Not Very Happy. . .(strand300)

[adude23]

I was in our local theater yesterday doing a get in for an up and coming dance show, when i found out half way through a focus that some clever and helpful person has managed to break the wheel on the top right hand corner of our strand 300! Now i don't know who's been up there using it because it's been about two months since I've done anything there but I've got no way of finding out.
So i just want to fix the problem but is it something i can do myself "in the console wise" or will it have to be sent off to strand?
thanks guys
~Adude~

[icewolf08]

Well it really depends on how the wheel is broken. If the encoder, wiring, and wheel it self are still in one piece and it has only ben knocked around, you can probably find a way to mount it back in place. If any of the parts are damaged then you would need to replace them. You can call your local dealer to see if it is something they can do as that would probably cost less than sending it to Strand. If you are good with electronics, you may be able to find the parts you need from an electronics shop. Most of the components are not proprietary, so you should be able to find art numbers and manufacturers on them, so that you can look up replacements.

The simplest and least expensive solution is to go pick up a PS/2 (USB with PS/2 adapter will work) trackball mouse that has a scroll wheel. The scroll wheel on the mouse can act as the wheel on the console, just like the trackball itself acts like the trackball that the 300 doesn't have (but is on the 500 series).

[adude23]

Erm well, In terms of "broken" when you select a fixture e.g. 1 ON and then try to roll it's intensity up using the wheel it stutters between 0 and 1% and won't move any higher so me thinks the movement is not being picked up i.e. the wheels been dislocated somehow?
I've got a tracker ball and didn't know you could use the wheel on that?
Will give it a go!
~Thanks~

[propmonkey]

inside the board the wheel is connected to the actual sensor via a rubberband. i had one break once. i just went to the school's maintenance shop and found a small rubber gasket that was the same size.

[adude23]

A rubber band? Bloody hell no wonder it's broke
didn't realize that i will try cracking it open when i'm in tomorrow and will have a proper look didn't really get time to do anything on Saturday
thanks
~Ash~

[GoboGuy]

i've had this happen on a 300 before, i used the "up/down" softkeys instead... tedious, but it worked in a pinch

[adude23]

Goboguy,
That's exactly what i had to do for this focus on Saturday!
Was such a chore so hoping i can get it fixed!
Did yours get fixed in the end? and if so how did you manage it?
~Ash~

[gafftaper]

Since the 300 is now discontinued if you determine you need a factory repair do it immediately. I would hate to see you figure out a temporary fix and think you can wait until later to have it fixed for real only to find yourself without parts from the factory.