Genlock problem - Electronic Designs/Hama Sirius

[Rodrev]

Hi to all. Im a new member, but long time user of the Amiga. I tried this question in EAM, but Ill give it a shot here as well. Ive already learned a lot from this forum, and I am very happy to see a living Amiga Community

I just aquired a A2000HD, KS2.04 with a Electronic Designs/Hama Sirius Genlock. (The blue version). I got no documentation or discs on the Genlock, and no signs of it on the Harddrive. I know for sure that it worked when the TV-cable company that owned it before me stopped using it.

My problem can be described as such:

- The genlock works with only a video signal and external power.
- I can get no Picture from the Amiga, nor Video when powered by the A2000. If external power is inserted at the same time, the video signal apppears. Ive tried Bypass and Amiga-mode on the Sirius.
- The LEDs on the Genlock looks more "pale" when only powered from the Amiga, but looks fine when powered with a 12v adaptor.
-When I plug the Genlock into a A500, it wont boot, and the Power/Disc-LEDs just blink.
-When tested on a second A2000HD (KS1.3) The same thing happens as with the first 2000. No Amiga Graphics, and "pale" LEDs on the genlock.

(Hope this is possible to understand. Feel free to ask for more specific details if needed)

Frankly, Im not shure if Im doing anything wrong or not, since Im without the Manual. (Which I have found for sale included in the Workbench Archives, but have got no response from the seller.)

My question is:
Does anybody have the Manual and/or Disc? Or do anybody have an idea of what I might be doing wrong..? My guess is that there is something wrong with the cable or plug that goes from the Sirius to the Amiga, but since it is soldered to the Board of the Sirius, replacing it is a tad above my technical skills.

Any help, ideas or suggestion will be greatly appreciated!!!

Best Regards
Baard

[Framiga]

IIRC you have to push down (and take it pushed) the power button of the Sirius during the A2000 boot.

even if without doing this, the Amiga should start anyway and the Sirius should go in pass-throgh mode....

[Rodrev]

Thanx for answering Framiga!

What you say is what I suspected.. If no video signal is present, the Genlock should enter Bypass automatically. The power button on the Sirius is a flip-switch, and I tried turning it on while booting. No luck there.

I have tested some more, and discovered some more clues:

-The A2000 doesnt boot at all. I just thought it did, because the HD made sounds. But I tried to insert a disc, and no reaction from the disk drive at all. Its LED is constantly on.
-The LEDs doenst go out when Power on the Sirius is OFF, and they react when I press the buttons. (i.e pressing Bypass still turns the Standby-LED on, even with Power OFF).
-When powered with a exxternal source the Power OFF seems to work normally, and the LEDs arent "pale". However, when I plug the genlock into the Amiga and starts it up, the genlock goes into its "weird modus".

Could it be something very basic that I dont know about, or am I looking at a Hardware fault? Thanx for helping so far

Baard

[Framiga]

so... it is long time since i've tried one of this Sirius (very good btw with its alpha channel capabilities) but i'm quite sure that you have to push a button during the boot sequence (don't remember which)

and AFAIK the Sirius have a black burst internal generator hence it shouldn't require a video signal connected to make the Amiga boot.

sorry but these are the only things a recall :-)

[Rodrev]

Thanx again for digging into your memory:) I have heard very good things about the Sirius, and Im looking forward to test it if can get it to work properly.

You are right about the Black Burst Generator. As for buttons, there are only three in addition to the Power-button.

They are all "click buttons", and is marked as follows:
BYPASS
AMIGA/GENLOCK SWITCH
KEY INVERT

Ive tried holding down all of theese while powering up the amiga, but no luck there. Altho' I managed to get some green noise on the Amiga Channel one time, Dunno how I did it, cause it only happened then. It resembles the noise that is sent out of the Amiga Video Out when booting with the Genlock. I wasnt able to fade the noise in GENLOCK Mode, only to see it in AMIGA mode.

As for the LEDS going "pale" (I really dont have a better word for it), I was wrong. When powered externally, the LEDs doesnt go "pale", even when plugged into the Amiga. Im able to fade Video signals with it, but the Amiga wont boot.

I tested the Auto Color Splitter function with a cable from the Genlock and into JOY-port2. Works like a charm when scanning with Digiview Gold. No other connections to the Amiga at this point tho', and external power.

It seems to me that the problem is the flat cable that connects to the Video port of the Amiga, since everything on the Genlock works except booting the Amiga. If noone else has suggestions I guess I should try to replace it :S

Baard

[Framiga]

your lucky (or quite).

i've found an old Amiga magazine review about the Sirius and i can confirm that the Sirius model, starts in that way (no clue about the Hama variant).

If you have an italian friend here you can download the full Amiga Magazine issue in pdf.

[Rodrev]

Interesting Link! I do read a tiny bit of Italian, and I have friends that might help me translate. Thnx again!

But I am a bit confused.. I thought the model in the article (the one with LCD) was the Sirius II :S

This I believe is the one in the article:
http://www.amiga-hardware.com/showhardware.cgi?HARDID=406

My model is this one:
http://www.amiga-hardware.com/showhardware.cgi?HARDID=405

The Hama variant looks like this, and is said to be a clone of mine, which is probably true, as it have the same buttons and visible features:
http://www.amiga-hardware.com/showhardware.cgi?HARDID=417

On mine, it says:
Electronic Designs
Sirius-Genlock
Made in Germany by Hama

I believe I really need a manual. :S Ill try holding down various buttons during boot some more. Can you remember anythin more about this routine? Should the button be held down, or just pressed? Sorry all the stupid questions

Baard

[Framiga]

you have to take it pushed for all the boot time startup (until the Amiga boots)

[Rodrev]

Edit: Sorry doubleposting.. My internet connection locked up :S

[Rodrev]

Do you think a faulty cable could be the cause of my amigas not booting with the Genlock plugged in?

[Framiga]

the RGB cable in an Amiga so called "genlock" is a tricky component. If i've understood you correctly, the HAMA have a not shielded flat cable (that could be damaged due the age)

Try with a multimeter a continuity check test between the connector and the place where it is soldered (some of these cables carries a IC inside the connector, to compensate/trigger the external clock signal which is vital for a correct functioning)

good luck!

just for ... the EXTCLOCK (/XCLK) and CLOCK Enable (/XCLKEN) are the pins 1 and 2 of the RGB Amiga port/connector

RGB are the pins: 3-4-5
Composyte SYNC: pin 10

[Rodrev]

I more and more suspect that this is the problem. After some measuring, it seems that some pins "leaks" to other pins in the flat cable. Ill try to replace it, and report what I found out

If anyone reads this and has a PDF-manual, I am extremely interested in a copy, since it seems that the Workbench Archives is inoperative, and that DVD is the only place i have been able trace it as a PDF. So.. i know it exists..

And many thanx for the Pin-outs. Much appreciated

Baard

[Rodrev]

Edit.. Sorry more doubleposting  :-?

[Zac67]

I've got a Hama 292 (looks like 290, but w/ S-video). I've only tried it on my A3000, but I don't need external power, and there's nothing to be done at startup. Except for Amy running interlaced at all times, everything's normal.

I guess it's the cable, too.

[Rodrev]

Thank you Zac, for clearing that up. I will try to replace it this weekend.

Can I replace it with standard flat IDE-cable?

Also.. There is a tiny screw on the plug that goes into the Amiga.. Any idea what it does?

Baard