ARGGH!

My Empeg just died after I got into work today (don't tell them I'm here on the BBS right now, okay? Thanks! ). I just sent an email to carsupport@riohome.com and am anxiously awaiting a response. Here's the email I sent:
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Hello,

I own Empeg player serial #080000350. My player was working fine on the drive into work this morning, but when I hooked it up at my computer at work, it didn't do anything, except vibrate a little bit from the hard drives. There was no light blinking on the front and nothing appeared on the display face. I unplugged it a few times and eventually I got a very "shaky" display of the empeg logo and bootup screen, as if I was looking at it during an earthquake. I thought I smelled a burning odor coming from the unit, but that may be a normal "heat" smell and I never put my nose close enough to notice. Please let me know what I need to do in order to get this player serviced as soon as possible. As long as it's in for service, I'd like to get the handle replaced with a more recent one (I've got one of the original, chipped handles) and, if possible, an AR coated screen. I'm deeply concerned about losing all my music that's already loaded on the player. If there's a chance this is a hard drive problem and I'm going to lose my music, please let me know before I send it in for repair, so I can get with some of the Linux experts and figure out how to make a backup of my music and playlists.
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I'll let you know how things progress. Anyone have any tips on the possibility of saving my music and it's playlists? The music I have on CDR and on HD, so that's not as serious an issue, but it would be nice if I didn't have to swap out CD's again, hehe. The playlists are the vital piece!

Thanks!


George

If the hard disks are working well enough for you to get the data off, we can do the same.

I don't think there's enough information there to diagnose the fault, but if the disks were at fault the display wouldn't be affected at all. I expect support may ask you for a serial log, and they'll want to know if the unit plays music (even if you can't see anything on the screen).

Rob

Hi all,

I already got a response from tech support and replied to it. They're arranging to have the player sent back and I'm currently awaiting the customs paperwork to be faxed to me here at work. I'll make arrangements ASAP once I get the paperwork.

So far... excellent support!


George

I just wanted to let everyone know the current status of my player, since I'm sure customer service is still high on people's minds of what to expect with the SonicBlue deal.

Anyhow, my player shipped out last Tuesday or Wednesday (sorry, I forgot which day it was) and they received it in the UK on Thursday (Daniel was nice enough to let me know. ). Today, Tuesday, I got an email saying that the problem was a bad fuse. (Translated from the techno jargon Mr. Moss said, "we found that a fuse for the display
power circuit was not performing to specification.") You say tomato(e)...

I also asked them to replace the handle with one of the newer ones with better paint, as well as an AR screen, seeing as how it was already in their capable hands. They did just that. The player's supposed to be heading back to me tomorrow. I'll let everyone know when I get it back and if there are any issues.

p.s.
Rob... In regards to your "If the hard disks are working well enough for you to get the data off, we can do the same", I keep forgetting I'm not dealing with Compaq or someone else, who use recovery CD's and wipe the hard drive when they replace one motherboard with the exact same one!!!


George

Hi all,

I just got my Empeg back today!!! YEAH, BABY! It's working just fine, has all my music and settings still on it, a brand new handle, and AR screen. I can't be certain, but the buttons seem to be firmer and the volume knob seems to stick out a bit further. I'm not sure if they did anything with those, but I know the volume knob had been a bit loose.

Overall, I can't find anything to complain about. Well, if I *really* wanted to push it, I would've liked to have gotten it back sooner, but I think a week isn't bad at all!!!! I'm definitely not complaining about a week's wait for a job well done.

Excellent job, guys! Thanks!


George

Regarding the handle... was anything ever worked out about sending replacement handles out so people could install it themselves rather than shipping the unit back to base...?

Cheers

Kim

If memory serves, all you need to do is ask them to send you one and send yours back. Wait... that may've been the AR screens. I'm sure there are a bunch of messages on the board. If you do a search for "new handle" or something along those lines, I think you'll find them.

I chose to have mine replaced by them since they already had the unit. Plus, I heard that it wasn't the easiest thing to replace, so I would've sent it back myself, anyhow. But... that's just me.


George

Well,

I've asked for one and got it. I must warn you though that the tiny screws which fasten the handle are _very_ tight and it's a whole different ballgame than replacing the AR screen. I wouldn't reccomend this as a "do it yourself job" for most since it seems rather easy to me to damage the screws and/or the unit if you're not _very_ carefull & patient.

W@lly.nl
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Reg:1934/Mk1:158-6Blue(sold)/Mk2:380-12Amber

Thanks... I might send an email through and ask them to send one out to me... I think I have done enough small electronics work to be able to do it myself with the proper instructions...

