PlanetZ forums - scopeusers.com

Just posting a letter to creamware support here. Maybe you guys know something?



I've been using a pulsar 2 (2001) and a project card (2004) for some time now.
I had a feeling they cannot communicate with eachother. I've a highly recommended system
(Intel d865perl mobo, enough memory,lots of free hd space, standard pc mode, switched off everything in the bios I don't use) but I never managed to get a stable setup.

So what's wrong,
I don't get an error message. Instead of that, my dsp's won't load.In the dsp load menu, the number reads zero. When I touch the stdm-cable it can be that the meter runs up again.I don't want to do this often because it's dangerous and I can damage the cards also.
I am searching to find a way to really make that cable stuck to its contacts as I cannot manage to do it.
Is there an alternative for it? I hope there is because these are really good cards and I really don't want to sell them because of a cable that is loose.

What did I do already to try making it work?
- I tried other new stdm-cables and connected them in every possible way, it didn't help.
- I cleaned the contacts with pure alcohol, It didn't help either.
- I used every possible pci slot combination, also didn't help (ofcourse)

What can I do?



<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: cream on 2005-08-01 10:36 ]</font>

Email ralph at CW...

if you touch the cable, you'll also move the card in it's slot and against the backside of the case.

if you have this symptom with clean contacts and different cables it's very, very unlikely that the cable is the source.

it could be a ground issue, as not all computer cases are properly grounded (surface, color etc).
you'd be amazed HOW MUCH power potential such a case can induce

something inside the cable whip is broken

the card is not properly aligned in the slot due to mechanic tension.


any of these could trigger a reaction if you touch the cable.

cheers, Tom

ps: hardcore method to fix a STDM cable, but definetely not recommanded, unless you take full responsibility yourself...

there are cable connectors like the ones used for IDE drives, available as twin line posts (in long strips).
They exactly match the distance of the contacts.
Break of the appropriate number, place right on the STDM contacts and fix them by careful soldering with quality stuff.
Your card gets a kind of mohawk this way to hold a totally unmovable cable...

as mentioned: don't do it at home - it's more of a case study - or maybe a last resort for those suffering the (verified !) contact plague repeatingly.

Needless to mention it will NOT CURE symptoms like the ones mentioned above and you'll loose warranty and any exchange or replacement services (possibly) offered by CWA !!!

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: astroman on 2005-07-25 14:17 ]</font>

Well I emailed creamware before I posted this topic and they say they can do nothing about it.

As simple as that.

Just bought my project card in 2004 and didn't enjoy it so far.What a waste of money.

it is not a waste of money and it could simply be a bad couple of STDM. did you try both STDM connectors on the cards.

I have changed STDM cable more than once.
they do go bad. some are abit loose.

astroman gave you few ideas to try (except the one that may lead to forfeiting your warranty)

did you try any of them. it help really to note what measures you took to try to remedy this.



<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: antar on 2005-07-28 11:17 ]</font>

I have done everything I could.

I really don't know what to do now and was hoping for an answer from creamware.

ralf just got back from vacation and if you email him directly and give him couple of days to settle in he will get back to you with suggestions. the ralf is good.

email: rb@creamware.de

I already emailed him. His suggestion was to buy a professional scope board.

Have you tried using just a single card at a time, see if they work well by themselves? Like just the Pulsar2 or just the Project card in the system?

Yes I did. They perform excellent. I think it's just the stdm connection but I cannot get it right.

well, i think that astroman's post about sums it up.

if different cables don't help, then i would really suspect that there wasn't some other issue, such as the ones astroman suggested. if it IS the stdm bus on the card, then hard wiring it(on only one end i'd think..i doubt it if BOTH cards have bad contacts!)might be the only way to save it.(since it's not in warranty anymore, i assume)

it's a drag, but this should be fixable one way or another cheaply. it just might take a little(more)effort..are you CERTAIN that the problem is the stdm cable, and not another problem fixed by moving the card slightly?

you probably can't hurt the card or yourself if you avoid touching the actual circuits. just wiggling the card, being sure it's seated and moving the stdm cable as well as moving the whip all should be very safe for you and the card as long as you are free of static.....

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: garyb on 2005-07-28 23:58 ]</font>

I'm certain that it is the stdm connection.
If i touch the cable a little the dsp load shoots up.However i will not do it everytime. It CAN go wrong some day.
What do you mean by hard wiring gary?

btw.I didn't have this problem in two months.
Sometimes after I adjust the stdm cable right, the next time when I start up the dsp meter show zero.
And I didn't touch anything.
Strange isn't it?

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: cream on 2005-07-29 08:40 ]</font>

cream, the problem is you cannot touch the STDM cable without also moving the card, so you can never be sure.
I once had an AGP card that used move out of position by regular thermal effects. It appeared completely tight in the slot, yet the PC didn't boot...

If the PC isn't grounded properly (or in some strange way) even your finger approaching the cable can have an influence.
ground problems ARE the wierdest stuff one can imagine technically - no rules apply, anything goes

it's just unlikely that 2 (or more) STDM cables have the exact same flaw - or are the card's contacts REALLY corroded ?

with 'hardwiring' GaryB means the above written procedure to solder a row of different contacts on top of the STDM connector, which is rather simple as the size matches.
That would cure connector problems, but I really doubt that this is the source.

Anyway there's a kind of 'high power conductive grease' available in specialized electronics repair.
If contact quality is the problem, then this should solve it.

cheers, tom

First, thanks for your reactions.I really appreciate it.
The fact is that the cards work perfect seperately.So the grounding is ok I guess..
Please tell me your opinion. Maybe i'll try the grease if I can't find the problem.

try the conductive grease before hardwiring.
that is the safest thing to try first.

about the grease.
If I use it on the contacts it will connect all gold plated contacts with eachother. That really doesn't sound good to me.

afaik, such a grease is really not conductive, it keeps the contacts from oxidizing. astro, confirmation?

also, it is doubtful that both cards have a problem....

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: garyb on 2005-07-29 12:03 ]</font>

I had Stabilant 22 in mind - tho grease isn't really a good description...
http://www.posthorn.com/Stab_2.html

Valis once mentioned Caig DeOxit in this context
http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/aug98/a ... nters.html

cheers, Tom

stabilant looks really good!

It must be when it's that expensive!