USB Port dead. Another way to Connect?

D

Dregsman

Member
I think my FM9 USB port may be fried. Is there another way to connect the FM9 to a computer and fm9 edit until I can get it fixed?

We had lightning here last night and a bolt hit my neighbors home fried his modem and garage door opener. Nothing happened to me, But I noitced today my FM9 will not connect to my computer anymore, It wont connect to my iphone, Frac pad either. I tried new USB cables and re downloaded the fm9 edit. I think it the USB port.

Is there another way to connect other than USB?
 
You should be able to do what you need via MIDI. I know with the AxeFX III you can do all the AxeEdit and Fractal Bot stuff via MIDI instead of USB.
 
you should return to the after-sales service, I'm not sure that MIDI offers so much flexibility
 
The editor shall have the same functionality when connected through a USB-Midi interface (connecting both the MIDI-In and the MIDI-Out). All Fractal editors have the option to choose the communications port under the Settings/Preferences menu.

And if you get a USB audio interface with 5-pin MIDI Input and Output you can also use it for recording audio, instead of the FM9 USB.

That reminds me that I should unplug everything when it is not used or there is a storm coming :rolleyes:
 
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Piing said:
The editor shall have the same functionality when connected through a USB-Midi interface (connecting both the MIDI-In and the MIDI-Out). All Fractal editors have the option to choose the communications port under the Settings/Preferences menu.

And if you get a USB audio interface with 5-pin MIDI Input and Output you can also use it for recording audio, instead of the FM9 USB.

That reminds me that I should unplug everything when it is not used or there is a storm coming :rolleyes:
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Sounds like you got bit the same way I did in 2019.... Fractal was able to replace the USB port on the FX3. Not sure of internal architecture on the FM9, but unless there was a space issue, it makes sense to utilize a similar setup - i.e., a daughterboard for the USB - given that the B socket is prone to issues. Hopefully the next gen will bump up to USB C connections.
 
As a 30 year Electronics Tech/Engineer, I would say this is alarming. I've never seen a device that was damaged, nor even damaged one during prototyping, and we use USB extensively. We also design safety circuits into our USB interfaces. Not knocking Fractal, but again, alarming.
 
mtripp said:
As a 30 year Electronics Tech/Engineer, I would say this is alarming. I've never seen a device that was damaged, nor even damaged one during prototyping, and we use USB extensively. We also design safety circuits into our USB interfaces. Not knocking Fractal, but again, alarming.
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You're alarmed that a lightning strike could take out a USB port?
 
All bets are off then you have a close strike. Lightning can do some strange and very unpredictable things. Safest bet for interconnected devices is for them to all be connected to the same power source, i.e. the same surge protector and wall outlet. That gives them the same path to ground so there's less chance of a voltage differential forming between them.
 
Rex said:
You're alarmed that a lightning strike could take out a USB port?
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I live in a very high lightning strike area, and previously lived in the lightning strike capital. Never once have I had a USB failure due to lighting or any surge. Even the low end cheap Chinese circuits have protections built in. 😉
 
mtripp said:
I live in a very high lightning strike area, and previously lived in the lightning strike capital. Never once have I had a USB failure due to lighting or any surge. Even the low end cheap Chinese circuits have protections built in. 😉
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Likely the electrical systems in those areas are set up better than other places, if there's a known high incidence of lightning strikes there....
 
mtripp said:
I live in a very high lightning strike area, and previously lived in the lightning strike capital. Never once have I had a USB failure due to lighting or any surge. Even the low end cheap Chinese circuits have protections built in. 😉
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There's no such thing as protection against a nearby lightning strike. Lightning can induce huge currents in devices hundreds of feet away that aren't even plugged in.
 
We had a strike about 100 yards from our house a few years ago. I was home and on my computer at the time. It was LOUD. I though a bomb went off. Lightning hit a street light just down the street and blew the whole end piece holding the bulb apart. We did not lose power or internet (cable) at all and the TV was on in the next room the whole time. Yet our washing machine, dishwasher, and the fan motor of our air conditioner (all in different parts of the house) were all damaged. Numerous other things were plugged in all over the house and not on surge protectors yet they were not damaged at all. You never can tell what it's going to do. I've since had a whole house surge protector installed on our fuse panel. It's always a roll of the dice with lightning, but every little bit helps.
 
A lightning strike fried the USB module of my AF2 and my VGA (GTX1060) back in 2019. The AF2 was connected to the PC via USB, the PC was on, the AF2 was off.

Both were connected to a APC 1400VA UPS and the UPS was also connected to an APC Surgearrest.

If It was just overvoltage through the electric network, the Surgearrest and the UPS overvoltage protection would have kicked in, so it's not that simple I am afraid.

Thunderbolts are kinda rare aroud here but the bottom line is, when it rains or when I know it will rain at some point, I disconnect my FAS stuff from the PC.

PS: for the record the G66 guys and gals replaced the USB module and everything was just fine, but I wouldn't like to go through all this fuss again, sending my FAS back, wait etc. Better safe than sorry...
 
Doesn't take lightning to kill or damage equipment. Stage electricity can be questionable. Was playing at an outdoor event a few months ago, walked up to the mic with guitar in hand to sing a vocal and immediately got shocked. Turned out the stage crew had plugged in a three pronged "grounded" multi-outlet extension cord with the ground prong broken off. Effectively turning it into an ungrounded outlet. Very irresponsible as it looks like you have plugged into a safe grounded plug.

Doesn't hurt, if possible, to trace your stage electricity back and at least get a visual check in to make sure it isn't hinky. Think I am going to start bringing my outlet tester. Small, portable and easy way to test your electric, and it would have immediately alerted me that the outlet was ungrounded. I carry my own GFCI adaptor with me as well.

Amazon product ASIN B01AKX3AYE
Other less expensive options are also available:
Amazon product ASIN B01GSPTUZG
 
playmusic said:
Was playing at an outdoor event a few months ago, walked up to the mic with guitar in hand to sing a vocal and immediately got shocked. Turned out the stage crew had plugged in a three pronged "grounded" multi-outlet extension cord with the ground prong broken off. Effectively turning it into an ungrounded outlet. Very irresponsible as it looks like you have plugged into a safe grounded plug.
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The saddest thing is that there are people who do this shit intentionally as a way to “fix” a noise issue.
 
playmusic said:
Doesn't take lightning to kill or damage equipment. Stage electricity can be questionable. Was playing at an outdoor event a few months ago, walked up to the mic with guitar in hand to sing a vocal and immediately got shocked. Turned out the stage crew had plugged in a three pronged "grounded" multi-outlet extension cord with the ground prong broken off. Effectively turning it into an ungrounded outlet. Very irresponsible as it looks like you have plugged into a safe grounded plug.

Doesn't hurt, if possible, to trace your stage electricity back and at least get a visual check in to make sure it isn't hinky. Think I am going to start bringing my outlet tester. Small, portable and easy way to test your electric, and it would have immediately alerted me that the outlet was ungrounded. I carry my own GFCI adaptor with me as well.

Amazon product ASIN B01AKX3AYE
Other less expensive options are also available:
Amazon product ASIN B01GSPTUZG
Click to expand...

This ^^^^

Back in the early '90s, I got a GFCI outlet and a gray outdoor covered outlet box, and cut the female plug off a fairly decent extension cord, replacing the plug with the outlet box. I still have it 30+ years later. I also carried an outlet tester. They used to be less than $5....
 
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