jawharp Posted December 6, 2014 Report Share Posted December 6, 2014 Hey Guys, I bought a Denecke TS-C Slate last week and had it sent to set from Gotham. It was brand new. I opened it, and tried to jam it to test it, but it said it was in "read mode." Thinking I hit the jam/read switch by accident I opened the battery compartment and checked it. It was in the "gen" position, so it should have been jamming. After several attempts with the switch and jamming it was not working. I blew inside the battery compartment and the slate jammed. It held the jam for about 30 seconds then switched itself back to "read" mode. I returned the slate thinking it was just a defective switch. Another different brand new TS-C arrived from Gotham the next day. I unwrapped it and jammed it. It jammed fine. I assumed the other slate was a fluke and gave out the new working slate to the camera guys. An hour later, the camera guys brought the slate back to me saying it lost its jam. I power cycled it and it was in "read mode" just like the other one. The switch was still in the "gen" position, not "read." I flipped the switch a few times and it stayed stuck in "read" mode. I blew on the switch like I did with the previous slate and it jammed, held the jam for about 30 seconds, then went back to "read" mode. Is Denecke starting to cheap out on their parts or something? Or maybe they got a bad shipment of switches? I find it strange that the same exact switch was faulty on two different brand new slates. Anyone else having this problem? Yeesh. Thanks, Joe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Norflus Posted December 6, 2014 Report Share Posted December 6, 2014 I would call and speak to Charlie at Denecke (661) 607-0206 Deneke has amazing customer support. Im sure Charlie can get it sorted out for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studiomprd Posted December 6, 2014 Report Share Posted December 6, 2014 joe: " Anyone else having this problem? " what do you care..? YOU are having a problem, and on Monday you should call the manufacturer (as JN suggested!) " Is Denecke starting to cheap out on their parts or something? " I doubt it " Or maybe they got a bad shipment of switches? " maybe, it is a possibility Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Blankenship Posted December 6, 2014 Report Share Posted December 6, 2014 Denecke Rocks! They make solid products and back them up well. Therefore, my first question in this circumstance would be, "What did Charlie say when you called Denecke?" My guess is that RVD is correct. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jawharp Posted December 7, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 7, 2014 I left a VM with Denecke today. My 788 jammed my other TS-C and 3 Denecke timecode boxes with no other issues, so, no. Not on my end. Waiting for a call back... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glen Trew Posted December 7, 2014 Report Share Posted December 7, 2014 Denecke is great, Charlie is great, but I'm betting it's hardware causing the switch to malfunction. The real mystery is, "why did you blow on the switch?". gt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
afewmoreyears Posted December 7, 2014 Report Share Posted December 7, 2014 Shit happens.... Many times I THOUGHT it was a bad unit.. Only to find out I was the idiot... Denecke is first rate.... If it is an issue ...they will take care of you... Take it easy.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Parra Posted December 7, 2014 Report Share Posted December 7, 2014 Hi Joe first of all we are sorry for the inconvenience. Is Denecke starting to cheap out on their parts or something? This has never been the case nor will it ever be....... We've had a bad run of switchboards (faulty solder by the board assembler). We thought that we caught them all, but have obviously missed a few. We stand behind our products 100% and do everything possile to rectify any issues. Please return it to Gotham sound (or directly to us if you prefer) and we will repair at under warranty. Best Regards, Charlie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jawharp Posted December 7, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 7, 2014 Thanks Charlie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Norflus Posted December 7, 2014 Report Share Posted December 7, 2014 We stand behind our products 100% and do everything possile to rectify any issues. And there you go. Deneke is a stand up company and I have only had top notch service and performace from them and their products. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BudRaymond Posted December 13, 2014 Report Share Posted December 13, 2014 Deneke rocks! Love having such quick response from the manufacturer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Izen Ears Posted December 16, 2014 Report Share Posted December 16, 2014 I love Denecke and only use their timecode products. I have 4 slates and 4 sync boxes - but I've had issues with the TSC un-jamming since forever. After years of this issue and many trips home for a new magnetic sensor and new springs, Denecke was kind enough to replace it with a new one last year. Sadly it still unjams itself. Not as much as the old one, but enough that I prefer to use as strictly a backup. Between the two TS3s and the old TS2b I've ONCE had a TA3 unjam. But the TSC does it on average once a day. I use the white sled for the big slates and the black sleds for the TSC so the springs aren't stretched out. When I mentioned the TSC unjamming to a friend, they simply said "they do that." It doesn't make any sense, and I believe that the components are the same. Must be those TSC gremlins my grandmother warned me about... Dan Izen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Norflus Posted December 16, 2014 Report Share Posted December 16, 2014 I have a TS-C for several years that has never become un-jammed mid day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Izen Ears Posted December 17, 2014 Report Share Posted December 17, 2014 (Napoleon Dynamite voice) Lucky! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al mcguire Posted December 17, 2014 Report Share Posted December 17, 2014 I had both a TS 3 and a TS C that unjammed using the white battery trays. I got the black ones from Charlie Parra and the issue is resolved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Izen Ears Posted December 17, 2014 Report Share Posted December 17, 2014 Hey Al! Hope you're doing well! See now that sounds like you had loose springs, since the black sled is longer... Not my issue since I've only used the black sleds in the TSC. The other slates have functioned nearly perfectly with white sleds. Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jawharp Posted December 17, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 17, 2014 Getting unjammed halfway through the day is usually the AC dropping it and the battery sled getting jostled so it loses contact, powers down, and unjams. If the AC didn't drop it, someone most likely knocked it over onto its face and the same thing happened. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Izen Ears Posted December 17, 2014 Report Share Posted December 17, 2014 I wish it were that! Once I literally saw it unjam right when the 2nd lifted it to clap. He opened the stix and it went to dashes and the started up at 00:59:30:00. I've also tried to make the TSC unjam by shaking it and bumping it, and it stayed jammed. It's Gremlins. Dan Izen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisnewton Posted December 17, 2014 Report Share Posted December 17, 2014 Late to the party here, but I have had similar problems in the past with my older Denecke slate. it went back to the mothership and had an overhaul, including a new battery sled. Denecke couldn't reproduce the problem in their shop. The slate works fine now, 99.9% of the time, but now and then it loses sync mysteriously. Gremlins indeed. Not a big problem these days, as the camera usually has a lockit device on it. i should also add that I bought the slate used in 1999, upgraded to handle 23.98 a few years back. Doesn't owe me a dime. It is a great piece of gear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnpaul215 Posted December 23, 2014 Report Share Posted December 23, 2014 I've had a TS-C for over 5 years and never once had it unjam like you described, and I wouldn't say camera departments have treated it like a precious piece of equipment. I wonder if a slate could be messed up by something external, like a keying walkie right next to them. I only say that because I've seen a walkie crash a C300 camera. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christopher Mills Posted December 23, 2014 Report Share Posted December 23, 2014 My experience this year, is that in addition to dropping them, setting them in puddles, and using them to prop up a shelter tent (not kidding, but not on my show), is that some of the "ninja" moves made by AC's can shake the batteries out of contact with the sled, causing sync loss, but not illumination loss to the LED's... that is, they stay lit, but drop back to non sync default clock setting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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