Is possible to add Z-link to a "regular" Pulsar 2?

[King of Snake]

My Powersampler card seems to be causing issues with my setup. I've taken it out and just kept the Pulsar 2 in my system and now some problems that I was having are gone. Fine because I don't really need the DSP so much as I'm doing mostly native now, but I need the I/O I got from the Luna breakout box. Thing is my Pulsar 2 version is a regular (classic?) without Z-link. (like this: http://goo.gl/63H8jW).
I know there are seperate plates with Z-link (http://www.dolphinmusic.co.uk/shop_imag ... -large.jpg) but can you connect that to a Pulsar 2? The P2 doenst seem to have that wide connector like the 3 DSP board has, but it does have smaller one like the smaller one on the plate there. No idea if you could hook it up like that. Anyone have any experience with this?

[garyb]

you can put a z-link plate in place of the current plate, but you can't use the Luna expansion.

[King of Snake]

ah never knew you could actually switch out the I/O on the card itself. Scope is even more modular than I thought
I guess though that those plates are not generally found seperately... So maybe I should start looking for a Pulsar 2 with that I/O plate and switch them around. Or buy an A16 and run it via ADAT...

[DIG_Recording]

I actually have one of those plates I don't need. I started with a "normal" one then bought the plate when I got an A-16Ultra but I'm using Apogee these days so I no longer need it. I tried to sell it on eBay a couple times but never sold it. Think the market for those is pretty specific. I'd sell it for $100. I paid $189 originally from infinitevortex.com, fraid they're not around any more . Just not sure how to go about shipping it to the Netherlands. Let me know if you are interested and we'll work out how to make that happen.

[garyb]

if you're in the USA, USPS priority mail works very well. you'd need to fill out a short form declaring that it's computer parts and worth $100 and insure it. it's not that expensive. he can pay you through paypal.

[DIG_Recording]

Thanks for the info. Sounds like it's not a big deal. Attaching pictures of what I have. It's available if interested. I'll probably post it on the sale part of the forum in a few days if I don't hear anything.


- Thanks

[King of Snake]

Thanks I might be interested. But right now I'm experiencing troubles with my Pulsar 2 as well :/ Twice now in the last two days there is suddenly an incredibly loud and continuous burst of noise and I have to reset Scope in order to have it stop (either restart the Scope application or reselect the sample rate). I'm worried the card might be starting to fail on me. I'm gonna have to investigate more and see if I can find out what's the problem...

[DIG_Recording]

Bummer, Hardware failures are the worst. It's possible I might have a Pulsar 2 available soon. I'd be sad to abandon the pulsar platform I've used for many years but the room with the Pulsar system is seeing more demand for Protools, skype and 88.2 and I have had very poor luck with Pulsar on all those fronts. To be sure I'll keep an XP machine around with my 2 Pulsar 1's in it because we all know there is some cool s**t Pulsar does that nothing else does but It's looking like I have an RME interface in my future for the C room. I'd love to believe V6 was a real thing but time is a luxury I lack. Good luck with your card. You probably already know these tricks but it never hurts to pop it out and clean the contacts, blow it out with some canned air and look closely at the layout in your computer to make sure it's not getting too hot anywhere as a result of crowding. I was having a similar problem a while back and figured out that my video card was blowing hot air right onto the Pulsar.

[guppy]

I got the noise too, it was overheating cards...
you should try to put a fan on it, i"m sure it will be ok then

[vascomusic]

...or even simpler...just get the Zalman VGA RAM passive heatsinks (ZM-RSH) for a few bucks and put one or two heatsinks on every DSP *.
Got 3 Pulsars running cool(er) for 10 years now
http://www.zalman.com/eng/product/Produ ... hp?Idx=136

*Please be aware of ESD (Electrostatic discharge) when touching the DSPs.

[King of Snake]

Thanks for the replies guys I haven't had any issues with the Pulsar 2 in the last couple of days. I wonder if overheating has been the problem. It could be but I don't recall having this kind of issue before so it would be weird that suddenly it would have overheated for no apparent reason. The video card is actually blowing air in the direction of the Pulsar but there's not much I can do about that (and the DSP's are on the other side of the card.)
At least the P2 is in the PCI slot furthest from the graphics card. When I had the Powersampler installed that was actually right next to the cooler of the video card! Not an ideal situation obviously but that's the layout of the PCI slots on this motherboard for you (Asus P55 D E). Also my computer is serving as multi-purpose music machine/graphics workstation/gaming rig so I need the big graphics card

Still I might investigate those heatsinks if the problem returns.

DIG_Recording, I'll get back to you about that Z-link plate as soon as I'm satisfied the card will keep working. I'm gonna give it a week or two to see how it behaves ok?

[DIG_Recording]

Sure, That'll be fine. I'm in no rush. Plenty busy with other responsibilities. Let me know what you work out and I'll either sell it you or offer it to one of the other folks who showed interest.

- Thanks