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Author Topic: SSL G computer repair.  (Read 8761 times)

studiochap

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SSL G computer repair.
« on: December 30, 2010, 03:06:25 AM »

Hi guys,

anyone know who can repair/supply exchange boards for SSL G computers?

Thanks,

Gwyn
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Gwyn Mathias
Odessa Wharf Studios ( now down the tubes after 14yrs...RIP )
Pro Audio Survivor...Smile

"What,Me Worry?" Alfred E. Neumann (...or was it Newmann?Smile

Electrical Theory by Joseph Lucas (inventor of the Self-Dimming Headlamp):
"Smoke is the thing that makes electrical circuits work; we know this to be true because every time one lets the smoke out of the electrical system, it stops working"

ssltech

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Re: SSL G computer repair.
« Reply #1 on: December 30, 2010, 02:22:11 PM »

George Gilbert at Pumbro?

It'd be a few days before I could dig out his contact info.

Failing that, have you tried recycled audio?

Keith
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MDM (maxdimario) wrote on Fri, 16 November 2007 21:36

I have the feeling that I have more experience in my little finger than you do in your whole body about audio electronics..

studiochap

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Re: SSL G computer repair.
« Reply #2 on: December 30, 2010, 05:42:21 PM »

Thanks Keith!.

Haven't tried George - have already been speaking to Recycled Audio before Xmas about other 4K stuff.

Slight problem is I'm  (temporarily) in Australia, where the 4k in question lives, hence wondered if there was anyone in USA as shipping might have been faster.

Thanks ,

Gwyn
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Gwyn Mathias
Odessa Wharf Studios ( now down the tubes after 14yrs...RIP )
Pro Audio Survivor...Smile

"What,Me Worry?" Alfred E. Neumann (...or was it Newmann?Smile

Electrical Theory by Joseph Lucas (inventor of the Self-Dimming Headlamp):
"Smoke is the thing that makes electrical circuits work; we know this to be true because every time one lets the smoke out of the electrical system, it stops working"

CWHumphrey

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Re: SSL G computer repair.
« Reply #3 on: December 31, 2010, 01:48:00 AM »

Try Bruce Millet aka "The Desk Doctor".

Go to: Deskdoctor.com

Cheers,
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Carter William Humphrey

"Indeed...oh three named one!" -Terry Manning
"Or you can just have Carter do the recording, because he's Humphrey."-J.J. Blair

sodderboy

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Re: SSL G computer repair.
« Reply #4 on: December 31, 2010, 07:33:36 AM »

Vintage King
Professional Audio Design

Tis a shame with these old beasts.

What specifically is the problem?
Mike
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studiochap

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Re: SSL G computer repair.
« Reply #5 on: December 31, 2010, 07:04:06 PM »

Thanks guys - and Happy New Year!

It's an install of an ex-Broadcast 4k. (I arrived to find stereo/quad busses not working, no master fader ( because of computer - I've looped send and return now) no big or small monitoring, + monitor select problems). Very bad corrosion damage on  some centre section pcb's due to decomposition and subsequent liquefaction  of sleeving used on components mounted on rear of  some.)

I have all the centre section working and recapped now, I've sorted  the channel faults and am recapping some boards every day. There are still plasma problems.

BUT computer-wise there are too many variables. One of the two drives is totally u/s. The other would load the diagnostic disk , but as the keyboard wouldn't work  that was as far as it was going.  Now it will hang after a few secs of trying to load the diag disk. I  obviously need to get the drive situation sorted.

I got "load error" messages with all program disks I tried. I suspect these disks were never used with this particular computer/revision, but just came from the same broadcast authority owner. Board is supposed to be E with G comp. Disks are copies, (some of them from 1986...) and say "E-series program disk". One disk is new , says G series and came from a different source.

Q:As I can not interrogate it, how can I know that the comp is in fact a G?

Owner has a second SSL crated in storage somewhere. How console-specific are the computers? It's physically very difficult indeed to access the crated console, but at a minimum there may be good drives in the comp.

Sorry for the long post. BTW  just to put the cream on the jam it's often 28-30C outside  here - and the aircon can not be switched on yet in the control room, which of course aids clear thinking..Smile

Cheers,

Gwyn

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Gwyn Mathias
Odessa Wharf Studios ( now down the tubes after 14yrs...RIP )
Pro Audio Survivor...Smile

"What,Me Worry?" Alfred E. Neumann (...or was it Newmann?Smile

Electrical Theory by Joseph Lucas (inventor of the Self-Dimming Headlamp):
"Smoke is the thing that makes electrical circuits work; we know this to be true because every time one lets the smoke out of the electrical system, it stops working"

ssltech

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Re: SSL G computer repair.
« Reply #6 on: January 01, 2011, 11:39:17 AM »

Have you tried the "drive reverse" button? That might allow you to test the boot-up, if you've not already exhausted that avenue of enquiry.

The processor card date should be after 1989 or so if it's a G-series. Likewise the memory board. -Sorry, I don't know the card numbers off the top of my head, but an 'E-series-converted-to-G' would have older cards in all the other slots, since the G-series conversion comprised the processor card, the memory board, and the software, along with either Bernoulli or 3.5mm storage options.

G series computers should be capable of loading and running E-series software, but not the other way around... since the operating software is too big to live on the older (smaller) E-series RAM board.

So if you have an E62.A1 or E62.TR disk, you might want to try that, if indeed there is any question as to whether it's an E processor and memory board.

Keith
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MDM (maxdimario) wrote on Fri, 16 November 2007 21:36

I have the feeling that I have more experience in my little finger than you do in your whole body about audio electronics..

sodderboy

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Re: SSL G computer repair.
« Reply #7 on: January 01, 2011, 01:16:17 PM »

Yes.  Your big difference is the addition of the SCSI cable, either on the processor card (half height processor with a blank other half) or a separate card (full height processor).  If there are no 3.5 or Berno it probably is not.  The Berno was introduced to the E frame, with a separate SCSI card, but the 3.5 floppys are G only.

