View Full Version : Redlight of Death Repair
A couple of nights ago while using the Media Portal Plug-in my Vu+duo froze. My usual course would be to do a hard reset (power off wait 10sec power on) What I was faced with was what now appears to have become know as the "Red Light of Death".......
The repair and what you will need: REMEMBER TO EARTH YOURSELF
1: 25 watt soldering iron.
2: Good quality 60/40 silver solder, eutectic solder 63/37 in an ideal world (do not use plumbers solder eg wickes)
3: Philips screwdriver
4: Cotton Buds... the wife does have her uses.
5: PCB Cleaner (http://www.rapidonline.com/mechanical-fastenings-fixings/flux-remover-and-pcb-cleaner-61602/) not necessary but I am a tad anal.
6: Tin Snips
7: The replacement Electrolytic Capacitor 200uF 16v (Maplins (http://www.maplin.co.uk/radial-electrolytic-capacitors-13472) Part# (VH41U) £0.49p.
I stripped down my Duo and took the importunity to give it a good clean, especially the fan and now it's almost silent. This RX could be getting on for 3yrs old now and it get heavy/daily use.
One thing I did find, I initially started out using my 15watt iron to remove the old cap, couldn't generate enough heat to melt the old solder, be warned, this is not an environment for blow torches. Take your time and if you don't feel confident in doing the repair use those who have offered their services. I ended up needing to use my 25watt iron to remove the old cap but switched to my 15watt iron to resolder the new one. This leads me to believe the original PCB manufacturer used pretty hard solder (too much tin) in making their boards. 15watt should be sufficient for 99% of electronic soldering.
After you've desoldered the old cap use a cotton bud + pcb cleaner to remove any old flux, crap etc.
On to soldering the new cap in, Tip: do not cut off the legs at this stage. Make sure you get the polarity correct. depending where you source your capacitor from you will see from the attached photos that they are well marked. The have a coloured band running vertically denoting the - (negative) side. This faces the front as you look a the RX (display being the front). I removed the motherboard to do the work as in the long run you'll do a better job and it makes things a whole lot easier.
Once you've soldered the new cap in, snip the unwanted legs off and give the area a quick clean. Job done bar putting the whole thing back together. Tip: take some piccies this will help to remember how the thing came apart (what plugs in where/which way round)
Hope this guide helps.
Regards
Peter
239112391223913
Much appreciated, Thread stickied.
Thank you for the guide, but just so members understand, replacing this capacitor will NOT fix all red light issues. I tried at least 3 units that are still stuck on red light. Sometimes its the front panel circuit board thats at fault, even with no video output. Sometimes its capacitor and front panel circuit board.
So anyone attempting this, please understand this fix is 50/50 and you could be wasting your time, but always worth a try.
I also find this words on internet:
"In the update_DUO.zip you will find everything what you need.In the folder "DUOBOOT" there is the software "UpdateAllFlash.exe and duoboot.bin " which you can use it in case that you got a RED Light or you want to start from scratch ."
Can this also be the isue?
I also find this words on internet:
"In the update_DUO.zip you will find everything what you need.In the folder "DUOBOOT" there is the software "UpdateAllFlash.exe and duoboot.bin " which you can use it in case that you got a RED Light or you want to start from scratch ."
Can this also be the isue?
Why not upload it ?
oh i see wath did you see that? How do i delite this post and file?
cant upload, look for XXXXXXXXXXXX in google chrome you find it right away:wave:
Thats for clones, do not use on genuine Duo's.
satmanbasil
13-03-13, 00:05
Hi
Maybe i just got lucky my box had the red light of death but sent it away for repair came back 7 days later all singin and dancin checked in workshop conditions as it had the manufacture vu image test repair installed, have now reinstalled vix and alls well big smile on my face to have this wonderful stb working again.
Hi
Maybe i just got lucky my box had the red light of death but sent it away for repair came back 7 days later all singin and dancin checked in workshop conditions as it had the manufacture vu image test repair installed, have now reinstalled vix and alls well big smile on my face to have this wonderful stb working again.
Where did you send it please ? and cost thx johno
satmanbasil
18-03-13, 22:56
hi mate
pm you details
regards
Hi Guys,
Does anyone know if a 330uf 50v capacitor will work to fix this? I have had the same issue happen to my duo and wanted to give this a go.
Thanks
No. You need to stick to the same capacitance 220uf. The voltage isn't a problem, as long as its above the original value.
Sent using sorcery and the magic interwebs.
A MASSIVE thank you to mod bobonthejob for replacing the cap on my duo today! Cap replaced and the box is working great. All sorted within 30 mins! Bob comes highly recommended to anyone else who is looking to repair their duo suffering from the same issue. Thanks a lot mate!
bobonthejob
16-04-13, 08:56
No Probs mate... Just FYI for all...
Used a 220uF 16V....
Job done.
deckymckeown
03-05-13, 15:59
My duo has also just developed this fault, prior to this i had been messing around with meo boot trying different images etc. Now the duo wont boot and im stuck with a red dot in top left corner..... presuambly like a lot of other people now have...
It is an original vu duo, around 3 years old. Am i right in saying the only possible chance of "bringing it back to life" is by doing whats detailed in the first post? Has anyone else been able to bring it back to life with any other method?
Im not that keen on soldering so would be willing to send it off for repair if possible..... all help greatly appreciated :)
deckymckeown
03-05-13, 17:00
just as an update to my previous post.... the duo is now booting up again!!! i opened it up to have a look at the capactitor that i presummed i would need replacing. the hard drive had become a bit loose of the holder inside the duo so i disconnected the power and sata lead, and was going to attempt to connect the duo to to my old pc via serial and use the util progam....
not sure if the util program would have down anything, but when i switched the power back on it started to boot again :thumbsup:
I havent the foggiest why it has been able to boot again but who cares, im just glad its working again!!! And i just hope it stays on!! Im guessing it might only be temporary though, seeing as i had the red light earlier!!