Cheers

Kim

There are no threads cut in the holes in the new handle, so it is a VERY GOOD IDEA to screw the screws in and out once to cut the threads before you try mounting the handle. Also, when you mount the handle you are working VERY CLOSE to a completely exposed display unit. You definitely don't want to slip and give it a wack or it could be rather expensive. I managed to install my new handle without inflicting any damaged, but as wvloon said you have to be _very_ careful and patient.

(list 6284, Mk1 S/N 00299 4GB blue [for sale]. Mk2 S/N 080000094 6GB blue)

Arrggh!

My empeg has suddenly had this same display problem... it was fine when I unplugged it at my desk... I put it in its empeg carry bag and carried it to the car... then on plugging it into the car and turning on the ignition the boot logo came up and was very shaky and looped in parts... it looked like a monitor that was slightly at the wrong frequency... this continued through the rest of the boot... so I pulled it out of the dash and reinserted it... same problem... I thought it might be hot... so I left it out and nervously drove home... I tried it in the house on mains and the same problem...

The player seems fine apart from the display... that is I can see the visuals working (though scrambled) and the music sounds fine... also watching on the serial console the boot seems normal (just like every other boot I have watched...) and the player exits to the developer shell fine too...

I have emailed carsupport@riohome.com and sent them a boot log (just in case) and I have opened the player up and couldn't find anything obviously wrong inside...

Arggh... things were going so well with it recently...

Is there anything I can do here without having to send it back to the UK... my player is well out of warranty now

Cheers

Kim

Here is an image of what my boot looks like at the moment...

You can see the logo wrapped around the bottom slightly and the rough edges...

and here is further on into the boot...

note the wrap around and rough edges to everything again...

That's a blown fuse on the main board, generally only happens if the display has been disconnected from the main board and plugged in incorrectly (then plugged in correctly later). Easy to fix, look for the 3 fuses near the display connector on the main board and replace the blown one(s).

Hugo

Except he clearly said that it was fine on his desk, then it went wonky when he put it into the car.

So either he's lying about not having messed with the display connector, or there's some other instance where the display can get corrupted like that.

Yeah and Hugo said "generally only happens when..." which says that there certainly are other instances where the fuses could get blown besides messing with the board. Voltage spike on the main power maybe? Or is there another fuse that would break first?

definitely hadn't been playing with the insides of the player before it happened...

I will look for the fuses and see if I can fix them... Many thanks...

Hopefully my empeg will be well again soon...

Cheers

Kim

I found the dud fuse...

Now I just have to get a replacement and test my soldering skillz

I shorted the fuse with a pair of calipers and booted the empeg and the display is fine... I am SOOO happy it is just a fuse that blew...

Many, Many, Many Thanks for the quick response Hugo...

I have attached a pic with the bad fuse ringed for interests sake...

Cheers

Kim

The question remains as to what caused the fuse to blow...

I mean, it's all well and good that you only need to replace the fuse, but who's to say it won't just blow again if we don't locate the source of the problem?

A blown fuse is like a runny nose. It's the symptom, not the disease.

You're brave to try just shorting out the fuse
If the fault was still present then more expensive parts might have blown!

Good to hear you've found the problem though

- Trevor

My theory was that the fault was in the car's electrical system... The car is getting old...

Also... can someone tell me what rating fuse do I need to replace it with...?

Cheers

Kim

My suspect is my car wiring as the car is getting quite old and recently (as in within the last month) has been having some issues after its last service...

I am going to check the wiring on the car a bit more closely before I next plug the empeg back in...

Other than that I am not sure what I can do... suggestions would be welcome...

Cheers

Kim

WOWOWOWOW!!!!! - Technically you're supposed to replace the fuse (with another of the correct rating) and see if it blows again. You were lucky that it didn't burst out in flames! Glad it worked out for you, but if that ever happens with a fuse in your home, PLEASE PLEASE don't short it out with a penny (or whatever) or the whole thing may burn down!

It's a 1A, 1206 size SMT fuse. No idea why it would have blown without provocation, but replace it and see what happens. The fuses are mainly there to protect the main board tracking if the display board (or cable or connector) goes la-la.

Hugo

but if that ever happens with a fuse in your home, PLEASE PLEASE don't short it out with a penny (or whatever) or the whole thing may burn down!

I remember seeing a sheet with fuse current ratings for common house hold things in the Electrical Engineering Dept at the Uni at home - hair clips, M12 Bolts, you name it

Don't worry it WAS a joke I think they had the bolt rated at around 600A ...