CurtPalme.com Home Theater Forum

PJMoore · Joined: 05 Oct 2006 Posts: 99

My good friend with a ceiling mounted Vidikron Vision 2 ( Marquee 8500 ) is experiencing what appears to be some sort of intermittent HV failure. The unit has run flawlessly for years, and has only recently begun to show this behavior. All three guns shut off for anywhere from 3 seconds to 11 seconds. All three tubes then turn back on for a random time period between 10 seconds and 10 minutes. When the tubes turn on, the raster is unfocussed and oversize. Within 1 to 2 seconds the image reduces to normal size and focuses again. Convergence appears to stay good through all of this, but it is definitely defocussed on light up. When the unit is first turned on, it works fine for up to 5 or 6 hours before this somewhat random turn off / turn on pattern happens.

I checked the two cards, removing them and DeOxiting the connectors while I had them out. I saw no evidence either was loose. I had previously cleaned them and used nylon strapping tape to ensure a solid up-pressure. I moved to the LVPS, removing it, cleaning the fan blades of light dust, and checking for any signs of burn damage. I saw none.

I powered the unit back up, and waited for tito again start the on / off cycle, this time observing the LEDS on the rear panel. None were lighted.

Any ideas what we should do next ( besides sending large sacks of unmarked bills to Curt? ). I do have a spare Marquee 8500 with earlier version cards available if I need to swap cards. The only spare HVPS I have is in my theater, and I just hate to swap that into his unit if I can avoid it.

Any ideas would be much appreciated.

Nashou66 · Joined: 12 Jan 2007 Posts: 16171 Location: West Seneca NY

It could be the HVPS, or one of the VNB's causing HV shut down, or the VIM. But also check the Connectors on the CLM to the DPB and those chips also.

if you have some spare VNB's swap out one at a time and leave in the PJ to see if it happens again with that known good VNB, if so then swap out the rest.

Athanasios

draganm · Joined: 08 Mar 2006 Posts: 8990 Location: Colorado

HVPS almost certainly. That shrinking and defocusing with intermittent black-outs is a good indication.

PJMoore · Joined: 05 Oct 2006 Posts: 99

I pulled the CLM, removed and cleaned all chips and connectors, and then did the same for the VIM.

Put it all back together and it is running fine. Thanks so much for the advise.

Nashou66 · Joined: 12 Jan 2007 Posts: 16171 Location: West Seneca NY

Your welcome!

Athanasios

draganm · Joined: 08 Mar 2006 Posts: 8990 Location: Colorado

these types of problems are difficult. A lot of times people will clean something and everything will be fine then problems start a few days or even weeks later. I hope yours is fixed for good.

J Kildare · Joined: 28 Sep 2006 Posts: 164

To the OP, I understand the problem has been corrected but for others performing future searches I will add that TB95-07 is also a good read.
I know I've got symptoms 1,3,and4. Sad

Jim

PJMoore · Joined: 05 Oct 2006 Posts: 99

Well - it worked for a while, but the problem is back. I guess it is time to start swapping boards. I have some spares. any suggestions as to the most likely to least likely culprits?

Nashou66 · Joined: 12 Jan 2007 Posts: 16171 Location: West Seneca NY

Might be time for a new CLM. OR you might have to do a initilization on that one. after some time the meory and software becomes corrupt. and an initilization fixes it, but not always. its worth a try especilay if you have the marquee librarian to down load your settings.

nashou

**Curt Palme** · Posted: Thu Nov 26, 2009 3:40 pm Post subject:

Almost any board can trigger the HV shutdown, but the VIM, CLM or neck boards would be most likely. Outside of a defective HVPS of course.

dturco · Posted: Thu Nov 26, 2009 3:55 pm Post subject: Re: Not that lucky

**Curt Palme** · Posted: Thu Nov 26, 2009 4:05 pm Post subject:

I hear dturco has gotten really good at swapping boards though, huh? Very Happy

PJMoore · Joined: 05 Oct 2006 Posts: 99

I certainly wish this projector was floor mounted, and had a standard Marquee case. This fiberglass beast (Vision 2) is just oversized enough that none of the cards will come out unless the case is removed entirely. The easiest to get to was the VIM, so I swapped it first. If this isn't it, I will next do the neck boards, then the CLM re-initialize / reload, then swap the CLM, then the HVPS. I am waiting to the last on the HVPS, since the only spare I have is in my working unit at my house and I just hate cannibalizing my own system.

Film at eight with fingers crossed. Thanks for the ideas everybody.

Curt - this is that Chattanooga Marquee you asked me to look at last year - the one that went "psychedelic" - turned out to be the scaler. Did you ever get the old scaler we sent you working? I was just curious.

**Curt Palme** · Posted: Thu Nov 26, 2009 5:09 pm Post subject:

Right, I remember that one. Yes, I did get the scaler going, a bunch of caps were bad.

PJMoore · Joined: 05 Oct 2006 Posts: 99

Well - it's not the VIM, or the neck boards. Next I will swap out the LVPS, then the CLM. Onward, into the fog.....

antorsae · Joined: 16 Jul 2006 Posts: 297

My suggestion is to swap the HVPS, in case you have one.

PJMoore · Joined: 05 Oct 2006 Posts: 99

Unfortunately, I don't have a spare. I suspect it is the HVPS, since it appears to be heat related. The unit fires up normally, then after a time, begins its flashing mode. All three guns turn off, then turn back on with enlarged and unfocused raster, then it quickly shrinks to normal and focuses, then all three guns shut off again and the cycle repeats.

The first time I timed the failure at about 6 hours. Each time I try a different card, the time frame shrinks. It is now down to 1 hour. That seems like a heat related failure that is getting worse.

draganm · Joined: 08 Mar 2006 Posts: 8990 Location: Colorado

PJMoore · Joined: 05 Oct 2006 Posts: 99

Thanks Dragan - I agree then and now, but was hoping on hope it wasn't the HVPS. My friend is teetering on the brink of digitalness, and I hope I can yank him back from the abyss. I bought a used HVPS from Bill Blue, and it worked fine for about three months before going t*ts up. I didn't mind, knowing the nature of vintage equipment. Its another thing to make recommendations to a non-technical friend, however. I wish there was some way to tell if a HVPS was going to last a while before buying it. In any case, does anyone know where I might find one and what it might cost? I suspect I will need to be having a conversation with my friend about a HVPS soon.

draganm · Joined: 08 Mar 2006 Posts: 8990 Location: Colorado