andytaylor125
Hi,
I've got a DAC-3, but seem to be having a few problems with the buttons. Sometimes when i press play on the left hand side, it doesn't play, or just plays for a fraction of a second then stops.
Also the right hand cue button sometimes doesn't respond whe you press it.
Does anybody else have these problems? is it just the build quality of the DAC-3, or is there a problem here?
Also if anybody's got any suggestions on fixing it, they'd be very welcome! :)
Thanks.
I've got a DAC-3, but seem to be having a few problems with the buttons. Sometimes when i press play on the left hand side, it doesn't play, or just plays for a fraction of a second then stops.
Also the right hand cue button sometimes doesn't respond whe you press it.
Does anybody else have these problems? is it just the build quality of the DAC-3, or is there a problem here?
Also if anybody's got any suggestions on fixing it, they'd be very welcome! :)
Thanks.
Posted Wed 02 Aug 06 @ 1:07 pm
jpboggis
It sounds like you may have a faulty DAC-3. If it's under warranty, you should be able to get a replacement.
I had this problem myself in the early days of owning a DAC-3 - Play/Cue buttons stopped responding reliably after a month of use. I returned it to the supplier for replacement, but they never collected the old faulty unit. Recently I took it apart and used contact lubricating spray (The stuff used for fixing noisy faders) on each of the problematic micro switches.
After several treatments, and then re-assembling the old DAC-3, it now works perfectly (If not better than it did before!)
I had this problem myself in the early days of owning a DAC-3 - Play/Cue buttons stopped responding reliably after a month of use. I returned it to the supplier for replacement, but they never collected the old faulty unit. Recently I took it apart and used contact lubricating spray (The stuff used for fixing noisy faders) on each of the problematic micro switches.
After several treatments, and then re-assembling the old DAC-3, it now works perfectly (If not better than it did before!)
Posted Wed 02 Aug 06 @ 4:22 pm
andytaylor125
lovely, thanks for the info (the mapper is great by the way!) :)
Posted Thu 03 Aug 06 @ 12:59 pm
low-fat-al
I am having the same problems with the left player on my DAC-3 too.
Hit play then it responds like I hit it twice to pause it... very weird and crappy when you are live somewhere and people look at you funny when the song doesn't start or you miss your break when you are trying to mix.
So then I guess.. take it apart and spray contact cleaner then? Well wish me luck.. don't want to ruin it.
Hit play then it responds like I hit it twice to pause it... very weird and crappy when you are live somewhere and people look at you funny when the song doesn't start or you miss your break when you are trying to mix.
So then I guess.. take it apart and spray contact cleaner then? Well wish me luck.. don't want to ruin it.
Posted Fri 04 Aug 06 @ 12:28 pm
jpboggis
For me, the buttons would occassionally not respond, messing up my mix Also, sometimes the play button would respond and then as soon as I released it, it would act as though the button was pressed again, pausing the music.
I only ever had problems with play and cue - The rest of the buttons have been fine. I don't think it's to do with how much they are used because other buttons (Such as pitchbend +/-) have seen just as much, if not more use than play/cue.
For me, the contact cleaner worked a treat and I've not had any problems since. Make sure you do it with the DAC-3 disconnected from the PC though! Spray each switch and then press it rapidly to work the contact cleaner into it. Once done, leave for a while and repeat for each of the switches. Then re-assemble the DAC-3.
I only ever had problems with play and cue - The rest of the buttons have been fine. I don't think it's to do with how much they are used because other buttons (Such as pitchbend +/-) have seen just as much, if not more use than play/cue.
For me, the contact cleaner worked a treat and I've not had any problems since. Make sure you do it with the DAC-3 disconnected from the PC though! Spray each switch and then press it rapidly to work the contact cleaner into it. Once done, leave for a while and repeat for each of the switches. Then re-assemble the DAC-3.
Posted Fri 04 Aug 06 @ 4:39 pm
andytaylor125
it's definately a bit of a problem! Had the thing with it acting like it only play while the button is pressed.
Gonna take mine apart this afternoon! :)
Gonna take mine apart this afternoon! :)
Posted Mon 07 Aug 06 @ 2:16 pm
Dazzaharvey
Hi just to say I have that same problem i.e. left deck, press play and it plays for half a sec and pauses. I have only had my DAC3 a few months and don't want to break the warranty by taking it a part so am thinking of sending it back.
