akai 4000 F4 AND F6 button not working!! HELP

http://soundcloud.com/frank-is-not-right

Hi guys
I am new in this forum (but I know it very well), I have had the 2000 and 1000 before and now this 4000 and I really love it, has been great but some strange things happened to this unit:

Everything was ok, until I installed the 256-ram memory to have the full sample capacity. Since then mostly every time that I turn it on, the button F4 and F6 doesn’t work (the track – and the enter function in the main screen and so on), it is a real pain. Some time after turn it on works fine, but then crush and freezes again.

I removed this memory to se if this was the problem, but nothing changed, even with just the 16 mb. At the beginning I thought that I spoiled the machine, but I don’t think that is the case, because if that is the case it definitely will not work at all.

I have opened this unit several times to double check the connections, and everything looks ok and clean, strangely every time that I do this , the machine works fine ( it seems likes to be open, is like when you go to see the doctor and you get better) so I wonder if there is some screws squeezing some part (??? one theory), I am sure that all the physical part works ok.

I have been searching thru this forum, but I haven’t found nothing like this problem

One of the things that ill try is to remove the HD to see any change, I have read that maybe this make the machine crazy some times. (but the HD is working fine.)

Any help/advice will be great, I want to try to fix it by my self…

Thanks!!

Roni

I think your problem lies within the ribbon cable. I can't speculate what happened during the course of you installing the memory, but something else evidently occured that you may not be aware of that created this delima.

thanks very much for your answer, if this is the case, ( and maybe it is) I imagine is not a easy thing to fix. and if it is, do you think that I can do it? the weird thing is that some time works some time it doesnt...

what would you recommend to do? what are the options to fix this ? (forat??...) who will be the best to do this?

I am in Canada, this feels terrible , I feel like a bad father now

thanks again for your help!!

Firstly, make sure the mpc is disconnected from the mains before doing anything else.

secondly, keep calm! The mpc 4k is laid out in a logical fashion. As dabmeister pointed out, you may well of pulled on something when you opened the lid.

I have had some troubles myself with the lcd caused by pulling on the power lead when fitting the ram.

You can get to the f1-f6 controller by removing the top plate (remove the four silver nuts around the pads 1st), it isn't difficult. Check the connection for the output is seated correctly.

You shouldn't need to buy anything if it works to some extent, sounds like a loose connection

It may be a tact switch: http://www.mpcstuff.com/small-tact-swit ... utton.html

Or the board may need replacing: http://www.mpcstuff.com/1al4016a504b.html this is pretty easy as you just need to unplug the old one and swap them over.

A rip off, but hard to find elsewhere I'd imagine.

you could always just use a usb keyboard

Thanks nyarlathotep, I will try to do what you mention....I hope that this is the problem
calm calm !!

the usb keyboard is not a bad idea lord toranaga

more news soon

the ribbon cable is the likely culprit.


a very easy fix

Hi Guys, after a long time, this is the report

the problem was fix by changing the ribbon cable...after a little bit of work eveything is working perfect again, this operation remind me fixing my old volkswagen beetle....

I think the problem was cause when I removed the front plate ( over the pads and button), the set of cables were pull hard....now I know!

thanks for all your tips

best

Roni