Odd Zaxcom Mix 12 problem and it's solution

[bigmaho]

I was having a weird and very intermittent problem with my Deva/Mix 12 combo. On very rare occasions a mic would self fade (by very rare I mean once a month). I wasn't sure if it was the Deva, the Mix 12, the 992 or possibly the Mixer-Deva cable. But it happened so rarely it was hard to diagnose. The past couple of weeks it started to happen more until finally my system died just before a take on a night shoot (the Mix 12 and Deva both froze). Fortunately all my mics were on recording radios so I yelled speed anyway. After the take I did a few power resets, got everything up and running, and used Zaxnet to re-mix the missing take.

When we finished the setup I opened the Mix 12 and re-seated every ribbon connector. Problem solved. I guess months of bouncing around on trucks jiggled something loose. So if you notice any weird Mix 12 issues, reseat those connectors! I should have done it sooner!

btw, a half hour after everything was back up and running Glenn Sanders shows up on my set at our midnight lunch break with a temporary replacement Mix 12. I had been txting him as soon as the issue became serious that night and he took it on himself to make sure I got through the rest of the shoot that night.

Thank you Glenn, and thank you for designing a system with so much redundancy that even if the mixer and recorder die I can still get the take!

Billy Sarokin

[JonG]

Wow, that is a fantastic set of circumstances! I have used some Zaxcom products before in the field, such as the Deva 5.8, but have never run into any issues with them, which from what I hear is a very rare thing anyway. As of late I am running on Sound Devices machines, but I think that my next big recorder will probably be whatever Zax puts out in the future. I am curious though, since I dont know too much about their products, how is it that a problem in the mixer would make the recorder shut down?

[studiomprd]

" how is it that a problem in the mixer would make the recorder shut down? "

If your thinking of getting the gear, perhaps you should be checking the spec's...

[Joel Jameson]

I am curious though, since I dont know too much about their products, how is it that a problem in the mixer would make the recorder shut down?

The mix-12 is an interface to the deva/fusion line, attached by a serial port. Think like a keyboard to your computer, but control signals are passed back and forth. All the audio connections stay on the deva/fusion, unlike a "normal" mixer.

[Jan McL]

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

'At's what I'm talkin' about: gear as antiperspirant.

I don't sweat, so long as I got the right stuff on the cart and in the truck.

Glenn and his support team kick butt, to be sure.

There will be pleasant dreams tonight and in the few nights that remain before I go under (working) through Thanksgiving, thanks to this post and my excellent collection of gear, and the people who know, trust, and love it as much or more than I.

Going to pour one now.

To your long health and happiness, one & all.

-- Jan

[bigmaho]

The Mix 12 is not a mixer, it's just a controller for the Deva/Fusion. When the Mix 12 was going haywire it was sending signals to the Deva that were unintelligable. Just disconnecting the two would have unfrozen the Deva.

Wow, that is a fantastic set of circumstances! I have used some Zaxcom products before in the field, such as the Deva 5.8, but have never run into any issues with them, which from what I hear is a very rare thing anyway. As of late I am running on Sound Devices machines, but I think that my next big recorder will probably be whatever Zax puts out in the future. I am curious though, since I dont know too much about their products, how is it that a problem in the mixer would make the recorder shut down?

[Marc Wielage]

I had a nightmarish situation on my last shoot. On the second day, 15 minutes before the first take, the Mix-12 level displays started "flickering," and input 1 (boom) went almost full scale. The audio output had sound from the Deva 5.8, but there was a steady "eh-ehhhh" kind of digital static in the background. Couldn't change any menus or go into record on the Deva, like a partial crash. Rebooted everything four or five times, checked and reseated the D9 serial cable... nada.

Luckily, Robert Kennedy at Coffey walked me through going back to setting up a mix on the Deva itself (which I haven't done since I bought the machine), and I was able to fumble through the rest of the day. During a lunch break, I swapped out the serial cable for a spare a friend of mine brought from home -- no change. The Mix-12 could boot up disconnected and it was fine; the Deva was fine by itself. The moment the two were connected, blammo.

