Help Please, strange msg on di4000

[cp30]

Hi there,

I've got a TW 4000 box which has been working great with an ATmega for a few weeks.

Today I get up to find a strange display on the box, it doesn't actually say anything, just rubbish in the leds (see attached pic). I've tried switching off and leaving, but it just comes back when i power on again with different strange led message. I've tried entering the engineers menu with no luck, seems to be no video output at all.

Anyone know what might have gone wrong??

Any help would be very appreciated.

Thanks.

[the_wizzard]

possibly a corrupt (fooked) chip m29w800\400 has it had the chip out? may be worth checking if it has a atmel in it it's deffo been out

it could also just need to be checked for short's and tacked back down.re-flowed.

[cp30]

It has had the atmels read (by a friend of a friend), but like I said it has been working ok for a while. Do u reckon I should try and see how helpful the friend of a friend is?

[the_wizzard]

yep get him to re-seat the chip see if that sort's it probly just a loose leg

[cp30]

Cheers for the advice, I'll let u know how I get on.

[IAmATeaf]

Jesus, that looks like the self destruct sequence from Predator, if you're still there for GAWD sakes RUN!!!!!! cause she's gonna blow!


On a more serious note did the box lose power recently as this seems to cause this type of problem as the inards of the box cools it loses one of the connections on the pins so getting the Atmels reflowed is the first thing to do.

[Kalipo]

LOL the atmels just have a dry socket, they just need touching with an iron. and why you need to ask one loads of diferent forums the same question is beyond me.

[cp30]

LOL @ IAmATeaf!!

Sorry about the multi-forum post, was just a bit panicked as the box appeared to be dead and was after fastest response possible. Sorry if I broke any rules.

As for the box, I had the atmels reseated and it seems to have sorted the problem. I currently have an Atmega card setup but, as I believe is common with these cards, it needs a reglar reboot of the box as the PPV sometimes stops working and you have to reboot and then wait for the PPV listings to load. To remedy this I simply plugged box into a timer switch which powers down for 30 minutes overnight, do u think that this daily powering up and down may cause further problems with the joints?? Thanks.

[speccy]

This is a common fault on both the 4000 and 4010 when the st chip has been out. Its equivallent to getting 8888 on the other models. Its usually down to a dry joint. Now I dont know if its anything to do with the grade of the metal that they use on the pins of these chips or if its lead free solder that they use? but as I said it is common. I know someone who actually replaces these chips with atmel chips to prevent this problem from happening. I usually just use hot air when replacing chips but on these chips and I do each pin seperatly with an hot iron.
I would personally leave this box on standby at all times if its running fine and only reboot it if the need arises.