ADAT interpolation light problems

[ruebarb]

Hi Guys - Russ here. I'm having a problem. I had a recording go bad on a fairly new ADAT (44 hours) - Originally, the interpolation light would flash a bit. I then ran a cleaning tape, and the bastard won't turn off now!! I don't think it's a bad tape, because the light comes on with a different tape. No other errors are happening

I need advice on this light. (The documentation sucks) and whether or not I need to take the ADAT in. Also, I know there was an unoffical home page for ADAT's that had EVERYTHING you ever wanted to know. If anyone knows this link, please post it.

By the way, problems mostly only pop up on one track. (Track 3) - If I play old recordings, I'm getting static out of it, and when I try to rerecord over it, static on the track. Since I picked it up slightly discounted and used, I didn't have a warranty card, so I'm hoping I can wing this. I guess there's an important lesson to be learned from all this. Shit.
Desperate in Minneapolis

[This message has been edited by ruebarb (edited 12-11-1999).]

[ruebarb]

Well, I used the offical 3M DRY cleaning tape. (followed instructions and all.) - I don't usually use it, because the manual recommends against overcleaning.

Basically not only did that not work, but all tapes that had input on track 3 were looking bad (error rates up in the 1000's - the standard is supposed to be 0000, but I understand some blank tapes even get up to 100) - So I freaked and shut it down, but figured I'd try to reformat my one first tape just in case.

Now that worked for a while. Error rates back down and old tapes are working again, except after half a dozen runs thru the reformatted tape, I'm starting to get errors again.

Near as I can tell, the tape must be bad, leaving deposits on the head or something, and by formatting it, I had the equivlent of a 40 minute cleaning. Tomorrow I'll try to rerecord the demos on a new tape, and if I can get thru all 8 tracks without issues, I'll trash the old tape and never use it again. On the other hand, if I have the same problems with a new tape, I'll probably take the deck in. However, I used an offical recommended tape for cleaning. (It's a dry tape, no cleaning fluid) - so that's not a big deal.