Posted Wed 23 Aug 06 @ 1:20 am
Dj_john24
I have the same exact problem with my DAC-3. I'm going to do like most of you and take my DAC-3 appart and spray contact cleaner on the switches. Wish me luck. If anyone has any other suggestions please let me know. Thanks.
Posted Wed 23 Aug 06 @ 9:00 pm
jpboggis
My DAC-3 has worked perfectly since cleaning the play/cue switches. It's strange that only these buttons seem to be affected - I use some of the other buttons just as much, if not more and they are all fine.
Posted Wed 23 Aug 06 @ 10:21 pm
Dj_john24
That's exactly what's happening with mine. All the other buttons are fine eccept the play and cue buttons.
Posted Wed 23 Aug 06 @ 10:30 pm
low-fat-al
you would think with all the people who share this same issue that they would honor some sort of warranty with the controller as a defective product. I too am having this issue but am unclear on taking it apart. I briefly looked at it and I have a question to whom ever has taken it apart successfully. Do the jod dials simply just pop off or do they stay on for unscrewing the main face plate? I wish someone had detailed instructions on a blog with pictures on how to clean them.
Posted Wed 23 Aug 06 @ 10:34 pm
Dj_john24
Yeah, I'd have to agree with low-fat-al on the warranty issue, but then again look who we're dealing with (PCDJ). I have a testimonial to make. When I made the whole transition from CD's to digital, I started with PCDJ. When I heard about VIRTUAL DJ, I checked it out and was drastically impressed. Well, I made the switch and kept my DAC-3 controller to use with VIRTUAL DJ. Isn't it great that VIRTUAL DJ makes the DAC-3 controller do like 10 times more than what it's capable of doing with it's own software. The bottom line is PCDJ has alot to learn from VIRTUAL DJ, that's a fact that I'll say to anybody. I don't care who they are. On a lighter note, I stopped by Radio Shack on my way home from work today and picked up a can of contact cleaner. I was also brave enough to take the DAC-3 apart and spray some contact cleaner on the play and cue buttons. I am happy to say, after testing it for about one hour, the DAC-3 is working great. The play and cue buttons are actually working the way they're supposed to work.
Posted Thu 24 Aug 06 @ 3:55 am
nickgoodman
Hi Guys !-
My (up until now reliable) DAC-3 has developed the same problem - play & cue (particually play) now playing up.
I think i've had it over a year so the warranty has probably expired.
Regarding 'taking it apart' - How easy is it to get at the switch contacts? - straight forward?? - I thought i'd ask someone who's done it before i take a screwdriver to my beloved DAC 3 !
My (up until now reliable) DAC-3 has developed the same problem - play & cue (particually play) now playing up.
I think i've had it over a year so the warranty has probably expired.
Regarding 'taking it apart' - How easy is it to get at the switch contacts? - straight forward?? - I thought i'd ask someone who's done it before i take a screwdriver to my beloved DAC 3 !
Posted Thu 24 Aug 06 @ 10:38 am
low-fat-al
I am waiting for instructions too..
I don't have to use it until next Tuesday so I might have a go at it in the next few days if I get a chance.
I don't have to use it until next Tuesday so I might have a go at it in the next few days if I get a chance.
Posted Thu 24 Aug 06 @ 11:28 am
andytaylor125
Hi all,
Managed to take mine apart (and more importanly, put it back together!) without any problems.
Unfortunately i didn't take any photos or write down exactly what i did. I'm afraid i won't have time to take it apart again for a couple of weeks (got an exam to study for an exam).
I remember that you don't need to undo the screws on the top (where all the dials, etc. are.)
Also, the jog-dials can stay in place the whole time, so don't try and take those off!
First, the pitch sliders should just pull straight off if you pull them up veritcally.
Then unscrew the 6 screws along the front and back of the unit (3 on the front, 3 on the back).
I think that the front should then lift off. When you lift the front off, lift the left hand side up slightly first and slide the panel to the left, so that the usb socket doesn't catch on the hole that it comes out of.
If anybody gets that far, i'll write what else I can remeber and answer any questions when i get a moment. Feel free to PM me if anybody wants any help.
Good luck! :)
Managed to take mine apart (and more importanly, put it back together!) without any problems.