Rob van der Does
03-05-13, 21:55
The 'red light of death' as a result of a dying capacitor may show it's effects on and off. Turning the box on in that state can also damage a chipset, which will make a repair more difficult and more costly.
deckymckeown
04-05-13, 14:59
The 'red light of death' as a result of a dying capacitor may show it's effects on and off. Turning the box on in that state can also damage a chipset, which will make a repair more difficult and more costly.
Best to replace the capacitor now then Rob just in case?
Rob van der Does
04-05-13, 18:04
Best to replace the capacitor now then Rob just in case?
I certainly would do so.
deckymckeown
04-05-13, 18:58
hi mate
pm you details
regards
Cheers buddy!
Thanks bluepeter fix sorted my box out also.
Great post!
pathfinder
10-06-13, 00:45
Going to have a go at this and have begun stripping down the vu+ duo. The motherboard appears to be held in by card reader......am I missing something obvious to get the motherboard out?
From memory you need to push the card reader out through the from of the case & you also need to unclip the front facia panel too.
pathfinder
11-06-13, 18:10
Cheers, will try that
pathfinder
11-06-13, 18:15
Cheers, will try that
pathfinder
11-06-13, 18:17
Perfect, thanks.......Removed facia and out it came!
lots and lots of screws in little neat piles now......hope they all go back in the right place:)
In the end I couldn't unsolder the cap from the board, I don't think my soldering iron was getting hot enough. I just cut the legs of the cap and soldered the new one onto the legs that are left sticking out of the board. I needn't of removed the board in the end. Also make sure you have the cap facing the right way.
Rob van der Does
11-06-13, 21:00
I just cut the legs of the cap and soldered the new one onto the legs that are left sticking out of the board. I needn't of removed the board in the end.
That's the way many people did it.
pathfinder
15-06-13, 21:39
Finally got a chance to finish it......as with micscave I was unable to remove the old solder, so cut the old cap off and soldered the new one on top of the legs sticking out of the board. When I got all the bits screwed together again it powered up fine and is as good as new again.
Great info everyone thanks - as indicated in thread don't bother dismantling the receiver to desolder the old cap.
Hei everyone. Would capacitor 220uF 25V work instead of 16V? have no clue about electronic and dont want to destroy something more :)
dunno m8,, just done one of these today, and it sorted the problem,, probs better with the right one@ 40p of Maplins,,, cheers satcat
Hei everyone. Would capacitor 220uF 25V work instead of 16V? have no clue about electronic and dont want to destroy something more :)
snellas
That will be fine. Just make sure you get the polarity correct.
Just replaced mine and it's all working now.
Many thanks.
I couldn't desolder the old one, so it's just solder on the old ones legs.
I used a 220uF 35v so hoe this will be ok?
I have measured some voltages on the IC's2815628157
I replaced mine but still the box won't boot up.
My Vu+ Duo would not boot up, the morning after a thunderstorm night. Hence maybe a high voltage thru the LAN card (its green light turns on normally)??
The guy at the repair shop says that voltages coming out ot the PSU seem to be normal. But he says that processor seems to be very hot.
the metallic plate on top of the processor s very hot - you can not keep your thumb for more than 2 seconds. Is this normal heat for a box that s stuck in stand by? :O Maybe the processor is dead? :/
If so, I would need to change the whole board?
cheers
Rob van der Does
03-09-13, 14:03
I replaced mine but still the box won't boot up.
My Vu+ Duo would not boot up, the morning after a thunderstorm night. Hence maybe a high voltage thru the LAN card (its green light turns on normally)??
The guy at the repair shop says that voltages coming out ot the PSU seem to be normal. But he says that processor seems to be very hot.
the metallic plate on top of the processor s very hot - you can not keep your thumb for more than 2 seconds. Is this normal heat for a box that s stuck in stand by? :O Maybe the processor is dead? :/
If so, I would need to change the whole board?
More likely a high voltage (EMP) came via the coax.
It happens more often that also the voltage regulator oges belly up if the famous capacitor is in the process of breaking down.
The processor is always very hot.
abu baniaz
03-09-13, 15:21
Any pictures / precise location of this regulator?
Rob van der Does
03-09-13, 16:11
See
http://www.ziezotec.nl/satelliet/component/satelliet-reparatie--onderdelen/reparatie-kit-vu-duo.html
More likely a high voltage (EMP) came via the coax.
It happens more often that also the voltage regulator oges belly up if the famous capacitor is in the process of breaking down.
The processor is always very hot.
Many thanks Rob for your reply - I almost ordered the whole 'motherboard'.
Before I order this voltage regulator in the site you pointed out, how can I test it if it really that one that needs replacement?
(I know it sounds like a stupid question, but here where I live the TV repair shops are not that capable of fixing these kind of STB... :/ )
cheers
Rob van der Does
05-09-13, 19:29
You could measure the voltages. I recently saw a diagram showing the correct voltages, but I can't seem to find it atm.
You could measure the voltages. I recently saw a diagram showing the correct voltages, but I can't seem to find it atm.
I tried to google the diagram but could not find it. By any chance you found it? :)
Rob van der Does
06-09-13, 22:03
Nope, sorry.
