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Post by barclay66 on Dec 8, 2016 4:03:31 GMT -5
Hi,
One of my MP-modded VIMs (see pictures named VIM01) seems to be similar to Yours. I can test it in order to find out if its video level is low too. Nevertheless, I don't think that it will make much sense poking around with all of this black goo at key areas. The operational amplifiers of the first stage have been replaced with unknown chips (markings have been sanded off), so we don't know which resistors attached to them will result in how much gain. Then there is the mini-board where the situation is similar. Reverse engineering with schematics and datasheets can be difficult already. With none of them it becomes a nightmare. I'd recommend that You either work out a solution with Mike Parker directly (if he's willing to support this) or try to return the board as it can't be of use to You.
Regards, barclay66
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Post by barclay66 on Dec 5, 2016 7:24:46 GMT -5
Hi, Can You post a picture of the VIM? Maybe I'm able to do a comparison with those two MP-modded VIMs I have. I wouldn't expect too much help from those on the CP forum. MP will possibly say that it works like it is intended to do and can't work well when being used with other neck boards than those it was sold together with. Others might jump in and start bashing You as MP's work still has a special tag attached to it (according to them: This is sacred. You shall not criticize it!). You might want to look up this thread: www.curtpalme.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=39463Regards, barclay66
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Post by barclay66 on Nov 10, 2016 8:40:51 GMT -5
Hi,
Check D14 and Q13 for shorts. They could be involved as well. Check fuse F4. Disconnect the power MOSFET section altogether (Connection points 4, 5, 7, 9, 10, 13) and measure the voltages at connection points 5 and 10 (measurement against ground plane). Without input signal they should be almost identical, just with different polarity.
Regards, barclay66
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Post by barclay66 on Oct 31, 2016 3:00:58 GMT -5
Well i discovered another issue (or maybe it is related to the H-fail thing) yesterday. I had to push the projector a bit to the side (centering onto the screen section) and the picture blanked out. It came back with a "zoom effect" after a few seconds. Hi, The "zoom effect" clearly is a dropout of the high voltage. The same thing happens when an arc occurs. The HV shuts down for a moment -> dark picture -> HV starts again and rises -> picture comes back (too big and out of focus) -> picture settles and looks normal. The effect would be the same if the HVPS shut down momentarily for any other reason. It doesn't necessarily need to be an arc causing this. You could check the connectors at the HVPS and LVPS. I've seen problems being resolved after cleaning them and after making sure that both the LVPS and HVPS are pushed deep enough into the chassis. Not easy to do as You really can't see too much deep inside the chassis... Regards, barclay66
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Post by barclay66 on Oct 28, 2016 5:15:43 GMT -5
The only thing that still stays an issue is the 2x HV crackling + 1,5s H-fail LED with one of my HDMs. Maybe this issue has been there for a long time and i just didn't notice it. I could now try to disassemble the HDM, look for the fault and search for quiet a long time. But since the picture is stable and every setting does it's job (as far as you can tell on a completely unaligned machine) i think I'm just going to let it crackle twice. Maybe i should change that Q3 on the HDM (the big mosfet you sent me once). I'm not supposed to tell this, but i did never change that mosfet, because... well the thing always worked. Hi, If You really would like to put some work into the HDM, You could check and maybe replace these two larger capacitors: C43 (47µF/385V) and C50 (220µF/160V). Both are part of the horizontal deflection supply and both tend to fail. In addition, the yoke connectors tend to lose their strength over time. You might want to check them too... Regards, barclay66
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Post by barclay66 on Oct 27, 2016 2:45:02 GMT -5
Just another pic for explanation below.
The machine where this was taken has the following software versions:
CLM mainboard: U16 V3.1, U35 V5.0, U100 3.4 DPB: U7 V5.6
On the weekend I will try if the displacement effect depends on the software version as I can see that it is much less noticeable on my machine than Yours. It could be possible that it changes with the version of either U35, U7 or both...
Regards, barclay66
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Post by barclay66 on Oct 27, 2016 2:40:09 GMT -5
Hi,
I have verified the convergence issue with my machines. The vertical displacement seems to be normal. What can be observed, is that the displacement becomes more prominent the more You move the adjustment box to the upper/lower edges of the grid. It isn't adjustable like the horizontal displacement. It looks like the gain for the vertical convergence amplifier is just a bit too large. See the pictures that I took for reference...
BUT: The effect only becomes noticeable when maxing out the settings which normally isn't necessary anyway. If You had to so, the overall mechanical setup and the basic geometry settings should be optimized first.
