Mele S1 doesn't spin drives

[mike_sanders]

Re: Mele S1 doesn't spin drives

Thanks for the link. I'll try to find one with similar chipset M12864 on Ebay or such. There are a large number of ESR units on Ebay, but I didn't know which one makes sense to buy. Also, VC9808+ has Capacitor measurement, and over time it proven to show relatively accurate capacitor values matching their printed spec values, of course when removed from a board.

I read that current ripple can be accessed by measuring DC and AC values, and then doing some calculations. Here is another relevant thread.

Tried to get UART output at 115200, 19200 and 9600 with 8n1, and on some occasions I'm getting what you see below, but on most occasions there is none. I tested the UART cable just now on a plug PC like Raspberry, and it works perfect. Also a year ago I read UART output from this player board using the same layout while testing some FW updates. It failed just recently after being out of power for a day, before it was always under power, while switched On and Off when watching movies by its front panel button. Does it hint about any possible failing components?

[mike_sanders]

Re: Mele S1 doesn't spin drives

Just found on another specialized player forum:

"A similar player made by the same company with the same video chipset Realtek RTD1185DD - doesn't boot beyond bootloader. Advice: check power 3.3V; 1.0V; 1.8V (5 & 12V not used by this CPU)". Hence the question: where should I check these values on this particular board?

[CapLeaker]

Re: Mele S1 doesn't spin drives

Are you kidding? Can it be substituted with measuring AC (not DC) current or voltage on caps on a powered board? Or, what software based oscilloscope solution would you suggest? Any affordable oscilloscope for amateur home techs you can point to.

Me kidding??? Substituting the oscilloscope for a DMM to measure ripple, depends on how good your DMM is.
As for the oscilloscope, look at ham flea markets, EBay, Aliexpress etc. Often you can find old scopes for next to nothing at ham fests, SK estates etc.

[stj]

Re: Mele S1 doesn't spin drives

Thanks for the link. I'll try to find one with similar chipset M12864 on Ebay or such

it's not about the chipset, it's things like the rotary encoder.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/172011655752

it looks like nobody sells it built.

[mike_sanders]

Re: Mele S1 doesn't spin drives

@ stj

Would you briefly explain in what aspects this ESR meter you suggested is better than that one? I just want to learn what criteria are important.

As for the oscilloscope...

Would this be a good oscilloscope for an amateur home tech? Whether yes or no - pls explain "why" in details. How about that one?

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Back to the topic. Another thing I forget to mention about the player board. A year ago I put UART output out via Power Connector, since didn't have Stereo Female connector at hand. It worked OK. Recently, when the player stopped spinning internal HDDs, I repluged the power adapter, and by mistake inserted it to the connector leading to UART port. I heard some spark, and immediately removed the plug, inserted it to the correct spot. After that the player still couldn't boot or spin the disks. But now I tested UART output, and there is none, so I wonder if some components relevant to UART circuitry were also damaged at that time? If yes, which ones looking at the board picture?

Yet another question is, why would the board stop outputting picture to display just after one capacitor replacement? That cap is brand new and measures good, nothing around was damaged at replacing it.

[Per Hansson]

Re: Mele S1 doesn't spin drives

Yet another question is, why would the board stop outputting picture to display just after one capacitor replacement? That cap is brand new and measures good, nothing around was damaged at replacing it.

Capacitors are often quite well tuned for the circuit they are in.
You can't just willy nilly replace a cap with something and hope for the best.
What was the original cap and what was used as replacement?

[mike_sanders]

Re: Mele S1 doesn't spin drives

Why would you assume I replaced it with "something and hope for the best", given the board pics posted above?

Original: Leaguer 105C 25V 100uF
Replacement: PET 105C 25V 100uF

12VDC Power Adapter output current ripple showing 0.03v at idle measured by Multimeter AC setting.

It looks like if there is no access to a board schematics, useful advice is shrunk to none, despite it can possibly be traced from the photos, and specialists would definitely understand what different sections of the board do, and where to measure specific voltages as asked above. I'm afraid, generic suggestions won't do any good in this case.

[Diah]

Re: Mele S1 doesn't spin drives

simple questions.. how many time you replaced in out the 3.5" HDDs at its place to try reading HDD or test?