Liquefaction?  Yuk!  I would be of a mind to get the console straight as much as possible and then look into the computer.  It really requires a "banging around" checking contacts and such when you wake a system from cold storage.  If it has been in hot storage all mobo and card contacts must be cleaned and the mobo back checked for solder joint conditions.  Crack the chips on all the cards, checking and cleaning any dirt conditions.  Definitely check all PSU voltages, especially the AC that feeds into the computer.  I have had all sorts of issues with that when waking a system from storage.  Check the BICC and Molex connections for dirt or haze and clean them.

Mike
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compasspnt

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Re: SSL G computer repair.
« Reply #8 on: January 01, 2011, 02:40:11 PM »

"Computer says NO!"
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sodderboy

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Re: SSL G computer repair.
« Reply #9 on: January 01, 2011, 06:32:17 PM »

Get to the other computer and cards.  Swaps are wealth in your situation.
Mike

This post intentionally not left blank.
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studiochap

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Re: SSL G computer repair.
« Reply #10 on: January 02, 2011, 06:40:13 PM »

Thanks Keith and Mike!

The drive-swap button was my  very first port of call Keith - this is how I concluded 1 x drive totally u/s.

Looks like it is indeed an E series computer - thanks. ( Also thanks for a previous post re the caps on the VCA card - which seriously helped me...)

@ Mike - your conclusions re sorting anything else out first and also getting into a card-swap situation exactly match my own.

Shame that  "everything else" is now coming down to the non-functional plasma's...:-)Smile I truly wish I had one-twentieth of you guys' SSL experience.

Haven't done anything console-wise in the last couple of days, as I've been diverted onto fixing tube mics and  old Neve modules.

Will be back on it today, and having serious discussion with my friend the owner about getting to his other  SSL computer.

What makes the comp console-specific in terms of # of channels etc?

Cheers,

Gwyn

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Gwyn Mathias
Odessa Wharf Studios ( now down the tubes after 14yrs...RIP )
Pro Audio Survivor...Smile

"What,Me Worry?" Alfred E. Neumann (...or was it Newmann?Smile

Electrical Theory by Joseph Lucas (inventor of the Self-Dimming Headlamp):
"Smoke is the thing that makes electrical circuits work; we know this to be true because every time one lets the smoke out of the electrical system, it stops working"

studiochap

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Re: SSL G computer repair.
« Reply #11 on: January 02, 2011, 06:43:45 PM »

compasspnt wrote on Sat, 01 January 2011 19:40

"Computer says NO!"



Smile

Happy New Year Terry! Actually the last time I mixed an album on an SSL ( before I started my studio so has to be 1990 -ish!!!!!!!!) it was at Trident 2, and I changed the greeting to " SSL computer says "Good Morning - should have bought a Cadac!".

Cheers,

Gwyn
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Gwyn Mathias
Odessa Wharf Studios ( now down the tubes after 14yrs...RIP )
Pro Audio Survivor...Smile

"What,Me Worry?" Alfred E. Neumann (...or was it Newmann?Smile

Electrical Theory by Joseph Lucas (inventor of the Self-Dimming Headlamp):
"Smoke is the thing that makes electrical circuits work; we know this to be true because every time one lets the smoke out of the electrical system, it stops working"

ssltech

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Re: SSL G computer repair.
« Reply #12 on: January 02, 2011, 07:21:01 PM »

studiochap wrote

Looks like it is indeed an E series computer - thanks. ( Also thanks for a previous post re the caps on the VCA card - which seriously helped me...)



That explains a lot... the diagnostics I think remained unchanged from the E series, so it doesn't take that much RAM to load up. An E series comp could certainly load the diagnostics disk, but choke on a G-series program disk.

studiochap wrote

Shame that  "everything else" is now coming down to the non-functional plasma's...:)Smile



Plasmas are a bear.

First question: does even ONE channel of plasma work? If so, you can largely eliminate the master card tricky stuff, and concentrate on the merely mind-numbingly tedious stuff!

Of course, you first test for 263V, and then be MINDFUL of the 263V!

studiochap wrote

Will be back on it today, and having serious discussion with my friend the owner about getting to his other  SSL computer.



I think this would be a necessary step. -In the meanwhile, an "E62.TR" disc (or even E62.A1 or E54... basially ANY program disk) would allow you to OPERATE the console/computer interface.

studiochap wrote

What makes the comp console-specific in terms of # of channels etc?



The setup on the program disk.

To change it, or anything else, type " [L] [EXECUTE]" and then the magic password.

For the magic password, send me your email address.

Keef
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MDM (maxdimario) wrote on Fri, 16 November 2007 21:36

I have the feeling that I have more experience in my little finger than you do in your whole body about audio electronics..

compasspnt

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Re: SSL G computer repair.
« Reply #13 on: January 02, 2011, 07:22:59 PM »

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MI

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Re: SSL G computer repair.
« Reply #14 on: January 05, 2011, 08:03:27 PM »

compasspnt wrote on Sun, 02 January 2011 19:22

  http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=computer+says+no &aq=0




"If it were a Monday...I say YYES....If it were a Tuesday I say YYES....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLWt3RdkwmI&feature=relat ed

MI
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sodderboy

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Re: SSL G computer repair.
« Reply #15 on: January 06, 2011, 10:58:41 AM »

Firstly the number of Analog Input, Analog Output, and Lights and Switches cards installed, and then the actual custom configuration of the console for # of channels, Stereo VCA's, stereo channels, etc.
Mike
PS: get to the other system before it's under 2 meters of muddy!
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