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#148344 - 12/03/2003 20:13 Display dropoff
suomi35
enthusiast

Registered: 16/02/2002
Posts: 290
Loc: Denver, CO
Check this out, when I set the dimmer to lower than about 60% the bottom 1/4 of the display goes way lower than the rest. It looks fine at 100%.



I just got the player, from the looks of it it has very low miles on it. Warranty stickers were still in place and the whole bit.

Any ideas?

(I simulated the display in the attached pic with photoshop)

_________________________
-Jason

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#148345 - 13/03/2003 04:54 Re: Display dropoff [Re: suomi35]
pgrzelak
carpal tunnel

Registered: 15/08/2000
Posts: 4859
Loc: New Jersey, USA
Greetings!

Hmm... I have not seen that one before. Could the display be faulty? There was a FAQ entry about testing voltages for dim displays, but that was the entire display, not a region.

Is this with "stock" software? Both AC & DC power?
_________________________
Paul Grzelak
200GB with 48MB RAM, Illuminated Buttons and Digital Outputs

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#148346 - 13/03/2003 09:36 Re: Display dropoff [Re: pgrzelak]
suomi35
enthusiast

Registered: 16/02/2002
Posts: 290
Loc: Denver, CO
Using:

2.00-beta13
Hijack 320

Yes, it happens in both AC and DC modes, but of course, only in AC mode when faking DC via hijack.

I am hoping that if something's faulty it will be the cable and not the actual display unit itself.
_________________________
-Jason

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#148347 - 13/03/2003 09:45 Re: Display dropoff [Re: suomi35]
pgrzelak
carpal tunnel

Registered: 15/08/2000
Posts: 4859
Loc: New Jersey, USA
Valid point. I forgot the dimmer option wasn't in the other mode.
_________________________
Paul Grzelak
200GB with 48MB RAM, Illuminated Buttons and Digital Outputs

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#148348 - 13/03/2003 10:06 Re: Display dropoff [Re: suomi35]
drakino
carpal tunnel

Registered: 08/06/1999
Posts: 7868
I too have the same problems if I turn my dimmer to about 40% or below, parts of the display become dimmer then the rest. I've always attributed it to capicitor issue and was intending to have it fixed when I got around to ordering a backlit button kit.

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#148349 - 13/03/2003 10:31 Re: Display dropoff [Re: drakino]
suomi35
enthusiast

Registered: 16/02/2002
Posts: 290
Loc: Denver, CO
Could this be a Colorado phenomenon?
_________________________
-Jason

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#148350 - 13/03/2003 10:35 Re: Display dropoff [Re: drakino]
maczrool
pooh-bah

Registered: 13/01/2002
Posts: 1649
Loc: Louisiana, USA
Mine gets a little uneven at 30% or less, but not that bad. However, my clock has never worked (different capacitor issue). I checked the voltage on the Supercap and it is indeed shot. I just haven't gotten around to replacing it.

Stu
_________________________
If you want it to break, buy Sony!

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#148351 - 13/03/2003 10:36 Re: Display dropoff [Re: drakino]
andym
carpal tunnel

Registered: 17/01/2002
Posts: 3995
Loc: Manchester UK
I thought the cap issue affects the display as a whole, as it's the data line to the dimmer chip that caused the problem. Could it be a dodgy heater wire in the display that's causing the dark band at the bottom.
_________________________
Cheers,

Andy M

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#148352 - 13/03/2003 10:40 Re: Display dropoff [Re: andym]
suomi35
enthusiast

Registered: 16/02/2002
Posts: 290
Loc: Denver, CO
That was my first notion!

I am hoping that it is not the problem!
_________________________
-Jason

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#148353 - 13/03/2003 10:44 Re: Display dropoff [Re: andym]
maczrool
pooh-bah

Registered: 13/01/2002
Posts: 1649
Loc: Louisiana, USA
In reply to:

Could it be a dodgy heater wire in the display that's causing the dark band at the bottom.




I was also thinking that. I tried to see if the unevenness I had on the display was around the wires, but couldn't see them through the lens.

Stu
_________________________
If you want it to break, buy Sony!

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#148354 - 13/03/2003 10:50 Re: Display dropoff [Re: maczrool]
suomi35
enthusiast

Registered: 16/02/2002
Posts: 290
Loc: Denver, CO
Well, I took it apart a few days ago and looked em over. I didn't notice any difference in the lower wire(s). They all seemed to be attached well too, although you can't really judge anything by that.

I need to pull it apart again and do some further tests.
_________________________
-Jason

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#148355 - 13/03/2003 10:52 Re: Display dropoff [Re: suomi35]
wfaulk
carpal tunnel

Registered: 25/12/2000
Posts: 16706
Loc: Raleigh, NC US
You can actually see the wires glow slightly when it's on (or maybe it has to get ``warm''), especially if there's nothing blocking the view. Try leaving the lens off and compare the wires when it's displaying something.
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Bitt Faulk

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#148356 - 13/03/2003 10:53 Re: Display dropoff [Re: wfaulk]
suomi35
enthusiast

Registered: 16/02/2002
Posts: 290
Loc: Denver, CO
Will do, for sure.

