Rhodes Chroma Polaris

Hi, New Chroma Polaris user, and I've got a problem, wondering if any of you have an idea.

I get random Pitch bend drift, like the following:

11:53:37.336 From MIDISPORT 2x2 Port B Pitch Wheel 1 -1408
11:53:37.359 From MIDISPORT 2x2 Port B Pitch Wheel 1 -1152
11:53:37.696 From MIDISPORT 2x2 Port B Pitch Wheel 1 -896
11:53:37.718 From MIDISPORT 2x2 Port B Pitch Wheel 1 -768
11:53:37.730 From MIDISPORT 2x2 Port B Pitch Wheel 1 -640
11:53:38.099 From MIDISPORT 2x2 Port B Pitch Wheel 1 -512
11:53:38.258 From MIDISPORT 2x2 Port B Pitch Wheel 1 -896
11:53:38.437 From MIDISPORT 2x2 Port B Pitch Wheel 1 -1024
11:53:38.449 From MIDISPORT 2x2 Port B Pitch Wheel 1 -1152

I've replaced the pitch bend and modulation pots, with no luck, and tried a different MIDI interface. I've recalibrated the pitch and mod levers with no luck.

It seems to go away for a bit if I reset the Polaris, but eventually starts drifting again in spurts if I use the pitch level. I can workaround by setting the Pitch Bend Lever range to zero, but then I miss out on the pedal steel pitch bend fun.

Any ideas?

Jesse

> From: jesseterry
>
> Hi, New Chroma Polaris user, and I've got a problem,
> wondering if any of you have an idea.
>
> I get random Pitch bend drift, like the following:
>
> 11:53:37.336 From MIDISPORT 2x2 Port B Pitch Wheel
> 1 -1408
> 11:53:37.359 From MIDISPORT 2x2 Port B Pitch Wheel
> 1 -1152
> 11:53:37.696 From MIDISPORT 2x2 Port B Pitch Wheel
> 1 -896
> 11:53:37.718 From MIDISPORT 2x2 Port B Pitch Wheel
> 1 -768
> 11:53:37.730 From MIDISPORT 2x2 Port B Pitch Wheel
> 1 -640
> 11:53:38.099 From MIDISPORT 2x2 Port B Pitch Wheel
> 1 -512
> 11:53:38.258 From MIDISPORT 2x2 Port B Pitch Wheel
> 1 -896
> 11:53:38.437 From MIDISPORT 2x2 Port B Pitch Wheel
> 1 -1024
> 11:53:38.449 From MIDISPORT 2x2 Port B Pitch Wheel
> 1 -1152
>
> I've replaced the pitch bend and modulation pots, with no
> luck, and tried a different MIDI interface. I've recalibrated
> the pitch and mod levers with no luck.
>
> It seems to go away for a bit if I reset the Polaris, but
> eventually starts drifting again in spurts if I use the pitch
> level. I can workaround by setting the Pitch Bend Lever range
> to zero, but then I miss out on the pedal steel pitch bend fun.
>
> Any ideas?

You'll have to trace through the circuit with a meter, always measuring
relative to the same ground, preferably near the A/D converter on the
main board. The levers get their power from analog +12V on the panel
board, so see if that moves concurrently with your pitch wheel MIDI
output changing. The signals then go down to the main board, where
they're converted to digital using a reference derived from analog +5V,
so see if that moves. The reference is divided down from +5V with a
trimpot (R45), so see if the output of that is stable. It could also be
bad op-amps along the way, bad 4051 multiplexers, or even a bad A/D
converter (Z53).

--

Ciao, Paul D. DeRocco
Paul mailto:pderocco@...

Thank you for the detailed and fast response. Probably a bit over my head, but perhaps I'll get there someday...
Jesse

--- In chromapolaris@yahoogroups.com, "Paul D. DeRocco" <pderocco@...> wrote:
>
> > From: jesseterry
> >
> > Hi, New Chroma Polaris user, and I've got a problem,
> > wondering if any of you have an idea.
> >
> > I get random Pitch bend drift, like the following:
> >
> > 11:53:37.336 From MIDISPORT 2x2 Port B Pitch Wheel
> > 1 -1408
> > 11:53:37.359 From MIDISPORT 2x2 Port B Pitch Wheel
> > 1 -1152
> > 11:53:37.696 From MIDISPORT 2x2 Port B Pitch Wheel
> > 1 -896
> > 11:53:37.718 From MIDISPORT 2x2 Port B Pitch Wheel
> > 1 -768
> > 11:53:37.730 From MIDISPORT 2x2 Port B Pitch Wheel
> > 1 -640
> > 11:53:38.099 From MIDISPORT 2x2 Port B Pitch Wheel
> > 1 -512
> > 11:53:38.258 From MIDISPORT 2x2 Port B Pitch Wheel
> > 1 -896
> > 11:53:38.437 From MIDISPORT 2x2 Port B Pitch Wheel
> > 1 -1024
> > 11:53:38.449 From MIDISPORT 2x2 Port B Pitch Wheel
> > 1 -1152
> >
> > I've replaced the pitch bend and modulation pots, with no
> > luck, and tried a different MIDI interface. I've recalibrated
> > the pitch and mod levers with no luck.
> >
> > It seems to go away for a bit if I reset the Polaris, but
> > eventually starts drifting again in spurts if I use the pitch
> > level. I can workaround by setting the Pitch Bend Lever range
> > to zero, but then I miss out on the pedal steel pitch bend fun.
> >
> > Any ideas?
>
> You'll have to trace through the circuit with a meter, always measuring
> relative to the same ground, preferably near the A/D converter on the
> main board. The levers get their power from analog +12V on the panel
> board, so see if that moves concurrently with your pitch wheel MIDI
> output changing. The signals then go down to the main board, where
> they're converted to digital using a reference derived from analog +5V,
> so see if that moves. The reference is divided down from +5V with a
> trimpot (R45), so see if the output of that is stable. It could also be
> bad op-amps along the way, bad 4051 multiplexers, or even a bad A/D
> converter (Z53).
>
> --
>
> Ciao, Paul D. DeRocco
> Paul mailto:pderocco@...
>