No sound on 002R units

[t-sun]

I have two 002R units that I'm trying to use with an old Windows XP-based Dell D830 laptop (not both wired, I know that won't work, one will be an ADAT slave to have a full 16 tracks if I can get them working). However, I'm not getting any signal on any channel on either of them, either through to the headphones output or in to Pro Tools LE 8. Tracks armed, inputs selected, I see nothing on the meters. The lights appear to act as expected, both units can be (individually) recognized by the computer and by Pro Tools. To be completely clear: I am not connecting both to the computer at the same time.



I've been testing with various instruments (guitar, synths, drum machines) plugged directly in to each channel on the rear of both. I've also opened both up and reseated the internal cable connections and checked for corrosion, both appear fine. It seems unlikely that both units could have exactly the same problem, but with kit this old it's possible?


Am I missing something that should be obvious to someone with more experience?

[JFreak]

Hi, welcome to the community.

Please take a look at the Help Us Help You page that is linked to the forum header.

[t-sun]

Originally Posted by JFreak

Hi, welcome to the community.

Please take a look at the Help Us Help You page that is linked to the forum header.

Thanks, I can provide some more specific information but Sandra Lite will not run on Windows XP 32-bit. I'm not sure what else would be helpful.



Dell Latitude D830 Core2Duo T7700 2.4ghz, 4gb RAM, built-in Firewire 400

Windows XP SP3 with Digidesign 002 Rack driver 8.0.4.351
Pro Tools LE 8.0.5

[albee1952]

Originally Posted by t-sun

Thanks, I can provide some more specific information but Sandra Lite will not run on Windows XP 32-bit. I'm not sure what else would be helpful.



Dell Latitude D830 Core2Duo T7700 2.4ghz, 4gb RAM, built-in Firewire 400

Windows XP SP3 with Digidesign 002 Rack driver 8.0.4.351
Pro Tools LE 8.0.5

Wow, seems like a lot of work to get a really outdated system going. Having said that, without a Sandra report, I am a little suspect that maybe the onboard firewire is a VIA chip, which had big compatibility issues back then. With a laptop, you can't do anything about that.

Does Pro Tools open and run(with no audio) or does it throw any messages about a missing interface? One important point which may be too late; NEVER "hot-patch" the firewire cables(that means plug or unplug with everything powered on) as that will often fry the FW chip in the 002, the computer, or both. If you get no messages about "interface not found", then that's probably okay

Last idea, are you aware that the 002 powers up muted by design(have you hit the Mute button on the front panel?)?

[t-sun]

Originally Posted by albee1952

Wow, seems like a lot of work to get a really outdated system going. Having said that, without a Sandra report, I am a little suspect that maybe the onboard firewire is a VIA chip, which had big compatibility issues back then. With a laptop, you can't do anything about that.

Does Pro Tools open and run(with no audio) or does it throw any messages about a missing interface? One important point which may be too late; NEVER "hot-patch" the firewire cables(that means plug or unplug with everything powered on) as that will often fry the FW chip in the 002, the computer, or both. If you get no messages about "interface not found", then that's probably okay

Last idea, are you aware that the 002 powers up muted by design(have you hit the Mute button on the front panel?)?

The laptop is one I've had sitting around. I like it because the display is 1920x1200 resolution. The onboard firewire is the same as in other Dell laptops of that time, which were usually used as examples of Pro Tools Qualified Windows Computers. Unfortunately there doesn't appear to be a page in the knowledge base for Pro Tools 8 Qualified Windows Computers, but Pro Tools 9 Qualified Windows Computers includes the Precision M4400 which is the generation after the D830. The chipset is Intel GM965.


Either interface is discovered without issue when plugged in.


I am aware that the 002 powers up muted, I turn off the mute and it makes no difference.

[JFreak]

Originally Posted by albee1952

NEVER "hot-patch" the firewire cables(that means plug or unplug with everything powered on) as that will often fry the FW chip in the 002, the computer, or both.

This is only half the story.

FW400 4-pin is good to hot plug
FW400 6-pin is a disaster waiting to happen
FW800 9-pin is good to hot plug

Someone should die a horrible and painful death for designing that 6-pin crap which can short circuit too easily. You need to constantly tighten the socket on 002R to make it a snug fit.

Only good thing about 6-pin is it delivers power (which is why it has capability if frying components) so you don't need power bricks everywhere.

[JFreak]

Originally Posted by t-sun

I am aware that the 002 powers up muted, I turn off the mute and it makes no difference.

No, that is not normal. I had a 002R 20 years ago. It always booted up unmuted.

Until one day it encountered the infamous "power harness issue". Can you confirf that after a reboot and launching PT session you can see sample rate LED and MIDI LED and 1394 (firewire) LED?

If all of those are not lit, you need to fix the power harness.

[t-sun]

Originally Posted by JFreak

No, that is not normal. I had a 002R 20 years ago. It always booted up unmuted.

Until one day it encountered the infamous "power harness issue". Can you confirf that after a reboot and launching PT session you can see sample rate LED and MIDI LED and 1394 (firewire) LED?

If all of those are not lit, you need to fix the power harness.

Sample rate LED, 1394 LED and Mute turn on. MIDI In/Out 1/Out 2 do not turn on, but aren't those activity indicators? I would not expect those to turn on unless I sent MIDI information to or from the unit. The computer senses the 002R disconnect when powering off and reconnect when powering on.


Both devices work the same.

[JFreak]

MIDI LED should also turn on.

So... this is not an end of the world, and probably not the last time you are going to do it. You only need industrial grade alcohol to get rid of corrosion. No new parts needed.

1) open the top of the box and locate power harness. It is a Y-shaped cable with one connector on the motherboard and two other connectors on two other circuit boards. Colorful wires.

2) detach the power harness

3) clean the three connectors in industrial grade alcohol to get rid of corrosion and let the harness dry

4) attach the harness back and wiggle the connectors so the circuit board connectors also get cleaned. in other words attach, detach, attach multiple times, just to get good connection.

5) close the top and try again.

[t-sun]

Originally Posted by JFreak

MIDI LED should also turn on.

So... this is not an end of the world, and probably not the last time you are going to do it. You only need industrial grade alcohol to get rid of corrosion. No new parts needed.

1) open the top of the box and locate power harness. It is a Y-shaped cable with one connector on the motherboard and two other connectors on two other circuit boards. Colorful wires.

2) detach the power harness

3) clean the three connectors in industrial grade alcohol to get rid of corrosion and let the harness dry

4) attach the harness back and wiggle the connectors so the circuit board connectors also get cleaned. in other words attach, detach, attach multiple times, just to get good connection.

5) close the top and try again.

As I noted in the original post, I've already done this to both units. In my case, I actually used contact cleaner, but there was no apparent corrosion.


Checking the 002R manual:
Monitor Mute Switch This switch mutes the
Digi 002 Rack Monitor Outputs only, and has
no effect on the Main Outputs or the Head-
phone Output. Monitor Mute is automatically
engaged when you power up the Digi 002 Rack
unit.


MIDI Data Indicators
The MIDI Data LEDs indicate the presence of
MIDI data on the Digi 002 Rack MIDI In or
MIDI Out ports.


So those are acting as expected.