socket in the computer. Although this probably isn't advisable for actual operation, it could be that the connector for that slot in your computer has problems. I've seen that happen before.

Can you get your hands on a different computer to chassis cable to test and see if the cable isn't the problem?

If you can't get anything to work in the chassis, it will most likely have to be sent back to SBS for repair. Also, some SBS chassis went through a number of modifications on updates. If you send it into SBS, it might pay to have them bring it up to date. One thing, though. These repairs are likely to be quite expensive (I had to do this once, and the bill was over $500). If you can't make the chassis work with any PCI card, you might want to get your money back from the person who sold it to you, if that's an option.

I've seen the "DAE Deck error" warning before when a chassis wasn't turned on. Could that be the problem? Maybe this could be caused by a chassis with a faulty power supply. If you know how, maybe you could check your chassis PS just to make sure all the voltages were present and within spec.

Lee Blaske

[c-post]

Hey ims3k:

I feel your pain. I've been suffering with a flaky Magma 13 slot for years, which I bought brand new in 2001. Part of a BRAND NEW 27000 dollar system! I had problems with it from the first day and didn't realize it. My "reputable" dealer was of little help in solving the problem, and after the first week they wished me hasta la vista. What could they do? It was an intermittent problem that was very hard to isolate.

I just this month replaced the Magma chassis with a used 7 slot SBS (from ebay), which is working out really well ( 1 week ). My plugs seem to be working great, but I have partly failed digitest. It says DSP A thru F failed the TDM transmission test. What does that mean? The point is -- the system consistently boots fine and sees the hardware. So far, I'm not losing my hardware in the middle of a session intermittently like I used to. I've read some old posts that say digitest can give false results of this type.

Getting it working was a slight bitch. If you read one of my other posts around here, you'll see that the SBS wouldn't see the hardware in the traditional slot positions.

The way to troubleshoot your chassis is to set aside all the farm cards and just focus on getting it to see the mix core. In fact, just getting the interface card in the right slot may be a challenge.

In my case, the far right slot didn't work (for the chassis interface card), but slot number 5 does work. This was the position the interface card was in when it was shipped. I thought it a little strange, but I know nothing about SBS "3 bit" hardware. For my SBS, the interface card goes in slot 5 from the right, then the mix core in slot 4, the mix farm in slot 3 from the right. This leaves space for 2 more farm cards.

Here's a very weird way of looking at it: by being such a flaky expansion chassis, the Magma actually saved me thousands of dollars because I didn't go out and buy more mix farm cards in 2001-2002 at 3500 a piece.

This proves that intermittent electronic problems sometimes take years to solve, which renders most manufacturers' short warrantees pretty worthless.

c-post

[ims3k]

Hey,
Thank you everyone for the suggestions and information. – Greatly appreciated.
As it turns out I had the wrong host card for the computer.
I had an IBM host card, which was NOT the right one; I needed a DIGITAL host card.
The person I bought the chassis from was cool enough to swap out host cards, now everything seems to be rockin. No problems so far.
Hope this might help someone out….

[c-post]

Actually, ims3k, if you wouldn't mind telling us, what IS the correct position -- the one that works for you -- for host card, mix card, and your farms in your SBS chassis?

thanks

c-post

[Iker]

HI
I have an extra Magma 13 slot chassis in working condition for sale
If interested plz email me
[email protected]

sorry to hear about your chassis woes, they generaly are a go or no go no intermitent problems, no goes have a multitude of possibilities, starting with the chassis itself, the daughter card, the flat cable (a lot of problems with this) or even the power supply.


Iker

[ims3k]

Hey c-post,
So yeah, the card configuration that that worked is:

- The Host Card (Must be Digital if using the SBS 7 Slot Model: DDOO7-R) in Slot 2 in the G4 computer.
- Core Card in Slot 1 in the chassis
- Mix Farm Card in Slot 2 in the chassis
- Mix Farm Card in Slot 3 in the chassis
Ribbon cable across all cards in chassis, and of curse the cable from the host card in the computer to the back of the chassis, and the cable from the core card to the interfaces.
Also this helped me some: http://archive.digidesign.com/support/docs/
(Check out the Pro Tools Expanded Systems Guide)

I hope this isn’t to confusing, and might actually help someone.
Thanks...

[c-post]

Where is the chassis to host card located? In the far right side of the chassis? If so, then it sounds like your order is

chassis to host card slot 1
mix core slot 2
farm slot 3
farm slot 4

etc?

Is the slot to the far right number 1? or the slot to the far let number 1??

c-post