NOAH Screen scrambled

[MrV]

Hi Folks ,

Wondering if anyone can help please.

I just purchased a NoahEX

It powers up ok ...but then 2 seconds later the LCD screen gets scrambled . I can sort of see the menus ..froma low view angle .
But ...Demo mode not working , so I assume there's no sound.

Seems I have bought a lemon , not happy

Creamware installation disc came with the unit but I need to get WindowsXP to reinstall firmware...which can be quick risky apparently.

I bought this to have a standalone unit that simply works ,not to run around going down rabbit holes .

Is there a button press combination I could try , factory reset type thing ?

Before and after screenshot attached , power on at top ...2 seconds later at bottom .

Thank you , Michael

[MrV]

Ah ok thanks for that Gordon
I'm just setting up a WinXP system to run the software and see how it goes ..
Cheers .

[valis]

Doesn't it also work from a virtual machine?

[MrV]

I read somewhere that virtual XP won't work for firmware reinstall ( in case that's required ) and I've just discovered that WinXP is too old to install on any of my PC's here ..So I ordered an old Toshiba WinXP laptop on eBay and will get back to this when it arrives next week.
Thnx for yr help chaps .

Michael

[Bud Weiser]

I just purchased a NoahEX

...

I bought this to have a standalone unit that simply works ,not to run around going down rabbit holes .

I fear you´d have to !

Once you got your Win XP laptop, install the latest Noah remote Editor (v1.1) and try to read out your keyfile.
Save it when that worked.
Also try to find out if the latest OS is already installed.

Now grab all the files S|C might be willing to provide and reflash the machine.
This all only works when there´s just only a display failure.
It might be software of hardware issue, possibly RAM the display uses.
Also double check the PSU.

Is there a button press combination I could try , factory reset type thing ?

IMO, the only true factory reset is reflashing the machine w/ the latest image files available.



Bud

[MrV]

Thanks Budweiser.

Someone mentioned that their Noah has the same display problem but the Noah works fine anyway via the remote editor.

What I'm concerned about is the fact that the display works fine during power-up and loading the system ...but then it's scrambled.
And also no audio in the Demo play mode , hmmm
Not a good sign methinks

Michael

[Bud Weiser]

Thanks Budweiser.

Someone mentioned that their Noah has the same display problem but the Noah works fine anyway via the remote editor.

Yes,- and YOU bought it to use it standalone,- like me.
In fact, I´m already pi##ed I have to use the editor for "Prophet5" all the time ´cause this damn installation file on S|C ftp server is the latest available and buggy.
In opposite to all the other devices installed, it doesn´t provide full editing from Noah front panel and curser jumps back to program number in display when the related rotary/button to enter "in depth" synth parameters is pressed.

The Noah is so cool to have as a standalone synth module and I play much more keys than record, mix and master music.

What I'm concerned about is the fact that the display works fine during power-up and loading the system ...but then it's scrambled.
And also no audio in the Demo play mode , hmmm
Not a good sign methinks

All guesses,- it´s hard to say when not having the toy on the bench.
Your display seems to work, gets power.
But you´re unable to read it a.t.m..
Maybe some component driving the display fails a few seconds after the unit is powered up,- who knows?

Demomode:
Because you cannot read anything, you don´t know in which state the machine is.
There´s a difference how demo mode works in MULTI- or SINGLE mode.

In SINGLE-mode, the currecntly selected preset will be demoed,- so that should work WHEN a preset IS selected, the output volume is set correctly and the main output is set to analog.
BUT,- currently, the unit might wait for you selecting a device 1st before you´re able to select a preset using the push-button rotary encoder.
Can also be it´s currently set to digital (SPDIF or ADAT) ... perhaps.

In MULTI-mode, you´d have to select the preset (in one of the 4 slots) using the cursor.
Without the display, there´s no cursor.
And,- in MULTI- mode, all the outputs can be used individually for each device/slot.

Can also be your display is intact and the Noah OS (in flash memory) is corrupted,- and aged flash modules can also fail.

Do you have a friend/tech being able to repair MIDI modules ?
The displays from that time aren´t much different.
To me it looks like the one used in KORG M1 or Roland D50/550 or such (2 rows and these dimensions).
With luck, it´s njust only a display failure,- inverter or such part.



Bud

[Bud Weiser]

https://www.amazona.de/green-box-creamw ... yntesizer/

when looking at that (enlargable) pic, there are a bunch of ribbon cables inside,- at least 1 of these going to the front panel.

I´d open the machine and try to clean contacts w/ DeOxid or such and reseat ribbon cables.

And think about there are 2 sockets,- one @mainboard and the other @display hidden by the frontpanel back cover.

Replacing the cable for a test makes sense too.