If you do a forum search for redlight, it's the thrid result down & the first one with the attachment symbol...
http://www.world-of-satellite.com/showthread.php?26735-Redlight-of-Death-Repair&p=231475&viewfull=1#post231475
Thanks for all the information in this post. My VU+ Duo has stuck on the redlight once, but started normally after leaving it switched off at the mains for five minutes. I suspect the box might be close to permanent failure soon, so I want to get the replacement capacitor now to be ready to do the repair quickly if/when it fails.
In another forum it was recommended that a 330uF capacitor should be used. Someone asked about using a 330uF cap earlier in this thread but the reply was to stick to the original value of 220uF. Any further thoughts on the best replacement capacitor to use.
Rob van der Does
08-09-13, 15:25
Thanks for all the information in this post. My VU+ Duo has stuck on the redlight once, but started normally after leaving it switched off at the mains for five minutes.
Then don't power up the box at all, otherwise the regulator will die as well.
Then don't power up the box at all, otherwise the regulator will die as well.
Says who? My box has had the "redlight problem" since day one (a few years ago and more) but still boots if I leave it unplugged for a few minutes before re-trying.
Spoooo
Rob van der Does
08-09-13, 15:51
Says who?
Many users on many forums.
My box has had the "redlight problem" since day one (a few years ago and more) but still boots if I leave it unplugged for a few minutes before re-trying.
Then probably your box has no problem at all.
It is a known issue with all DUO's that it takes some time for the capacitors to discharge. That is the reason that 'instant rebooting' via the power-button never worked. Waiting for a minute or so (leaving the power switched off) is normally enough.
Many thanks for your outstanding guild all fixed and up and running:wave:
guff daddy
21-09-13, 16:18
Well after 3 1/2 years of faithful service my Vu+ Duo gave up the ghost last night with the dreaded "red light of death" problem. I tried the capacitor replacement solution as documented on many other fora but however no luck. I believe that replacing some regulators is the next step but my soldering skills are pretty basic and I don't fancy trying to solder a 6 legged component.
Does any know of anywhere in the Dublin area that could repair this box?
Have you tried one of the telly repair places?
laserquest
22-09-13, 23:52
Yep I'm in the same position - the box has died 3 years to the day since I bought it!! Have ordered some capacitors from ebay and will try replacing the C807, but if this doesn't work, what are my options, given that like guffdaddy I'm not too keen on soldering 6 pin chips. Where would I go? Is this likely to be an expensive job? Is there any chance World of Satellite would buy back a not working box as px for a new one? Or do World of Sat do repairs themselves? Any thoughts gratefully received.
abu baniaz
23-09-13, 01:07
Be half full, not half empty. Many people have fixed it. Provided you do not switch it on again until after repair, you should be OK.
Good luck.
laserquest
27-09-13, 20:43
Well, I removed the motherboard, soldered in a new capacitor, and it works! Thank you so much world-of-satellite - this is the internet at its best.
Removing the motherboard looks more scary than it is - in fact it's easier to put back together than it is to dismantle!
andymac746
28-09-13, 14:17
Just done my original duo and it worked 100% thanks for the guide :thumbsup:
robertkamphuis
08-10-13, 19:47
Just repaired my broken down vu+duo as described here !
Didn't bother to take the motherboard out, but cut the old one out, and soldered the new one to the little pins sticking out...
Great & many thanks !
Rob van der Does
08-10-13, 20:36
Didn't bother to take the motherboard out, but cut the old one out, and soldered the new one to the little pins sticking out...
That's how most DIY-ers do it.
3 years and 3 months and it went last night. Slightly different symptoms in that the box froze 3 times straight after I power cycled. When I waited 20s then switched back on again the RLOD appeared. Fixed with the capacitor soldered to the snipped legs of the old one. Thanks for the help.
OldSkulRide
17-10-13, 20:17
Soldering to old pins or legs might be wrong approach but it works ... I did this myself.
Sent from my HTC One
Thanks, this sorted my friends DUO out - perfect.
Maplins didn't have any 220uf 16v in so used 220uf 35v.
Just to say thank you for this information. My 4 year + old Duo had been glichting for the last few weeks and the recordings had freezes especially on HD recordings. I could not figure out why.
It finally decided to restart over and over again yesterday and then the dreaded RED LIGHT ! Found this thread last night and got a 22 mfd 35v Cap and just managed to cut of the old one and soldered new one on. Bit of difficulty as the old ones was very close to the board but just had about 1 mm to work with! Didn't fancy dismantling the whole thing! Done in 15 mins including opening and closing up the box !! Great work !! :)
Jimdefruit
26-10-13, 10:37
I have changed the capacitors C807 plus the two adjacent but still not working. I have measured the voltages as shown above and U801 has a very low voltage out so it seems the PZ1021ai needs to be replaced.
Does anyone know where I can obtain a replacent PZ1021ai chip in the UK? I have checked the site in holland but they want 11.95 plus 19.50 euros postage for what is a chip costing pennies. Similarly they want an arm and a leg for postage from the USA.
Try some where like fannells or CPC
Just did a search and someone posted that AOZ1021ai might be the answer. Εbay has these for £5.39 with free PP from HK - cheap, but might be a 2-3 week wait for delivery.
Warning, I've no idea if the AOZ1021ai will do the job.
Jimdefruit
27-10-13, 00:10
Thanks stanman but neither farnells nor CPC do them.
Thanks Burnham but I have searched both ebay.co.uk and ebay.com including all of the chip suppliers listed and cant find the item you have listed. Can you give me a link to the item you spotted please?
I have to apologise for the wrong information above.
I put AOZ1021ai in the Εbay search box and did not notice that it could not find anything. What I saw was the suggested "similar" - which was a AOZ1014 AOZ1014AI SOP8 IC.
