Re: LED madness on DigitalStream DTV converters
TJ
> Well, it didn't take all that long for problems to start surfacing
> with these boxes, but long enough for the warranty to have expired.
>
> I have a couple of DigitalStream DTX-9900 DTV converters where
> the dual-color power-indicater LEDs have suddenly gone crazy.
>
> Normally the LED is red when the unit is on standby and yellow when
> powered up. Within the last couple of weeks on both converters the
> LEDs started at first flickering rapidly between red and yellow,
> then finally staying red whether the box is powered up or not. (The
> converters otherwise work OK with no apparent issues beyond normal
> DTV problem areas.)
>
> Anyone else seen this problem and maybe track down the cause?
> It's really just an annoyance since the converters otherwise
> work OK, at least so far.
>
I've had two of those since May '08, purchased new from Radio Shack with
government coupons, but I haven't seen them act like that yet. Both are
functioning perfectly. They've had more than light use, too - call it
"heavy moderate" usage. More in the winter, less in the summer. The
other Digital Stream converters I have, three DTX-9950's, the newer
analog pass-through models, are also working perfectly, though they've
seen much less usage.
Couldn't say what the cause might be. I haven't looked inside them yet,
so anything I have would be a pure guess.
TJ
Daniel W. Rouse Jr.
news:slrnh4oa96.d...@otaku.freeshell.org...
> Well, it didn't take all that long for problems to start surfacing
> with these boxes, but long enough for the warranty to have expired.
>
> I have a couple of DigitalStream DTX-9900 DTV converters where
> the dual-color power-indicater LEDs have suddenly gone crazy.
>
> Normally the LED is red when the unit is on standby and yellow when
> powered up. Within the last couple of weeks on both converters the
> LEDs started at first flickering rapidly between red and yellow,
> then finally staying red whether the box is powered up or not. (The
> converters otherwise work OK with no apparent issues beyond normal
> DTV problem areas.)
>
be valid for DTX9900 converter boxes, but either way the behavior I see is:
Red = Standby, Normal.
Green = Powered On, Normal.
Flashing Red/Green for a few seconds (alternating colors about every half
second), Normal condition when powering off the converter box using the
power button on the box itself or using the remote.
The manual also specifically warns against unplugging the converter box
while it is in the Flashing Red/Green state, although they don't give any
information as to what may actually happen to the box if it is unplugged in
that state.
(My guess own guess is that it may be doing an NVM write, and powering off
the box during that hypothetical NVM write may result in corrupted memory.)
[snip...]
Too_Many_Tools
> Well, it didn't take all that long for problems to start surfacing
> with these boxes, but long enough for the warranty to have expired.
>
> I have a couple of DigitalStream DTX-9900 DTV converters where
> the dual-color power-indicater LEDs have suddenly gone crazy.
>
> Normally the LED is red when the unit is on standby and yellow when
> powered up. Within the last couple of weeks on both converters the
> LEDs started at first flickering rapidly between red and yellow,
> then finally staying red whether the box is powered up or not. (The
> converters otherwise work OK with no apparent issues beyond normal
> DTV problem areas.)
>
> It's really just an annoyance since the converters otherwise
> work OK, at least so far.
>
> Roger Blake
> (Subtract 10s for email. "Google Groups" messages killfiled due to spam.)
> "Obama dozed while people froze."
The flickering is when the Government is watching you.
Be sure to smile. ;<)
TMT
Zorro
Hi All,
My (otherwise great...) DTX9900 converter box died with these same symptoms.
(Units green LED flashes continuously and unit is dead)
Upon inspecting the unit I located a blown electrolytic capacitor on it's power
supply board. After replacing the blown capacitor the converter has worked fine.
A blown capacitor can be identified visually. The canister's top will be expanded
out instead of flat. Just compare all of the caps. Look for any that are not flat
on top. Blown caps will usually (not always) be discolored. The bad cap in my unit
was a 330uf / 16v - 105c value cap. I replaced it with a slightly superior brand
330uf / 25v - 105c cap.
HTH,
Bruce