The Historic Lighting Collective - help with a Strand 520i

[paulears]

The Historic Lighting Collective - (of which I'm a member)  is trying to collect as many iconic pieces of kit as we can, and one of us is struggling with a 520i console - it fires up running Genius Pro, but while the LCD displays light up, they don't show any characters in the normal way. If anyone here still remembers the little tricks and tweaks that kept these going, I'd love to put them in touch with Ian. So far - we're looking at 300 and 400 series but would like a fully working 500 to match them up with. The collection is doing really well and growing, and I have to admit that some of the stuff we have already is really interesting. Like a wave projector device - a slide of the beach and sea, then a series of fluted glass gobos that go up and down in front of it creating moving waves. I'm more taken with these really old solutions to make productions work. Rotating cloud projectors with real brass clockwork motors. 

We've also got unusual versions of more common lights, including a Patt 293 followspot, adapted by ATV so that it could stay in focus as the subject got closer to the spot. Imagine chopping a 293 in half and adding counterweights and making it extend and shrink with a lever.

If anyone can suggest a possible solution to the 520i issue, I'd be grateful.

 

If anyone is at PLASA on Monday - I'm on the PLASA Vintage stand - with some of the collection.

 

[J Pearce]

If anyone has the time to pursue leads, there is still a 520i sat in the LX booth of symphony hall (or was a few months back). 

[ianknight]

I'm sure someone will be in touch @J Pearce - The 520i with the dodgy LCD's is in my care at the moment (and I have two more for spares!) but I'm really a Zero88 'expert' so the fault is baffling me, it was working when I bought them from the Belgrade 5 years ago.

What would be really handy is someone who knows which section to dust with 'magic spray' or where to poke - the desk powers up otherwise and works but the LCD's aren't doing anything sensible (nor did swapping displays help). Some of the arcane knowledge for keeping this kit going (and so presentable in a working condition) is disappearing as folks retire or move on - it would be nice (where we can do so) to preserve that knowledge.
Even simple things like the old style Strand service manuals (even circuit diagrams for kit between Tempus & 500 series, Strand don't have them!) will help the collective and there must still be some lying in dusty corners - my small collection is already 'bequeathed' to the collective when I'm done. 🙂

[gareth]

I can't remember his BR username, but Andy Syposz is a member of this forum - he's a bit of a guru when it comes to Strand consoles, he may well be able to help.

[DrV]

1 hour ago, gareth said:

I can't remember his BR username, but Andy Syposz is a member of this forum - he's a bit of a guru when it comes to Strand consoles, he may well be able to help.

Kazeja

[DrV]

Are the LCDs definitely not working or is it just that the backlights are out? (This is from very little experience a long time back so take with a pinch of salt). As they have EL backlights there's a nasty inverter circuit which creates the high voltage high frequency supply for these. IIRC it's on a board somewhere near the displays and will be identifiable by the little transformer.

I do have a few notes somewhere which I'll look out later.

[ianknight]

18 hours ago, DrV said:

Are the LCDs definitely not working or is it just that the backlights are out? (This is from very little experience a long time back so take with a pinch of salt). As they have EL backlights there's a nasty inverter circuit which creates the high voltage high frequency supply for these. IIRC it's on a board somewhere near the displays and will be identifiable by the little transformer.

I do have a few notes somewhere which I'll look out later.

I've spoken to Andy Syposz and he was very helpful without actually being in front of the console but as he admits - it's been a while since he last saw one too 🙂

The illlumination of the panels is OK - they light up and under the 500 diags there's come control over brightness & contrast (as much as there ever was really any control) but there's nothing being displayed on the panels. Swapping the panel assembly out does the same thing suggesting that the fault is elsewhere i.e. on the mainboard. I could swap mainboards from the other two units I have but I don't know how the CS chip behave in those circumstances or whether the swap is simply 'one out another in' (or indeed what to do if they have the same issue).

[richard]

I have a 520i sitting in central london that worked in 2021 when I last powered it up (had a leaky battery but I cleaned that out and replaced it)

If you want it let me know.. Would be nice to give it to a good home

[paulears]

Thanks Richard - I'll make sure Ian reads this. It did make me think that on the PLASA stand, we had the MMS, but really the 500 series needs representing as they were simply everywhere, and now ..... aren't!

 

[willjam39]

Have you reseated the processor? They have a habit of popping when moved. 

I have a Working 520 looking for a home and know where there is a 300 series looking for a home. (I also have a couple of nodes that the RSC adapted for use in their venues) 

[sandall]

Not a 520, but I can probably lay my hands on a was-working Sirius 48 (& possibly a still-working one in the not-too-distant future).

[IRW]

On the 520 front, I don’t now if Buxton still have one up in deep storage in the loft- I know it was there for ages! 
 

@trussmonkee would know!

[Ynot]

On 9/3/2023 at 9:59 AM, ianknight said:

I'm sure someone will be in touch @J Pearce - The 520i with the dodgy LCD's is in my care at the moment (and I have two more for spares!) but I'm really a Zero88 'expert' so the fault is baffling me, it was working when I bought them from the Belgrade 5 years ago.

What would be really handy is someone who knows which section to dust with 'magic spray' or where to poke - the desk powers up otherwise and works but the LCD's aren't doing anything sensible (nor did swapping displays help). Some of the arcane knowledge for keeping this kit going (and so presentable in a working condition) is disappearing as folks retire or move on - it would be nice (where we can do so) to preserve that knowledge.
Even simple things like the old style Strand service manuals (even circuit diagrams for kit between Tempus & 500 series, Strand don't have them!) will help the collective and there must still be some lying in dusty corners - my small collection is already 'bequeathed' to the collective when I'm done. 🙂

I was about to say that there was a 500 series gathering dust in B2 the last time I was there.
Guess it isn't any more 🙂 🙂 🙂

[Glyn Edwards]

On 9/9/2023 at 11:54 AM, Ynot said:

I was about to say that there was a 500 series gathering dust in B2 the last time I was there.
Guess it isn't any more 🙂 🙂 🙂

I sold them to Ian before I left! I've been gone 6 years!

[Kazeja]

I remember having some comms on this with Ian and after running factory diagnostics, was informed that nearly all reference voltage readings had failed.

If the power (voltage) going to the devices that measure the references is out, then the readings will fail.

 

Extract of comms:

"The power rail sensing in the diagnostics (and console mode) needs power itself to operate.  There are 4 low value 1R8 surface mount resistors that may have failed.  They are in the vicinity of the passive riser card that connects the motherboard to the CS processor and what supply +12v and -12v onto the CS processor card.

I found it easier in the past to remove the CS processor card and unplug the passive riser to be able to get meter probes in to measure the values of the resistors.  (R274, R275, R276, R277)."

 

K.