The Behringer FCB1010 Pedal Board

Mar 22, 2011

—

I have just purchased a new Behringer FCB1010 pedal board. Why? First, it does quite a bit of what I plan to do with my Line 6 pedal board. Second, it’s cheap.

I know that this is an old design, that it has been around for years (at least since 2003), and that there are replacements available. But again, it has the switches that I need, and it does quite a bit all by itself. It’s well built and easy to fix.

Now, you don’t really own a gadget until you hack it. I know that too. So guess what? First thing I did was unscrew everything and start tinkering!

Quick overview:

Lower right: six pedals linked to switches on a board. Very similar to my Line 6 pedal board. Similar switches. Similar circuit. Instead of using a resistor ladder to code the switch signals, this board uses direct connection. This means that each switch and each LED is linked to a pin on the connector. There is a 14 pin connector there, so 12 pins for the switches and LEDs, a + voltage and a ground wire.
Middle left: 2 expression pedal boards. These are very similar to the ones on the Line 6. A simple photo-transistor amplified signal linked to a gray-scale plastic insert moved by the pedal. The varying voltage is sent to an analog-to-digital converter on the main board.
Middle right: Upper pedal board. Same as the lower one.
Top right: Midi IN-OUT board. The IC (IC1: H11L1) on that board is a simple opto-isolator, required by the midi standard to prevent ground loops between equipment.
Top right, just a bit left: Switch board: used to connect to switchable amplifiers.
Top left: power connector, power switch and power transformer. Nothing special. I have not measured the power transformer’s output, but the presence of a 5 volt voltage regulator on the main board lets me believe that the voltage on the main board is 5 volts. Convenient. This is probably a 9 volt power supply.
Top middle: The main board. A bunch of transistors, ICs, relays and miscellaneous parts.

Main Board

The main board is kind of divided as follows:

Left: Transistor and resistor arrays to drive the display digits segments.
Middle: Integrated Circuits for
- IC 10,IC3,IC11: 74HC273D: D-Type octal flip flops. 2 are used to control the 7-segments LED digits and 1 is used to receive the pedal inputs.
- IC12: C0832C: 8 bit analog/digital converter to transform the pedal analog signal to digital
- IC2: T805: Voltage regulator, 5 Volts.
- IC7: TL7705ACD: Power supply supervisor. Ensures clean power to main chip.
- IC6: Atmel62- 24C16A: 2wire 16K EEPROM. Memory module. Usage unknown. Maybe a boot loader for the system.
- IC8: Philips P80C32SBAA: Micro-controller. This is the brain of the pedal board.
- IC4: 74HC04: Hex inverter. Various use throughout for logic signal inversion.
- IC5: 74HC130: Multiplexer. Driving logic (clocks and clear) for ICS 3, 10 & 11 (74HC273)
- IC9: 74HC373: D-Latch flip flops: Logic driver.
- IC14: M5M5256FP-85 (or SR32K8 on schematics): 32K X 8bit RAM.
- IC13: 27C256: 256K EEPROM. Of course, the biggest IC on the board is the firmware EEPROM on the right. Mine is version 2.501E, the last one available.

So, The main board is a micro-controller with some RAM, a firmware chip, some IC interface to drive the display, another IC to get inputs from the pedals. The main question: Can I replace this board with a home-brew Arduino board? You bet. Or “your” bet… I am confident that it can be done, but haven’t done it yet.

The project is to build the Arduino supported controller and make the code open source for all to share. There.

Main Board: Alternate view

Main Board: Display

Transistor array to drive the display

Main Board: Close up on ICs

Expression Pedal Board and Mechanism

Midi and Switch boards

Comments

50 responses to “The Behringer FCB1010 Pedal Board”

Rob

2011/03/25

Hey,

Part 39Z0YFJ, isn’t actually the part number. This is the lot number for the particular chip. In my research to replace this chip that I burned out, HC04 is the part of the part number. In talking with TI, it is not a complete part number. It is a Hex Inverter. Thanks for posting close up pics!

Rob

Reply
1. rt
  
  2011/03/28
  
  Thanks for the comment. I have just received a complete schematic for the FCB1010 and I will update the post with new information.
  
  Reply
rt

2011/04/17

I have updated the text, describing each IC more precisely after careful study of the main board and the schematics of the complete system.
I am now certain to be able to replace the main board with an Arduino. Keep checking the posts!