I don't know enough about these alternatives to say whether they would be suitable.
have a look at RS ( radio spares ) they sell mostly everything
Jimdefruit
28-10-13, 11:58
I have a quote from China. $0.5 for the chip. $20 for shipping. I would probably have trouble finding the chip inside the crate. :)
cwebb66, I had already checked RS but they dont do it.
Jimdefruit
28-10-13, 12:10
Ok I have bitten the bullet and bought one from a seller in Spain for £12 ish. I think I will go into business selling IC chips because there seems to be a lot of money to be made.
Since Im from denmark I cant buy from maplin.. Will this one work:
https://www.elfaelektronik.dk/elfa3~dk_da/elfa/init.do?item=67-254-00&toc=19089
Thanks
RS do them stock code 715-2559 £2.25 for pack of 10
Since Im from denmark I cant buy from maplin.. Will this one work:
https://www.elfaelektronik.dk/elfa3~dk_da/elfa/init.do?item=67-254-00&toc=19089
Thanks
Yes it will
It all depends where you buy this chip from ....AOZ1021 ... i got 10 of them [ a minimum order ] plus postage for £21....
anyone know who repairs this problem
my m8s box has stopped working
Any half decent TV repair man, electronics engineer should be able to do it for you for around a tenner.
Hi all,
My Vu+ Duo unfortunately exhibited the "red light of death" symptoms. After reading a few forum posts I decided to give the 807 capacitor replacement a go as I had nothing to lose.
I removed the original capacitor, leaving just a couple of short "tails" behind, and soldered on a new capacitor that I picked up from Maplins.
They didn't have a 25V as requested so went for a 330 uF 50V and this amazingly did the trick!
Thanks to all who have posted on this subject, I thought I might have to be shelling out for a new box in the New Year!
My V+ also showed the same symptoms and got the 220uf 25v from Maplins and the box started working.After 5 days it froze and when I tried to switch it on it gets stuck on STARTING.A friend of mine then tried to flash and load a new image but it still gets stuck on starting.Tearing whats left of my hair.Seems i will have to buy a new box from WOS and stick mine on ebay for spares.
had someone change the capacitor but still not working
does anyone know does repairs
cheers
My V+ also showed the same symptoms and got the 220uf 25v from Maplins and the box started working.After 5 days it froze and when I tried to switch it on it gets stuck on STARTING.A friend of mine then tried to flash and load a new image but it still gets stuck on starting.Tearing whats left of my hair.Seems i will have to buy a new box from WOS and stick mine on ebay for spares.
Well bought a new Duo from WOS and sold mine on ebay for spares.The new box worked out at £120 for me.:thumbsup:
Thanks, worked for me, replaced capacitor, same specs as one that came out, had to solder to existing legs of the old capacitor as there was no solder to solder onto. :wave:
vu-duo-user
18-01-14, 13:28
Thanks bluepeter ,
I thought I might be one of the unlucky people as I switched on after the red light stayed on but all is now ok. I did have a job clearing the solder from the holes but apart from this it was an easy job. So novices have a go for 58 pence it must be worth it. :):):)
fate has hit me with the red light,sending box into local tv engineer as my eyesight is not that great:cool:front panel was mentioned in an earlier post i see so presuming if needed spares are a no go if needed:confused:
vu-duo-user
19-01-14, 19:14
fate has hit me with the red light,sending box into local tv engineer as my eyesight is not that great:cool:front panel was mentioned in an earlier post i see so presuming if needed spares are a no go if needed:confused:
Gumtre* selling web site has a man from Edinburgh selling second hand Duo parts ( stripped out of his old box ), you may find he has what you want.
Hi having stripped out the board and in snipping off the capacitor I have damaged C808 is it possible to replace this regards (if so what is the replacement value) needed
abu baniaz
02-02-14, 12:14
You can replace it. I'm sure it is the same capacitor. Double check.
it's a minute piece will try to upload a photo or find one on net
Many Thanks bluepeter,
After 3yrs VU DUO had red light problem. Replaced capacitor C807 as you suggested in OP. Had to solder to existing legs of the old capacitor. Works fantastic and box boots much quicker than before.
regards
fs1
went to maplins got the part and fitted it and now my vu+duo is up and running.did not do bad only 1 skrew left on worktop .thank for a very good post .
hi, i have the same problem with vu+ solo2 what is the solution? please help
hobartpaving
18-03-14, 19:53
Unfortunately I haven't been so lucky. After replacing the capacitor I still have the red light. What's the next step ?.
abu baniaz
18-03-14, 20:43
Unfortunately I haven't been so lucky. After replacing the capacitor I still have the red light. What's the next step ?.
See post 35. The IC may have become damaged.
Thanks for the information , I have fixed my box, which had clear sign of chip burn in the regulator IC( turned off and on at least 10 times)
Bought regulators from ebay http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/371050456626?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649 , took about 3 weeks to arrive.
Can someone recommend a repairer (possibly in the West London area)? I changed the capacitor on mine but still get the red light. I know you can change some IC as a next step but I'm afraid I'll be out of my depth doing this.
thanks
Check the one you changed was soldered properly and no dry joint or such like.
Any decent telly repair will be able to fix it.
Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk
Any decent telly repair will be able to fix it.
Do you still get such a thing? All shut down in my area now. :confused:
Lol you probably live in a posh area that just replace the telly's:D
Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk
Do you still get such a thing? All shut down in my area now. :confused:
Call samsung or panasonic and ask them who does their repairs in your area.
