Kemper Dark LCD Stompbox Editing Fix

Started by Elantric, December 07, 2014, 12:18:37 PM

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Elantric

#25
My Kemper is from March 2012
I'm now at FW  2.7.3.10479
Boot time is 43 seconds ( no change)
And after I go to the System Area and assign the LCD to a Blue color and contrast I like, it does not stay that way.

For example if I select any patch and I want to add a Stomp FX,  I will  press any blank Stomp (A,B,C,D) - and the LCD backlight turns Off . in a dark room I  cant even read it. Appear to be a "bug" or failure that only manifests when I want to get work done with editing a stomp.

I'll tie a flashlight to chain and bolt it to the side of the Kemper along with a magnifying glass if I need to Edit Stomps

(My Galaxy Note4 CCD Camera makes the issue appear not as bad - but my human eyes simply cant read "Empty" on the dark LCD




Bill Ruppert

No that does not look right!
Something is up.
I will shoot the same thing here tomorrow and post.
Yours is loosing 70% of brightness.

Bill Ruppert

I watched again.
You have a hardware problem.

Elantric

#28
My KPA LCD goes dim like that this since day #1

I had no basis to know or judge it was an issue until I recently watched other KPA Youtube videos and not seeing this same LCD On/OFF behavior on other KPA's Stomp FX

And one clue is with my Kemper  - placing "kaos.bin" in the OS Update folder does nothing.

On mine, FW Updates only work when kaos.bin is placed in the root directory of the USB Drive

I have submitted an email to Kemper describing my problem.

Bill Ruppert

As for the OS thing reformat the thumb drive IN the Kemper and try again.
Take of your back ups if you have them first.
Screen wise something looks off.
I will give you my brightness and contrast settings and see how yours match.
The regular screen looks washed out as well from the video.

Elantric

To clear the drive of any prior data,and make sure I have a fresh clean FW install - I did the following in this order:
===========================================

1) Format the 16GB USB drive for FAT32 in my Win7 PC

2)  Eject the USB drive

3) Place the USB drive in the rear USB Host port on the KPA - and power on KPA - I understand this reformat's the USB drive and adds these folders

  Backups

  OS Update

  Shared

4) Then i power down the KPA, and remove the USB drive

5) Reinsert USB drive into the Win7 PC - and place the KPA FW Update file "kaos.bin" into the "OS Update" folder on USB drive, and Eject

6) Place the USB drive in the rear USB Host port on the KPA - and power on KPA - I only see a normal boot up - no prompt to update firmware.

7) To clear the drive of any prior data,and make sure I have a fresh clean FW install, I again Format the 16GB USB drive for FAT32 in my Win7 PC

8 )  Eject the USB drive

9) Place the USB drive in the rear USB Host port on the KPA - and power on KPA - I understand this reformat's the USB drive and adds these folders

  Backups

  OS Update

  Shared

10) Then i power down the KPA, and remove the USB drive

11) Reinsert USB drive into the Win7 PC - and place the KPA FW Update file "kaos.bin" into the root folder on USB drive, and Eject

12) Place the USB drive in the rear USB Host port on the KPA - and power on KPA - and finally get the prompt to update the Kemper firmware. (Yes / No)

13) I press "Yes" and after 2 minutes the Kemper has the new firmware. 


Elantric

QuoteScreen wise something looks off.
I will give you my brightness and contrast settings and see how yours match.
The regular screen looks washed out as well from the video.

Its probably just a result of the camera on my Android smartphone -because the normal LCD with Backlight  for most screens look good to me:

( System Page 1)

Contrast: 100

Brightness: 6.3

White Balance: 5.0

Line Frequency: 60Hz (fixed)



( System Page 2)

Color LEDs : 9.8

Buttons: 6.9

LED Collar: 5.1

Tap: 5.6


( System Page 3)

Snapshot Browser: Quick Function:

LCD Color: User 14
 


Elantric

#32
The reply from Kemper

QuoteDear elantric,

all Profilers behave this way since day one. The screen is shaded, because the Module is empty and disabled. If that is too dark for your eyes, you can adjust the brightness of the screen in the System Menu.

the default Contrast is 128 and Brightness is 8.5. somebody has obvioulsy lowered these values on your profiler. But you need to adjust this to your needs and taste..

