Hi all!
My Octatrack mk1 has a problem where the track trig buttons don’t work. Buttons 9 through 16 all work (as do all other buttons) just the first 8 don’t.
I have cleaned them and tested them with a multimeter. mechanically they all work so I don’t think replacing the buttons would fix the issue.
Anyone else have similar issues?
I don’t have any specific data on OT mk1 but follow the traces on the pcb and see if 1-8 lead back to a mux, test it. If the multiplexer is bad, you’ll probably have 8 dead trigs.
what happens if that occurs, case of getting new trigs I suppose?
Rather than the trigs I think it’s the thing that processes and distributes signal to those 8 trigs, so replacing the trigs themselves probably will do nothing since they tested the trigs themselves with a meter.
I think it would be easier to buy a replacement board from elektron, costwise if the person has the equipment and the skill, I suppose they could source and replace the bad part, hoping that it’s not a problem which continues upstream and then lead them back to troubleshooting.
Depending on the cost, I’d probably opt to replace the pcb with the issue, I don’t think I have confidence that I wouldn’t wreck it in my attempt to repair, especially if it’s SMD.
Thanks, hasn’t happened to me yet but what is the cost of a PCB board if you know?
I don’t know the cost of OT parts, you could get a quote from support though, they’re pretty open to ordering components or boards if necessary. Definitely over $100 usd, as I know that as of a couple years ago the DT cpu board is something like $140 shipped but I don’t know if that’s current pricing for DT either.
I’ve ordered parts through support though, they set up a draft order and then you go into your account and review and accept it.
The other thing I’d consider before complicating it further or spending money is unplug and re-seat the ribbon cables. You could also test them for continuity between the pin plug ends just to make sure there isn’t an issue with the cables. Kind of a longshot but wouldn’t hurt. If you already did that though, my assumption is the reason all 8 trigs are gone is because they bottleneck into an ic chip.
Thanks for the fast reply.
A faulty multiplexer makes complete sense. I’ll open up my OT later today and look for it. Hopefully I can fix it without sending it in.
One reason I would consider replacing the board vs sending it in is time and cost. It is likely that the cost of shipping plus the tedium of waiting and the actual cost of the repair (minimum of the hourly charge plus a parts charge) will be either in parallel to or not so much less than the cost of ordering the board including shipping. If you can find the source of the issue so that you aren’t just throwing money at the wall and hoping it will fix the problem, installing the board is obviously the easier procedure.
In the event you already have a good set of tools and a lot of practice in electronics repair, then replacing a faulty component would likely be incredibly cheap and of course that’s best, but in the event that you consider sending it for repair I’d at least price the board with them before making your decision. Who knows how many months you have to wait to get your OT back.
And no problem about replying, I know that it sucks when your gear breaks. Don’t know if this helps but hope you’re able to get somewhere with it now that you’re able to observe the problem from a little different perspective.