I'll give it another go at soldering. It's my first soldering attempt this so it's very probable I botched it. In any case I think it will be easier for me to solder this properly then actually finding a tv repair guy!!
35029hi all,ive just looked inside my duo to replace C807 cap and i have no caps at c807,c814,c850?no signs there has ever been caps there,any ideas??
cheers
35029hi all,ive just looked inside my duo to replace C807 cap and i have no caps at c807,c814,c850?no signs there has ever been caps there,any ideas??
cheers
Then yours is one of the newer revisions which did away with those capacitors specifically to eliminate this very issue.
Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk
Ok cheers.my duo was getting the symptoms of the red light.very slow starting up.locked on starting or star ng on front panel.id done the obvious first flashing from scratch etc.any ideas on other causes?
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
http://www.world-of-satellite.com/showthread.php?t=38074
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
had the RLOD, did the c807 cap change out DIY way & alls good thanks to all, happy chappy now!
also change caps on 27" viewsonic VX2235vm monitor power supply and now have a spare monitor as well.
hi mate
pm you details
regards
Hi Satmanbasil
Could you also send me details on where you sent it for repairs and cost.
Thanks mate,
P
hawaythelad
01-05-15, 08:05
Could you pm the details of where you got yours repaired as well
eattheliving
28-05-15, 19:50
well guy's mu vu duo finally gave me the old red light after 4 glorious years.
Followed the tut and also paid a vist to maplins...... the bloody capacitors have gone up to 59p each :D
joking aside tut was spot on and my machine is now happy again.
just one word of warning.... the solder on the MOBO is a bitch to shift and did take some time, even with a 60w soldering iron.
thanks again
It is easier to snip off the old capacitor, then solder the new capacitor to the old legs.
Might not be the best looking repair, but it does the job just as well.
I think that was mentioned earlier in this thread, but as the thread is now over 100 post longs, the old post that mentioned that is hard to spot.
If a job is worth doing then do it properly.
The problem is that people who are not skilled at soldering can damage the board by trying to unsolder the old capacitor.
It removes all the risk by using the old capacitor legs.
The problem is that people who are not skilled at soldering can damage the board by trying to unsolder the old capacitor.
It removes all the risk by using the old capacitor legs.
I done my duo the same way its was a mess of a job but held and works i did take the board out to remove legs but my iron wouldnt melt the solder
jonthesatman
01-06-15, 21:43
hi guys having just purchased duo from ebay ,had look inside and there is a date on the inside of the casing ..says 2012 ,,looks like 3 ish years old and its had some issues ..freezing ,slowing down etc ..some times it locks up..so would these be symtoms of the capacitor etc finally giving up?,i have orderd the parts anyway , thanx for any replys ..
Doubt it, if it fails it will just stay on a red light on the front, the duo is slowish and low flash memory, try swap manager it could be as simple as that or try another image, they are a solid machine
jonthesatman
01-06-15, 22:44
hi m8 ..thanx for reply can you give me more info .on swap manager ..? not to bad on linux boxes ..i think i know what i am doing ..lol.. but not sure on ..swap manager . thanx for any reply ..
Press blue, vix, swap manager create a swap of 256mb and activate it, im not infront of my box but its somthing like that
hi guys having just purchased duo from ebay ,had look inside and there is a date on the inside of the casing ..says 2012 ,,looks like 3 ish years old and its had some issues ..freezing ,slowing down etc ..some times it locks up..so would these be symtoms of the capacitor etc finally giving up?,i have orderd the parts anyway , thanx for any replys ..
Take the top off and have a look at the caps, if they're flat on the top then you're fine. If they're bulging then the caps are on their way out and need replacing.
jonthesatman
01-06-15, 23:33
thanx ,,give it try ..the box is genuine .came from wos ..with 320 g, hd ,possible I have set it up wrong ..thanx for reply ..
eattheliving
02-06-15, 19:55
hi guys having just purchased duo from ebay ,had look inside and there is a date on the inside of the casing ..says 2012 ,,looks like 3 ish years old and its had some issues ..freezing ,slowing down etc ..some times it locks up..so would these be symtoms of the capacitor etc finally giving up?,i have orderd the parts anyway , thanx for any replys ..
Hi jonthesatman,
my duo just re booted and said starting on the front screen. Didn't move off that, then after a hard reboot the red light came on and stayed on.
all fixed now though
cheers
quasistatistiek
14-06-15, 20:24
I just replaced the C807 and after that my box Vu + duo started again.
Only to work on the 28.2 channel. If I turn on a HD channel 23.5 my box freezes or restarts.
Mostly direct a few seconds after but I did see a channel for 2 minutes...
:(
If I put my dish on tuner 2 which is not set up but looped to A I can turn it on the 23.5 channels
Just of course no picture.
But if I go to menu and try to set up the tuner it freezes again
Just for peoples knowledge.
Maplin have changed the 200µF to a 220µF.
Part Number is still VH41U £ 0.59
Also the Link is - http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/220f-16v-85c-radial-electrolytic-capacitor-vh41u
Thanks.
Does anyone know any repairer in the UK that has the skills/equipment to replace the regulator? I've been searching for one without much success. I found one place on Tottenham Court road, but they want £50 just to replace the regulator (with me supplying the regulator myself)
In various electronic boxes the capacitors that fail are usually on the outputs of switched mode power supplies. These usually need to be a better specification than the general purpose capacitors that Maplin sell. Note: Maplin often fail to give a full specification on their capacitors.
Ideally you need a capacitor with a 105C temperature rating and with a low ESR (Equivalent Series Resistance) or Low Z (low impedance). To save pennies the manufacturers of equipment will fit something about just fit for purpose and this is why they often fail within 3 or 4 years. When you replace a capacitor yourself you can fit something better as the difference in price for a one off between the worst and best specification is a matter of 10s of pence, especially when you factor in postage.