Reply
hirose

2012/01/10

i have a fcb1010 but its 110/120volts…can you help me convert it to 220/240volts?
can the built in transformer there inside be converted to 220/240v by just changing some wire connections? or do i need to get a new transformer? one option is to also have a converter connected on the plug.But I prefer making the unit as is.So which one will u suggest is better? thanks in advance, i will appreciate any advice or help u can give me.

best regards
hirose

Reply
1. rt
  
  2012/01/10
  
  The easiest way is probably to buy a new transformer with the proper voltage. But you could also solder the leads from a 9 volt wall wart transformer directly to the main board. Cut the yellow wires that go from the transformer to the main board close to the main board. Then solder (the best way) or otherwise join the two wires from your 9 volt transformer to the yellow wires sticking out of the main board. The diodes will even take care of the polarity, so you don’t have to worry about the + and – at all. The way the main boards does it, the 10 volts or so from the transformer goes through a diode rectifier, made from 4 diodes, then is goes in parallel with a condenser for filtering and finally through a 7805 5volt voltage controller integrated circuit. The final voltage that feeds ALL the electronics on the fcb1010 is 5 volts DC.
  
  Reply
  1. Nicolas
    
    2012/11/05
    
    Hi , does it has to be 9V AC or DC power?…ddoes it matter since it is going through the rectifyers anyway?…thanks!
    
    Reply
    1. rt
      
      2012/11/07
      
      The rectifier will accept AC or DC. The 7805 will easily process 7-12 volts DC. I think the specs are 7 to 20 volts, but they get really hot above 12. You need a heat sink above 12 volts, depending on current. So, the external power of pretty much any musical instrument setup are acceptable. Most of the time, it’s 9 volts, anyway.
      
      Reply
nick

2012/11/07

Thanks very much, thats what i needed to know. Cheers.

Reply
Steve Miranda

2012/11/11

Hello, can anyone give me some details of the transformer? Mine does not seem to work and I think I may have to change it, but there are not details mentioned on the unit itself. I live in Dubai, UAE, and the voltage here is 240V.

Thank you

Reply
1. rt
  
  2012/11/11
  
  Hello Steve,
  The transformer is a very standard 9 volt AC one. Anything from 9 to 12 volts will work to replace it (240 volts input in your case, of course). You could even replace it with a wall transformer (wall wart) DC and the circuit will be OK. You should be able to find a replacement anywhere.
  
  Reply
David Swann

2013/01/14

Hi, you have probably already sorted it but on mine the transformer has 2 primary windings on it so it can be used for 110-120 and 220-240 volts. the voltage selector is actually the fuse on the iec inlet.

First, have a look inside at the transformer and see if it has 3 wires going between the transformer and the inlet. If so its almost certainly able to do both. You will want to follow the wiring and double check.

Back to the fuse. Pull the fuse out and note the orientation. If you look inside you will notice 3 contacts. The contacts on the fuse are asymmetric so if you put it in one way the fuse connects 2 contacts, Presumably 1 outer winding and the tap in the middle and the other way both the outer taps.

You will see a couple of arrows on the fuse holder and where it goes back in. Align them to match the voltage. You may need to change the fuse. The sticker on the back of mine says to use T50mA 250v. You probably have a 100mA fuse in there. I would change it as if it turns out that after all those checks your transformer doesn’t like 230v the fuse may save it!

Hope this helps

Reply
1. rt
  
  2013/01/14
  
  Hello David,
  
  There is a second winding on the input side of my transformer too. While I can’t measure the internal turn ratio, I will test the transformer for that second winding when I get a chance.
  
  I have 115V versions of the FCB1010 (many of them, actually). I have included a picture of the Power Connector at http://practicalusage.com/pu/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/fcb1010-fuse-holder.jpg
  
  You might have a different fuse holder outside of North America. Mine only have one contact on each side and the fuse is T100-250V. The T stands for “Time-delay” and is used for slow-blow fuse. Usually permits double the rated current for a short while to prevent blowing it every time there is a brief power surge.
  
  So, my fuse and socket are very standard and while the fuse can be inserted in the holder either way, the fuse holder can only fit the socket one way. Mostly because a release mechanism holds it firmly in place with a little locking tab.
  
  I would also consider the ability to plug the fuse one way or the other as a … dangerous feature! So I can only let you do the test, with a good voltmeter
  
  Robert.
  
