My Slim Phatty is dead

[grandmasterbird]

Hi all, first time poster here.

I bought a 2nd hand Slim Phatty about a month ago and it's my first Moog synth. I'm really impressed with the sound, absolutely love it!

Unfortunately though today it died a death. It was working fine up until I started using the LFO and syncing it to my DAW (today was the first time I had done this). First off I switched the LFO sync to 'MIDI' in the LFO options menu and sent MIDI timecode/clock to the Phatty. After I did this and started playing the tune I was working on the controls on the Phatty became sluggish and slow to respond, then after a min or two it crashed. The note sustained and all the controls became unresponsive so I turned the unit off then back on again and it booted up fine. I carried on using it, but it was still behaving sluggishly on the surface controls while it was syncing the LFO to MIDI.

I then decided to turn LFO sync to 'Internal' and try controlling the LFO speed with MIDI CC:03 via my DAW as per the instructions in the manual. When I did this the Phatty crashed again but this time after turning it off and back on again the screen remained blank and it started to play a sustained note. Some of the button lights also come on. It now does this everytime I turn it on and it fails to boot up, which obviously renders it totally un-usable.

I have just emailed Moog support but I dont know where I stand with regards to them helping me out as I bought the unit 2nd hand. I'm hoping they would be able to recommend a repair centre at least.

But I thought I'd also post up on here to see if anyone has any suggestions about how to fix it, and also if anyone has experienced anything similar?

It's just wierd, I'm not sure how sending MIDI clock/timecode to it would mess it up so bad...?

Anyway, would be glad to hear your thoughts & opinions.

Thanks, Kostas.

[grandmasterbird]

Help!!! Anyone...?

[teiko]

I'm no expert, but maybe you could try to reload the firmware (MASTER+POWER ON .. etc.). Take a look in the firmware upgrade section on the main page (and also read the other posts in this board).

[unfoog]

Sounds like MIDI FEEDBACK LOOP. Search for this, it might help ...

[Amos]

The Phatty firmware used to be vulnerable to MIDI Time Code (MTC) -- normal MIDI clock works fine but MTC could cause a crash like you have experienced. This has been fixed in the latest firmware v3.2 for all Little / Slim Phatty synths.

Your unit may need to be reprogrammed at this point; try turning it on with the MASTER button held down and see if it boots up to its bootloader. If so, the screen will say "UPDATE FIRMWARE? Preset = Yes".
If not, then it can still be fixed but it will require the use of a PC and a USB debug adapter to load the bootloader back onto the processor. You may want to contact Moog service for that, if you are in the USA.

If you do get the UPDATE FIRMWARE prompt, then you can download the PhattyLoader software and the latest firmware from these links:

http://www.moogconnect.net/downloads/ph ... Update.zip (Slim Phatty firmware v3.2)

http://www.moogconnect.net/downloads/ph ... er_mac.zip (PhattyLoader for Mac)
http://www.moogconnect.net/downloads/ph ... _win32.zip (PhattyLoader for Windows)

[grandmasterbird]

The Phatty firmware used to be vulnerable to MIDI Time Code (MTC) -- normal MIDI clock works fine but MTC could cause a crash like you have experienced. This has been fixed in the latest firmware v3.2 for all Little / Slim Phatty synths.

Your unit may need to be reprogrammed at this point; try turning it on with the MASTER button held down and see if it boots up to its bootloader. If so, the screen will say "UPDATE FIRMWARE? Preset = Yes".
If not, then it can still be fixed but it will require the use of a PC and a USB debug adapter to load the bootloader back onto the processor. You may want to contact Moog service for that, if you are in the USA.

If you do get the UPDATE FIRMWARE prompt, then you can download the PhattyLoader software and the latest firmware from these links:

http://www.moogconnect.net/downloads/ph ... Update.zip (Slim Phatty firmware v3.2)

http://www.moogconnect.net/downloads/ph ... er_mac.zip (PhattyLoader for Mac)
http://www.moogconnect.net/downloads/ph ... _win32.zip (PhattyLoader for Windows)

Hi Amos

thanks for the info, much appreciated

Unfortunately when I hold down the master button whilst I turn the unit on it has no effect, it remains blank.

So it looks like I need to get the USB debug adapter. I'm based in the UK so will do some fishing to find out where I can get one from.

Once I have it is there any documentation anywhere that would take me through the process? I have no idea how this all works.

Any help or advice from anyone would be gratefully received, I have projects that need finishing and I'm starting to miss my synth!

Thanks!