Myself I would buy a reputable brand such as Rubycon, Panasonic etc. from CPC/Farnell(Element14) or RS in the UK. Farnell/Element14 operate in may countries but you may find minimum order/minimum handling charges excessive for one off components
http://cpc.farnell.com/rubycon/16yxf220my0811/capacitor-low-z-16v-220uf/dp/CA00167
http://cpc.farnell.com/rubycon/25yxf220my0811/capacitor-low-z-25v-220uf/dp/CA05102
Rapid Electronics in the UK do a 220uf 16V low Z capacitor from another manufacturer.
http://www.rapidonline.com/Electronic-Components/220-F-20-16V-105-C-Low-Impedance-Radial-Aluminium-Electrolytic-Capacitor-11-3916
It may be worth considering that if one capacitor in a box is failing then capacitors of the same type in power supplies also may not be long for this world.
abu baniaz
24-06-15, 00:53
Does anyone know any repairer in the UK that has the skills/equipment to replace the regulator? I've been searching for one without much success. I found one place on Tottenham Court road, but they want £50 just to replace the regulator (with me supplying the regulator myself)
Mobile phone/TV repair shops should be able to do it for you. Don't pay that much.
Even DIY enthusiasts.
Thanks for the advice abu baniaz. My box is now in the local computer repair shop, which is so full of kit there is barely room for a soldering iron in there.
Fingers crossed.
All,
I am happy to report that my local computer repair shop was able to replace the regulator chip in my Vu+, and it is now enjoying a new lease of life.
Thanks for your help.
johnspeedster
09-07-15, 09:02
Hi All. I have what may be a slightly different version of the red light story. Last year I was away overseas for two months and had left the Vu Duo switched on and recording programmes. When I arrived home, the red light was glowing brightly. Someone (who shall remain nameless but who followed me overseas a week later) had placed several drink coasters over the top vents on the box. I replaced the capacitor (Maplin recommended one) and all was well after a re-flash, and discovered the HDD (internal 2Tb) was full. I wondered which had caused the problem - covered vent or full HDD. This year, came home the other day after the two month trip to the Grandchildren in London, and lo.... red light again. Coincidence....???? I'm guessing HDD is full - but should I replace that capacitor again - I did get three last year!! Could the full HDD cause the red light problem as I haven't been able to find anything on-line. Thanks. I will flash it tonight to see how I get on and report back.
johnspeedster
09-07-15, 11:54
Ah well, it was worth a try, but no cigar! I hear the drive spin up, then nothing - just a big red light staring at me. Hopefully I'll have time to get the soldering iron out tomorrow evening and report back. Any ideas still welcome though of course.
Its worth checking the voltage at the suspect capacitor if you have a multimeter and are comfortable checking voltages. Just check the + end to see if you have a good voltage ready (think its about 3 voltages). If so then its unlikely the capacitor has failed.
that happened me last week red light and starting on front so i powered box off at rear and left box alone until following day and lucky enough box came back.all my settings got changed and my internal 1tb hdd showed as usb and usb as hdd,also epg going to internal flash.
make sure fan is switched on as reflashing defaults to off.:eek:
johnspeedster
11-07-15, 23:39
Thanks pz818t and cactikid. Had a more important job to do yesterday - the coffee machine stopped working! The start capacitor.... and an arcing pressurestat replaced so back in business. Whew. Anyway, no luck with your ideas thanks cactikid - but I didn't know about the fan being turned off - good call! Unplugged the HDD and still no go. Tested positive leg on the capacitor and pushing 5.2 volts pz818t. Oh dear. Does that mean I have to rethink the problem. Looking at the voltages/diagram in post 35 (thanks) I tested the other two caps and both 5.2v. Pin 7 (to earth) on both U801 and U802 seem to show no input - does that sound bad? Any ideas appreciated thanks. May need to be a trip to the TV repair shop next....
johnspeedster
01-08-15, 03:49
Well i got the replacement kit from e-bay and took the regulator and set to a computer repair outfit in Hamilton (NZ) and they did the job promptly for $50 - not out of the way I thought. Anyway, the bad news.... still no go. Same sounds when turned on - sound of hard drive starting to spin, no fan. I replaced 807 - no different. Replaced 808... Now more noise like the drive spinning up properly and then a click (not traced) which gave me hope. Changed the third cap, and no further progress. Disconnected hard drive and no noises upon power up. tried to flash from usb stick, no joy. From reading all the associated posts, I think the power supply is still good, but should I replace those 4 x1500 cap? I'm afraid my next step is to buy a local commercial box and go with the crowds. If so, I'll bring the old box back to London next year and put it on e-bay - along with my other spare parts. Any other ideas welcome of course.
Take the top off, get a hair dryer and heat the power board up. Apply power cable and see if it starts up. If it does, change all electrolytic capacitors on the power board.
Old TV repair trick we used to use.
ok i take it hard drive is duff,big question is did you use a good brand of usb to flash box kingston,cruzer,integral of max 8gb.
many have faltered in not doing this??
Thanks to all on this thread; I had this problem today, one trip to Maplin and a 59p capacitor later, problem solved!