  Reply
David Swann

2013/01/14

Hi Robert,
Yes, your inlet is different to mine. I was thinking that the reversible fuse wasn’t a great idea. I thought you’d have a T100 in yours so that tallies up. Im on 230v btw so I wont be reversing the fuse!
You would think it dangerous but then how many computer power supplies and the like do you find with a 115/230 switch on the back? I’ve seen loads. What wasn’t great is that the labelling on the fuse was quite subtle so if you wernt expecting it, it could be easy to get it wrong.
my fuse is measuring 18 ohms.
the resistance between live and neutral on the power inlet terminals is
539ohm on 230v mode
212ohm on 115v mode

i have 3 wires, blue black and red.
it appears that 520 ohm between red and black
194 ohm between blue and black.

i think the black goes to neutral via the power switch and the fuse completes the circuit between live and either the red out winding or the blue tap.
taking the fuse out and measuring on the direct contacts.

You may find all you have to do is swap the red lead for the blue on on the iec inlet and do something safe with the blue lead. presumably whatever they had done with the red lead. probably attaching it to something not in the circuit for safe keeping.

hope this helps

Dave

Reply
1. Mr Pityla
  
  2020/04/23
  
  This is an old post, but I will give my contribution cause just today I opened my fcb that I bought in south America. So in the transformer you have Blue for 110V Red for 220V one of these will be disconnected depends of the voltage set in the factory (i.e.: like in my case, blue was disconnected, so red was connected cause the line in south was 220V, so I disconnect that red cable and connected the blue and everything worked perfect getting 9V AC at the yellow cables) . In general we must change the fuse depends of the line voltage selected, in most of the cases this is made by hand, and we must buy a fuse cause it is not provided with devices.
  
  Reply
Akash

2013/04/20

Hey Rt,
I have a small problem with the FCB 1010…
The 2nd Switch is not working… I tried opening it… because i thought it might be the contact point between the switch and the button on the board but I was wrong!!!
I believe it’s the button it self which is not working.
Please advice on how can I get this fixed… and how to get the spare button…

Your help on this will highly appreciated.

Regards,

Reply
1. rt
  
  2013/04/21
  
  The part is available here: http://www.alliedelec.com/search/searchresults.aspx?dsNav=Ntk:MfrPartNumber%7cPTS645SL43%20LFS%7c3%7c,Ny:False,Ro:0&Term=PTS645SL43%20LFS&SearchType=2&fromsearch=true
  Also at digikey: http://www.digikey.ca/scripts/DKSearch/dksus.dll?Detail&itemSeq=129522184&uq=635021000966243344
  You should be able to find it easily at other places.
  
  Not much fun to remove the old one, but it’s the best way to do it.
  
  Reply
David Frascone

2013/10/02

Nit: 27C256 is an EPROM, not EEPROM.

Thanks so much, btw — I’m having issues making programming stick, and thanks to your dissection, I’ve found the eeprom, and ordered a new one to try to swap out!

Reply
JAM

2014/01/02

HI,

I got a problema with my FCB 1010 V2.2 EPROM.

I can edit all the parameters an it works right up to I switch ON the device again because all parameters I edited before are missing and come to the default Factory values.

I have replaced the ERPOM for another new one (UnO 4 KEMPER V1.2) but the problem keeps. I can edit parameters (pedals curve behaviour, swap rows…etc) and it Works right while the device is working with power supply. After I switch OFF/ON, the new parameters are lost once again and they return to the default Factory values.

The device shows a VOLATIL memory behaviour. So, What can I do? could you help me?

many thanks in advance!

Reply
1. rt
  
  2014/01/02
  
  The best place for FCB1010 help and questions is on the FCB1010 forum at http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/fcb1010/info
  You should also use software to program it. On a mac, i use iFCB form wabbit (http://www.wabbitwanch.com/iFCB.html).
  
  I rarely reprogram my FCBs since I use a computer to generate music. I also use micro-controllers to modify the Midi commands coming out of the FCB because I find them easier to program than the FCB1010!
  
  Reply
2. untergeekDE
  
  2014/05/28
  
  My FCB started with the very same behaviour after installing an UnO upgrade. After downgrading to rule out software bugs, and exchanging some mails with Xavier, the clever guy behind the UnO firmware, I’ve concluded that it might be a defective IC6, the 24C16 EEPROM – which, by the way, is the place where your programming is stored while the power is off.
  
  As they are very cheap – around $1 – the risk is tolerable, but soldering SMD chips is not for the unexperienced. I’ll get back here if it works – in that case, find a reliable electronics repair guy and have him or her exchange the EEPROM for you
  
  Reply
cem

2015/06/18

This is great! Could you be able to share the original fcb schematic please?

Reply
1. rt
  
  2015/06/18
  
  Contacted by email
  
  Reply
Mark

2016/01/11

Hi I’m looking for a replacement 5 pedal as the plastic surround has cracked so the spring pops the plastic seating part into the board. Any help in finding a part number or replacement would be gratefully appreciated.

