Fostex B16 help required

I will attempt to clean tonight.
I have only attempted to record on the first three tracks, so I may have jumped the gun a little.

I am using 3M Scotch 226 Tape. I am really sorry about the spamming, I've literally never used or posted on any forum in my life! Had no idea I was double posting and resurrecting so much! My posts weren't showing and I didn't know what to do! I'm 22 and super tech savvy, but I guess i'm not forum savvy! Sorry about that. Thank you so much for all of your help, just want to start recording is all!

Okay, cool.

Someone else might have to chip in here, but I understand 226 is prone to shedding - if it's covering the heads with muck as it goes through the machine you're not going to have much luck with it.
It would probably be worth getting a brand new reel of RMG SM911 (make sure it's half an inch wide) - that's the most suitable tape for this machine that's currently being made.
 
Okay, so i cleaned both heads thoroughly! No luck. I may have messed with the alignment because now when I play back the tape, I am getting very weird tones and no music at all. I also think the tape may be shedding some, I will try new tape, but does anyone have any tips for alignment? Do I HAVE to buy an alignment tape?

--thanks
 
No, but you need a tape recorded on an aligned machine with plenty of HF content that is continuous to get the azimuth correct.

If you never really need compatability with another, recording pink noise to every track can help you align your own machine to your standard - recorded of course when the machine wasn't sick. However, a test tape recoded to the proper standard is a good investment.
 
A proper alignment tape is the only way to properly align the playback level, which necessary to do prior to aligning the record electronics.
 
Yes...an alignment tape is what you use for alignment...BUT...you certainly don't need that just to test out your deck to see if it can record and playback.
IOW...to not get anything on the tape when you press record is probably not due to alignment issues, it could be, but man, things would have to be ridiculously out for that.
Either you are not doing something right...or something is not working as it should be.

For starters...do you have the manual?
http://www.fostexinternational.com/public/fostex_download.php?f=b16_owners_manual.pdf

RTFM...make sure you understand about tape deck recording and how your deck operates...get some knowledge under your belt before you get into this "would like to start recording asap" mode.
No hard feelings...but I see too many young guys who want some of the "analog tape" recording thing...but expect shit to just work, without having any understanding about how it works....and everyone is impatient. They schedule a recording session, then post frantic questions asking for help on how to record.
I'm not directing this all at you...just saying that electro-mechanical audio gear needs some basic knowledge to be properly operated, and also for you to know how to troubleshoot it when it doesn't.
 
Again, it would be wise to try the machine on SM911 just to rule out the 3M 226 or whatever was being used before.
 
I appreciate the realness. I have read through the manual, skimmed through some parts, but I will go back and thoroughly read the manual. Just seeking out help for an easy fix, that's why I figured I would join. The deck itself seems pretty straight forward, If I am getting a signal through to the board and I arm the track and hit record and play, I figured it would write to the tape. Especially because it is playing back what was previously on the tape, and i was told that the record head and playback head are almost one in the same. In reguards to being impatient, you are 100 percent right, I need to cool it down, thanks for that. I will keep you guys posted, I got Ampex 456, still not recording, although its not brand new tape, at least is not shedding! Any more help would be apprciated, reading the manual now.
 
You say you are getting a signal through to the board...OK...how are you routing that signal to the deck...and, have you checked that you signal at least right up to the deck on those lines going to the deck?

Maybe it's a channel assignment issue at the board...bad switch or switch not depressed...etc....and check those lines going to the deck...do they have signal when you see it at the front end of the board?

You should also try going directly from source to deck...remove the board from the equation.
A simple tone (do you have a basic tone generator) directly to the deck, set it to REC and see what you get.
Also...when you send signal to the deck with or with out the board...do you see the input meters on the deck registering the signal?
 
Ampex 456 is also prone to shedding, but still... just to be sure and possibly help with diagnosis:

1. Was it the case that all 16 channels are not recording or have you only tried a couple of them?
2. Are they not recording at all, or do you get very faint playback?
3. If you arm the track but don't actually start recording or playing back, it should pass the input signal through the machine, with levels appearing on the meters and the audio coming out through the outputs. Does this happen?
4. What are the levels looking like on input, anyway? Somewhere around 0?
5. Does disabling noise reduction make any difference?
6. I have a feeling we've been here before, but are you 100% sure the tape is loaded right, with the shiny side towards the heads?
 
miroslav -- I am soory, I meant to say I am getting a signal on the deck! Some of the l.e.d.s are out, but i am definitely getting a signal there! I have a solid tone i am making through a keyboard and nothing is staying on the tape.

jpmorris- none of the 16 tracks are recording, i get nothing out of them, no faint playback. I still get a reading on the meter even if i am not recording. Trying to keep it somewhere around 0, not really sure, just trying to get something on the tape and work from there. I will mess with noise reduction. And yes, tape is loaded correctly i triple checked!!
 