The normal firmware upgrade works from the root directory as well as from the "OS Update" folder and I'm convinced it's the same in your case. The "internal" upgrade process via "Booting and burning" does only work with the firmware in the root directory. But "Booting and burning" should only be used in exceptional cases. If there should be an issue in your case, it has nothing to do with your Profiler. Either there are multiple copies of KAOS.BIN on your USB-stick, which should never be the case, or the KAOS.BIN got corrupted during download/unzip or there is an issue with your USB stick. I would try another USB stick, repeat the download and unzip process,

Sincerely,
Burkhard Dinnies
Kemper Amps Support Team

Kemper GmbH
Koenigswall 16-18, 45657 Recklinghausen, Germany
Handelsregister: Amtsgericht Recklinghausen, HR 4535
Sitz d.G.: Recklinghausen, Geschäftsführer: C. Kemper, T. Matuschowski

** Follow us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/kemperamps **

Elantric

#33
Quoteall Profilers behave this way since day one. The screen is shaded, because the Module is empty and disabled. If that is too dark for your eyes, you can adjust the brightness of the screen in the System Menu.

I have to ask - "Where is the "no stomp box selected" Brightness Control?"  , because  on my KPA  the LCD gets extremely dark and not readable anytime I'm trying to assign a Stomp FX to a previously un assigned location.

Compare this LCD - its bright during the stomp box assignment


Specifically here - see how the LCD remains brightly lit when "Empty " is displayed at the 42 second mark here:



Now compare above to my KPA  Stomp Box Effect Assign procedure and see how dim my LCD gets ( 7  seconds into the video here )  -



What specific control do I adjust to make this brighter?


My eyes simply cant read "Empty" on the dark LCD  - how do I make my LCD remain readable during the initial stomp box assignment and the LCD reads "Empty" ?


mbenigni

QuoteAnd being right handed - when I turn the "TYPE knob - my hand blocks so I cant read the LCD.

Is Chris Kemper Left Handed?

I laughed out loud when I read this as I've often wondered the same thing.  Shortly after I got my KPA I mocked up an alternate layout with the Type and Knob controls closer to the bottom of the LCD, where they would have been less problematic.  But I never did anything with those images since it's not exactly something you can fix in firmware...

I guess Bill's advice makes sense:  get your effects presets set up in advance so you don't have to use the Type knob as often.

Elantric

Question?

Does your KPA LCD go dark and dim when you attempt to assign a Stomp FX ?

Tonemasterus

My display dims when no effect is placed or off. 

Elantric

#37
QuoteMy display dims when no effect is placed or off.

Thank You!

So I wonder why Bill's KPA and the official Kemper Effect Training video's KPA stays nice and bright?

And how do I make my KPA match theirs?



Compare this LCD - its bright during the stomp box assignment

Tonemasterus

I am wondering if theirs not dimming is some kind of video editing fix?

whippinpost91850


whippinpost91850

Try reformatting your drive. It works fine for me.

Bill Ruppert

I dont have time to edit that crap video I sent of getting an effect.

Mine changes color to a slightly different color not as bright and the effect name is in a white type to show NO effect was chosen.
When you do pick one it darkens to show you its on.
From the video it looked like Steves screen was very dim.
Either something is wrong or his camera is handling the light weird.




Quote from:  Tonemasterus on December 08, 2014, 08:27:19 AM
I am wondering if theirs not dimming is some kind of video editing fix?

Bill Ruppert

Steve here is my screen set up in the system menu.
Hit the system button on the very left side and use the page buttons on the left side of the screen to walk through the pages.
The very first window is contrast and brightness. I have it set at:
Contrast 198
Brightness 7.1
Using the right page button go to the third window and make you LCD color user #30
See if that helps...

whippinpost91850

Mine about the same age and I'm on the newest software. It does the same thing when you push a stomp button ??? always irritated me , but never quite as much as it does Steve

Tonemasterus

I am going to try Mr. Ruppert's display settings when I get home and see if it helps!  My tone will be better I'm sure!  LOL

Dave

Elantric

QuoteMine about the same age and I'm on the newest software. It does the same thing when you push a stomp button ??? always irritated me , but never quite as much as it does Steve

Thanks for confirming others have this same issue

Its better than hearing I have a hardware problem

Bill Ruppert



Dave
Your tone will be brighter:-)
Quote from:  Tonemasterus on December 08, 2014, 10:36:32 AM
I am going to try Mr. Ruppert's display settings when I get home and see if it helps!  My tone will be better I'm sure!  LOL

Dave

whippinpost91850

I'm left handed, but have allways lived in a right handed world. I agree , I allways found the reverse layout a bit odd. More then once i've put my guitar cable in the lefthand jack, like most amps, and wondered what was wrong

whippinpost91850

#48
QuoteSo I wonder why Bills and the dude in the official Kemper Effect Training video's KPA stays nice and bright?

And how do I make my KPA match theirs?
I want to know this as well

Elantric

#49
My "Dim" KPA is set as:

Contrast: 100

Brightness: 6.3



According to Kemper Support - We are supposed to try changing LCD settings in the System area to:

Contrast = 128

Brightness = 8.5



and Bill Ruppert has his KPA set as :

Contrast =  198

Brightness  = 7.1


I will try this tonight