CurtPalme.com Home Theater Forum

Dolbytone · Joined: 20 Dec 2007 Posts: 4 Location: Connecticut - USA

Hello everyone! Long time lurker, first time poster here.

Please help me if you can!

One of my G90's (that I have not turned on for many years) is giving an error code when I tried turning it on this week.

Upon turning on the rocker switch, a short RED 88 is seen, then a short YELLOW 88, then a GREEN 30 and it stays that way. It will not turn on with the remote. I have read up on the error codes all I can in the last few days on the forum. I actually found two error code lists but neither one lists an error code 30.

I have two G90's and the other one works fine. I would like to further diagnose but I have a question: Can I swap the YA boards between the two machines to see if the problem follows? Or will this somehow damage or erase info on the chips that are on these boards?

I also read about possible 'bad' IC421 chips with a lot number of "003A01E". My IC421 chips' lot numbers on both YA boards are "040A02E". So I am assuming they are good.

I tried writing Craig through his website and also his email but I didn't get any replies. I'm sure he's very busy.

Once my problem is fixed I was thinking of making arrangements to send both Dallas chips to get replaced again and reprogrammed.

History...

I had purchased two G90's sometime around 2008, one with more than 800 hours and one with about 400 hrs. Then in early 2009 my friend who lives just a few towns away (we both live in Connecticut) was getting his G90 aligned by Craig Rounds. So I made arrangements to bring my two machines over there to have Craig replace and reprogram the Dallas Chip on each. Wow, that was 12 years ago!

I took both projectors back home and after a couple of years I grabbed one of them and started using it. I very basically, over time, aligned it (and I do mean just basically, lol). It was always my intension to redo my room and have Craig perform a full alignment.

Time has really gone by and I have not used the other (2nd) projector or turned it on at all. But a couple of days ago I tried to turn it on and got the error code as explained above.

Any information or help would be most appreciated!

Thanks,

Steve

**Curt Palme** · Posted: Mon Apr 04, 2022 12:54 am Post subject:

It's been a while, but I think an error 30 is a bad Dallas chip.. or it needs to be initialized. At 12 years old, it's MANDATORY to change the Dallas chips again. Do that before doing anything else. You'll need to initialize the new chips once they are installed.

http://www.curtpalme.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=9611&highlight=g90+dallas

HaydnG90 · Joined: 22 May 2006 Posts: 1335

As Curt says get new Dallas chips installed otherwise you could trash the tubes with spot burn. Craig has good ones (don't buy them off Ebay as many are fake) and can copy the settings directly, assuming the files are still accessible. If dead you will have to go through a complete calibration with a new chip installed. He doesn't need the G90 to do this, just the original chips. Carefully remove from the YA without bending the pins.

Regarding the Green Error 30, take a look at this thread from 2008. Its informative and further suggests your Dallas is the source of the problem.
https://www.avsforum.com/threads/g90-green-error-30-after-dallas-chip-replaced.1019909/#post-13651061

Yes you can install the YA on another G90 without problems.......but get the Dallas chips replaced first.

Dolbytone · Joined: 20 Dec 2007 Posts: 4 Location: Connecticut - USA

Curt, thanks for this information on error 30. I'm glad to know that it's only the Dallas chip! Yes, I couldn't believe 12yrs had past, I definitely would have done it sooner had I thought about it. I can foresee a large p-touch label with the next Dallas expiration date on the back of the projector after I replace them in both machines this week.

HaydnG90, thank you for the warning about the spot burn. I've also taken your advice to replace the Dallas chips first before trying to swap YA boards. I really had wanted to swap those boards first to see if I could light up my second machine but will not be doing that now!

This past week I have purchased two Dallas chips, an EEPROM programmer and some other parts. I purchased the 70uS access time variant of the Dallas chips from Mouser electronics - Maxim Integrated NVRAM model DS1245Y-70+ Back in 2001 Maxim had purchased Dallas Semiconductor (Maxim's parent company is Analog Devices). Anyway, when I was ordering from Mouser they showed a picture of the chip with a new flashy red Maxim logo. When the chips arrive I will post a picture to see if they are really coming with the new logo. Also from https://www.mcumall.com/store/ I purchased the GQ-4X V4 PRG-055 Willem Programmer along with some other things I wanted. This is a true USB interface and can be addressed with up to Windows 10 32bit or 64bit as well as older OS's. Everything should be arriving by this coming Wednesday 4/13.

More good news... When Craig had replaced the Dallas chips in both my G90's in 2009, he had saved the .bin file for each and I have both files. I believe (guess?) this means I won't have to be concerned with reinitialization. So in the machine I have been using, which still works, I will just offload the file from the current Dallas chip and reprogram to new Dallas chip (and if for some reason that doesn't work, I can use the 2009 bin file instead). And for the machine I haven't been using, that's now dead, I will use the bin file from 2009 to program its new Dallas chip.

I have also started to solder a DB9 F to M cable for serial communication with the G90. However there seems to be two different null pinouts documented on the forum for this operation. I need to find out this pinout info directly from a Sony manual so I can be sure. I don't think, though, that I will need to use it as I know both machines have ver 1.1 already and I don't think the dead machine has lost its OS.

ALSO, I JUST WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO CURT, CRAIG, HAYDNG90 AND ALL THE OTHER GREAT POSTERS ON THIS FORUM TO SAY THANK YOU!!!
I have learned a lot over time on this forum and especially reading up on everything I could over the last week after my 2nd machine wouldn't start!

I will post more when I receive my parts orders.

Thanks,

Steve

HaydnG90 · Joined: 22 May 2006 Posts: 1335

Hey Steve,
Sounds like you have it all under control. I'm not PC savvy enough to handle an EEPROM reader/writer so left it to others who are, figuring I would only need the service once. Have to say I really miss my G90. I won't get another CRT now that I've moved to Europe, but it was fun for the 20 years I was deep down the rabbit hole. Luckily I lived in my last home for 16 years so there was no need to dismantle and do another setup from scratch. I paid for two professional calibrations in that time and having someone with the right equipment and knowledge make it sing was an investment I would do over and over again. No way I could have done it myself without investing in the right kit. That extra 5-10% performance is well worth striving for IMO.
I tip my hat to those who are still committed to the format, but I see a Sony laser projector, that can take advantage of HDR etc, in my future once I've retired and settled down.

Dolbytone · Joined: 20 Dec 2007 Posts: 4 Location: Connecticut - USA

@HaydnG90: Moved to Europe? ..... Pay no attention to that G90 in the overhead luggage rack! I agree with you on having a prof set up & calibration. Sounds like you had a good time in your last CRT room in the USA. Tell us what model digital projector you end up with when you do purchase it. Always interested to know what projector people choose after CRT.

Well, my two Dallas DS1245Y-70+ chips arrived today from Mouser. I guess no new flashy red Maxim logo as shown on the Mouser page. Looks like these were manufactured in 2021 at about the end of June (3/4 of a yr ago). Of course the internal battery isn't connected electrically until chips are programmed for the first time.

Now just waiting on the programmer.

Steve

**Curt Palme** · Posted: Tue Apr 12, 2022 9:54 pm Post subject:

Actually even when programmed, you can't measure the internal battery from the outside pins. At least that's how it worked with all the old ECP sets. I tried..

Dolbytone · Joined: 20 Dec 2007 Posts: 4 Location: Connecticut - USA

Well the EEPROM programmer FINALLY arrived from mcumall.com in Canada today. Canada post hands it off to USPS, took much longer than I thought it would. I'll post more about the procedure and how it went towards the end of the week.

Steve