Pearl desk/Visualiser/ACDI problem......

[nflutter]

Trying to connect my Pearl 2000/2004 desk to visualiser, so far made midi cable and tested this on the desk using the midi codes screen.... displays 5a in yellow and white. hooked it up to my PC running Win XP Pro with Visualiser 7.2 and ACDI 1.5 In vis I have tested serial comms.... receiving the Zs and sending back to desk correctly. Vis is set to simulator but just doesnt work. ACDI is not working properly, it will not light up green just displays WAITING all the time. Re installed com port driver and double checked everything...... any help appreciated.

[nflutter]

OK an update.....
Have re-made the midi lead and tried again, now I think its fried the desk!!!! Can't boot desk at all, just all the programmer lights light up and pretty much nothing else, screen is blank.... any thoughts on this as it does now look like the desk is dead...... Don't think I would recommend anyone trying to connect to vis via midi, an expensive mistake for me by the looks of it. Can anyone confirm if the desk has had it????

Cheers

[niclights]

I have done this in the past without problems, so it should not be an issue. Usually any difficulties lie in the usb-serial converters where the PC doesn't have a native serial port.

I doubt you've done any damage to the console unless somehow you have sent power through the MIDI cable. Even if you have there is a good chance it is a simple fix.

I recommend you contact service directly. Use the 24hr number if you need to.

Other than that I would first try setting the internal jumpers to perform a hardware wipeall and see if that works. If not is the internal display reading anything?

[nflutter]

This wasnt even through a serial/USB adapter but an actual serial port on an older laptop, and I've since double checked the lead again against the diagram and it looks good. Display reads nothing and all programmer lights including all softkeys/chase control/attributes etc all light up and stay on, no buttons work. I will try the hardware reset and report back, otherwise will contact service.

Thanks

[nflutter]

Tried the hardware reset without any joy, the screen doesn't display anything so no startup options/service options etc.... I will try service but being an older desk will probably be an uneconomical repair.

Thanks

[niclights]

Do speak to service. I still think it's unlikely it's serious.

To confirm, when I talk about display I am referring to the four digit red display on the motherboard itself.

[nflutter]

OK the internal display is reading 1220 is there any list of these codes and they're meanings anywhere?

Cheers

[niclights]

Not that I have but it should be useful when you contact service. Normally it would read 'ok' with spinning stars (ish!)

[nflutter]

Update..... Opened the desk and checked and re inserted all leads etc and would you believe it fired up fine!! V happy, only got this desk recently, my first 'proper' desk so was gutted but well chuffed now. I think I will enquire about an Avolites service on it now anyway, just glad it's not fried. Have you had any probs before getting the serial midi lead working? would really like to get it worjking through vis as my other half doesn't appreciate the lounge full of moving heads!! Thanks for your help on this.

Cheers

[niclights]

Glad to hear it. They are robust consoles and usually easy to fix.

It has been a long time since I connected a 2000 to Vis but it worked ok when I tried it. I don't have much advice beyond checking the wiring again.

[nflutter]

Spoke to the helpful guys at service today, they didn't really have a definitive answer on the 1220 code, just suggested re inserting all the leads and also some of the ICs, hopefully just some dirty connections and nothing too serious. I'm gonna try the making the midi lead again and will update the thread in case it might help someone else.

Thanks Guys!

[nflutter]

Made the lead again and all is working, although doesn't seem very stable connection through com port, it keeps dropping the ACDI connection and it seems to slow the desk down also quite a lot of latency between desk and vis..... does anyone know if this is normal?

Thanks

[niclights]

Unfortunately the slow down and latency is normal. I guess the hardware just isn't up to it. The only way to improve is to use a third party visualiser and interface using the actual DMX outputs.