Very frustrating and annoying.. FREEZING issue PA800

Simon · Post by **Simon** » Mon Sep 08, 2008 12:43 am

Hi, anyone knows how to fix the freezing problem in the PA800? I'm using the latest OS. Thank You.

Rob Sherratt · Post by **Rob Sherratt** » Mon Sep 08, 2008 6:02 am

Hi Simon,

The only freezing poblems that I remember were due to memory corruption under one of the older OS versions, 1.5x I think These problems were fixed in OS1.60, but you have to use the reset procedure to clear the SSD before loading the new OS and MR. There is a sticky thread entitled "How to retore your Pa800 to known working condition". Have you followed this procedure?

PraiseTheLord · Post by **PraiseTheLord** » Mon Sep 08, 2008 11:42 am

My Pa2X still freezes with OS 1.11. It's been hard to pin down why since it's usually during a period of high activity, ie giving the keyboard many instructions. I did recently become suspicious that it might be the piano styles, so I reloaded those. Let's see.

Rob Sherratt · Post by **Rob Sherratt** » Mon Sep 08, 2008 12:12 pm

Graham,

What exactly do you mean by "freeze" on your Pa2x? (Does "freeze" mean "temporary loss of sound ouitput?")

Under what conditions does the "freeze" happen, and how long does it happen for?

We diagnosed a previous "freezing" problem on a Pa2x. A friend on the forum was attempting to load a MIDI file that contained over 20 Mbytes of Yamaha SysEx data. The Pa2x encountered a "temporary loss of sound output" while trying to digest the indigestible. Apart from the "hiccough" there was no other problem.

So, I can't help wonder whether some of the styles you are loading might be causing a "freezing" problem, especially if as I suspect they have been converted from another keyboard. They may contain artifacts from the other keyboard that are causing the Pa2x to attempt to "digest the indigestible" again.

If you are only using factory sounds and styles, and the "freezing" still happens, then I think you should reload OS1.11 and MR1.10 after having performed the now familiar reset procedure documented in the sticky thread near the top of thje list.

PraiseTheLord · Post by **PraiseTheLord** » Mon Sep 08, 2008 12:28 pm

Rob, what happens is a continuous tone sounds and the keyboard does not react to any button. So the tone plays until I turn the power off and back on. Given how long it takes to reboot, it was very frustrating when it happened on a live gig!

The only converted style that I use is a Yamaha WorshipSlow style converted by rikkisbears. I do use some of the styles on the Korg PA site, esp the piano styles recently made available as Pa2X format.

It just seems to happen, as I mentioned when I am playing intensively and using fills, changing STS, variations, Ensemble, all of a sudden this conitnuous tone is playing.

I have gone through the reset procedure a number of times, thinking it must be that, only for it to happen again. As I say the last time was using one of those piano styles, so I reloaded that.

Rob Sherratt · Post by **Rob Sherratt** » Mon Sep 08, 2008 12:40 pm

Graham,

I know what you are describing and yes, it is frightening when it hapens during a performance. I had it happen a couple of times on my Pa2x, once during a service. I contacted Korg about it but no diagnosis was offered.

Each time it seemed to corresponded to encountering feedback or overload on the Mic input while the harmoniser was working.

Anyway, now that I know your Pa2x exhibits an occasional complete system failure as well as mine, I'd like to help to narrow down what causes it. Then we can be one step nearer to getting it fixed.

Unfortunately my Pa2x is currently in hospital with an unrelated injury.

Pa2x · Post by **Pa2x** » Mon Sep 08, 2008 1:16 pm

For the 6 months period my froze 3 times.

BUTTTT every 2-3 weeks one lights disappears, so far i've got 9 lights that are not working.

(mic, hold, style play, banks etc..)

Very annoying.

PraiseTheLord · Post by **PraiseTheLord** » Mon Sep 08, 2008 1:31 pm

I've just had one light go out: Style Play, so not important, but I did have a sticky Memory button, but it seemed to correct itself, so I'll wait to have them both fixed if it recurs.

Rob Sherratt · Post by **Rob Sherratt** » Mon Sep 08, 2008 3:04 pm

The button lights are LED's soldered to one of two PCB's. They are a fiddle to change unless you have a soldering station suitable for surface mount PCB's. Also I do not know about ROHS compliance issues when performing repairs.

