Disklavier

After years of trouble-free use, my Mark III controller has suddenly crapped out. It might have been due to a power surge as the power went out last night and I had the piano plugged directly into a wall outlet instead of a surge protector.

The controller no longer plays CDs (the screen goes blank when the CD player light flashes) and it no longer plays the piano keys. It does still play floppies, which can be heard through the internal tone generator. But not on the default channel 1. I have to switch to channel 2 or another number for the left channel. If the right channel is changed to channel 1, the sound disappears. It seems like it still can record my playing, but it doesn't generate any tones on playback, not even when I switch to channel 2.

So for now I can still play tunes through the tone generator with the floppies and through my iPad by mapping the Sweet Midi Player channel 1 to channel 2. But my guess is that I'm out of luck for anything else -- unless anyone has suggestions.

I guess I'll have to live with it as is, or spend $1,500 for a DKC850, assuming they're still making them But my concern is that it might not even work if there's been some other damage to the key sensoring mechanism.

Anyone have any thoughts?

The DKC-850 will NOT solve your problems. 

If there was a surge, you probably have a power supply problem. The first place to check are the fuses in the power supply.

You need to get your piano working BEFORE you upgrade to a DKC-850.

Bill
Love God. Love People. Make a difference.


On Jun 20, 2017, at 8:58 PM, daveproberts@... [disklavier] <disklavier@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

Correction: I just checked and the piano is in fact plugged into a surge protector power strip. So I don't know what has caused the problem.

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Have you tried unplugging the unit and then plugging it back into the wall outlet - not a surge protector?  Is the wall outlet grounded - as in a 3-prong outlet?  Is this a grand piano?  Sometimes Mark III Grand piano Disklaviers wake up thinking they are uprights.  What exactly does the opening screen say?  Is the volume knob on the left box under the keys turned up?  Is the keyboard turned on - as is keyboard out turned on?

MarkIII Disklaviers have always been my favorite, but sometimes they can be strange little beasts.  Also check the fuses.  Do you have a Disklavier technician?

I personally keep my Disklavier unplugged from the wall until I am ready to use it.  Best surge protection I know of !

Carol Beigel


Sent from my iPhone

> On Jun 21, 2017, at 4:09 PM, daveproberts@... [disklavier] <disklavier@yahoogroups.com> wrote:
> 
> 
> 
> Update: A generous member of this group has offered to give me his Mark III controller, which he's no longer using, having upgraded to a model with a DKC850. That's very kind of him, what a great group this is. Hopefully, that will take care of the problem. 
> 
> But the info on the inadequacy of most power strips has me concerned. If it was a power surge that caused this, it didn't affect anything else in the house and I've never had a problem before. So I'm not sure what to do short of investing in expensive power protection or pulling the plug on the piano when not using it.
> 
> 
>

Yes, this a very good thing to check. After entering test mode there will be a screen that shows model, version, etc.  Use the Yes/No button to set the piano type and the Record button to select whether or not the instrument is a silent mode ("S")

The display looks something like this:
V4.20  Mar 23 2001
55RCD  ENG  REC. GP. DB50

This piano would have v4.20 software, a 55RCD control box, English language, have Record capability, be a grand piano, and have a built-in daughter board tone generator DB51

Carol Beigel




Sent from my iPhone

> On Jun 22, 2017, at 5:35 AM, tnmshd@... [disklavier] <disklavier@yahoogroups.com> wrote:
> 
> 
> 
> I recommend you to enter test mode and check history.
> 
> Push L,R key with power switch.
> Forward with Y key.
> Error history display.
> Push play key
> Check Error history message.
> Push play key.
> End.
> 
> Did you see the message?　
> Piano power off thermo / PWM over.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>

Stop! 

Let's review the issues. Re-tell me what is specifically the problem.

Bill
Love God. Love People. Make a difference.


On Jun 22, 2017, at 6:47 PM, daveproberts@... [disklavier] <disklavier@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

I went into test mode, but there was no error history display. It just reads "CONTROL SHEET."