Many thanks

Mark

Reply
1. rt
  
  2016/01/31
  
  I have not been able to find that part with my suppliers. Maybe Behringer can help. I use Superglue or Sugru to repair plastic parts.
  
  Reply
Martin

2016/07/15

I want to replace the expression pedals with external pedals with ordinary potmeter in them. I wonder if this is possible: I belive (but not sure) that the three wires to the opto reader is: Red – 5VDC (feeder for LED), one black for GND and one black for variable resistance, reading the Opto position.
My idea would be to use the GND and the the other black wire and to connect to the potmeter. Do you think that would work?

Reply
1. rt
  
  2016/07/16
  
  Excellent idea! Let me look at the schematics and figure out an equivalent circuit. But it might just work.
  Back later…
  
  Reply
  1. Martin
    
    2016/10/30
    
    Hi RT,
    did you find the time to look at this? From what I understand, it should be fairly easy, but my challenge is to find the correct range for the pot, so I dont have to find the right pot by the trial/error method…
    Then again, I may be totally wrong.. 🙂
    
    Reply
Jake

2017/03/27

Anyone!

That would be so amazing if you could figure out the required circuit.
I am trying to use the FCB with the Uno4Kemper (as I did not purchase the “Kemper” footswitch )and the FCB is the only footswitch on the market right now that has bidirectional MIDI features in support. This would not only help me, but anyone who has purchased a kemper without their footswitch.

Reply
LST

2017/04/10

Hi

Could you tell me the part number or specs of original 2 digits 7 segments display?

Thanks

Reply
1. rt
  
  2017/04/15
  
  The catalogue is at http://www.plusopto.co.uk/assets/ligitek-led-display-catalogue.pdf
  The two rightmost digits are pretty standard: exact part LDD5125 common anode page 15 in the catalogue. Easy to find a replacement.
  The leftmost digit is :SD5685 common anode. Difficult to find equivalent part, but you could replace it with a standard digit and re-assign some of the segments.
  Hope that helps.
  
  Reply
  1. LST
    
    2017/04/24
    
    Thanks, this will help me a lot!
    
    Cheers
    
    Reply
Kevin D. Hanning

2018/01/07

I need to replace the mainboard in my fcb1010. All my unit does now is give faulty gibberish displays and no connectivity with the software. PLEASE HELP!!!

Reply
1. Dave
  
  2018/01/07
  
  Hi, if you’re getting gibberish there is a least power and something is happening. Have you tried reseating all the cables on the main board? I seem to remember mine had a dab of hot glue to stop them working loose, you’ll have to pick that of.
  Once cables are unplugged then a quick squirt of contact cleaner and plug in and pull out 3 or 4 times, that may well fix it.
  I’m not sure how exposed the mains cables are in this unit so best to unplug before opening.
  Hope this helps!
  
  Reply
  1. Tubetinkerer
    
    2018/01/07
    
    I had a similar issue with mine. Eventually it turned out that UNO eeprom was corrupted or broken.
    You might want to check.
    Brgds,
    Tubetinkerer
    
    Reply
2. rt
  
  2018/01/07
  
  You probably tried a hard reset, but just in case
  
  Behringer FCB1010 Factory Reset HOWTO
  
  Keep footswitches 1 and 6 pressed while switching on the unit.
  The display will show 09 with flashing decimal points, and then count down slowly to 00. At this point all the patches etc. are reset to factory defaults.
  The factory settings are, for each patch:
  MIDI program change on channel 1 to program (patch number + 1)
  Pedal A sends CC7 (Volume) range 0-127
  Pedal B sends CC14 range 0-127
  Everything else off.
  
  If this doesn’t work, and Dave’s suggestions to reseat the connectors doesn’t help, you might have luck talking to Berhinger to get a new board, but it might be cheaper to get a used FCB101 from eBay…
  
  Reply
K. Klingspor

2018/01/13

Heyho,

thanks a lot for the technical View inside the FCB1010

I’m currently trying to rehouse my FCB and change a few Features:
1. Using external Expression Pedals instead of the builtin ones
2. Instead of using the Relay-siwtiching-jacks for an Amp, I want to build a 2 Channel Looper for inserting effects into the signal

But I stumbled across a problem. I rearranged the LEDs, FootSwitches and the transformer, and my FCB1010 won’t start up, no Display, not even a Sound from the relays or something like that. The only thing i recognize is: IC5 is getting really really hot.
Changes I made so far:
– make a Phantom-Power Mod with two bridge rectifiers
– Rearrange the Voltage Regulator using an extra Heatsink
– New Switches and LEDs

