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Looking for information for IDT Soundstyle Processor

B

BROADCAST

I have repaired a IDT FM Soundstyle processor.
This is a 4 band agc and 5 band limiter/clipper processor,it consists of a control card,2 eq and clipper cars,2 4 band agc cards and 10 dynamic processor cards.

I have contacted IDT for information and they pointed me to the ftp site,but they told me they do not supply any tech manuals/schematics for their products.

I have an old dos program to connect to it via serial but it is quirky at best,i do have a later software for this type of processor but the firmware version on the control board is too old to run it.

Has anyone got and firmware updates and tech info for this processor,also does anyone have a stereo generator card for this processor?

I know this processor is old but it would be nice to work correctly.

Thanks,
Paul.
 
Contact ModulomaXX on this forum, i think he knows.

Regards,

Evert
 
BROADCAST said:
I have repaired a IDT FM Soundstyle processor.
This is a 4 band agc and 5 band limiter/clipper processor,it consists of a control card,2 eq and clipper cars,2 4 band agc cards and 10 dynamic processor cards.

I have contacted IDT for information and they pointed me to the ftp site,but they told me they do not supply any tech manuals/schematics for their products.

I have an old dos program to connect to it via serial but it is quirky at best,i do have a later software for this type of processor but the firmware version on the control board is too old to run it.

Has anyone got and firmware updates and tech info for this processor,also does anyone have a stereo generator card for this processor?

I know this processor is old but it would be nice to work correctly.

Thanks,
Paul.
Click to expand...

What is your current firmware version ? It's easier to find the corresponding remote because you'll have to upgrade each card, not only the CIB ...
 
Thanks fugazi,will do.

stha the CIB 03 board has CIB 3.20 eprom,and the flash is 3.23.

CPL 2.32
AGC 3.50
PCS 2.20

I can connect using SD 2.80 program,but i can put any group code in to access the processor and adjust it,but the processor will only save the one modified setting,it will not save multiple settings at all.

As i have a eprom programmer i can upgrade the flash as well as the eproms if i had the bin files to do so.

I have also tried SD 4.01 program but i cannot get past the group code/pw start of it.

Thanks,
Paul.
 
BROADCAST said:
Thanks fugazi,will do.

stha the CIB 03 board has CIB 3.20 eprom,and the flash is 3.23.

CPL 2.32
AGC 3.50
PCS 2.20

I can connect using SD 2.80 program,but i can put any group code in to access the processor and adjust it,but the processor will only save the one modified setting,it will not save multiple settings at all.

As i have a eprom programmer i can upgrade the flash as well as the eproms if i had the bin files to do so.

I have also tried SD 4.01 program but i cannot get past the group code/pw start of it.

Thanks,
Paul.
Click to expand...

The SD remote may be used with the SoundDesign series only, it's the main reason of your problem. The SD 4.01 remote will not work even for a Sound Design 2.80 hardware. Ask the IDT "support" for a SoundStyle remote, they should have it somewhere and it was available for download until some months ago, maybe they decided to charge for it now ;). It may be also possible to reset to group code from the hardware because it will be required with the correct remote. Not sure if I understood your settings problem, but I always stored my preset files in my PC and the current ON AIR preset in the SD. Also think to replace a lot of caps as the IDT analog series are suffering from age...
 
The processor is a Sound Design (as printed on the motherboard),you are quite right there !
It was originally sold as a AM processor as it has the label on the back,but as it has the CPL boards fitted the AM filter boards must have been removed for the CPL's.

SD 2.80 recognises this processor as an FM Sound Design.

I have replaced the electrolytics for 100u/25v types instead of the old 10u types.

The pdf manual states that you can store 60+ settings on the processor,but i can only get it to store the current one only.

When starting up the SD2.80 program it always asks for a group code,here i can enter anything,then it asks do you want to enter a key code,if i say no it asks the same again,if i say no again it then starts the program.

On the CIB 03 board it has IC9 (ram 32x8) missing,this may be correct on this version.
I have fitted the correct ram here but it makes no difference.

Just as backup i have saved all the other eproms on all boards to bin files.

I have PM'd ModulomaXX,but as yet have received no response,it would be interesting to know if he has any info on this processor.

Thanks again,
Paul.
 
BROADCAST said:
The processor is a Sound Design (as printed on the motherboard),you are quite right there !
It was originally sold as a AM processor as it has the label on the back,but as it has the CPL boards fitted the AM filter boards must have been removed for the CPL's.

SD 2.80 recognises this processor as an FM Sound Design.

I have replaced the electrolytics for 100u/25v types instead of the old 10u types.

The pdf manual states that you can store 60+ settings on the processor,but i can only get it to store the current one only.

When starting up the SD2.80 program it always asks for a group code,here i can enter anything,then it asks do you want to enter a key code,if i say no it asks the same again,if i say no again it then starts the program.

On the CIB 03 board it has IC9 (ram 32x8) missing,this may be correct on this version.
I have fitted the correct ram here but it makes no difference.

Just as backup i have saved all the other eproms on all boards to bin files.

I have PM'd ModulomaXX,but as yet have received no response,it would be interesting to know if he has any info on this processor.

Thanks again,
Paul.
Click to expand...

It's easier to understand now because you were talking about a SoundStyle 5 bands but they are 4 bands only. Yes, it's certainely a RAM problem. With a new SD, you are asked ONCE TIME to enter a group code that becomes your definitive code. If any code is always accepted, it means that you create a new code each time because it's never stored (there's no different windows for creating or entering the group code). This is also confirmed by your presets problem. My CIB 3 also have the IC9 empty.
 
Hi stha,
Reading the manuals for both the Soundstyle and Sound design,the expert version has 4 band agc with 5-7 band limiter/clippers.

