• From: El Cajon, CA USA
  • Registered: 2020-01-18
  • Posts: 5

Topic: Problem with 'new' UFX

Hi,

I just purchased a UFX, NOS (New Old Stock).  I've updated the firmware, flash and firewire drivers, and it seems to be working will over USB on my Windows 10 DAW (using mostly Reaper).

I see some strange behavior from standalone operation, in that none of the front panel buttons do anything when pushed.  Nothing at all.  So the encoder buttons, though the rotary modes work, you can't select anything.  The volume control shows you operations for phones devices 11&12, but you can't move to any other output as it says in the manual. Rotary operation adjusts volume for 11/12 but that's all you can do.

Totalmix FX (1.61) seems to work fine, and I can monitor and record through Reaper fine without Totalmix.

The drivers I have installed are the latest I could find for the UFX.  USB driver date 27.06.19, driver version 1.168, hardware revision 357.  DSP-SW version 1.63.  I haven't been able to get Firewire working, though I'm suspicious that is a problem with my interface card on the W10 machine.

I tried to do a factory reset from the front panel, but I can't select the operation because the encoder push button doesn't respond.

Anyone with suggestions on this?  It almost seems like a firmware/hardware mismatch of some sort, but I really don't know.  The channel and setup/rev buttons when selected the screen is flashing from redraws about 2-3 times per second.

Any suggestions?

Thanks.

--Bill

2 Reply by MC

  • MC
  • MC
  • Administrator
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  • From: Germany/Thailand
  • Registered: 2007-04-06
  • Posts: 24,837

Re: Problem with 'new' UFX

That sounds like a hardware problem of said non-working buttons - nothing else.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

  • From: El Cajon, CA USA
  • Registered: 2020-01-18
  • Posts: 5

Re: Problem with 'new' UFX

MC wrote:

That sounds like a hardware problem of said non-working buttons - nothing else.

Yes it does, but it isn't.  Firstly, It wouldn't happen to all three push controls simultaneously.  I confirmed this by measuring continuity of the switches (directly on the PCB where these controls are mounted), and each of them close the circuit when pushed.  That means it should be an electronics problem on the mini-board they are soldered to, or further downstream to the logic integration.  It also *might* be software/firmware, though that's looking less likely now.

It's beyond my capabilities to do any logic diagnostics without a schematic, let alone the likelihood of being able to identify and obtain replacement parts.  So, back it goes I guess.

Does this issue sound familiar to anyone?  It completely kills any standalone use, and makes certain basic studio operations more cumbersome (like monitor volume, headphones volume and selection, etc.

Thanks.

--Bill

4 Reply by MC

  • MC
  • MC
  • Administrator
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  • From: Germany/Thailand
  • Registered: 2007-04-06
  • Posts: 24,837

Re: Problem with 'new' UFX

You could have mentioned already in your first post that you opened the unit and measured the switches.

Did you also hold back that you re-seated the flat ribbon cable that connects encoder PCB to the main PCB?

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

  • From: El Cajon, CA USA
  • Registered: 2020-01-18
  • Posts: 5

Re: Problem with 'new' UFX

MC wrote:

You could have mentioned already in your first post that you opened the unit and measured the switches.

I hadn't done that as of my first post.

Did you also hold back that you re-seated the flat ribbon cable that connects encoder PCB to the main PCB?

Yes, I held it back for no particular reason.  I re-seated the end closest to the board on which the controls are mounted, but not the other end.  The closest was firmly seated already, and the rear one was apparently firmly seated by a little tug on it, but I did not release and re-seat it.

This unit has very little use (most of its life has been stored in its box) and was spotlessly clean inside -- which may or may not mean anything.  Just an observation.

--Bill