Clocking problem [Updated]

[Olietyven]

I have run into a strange problem, and has run out of ideers to solve it.

My Tascam dm3200 seems to refuse to send and recieve Word clock via BNC, though it indicates that it recieves the clock ok. I only gets noise from my daw and HD24. When clocking via ADAT, there is no problem.
I managed to get eight clean tracks from the HD24, but the rest was noisy.
I bought new BNC cables, and even an external BNC clock generator, but nothing seems to help.

I am fortunate that i allso have a dm-24, and connecting to that gives me no problems via BNC.

I have come to the conclusion, that it must be the BNC pcb on the dm3200. Does it have a reputation to burn ?

Perhaps i just mist a a checkmark somewhere on the dm3200, i don't know., but that is why i am reaching out for help. Perhaps someone her had similar problems.

My setup is:

Tascam DM3200/DM-24
Presonus Firestudio Lightpipe
Apache ADAT patchbay
Imac late 2012 wit logic.

 

[cmaffia]

Is termination correct? There's setting for that I believe next to the BNC connector on the DM3200

 

[Olietyven]

yes you can terminate the dm, and believe me i tried back and forward, and back again, terminated the external equipmen again and again.. The last thing i did was to reset the mixer (reinit)f. Perhaps the firmware i downloaded recently to cascade to my new dm3200 comming next week is faulty. I will try to rollback and see what happens ;-)

 

[cmaffia]

Your talking about the new beta firmware for the dm3200?
Are you cascading 2 DM3200's?

 

[Olietyven]

Not yet. Another dm3200 is about to be shipped in from the states next week. Got it very cheap, so i couldn't resist buying it

 

[Olietyven]

Hmm..!!! Got a second DM3200 today, and i clocked it to word via BNC without any problems. Then tried to roll back the firmware on the first to check, but still only noise from the recorded channels.
I guess i have to conclude, that there is something wrong with the PCB that generates and receive wordclock from and to BNC.
Does anyone have any similar expirence or a clue how to solve this ?
Thanks

 

[Drumstruck]

The cascade also carries timecode if you're planning on going down that path..... so hopefully you can run whilst investigating further. Will be interested to hear what the culprit is.

 

[TascMan]

+1 to drumstruck's thought.
ALT/PROJECT/Clock tab on second DM, select Cascade as your clock source. Internal for first DM. Unplug the BNC.

 

[Olietyven]

Hi Guys !
I got the second mixer Tuesday, and i had to swap the display, and weld a cascade cable and cable them up etc etc., so i first got a chance to test tonight.
I have to say, that the new mixer works perfect in any sense. Checked the clocking, and it works like a charm.
I now have setup the new mixer as master and the old one as slave, and as suggested only bnc on the master.. The problem with the old one is still there. When i turn up a channel on the old mixer, i get noise and pops from the channel, while the changes on the new one sounds clear and nice.
BTW i just found out,that the pops and noise is only on the first eight channels. This goes in cascaded mode and stand alone. in stand alone mode the noise disapers when i clock to ADAT instead of word.

I guess when i cascade, the master send via word to the slave, even if the master is clocked to adat.

 

[Olietyven]

Well found the problem today. It is the slot pcb that makes the problem.
I first found out after swapping the Main Pcb and the Sync pcb, , but i guess the hard work paid the trouble. I am just happy that i don't have to pay for a new mainboard, or to pay a technician to sort this out.
Without the second mixer i would probably never have found the problem myself.
Strange thing i that ADAT clocking works through the slot, but not word clock, witch misled me to think it was the main Pcb.
Thanks to Cmaffia, Drumstuck and Tascman for your support.

 

[TascMan]

Glad you found an answer. I really couldn't figure out what was going on there.

 

[Olietyven]

Update:
Well i ordered a new Slot PCB through Triplex in Germany, and gave them the part number listed in the Service manual.
When it arrived i put it in the Mixer right away, and bugger.....same fault.
Took the Card out and put it in the other mixer, and the problem followed. Then took the Card that i presumed was deffect, and put it in in the first Mixer. Now i had the same problem on two Mixers !!!.
This made me study the working Card a Little closer, and i found out that it was a bit different from the two other Cards. The PCB part number and the layout is Different.
Why does this Card work flawless in both mixeres, when the two others don't, when the two Cards i have are listed in the SM, and the other one not.
Arrrghhhh i am about to get a massive headache right now.

 

[cmaffia]

Sounds like a question for Redbus!

 

[Olietyven]

Hmmm...how do i get his attention ?

 

[cmaffia]

He reads this forum often.

 

[RedBus]

Sorry, missed this discussion.

The newer slot PCB does indeed have an improved clock/data recovery mechanism that helps when using multiple ADAT or AES cards. Your distributor sold you an old one, so it should be up to them to replace it with a correct one.

 

[RedBus]

Also, If they give you trouble with the replacement, contact TASCAM support at tascam.eu and explain the situation.

 

[Olietyven]

Thankyou for the answer....it now makes sence to me.
I think Triplex only sold me the old one, is because i asked for it.
I actually explained the problem to Tascam, but they asked me to get i contact with Triplex. I deffently thougt that the card i had was broken.
I will try to get the card swapped.

 

[Olietyven]

Hi RedBus!
I have been in contact with Triplex (Tascams Service provider in Germany) regarding the issue, and they seems to be out on deep water.
I took out the Card that i know works in both Mixers, and gave them the number printed on the PCB. This is not a part number, and they haven't been able to locate the Card in their system. They wrote Tascam in Japan, but this far no answer.
I am allso not sure this is the Card you reffered to, but i guess it is since it Works.

The number is “E903164-00B PCB Mother DM48 G”

Do you know the part number for this Card ?

Thank You

 

[cmaffia]

Was there ever a happy ending to this story?