Push Button Replacement on USL JSD-60 - Possible?

[Barry Floyd]

I've got a 2013 era USL JSD-60 that I'm having an issue with. Of all of the physical buttons across the face of the unit, the only two we physically push each night is the "8CH" for movie sound, and the "NON SYNC" for preshow Cd player content. The automation from our GDC SR-1000's switches back and forth between selections flawlessly, its the physical button pushes that are starting to act up. If I physically push the "8CH" button sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. I really think after 13 years of nightly pushing the button, the switch inside is finally starting to wear out.

Is it possible to swap one of the other buttons that we've never used to use in place of the current one? I guess I'm talking about soldering and de-soldering physical buttons. I've never popped the lid on the JSD60 chassis, so I have no idea whats going on under the hood in that thing.

[Harold Hallikainen]

I wish I had notes on the switches. I THINK they might be made by E-Switch. The same switches are used on the JSD-60 and the JSD-100. You should be able to swap the switches with no problem. I THINK these switches have a little convex piece of metal under the button that bends to hit the contacts. You MIGHT be able to just pop the button off the front and swap these pieces of metal (if that's the problem). Ideally, the manufacturer part number is written on the switches (and I'm amazed how many products do not have identification on them so you could order more).

Good luck!

[Dustin Grush]

Someone will correct me if I'm wrong, But I'm pretty certain that you can switch the buttons digitally from the software. If you go to the "advanced" tab, you should be able to pick another input, say "coax" or "option," and have that use the 8ch as its source. You'd have to change your automation to pick that input, but it'd be a lot easier than opening the unit.

[Ryan Gallagher]

If you are comfortable with surface mount and thru-hole rework that should be a relatively easy swap. If memory serves from looking in mine the front panel is just a typical daughter board. Someone may have a line on which SMD switches those are though, and you could just repair and have spares.

[Dustin Grush]

And thinking further, I don't see a reason why two different buttons couldn't have the same 8ch input, so you could leave your automation alone, and just reprogram the "option" button to also use the "8ch." You can even change the displayed name, and use a label maker for the front of the unit if needed.

[Barry Floyd]

At one point I remember being able to use either "8CH" or "OPTION" and both would give us movie sound. That may have changed with a firmware upgrade on the servers or when we changed servers from the GDC SX2000 AR to the SR-1000's. I may poke around with the software and see if there are options for me to use a different switch. I'm fairly good with soldering and de-soldering, but would rather not have to unless absolutely necessary.

[Rick Cohen]

Why are you even using the buttons in the age of automation? That's what macros are for. Anyway, you can simply reprogram the unit through the software so that any of the buttons can perform the same functions as any of the other buttons. I suppose you could even pull off the faceplate and physically exchange one button for another.

[Barry Floyd]

Why are you even using the buttons in the age of automation? That's what macros are for. Anyway, you can simply reprogram the unit through the software so that any of the buttons can perform the same functions as any of the other buttons. I suppose you could even pull off the faceplate and physically exchange one button for another.

I talk over the microphone every night both before the first movie and at intermission, so I physically push the buttons to switch between inputs. I've got macros in the server that switch between them, but this is an "on the fly" kinda move. Even though I have a 60 foot wide sign that instructs people where the exit is, unless I get on the microphone and explain it, they all try to go out the entrance lane.

[Tj Hopland]

I don't have one handy to verify but like someone else said I'm pretty sure any button can be configured to any input so if you only use a couple you should be able to duplicate them on buttons you normally don't use. You can then decide if you will just leave them as duplicates and the server still selects the original ones or if you change your server cues to point to the new ones. If its just you probably won't matter if there are dupes but if you have others that have to operate switching everything and moving the big masking tape arrows to the new buttons would likely be less confusing.

JSD60 has a web interface that is basically a virtual front panel so depending on what and where you have various devices maybe hitting the buttons on one of those devices could work?

JSD60 has the legacy contact closure DB25 automation interface so you could build yourself a heavy duty remote button control box. You could get everything but the DB25 connector at a place like home depot. I'm guessing you can still fairly easily get a DB25 to screw terminal break out board online so you would not have to solder. The buttons home depot type places sell have screw terminals so same there, no soldering required. This was sort of how the drive in I had that used a mic was set up except there we had the CB style mic so when you pressed the button on the mic that would kick it to the mic input then there was a toggle switch on the wall that would select either the movie or music input.

[Harold Hallikainen]

Several good points here. The JSD-60 selectes inputs through a mixer that is loaded when you push a button. As has been pointed out, various buttons can be loaded with the same mixer coefficients. Also, the parallel automation input on the DB-25 is another good approach.

[Mark Gulbrandsen]

E-Switch seems to be a company that you can buy direct from. All you have to do is identify what P/N switch it is... I'd track it down and by a few extras....

[Barry Floyd]

I was able to log in to the JSD60 thru the USL software on the laptop. Connected through IP address the projection network. I was able to open the Screen 1 JSD60 and I could watch as I clicked the button on the computer, it would change the input on the unit itself. As far as figuring out how to "map" one of the other buttons to clone the "*CH" settings, I couldn't figure that one out.

[Dustin Grush]

When you are under the "advanced" tab, select the input you want from the top(probably "option"), then checkmark the box that says "change input" and select the "abs/ebu" from "input source" button below that box. You can change the displayed name if you want. You may or may not need to mimic the matrix mixer selections from the 8ch depending on what you use. I would take a pic of the "8ch" matrix with my phone before you start so you have a reference.

One nice thing about the jsd60 is that the changes will take effect in real time, but won't be saved automatically, so you can test everything and make sure you like it before committing to something that doesn't work. Just remember to hit save at the top once you get things how you need them. If something gets messed up, just exit without saving to sd card and you'll be back to where you started.