[mike_sanders]

Re: Mele S1 doesn't spin drives

I tried a couple times. There was no need to replace in-out since the player hanged each time not able to spin (not read) the HDDs, and then failed to respond to pressing front panel buttons or Remote Control. So it must be rebooted to try again. I periodically removed the HDDs over time to add some files from a PC, since it faster compare to network. However, it doesn't work without HDDs either, so its hardly relevant.

[Diah]

Re: Mele S1 doesn't spin drives

this is the simple answer, sockets of HHD get bad, or using the main HDD on other plat forum bring it to fault of lager Temp files. re upload - install- reset of SW will be okay

[mike_sanders]

Re: Mele S1 doesn't spin drives

May I suggest you to read this thread from the start? I'm pretty good with handling HDDs in Linux, Windows and Android. HDD sockets are good, and the chance of 2 sockets get broken at once is none. HDD spin-up is not affected by temp files, while file system reading can be when using HDDs with different OS hardware. It may require disk checkup by OS utilities some time, but I usually remove only one disk at a time for copying, and there was no HDD removal between player perfect work in the evening and failing next morning. Firmware reinstall was covered in the 1st post.

[Diah]

Re: Mele S1 doesn't spin drives

we are here sharing help not to argue..
HDD used 12 and 5 volts.... right ?
spin need 12 volts. you can bring out source 12 volts to spin urs HDD, when 5 volts are okay..

[CapLeaker]

Re: Mele S1 doesn't spin drives

Would this be a good oscilloscope for an amateur home tech? Whether yes or no - pls explain "why" in details. How about that one?

If I had to buy one of these 2 you posted it would be #2. However, I'd prefer an old Tektronix or something.
For PSU's you don't need much bandwidth, however if you want to use it for other things too, you need something better. Often you can find an old 100Mhz Tektronix O'scope for 100$. I prefer that over the other 2.

However your project wont even boot up anymore, so now you have another problem over the first one. Probably you need a hot air soldering station next.

[mike_sanders]

Re: Mele S1 doesn't spin drives

@ Diah

Thanks for your desire to help. Both HDDs work perfect now in external USB3.0 enclosure, not sure what voltages are used by its board. In MeLE S1 both HDD power connectors supply 12V.

Can someone help with answering these questions?

@ CapLeaker

I do realize this is BadCaps forum, but not all home electronic problems are linked to bad caps, and neither fixed by buying more and more hardware: may be a welding station would do - what you think? For diversity, lets try looking at the board pictures to figure out what went wrong.

[stj]

Re: Mele S1 doesn't spin drives

@ stj

Would you briefly explain in what aspects this ESR meter you suggested is better than that one? I just want to learn what criteria are important..

good choice.
between them, they are the best 2.

the banggood one has no programming socket for fast upgrades, but it does have a rotary encoder to use the menu's

the EZM model has the space for a socket, but no rotary encoder - so you need to add one like this:
https://www.badcaps.net/forum/showthread.php?t=50720

the banggood one also has the case-kit, although it may almost fit the EZM for all i know.

so they both have good & bad points.

[Diah]

Re: Mele S1 doesn't spin drives

12 volts to spin. 5 v. data.

yours questions link, it is main processor and eeprom or DDR build on are communication with Boot firmware. to let PWB to give out 12v. 5 v always will be there in some case will be read less than 5

[RJARRRPCGP]

Re: Mele S1 doesn't spin drives

we are here sharing help not to argue..
HDD used 12 and 5 volts.... right ?
spin need 12 volts. you can bring out source 12 volts to spin urs HDD, when 5 volts are okay..

Looks like just 12 volt and 5 volt rails powering the system, can't find any 3.3 V rail...

I got word that it's also how early IBM PCs were... (no 3.3 V rail)

[stj]

Re: Mele S1 doesn't spin drives

the realtek network chip is probably 3.3v
and those nanya rams probably use 1.8v
get the datasheets to know which pins to meter.

[RJARRRPCGP]

Re: Mele S1 doesn't spin drives

the realtek network chip is probably 3.3v
and those nanya rams probably use 1.8v
get the datasheets to know which pins to meter.

Can't find the 3.3 V rail in the photos... Looks like if there is, then it's a DC-to-DC converter on one of the boards for 3.3 V...

(I only see yellow, red and black wires...)

[stj]

Re: Mele S1 doesn't spin drives

judging by all the coils, there are a number of dc-dc convertors.