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Post by ecrabb on Mar 4, 2014 11:07:19 GMT -5
Hi guys,
Excited about this forum. I have 4 or 5 dead things sitting around right now that I can't bring myself to throw away. First up...
I grabbed a VW50 off ebay. My dad's camera club is still using an old XGA LCD projector, and I thought I'd risk it with this one, to play with, for the learning experience, and if I get it working to give to the old man's camera club. The VW50 is a pretty decent machine; 1080p SXRD, 15000:1, auto-iris, and it's fairly decent-sized, so relatively quiet.
This one was listed as-is, with the issue being that on power-up, the lamp LED would flash three times. The case was pristine, so I grabbed it on the off chance it only needed a lamp. Never know what some dumb person would do.
Sure enough, it came with no lamp. Installed a lamp, and it fired right up. It was then that I knew why there was no lamp. In hindsight, it was a huge seller, so probably a recycler/liquidator. I was hoping it was something in the PSU or lamp ballast section, which is probably more likely I might be able to repair on my own. So, short of buying another one with a different problem and combing the two, I'm probably hosed. I suppose I can probably get most of my money back out of a few parts if I need to. But, I tought I'd put it to the smart guys here and see what you think.
The symptoms:
1) There are alternating vertical red, green, and blue single-pixel lines in a repeating pattern across the display. They are consistent, and persistent, regardless of signal input, internal menu, or service settings.
2) There is, for lack of a better term, 'noise' to the right of bright images on-screen. Photos in the next post.
From my unabashedly inexperienced position, looking at the service manual, and reading about the common problems these days, I'd focus my attention on the Q and C boards, but first on the C board - the panel drive. I see there are at least two large BGA ICs (IC300 and IC400), which it seems like are a common problem with AV receivers and game consoles. I see also that board sells for
I'm probably way out of my depth on this one. I have a decent VOM, but no scope.
Thanks, guys.
SC
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Post by ecrabb on Mar 4, 2014 11:07:37 GMT -5
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Post by jeremy on Mar 4, 2014 11:50:40 GMT -5
Hi Crabb, I see you found the only Sony pearl that has this issue  I've had a few of these and none of them have ever had any issue like this, and I've never seen anyone with this issue either! I personally have no idea where to begin with a problem such as this. I would be willing to bet it could be something as minimal as a ribbon cable, given that you can see your signal input, and the menu etc... In all honesty, it looks like the LCoS panels are fine, and everything else seems fine, I would be willing to bet that its something fixable, to what end I'm not sure, but I don't think it would be too hard to figure out whats going on with it. All in all, they are excellent projectors for the price, and if you got it for next to nothing, then I would stick with attempting to repair it. I think MT or one of the other guys here will know what to do. You're on the right forum  |
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Post by mastertech on Mar 4, 2014 12:27:01 GMT -5
Welcome to the forum. You definitely have the right thinking in your assumptions. I have seen similar picture distortions and the problems was most always a bad RAM chip. To elaborate on this, a lot of devices require 2 RAM chips to control 3 color outputs. When 1 chip starts to act up or fails you will get lines such as yours. Since you stated you have been looking at the schematics and you have identified the rook chips (ic300 and ic400) and it could one of them. But you will also see that each of those chips has its own ram and Eeprom. So, it could be any of those 6 items, most likely. RAM failures are common, but so are eeprom but less so. of course the BGA problems are wide spread also. So, take your pick. You might be able to poke around with the DMM on diode scale and do comparison tests but other then that is would be replace parts or the board. Or throw the C board in the oven for a while and cook it up. What do you have to loose. LOL |
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Post by mastertech on Mar 4, 2014 12:33:02 GMT -5
Sony has the C board in stock for 981.66, LOL.
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Post by ecrabb on Mar 4, 2014 14:58:27 GMT -5
Of COURSE I'd find the one projector that has an issue that nobody's seen… That's my luck!
I thought about the ribbon cables first too, so I think next steps are tearing into it and re-seating connectors. There's no way I'd be that lucky, though. My suspicions are those rook chips, or like MT says, the RAM associated with them.
I saw that thousand-dollar board… Yeah, I'll get right on that.
Oh, hey - does the forum have thread update notifications? I couldn't find it anywhere, but I may have missed it.
Thanks, guys!!! Excited about the site, and to learn more about fixin' busted stuff!
Cheers,
SC
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Post by Admin on Mar 4, 2014 16:04:54 GMT -5
Oh, hey - does the forum have thread update notifications? I couldn't find it anywhere, but I may have missed it. As of now, notifications are sent once a day only. You have to select it in your profile. I am looking to see if there is a plug-in for multiple daily notifications. I will also occasionally be adding more plugins so watch for things to appear. |
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Post by jeremy on Mar 29, 2014 12:57:08 GMT -5
Crabb, I'm working on getting a couple of these that have power issues. If I can't get one of them repaired, I would be willing to sell you the board you need out of one of them. I'll let you know when I get them if you want.
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Post by justgreg on Mar 31, 2014 15:32:25 GMT -5
Hi SC. It's great to see you!
Not sure if you remember my experience with Sony pj's years ago; an experience that soured me to Sony since....until I saw a youtube vid of the pj you're fixing. The black levels and detail I saw are compeling reasons to rethink my prejudice.
To follow along with your efforts I found a SM but unfortunately the pdf gaks before I can get to the circuit component level portion and I can't find another one that works. What little I could access there are a lot of references to rewriting/flashing. Have you gone that route yet?
