Topic: digi-mod ua-5 to jb3 via optical help

[jdh263]

Ok, i finished modding my ua-5 and i don't know if there is a problem or what.  When i power up the ua-5 the red optical light comes on, when i plug it into the jb3 and start recording the jb3 selects the sample rate (it did it for 44.1 and 48) BUT the monitors on the jb3 don't say anything and nothing gets recorded.  i have the SP optical cable that everyone talks about.
When i plug the mics in and tap them the peak light comes on, but i can't monitor it through the outputs or the monitor jack.
I have tried recording with mics and with the rca jacks on the back, but i still don't get anything.

Please help me, i am lost...

[Diggin]

doing optical in?

[Lester Flatts]

doing optical in?

I just did my own digimod, and I second checking the obvious first.  Make sure the jb3 is recording optical-in.  Then, swap optical cables out (I had the SP cable too, despite my gentle handling it crapped out after very little use.) though if you're getting sample rate readings, yours is probably good.   Finally, re-check your soldering work, I had to tin the hell out of the jumper wire ends before I could get it to keep.

[jdh263]

i re checked the soldering, re did it, and i am pretty sure there is a connection.  i am using optical out on the ua-5 and opt in on the jb3.  it rec source is analog

would the light on the optical out still come on if the mod wasn't done correctly?

[jdh263]

on the front of the ua-5 is where it says rec source and analog is selected, i tried digital also- neither worked.
I took off r8 and i still can't monitor through headphones
my jb3 screen is the same as yours

[jdh263]

same settings, no luck

[jdh263]

i don't have any other optical source, or at least i don't think i do.  this sucks but thanks for all the help so far

[Lester Flatts]

If you have Tivo or any other digital component in your home theater/stereo system, try taking an optical out straight into the jb3.  It will be line level, but you should still get an indication of levels on the jb3 screen.  I tape Austin City Limits this way out of my Tivo.  That will tell you if the jb3 optical-in is functional.

Otherwise, I'd redo the jumper.  I had to go through 3 attempts before it would take, don't be afraid to re-work it.  PM me if you want, we'll try to get that ua5 working.

[dklein]

Here's how you can check step 2 (the jumper)

Put an analog source into the UA-5 (front or rear inputs, doesn't matter)
Turn up the gain so you can see the peak light on the UA-5 flickering
Confirm the signal by plugging headphones into the front of the UA-5 - the monitor sw should be on, turn the volume and output knobs halfway or until you hear something
Now...turn the monitor sw button off (not lit).
If you stopped hearing music on the headphones, then your jumper is not good.

The reason this works is because the jumper connects the ADC directly to the DAC used for monitoring and puts the UA-5 into permanent monitoring status.  I should add this check to the digimod instructions....

[fozzy]

Here's how you can check step 2 (the jumper)

Put an analog source into the UA-5 (front or rear inputs, doesn't matter)
Turn up the gain so you can see the peak light on the UA-5 flickering
Confirm the signal by plugging headphones into the front of the UA-5 - the monitor sw should be on, turn the volume and output knobs halfway or until you hear something
Now...turn the monitor sw button off (not lit).
If you stopped hearing music on the headphones, then your jumper is not good.

The reason this works is because the jumper connects the ADC directly to the DAC used for monitoring and puts the UA-5 into permanent monitoring status.  I should add this check to the digimod instructions....

that is good info +T

[jdh263]

i had an analog source in the back, the peak light was flickering, but i got nothing through the headphones with the monitor switch both on and off and the knobs all the way up

also i looked on the back of the tivo but there is no optical out

[SuperDave]

i re checked the soldering, re did it, and i am pretty sure there is a connection.  i am using optical out on the ua-5 and opt in on the jb3.  it rec source is analog

would the light on the optical out still come on if the mod wasn't done correctly?

you say the JB3 source says analog?  You should set it to optical-in unless I'm missing something in translation.  (see pic)

That wouldn't explain why you're not hearing anything from the UA5's headphone out, however.  That is still an issue correct?

I'm not dead certain but if you get a red light from the optical out socket on the UA5, then I'd expect it to be good to go.

Just for fun, did you cut the trace to R8 or remove it?

One more question and don't take this wrong, but did you not get a user's manual with the JB3?

The red light for the optical out will be on regardless of whether you jumpered correctly.  I turned mine on before I did the digi-mod and still got the lights.

It sounds like the jumper isn't giving a signal.  You may have to resolder.

[jdh263]

from ebay

if anyone thinks they can try doing this jumper for me i would really appreciate it.  I don't want to keep trying and mess it up where it won't work.

[Lester Flatts]

from ebay

if anyone thinks they can try doing this jumper for me i would really appreciate it.  I don't want to keep trying and mess it up where it won't work.

Man, I'd offer to do it, but here is the thing.  I successfully modded MY UA-5, but that's no guarantee that I could do yours.  And if I screwed up your box, at best I'd feel like a tool, at worst you'd be really pissed at me and more.  So that is the dilemma.

[jdh263]

anyone else think they could tackle this for me.  I don't want to put pressure on anyone, so if you have done a few of these before and are confident in you work mabey you could help me.  I will hook you up with whatever i can

[dklein]

i had an analog source in the back, the peak light was flickering, but i got nothing through the headphones with the monitor switch both on and off and the knobs all the way up

This shouldn't be.  No part of the mod should interrupt the monitoring unless you slipped with the solder.  If you can, hook the UA-5 up to a pc (thru USB), load up the drivers and try recording something.  I don't know if the UA-5 peak light is driven before or after the ADC so we don't know if the signal is reaching the ADC or not. 

If you have a digital camera, maybe you could post a really close up pic of the jumper area?

...did the UA-5 work before the mod?

[Stumptown Matt]

I know this may sound stupid, but did you turn the phantom power on?

[jdh263]

hooked it up through the usb and got nothing on the pc  
I don't have a digital camera but i am almost positive the soldering is correct, not pretty, but right.

maybe i got a broken ua-5, i tested it and it was playing the music from the computer before the mod, but it doesn't work now.

i am so lost....

edit can't spell, and +t's to everyone that helped (when i can)

[dklein]

hooked it up through the usb and got nothing on the pc  
I don't have a digital camera but i am almost positive the soldering is correct, not pretty, but right.

do some continuity checks with neighboring holes - especially the little group of 3 on the left side of the jumper (not the one by R35...the other end).  Magnifiying glass or loupe required!

it was playing the music from the computer before the mod, but it doesn't work now.

yeah, that stops working if you did step 1 properly.  Too bad you didn't try putting some signal into the UA-5 just so we'd know if we're trying to chase down something new or not.

[jdh263]

i had a meter, but it is mia, i will try to find one...

edit: i will have one tomorrow

[jdh263]

well, its monday and still no meter, i am about to give up on this thing, if anyone can help me i will get you back anyway i can.

[jdh263]

after walking away from this project, i decided to try again.  I took the jumper out and re did it.  tinned the hell out of the wires....and now IT WORKS!!!  i guess it just needed a break.

thanks for all your help, +ts all around

[fozzy]

Sometimes it helps to just walk away.  especially soldering small things.  left a project on the bench for months with nothing but problems and just picked it back up a few weeks back and all the problem mysteriously were fixed after i re-did some of my work

[SuperDave]

after walking away from this project, i decided to try again.  I took the jumper out and re did it.  tinned the hell out of the wires....and now IT WORKS!!!  i guess it just needed a break.

thanks for all your help, +ts all around

Rock on, +t

[dklein]

good to hear man. +t