I have no idea, where to start the Troubleshooting, Maybe you can help me.
Thank you in Advance
K.Klingspor from Germany

Reply
1. rt
  
  2018/01/14
  
  The only thing I can think of is a short circuit. Double check the solder you made. By the way, you don’t need bridge rectifiers; there is already a full bridge rectifier on the main board. Where the two yellow wires from the transformer connects to the main board, there it is. Then the voltage regulator is a 7805. So you just have to supply 7 to 12 volts, AC or DC, instead of the 9-10 volts from the old transformer. Supplying more than 12 volts will make the voltage regulator very hot.
  IC5 doesn’t do much, so it shouldn’t get hot at all. That why I think there is a short.
  
  Reply
  1. K. Klingspor
    
    2018/01/14
    
    I resoldered the voltage regulator and measured it. It gives me just around 3 Volts. But this shouldn’t be a problem, should it?
    Besides the voltage regulator and the cables to the transformer, I soldered nothing directly on the Main Board.
    
    I need the Bridge rectifiers for my usage with an external Power supply with keeping the possibility to use the internal Transformer.
    
    Reply
K. Klingspor

2018/03/01

Hey RT,

it was indeed a short somewhere. i couldnt find it, so I had to replace the whole Mainboard… But now my project works almost.

My next question is:
Can you tell me where to find or where to search for the biggest Grounding point on the Mainboard?

Thank you in Advance

Reply
Vincent

2019/04/29

Hi,

Your page is really very interesting. I currently made a mod of my fcb1010 to bring an external 5V from usb based sources. The 7805 has been removed and replaced by this usb source. This works but the consumption of the fcb1010 seems to be close to 2A (especially during the device init). I would like to lower it to 1A or 1.5A if possible, or at least reduce the current peak at startup. I’m thinking about reducing the display light. I understand that you have access to the fcb schematics. Could you please share the location of a component that i could modify?

Thanks a lot in advance.

Reply
1. Juan
  
  2020/04/15
  
  vincent excuse the question my fcb1010 has a problem, is when I turn on the unit all the lights come on and stay on for a few seconds and then the ignition is normalized, what suggestion do you give me?
  Cheers
  
  Reply
Dobrica Zivanovic

2024/05/03

greetings. I have a problem with the behringer fcb1010. midi does not work, there is no midi in and out messages, it does not send or receive messages. I changed the IC circuit numbers. IC circuit numbers 9,10,11,12,14. and I put a new eprom os 2.50 yes can you help me with what else to change. which circuit is responsible for the midi
cheers

Reply
1. rt
  
  2024/05/03
  
  Most parts of the circuit are involved in MIDI messaging. Does the power supply work (LED and display turn ON)?
  
  Reply
  1. Dobrica Zivanovic
    
    2024/05/04
    
    can you fix this pcb board from fcb1010 for me. let me send it to you, or is there a replacement for this. some other company. I love this midi controller, I don’t want to throw it away
    
    Reply
    1. rt
      
      2024/05/04
      
      If you can buy a used FCB1010 locally that would be the easiest way.
      
      Reply
      1. Dobrica Zivanovic
        
        2024/05/05
        
        can you contact me by e-mail. I can send you pictures and a list of IC circuits that have been replaced. FCB 1010 is new. Only the factory was wrong. The led and power supply and the counters work. I can even program them. it just won’t send a signal
Tzr

2024/06/22

Hi

Anyway of getting it to work on usb power?

Reply
1. rt
  
  2024/06/22
  
  Yes! The internal circuit is 5 volts, same as USB. The only requirement is to find the appropriate connection points on the circuit board to connect the USB 5 volt wires. It involves opening the FCB1010 and soldering 3 wires. Easy if you know electronics. I can post a picture if you want to try it.
  If you plan to transfer data using the USB connection, it’s more complicated. But you could use a MIDI-USB converter. Cheap and easy to use.
  
  Reply
  1. Kyle
    
    2024/07/08
    
    Could you please post a picture of the 3 soldering points?
    
    I wanted to have my FCB1010 running from a standard cellphone power bank.
    
    Reply
    1. rt
      
      2024/07/09
      
      I have created a new post that explains what to do https://practicalusage.com/behringer-fcb1010-alternate-power-source/
      
      Reply

The Behringer FCB1010 Pedal Board

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50 responses to “The Behringer FCB1010 Pedal Board”

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