I'm new to the forum.
I bought a B-Control from the bay. I'm really happy with the machine because I can now access to the Volca FM (1.09) parameters.
the B-Control has several issues. I still can play it but I must adapt the programs so I avoid touching the problematic areas.
but maybe someone knows how is possible to repair. Maybe in some cases there are easy solutions.
so I must describe the issues:
-1- the group button (top right corner) no. 2 don't switch very easy. Actually sometimes it is switching the machine to the next preset, or just ignoring when I press (lits the LED very quick, then back to previous group). But when it ignores: the 3rd push encoder will be copied to the 4th push encoder (but not stored). So, after a while I can get the 2nd group (but usually on another preset) so then I can come back on original preset and everything is ok.
-2- the preset "back" doesn't work properly especially on high preset numbers. This can be complicate because of previous issue. In worst case I try to switch the 2nd group of encoders, so it switches (issue -1-) to next preset and so on. Then I'm blocked on top presets. I can come back to first preset but the group encoders (press preset+push encoder) are also not easy (see issue -4-). In this way, only the second encoder can change preset with (preset+push encoder), and all the push encoders are a bit problematic with sensibility. So my solution it to make the global parameter with preset 1 at start. It all sounds complicate but I found a way to avoid the problems by not assigning anything on group2.
-3- in each row the LEDs of the encoders are duplicating themselves to the 2nd encoder. Doesn't hurt anything for playing.
-3bis- One of the push encoder duplicates it's LED to 2 encoders if the lowest row, but not in every situation. Couldn't notice exactly when it happens, I'll try to be more precise. But it doesn't hurt for playing.
-4- the push encoder no.3 is very hazardous. It's ok when I turn very slow. But if I turn quick the value changes very hazardous. For example switching from 34 to 95 then 126, then back on 8 (this are just example, maybe there is a logic so I need to describe more precisely how are the jumps). Doesn't hurt a lot, I just must be slow. The other push encoders are almost the same but just on a small range, where the 3rd encoder can jump hundreds.
-5- back to second group button. if I press (edit+ group button), makes nothing for the group 1,3 and 4 buttons. But if I press (edit+2nd group) the machine try to check something on Midi cable. It is thinking (the screen shows this snake turning) and the small LED shows midi activity. Doesn't hurt but I'd like to know if it is normal.
-6- seems to me, I can have many way to make a panic reset. But as for now, I've never notice any change in the settings when it happened. I also must describe this more precisely on how I had panic reset suddenly coming.
thanks for the attention!! Maybe there is a very easy solution: one capacitor to change, or maybe few of them. Or maybe it is even more easy with just some previous presets that I can't see.. previous owner used to play on FL DAW and maybe there are some fonctions that I couldn't delete but still are in the machine. So maybe it's possible to find them?
You describe most of your problems as hardware-related.
There may indeed be some defective buttons or encoders that mess things up.
However, I suspect that some of these problems are software-related, i.e. caused by the definitions of the presets left on the machine by the previous owner.
For instance point 2:
Whether a button works properly hardware-wise can't depend on the current preset number.
Most likely the "back" button has been redefined as a "normal" button in some of the presets, so that its "back" function doesn't work.
In BCL (the language used by the BCF/BCR2000) this setting is called ".lock". This is described in section 13.6 of "BC MIDI Implementation.pdf" ("BCMI"), downloadable from https://mountainutilities.eu/bc2000.
(In the preset dialog box in BC Manager this setting is called "Function of preset keys".)
Similarly, point 4 might be software-related:
Each encoder has four "resolution" settings, which determine how fast the value changes as the user changes the turning speed. (See section 17.3 in BCMI.)
Then again, the encoder might indeed have a hardware problem: be "rusty" or whatever.
In any case, before assuming that your device has any hardware faults, you should eliminate all software-related problems, i.e. problems caused by the definitions of the presets left by the previous owner.
One simple thing you can do to temporarily work with a clean preset is to hold STORE and EXIT while switching the POWER button on. (See section 22 (in particular 22.2) of BCMI for further discussion of this.)
Then you can make your own button and encoder definitions, so any weird behavior then must indeed be due to hardware faults.
You might also want to start using BC Manager to work with your B-Control.
Among many other things, it can download, edit and upload all presets. So if you download the presets left on your device by the previous owner, it should become clear very quickly to what extent your problems are caused by preset settings.
BC Manager also allows you to find out if any buttons or encoders have hardware problems: see MIDI -> Maintenance -> "Test hardware" in section 10 of the BC Manager manual.
Hope this helps,
Mark.
Thanks so much for the answer!!!
I downloaded BC Manager, installed it but somehow couldn't acces to the BCR. I'm on MacBook and USB so that's probably why it doesn't work. Do I need to use a USB/Midi cable? I'm afraid I do not have any other solution to connect the machine with the computer.
Sorry I've tried again and finally I could use BC manager. Now I see the quantity of work you've done and of course a donation makes sense.
I could check many things, but for now the best I could find is to use the exit+store and again enter all my presets manually. Later on I'll check BC-Manager again to tune the presets a bit more.
i guess my main issue for now is the group switch No2 that doesn't switch properly. I couldn't find any hidden command on a preset level; maybe there are other levels to look at? but I still don't know exactly where to find those eventual commands.
the second main issue is this LED transposition from encoders to the 2nd encoder ring of each row. There seem to be something related to hardware. Do you know if maybe there could some weak capacitor generating problems only on second column of encoders? (I don't really know how the circuit is done).
Each preset has a setting that controls how many of the four encoder group buttons actually function as group switchers, and how many function as redefined, "normal" buttons.
See section 13.4 in "BC MIDI Implementation.pdf" for further discussion.
(In BC Manager's preset dialog box this setting is called "Encoder groups".)
I'm not sure whether this setting explains your problem though. If not, switch 2 might indeed have a hardware problem.
If you're absolutely sure it's not due to the encoder definitions in the presets, it must indeed be a hardware problem.
I'm not an expert on the electronics of the BCR, so I can't help you in this respect.
I vaguely remember coming across a circuit diagram of the BCF and/or BCR, but I have no idea where. (It could even be that my memory is faulty and that this was a diagram of a different device...)
Maybe somebody else in the forum knows, or you could try to use a search engine.
Mark.
About the 2nd column « ghost LED » issue..
I’ve just been reading on internet about possible cause that could be a « bad shift register ».. can you explain me what does that mean?
It possibly could solve this also for my case.