If the B16 uses relays in the audio path, it's possible those are stuck. Otherwise, assuming it's not something simple like user error (I've not had a B16), it might be a problem with the bias oscillator. AFAIK that's the only circuitry common to all recording channels.
 
Not knowing the technical aspects of the machine, I'd say its simple user error or some global failure.

Something is mucking up all 16 channels. Seems it would be easier to trace down than some isolated channel specific problem
 
Bias oscillator is where my brain went...thinking about the possibility of re-seating the bias amp card (I don't know the Foster machines, so I don't know if this is on a separate plug-in card or what...)
 
I have read every Manual back and forth and have spent hours with different tapes trying to get something on them. It has got to be something wrong with the heads! But it is playing back the music on the tape just fine! My mind is turning to mush. If it is an internal problem, I may be out of luck, as that I have no experience in tape deck repair. Just bothers me because if the record head and playback head are the same, WHY CANT I GET THIS TO WORK. Thank you guys for all of your help. Still not giving up. Wish there was more literature on the internals of the deck....some sort of repair guide or troubleshooting steps for the inside.
 
If it was the recording head, playback wouldn't work.
If it was the record amplifiers, you'd expect to have at least one channel working.
As far as I know, the only circuitry which is common to ALL recording channels is the bias master oscillator. That's going to require diagnostics from someone with some electronics experience and suitable test equipment.
In addition the schematics don't seem to be readily available for the B16.

The closest I can find is the image of the motherboard off ebay that I'm attempting to attach. As an educated guess I'd say it was the circuit in the bottom right, with the metal can. Looking for a test point and hooking an oscilloscope up to it is where I'd start if it were my tape deck. It might even be something as simple as the capacitors having dried out.
The other candidate is the daughterboard marked 'DIVIDER' which sounds it could be some kind of clock divider, though that would be even harder to troubleshoot without schematics.

So. What can you do?
One last thing to try might be to take a quick video of you attempting to record, showing the inputs with signal and then the playback. If it is operator error hopefully someone will be able to see what you're doing wrong.
Otherwise, your options are to find an electronics tech willing to have a look at the machine - or, depending on how desperate you are, snatch up that B16 control board off ebay and pray that it fixes the problem.

b16_mobo.jpg

(Source: Fostex B16 main control pcb part number 8251124-200 | eBay )
 
Hi Steve, Sorry for the late reply, computer problems and life, so it has been a while, so from memory, the V reg's are located behind the reel hubs and motor's. It took me a while, to remove the side and rear panels. When you have the cover's off there is a metal cover "L" shaped i think where you will see the V reg's on the top.

They are cheap parts to find and replace. the only hassle was getting to them internally. Takes about an hour to take everything apart, sides and back to get to the V reg's and power supply.

Give yourself a large work area to work on with good light.

I eventually got a service manual from fostex for the B16, took about 4 weeks after i made my first posting. a quick email and they replied in a few days. I called the # they gave me and it was ordered. was only $10 plus shipping.

The manual helped me on the correct set up of the bias for all the channels, which I had figured out to be pretty close, but having the manual got every channel 100%.

Hope this helps.

Hi , I believe I am having the same exact issue with my B16 as the person who started this thread. Everything turns on and mechanically seems to work as it should but I'm getting no audio signal running through the machine. No playback from tape, no record levels. I plugged an ipod into one of the inputs and and from the output I plugged into a mixer... when I cranked the gain I was getting a very very faint signal of what I was playing on the ipod. Could this also be the voltage regulators?? I've opened up the machine and the 4 visible fuses look ok. Can someone please point out where the V reg's are... I have no idea where they are located or what they look like. Any help would be very appreciated!

I've attached images of the inside of the b16
 

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FOSTEX LR16 FIRMWARE HELP!!!
Good afternoon,
Please I need help, I would like to update my Fostex LR16, its Firmware (can send it to me) and how to do it.
Since when I turn on the module, it stays in: Please Wait ... and does not do anything, besides, the external mixing table, does not come on.
I'm waiting, greetings and thank you very much.
 
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