Unfortunately i didn't take any photos or write down exactly what i did. I'm afraid i won't have time to take it apart again for a couple of weeks (got an exam to study for an exam).
I remember that you don't need to undo the screws on the top (where all the dials, etc. are.)
Also, the jog-dials can stay in place the whole time, so don't try and take those off!
First, the pitch sliders should just pull straight off if you pull them up veritcally.
Then unscrew the 6 screws along the front and back of the unit (3 on the front, 3 on the back).
I think that the front should then lift off. When you lift the front off, lift the left hand side up slightly first and slide the panel to the left, so that the usb socket doesn't catch on the hole that it comes out of.
If anybody gets that far, i'll write what else I can remeber and answer any questions when i get a moment. Feel free to PM me if anybody wants any help.
Good luck! :)
Posted Thu 24 Aug 06 @ 3:29 pm
andytaylor125
I'm on a role now, so i'll write a few more bits that i can remember!
If you've got the front off, put the unit down with all the buttons underneith so you can get to the 2 circuit boards.
You'll see that there's a couple of holes in the top circuit board, if you look straight down through these you'll see some of the next screws you need to un-do. I think there's about 5 or six of these, some in the middle with holes in the circuit board above. They hold the LCD screens to the front panel.
Once these screws are out, you should be able to lift off the top circuit board. The LCD screens will come off attached to this board. There are also some connections between the top and bottom circuit board, they should come off fairly easily, short metal pins will slide out of the long plastic connector box as you lift the board up. if you have to force them, then prehaps there's a screw you've forgotten to take out!
Once you've got the top board off, put it to one side. You then just need to undo all of the screws that attach the bottom circuit boards to the front plate of the DAC-3. There's lots of screws, but when they're all out, you just need to push the little black plastic clips that are holding the boards down to one side (there's two clips on each of the two circuit boards), so that the circuit boards will lift off. You'll see that the jog wheels are actually attached only to the front panel, so they don't need to be removed to to take the circuit boards off.
Then turn the boards over and you should see all the little switches that sit behind the buttons!!
Spray the faulty switches with switch lubricant while repeatedly pushing them to get the stuff right inside onto the actual contacts. I did that several times for each button to be on the safe side.
Then just put it back together!
That's everything I can remeber, so watch out for any screws that i forgot to metnion.
Good luck. :)
If you've got the front off, put the unit down with all the buttons underneith so you can get to the 2 circuit boards.
You'll see that there's a couple of holes in the top circuit board, if you look straight down through these you'll see some of the next screws you need to un-do. I think there's about 5 or six of these, some in the middle with holes in the circuit board above. They hold the LCD screens to the front panel.
Once these screws are out, you should be able to lift off the top circuit board. The LCD screens will come off attached to this board. There are also some connections between the top and bottom circuit board, they should come off fairly easily, short metal pins will slide out of the long plastic connector box as you lift the board up. if you have to force them, then prehaps there's a screw you've forgotten to take out!
Once you've got the top board off, put it to one side. You then just need to undo all of the screws that attach the bottom circuit boards to the front plate of the DAC-3. There's lots of screws, but when they're all out, you just need to push the little black plastic clips that are holding the boards down to one side (there's two clips on each of the two circuit boards), so that the circuit boards will lift off. You'll see that the jog wheels are actually attached only to the front panel, so they don't need to be removed to to take the circuit boards off.
Then turn the boards over and you should see all the little switches that sit behind the buttons!!
Spray the faulty switches with switch lubricant while repeatedly pushing them to get the stuff right inside onto the actual contacts. I did that several times for each button to be on the safe side.
Then just put it back together!
That's everything I can remeber, so watch out for any screws that i forgot to metnion.
Good luck. :)
Posted Thu 24 Aug 06 @ 3:57 pm
low-fat-al
Cool.. thanks for the info!!!
I will give it go in a few days when I get a chance.
I will give it go in a few days when I get a chance.
Posted Thu 24 Aug 06 @ 9:25 pm
nickgoodman
Yes, many thanks for the info. Mine's started working again ok again but i guess it's just a matter of time, I'll wait for a couple of weeks when I have no gigs then use your info to take apart,
Cheers.
Cheers.
Posted Wed 06 Sep 06 @ 3:52 pm