Bud

[MrV]

Thanks Budweiser , I'll check all of that .
Yes I had bought it for its Standalone feature .
Will see ...

[MrV]

Ok ... Well I've just gone to set up the Noah in XP.

USB drivers installed

Then Noah Synth
" The wizard could not find the software on you computer..."
And this is with the Creamware NOAH Remote Software Version 1
disc in the drive.

What folders contain the drivers in the installation CD ?
Maybe I can copy them across to a Documents folder etc and install from there instead ?

Michael

[MrV]

To install Noah software on XP it's looking for $winnt$.inf but it doesn't seem to be anywhere of the installation CD...??

If I select Let Windows search automatically...I hear the CD searching , but then I get
" This wizard could not find the software.."
This is nuts !
Then again it's been 12 or more years since I've used XP.
Perhaps I've forgotten something basic ...
Any suggestions ?

[garyb]

download from the SC server...

[Bud Weiser]

USB drivers installed

NOAH Remote Software Version 1

There´s software version 1.0 and 1.1.

Install v1.1 (because of extended functionality) and all the drivers.
You won´t get/see the USBcom setting "WINDOWS" w/ OS 1.0 !!!
Noah´s "Windows" setting you´ll find in "System" > "Device" > "USBcom" ... but you won´t see ´cause your display doesn´t work and you cannot set that w/ the editor because it needs that setting working already.

In OS 1.0, you get only the options "Default" and "nonDefault" while you urgentyl have to be sure it´s set to "Windows" !

Correct driver installation only worked for me after I permanently disabled "something" in Windows XP SP3 according to the installation of drivers.
Typing from my head, I´m unable to tell what that really was and where to find,- but it was something equivalent w/ today´s "driver signing".
After I did, it installed USB, MIDI, ASIO and WAVE drivers within a few seconds successfully.
Before, it didn´t and there was always something missing in Windows device manager and indicated by yellow question mark or driver was installed but didn´t work as it should.

You NEED to get the display working, period.
You can operate an already correctly set up Noah w/o display and just only the Noah remote editor software,- but you need the display to veryfy a successful reflash procedure and to set up the USBcom to "Windows".

Latest system version should read 1.4.23, 2003-10-16 if correctly installed.

AND,- before you reflash,- if you plan that at all,- you´d have to backup your Noah keyfile.
Reflash procedure wipes all keys inside Noah !



Bud

[MrV]

Thanks Gary and Budweiser will look at those .
There's obviously some software problem causing the scrambled display because it works fine up until loading the system...so it's obviously not a loose ribbon cable etc inside...

[MrV]

Well I opened the unit .
No evidence of any loose ribbon cables .
And the screen is still scrambled, meaning it's effectively a dead unit for me since I need to see those buttons for software setup . Grrrr

I wish I could find any of the original Creamware guys who might be able to give some clue about this ...but it's all such a long time ago now . Oh well

[valis]

Check the capacitors and other components, look for signs of bad solder connections or swollen caps.

[MrV]

Yes did that , nothing seemed abnormal.
I think yr right though, it's probably an old capacitor in there somewhere....

Hey the guys that do the Scope card reconditioning....I wonder if they could look at this ?
This would be something for the original owner though because I'm sending it back ...too expensive to ship this thing around the world to maybe find a dead cap hmmm.

[MrV]

One final idea ....!!

Isn't there a company which repairs Scope PCI cards ?

Perhaps I could send them a video of the Noah display starting up normally then becoming scrambled.

They might be familiar with that and could give me some clue ..??

Michael

[Bud Weiser]

Thanks Gary and Budweiser will look at those .
There's obviously some software problem causing the scrambled display because it works fine up until loading the system...so it's obviously not a loose ribbon cable etc inside...

Do you have a chance to check the PSU ?
Maybe some voltage the display needs in stable condition drops shortly after powering up the machine.
These aren´t standard ATX PSUs,- I guess it´s what was used for computers in Intel P3 times.

OTOH, I recognize only the font/character set isn´t visible in both rows of the display,- so can be you really need a new display.
Have a look if these´s something printed on the back or elsewhere on the display and google for it.
These days, there´s a good chance to find a replacement @ebay since there are small companies offering all kind of LED and OLED displays for old gear,- samplers, other MIDI modules, keyboards etc..



Bud

[MrV]

Thnx Budweiser....well possibly.

What worries me is that the display is working perfectly at power up ..and Loading system ....buta few seconds later it then it becomes scrambled and unreadable.
So the LCD is actually fine.
It's either some sort of sudden voltage drop ..( but the display doesn't get dimmer )
Or
It's a software issue ....I tend to believe it's this but that's just a guess.

Do you know how to contact those repair guys ?
Apparently they're in Germany ( ? )

Michael