RM100 Midi Problem

[KillTone]

Hey All:

Had a gig Saturday and could not get my midi controller to change channels on my RM100. I am using a Line 6 POD HD 500 for effects and to change channels. I have been using this for about a year with no issues.

This time, when I hit a channel change I could hear the amp make a sound like it recieved the signal but the channel would not change. Actually was not really a sound but more of that really fast drop out you her when the channel changes.

I was able to get it to work intermittantly by pulling and re-pluggin the cable from the amp but it would only work for a short time (maybe a song or 2).

Is this a cable or midi board problem?

Thanks

 

[Nightdare]

Sounds like it switched to the same channel

For starters, try you floorboard directly into the RM

Or perhaps reindex the channels on the RM to the footcontroller commands
or look at the PC commands in the HD

if not,...you have a problem

 

[KillTone]

Thanks for the response. I'll try out those suggestions.

 

[ncsouthpaw]

FYI I've read on here that plugging/unplugging the midi cable with the amp on can blow a fuse somewhere that is a pain to replace, so keep that in mind.

 

[KillTone]

Thanks for the input guys. I bought a new midi cable and sprayed the hell out of the midi plugs with contact cleaner. Works fine now.

A friend of mine was telling me that when the power is not good sometimes midi controllers can get flakey. Not sure if that was the case or the stuff I did "fixed" it.

The power at the club we were playing was ridiculously bad. One 30 amp circuit for the whole band - backline and PA.

 

[Aaronharmon]

FYI I've read on here that plugging/unplugging the midi cable with the amp on can blow a fuse somewhere that is a pain to replace, so keep that in mind.

I have had that happen. First day I owned the head in fact. It's really not as bad as it used to be. The original fuse was soldered to the board. The more recent ones were replaceable.

 

[gag halfrunt]

Thanks for the input guys. I bought a new midi cable and sprayed the hell out of the midi plugs with contact cleaner. Works fine now.

A friend of mine was telling me that when the power is not good sometimes midi controllers can get flakey. Not sure if that was the case or the stuff I did "fixed" it.

The power at the club we were playing was ridiculously bad. One 30 amp circuit for the whole band - backline and PA.

Wow, that's pretty meager for the entire band.

A line/voltage regulator (like the Furman 1215) is worth the investment. Unlike typical low end Furman crap, this actually stores up power in a bunch of capacitors and gives you good, clean power for your device. It also provides the power at safe voltages.

The 1215 is rackmounted, so it's usually not a piece of gear that head/cab guys think of, but it's worth its weight in gold.

Well, at today's gold prices, maybe not, but you get the point