Cheers! :thumbsup:
johnspeedster
03-08-15, 10:08
Thanks TK and Cacti. Tried the hair drier trick - heated until heat sinks were too hot to touch but no go. I used three usb drives to flash - one cruzer and two unknowns. No go. BUT... none of the drives light up as they should - ?? no power at the usb ports - I tried all three. The hard drive still spins up so I used a gizmo I bought a couple of years back to plug it directly into my linux laptop - and lo and behold, I can access everything on the drive. So that is good and the fact that it is spinning up suggests the power board is good.... or does it?? Any ideas? U801 at pin 7 is showing 5v... I'm stuck but it seems so close..... I have done this testing at the dining room table with the Vu duo not connected to the TV or any other cables - does that make a difference? Wouldn't have thought so - just get the red LED. Thanks again for your input!
Hi guys,
need and help.
Yesterday my second DUO appeared affected by RED light death.
Today I replaced the capacitor (as by first post in this guide) but the RED light was still there. Tried a second capacitor just in case the first one was not ok. But had no luck.
What should I investigate further?
Receiver keeps the red light up, the internal HD spins but the display stay off and the DUO won't start.
abu baniaz
22-01-16, 18:55
The regulators may be faulty
The regulators may be faulty
Which ones should I check and how?
abu baniaz
22-01-16, 22:13
Which ones should I check and how?
http://www.world-of-satellite.com/showthread.php?41490-Dreaded-red-light-box-not-booting&p=328899&viewfull=1#post328899
Don't know about the how to test. Sorry. Hopefully someone who knows will post answer.
can anyone tell me the voltage of the regulators?
Here you are m8... hope it opens ok...??
Where did you send it please ? and cost thx johno
I need to get mine fixed , could you PMMe the details or can anyone on here give me some details on who could fix this for me
I need to get mine fixed , could you PMMe the details or can anyone on here give me some details on who could fix this for me
REd light capacitor change
I have 3 boxes. this fix has saved 2 out of the three boxes. Thanks to the o.p. :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:
i wonder is it worth it if you cant do it yourself on an old slow receiver?:confused:
BRAVEHEART
18-12-16, 05:46
just have a read, might solve a problem or two >>>> http://www.world-of-satellite.com/showthread.php?54585-This-may-be-a-brain-teaser-of-a-Little-question-VU-DUO-as-I-can-t-find-the-answer
I have measured some voltages on the IC's2815628157
H4R7/I in my box, gives only 0,68 volts, but how to determine where the error is..? Is it one of the regulators, and if so, how to determine which one..? Any ideas..? What is correct output from the regulators?
well it lasted a whil, but now got the RLOD again,
I noticed caps C14 & C15 on the psu board have slightly domed at the top - any body know how to test the psu while unplugged from the m/board?
pulled both c15 supposed to be 1500uF measure around 1950uF & c14 was about 2189uF
well it lasted a whil, but now got the RLOD again,
I noticed caps C14 & C15 on the psu board have slightly domed at the top - any body know how to test the psu while unplugged from the m/board?
I had a Duo back a few months ago where it had the red light issue.
I changed the usual but no difference but like you I noticed those two caps on the Power board bulged so I changed them also and bingo, back in action.. I had another Duo that had died about 6 months previously and I’d given up on it but after this fix worked I tried it on that also and it was the issue there too :thumbsup:
Worth a try I guess, only cost a few cents for me...
question i ask myself is it worth doing again as when blind as a bat i would need to send it out to a repair centre.
is there much life left in these old slow boxes is repaired again?
Upgrade to much faster box for only £79 :D https://www.world-of-satellite.co.uk/formuler/formuler_f1
If you are able to do the repair yourself its a cheap fix and worth doing (even just to keep the box as a spare). But yes the duo is a slow box compared to what is available cheaply now. Its always nice to have a good excuse to upgrade to something faster even though I like repairing equipment.
I had a Duo back a few months ago where it had the red light issue.
I changed the usual but no difference but like you I noticed those two caps on the Power board bulged so I changed them also and bingo, back in action.. I had another Duo that had died about 6 months previously and I’d given up on it but after this fix worked I tried it on that also and it was the issue there too :thumbsup:
Worth a try I guess, only cost a few cents for me...
changed both the caps but sadly the red dot of death remains, they where cheaps caps when measure on the fluke meter 1540Mfd & 1550Mfd when they are supposed to be 1500Mfd
changed both the caps but sadly the red dot of death remains, they where cheaps caps when measure on the fluke meter 1540Mfd & 1550Mfd when they are supposed to be 1500Mfd
Nothing to do with being cheap capacitors. Even the highest quality electrolytic capacitors have a tolerance of +/-20% of their marked value so anything between 1200uF and 1800uF is within tolerance.
Even the lowest quality electrolytic capacitor probably will have fixed the fault if the component you replaced had been the fault (assuming that the component was fitted correctly as electrolytic capacitors have a polarity)
The difference between a high quality capacitor and a lower quality capacitor in these types of application is likely to be the life expectancy of the component.
A capacitor life expectancy is rated in a number of hours at a certain temperature.
Typically for a lower specified capacitor this may be 5000 hours at 85 degrees C where the life expectancy may double for every 10 degrees C below 85C that the capacitor is actually operated at. For a higher specified device the specification may be typically 5000 hours at 105 degrees C, again doubling for every 10C below 105C. In a power supply the capacitor may be positioned close to a heat sink in an ambient temperature of, say, 55C. In these conditions the lower specified capacitor may have a life expectancy of 15,000 hours whereas the higher specified capacitor this is 25,000 hours.
Unfortunately it's not just as simple as this. capacitors have a ESR (Equivalent Series Resistance) and in a switched mode power supply the lower this value the better. Higher values of ESR cause more self heating in the capacitor and temperature affects the life. Furthermore as the capacitor degrades the ESR will increase causing greater self heating. A lower specified capacitor is likely to have a high ESR value[[1] whereas a higher specified capacitor, for a switched mode power supply, will have a very low value.
