HD PVR - Advise - New Box

[Josh]

My CT5000 Combo seems to have taken a dive with dead power.... whilst thinking whether I'll be able to sort this out, like a fuse in side, not the fuse in the plug. The question arises as to whether just to scrap it and not bother with trying to get it repaired.

Now guy I know some of you have Technomate PVR HD [Paradox I think] which model is that and what do we think ?. I think one of them is twin sat tuner ?, rather than Freeview and Satellite, so you can record and watch, rather than take a break.

So what clever HD boxes are now out there... and what may work with DVD-T2.

[parad0x_i]

No Josh i have a Dreambox.. a CTech 2100.. and a Skystar 2 :regular_smile:

First thing to do is disconnect the LNB/Motor from the receiver by removing the coax F connector. Then power the box up and see if it boots up. If yes then it's an LNB/Motor/F connector or Coax problem
If it still doesn't power-up then it's probably a power supply problem

Are you any good with a soldering iron.. and do you have a multimeter..?
If yes to both then i can probably help you repair it..

When you power it up listen carefully near to the box for any noises.. especially a ticking sound.. but don't get so close that you touch the box with your ear.. as it could be live
If it is ticking then the switchmode power supply is trying to start but is then turning off because of a fault..

If your receiver is out of guarantee UNPLUG IT FROM THE MAINS and leave it for 1 hour to allow the larger electrolytic capacitors to discharge. They should have bleed resistors to discharge them quickly but don't take any chances.. as the bigger caps can hold enough current to give you a nasty shock!
Look on the power supply board for any obvious signs of burning or damaged components first and if there's nothing to see then try to locate a fuse. Usually nowadays they use wickman fuses. this is a small soldered-in cylinderical component. I've enclosed a pic to help you identify it.
If you find one (it may be marked on the board FS or FS1) then using a multimeter set to continuity (buzzer) or a low ohms range.. check it. If it's blown you wont hear a buzz or get any low ohm reading and it will have blown for a reason.. so it's not just a case of replacing it (usually)

Turn you attention to the smaller value electrolytic capacitors on the power supply board and test them in a similar manner. If they buzz then they have shorted and this is a common problem in switchmode power supplies. They also can become 'leaky' in time and need replacing..
You could actually replace all the small value caps as they are pretty cheap and we're talking around 30p each for the small types and this may well sort out your problem

Next common part to open or short circuit are the bridge rectifier diodes.. You can check them with the meter or you can replace them.. They are also not costly
Bear in mind that the electrolytic capacitors and the diodes are polarised components and need to be replaced with their polarities correctly placed

Sometimes a catastropic failure occurs in the power supply and takes out most of the active components.. In this case a replacement power supply would be your best bet and i think you could find one for around £25 to £30..

..but don't bin it...



hope that helps..

[Josh]

Tony

Thanks for your detailed email.

The story runs like this it blew the 3 amp fuse that I had in the 13 amp socket which is unusual for me since I can't bothered with fuses less than 13 amps. I changed that to 13, it didn't blow, but it never came back on.

I took a look inside and I can't find any fuses, but then I wasn't looking for what you showed me in the picture. It may have overheated up to the point of the blown fuses since I do have a box underneither it [yes I know].

I will take the cover off it again and see if I can see any of those fuses. Use to do electronic construction as a boy, short temper now and get impatient so I might take the easy route if I can't see what it is.

It's very annoying.

Think it must be Compass with the Technomate HD box, but now I think I'm constrained to stay with CT else my historic recordings won't get recognised. I did ask dearest CT whether they would sell me a PSU since I would be up to fitting one of those in, but ""it make be any one of a number of things". The people they recommended for repair haven't come back to me, so not a good start so far.

Thanks for the info.... I'll now search again for a fuse !.

Oh I haven't done the 60 mins power down I don't think.

Edit, located the fuse now Tony, like your picture, the circuit board says f1 12al 250v, and a google puts this as a fuse , f1 and your picture give it away. The meter says it's blown. Bit worrying that the 3amp went in the socket, then this one mind you.

It will have to wait till I get to Maplins on Saturday now, any recommendations as to upping it ?.

[Josh]

ah well....

decided wouldn't wait for Maplins on saturday but would do a solder bridge and use a 3 amp in the plug... hmmm interesting... that blew and the power supply seemed to sort of spark.... so problem is further than that fuse.

I give up... my eyesight isn't how it use to be for soldering, but I didn't mess it up. Got the old Pace HD box out on back up.... remind me not to rubbish Pace... the other needs repair or replacement.

[parad0x_i]

Hi Josh..

First thing i have to say is never up the fuse rating..! In changing the 3A plug fuse for a 13A one you then put the strain elswhere and perhaps with more disasterous results than previously..

The wickman fuse is also a current surge limiter and so your solder bridging wasn't advisable..

What i recommend now is a replacement power supply.. I am sure the problem lies there.. and was probably just a shorted cap at first.. but now probably active components too..
The replacement PSU will cost less than a 'repair' and you can do it easily yourself..

I'm really over my head with work atm otherwise i would offer to take a look..
Buy the new power supply.. I'm sure it wont be a mainboard problem..

[Josh]

Mind you it never had the 13amp fuse on it in it's German life, it came with just the Euro two twin which wasn't fused. In fact it was really on whatever was in side it to stop the whole lot cooking up. The 3 amp probably stopped that, so when it's working again, I'll put a 3 amp fuse back on it .

I decided a new power supply would be the order of the day but I suspect CT won't sell one to me unless you reckon sats ones are fairly standard like PC ones. I could photograph it.

I'd like to get it all just off out of the way, but I'd be happy to install a power supply myself if I knew it would fit and could buy one.

You learn something everyday.... thank you for your kind offer of help.... I'm back to my four hour commute each day next week hence I'm rather hoping to get it sorted, but then the CT supply guys don't seem to be too hot on getting back. Somewhat of a bit of weird company.