Installed 2seemy board...still issues

[TimV]

Rather than tag onto a previous thread, I thought I'd start a new one as the problem seems to not be caused by the actual display but the video driver section on the main board.

The problem I am seeing is that there are partial alphanumeric characters on my VGA monitor just as there were on my monitor on the DM-3200 and there are a lot of flickering dots where parts of characters should be. It seems that this is an issue that the 2Seemy board won't/can't fix.

I can post pictures if that would help.

Suggestions? Advice?

EDIT: Just realized that most of my OL/STATUS LED's are randomly flickering now too. Damn!

 

[Peter Batah]

Hello @TimV What a bummer. Were you experiencing the flashing OL/STATUS LED's prior to the install as well. Or hadn't you powered up the unit until now? By the way, did the VGA display look anything like the photo that I have attached?

 

[TimV]

Hi Peter, first thing...I fixed the OL/Status LED problem. When I was passing the flat cable through to the rear of the 3200, I had slightly dislodged a cable...I pushed it back in and at least that part is working correctly now.

The display problem was on the small display as well before I installed the 2Seemy board...everything that was wrong with the small display has transferred as well to the VGA. I wonder if the Display Chipset on the main board is bad or maybe a cable issue.

I'll see about taking a picture of what I'm seeing...it doesn't look like the picture you posted.

 

[TimV]

How do I post an image here? I don't use image hosting sites...

never mind, I'm an idiot sometimes...I figured it out...I'll have a pic up in a minute...

 

[TimV]

Here's what I'm seeing....

 

[Peter Batah]

@TimV I would be inclined to think that the problem most definitely lies with the board's display controller. Especially, if you say that you were getting the same results with the onboard display. Sounds like a perfect good news / bad news scenario. The good news being that your onboard display is still intact. Have you looked through the mixers's service documentation? The photo that I provided earlier was the initial VGA image that I saw when powering up the 2Seemy card for the first time. All due to a faulty / long USB cable.

 

[Arjan P]

Mmh, doesn't look good, but it also looks like very regular vertical omissions, so I wouldn't just aim at the display controller but also on the original flat cable that goes TO the original display. IIRC, the 2Seemy card takes its signal from the board's display location, so maybe the connection towards this is problematic.

 

[TimV]

When I received the DM, the previous owner had installed an after market display in there. That's what I was seeing that led me to believe that the display was bad.

When I went to install the 2Seemy board this morning, I realized that the after market board was different enough to where the 2Seemey wouldn't have worked. Fortunately, he had given me the original Tascam display so I reinstalled that so I could install the 2Seemy board.

It was when I powered up the DM with the Tascam display reinstalled that I saw the blue horizontal lines that everyone talks about...these were not on the aftermarket display. I'll have to email him and see if these missing/jittering character segments were also missing on the original Tascam display and that was what led him to replace it...or something on the aftermarket display caused an issue with the display driver.

I do have the service manual. I'll have to take a look at that and see if i can see where this video originates.

 

[Peter Batah]

@TimV I am going to state the obvious. So, forgive me if this sounds like a really dumb question. Have you tried both VGA and USB cable. If so, were the results the same. And did you try swapping out those cables.

 

[TimV]

No forgiveness needed Peter (LOL)...I have missed the "oh so obvious" before, believe me. I tried another VGA cable (just because) but have not tried using the USB on the 2S board yet. The thing is is that the 2S board is basically a breakout out for the VGA signal so if the onboard display is still having the same issues I was having before the 2S installation, then I am leaning towards the main board video or the flat cable connecting the 2S board to the main board.

 

[Peter Batah]

@TimV I didn't think that connecting via USB was going to make much of a difference. But, I figured that it was worth a shot! Looks like you just can't catch a break. Back to the drawing board.

 

[TimV]

For now I can at least see the display easier, even with all it's faults. I looked through my service manual...it has virtually no information short of auto checking systems within the DM. There are no actual schematics of the circuit boards so for what I'm trying to figure out, the service manual is pretty much useless.

I'll have to reach out to Tascam and see if they can point me in the right direction, if they're willing. I know it's a legacy product but I might get lucky and reach the right person. I've found that telling the person on the other end of the email that I am a bonafide repair shop and I have this on my bench, they tend to be a little more open with sharing tribal knowledge.

I've burned enough time on this for today...I need to get out and buy some last minute Christmas presents today.

Thanks for all your suggestions everyone...I'll figure it out eventually, even if a used working main board is in the cards.

 

[Peter Batah]

@TimV Are you referring to these service manuals? Please follow link below

https://mega.nz/#!I9YGSAAL!eVv8zNjttKj1bMwdIOSTvnQudWGQlHqefMWys-qGlWw

 

[TimV]

Hi Peter, yup, those are the ones I have.