Based on the pics of the test pattern I was hoping to be able to look into what controls the convergence, even though digital is probably very much unlike CRT where all my experience lies.
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Post by ecrabb on Apr 1, 2014 17:36:55 GMT -5
Crabb, I'm working on getting a couple of these that have power issues. If I can't get one of them repaired, I would be willing to sell you the board you need out of one of them. I'll let you know when I get them if you want. Awesome. Definitely interested! Please do let me know when you get into what find. Thanks, Jeremy! SC |
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Post by ecrabb on Apr 1, 2014 17:44:41 GMT -5
Hi SC. It's great to see you! Not sure if you remember my experience with Sony pj's years ago; an experience that soured me to Sony since....until I saw a youtube vid of the pj you're fixing. The black levels and detail I saw are compeling reasons to rethink my prejudice. To follow along with your efforts I found a SM but unfortunately the pdf gaks before I can get to the circuit component level portion and I can't find another one that works. What little I could access there are a lot of references to rewriting/flashing. Have you gone that route yet? Based on the pics of the test pattern I was hoping to be able to look into what controls the convergence, even though digital is probably very much unlike CRT where all my experience lies. Ditto! I haven't started tearing into this one, yet. I was traveling two weeks out of the last four, and now I have to finish taxes. Then, it'll start getting warm out and I'll have house stuff to do. Grr!!! I did find a service manual, and it seems to be all good. I haven't looked it over closely enough to see any info about the rewriting/flashing. I did see a reference to a separate CD-ROM in the section on semiconductor parts list. I'm probably in way over my head on this other than simple board swaps, but I'll dig in and see what I can find. I don't have any travel plans this weekend, and I should have taxes out the door by then, so maybe I can dig in. Cheers! SC |
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Post by justgreg on Apr 1, 2014 23:08:24 GMT -5
In over your head?...nah. Overworked and stretched too thin?...sure sounds like it. I'm 4 weeks post spinal fusion surgery so all I can do is look at my lawn and everything that needs to be done. It's going to be a hot mess this summer.
I know there's a lot more to it than a simple convergence adjustment like with CRT but dang the image looks awesome except for the vertical lines that are being generated. I wish I could find a good working SM to follow along! Yeah the first 10 pages of the SM discuss several memory reflashing/update techniques and the requirements for doing so.
I sold my Quee but the rest of the theater is intact... and now you have me thinking about a digital alternative (again!) Dang you! lol I do miss having my mancave wanna-be hideout though.
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Post by ecrabb on Apr 2, 2014 14:18:15 GMT -5
Wow, Greg - "spinal fusion surgery" sounds horrible. I hope you're recovering comfortably and will come out the other side better for it! I'd come over and give you a hand with the lawn myself if I lived close by.
Hmm.. My SM is titled 'SERVICE MANUAL - 1st Edition' in the lower right. It's 128 pages. The back says copyright 2006, "2006HR16-1" and "VPL-VW50 (SY) E". The first 20 or so pages are all exploded diagrams with disassembly info. 1-21 and the next few pages then goes into some software and memory info, including reading and righting data to go along with changing the optical assembly and Q board.
Sounds like maybe we should trade docs? Mac, do you have a preferred method of trading manual docs, since I assume you don't want them on the board.
I really want to get this machine running. This is when digital projector image quality started getting really respectable. It's not up to spec of even a few years ago, but it's very decent, and extremely quiet. Noise level is totally under-rated in my opinion. When I finally hung my digital, it was a huge relief to not have the beast with all its fans hanging about five feet behind me on the ceiling. I know I'm pretty noise-sensitive, but it was REALLY nice to have a quiet noise floor in my room. Crazy nice.
Hey, if my old man's camera club doesn't want it after I get it working, I'll make you a deal on it, Greg. I bought it mostly just to learn on and play with more than anything else; certainly not to try to make money on. That ain't gonna happen, anyway. I think I've got almost $300 in it at this point, and they only sell for about $500 working. It still ain't fixed yet, and I need a dang remote, too - so there won't be much, if any, money to be made anyway.
Cheers,
SC
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Post by mastertech on Apr 2, 2014 14:34:04 GMT -5
Probably just easier to email it to him for now.
I have already setup up a file sharing site for here and Nash and I did some testing on it but I ran out of time and just haven't been able to bring it into full operation here. Maybe eventually, but with summer coming I have even less time.
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Post by justgreg on Apr 2, 2014 15:36:57 GMT -5
Thanks for the kind thoughts crabb. The first 2.5 weeks post surgery were from hell. End of healing is around 6 months which is when the bone stimulator I wear 2hrs a day should have done all ot can do. I'm a journeyman level mechanic and with reduced flexion I'm not sure if I'll be able to return to that field. Scary thought to think about not earning what I can demand.
Anyway, to get BOT, cash is tight right now but I'll def keep this in mind. The reviews of it released at the time the pj came out said the image was a bit soft but hey, umma CRT-er and dig the film noire look. Not everything has to be so sharp it slices through your retinas.
Mac's hit the nail on the head again as usual in that summer is coming and after the rough winter we've all had there will be more than usual maintenance to attend to.
I'll msg ya my email addy if you want to send the SM.
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I've had a few of these and none of them have ever had any issue like this, and I've never seen anyone with this issue either!
