I know this is in the FAQ... but I thought I would ask for some more info...

Having recently received my tuner I have finally installed my empeg in the car for the first time... everything went well and the tuner works wonderfully, however I seem to have the reported problem of the empeg being unable to tell that it is the car rather than at home...

I have sent an email to support asking for advice... but while I am waiting for a reply I thought I would ask if anyone knows another way of fixing this problem... My empeg is past its warranty date... and I would prefer if possible not to have to send it off to the UK having only just got it into the car... *sigh*

On a side note... it would be nice if the empeg could also use the presence of the tuner module as an indicator that it is in the car... would be a software solution to my problem and wouldn't require the power connector be fixed... This might become more important later when it becomes harder to get the power connector fixed due to the EOL...

Kim

Its most probably the 12v connector on the Empeg that gets used on the home power supply. You would have to crack the case open and take a look. Sounds like one best left to the Cambridge people to me.
Some people might want to use the tuner module in the house, so I don't think thats a good idea. Also what about people that don't have a tuner module in the car ! Although anyone without at least two tuner modules to their name should hang their heads in shame

- --
Rod ,UK Mk2a Sn:1911 Mk2 64gig S/No:341

Managed to fix it with a paperclip... not sure how long it will last... but at least I can see what is going wrong with it...

I suppose the idea of using the tuner as part of the in-car detection would be as a backup to the power connector... It would be good to have a more reliable way of controlling in-car vs in-house detection... especially if the 12v connector is a weak spot and the empeg is no longer supported...

As far as people without a tuner module... it wasn't meant to be the only method of detection... more of an override... ie if the tuner is there then you are in the car... irrespective of the power status... if there is no tuner then check the power status...

Oh well... anyway... less important now I have it fixed... *grin*

Kim

you could use the id seting on the tunner

andrew butler
sn 08000176 6G amber

Ahh, paper clips. Is there anything they can't do? Rubberband-powered projectile, disk/CD ejector, and empeg car-detection repair tool all in one neat little package!
Jason

_~= Dearing =~_
"WAY too happy about having #99."

nearly as useful as donuts

Murray
Go-Wit-Da-Fro

I will have to add that to my tool kit...which now includes duct tape, WD-40, and paper clip.

Before you know it - swiss army knifes will have the flip out paper clip option.

-Doug
Mk2-12G Blue (Now A/R Green)

nearly as useful as donuts

"Is there anything they can't do?" LOL


-Tony
MkII #554

"Duct tape is like The Force. It has a dark side and a light side, and it holds the universe together."

___________
Tony Fabris

LOL - May I quote you on that?

-Doug
Mk2-12G Blue (Now A/R Green)

"Duct tape is like The Force. It has a dark side and a light side, and it holds the universe together."

Happen to have an attribution for that quote? I've never seen one.

Borislav

According to some of the sites found on a google search for "duct tape force universe" the originators name is Carl Zwanzig. I have no idea as to who he is... didn't feel like digging deeper on the sites.

/Michael

I didn't invent the quote, sorry. I don't know who did. Saw it in a tagline once.

___________
Tony Fabris

Since today I have excactly the same problem. (I haven't done anything abnormal) My player always thinks it's at home power, even if it's in the car. I found out that the problem is definitly not the power connector, since I checked it with an ohmmeter. (I divided my player into pieces) The contact in the power connector is intact.

There must be another (hardware) failure. All the other functions are working as excpected without any problem. I tried to install the old 1.03 software version, but the problem is still the same. Is there anything I can do?

Since my warranty is over since 2 months, I hope to get a solution without to ship my player to the UK.

Thanks for any help

Even though your player is out of warranty, please contact Support anyway. They will most likely be able to help you in some way. Even if you end up doing the work yourself, they can at least help diagnose the problem and instruct you on what to do.

Also remember that if there is a new hardware defect (something other than the known problem of the contact switch failing), it will help them to know about it so that they can help other customer with the same problem.

Just sent a mail to support@empeg.com.
I'll report it on the bbs if I found a solution.

