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Having problem with my Fostex PD-6


Ian Cruickshank

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I know nothing about this particular unit, but is there a way to reset its brain? You would lose any custom settings but that is often a solution for microprocessor controlled devices that become stubborn and misbehave.

If this fails to solve it, and no one here has a quick solution, I would recommend you contact the service department of your trusted audio dealer such as Trew Audio, Location Sound, etc.

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Sounds like the DVD-RAM drive is fried. My PD-6 is exhibiting similar symptoms.

The drive on both my PD-6 and EX-12 is fried. I can access and record to both Hard Drives. However, due to the fact that you cannot access the Hard Drive directly without first transferring to DVD-Ram, it render the recording feature of the machine useless.

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Sounds like the DVD-RAM drive is fried. My PD-6 is exhibiting similar symptoms.

The drive on both my PD-6 and EX-12 is fried. I can access and record to both Hard Drives. However, due to the fact that you cannot access the Hard Drive directly without first transferring to DVD-Ram, it render the recording feature of the machine useless.

Well thats not good to hear since I just bought it a week ago and have a shoot in 3 days. Thanks for the advice and Ill contact the people I bought it from. What could have caused it to fry?

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Well thats not good to hear since I just bought it a week ago

I would attempt to return it and get another brand of recorder while I liked my PD6 back in 2003ish when it came out it is now a obsolete and unsupported piece of equipment from Fostex. a 744T or 788T or if timecode isn't important one of the newer Tascam machines would be a much better choice

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Hmm this is odd... Now its deciding to work again. Still I think its time to upgrade to a more reliable recorder.

Yes, mine did that as well. It started out an an intermittent problem. You can probably press the DVD-RAM drive door down and sometimes it works. Before you know it, the drive will die. I figured a costly repair may not be worth it. That machine is way outdated. If the drive dies, it can still be used as a heavy/power hungry 6 channel ENG mixer with timecode out. ;) The preamps and limiters sounds great in my opinion.

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Never saw this on my PD-6. I never had anything that a reboot didn't fix. You can try emailing/calling Fostex, but never had a lot of luck with that. Maybe somebody knows a 3rd party that repairs Fostex gear.

There is no Fostex factory tech support for Fostex pro gear in the states.

Eric

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It doesn't mean that the drive has "fried". There is a ribbon cable that connects the internal drive to the mother board, and they have been known to lose contact.This was common enough that our Nashville service shop used to do some preventive maintenance items that included a dab of cement to keep the cable in its connector. It's been a while since I opened one up, but I think you could open it and reseat the ribbon connector.

Glen Trew

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There is no Fostex factory tech support for Fostex pro gear in the states. Eric

Yup, I emailed somebody overseas and got a worthless reply a week or two later. Granted this was a few years ago, but it was frustrating. A company that's active in our world, and provides quality support, was a major factor in buying my current multi-track machine. Lesson learned!

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If someone would figure out a CF card coversion for the PD-6, that would revive an otherwise great sounding machine.

I'm guessing it will not happen. There was talk of such a conversion, but it doesn't seem like the efforts panned out. It is too bad those machines are crippled by their choice of media.

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There was someone who posted over at perchman.com ( French sound news group) who was able to adapt a consumer hitachi

Camcorder drive to replace his fried pd6 DVD ram drive. Cheap if you know what your doing.

Perchman.com --- phorums- materials- about 3-4 pages deep in the archive. Google translate does a good enough of a job

to make it readable in English.

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