BUT BUT: In a blend or stacking scenario it is possible that You will need much more convergence range in order to align the grid between both projectors. If the effect really should make a uniform grid impossible, You should try to reduce the distance between both projectors to a minimum and have them perfectly aligned to the screen using their green tubes as a reference. The angle between each green tube and the mid-point of the screen should be equal (only reversed).
BUT BUT BUT: What if the displacement effect is the same on the red and the blue tube? Then You still should be able to get them converged. Maybe You could try this too.
Regards, barclay66
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Post by barclay66 on Oct 26, 2016 9:10:59 GMT -5
Just a quick question: What software versions do You have?
Please check U16, U35 and U100 on the CLM and check U7 on the DPB.
I will try out the convergence issue later this evening...
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Post by barclay66 on Oct 25, 2016 15:21:45 GMT -5
Uh, text was gone. Here's again:
Hi,
I just verified with my two machines:
- At startup, no error lights should stay on for more than a quick flash - HV should switch on and crackle only once
You should investigate this H-Fail condition. It can be caused by several conditions, including supply rails (see picture)...
Regards, barclay66
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Post by barclay66 on Oct 25, 2016 2:34:39 GMT -5
Hi,
I will check tonight. What I can already say, is that the HV should only start up once. There may be a problem and/or error condition that forces the HV to shut down at first start up. Maybe some kind of slow settling of a supply voltage. You could try to swap the LVPS in order to rule out related problems. Maybe the HVPS too...
Regards, barclay66
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Post by barclay66 on Oct 21, 2016 11:34:53 GMT -5
Me too. That makes us two already...
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Post by barclay66 on Oct 21, 2016 4:09:50 GMT -5
To be honest: I don't have a clue. These oils and fluids have been developed for acting as an optical bridge, crossing a tiny gap between the sample and the first lens of a microscope. Our application calls for a much larger amount of fluid between the tube and the C element. The curvature of the C element is prohibitive to any kind of coloration of the fluid as it would have a larger effect the closer You get to the tube edges. Some of their features will be useful for our usage (like the refractive index), some -needed for our application- could be missing as the objectives to be met were different (e.g. what about thermal conductivity?), and some could be less favorable (e.g. coloration). On the other hand, there are features that won't bother us at all; like chromatic aberration which is irrelevant in a system where we have monochromatic tubes.
I think it'll be wise to risk a small investment for research. If we can coordinate our efforts, even better. Anyone willing to participate should try a different type of fluid.
BTW: Did You know that there are several brands (including Zeiss and Nikon) and dozens of types available? I think the main differentiators are focused on refractive index (as close as possible to 1.52 with respect to a given wavelength), viscosity and self-fluorescence. So there's a lot to choose from...
Regards, barclay66
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Post by barclay66 on Oct 20, 2016 8:03:01 GMT -5
Hi,
I think I can get the type B immersion oil in Germany. Maybe worth a try...
Regards, barclay66
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Post by barclay66 on Oct 19, 2016 4:17:04 GMT -5
Hi,
I don't think the Oil is a good alternative. From the datasheet, the information on color stability seems to indicate that it will darken quite rapidly and maybe with a yellowish tint. Of course, the light from a tube may not be comparable to the light from the sun, but it still could induce the darkening. I guess that only some testing will tell...
Regards, barclay66
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Post by barclay66 on Sept 23, 2016 2:05:59 GMT -5
Would you recommend that I test both the AC generated voltage and then the voltage as supplied by the solar panel? Yes. The voltage that You'll be feeding from an external source (solar panel) shouldn't be higher than the AC generated voltage (+/- 2 Volts should be OK though). Otherwise the charging circuit and/or the batteries You're charging may be damaged. The charging circuit has been designed having the properties of the AC power supply in mind. Also, if I just put leads on those two points you mentioned and run them to a power socket, could I then use this charger either as solar or as AC (provided I put a protective insulating sleeve on the connector) Yes. Please have in mind that this power socket will carry the AC generated voltage as long as the charger is connected to AC. Never connect the external source to it as long as it is connected to AC! Just one more thing: The AC power supply has some kind of feedback voltage regulator function (visible through the optocoupler designated 'PC1'). If this regulation circuit should work as part of the charging principle (see this article: www.radio-electronics.com/info/power-management/battery-technology/nimh-nickel-metal-hydride-charging.php), feeding an external constant voltage won't work as the charger then is designed for managing the AC generated voltage according to the charging status, thus making it variable. You should be able to identify this situation by measuring the voltage between 'Vout' and 'GND1' without batteries inserted, with an empty battery inserted and with a fully charged battery inserted. If the measured voltage varies more than 1-2 Volts between the different scenarios then feeding an external voltage won't work... Regards, barclay66
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