apogee clock card

[chris995]

I was told once to get my hands on an apogee clock card as it may enhance the sonics of d8b, I'm confused as to which one to get as there appears to be 2 types? do they do the same thing? thanks

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Apogee-Word-C ... 2a5071d8ad

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MACKIE-APOGEE ... 23454bfe29

[Crash]

You want this one:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Apogee-Word-C ... 2a5071d8ad

The other is just a DIO.8 card, not the same animal.

[chris995]

Thanks Crash, know which one I'm looking for now

I have another issue, Ive had the d8b for 5 years no problems. Doesn't get moved etc. But lately after a few min of being on the computer, (d8b connected to rme via adat) it loses audio on playback. I then have to reboot the d8b and sometimes on reboot all the lights on the meter bridge light up max and i have to reboot a few times to get it working again. Could anyone point me in the direction of what this might be.

[Crash]

I lifted this from the database ( http://www.sonido-7.com/d8b/index.html ), see if this sounds like it may be your issue:

The Symptoms of Lost Wordclock Sync

When the d8b loses wordclock sync, 99% of the time it will lose all functions relating to digital I/O, resulting in no audio or audio only on one side of the L/R bus. You may also see one or more of the 26 LED meters light up all the way and remain there. You may also notice a flashing */? indicator in the upper right hand corner of the fluorescent display on the d8b. All these are signs of lost sync. You may experience one of them or all of them.

Note: Most likely--because no conversions (A-D or D-A) are required to do so--the console may still pass audio through any of its three analog 2-track inputs, and then out to its 2-track analog outputs. Don't be fooled into thinking wordclock must be working correctly for this to happen.

The Major Suspect

One ribbon cable in particular may be the cause of the problem, that is the ribbon cable which runs from the back-plane PCB to the Power Distribution PCB, which is mounted inside the console and connected to the “BFG” (Big Fricking Connector). If this ribbon cable moves at all, then power to the clock card may be interrupted and cause loss of sync.

The First Step

The first thing to try when sync is lost is to remove the clock card (stock or Apogee) and clean the contacts with a good brand of contact cleaner (Caig DeoxIT is highly recommended for this purpose) and then reseat the card. This may or may not cure the problem. This procedure can also be applied to the MFX/UFX or I/O cards, if you're suspecting trouble with them or you just want to try everything in order to get back to making music.

A few things happen during this process:

1. The contacts are cleaned
2. The card is reseated and a better connection may take place
3. By reseating the clock card, the back-plane PCB is flexed a little bit. This is possibly the most important part of the process because it tends to reseat the ribbon cables into the back-plane PCB, and that may be all it needs.
This procedure may, at least temporarily, fix the problem regarding loss of sync. If it does, excellent. If, however, you soon find that you are losing sync again, a slightly more difficult procedure (and not for the faint of heart) may be necessary.

Going Inside

This procedure is not hard if you are technically, mechanically and electronically inclined, but you will have to dive in where few have gone before. In doing this, precautions absolutely MUST be taken to avoid damage to parts in the d8b that are prone to damage from ESD (electrostatic discharge).

You must first ground the d8b, and then ground yourself to either the d8b or the ground that you have grounded the d8b to. If you do not feel comfortable working with electronics and are not aware of the standard precautions that must be taken, don't proceed by yourself. Either get someone who does understand electronics to help you, or have it done by a competent service engineer. The tech support people at Mackie will be happy to recommend an authorized repair shop in your area.

If you do decide to take this on, getting to the ribbon cables is actually quite easy.

1. Disconnect the d8b from its power source.
2. Carefully lay the console on its face, either on a cushion or blocked up so that the faders don't take all of the weight. It's a good idea to move the faders to their maximum position so that the elbow rest and not the faders are bearing the weight.
3. Remove the screws holding the bottom cover and set them aside in a safe place.
4. Remove the bottom cover.
5. Once you've removed the bottom cover, make sure to ground the d8b and yourself to a good ground source. A cold water pipe (not hot water) is normally a very good grounding point.
6. With the back of the d8b facing away from you, you will see a small PC board that attaches to the BFC (Big Fricking Connector) on the back left-hand side. Mounted on the PC board are a couple of large capacitors. Please be aware that even though the d8b is disconnected from the mains, capacitors can still hold a charge for quite some time and they can zap you. It's best to just avoid this circuit board, other than to give the ribbon cables on that board a good pull/push to make sure they are seated securely.
7. To the right of that PC board, you will see the card cage and the many ribbon cables that are attached to it. Very carefully, and to avoid any confusion, remove ONE end of ONE cable at a time and clean the ribbon connector and the PC board connector with a good grade of contact cleaner. It's best to use the liquid type with the small foam applicators. You can get them at any electronics store. They work better than the spray type because you can control the application in a more precise manner. After cleaning, reseat the connector.
8. Repeat this procedure on all the ribbon cable connectors and double check to make sure all the cables are restored to their proper places.
9. Replace the bottom cover making sure not to over tighten the screws. Because of the flexibility of the d8b's case/frame, it's best to put all the screws in loosely first and then tighten them up once they're all in place.
This procedure has worked to repair quite a few d8bs that had problems with losing wordclock sync, and other ailments, too.

Here is a link to photos showing the ribbon cables and the back-plane PCB:

Internal Photos

Addendum

To keep from having trouble with loose connections, something that's possibly worth doing is to lock the ribbon cable connectors down by applying a small dab of adhesive to each end of the connector. Dow Corning offers a line of Silicone adhesives that may well do the job. DO NOT run down to your local hardware store and buy "standard" silicone RTV (the ones that smell like vinegar). The fumes these products produce when curing WILL corrode copper and other materials used in electronic components and circuit boards. It is also best to use a non-flowing RTV as it will not sag during the curing process.

There is a list of electronics compatible silicone adhesives from the Dow Corning website that will give you a selection of various silicone products that should work. There is also a link there to find distributors for their products in your area.

To lock them in place, you only need a very small dab of adhesive on the outside of the connectors (where the male and female connectors join together). A small amount is advisable since you may want to remove these cables at a later date.

[chris995]

Thanks for this crash, this does sound like the issue I'm having. Will have a go at this. thx!!