V3.x Field Upgrade Installation

monads · Post by **monads** » Fri Nov 25, 2005 3:57 pm

Is it pretty straightforward with clear instructions? I'm assuming no soldering is required and you just pop out the old board and install the new? Just want to be sure

thebedroom · Post by **thebedroom** » Sat Nov 26, 2005 10:30 am

you need a digital multimeter to tune the board for consistent tuning from octave to octave, but no soldering. Unfortunately, not as easy as just popping it in and out.

Email amos at moog music for exact details.

monads · Post by **monads** » Sat Nov 26, 2005 4:44 pm

Thanks for the update. I had no idea I'd need test equipment for proper installation. I really don't want to deal with that and I don't even have a digital multimeter. Damn. They should say that on the info about v3.x page. What should I do cancel my order? If not I guess I have to go buy this meter thingy and figure it out.

till · Post by **till** » Sat Nov 26, 2005 4:51 pm

A digital meter isn't expensive.
And some friends might own one.

monads · Post by **monads** » Sat Nov 26, 2005 4:58 pm

There are different prices for meters. Anyone have a recommendation? None of my friends own one or an instrument for that matter

OysterRock · Post by **OysterRock** » Sat Nov 26, 2005 8:12 pm

You can get a decent handheld one for about $30. Try your local Radioshack.

Simon · Post by **Simon** » Sun Nov 27, 2005 7:46 am

thebedroom wrote:you need a digital multimeter to tune the board for consistent tuning from octave to octave, but no soldering.

Is it just a matter of tweaking a couple of pots to a certain fixed values, or do you have to play that old game like on the old Moogs where moving one pot changes the other and you are forever teaking them to get them right? I would like to know before I place an order for this upgrade.

Simon

HishamSamawi · Post by **HishamSamawi** » Wed Nov 30, 2005 10:42 pm

I'd like a little more info on this whole digital multimeter thing and how it works. I ordered the field upgrade and want to make sure I know what I am supposed to do and what I need that is not included.

thanks

donato · Post by **donato** » Mon Dec 05, 2005 1:00 pm

Amos answered my question about this as I too was curious. Below is what he wrote:

Hello,

The adjustment is not difficult but does require a voltmeter. You are
simply measuring the voltage between a particular resistor and ground,
and
adjusting one trimmer on the digital board (actually it's the only
trimmer
on the digital board) while looking at the voltage reading. The only
other
step involved is switching the Oscillator 1 Octave switch on the
Voyager
panel. Full instructions are included, but in essence what you are
doing is
adjusting the octave voltage to be as close as possible to exactly
+1.6V
when you switch up an octave,
and exactly -1.6V when you switch down an octave from 8'. For example,
let's say you set the octave to 8' (which should be 0V) and your
voltmeter
reads +0.003 V... this means there is a positive offset of .003 volts
which
you must take into account. So, you would switch the osc. 1 octave
switch
to 4+ and adjust until your voltmeter reads +1.603V; then switch the
osc. 1
octave down to 16' and try to get close to -1.597V (which is -1.6V plus
the
.003V offset). In practice you can usually get close to these values
but
perhaps not exact. As long as you split the difference in the margin of
error so that it's not too far off in either direction, then the tuning
should be just fine.

Kind regards,

Amos Gaynes
Service Technician,
Moog Music Inc.

monads · Post by **monads** » Sat Dec 10, 2005 5:18 pm

Ok, so I went ahead and installed the board today. I had trouble locating the VR1 trimmer for some reason. Finally I found it which is located on the lower left hand side of the new board (thought it was on the same board as doing the measuring with the voltmeter. It did require adjusting to get it just right.

The digital multimeter I used was one I picked up at Radioshack per Oyster's mentioning. I ended up getting the following

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index ... age=search

It worked nicely with ease. Plus I like it cause it's small and compact.

For those wondering how to hold the panel up/keep it up when doing the upgrade, I found one can improvise using a couple of towels

With the panel up place a bunched up towel on either side underneath the panel. Place another over the back so when you drop the back panel it doesn't get scratched or anything. Perhaps a little ghetto, but I didn't have that "block of wood" the manual mentioned.

Well that's my experience. Pretty easy. But make sure you get the digital multimeter though. You might not use it again, but you'll still be saving money than if you had sent it in for upgrade. Plus you can put the meter in your pocket and break it out for conversation at your x-mas party

Cheers.

Update: I forgot to mention I had pre-installed OS 3.1 (from 2.5) before installing the new board. Only because the OS was released before I got the board (plus you don't need the board for OS 3.1 anyway). Just thought I'd mention this cause I had no problems.

donato · Post by **donato** » Sat Dec 10, 2005 10:49 pm

Thanks! They're supposed to mail mine out next week and your experiences will come in hand!

gd · Post by gd » Sun Dec 11, 2005 11:28 am

installed mine today and it was very straight fwd, they have an excellent pdf file included on a cd complete with pics and all instructions. Congrats to Moog Music for this!!!!!