They checked out the Mix-12 at Coffey on the third day (and I continued mixing on the Deva), and it was fine. I was stymied. After we wrapped, I checked out the system to decide which to send in for repair: the Deva or the Mix-12. Naturally, at home, everything was 100% fine. (!!!)

I'm just as perplexed as to how it "fixed itself" as to why it broke in the first place. I had a spare mixer in the truck (SD 552), but it was easier to leave everything hooked up and just go with the flow. At least now I know what to do for next time. (Thanks, Robert!)

--Marc W.

[bigmaho]

Since you were able to continue mixing with the Deva it's probably safe to rule out the Deva as the culprit (though I guess it could be a problem in the serial communications circuitry). Try reseating the ribbon connectors in the Mix 12. If it's old, you might want to have Zaxcom replace them.

Best,

Billy Sarokin

I had a nightmarish situation on my last shoot. On the second day, 15 minutes before the first take, the Mix-12 level displays started "flickering," and input 1 (boom) went almost full scale. The audio output had sound from the Deva 5.8, but there was a steady "eh-ehhhh" kind of digital static in the background. Couldn't change any menus or go into record on the Deva, like a partial crash. Rebooted everything four or five times, checked and reseated the D9 serial cable... nada.

Luckily, Robert Kennedy at Coffey walked me through going back to setting up a mix on the Deva itself (which I haven't done since I bought the machine), and I was able to fumble through the rest of the day. During a lunch break, I swapped out the serial cable for a spare a friend of mine brought from home -- no change. The Mix-12 could boot up disconnected and it was fine; the Deva was fine by itself. The moment the two were connected, blammo.

They checked out the Mix-12 at Coffey on the third day (and I continued mixing on the Deva), and it was fine. I was stymied. After we wrapped, I checked out the system to decide which to send in for repair: the Deva or the Mix-12. Naturally, at home, everything was 100% fine. (!!!)

I'm just as perplexed as to how it "fixed itself" as to why it broke in the first place. I had a spare mixer in the truck (SD 552), but it was easier to leave everything hooked up and just go with the flow. At least now I know what to do for next time. (Thanks, Robert!)

--Marc W.

[Marc Wielage]

Since you were able to continue mixing with the Deva it's probably safe to rule out the Deva as the culprit (though I guess it could be a problem in the serial communications circuitry). Try reseating the ribbon connectors in the Mix 12. If it's old, you might want to have Zaxcom replace them.

Thanks, Billy. I hadn't considered opening up the Mix-12 to see if maybe something got jostled during transport. It's possible on the bouncing ride down the 405 back home, the ribbon connectors bounced back into position, and that's why it's working again!

On the other hand, Robert confirmed that the Mix-12 worked fine with a Deva back at Coffey, so it was already working then... just not with my own Deva. Go figure.

I've been mixing with an outboard mixer for so long, it was a trip to have to remember how to actually mix on the Deva itself, but good lessons come from crises.

--Marc W.

[bigmaho]

Hi Mark,

There wasn't anything obviously loose in the Mix 12, but applying a little pressure to each of the ribbon connectors (there aren't many) cured it. My guess is there was a tiny bit of oxidation on one of the pins. Since the problem was so intermittent it must have been a combination of humidity and heat that would set it off. When I have a little time off I'll spray some contact cleaner on each of the ribbon connectors.

Billy

Thanks, Billy. I hadn't considered opening up the Mix-12 to see if maybe something got jostled during transport. It's possible on the bouncing ride down the 405 back home, the ribbon connectors bounced back into position, and that's why it's working again!

On the other hand, Robert confirmed that the Mix-12 worked fine with a Deva back at Coffey, so it was already working then... just not with my own Deva. Go figure.

I've been mixing with an outboard mixer for so long, it was a trip to have to remember how to actually mix on the Deva itself, but good lessons come from crises.

--Marc W.