LED madness on DigitalStream DTV converters

Roger Blake wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@otaku.freeshell.org:

I had one die recently. No led. No powerup. On opening the box, I found an electrolytic capacitor with a bulging top. :( Replaced with one with same or greater cap, dc voltage, and temp rating. Box works again.

Sounds like it could easily be the green element within the LED that is failing (yellow showing = red and green LEDs both on). Should be easy enough to measure the volts at the two driven pins when the box is on. If one of the drives is high compared to the other, and only the red element is alight, then the green one is open circuit. If on the other hand, one of the drives is close to zero, then I guess it's going to be the transistor which switches it, or something between the transistor and the system control micro.

Arfa

That's strange, my DTX-9900 power indicator is either red or green. Although, it's a rather pale green. (I think my sister's DTX-9950 is the same).

Sounds like the red side driver was shorted from the start, and things got worse since then. If it's lit yellow, a close look may show both the red and green die lit up. (Or maybe it's just your color classification as to what to call it, it's right on the border of yellow and green).

Anybody crack one of these open? My guess is a couple of $.01 (or less) surface mount transistors. Or the solder.

Mark Zenier snipped-for-privacy@eskimo.com Googleproofaddress(account:mzenier provider:eskimo domain:com)

I guess you could call it a pale green, it looks more yellowish to me but that may be splitting hairs. Also I think these units are actually DTX-9950s -- they have the analog pass-thru feature. (I do also have an early DTX-9900, so far it has not exhibited the LED problem.)

Have not had time to open it up yet, but do plan to check it out soon as I get the chance.

snipped-for-privacy@otaku.freeshell.org:

YES ,

I bought two DTX - 9900 boxes and now BOTH units flicker between red , dim red and yellow when the unit is on . When the unit is off the LED is bright red . I have tried to contact many people associated with the Digital Stream to no avail . I'm sure this problem is inherent to this unit as well as other models . I'm ticked that the unit does this but so far I've not opened the unit . I tried all sorts of solutions to try to alliviate this problem ( except opening the unit ) but nothing so far has worked . The L.E.D. must be more than just an ON / OFF device . Or some sort of signal is messing up the voltage to the unit . This L.E.D. is probably one of those double L.E.D.'s that when biased one way is red and biased the other is yellow . Why they would design it with a marginal voltage feeding the L.E.D. is anyone's guess .

In any event I'm going to jerk the top off the unit soon and try to remedy this annoying problem .

I would think that fixing "this annoying problem" could be done the same way one fixed the flashing *12:00* on the old VCRs: black electrical tape.

Jonesy :-)

d text -

Tape it Up ?

I would like to see if the unit is ON or OFF . As it is I can tell the unit is OFF by the bright RED status of the L.E.D. When it's ON the L.E.D. flickers or is dull RED .

By the way , who's Brilliant idea at Digital Stream was it to have a Bright RED light shining even when the unit is OFF . I can read by the stupid light .

This is so you can see there is power to the unit. i-joy also sold some DTV receivers that when set to stand-by would lit a red led and three leds on the 7-segment panel (dashes). What a waste of power... sure just a bit in the firmware would fix this.