Non responsive cursor key.

Hello.

Does anyone know a link to a step-by-step guide to fixing a cursor key for someone without electronics knowledge?

Cheers,

jim

This link may be of use


viewtopic.php?f=21&t=140732

Thanks for the link, LZ - but what a confusing post! Full of people contradicting each other... Leaving no one looking very credible... is there a definitive guide out there as to how to fix a cursor key? I'm hoping that no soldering will be needed, and that it's just a bit stuck/dirty... Wishful thinking?

Cheers!

jim

Some threads say to use DeOxit - give the tact switch a squirt and press the button quickly about twenty times to work it in.

It seems hard to find in the UK & to buy some in comes out more expensive than buying all the tact switches. But it does seem to work for a lot of people, for a while at least. It would be good to hear feedback about how others get on with it.

Also, some people use the stuff for patchbays so it sounds like a good thing to have around anyway.

But if that doesn't work then it seems like soldering in a new tact switch is the option, in which case I hope the previous link starts to give a little enlightenment.

Thanks for the advice.

On one video I saw, it looked like it was possible to buy a replacement cursor key unit (all four buttons in a housing, $3) pull the old one off and pop the new one in without any soldering required. Sounds almost too good to be true. Is it?

Cheers,

jim

Hi Jim

The cursor keys you refer to are just the plastic keys which press down onto the tact switches. If the plastic on the cursor keys are broken or a bit skew on yours then that could fix that. But if the cursor keys seem fine but it takes a bit of thumping to get a response then its likely to be the switches underneath.

Had a post back from MP3 & he says that DeoxIt is 'long lasting & effective'. So if you try that then you need to get under the hood, spray into the switches and work it in a bit.

If you give Deoxit a go then could you send a post on the previous link & say how you got on. I'm sure lots of forum users will appreciate the input.

Good Luck, hope it all works out for you.

Thanks LZ. Do I need to open the MPC up to use the spray you mentioned? And do you know if there's a way to diagnose if it's the plastic keys or the tact switches which are faulty without having to strip the whole thing down? As you may have guessed I'm not that keen on having to open my 2000 and start fiddling about with the components. Although that said, I do remember opening it up to stick the EB16 in it, and despite my trepidation not having any trouble. Now where's that screwdriver....

yes, unfortunately you'll have to spray directly into the switch itself. The plastic cursor keys will act as an umbrella over the parts that need spraying otherwise.

If you get the lid off, the cursor keys should be easy to unclip & the the little tacts will be starring at you, begging for your attention.

I'm starting to think that Akai want us to go inside our MPCs, like its some kind of bonding process. Like in Star Trek The Movie when Voyager returns to be completed by the creator.

God I am one sad f**k!!!

This is the stuff to spray by all accounts: http://store.caig.com/s.nl/sc.2/category.188/.f
I think its D5 that everyone is using, hopefully someone will give a follow up post to verify this.
Think I'll have to get some myself if it'll save me loads of soldering.

LZ Roberts wrote:I'm starting to think that Akai want us to go inside our MPCs, like its some kind of bonding process...

MPC's (especially 2kxl and older) should really come with a 'Some Soldering Required' sticker.

nogginj wrote:

LZ Roberts wrote:I'm starting to think that Akai want us to go inside our MPCs, like its some kind of bonding process...

MPC's (especially 2kxl and older) should really come with a 'Some Soldering Required' sticker.

I've opened my XL so many times, and I want to replace all the tact switches... I already replaced some of the tact switches, plastic buttons, and rotary encoder, installed CF reader, secured the loose MOLEX connectors, etc.

It is old machine. If you don't have basic electric repair skill, then you'll spend a lot of money for having it repaired.
Good news is that it was not surface mounted yet, so it is not that hard to replace (soldering) parts. I guess it is one good thing about old electronics.