MS-16 autolocator AQ-65 user's manual

  • Thread starter Thread starter 3FatesRecStudio
  • Start date Start date
3

3FatesRecStudio

New member
Pleeeeeeaaaaase!
I've bought a "hardly used" unit but I don't know if it's functioning in a good way (transport bulbs, leds and dipswitches setting).
-----------------------------------------------------------
For example: if I press play during a point search, the play button doesn't lit as the MS-16 does, or better, if I do the same in the MS-16 both the buttons do, but not from the locator; the same happens during the spooling (flashing).
The other point is the preroll function: I have no idea on how to use it.
Again: how to set dipswitches? I changed the speed to match both the counters, but what about the "factor" settings?
Is it normal that the counters aren't connected together? Resetting the counter on recorder doesn't apply on the locator and viceversa...

Please help me
TY
3FRS
 
Hi,
I just bought a mint AQ-65 with sealed manual, I dont know how to use it yet. but I did notice things similiar to what you describe. See if Tascam has a manual http://www.tascam.com/go;33,2020.html I will try to get some information for you as soon as I figure it out myself
Good luck
VP:cool:
 
Crap. I just gave away an aq65 manual. Mine was a little buggy.
 
The first 4 dip switch on the back is concerned with matching the deck's tape speed to the counter on the AQ-65. For 15ips operation on the MS-16, this means of the first four dip switches, only the 3rd one needs to be in the up position while others need to be in the down position. Of the remaining 5 thru 10 Factor switches, number 5 in the up position and the remainder in the down position is the factory setting that should not need to be changed for use with the MS-16. These factor switches are for coaxing the cue search system on the AQ-65 to work properly with different recorders and the MS-16 is said to not require a variance from those settings.

As for various light bulbs not working on the AQ-65, are you saying they sporadicly work on yours or don't work at all? If not at all, they're blown and need to be changed. If sporadic, I'm not sure what to suggest as the AQ-65 has a ton of botched logic issues at the best of times...must have been an early Microsoft design! :p:D

The counters are independent; meaning, when you reset one, it does not reset the other on the deck and vice-versa.

Cheers! :)
 
Thanks for your precious tips. The bulbs are OK. I'm thinking about a connection problem, maybe some bad pin contact. Could you tell me if the AQ's play button flashes during the spooling? And what about the Speed red bulb? It works, but if I load the tape doesn't lit...maybe my deck is out of tune...
Thank you again
3FRS
 
3FatesRecStudio said:
Thanks for your precious tips. The bulbs are OK. I'm thinking about a connection problem, maybe some bad pin contact. Could you tell me if the AQ's play button flashes during the spooling? And what about the Speed red bulb? It works, but if I load the tape doesn't lit...maybe my deck is out of tune...
Thank you again
3FRS
Click to expand...

The play button should not flash during a spooling mode. Only the rewind and fast forward buttons should do that. I have no explanation as to why yours is doing that?

The speed light should only light temporarily as the deck comes up to normal, stable play speed and then go off to indicate that normal play speed has been obtained. It's essentially a warning light, like the ones on the dashboard of your car.

The bottom line here with the AQ-65 is that is was a poorly designed piece of gear from TASCAM. From oddball behavior to it outright freaking out with wild time displays to it even occasionally sending the deck into a wild fast wind mode that you didn't tell it to do, it's just a nightmare controller.

I use mine as a simple transport remote and avoid most of its other features, only using the RTZ.

The most common issues with it are faulty PS filter caps and the main "logic" chip, which is notorious for causing problems. I changed the filter caps in mine which helped a bit and found a spare chip inside my housing which I swapped out with the one mounted and it too only made the errors less frequent but didn't eliminated them entirely.

Maybe there are folks out there who have had a good reliable experience with their AQ-65? If so, I've never heard from even one of them.

Good luck with yours.

Cheers! :)
 
Disassembling the unit to replace the blown stop bulb, I've noticed that the caps has been replaced. Probably the only advantage to catch a hardly used unit is that all the faulty components has been replaced. I think that the eccessive heat of the PS is the main reason of the faults. My unit seems to work without problem, even if I think that the preroll function doesn't work.
I'll try to contact Tascam to get the manual.
Thank you
Paolo
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top