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In the Virtual Organ Forum, myorgan recently suggested that a new thread be created dealing with the issue of repairing highly computerized organs. So I shall take it upon my self to do so but only in the context of pipe organs.
Recently, over dinner, I was chatting with the president of a company that makes pipe organ switching systems and I brought up the repair issue. His take was interesting. He said that a computerized pipe organ console is mostly empty and that all of the important stuff including the switching system and combination action, as well as the organ definition, now resides in a 6 by 6 by 4 inch box containing a single board industrial computer running Linux. Since these only cost a few hundred dollars apiece he said that it would make sense to simply pack away a couple of spare computers in the console should one ever fail. This would be a straight forward unplug and plug matter. And might it even make sense to exchange computers periodically just to keep them exercised?
Everything else is just power supplies, pipe and stop drivers, switches and their scanners, things that are easy to diagnose and repair or replace. This would be something within the capability of a "generic" computer/electronics/pipe organ technician. Perhaps the components needed to repair these boards, or even complete boards, could also be included as part of the repair package. If I were buying a pipe organ switching system I would make sure that these, as well as a service manual, are part of the deal.
Recently, over dinner, I was chatting with the president of a company that makes pipe organ switching systems and I brought up the repair issue. His take was interesting. He said that a computerized pipe organ console is mostly empty and that all of the important stuff including the switching system and combination action, as well as the organ definition, now resides in a 6 by 6 by 4 inch box containing a single board industrial computer running Linux. Since these only cost a few hundred dollars apiece he said that it would make sense to simply pack away a couple of spare computers in the console should one ever fail. This would be a straight forward unplug and plug matter. And might it even make sense to exchange computers periodically just to keep them exercised?
Everything else is just power supplies, pipe and stop drivers, switches and their scanners, things that are easy to diagnose and repair or replace. This would be something within the capability of a "generic" computer/electronics/pipe organ technician. Perhaps the components needed to repair these boards, or even complete boards, could also be included as part of the repair package. If I were buying a pipe organ switching system I would make sure that these, as well as a service manual, are part of the deal.
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