Fostex G16: no signal on track 2

  • Thread starter Thread starter WarmJetGuitar
  • Start date Start date
W

WarmJetGuitar

New member
Today I was mixing down some stuff and the snare drum on track 2 was gone - it seemed bizarre and I concluded that it was probably just some gunk on the heads. But after cleaning the heads I tried to just sending an MP3 to the machine while in input mode to rule out dirt as a factor. No signal at all. Changed the cable and still no signal at all. However Fostex-machines got this funky thing with sending track 1 to 9, 2 to 10, 3 to 11 etc. and the was a signal on track 2's counterpart track 9. So this indicates that the actual input is fine.

What could the reason for this problem? And any ideas how to fix it except for sending it to a pro for money we don't really have? It's a crappy situation as we record a lot.

I didn't have the time to test track 2 with a recording where I'm totally sure there's anything on it but I'll do so later and I'm almost certain that the track was functioning fine at last tracking session as I always keep an eye on the tracks. So it seems the repro section is fucked mind you that this is a two head machine.
 
Relays?

Also, if you want to do a recording test, don't forget you can flip the tape over for playback and see if the recording appears on track 15...
 
WarmJetGuitar said:
However Fostex-machines got this funky thing with sending track 1 to 9, 2 to 10, 3 to 11 etc. and the was a signal on track 2's counterpart track 9.
Click to expand...

What are you talking about?
The G16 has 16 seperate inputs and ouputs and 16 audio cards, one for each channel.

What do you have a Dolby C or Dolby S machine?
 
Could be relays, however I have no idea how to check it. Great idea with flipping the tape over.


It's the Dolby C version.
Well, it is sending 1 to 9, etc and have always done so. Of course it won't record on them unless I arm them :)
AFAIK this is perfectly normal behaviour for Fostex machines, both my Model 80 and my R8 does the same thing, just with 1 and 5 etc.
Suppose it's for situations where you just have eight preamps at hand and don't want to move cables?
 
You say "it is sending 1 to 9"....what is?
If you send one source to track 1 and another to track 9.....they are seperate.
If you are using a mixer that has 8 group outputs, and that's how you send to the deck...then yeah, you have 1 thru 8 parallel with 9 thru 16...but that's on the mixer, not the deck.
On the deck...they are individual 16 channels and 16 audio cards. There is no parallel "sharing" that I am aware of on the deck.

So figure out if track 2 is not recording, not playing back or both. If you have another tape that already has stuff on track 2...play that back and see if you get output from track 2.
Check and recheck all your connections and if you are feeding back to a mixer, check those too.
 
The 80 has inputs 1-4 "normalled" to 5-8. I don't have the manual handy to figure out how you "break the normal." I am pretty sure if you only have cables attached to 1-4 your have the normalled connection to 5-8, and you break it at the input rca jack. I think this was so you could use a four buss board (like their 450) and not have to repatch if you weren't using more than four tracks at a time.

I'm assuming it's the same with 1-8 and 9-16. So do you only have 8 cables running to hte G16?

If that is the case, your output is going to two different inputs, 2 and 9. I don't know much about these machines, but I'd think you could swap a card and see if the problem moves with it. Do you have a service manual?
 
Blue Jinn said:
The 80 has inputs 1-4 "normalled" to 5-8.


I'm assuming it's the same with 1-8 and 9-16. So do you only have 8 cables running to hte G16?
Click to expand...

Nope....the G16 has 16 seperate inputs and outputs....they are not normalled/shared/whatever..... :)
 
It will either record or play from track two.
But I just made an appointment with the repair guy as I risk screwing something over when switching card.
However I'll record back when our beloved machine is back on track so there's more knowledge about the issue.
 
They come out pretty easy, just watch where you grab/pull on it, and that you don't bend/damage any of the parts on the PCB....but if you're taking it to a repair shop anyway, then just let them do it. :)
 
It's totally bizarre but when the repair guy got it it was fine and it was running smooth yesterday. Credits to him being honest enough to tell me.

So it seems that talking your G16 to a trip to the other side of town solves this issue :facepalm:
Don't know what happened. I'm even using the same cable as when the problem occured in the first place. Don't get it.
 
That's great.....then it might not be anything real serious. but it also means that there is an intermittent issue.
I would look to connections, and not just your cables, but internal connections, like where the card is seated internally for starters, and any other connections going to it.

You can opt to ignore it if it's working but it's something either loose or oxidized from sitting all those years....so you should have let the repair guy open it up and clean all the contacts with all the cards and check for anything loose.
Power it up and gently nudge the audio card and other parts to see if it goes out and comes back. Even pulling/re-seating the cards a couple of times will help clean the contacts....though some DeOxit cleaner on the contacts would be more lasting.

You might run fine for awhile......and then when you least expect it.....the card goes out in the middle of a session. :eek:
 
miroslav said:
What are you talking about?
The G16 has 16 seperate inputs and ouputs and 16 audio cards, one for each channel.

What do you have a Dolby C or Dolby S machine?
Click to expand...

Fostex machines have a built in normal allowing an 8-bus console to feed all 16 tracks without having to re-patch. Filling all 16 input holes defeats this feature.
 
You know...in all the years I've had the G16...I never, ever connected just channels 1-8....it never occured to me to do that, or that I ever saw a reason to do that...not from the first day I got it. :D

Even using it with my 8-bus console, the console already had parallel outputs on the 8 bus, so I could still connect all 16 inputs on the deck if I wanted to....but from the day I got it, the deck's I/O was always connected to a patchbay, and I never really tracked through the console, so I didn't bother with the 8-bus scenario.
I always just took my preamp or DI or whatever outputs, and fed them directly to one of the 16 tracks...but yeah, you're right about the deck having a normal between 1-8 and 9-16 respectively.
I just went and pulled the connections on the deck, and fed a test signal just to track one, and yeah, if you arm track 9, you see the same signal, if you don't arm it, then no.
My mistake.
We can always learn something new. :)
 
Now the same problem is occuring on another track. It's easy to locate the channel cards but how do I get them out?
 
I can't recall if there is a single screw that holds the card in place or if they just pop out.....I believe the just pop out.
It's been awhile since I used and/or calibrated my G16 where I needed to pop the cards out for anything.

Just get down in there with a flash light and take a close look....it's should become obvious how.
 
It didn't seem obvious how to get the cards out.

But strange as it seems changing the output cable everything was fine. Perhaps I should do better troubleshooting before bothering you fellas.
 
So did you discover how the cards come out?

Without actually going to my G16 and doing it.....as I recall, once you remove the remote control panel, you have the remove the metal faceplate that's in front of all the cards, and then they should just pop out with a firm tug and not a lot of strength needed. If they don't, there may be a holding screw, but I don't think so.
 
miroslav said:
So did you discover how the cards come out?

Without actually going to my G16 and doing it.....as I recall, once you remove the remote control panel, you have the remove the metal faceplate that's in front of all the cards, and then they should just pop out with a firm tug and not a lot of strength needed. If they don't, there may be a holding screw, but I don't think so.
Click to expand...

Well, found them easily but couldnt get them out. I decided against it because it seemed quite a lot of strength was needed to move them and I was afraid to ruin the deck.

However changing the cable on the output fixed the issue. Weird.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top