CurtPalme.com Home Theater Forum

[laminaytrap]

I understand that I'm new but please don't hate me!

I bought this projector for $50 about 6 Months ago, it has some burn on the blue tube, but has otherwise functioned excellently for the entire time. Use is usually limited to a few shows/movies a week, but has always worked great for marathons as well.

I watched USA beat Sweden and Russia beat Canada last night and when I turned it on this morning in made a pop, which isn't abnormal, no smell or evidence of a larger issue, but then it wouldn't show a picture.

I'm running a VGA to 5BNC cable from a media computer and the cable has always been finicky but never quits outright.

The Error light is lit on the back panel and the H.Inhibit light is also lit. I'm not sure exactly what this means but any guidance or otherwise is appreciated.

I looked through the ECP Service manual and found a flow chart that recognizes my symptoms, however I don't have my oscilloscope here and (obv.) don't have access to the necessary parts to play the change a part game.

Thanks in advance,

Jon

Update: Thurs 18:43 Pulled out the remote (wired) and wiggled some stuff now no error light only H.Inhibit any one know what causes the light to come on, i'm looking through the service manual now.

Update: 19:07 Turned everything off and pulled out the Horizontal Deflection Board and don't see any issues there, next I will pull the Vertical Deflection Horizontal Regulation Board and see what's up there.

[Curt Palme]

This is a bit rare, fortunately I am blowing out ECP boards for dirt cheap.

You won't find any blown components, that's a common assumption, but most electronics use low voltages, and when something shorts, it doesn't result in a smoke show.

The POP most likely is an HV arc, coming from the HV splitter or one of the HV leads going to the tubes. There's a good chance that the HV arced to one of the yokes, which backfired onto one of the H deflection boards underneath the tubes. They can be a bitch to take out, but move slowly and you can indeed take them out without taking out the tubes.

H deflection boards are $10 each pus shipping. Chances are only one is bad, but you might want to buy 2. I need the 50-XXXX-XX part number off it as there are about 6 different versions.

If you need a new HV lead, they are $25 incl shipping, or a used one is $10 (not recommended).

A used HV splitter is $40. Without seeing board here, that's my best guess as to the fault. The thing is, teh H boards are pretty reliable, even with arcing, but then again, they are at least 15-20 years old now, so anything's possible.

[Curt Palme]

This is a bit rare, fortunately I am blowing out ECP boards for dirt cheap.

You won't find any blown components, that's a common assumption, but most electronics use low voltages, and when something shorts, it doesn't result in a smoke show.

The POP most likely is an HV arc, coming from the HV splitter or one of the HV leads going to the tubes. There's a good chance that the HV arced to one of the yokes, which backfired onto one of the H deflection boards underneath the tubes. They can be a bitch to take out, but move slowly and you can indeed take them out without taking out the tubes.

H deflection boards are $10 each pus shipping. Chances are only one is bad, but you might want to buy 2. I need the 50-XXXX-XX part number off it as there are about 6 different versions.

If you need a new HV lead, they are $25 incl shipping, or a used one is $10 (not recommended).

A used HV splitter is $40. Without seeing board here, that's my best guess as to the fault. The thing is, teh H boards are pretty reliable, even with arcing, but then again, they are at least 15-20 years old now, so anything's possible.

[laminaytrap]

Thanks for the reply,

I do have access to an oscilloscope but not immediately, i need to go pick one up, I'm just wondering if there is any more advanced troubleshooting i can do without the specialized equipment such as board extenders, i'm no newbie to electronics. My problem is that the service manual doesn't actually specify the conditions that will trigger a H.Inhibit or what that means. I don't know where i should find HV and not when H.Inhibit is triggered. I can still adjust the V.Hold and H.Hold on manual and my young ears can still hear the HV searching for a lock.

If nothing else could someone please confirm that a bad BNC cable could not cause this condition? If not then I will proceed to make some more checks and write down the PN for replacement, I just don't want to be the idiot that spends $100 fixing a $12 problem.

Thanks for your help!

Jon

[laminaytrap]

Just a Bump...

is it possible that a shorted cable could have caused this? I've tested the cable and it has failed pretty badly, i'm picking one up locally, but could the bad cable have damaged the projector in some fashion? All things unplugged power on and H.Inhibit is still lit.

[Curt Palme]

No, it's an internal set issue.

[Curt Palme]

No, it's an internal set issue.