What did you test...? With mine the problem is there is a small metal pad at the back of the power connector that the base of the connector should touch against when there is no plug inserted... This allows the empeg to detect when the plug is not inserted and therefore when it is in the car... In my case the base of the connector has stopped springing back high enough to touch the pad at the back and so the empeg sees the connection as always open and assumes this means a plug is inserted and so we must be in the house... My physical hack was to use a piece of metal to bridge the gap between the base of the connector and the pad when I am in the car... it's horrible but it works... I am still looking for a software solution... current thoughts are to have it default to in car behaviour (quieter) and allow the holding down of a button when booting to signify in house behaviour as it is also easier to reboot in the house than in the car if you forget to hold the button down...

I'll let you know if I get anywhere...

Cheers

Kim

>What did you test...? With mine the problem is there is a small metal pad at the
>back of the power connector that the base of the connector should touch
>against when there is no plug inserted... This allows the empeg to detect when
>the plug is not inserted and therefore when it is in the car.

Yes I can see the switching mechanismn in the power connector. I proofed the switch with a measuring instrument, it's ok.
I think after this switch the control signal is converted (maybe a transistor) somehow before it's going into a microchip, isn't it? The problem must be somewhere at this point.
If a plug is in I measure a voltage of 3.3V at the control signal of the power connector, if the power is coming from the docking cage, the voltage there is 0V. (As expected)
Now I don't see to which component this signal is going. On witch pin can I further do a measurement?

Thanks anyway

This is the symptom of a blown buffer chip; this usually only happens if an AC adaptor or incorrect polarity has been used at some point.

The chip is a 74lvx04 in TSOP package; not easy to change unless you're good at SMT rework - so usually, we do them here.

Hugo

Or a broken track on the PCB, like mine was. Hugo, you may remember changing my buffer chip & finding it still didn't work? You did track (excuse the pun) it down eventually though and I must admit it didn't take you long.

Mmm, I'd not seen one fail in that way before though - although I say that quite a lot (but obviously only once about each problem).

We had our first mk2 (possibly mk1 *and* mk2) with a blown serial buffer chip yesterday. Strange, they're pretty bomb-proof!

Hugo

I have got my software fix working... (but not quite tidied up yet)

I should be able to put together an upgrade file which will install a new kernel and a new root in /dev/hda2 with an init that will detect the presence of a tuner and override the power connection detection so the player software believes it is in the car...

Seems to work fine on my system... Do you have a tuner in your car...? I will try and put together an upgrade image you can try if you like..

Cheers

Kim

Thanks for the offer.
But I just sent back my player to empeg to repair this morning!

Hope I never need the fix in the future.
Thanks anyway

No worries... it is a misnomer for me to refer to it as a fix anyway... it is a workaround really... :)

You will hopefully be getting a real fix... :)

Cheers

Kim

I have this same condition in my Mark I.
The guys sent me a new power jack and I installed it but I still have the same problem (always thinking it's at home).
I know the connections are good because I'm getting good continuity throughout.
For some reason the unit also does not want to power up while on AC unless the outside of the barrell connector ( negative side) is touching the edge of the case.
I also seem to get a low power condition quite a bit while it's docked in the car.

Will a blown buffer chip or broken circuit trace cause this condition in mine?

Steve

For some reason the unit also does not want to power up while on AC unless the outside of the barrell connector ( negative side) is touching the edge of the case.


That sure sounds like a bad ground connection on the power jack when it was installed maybe the connection wasn't good after soldering.

That's what I originally thought but I triple checked it and I'm getting continuity throughout the mainboard the jack and case.

I'm stumped and it's irritating because I can't see my custom logo for the car or have use of my fader.

I'll stick a "Force DC/Car Mode" option into Hijack v54 when it comes out.

That would be fantastic! Could you also put in Franks IR Trans hack as well?

BTW You have been doing some unbelievable work.
Thank you from all of us!

Steve

Mark,

You are the hyper man! WONDERFUL!