[Shevenknee]

Hi

The USB debuggers can be found at CPC, this is the one I bought, http://cpc.farnell.com/silicon-laborato ... dp/SC09767
You can borrow mine if you don't want to buy one. The software to use it is a free download from the manufacturers site. There's a YouTube video of a guy using a debugger on his Little Phatty and I guess the connection should be the same or similar on a Slim

I have a Little Phatty which was dead after a firmware update attempt via midi. I used the debugger to flash the Phatty and it installed the operating system, although the Phatty won't boot into an operational mode so not fixed yet

I've taken it to HHB The Source in Scrubs Lane, West London who fix Moogs and am awaiting an engineer to contact me with details of my fault. I think they are an official UK distributor for Moog.

HTH
Steve

[grandmasterbird]

Hi

The USB debuggers can be found at CPC, this is the one I bought, http://cpc.farnell.com/silicon-laborato ... dp/SC09767
You can borrow mine if you don't want to buy one. The software to use it is a free download from the manufacturers site. There's a YouTube video of a guy using a debugger on his Little Phatty and I guess the connection should be the same or similar on a Slim

I have a Little Phatty which was dead after a firmware update attempt via midi. I used the debugger to flash the Phatty and it installed the operating system, although the Phatty won't boot into an operational mode so not fixed yet

I've taken it to HHB The Source in Scrubs Lane, West London who fix Moogs and am awaiting an engineer to contact me with details of my fault. I think they are an official UK distributor for Moog.

HTH
Steve

Hi Steve

Thats very kind of you, would you be willing to sell it? (the USB debugger)

What were the symptoms before you used it? I'm trying to get a feel for whether it would work with mine or not. My Slim Phatty is currently blank-screening whenever I switch it on, just a few button lights coming on.

So you connect the debugger to your computer via USB, open up the Phatty and connect the debugger to it, run the debugger software, then run the firmware update software...?

Worse case scenario is there a Moog approved/endorsed repair centre?

[Shevenknee]

I guess I could sell the debugger as I only bought it to use on the Phatty.

My symptoms were just a few buttons lighting and a blank but lit LCD, sounds very much like your Slim.

Yes, debugger connects to a windows PC via USB and a ten pin connection inside the Phatty. Run the flash software and use it to install the Moog file. But as I said I have the OS installed but mine wont boot and I'm waiting for an engineer to sort it out so I can't say that it'll definitely work.

The place I've taken mine, HHB in Scrubs Lane, West London, is I believe a Moog approved service centre.

All the best
Steve

[grandmasterbird]

I guess I could sell the debugger as I only bought it to use on the Phatty.

My symptoms were just a few buttons lighting and a blank but lit LCD, sounds very much like your Slim.

Yes, debugger connects to a windows PC via USB and a ten pin connection inside the Phatty. Run the flash software and use it to install the Moog file. But as I said I have the OS installed but mine wont boot and I'm waiting for an engineer to sort it out so I can't say that it'll definitely work.

The place I've taken mine, HHB in Scrubs Lane, West London, is I believe a Moog approved service centre.

All the best
Steve

Ok great I'll PM you. Sorry to hear of your troubles, please keep us up to date with how the repair is going, it might be useful to other people who stumble across this thread with similar issues.

[Amos]

I've been to HHB's repair shop on Scrubs Lane, actually I worked there for a week helping to train their technicians on Moog repairs... they are a great shop, very competent and professional. They are the official Moog repairers for the UK, so you should be in good hands.

There are complete DIY instructions for how to program your Slim / Little Phatty, I have them here; just send me an email (amos at moogmusic dot com)

cheers,

Amos

[grandmasterbird]

Thanks for your replies guys, it's going off to HHB to get sorted so fingers crossed it'll be up and running again soon!

[catchin]

I had a similar issue with my Little Phatty. I was porting MIDI sends from Studio One to the LP, and I looked over at the preset display and the characters were all screwed up. So I stopped the track, shut down the DAW, and went to the System menu in order to try a complete system restore. But the Program Change menu, the display would go blank. I also noticed that the controller knobs were all locked in place and wouldn't respond, and playing the keys offered up really screwed up audio, and sometimes no response at all. I thought it was bricked.

Anyhow, in order to get to that blank system menu, I first powered everything down. held MASTER down, and powered up. That brought back the menus somewhat. So I tried scrolling through the menus, while holding down MASTER, and that made the blank menus stick, and did the system restore from there. All knobs and controls seemed to work at this point but the Oscillators sounded flat, and there was just something not right with the sound. I then went through each of the calibration items under the System menu as well, and that seems to have restored everything.

I know this sounds hacky, but I do have my original sounding LP back, and hopefully it is just isolated to the firmware and not the hardware (fingers crossed). I hope this approach helps someone.