Need help with Fantom XR ... pleeeease!!!

[mockba_the_borg]

Hi All,

I have a Fantom XR rack which has lost its display, and it can't be sourced from anywhere.
I then decided to use a midi interface (regular midi port) to manage it using the Fantom X editor that's on Roland's website.
I have installed it and I can send notes to the device, but I cannot read or write patches.
I cannot find out what configuration is there, but I was thinking about resetting it to factory defaults to at least try to be able to use MIDI to program it again.
Maybe someone can tell me the exact number of up, up, left, left or whatever needed to either reach utilities and reset it to factory defaults?
Or maybe to reach some other menu which would allow me to send/receive sysex via midi?
For me USB is not an option as my computer is Windows 10, so I only have MIDI. I am using a M-Audio single port thingie.

Please, I am growing desperate here.

Thanks a lot!
Mockba

[Andy Keys]

Hey, I'm in the same situation as you with my XR.

I've been looking at the manual, and as far as I can tell:
From the Utility Menu it's 2 down presses, then [ENTER] to select Factory Reset
Then [ENTER] again to do the factory reset.
Wait 60 seconds and re-boot.

What I can't work out from the manual, is how many presses of what buttons to get to the Utility menu!

Can anyone out there help us?

[LA Keys]

I've too had a fantom XR and also had the very same problem with the display. This is sadly very common problem for the fantom XR.

Although I cannot help about the menu and key press I know for sure that 90% of the time the display itself is fine. The real problem is with the tiny traces on the flat ribbon connecting the display to the circuit board. Those are way too fragile and can come off easily. They simply peel off under any friction.

Here is some good pictures of the ribbon cable: https://www.synth-parts.com/en/Products ... om-XR.html

Note that the tiny contact (black traces) are on only one side of the ribbon.

Since you don't have anything to loose at this point I would suggest a few things that MAY solve the problem if your lucky and careful doing any of the following.

- Try gently pushing the ribbon a bit deeper into the connector on the pc board.

- You may also try to (gently) press on the non-contacts side of the ribbon.The ribbon will then bend toward the contacts side and this may be enough to provide a good connection. If this work you may use some adhesive tape to keep the ribbon permanently in that position.

- Last resort is to pull out the ribbon from the connector and examine the traces (contacts) with a magnifier. You will probably see that the conductive material is missing some places. If all the traces are in perfect shape you're probably in the 10% that have a truly defective display.

Once the ribbon is disconnected you can try cutting off about 0.5mm and connect it back. This way the ribbon will reach a bit deeper and this may improve the connections. DO NOT CUT TOO MUCH.

If nothing above work the very last thing you can try is to restore the tiny traces with silver conductive paint. This is really not easy to do but with patience and precision this could work too.

LA

[Andy Keys]

Thanks LA Keys, have you done that repair job yourself? (I notice you say you had an XR).

Is it a standard size ribbon cable that could be replaced with a longer one?

Thanks
Andy

[LA Keys]

Andy

The ribbon is directly connected to the LCD on one side. You simply cannot replace just the ribbon itself. It is under the black thick coating that you see on the picture. The trace at the other end are probably of some standard spacing but this doesn't really help since the spacing is tighter right after that. (This is a nightmare design)

Although I did not execute the repair on this specific display I've done similar jobs on other ribbon cable or similar equipment. The thing is that I initially simply bought a second used XR just to get the display. Then after that I had a look at the defective display and realized that the connector traces at the end of the ribbon where in bad shape. I've in fact actually tried other things first and destroyed the ribbon... Hint: don't even think about using soldering iron to thicken the trace with lead solder :(

This being said I've worked in the fields for many years and know that what I wrote before could certainly work, If you try any of this be aware that in all cases you will need to reboot the XR to see if it is working. This is because an initialization string is sent to the display at power up.

LA

[Andy Keys]

Thanks for the detailed reply, LA. I'll see if I can find the service manual for the XR and then open it up and take a look...

Andy

[LA Keys]

Here maybe... :)

[Andy Keys]

Wonderful, thank you!

[mockba_the_borg]

Hi All,

Thanks for all the insight, but once I posted the question here I had already tried all the above (but the silver conductive paint) and nothing seemed to work ... ended up getting the display ribbon into a bad shape by trying all the above.
The device is sold on eBay, hopefully the buyer will have more luck than me.
Allow me to change the course of this discussion though:

Knowing that I could not recover the display, I tried to forget about it and just manage the device using the Fantom Editor which is available from Roland. That should be enough to let me edit/change patches via Midi, however, even though I was able to send midi notes to the device normally, it would not respond or be detected by the editor (I am using regular MIDI, not USB, as the USB doesn't seem to detect on Windows 10).
Maybe one of you knows if:
1. Would MIDI work with the Editor? Not USB?
2. Would a factory reset bring the device onto a situation where it would allow MIDI usage with the editor?
3. Would it by default have SYSEX disabled? Maybe someone can give the keypress sequence to get it to a point where MIDI can be used to manage it forther?

This is the sequence I got from a guy on Youtube to get it to Factory Defaults (in case it is useful for someone):
"first press the "MENU" button, press the "DOWN" arrow button {TWO} times, no more, no less……. The "ENTER" button should be flashing, press it now. Press the "DOWN" arrow button {TWO} times again. At this point, you will be at the factory reset selection and the menu button will be flashing again. If you are in fact ready to reset the entire Phantom to factory status, then you may go ahead and press enter"

This is the video of the guy who helped me:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hshow98cQ0

You can go there and give a like if you feel like it.

Thanks,
Marcelo.

[mockba_the_borg]

It would be awesome also if someone resourceful enough (or crazy enough) could hack a different LCD into it, based on the service manual.

[Andy Keys]

I wouldn't have a clue where to start with that, mockba.

[ericmusicstrasbourg]

I've too had a fantom XR and also had the very same problem with the display. This is sadly very common problem for the fantom XR.

Although I cannot help about the menu and key press I know for sure that 90% of the time the display itself is fine. The real problem is with the tiny traces on the flat ribbon connecting the display to the circuit board. Those are way too fragile and can come off easily. They simply peel off under any friction.

Here is some good pictures of the ribbon cable: https://www.synth-parts.com/en/Products ... om-XR.html

Note that the tiny contact (black traces) are on only one side of the ribbon.

Since you don't have anything to loose at this point I would suggest a few things that MAY solve the problem if your lucky and careful doing any of the following.

- Try gently pushing the ribbon a bit deeper into the connector on the pc board.

- You may also try to (gently) press on the non-contacts side of the ribbon.The ribbon will then bend toward the contacts side and this may be enough to provide a good connection. If this work you may use some adhesive tape to keep the ribbon permanently in that position.

- Last resort is to pull out the ribbon from the connector and examine the traces (contacts) with a magnifier. You will probably see that the conductive material is missing some places. If all the traces are in perfect shape you're probably in the 10% that have a truly defective display.

Once the ribbon is disconnected you can try cutting off about 0.5mm and connect it back. This way the ribbon will reach a bit deeper and this may improve the connections. DO NOT CUT TOO MUCH.

If nothing above work the very last thing you can try is to restore the tiny traces with silver conductive paint. This is really not easy to do but with patience and precision this could work too.

LA

hi LA KEYS. thank you for your post on roland fantom screens. i clean the ribbon and the fantom xr is working. thank you for your help ! a nice saving.