I went through the tests, but they did not reveal anything and had no effect.
I did find the model data, which is similar to that listed by Carol.

I think I'm out of luck with this unit. Hopefully, the replacement controller will bring my C2 back to life.

No, it doesn't play in Silent Mode and the sensor sheet test is not one of the options that comes up when I enter test mode.

Dave,

Not hearing anything in Silent mode and not seeing Sensor Sheet, tells me that either one of the Sensor boards (sheets) is defective, or the key/hammer sensing system has been disconnected.

If you record a song playing the right pedal and then the left pedal, and then save the file, during song playback do the pedals play back?

Bill
Love God. Love People. Make a difference.


On Jun 25, 2017, at 10:52 PM, Dave Roberts daveproberts@sbcglobal.net [disklavier] <disklavier@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

No, it doesn't play in Silent Mode and the sensor sheet test is not one of the options that comes up when I enter test mode.

Ok Dave, 

It sounds like the Sensor board on the treble end of the action stack is bad, or the connections from the pedals key and hammers are bad.

Bill
Love God. Love People. Make a difference.


On Jun 26, 2017, at 5:44 PM, daveproberts@... [disklavier] <disklavier@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

I'm sorry, I don't see the attachment.

Darren, 

Before you replace the Sensor  board, if you do a Record/Playback test, do ANY keys play back.

Record/Playback test involves playing each key chromatically during record mode. Do ANY keys play back?

Bill

On Jun 26, 2017, at 10:49 PM, Bill Brandom billbrando@... [disklavier] <disklavier@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

Ok Dave, 

It sounds like the Sensor board on the treble end of the action stack is bad, or the connections from the pedals key and hammers are bad.

Bill
Love God. Love People. Make a difference.


On Jun 26, 2017, at 5:44 PM, daveproberts@... [disklavier] <disklavier@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

 
I'm sorry, I don't see the attachment.

Dave,

Martin is an electronics expert. His information is valid. See if you can find a Disklavier (or other piano technician) to call about buying the PK CTRL board. They should be able to get it at a better  price and they may pass those savings to you.

Bill
Love God. Love People. Make a difference.


On Jul 31, 2017, at 8:10 PM, daveproberts@... [disklavier] <disklavier@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

Bill,


It looks like you were right. Martin Arroyo, the tech guru at the Yamaha Service Department, believes it's a problem with the PK Control board based on the blank screen at PK CTL SHEET test mode. Unfortunately, it's going to cost nearly $1,000 to replace it.

Thanks again for your help.

Dave

Dave

I had a problem with my mark 3 a few years back. When you wiggles the cable on the treble end do the red Light's come on and off ? A board had to be replaced as it was an intermittent connection problem.

Sent from my iPhone

> On 29 Jul 2017, at 21:31, daveproberts@... [disklavier] <disklavier@yahoogroups.com> wrote:
> 
> UPDATE:
> 
> I want to thank everyone for their help and advice on my problem. After one of the generous members of this group sent me his no-longer-needed Mark III controller, I plugged it in and experienced the same problem. Which, of course, made me realize the controller is not the problem.
> 
> It turns out that the cable connection from the piano to the controller has three prongs missing. That should have been the first thing I checked, but for some reason it never occurred to me. So the controller is receiving enough data from the remaining prongs to turn it on and operate some functions, but not enough to work data properly.
> 
> My question now is: How do I replace this cable? The other end goes into the amplifier. Is this a simple matter of opening up the amplifier housing, pulling out the bad cable and inserting a good one? Or is it more involved and I should hire a Disklavier technician or electrician?
> 
> Dave
>

I have a Mark 3 .  A few months back it would not play my floppies in the midi form so I changed them to the FIL file and it worked great.My current problem is when I insert a floppy - it says the disc is not formatted and it will not play.
I have pressed a button on the controller and changed something or is it the controller.  Any help would be appreciated.  
Thank You
- Gary L. Hobbs ghobbs_nhs@... 

    On Tuesday, August 1, 2017, 03:29:23 AM EDT, Donal Galvin discodonal@... [disklavier] <disklavier@yahoogroups.com> wrote: