DM500 Power issues - Techwatch Support Forums: Digital & Satellite TV, FTA, Cable, Computers, Mobile Phones, Apple and General Tech Forums

foseco · 12-01-10, 09:50 AM

Hi I have a DM500S which has been happiliy working for the last couple of months. It is using Gemini 4.6. Last night I was watching a channel when the picture froze. I tuned to another channel and back to the same channel and got the msg "Service not found". I tried other channels but just got the same msg. I power cycled the box and the green light on the box came on but faded slowly and there was no display. I changed the PSU for a spare one I had lying around, same voltage, and the power light stays on and I do get an image on the screen but the picture is like a badly tuned TV, black and white, rolling and distorted. There is also a hum from the power connection at the back of the box. I can stop this if I play with the power connector. On the screen I can just about make out the GP logo and part of the screen showing TV system and PAL. My TV is PAL so I shouldn't be getting issues with a rolling picture unless something on the DM500 has failed. The box was connected via scart, I've tried the component out and get the same issues. No matter what I seem to do I can't get the rolling to stop. I'm guessing it has failed. Does anyone else have any ideas?

Thanks

Foseco

karlkhan · 12-01-10, 10:44 AM

Hi Pal you may have a dry solder joint on the power connector, it is easy enough to repair if you are o.k using a soldering iron.

Karl

foseco · 12-01-10, 11:15 AM

Thanks for the reply. Would that cause issues with the picture as well? I'm pretty bad at soldering but if this is a possible cause I may know a man who can. Would it just be a case of resoldering the connector?

Foseco

karlkhan · 12-01-10, 11:23 AM

I would first sort out the connector and hopefully it will solve the picture after all if it is not getting enough power then you can't expect much of a picture. I had a dry joint on my 500c and that kept on freezing and soldering the connector fixed that.

foseco · 12-01-10, 01:48 PM

Could you point me in the direction of how to go about resoldering it. I have a colleague at work who will do it if I can show him what needs to be done. Sorry to be a pain. I'm at work at the moment. I've had a look for info but am coming up empty.

karlkhan · 12-01-10, 02:20 PM

open the screws around the side and 3 at the back and take top off. Then unscrew the circuit board and disconnect the cable from the from panel, you can leave the back panel connected as this come out with the circuit board. Then it is just a case of retouching the solder on the power connector.

karl

foseco · 12-01-10, 03:09 PM

Many thanks. I'll report back once its been done.

Foseco

kerrywez · 12-01-10, 04:32 PM

Hi clone 500s receivers do have power issues, some have burst into flames. Not trying to scare you, but that humming sound is either the power supply is not right or it might be a bad connection between the PSU and the mains 8 connector. I am afraid that you get what you pay for and as there are no genuine DMM 500s made anymore your box is most likely a clone and as such will not be as trustworthy as a genuine one. Good luck with it and I hope you get it sorted.

Regards Wez

foseco · 13-01-10, 10:41 AM

@Wez. Thanks for the reply. You are correct it is a clone, the black edition. It has been suggested on another forum that this may be an affect of the timebomb with the new Gemini image. Not sure what happens with the timebombs but is it likely this could be the cause? I would have though that is someone wrote a piece of s/w to cripple boxes it wouldn't boot at all rather than allow me to see the GP logo and screen settings. Even if the screen is corrupted.

Anyway, I opened up the box and the power connector was a little loose. It has been resoldered and I'll try it when I get home. I did have the PSU with me and connected it up. Couldn't really notice any difference with the power light, still seemed to fade slightly but did stay on. Just out of interest does anyone know if when the box is in the screen settings menu, should I still be able to power it off using the button on the front of the box as I can't do this at the moment but as I say I'll try it properly when I get home.

Foseco

karlkhan · 13-01-10, 02:45 PM

Hi Pal

I had assumed you had used the bombfree version of gemini image, I would reflash to another image if I were you asap and see if it works, pli jade 3 is quite good I find.
I guess fixing the power socket didn't do any harm.

karl

12-01-10, 09:50 AM	#1 (permalink)
foseco Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 30 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	DM500 Power issues Hi I have a DM500S which has been happiliy working for the last couple of months. It is using Gemini 4.6. Last night I was watching a channel when the picture froze. I tuned to another channel and back to the same channel and got the msg "Service not found". I tried other channels but just got the same msg. I power cycled the box and the green light on the box came on but faded slowly and there was no display. I changed the PSU for a spare one I had lying around, same voltage, and the power light stays on and I do get an image on the screen but the picture is like a badly tuned TV, black and white, rolling and distorted. There is also a hum from the power connection at the back of the box. I can stop this if I play with the power connector. On the screen I can just about make out the GP logo and part of the screen showing TV system and PAL. My TV is PAL so I shouldn't be getting issues with a rolling picture unless something on the DM500 has failed. The box was connected via scart, I've tried the component out and get the same issues. No matter what I seem to do I can't get the rolling to stop. I'm guessing it has failed. Does anyone else have any ideas? Thanks Foseco

12-01-10, 10:44 AM	#2 (permalink)
karlkhan Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 18 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: DM500 Power issues Hi Pal you may have a dry solder joint on the power connector, it is easy enough to repair if you are o.k using a soldering iron. Karl

12-01-10, 11:15 AM	#3 (permalink)
foseco Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 30 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: DM500 Power issues Thanks for the reply. Would that cause issues with the picture as well? I'm pretty bad at soldering but if this is a possible cause I may know a man who can. Would it just be a case of resoldering the connector? Foseco

12-01-10, 11:23 AM	#4 (permalink)
karlkhan Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 18 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: DM500 Power issues I would first sort out the connector and hopefully it will solve the picture after all if it is not getting enough power then you can't expect much of a picture. I had a dry joint on my 500c and that kept on freezing and soldering the connector fixed that.

12-01-10, 01:48 PM	#5 (permalink)
foseco Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 30 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: DM500 Power issues Could you point me in the direction of how to go about resoldering it. I have a colleague at work who will do it if I can show him what needs to be done. Sorry to be a pain. I'm at work at the moment. I've had a look for info but am coming up empty.

12-01-10, 02:20 PM	#6 (permalink)
karlkhan Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 18 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: DM500 Power issues open the screws around the side and 3 at the back and take top off. Then unscrew the circuit board and disconnect the cable from the from panel, you can leave the back panel connected as this come out with the circuit board. Then it is just a case of retouching the solder on the power connector. karl

12-01-10, 03:09 PM	#7 (permalink)
foseco Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 30 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: DM500 Power issues Many thanks. I'll report back once its been done. Foseco

12-01-10, 04:32 PM	#8 (permalink)
kerrywez Grumpy Old Sat Man Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Co. Kerry, Ireland Posts: 2,471 Thanks: 2,973 Thanked 639 Times in 505 Posts	Re: DM500 Power issues Hi clone 500s receivers do have power issues, some have burst into flames. Not trying to scare you, but that humming sound is either the power supply is not right or it might be a bad connection between the PSU and the mains 8 connector. I am afraid that you get what you pay for and as there are no genuine DMM 500s made anymore your box is most likely a clone and as such will not be as trustworthy as a genuine one. Good luck with it and I hope you get it sorted. Regards Wez __________________ Dreambox 7025, 250HDD, Dreambox 500s, 110 X 90Cm Hirschmann on Clarketech rotor, 1.2 Mtr. Channel Master. AZBox HD Running on E2. TM6900 super combo.

13-01-10, 10:41 AM	#9 (permalink)
foseco Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 30 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: DM500 Power issues @Wez. Thanks for the reply. You are correct it is a clone, the black edition. It has been suggested on another forum that this may be an affect of the timebomb with the new Gemini image. Not sure what happens with the timebombs but is it likely this could be the cause? I would have though that is someone wrote a piece of s/w to cripple boxes it wouldn't boot at all rather than allow me to see the GP logo and screen settings. Even if the screen is corrupted. Anyway, I opened up the box and the power connector was a little loose. It has been resoldered and I'll try it when I get home. I did have the PSU with me and connected it up. Couldn't really notice any difference with the power light, still seemed to fade slightly but did stay on. Just out of interest does anyone know if when the box is in the screen settings menu, should I still be able to power it off using the button on the front of the box as I can't do this at the moment but as I say I'll try it properly when I get home. Foseco

13-01-10, 02:45 PM	#10 (permalink)
karlkhan Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 18 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: DM500 Power issues Hi Pal I had assumed you had used the bombfree version of gemini image, I would reflash to another image if I were you asap and see if it works, pli jade 3 is quite good I find. I guess fixing the power socket didn't do any harm. karl

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