I think that they are susceptible to mains voltage transients. I had one LED blow coupla months ago when there was a mains power outage. Then I had at least 4 more blow when someone turned all the lights on in the hall in which I was performing at the time. Mind you the voltage surge also caused my Alesis M1 520 speakers to go up in smoke, whereas there appears to be no damage to the Pa2x apart from the blown LED's.

I do know that the use of a UPS (uninterruptable power supply) with the Pa2x would have safeguarded it against power spikes and even lightning strikes on the mains supply. So I will be using one from now on.

Simon · Post by **Simon** » Mon Sep 08, 2008 6:13 pm

Rob Sherratt wrote:Hi Simon,

The only freezing poblems that I remember were due to memory corruption under one of the older OS versions, 1.5x I think These problems were fixed in OS1.60, but you have to use the reset procedure to clear the SSD before loading the new OS and MR. There is a sticky thread entitled "How to retore your Pa800 to known working condition". Have you followed this procedure?

What PraiseTheLord described is what's going on when freezing accept for some time I still can change sounds or styles while hearing the continuous tone sound..
I had my Pa800 for a few month with no problems until two weeks ago in a wedding party it happened twice in one night and also the following day in my house...I think what cause all this is I made a new sounds and they work and sounds very nice....Maybe it's too much for the memory I am going to delete some sounds I made to free some memory and see...
This is very frustrating... I love Korg keyboards MOST of my keyboards are Korg BUTTTTTTTT a musician needs to be concentrating on his music and not to worry about the OS or Glitches or...... I hope Korg can fix this mess.

Rob Sherratt · Post by **Rob Sherratt** » Mon Sep 08, 2008 7:45 pm

Simon, Graham and Pa2x,

What my recent zapped speakers and damaged Pa2x has taught me, is to use a UPS between my audio equipment and the mains outlet - especially when playing live. According to Sharp, the use of a UPS when playing live is now very common, not so you can carry on if the mains fails, but to prevent overvoltage situations from damaging the gear and from possibly becoming a safety concern for band members.

I know that all the problems I experienced including several blown LED's and processor lock-up were caused by mains voltage surges when someone switched the fluorescent lights in the hall on. LED's are particularly sensitive to voltage spikes, also processors are known to respond to overvoltages by locking up (hence the freeze with notes stuck on). The big clue for me was the 150 dB loud bangs and pops that came from the speakers during the second or so before smoke came from their cabinets.

Anyway, I think the same thing (overvoltage spikes) might be causing the failures on your keyboards as well. If you have one, then can you try using your Pa2x (or Pa800) via a UPS for the next several months, and see if any more LED's fail or lock ups happen? I'll be doing this as well.

PraiseTheLord · Post by **PraiseTheLord** » Mon Sep 08, 2008 9:21 pm

Rob, I have always used (at home, at church and on gigs) a good quality surge protector which is supposed to protect from voltage spikes.

Rob Sherratt · Post by **Rob Sherratt** » Mon Sep 08, 2008 9:36 pm

Hi Graham,

Is it a UPS with a lead acid battery inside? Weighs about 20 to 25 lbs for something suitable to protect a Pa2x and sound system. Costs about $150. You would know.

Sorry to say it, but a "surge protector" weighing less than 2 lb does nowt worth having. They protect against 1 surge and then the protection element fails and there's nothing to tell you it's failed because it fails open circuit.

For factory installations we use huge MOVPE semiconductors as overvoltage/ lightning surge protectors. We have to fit them with failure detection and alarm circuits, since we have to renew them on a regular basis, often every time there is a lightning storm in the vicinity.

Protecting a circuit against over-current and against insulation breakdown is easy and cheap to do. Protecting against over voltage spikes is very difficult (and expensive). Unfortunately it's the over voltage spikes that destroy most computer processors. And LED's for that matter.

PraiseTheLord · Post by **PraiseTheLord** » Mon Sep 08, 2008 9:50 pm

No, it's the latter, the lighter! But there is a light to confirm that it is protected!

Rob Sherratt · Post by **Rob Sherratt** » Mon Sep 08, 2008 9:58 pm

Thanks Graham.

But what I do know for a fact is that my Pa2x locked up and blew 4 LED's when there were over voltage spikes. At least 40 people heard them.

I can see this does not explain your case.