Thanks
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-Jason

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#148357 - 13/03/2003 11:36 Re: Display dropoff [Re: suomi35]
matthew_k
pooh-bah

Registered: 12/02/2002
Posts: 2298
Loc: Berkeley, California
I had something similar to this that was fixed by the dimmer fix and reuploading the firmware. When my player came back from support, I put it in, and it had sections of lighter and darker parts of the screen just like it had before. I put an orginal .upgrade file on it, and everything returned to normal. I don't see why it would have any effect, but it worked for me, so you might want to try it.

Matthew

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#148358 - 13/03/2003 14:05 Re: Display dropoff [Re: matthew_k]
suomi35
enthusiast

Registered: 16/02/2002
Posts: 290
Loc: Denver, CO
I'll definately try that too. I agree that sometimes it's the things that should have no bearing on the problem that end up solving it.
_________________________
-Jason

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#148359 - 15/03/2003 08:44 Re: Display dropoff [Re: drakino]
elvis
enthusiast

Registered: 18/01/2002
Posts: 270
Loc: Arizona USA
I've been waiting for a backlit button kit for a year now. You might want to get on the list!
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Elvis

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#148360 - 15/03/2003 10:32 Re: Display dropoff [Re: elvis]
pgrzelak
carpal tunnel

Registered: 15/08/2000
Posts: 4859
Loc: New Jersey, USA
Greetings!

Any more news on this problem? Was it resolved?
_________________________
Paul Grzelak
200GB with 48MB RAM, Illuminated Buttons and Digital Outputs

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#148361 - 15/03/2003 12:54 Re: Display dropoff [Re: pgrzelak]
elvis
enthusiast

Registered: 18/01/2002
Posts: 270
Loc: Arizona USA
What problem? You mean the drop off? I dunno.
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Elvis

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#148362 - 15/03/2003 13:13 Re: Display dropoff [Re: pgrzelak]
suomi35
enthusiast

Registered: 16/02/2002
Posts: 290
Loc: Denver, CO
Honestly I haven't had time...

Probably tomorrow though.
_________________________
-Jason

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#148363 - 17/03/2003 23:09 Re: Display dropoff [Re: suomi35]
suomi35
enthusiast

Registered: 16/02/2002
Posts: 290
Loc: Denver, CO
Ok, I have done everything discussed in this thread tonight...not even the capacitor mod helped...
_________________________
-Jason

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#148364 - 18/03/2003 04:50 Re: Display dropoff [Re: suomi35]
pgrzelak
carpal tunnel

Registered: 15/08/2000
Posts: 4859
Loc: New Jersey, USA
Greetings!

Was there a low voltage on the display capacitor, or any visible problem with the heating wire? Also, does it happen with both lights on & off with the dimmer setting? Is it only at 60%, or does it get worse as you go lower?
_________________________
Paul Grzelak
200GB with 48MB RAM, Illuminated Buttons and Digital Outputs

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#148365 - 18/03/2003 09:24 Re: Display dropoff [Re: pgrzelak]
suomi35
enthusiast

Registered: 16/02/2002
Posts: 290
Loc: Denver, CO
Heating wire glows red the same as the rest of them and looks fine.

Voltage was within the 54-60v range.

And it happens both with lights-on and lights-off dimmer settings.

I found another post with the same issue
here and have contact them to see if they have found a solution.
_________________________
-Jason

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#148366 - 18/03/2003 12:05 Re: Display dropoff [Re: suomi35]
tfabris
carpal tunnel

Registered: 20/12/1999
Posts: 31583
Loc: Seattle, WA
Ok, I have done everything discussed in this thread tonight...not even the capacitor mod helped...
I believe that the "dim bottom rows" is normal for the display. Mine does that, too, when I turn down the brightness to below 60 percent. I wouldn't worry about it too much.
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Tony Fabris

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#148367 - 18/03/2003 14:23 Re: Display dropoff [Re: tfabris]
suomi35
enthusiast

Registered: 16/02/2002
Posts: 290
Loc: Denver, CO
I believe that the "dim bottom rows" is normal for the display.

My last player absolutely did not have this problem. I know what is normal and what is not.
_________________________
-Jason

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#148368 - 18/03/2003 16:34 Re: Display dropoff [Re: suomi35]
pgrzelak
carpal tunnel

Registered: 15/08/2000
Posts: 4859
Loc: New Jersey, USA
Have you heard anything back from support?
_________________________
Paul Grzelak
200GB with 48MB RAM, Illuminated Buttons and Digital Outputs

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#148369 - 19/03/2003 00:02 Re: Display dropoff [Re: pgrzelak]
suomi35
enthusiast

Registered: 16/02/2002
Posts: 290
Loc: Denver, CO
Nothing as of yet...
_________________________
-Jason

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