[1] You may not actually find a ESR value on some data sheets for lower specified capacitors as they are not recommended for use in some locations in a switched mode power supply.
Some manufactures capacitors such a Panasonic, Rubycon and a few other respected brands seem to perform to their published specification while capacitors from some (Korean) manufactures, such as Samyoung, with similar specifications seem to fail prematurely.
So if replacing a capacitor in a switched mode supply ideally:
i) Select one with 105C temperature rating
ii) Select one which claims a low ESR or low Z. Avoid any capacitors where there is no data given on this parameter. Not all 105C components are low ESR/low Z
iii) Ideally buy a reputable brand
iv) Buy from a reputable source. In the UK this may be CPC, RS or Rapid Electronics - there may be many more reputable UK suppliers but like anything else there are fake branded capacitors in the marketplace or subtly worded misleading listings where the the no-name components is claimed to be equivalent to the branded item's part number
The difference in price between a low and high specified capacitor may be of the order of 0.20 GBP . This difference may be significant for a manufacturer buying in 10,000s of components but insignificant for a DIY repair when buying very small quantities.
I have measured some voltages on the IC's2815628157
from H4R7's
I = 1.9v supposed to be 2.59v
F = 0.7v supposed to be 1.25v
C = 1.2v supposed to be 1.25v
would it be the cap or the H802 that would cause F to be at 0.7v
from H4R7's
I = 1.9v supposed to be 2.59v
F = 0.7v supposed to be 1.25v
C = 1.2v supposed to be 1.25v
would it be the cap or the H802 that would cause F to be at 0.7v
replaced c814 220uF with one I had lying about as I had nothing to lose at this stage & hey presto away she went again. Forgot to measure the voltages out of the 4R7's
liveaboard
17-05-19, 19:29
I just had the red light issue again; opened it up and it's the same capacitor.
I find that odd; there must be over voltage on it or something, all the other caps appear fine.
Anyway, I replaced it again [had a couple of spares from last time], and the old VU duo is working again.
After tightening the beam, we no longer get astra here in southern Portugal, so the box is of very limited use.
I'm not going to replace it if it dies.
liveaboard
31-12-19, 19:50
I'm copying my post over from another thread as it could be relevant here.
We've been using the VU+ only as a video player, and it died, red light of death again.
In the meantime, I've picked up a handful of capacitors, so I opened it up.
I replaced C807 [the famous], for the third time, but that wasn't it.
I saw a blown 1,500 mf on the power board, changed that and its brother, no dice.
I changed all the caps listed by others above, and the box booted again [yay!], but as before won't power the lnb. it would power the light on my satellite finder, but when I connect the LNB [on the bench now], the power to it switches off and won't come back until a reboot.
I had some 100 mf caps left; so I changed 3 out of 4 100mf caps near the antenna connection block.
And it works!!
It will now power the 90ma single invacom, but when I connect the old invacom quad which draws more power, it still shuts off.
So far, this is still on the bench, I haven't reinstalled it all yet.
I suspect that most or all of the caps in the old VU+ are faulty; probably just a bit out of spec and fading. I find it highly unlikely that I just happened to luck out and hit the bad one[s].
I don't know if anyone else is keeping one of these old boxes alive; if so, just buy a lot of capacitors and start soldering.
I gave up on mine and sold it off as not working thinking it was caps and reg issue.He came back to buy my old solo and said there was more wrong think he said board and power issue which i have not heard of before.
liveaboard
31-12-19, 21:08
All possible; on the other hand, all those problems could be the result of failing capacitors. And we know they fail.
I realize most people would just replace at this point, but I'll try and keep mine going.
Yes but he knew these boxes very well and had done caps before on a few boxes,might see if i can an answer to what he found and post back.
liveaboard
31-12-19, 21:48
There must be 50 or 100 of those large capacitors; I suspect they're all bad. Like 20% or more out of spec.
It would be interesting to know if anyone has removed and checked a large number of them.
I have no capacitor tester at the moment [last one went under the tractor, oops...].
He got back to me and quoted this
"Problem was with software(crashed)
Only way download new image is via no modem cable
And power supply problem
5 capacitors needs to replaced
If you replace 1or 2 burst one, not gonna solve problem "
liveaboard
01-01-20, 19:58
Thanks for taking the time to check that out.
It squares with what I found too.
I've made a shopping list; I'll order around 60 capacitors, and next time the box dies [which it surely will] I'll change most or all of them.
Yeah, I'm a little bit nuts!
Setup of a new box is not fun for me.
But flashing a new image fairly easy and guides on forum for doing it on a new faster box might be cheaper than loads of caps.
liveaboard
02-01-20, 10:13
We live in southern Portugal; a few years ago, Astra launched a new bird with a narrow beam for UK channels, and since then we get zero signal on a 1.8 meter dish.
So I switched to intelsat 907; it has just a few BBC channels, encrypted.
No one is allowed to discuss that here, not even using the site's PM system; other sites have the info, but not specific for VIX or the VU+.
I succeeded, but it took a silly amount of time; and I don't remember what finally did the trick.
We rarely use it anyway. BBC has so few interesting programs, that when there is one we usually miss it.
I ordered around 40 GBP of Panasonic capacitors. I didn't make a precise inventory, just noted the values of most of those used. I could have gotten cheaper ones.
The processor struggles with HD signals + decrypting. if I try and freeze or timeshift, it goes to pot.
Maybe that will be better when/ if I change all the caps?
I'll post it here if that happens. Just in case anyone else is as stubborn as I am.
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