H8000FW

[mr_rmz28]

Hello –

My almost 5 year old and somewhat rarely used these days H8000FW will not boot.

Symptoms:

When I turn on the power, the Parameter and Setup lights flash for an instant, along with the display screen. The only thing lit up after that are the level meters on the left. Channels 3 and 7 are pegged, All other channels are one notch below pegged. Channel 7 is missing a green light/pixel half way up. And that's it… it'll sit there like that indefinitely.

I've tried the following:

• Remove the memory card and power up.
• Remove the firewire connection and power up.
• Turn off the MOTU unit on the other end of the ADAT cables and power up.
• Power on holding down either the CXL, 5, or 8 key as noted in the manual.
• Let the unit sit for a while before powering up.
• Let the unit stay on that way for a while before trying to power up again.

All outcomes end with the same symptoms. No unusual noises (directly audible or via its connections) or smells (always a good thing). The unit does not get overly warm powered on in its disabled state (1U open above and below), and I can see the red glow (presumably from the ADAT jacks) coming through the vents on the back/top.

What advice or direction can you offer given the above? Thanks!

[nickrose]

I'm afraid that it sounds like a hardware problem. One more thing to try – disconnect ALL cables, then remove the top and gently wiggle socketed chips in their sockets so as to clean their contacts. Pay particular attention to U103 and U205.

If this does not do it, support@eventide.com

[mr_rmz28]

Thanks nickrose!

I spent the last hour or so fiddling around inside. Pressed on any chip that looked like it was seated in a socket, like the aforementioned U205 chip. This one, and at least one other one, did give a noticeable "click" noise when I applied pressure. Wiggled any ribbon (or otherwise) connector.

Figured while I was in there with nothing to lose, I'd see if I could find and access the battery which I should expect to be needing a replacement soon, so I pulled out the Firewire/ADAT daughterboard and there it was hiding underneath. At that point (even though I didn't have the correct battery on hand), I powered the unit on… and it fired right up (as an H8000, not a H8000FW, which I guess makes sense.)

Put it all back together… and yes, getting the FW board back in was the hardest/trickiest part of this process… Sealed it up, and it's happily sitting back in my rack (back to thinking it's an H8000FW), emitting a nice blue glow instead of looking like a broken Christmas tree as it was earlier.

Thanks again! I was not looking forward to shipping this off somewhere.

[nickrose]

Great news !!

Sounds like one of the connections became a little corroded, especially if you are not using it much. Or, maybe one of the chips has become a little loose in its socket.

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