Hi all, Need some help.

I have an " A " key starting to go out on me. I don't know if it's the contact point giving me trouble or a sudden OS glitch.

Does anyone know how the contacts in the keys work?

I'm going to open the board up and take a look and hope it's something I can repair if indeed it's the contact.

Any Knowledge out there?

Thanks!!!!!!

Jim

Hi Jim

all my contact keys on my AUDYA are still 100%
i love my A4 ;0

Jim,

If it's just one key, it's probably your contacts (a little dirt under one of them).

They work on contact (time it takes for first contact to hit) and velocity (time between first and 2nd contact closing the circuit).

When you open up, us a dry cloth with very little alcohol to clean both the surface of the FATAR circuit board and the actual contacts themselves. While you are in there, you might as well clean the entire circuit board too.

That should do it.

Thanks,

AJ

Move slowly- you don't want to create any static electricity which can harm any circuit board.

AJ is correct, I use 'cotton buds' though
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cotton_swab

and commercial contact cleaner.

things to watch:

The red connectors from the keyframe PCB to the CPU board break easily...be careful when disconnecting. When your putting the Audya back together just check all the other connectors are seated correctly too.


The contacts have to go back in the same way as they came out (one of the 'contact dimples' is slightly deeper than the other.

When putting them back on the PCB your going to have to fashion a blunt tool to carefully poke the little rubber retainers into the holes in the PCB. (A paper clip is too thin and you will end up with holes in the rubber. Not ideal unless you want baby Audya's ). When you have something of the correct size carefully push the larger rubber retainers first to get all the contacts loosely in place (you wont need a tool for that) Next using your tool, carefully push the smaller rubber retainers through the hole and use your fingers to pull them through the other side. The contacts need to sit flush against the PCB when your done.

When refitting the PCB to the key frame make sure none of the keys are depressed. Turn the keyframe upside down and place something under each end to keep it up off of your work surface. If you don't the contacts will be distorted and you will have to take the Audya apart again to reseat them!

While you have your keyboard open, there is a little mod you can do:

using something like this:
cable tie pads

find the wire that comes from the volume control area under the right hand side of the top panel (near the choir tab). Stick the pad under the lid a couple of inches away from the board (so as not to strain the cable) and fasten the cable onto it using the cable tie. That will stop movement of the cable and should help avoid the problem you used to experience with one channel cutting out happening again. I have had a couple of Audya with that problem here, and that seems to offer a permanent fix.

Darren,

Thank you so much for this information. Sounds a little tricky, however I think I can handle it. My audio out problem is still a problem and I will definitely try your fix. Tired of bumping the case hard to get both channels to kick back in.

Sound's like a similar contact system that Yamaha uses. I did replace the rubber contact strips in one of my Yamaha's many years ago. The rubber contact nipples would crack or tear causing the note to play really loud.

The "A" note problem has only happened twice, but I'm sure it will get worse.

I'll post a report once I open her up and dig in.

Thanks again for the info!

Jim

Its the same contacts that Roland, Korg, KeyB use - and many others (but not Yamaha)

Regarding the cable to the top panel, before you fasten it down, unplug it and plug it back in a couple of times I doubt the problem will come back then.

If you have not opened the Audya before (but I think you have) then you will need a flexible screwdriver attachment to get to those two pesky screws at the front on the inside of the two side panels.

Darren,

Is there any way to remove just the A key that's giving me the problem and get to the contact(s)???????

Looks like a pretty big project removing the entire keybed.

I cleaned the contacts at the connectors of the wire's running from the soundcard to the upper right panel and installed the stick on clip and zip tied the wire's down. I hope that was the problem child. So far 3 boots and both channel's are there.

If I can't get at and clean just the contact that is giving me the problem, can you provide me a little more detailed information from start to finish of removing the entire keybed? That would be a big help!

Thanks.

Jim

unfortunately the keyframe has to come out to gain access to the contacts, you can't get to them from above.

Do you have a local keyboard tech that can help here? I say that because I would also disconnect all the connectors so the lower half of the Audya is completely separate from the top to avoid damaging cables/connectors. Once that's done you can flip over the bottom and remove the screws from underneath. The two blocks either side also need to come out. It is a little tricky.

Darren,

Thanks. That alone was a big help. I can tackle the job myself, I'm sure. That will be a project for next week. Today's opening did accomplish the audio out problem. Six reboots without issue so far.

Thanks.

Jim