As mine has 2 agc cards and 10 limiter/clipper boards it is working as a 4 band agc and 5 band limiter.

Originally when i got the processor i could toggle several presets on the cib 03 up down buttons,i seem to remember it was C0 and C8 came up on the led display.

After i connected with SD2.80 it seems to have wiped those 2 pre sets and now i can only store the current setting in C0.
As i get the groupcde/pw problem on startup i did suspect ram problems,i will change the ram ic's to see if that cures it.
BTW i assume the jumper on the CIB 03 board is to disconnect the storage cap to the ram?
The pdf manual gives no indication to this!

Thanks,
Paul.
 
BROADCAST said:
Hi stha,
Reading the manuals for both the Soundstyle and Sound design,the expert version has 4 band agc with 5-7 band limiter/clippers.

As mine has 2 agc cards and 10 limiter/clipper boards it is working as a 4 band agc and 5 band limiter.

Originally when i got the processor i could toggle several presets on the cib 03 up down buttons,i seem to remember it was C0 and C8 came up on the led display.

After i connected with SD2.80 it seems to have wiped those 2 pre sets and now i can only store the current setting in C0.
As i get the groupcde/pw problem on startup i did suspect ram problems,i will change the ram ic's to see if that cures it.
BTW i assume the jumper on the CIB 03 board is to disconnect the storage cap to the ram?
The pdf manual gives no indication to this!

Thanks,
Paul.
Click to expand...

Sorry for the mistake about the Sound Style audio structure because I only use the Sound Design units (7 bands). I have no idea what the jumper on CIB3 is made for. If nobody helps, you can also ask Vincent Defretin at www.sound4.biz because it was the creator of the Sound Design and later DVP products before leaving IDT.
 
Thanks for the information regarding Vincent Defretin .
I have sent a message to him from the link on the website,it has to be worth a try.

Do you still have your IDT processor?
If you should ever see a stereo generator for this processor please let me know.

BTW i have just realised that you were looking for the 8100a stereo encoder card,did you manage to obtain one?

Thanks,
Paul.
 
BROADCAST said:
Thanks for the information regarding Vincent Defretin .
I have sent a message to him from the link on the website,it has to be worth a try.

Do you still have your IDT processor?
If you should ever see a stereo generator for this processor please let me know.

BTW i have just realised that you were looking for the 8100a stereo encoder card,did you manage to obtain one?

Thanks,
Paul.
Click to expand...

I'm not looking for a 8100 stereo encoder card anymore. I don't have any stereo generator spare card available and, if I don't use my SD anymore, I want to keep it complete. To me, the Sound Design could make a very good pre-processor but it's not enough competitive against today's clippers. This processor is a very good design, all the possible settings are available to the end user but, unlike the Optimods, it was hard to set up for a non expert. Hope that you will apreciate it's very special sonic signature.
 
Yes it does have a distinctive sound,also the processor weighs a lot!

While i can get the processor to sound loud,i cannot seem to get the deep bass up front,and i don't use the pametric eq as it is located after the multiband clippers.

On the early SD2.80 software program there are no factory presets to start from.

All interesting stuff.

Paul.
 
The Sound Design is a total different processor than the Sound Style. The Sound Design is fully loaded while the Sound Style is sort of a rip off.
You can store your own codes (login etc) and then build up your own presets. From the 2.80 software you are able to run a demo with some settings. I used 4 band AGC and 5 band limiter/compressor/expander and the "Rock night" preset as a start up when we had the Sound design processor, then added some high tones and tweaked the final limiter. Back in 1999 we blew the doors off off an Omnia FM, Orban 8200 etc. We also didn't have the stereo generator build in but used a Hnat Hindes Ultramod instead.
It occures to me that especially the AGC worked fine, almost as good as an Aphex compellor and audio tracks sounds good track after track in terms of EQ and quality.
The Sound design is capable of doing lotst of automatic equalizing like Optimod's are doing but with the technology of some 14 years ago.
I think I have all the neccesary software to controll the Sound design running under Windows 2000, don't know if this will run under W XP.
 
Loooking at SD 2.80 it does not seem to have any presets.
When i looked at the files of SD4.01 it seems to have factory presets,but as i have older fimware and eprom code,i can only use SD 2.80.

Martijn,would it be possible for myself to have a copy of the windows software so i can try it out?

It's a pity i cannot get the later eprom updates so i can run even SD4.01 program.
Surely users must have upgraded their boxes at some point?

Thanks,
Paul.
 
Broadcast,

Did you get this IDT from ebay recently by any chance? ;)
 
Yes, I had it on the bench,

It was totally knackered when it came to me, wouldn't even power up, cards were in the wrong place front cover was missing etc...

Anyway, I got the power supply working again, cleaned out all the insides and finally I managed to get some audio out of it but it wasn't right, sounded distorted, I couldn't find any literature from IDT website and I'd already spent 12 hours plus on it so I sent it back to its owner..

I did hear this box working though when he first got it so it did work, personally I think it it needs a few caps replacing and a bit of TLC and it will be running again..... ;)
 
Yes the cards were in the wrong place,also their was a yoghurt type metal top floating around inside and a shampoo bottle top too!

When i placed all the cards back in the right slots and set the switches correctly,the processor worked badly in one channel.
Several audio switching ic's were faulty and their was a dry joint from one of the eproms.
I also re capped all the boards with low esr electrolytics.

Yes the front cover is missing.
Which psu was faulty,one of the +15v supplies or the +5v supply?

Idt-fr only point me to the ftp site,and no reply from the designer of the processor too,just typical!

My opinion is in future stick with a more leading manufacturer and get far better backup 10+ years down the line!!

Thanks,
Paul.
 
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