Cortex HDC 3000 buttons

[DJ Jules]

Has anyone ever had to replace the buttons in a Cortex HDC unit (500, 1000 or 3000?) The Cue and Play buttons on the left hand deck on mine has been getting tempermental for the last few gigs and and up/down/enter buttons are even worse (which has made me work out that you can use the jog wheel to navigate the playlist ). It's caught me out a couple of times now as I've pressed the button to start playing... and nothing has happened

I'm considering stripping it down to see what switches are used behind the buttons, but I have a suspicion that they're going to be fairly proprietary and hard to get hold of. Does anyone else have any experience of this kind of thing? Is this a back to the USA job (can anyone do repairs in the UK?)

...or is it time to buy a DDS80?

Julian

[ppentertainments]

I must admit, after all the bragging about the cortex, I am suffereing similar problems. Sorry can't help with how to remedy, but what I do now is use a keyboard for most functions.

Now I am getting used to the keyboard it is actually easier than pressing the buttons on the cortex though.

[Starlight]

I think this is a problem with the Denon hard disc twin CD player too. I was speaking to Adam from htfr the other day and he was saying this is a problem in Denon's too and I think if you spoke to him, he can advise what the best plan of action is. I'd say contact your supplier who you bought it from because I think they will be able to advise best in what to do. I personally wouldn't dismantle the gear because this will invalidate your equipment (if your product is still under warranty/guarantee anyhow)

Neil M.

[alanni1]

I have a Cortex 1000 and am suffering similar problems on the right hand side. I do have a keyboard to search for tracks but prefer to use the buttons to access play lists etc and the problem seems to be getting worse. Can't help on how to remedy the problem as I had considered posting a similar message to yours.

Alan
SoundWave Entertainment

[DJ Jules]

I have a Cortex 1000 and am suffering similar problems on the right hand side. I do have a keyboard to search for tracks but prefer to use the buttons to access play lists etc and the problem seems to be getting worse. Can't help on how to remedy the problem as I had considered posting a similar message to yours.

Nice to know I'm not alone I prefer using the buttons too, especially when it comes to the cue/play buttons as the keyboard shortcuts for these are obscure (CTRL+C and CTRL+P from memory?) so it's not easy to kick off a track at the right moment. The documentation for keyboard shortcuts is pretty sparse too (from memory, they're not in the manual, you have to press Info from the settings screen to get a list).

I think this is a problem with the Denon hard disc twin CD player too.

I get the feeling that "button fatigue" is going to be common to any product where a button, or group of buttons get repeated heavy use. In my case, the up/down arrows and the Play/Cue buttons. Reading around on other forums though it looks like a few people have had problems with their up/down buttons either not working, or working intermittently from new!

I personally wouldn't dismantle the gear because this will invalidate your equipment (if your product is still under warranty/guarantee anyhow)

Purchased second hand (at a bargain price - low enough that I could have bought a DDS80 as well and still not have paid as much as I would have for a HDC2500) - so there's no warranty. I might have a play with a screwdriver this week and see if I can find out what is in the unit. I will talk to an authorised stockist as well and see what I'd have to do to get it repaired "properly" as well.

Julian

[Starlight]

I think it'll be easier for you to send the player in for repair maybe - because they should have the right replacements etc to quickly get it restored

Neil M.......

[DJ Jules]

I think it'll be easier for you to send the player in for repair maybe - because they should have the right replacements etc to quickly get it restored

But if that means sending it to the US, then I'm going to have to go out and buy something else to replace it for the 3-4weeks while it's out being repaired (or face a ridiculous hire charge for another device).

I'll have to call the UK service number in the manual tomorrow and see who picks up and what they might be able to do for me.

Anyway, I bet I can get the parts quicker off eBay than a dealer can take it in and repair it

Julian

[DJ Jules]

Ok, I'm not going there. I've just opened it up and there are three circuit boards in the box. One at the back which appears to deal with power, battery back up, processors and USB ports and two at the front which are screwed almost back to back onto the front of the case and deal with buttons/screens. The one at the back are attached to the two at the front using my worst nightmare, flat paper connectors - possibly one of the most fragile inventions on the planet.

I'm not normally shy of stripping down everything from laptops to TV's, but I think I'll be giving the number in the manual a call tomorrow, the PCB that carries the buttons is "inaccessible" to say the least.

For anyone who's interested:



Julian

[Disco Tech Liverpool]

Same probs for me on my 3 year old Cortex, mine is the left side play button. Got told by the shop that they send them back off to Portsmouth to the dealer and they get fixed and returned within a week. Love my Cortex though and they are not that dear anymore so might just go and by another one AND send the other one off for repair and keep both

[Excalibur]

Spoke to them about it at BPM. Find an authorised repairer, and they'll mend it with parts sent from Cortex. It's a known problem. Call them for info.