My first 501 - not locking signal - fluctuates

[sabzimandi]

Bought a 501 at a garage sale. Turned on and saw i got screen.

JTAG'ed it and backed up whatever was in TSOP and EEPROM.

Downloaded a no rsa bin and eeprom and applied after changing build.

Turned on and let the hard drive and ird make out (i mean marry).

Turned off after 20 mins.

Put in cable. Put in ATMEGA.
When I go to a check switch, it does not detect all satellites. Test cable with another ird and i works good.

Also notice, on red signal bar, i get almost full signal but after a few seconds, it goes to 0 for a second and then back on to full for a few seconds. Signal bar fluctuates.

Has anyone seen this happen before. I did not try this before jtagging so i do not know what caused it. Not sure if this is hardware or software related problem.

Any help is appreciated. Really looking forward to play with my first PVR.

[t160hq]

Sounds like the firmware is too old. Latest firmware is P405. I can confirm
it works all the way back to P400.

Anything a lot older like P3XX and you will have problems detecting the
switch and sats and channels. As far as I know you can allow a
update using the stream with a NoRSA bin. That would be the easiest
method. You do that by turning off the receiver and waiting.

Check the info screen Menu 6,1,3 on the remote. Check the software
revsion and see if it's current.

t160hq

[bud02]

You can use Flash Cloner 2_1
Find a current sw version bin file as close to your build config as possible.
Clone the virgin bin you married them with to new bin and write to TSOP

Sat sig problem may also be conexant chip but prolly not in this case

[keithsindiapale]

You can use Flash Cloner 2_1
Find a current sw version bin file as close to your build config as possible.
Clone the virgin bin you married them with to new bin and write to TSOP

Sat sig problem may also be conexant chip but prolly not in this case

Sounds like a classic case of the conexant chip. It will go from full signal to none to full signal to none and so on, or sometimes just nothing.
Make sure your firmware is up to date as t160hq says, if the proplem persists then it is a chip problem.
Do a search and you should find everything you need.

[sabzimandi]

Thank you for the quick replies. My software is at P088 and I left it on overnight hoping to get an update but it never happened. (s you mentioned, it should have been off so I will leave it off now).

My symptoms are exactly what keithsindiapale says and I will research more on that.

But I will try the fixes specified above first as they seem easier and then look into the conexant chip thingy (hoping I can get a replacement chip).

My build is DCED. Is there anyplace I can get a newer firmware for this?

[empulse]

http://www.sonicperfection.com/

They sell the Tuner chips for the 5XX iRDs. Not a super easy fix, the chip itself i believe has a heatsink/Gnd on the bottom of the package as well as being a multi legged part. Not for the easily scared.

[NYSE]

I agree with the above posts that say to update your software and if the problem persists, then it is most likely the tuner chip. I have seen a bunch of legit subbed 501s with this problem.

The replacement chips have been improved to withstand heat better. They were a big problem for sure as the average Joe cannot do the replacement. You need a hot air station and a steady hand to do the work. There is a guy called "fat bastard" that replaces these pretty cheaply. He has been around forever in the hobby, and is still around today. You can find him at hxxp://www.sonicperfection.com.

He sells the new chips for $20. He put tuner chips in several PVRs for me back in the day. I had good luck with his service.

I would ask around before I sent anything to anyone for repair. There are options. Please don't take my experience as a recommendation. I have no idea if my good experience is the norm, or was a fluke. I'm just telling you about one option that I'm aware of.

Good luck.

[sabzimandi]

Update: So I leave the 501 connected to cable and powered off via the remote and go to work.

When I return the software was updated to version 405 - YAY!!

I did a check switch and it worked, detected all 3 satellites and locked (green) bar on 110, 119 and 61.5

Now stuck at Acquiring Satellite Signal 1 if 5 since last 15 minutes.

So far, I guess the software update improved it alot since it locks the signals.

Just wondering if I need to mess with the conexant now. I will boot the power on the 501 and see if that acquiring signal improves or not. Hoping some miracle happens. If not, it's back to the work area stripping down to the motherboard and... not sure what i will do with the conexant. *sigh* I guess heat it from wherever i can.

[sabzimandi]

Update to Update: OK...so I got TV.... had to use a ROM102 since the ATMEGA's are down.

After every few seconds, I get Acquiring Satellite Signal message.. then TV.. then message again. I verify the signal... and it is locked 'green'. Though at about 50~60% now.

Please... anyone... any easy fixes? Thought I would lay it out before u peeps before I open up the box again.

[sabzimandi]

Probably my last update: So I messed around with the conexant. Uderneath it, soldered all the points together.. also heated it up with a forced heat/air lighter. Turned towards the chip... soldered the points carefully, checked under microscope and no bridges.

Connected things back. still no go.

Sooo... used that torch lighter on chip for a few seconds, holding it down with screwdriver... read this someplace.. probably a little too much as i could smell the burn.

checked around and all other "items" around chip were ok.
reverified with microscope and no bridges.

turned on ird. smoke from conexant.
no more signal.

My 501 is R.I.P.

That was a nice $25 down the drain.

Sent an e-mail to 'fat bastard' to see if he can rescue this. awaiting his reply.

thank you to all who contributed. :(

[NYSE]

Now THATS what I call TESTING!!!
Well, good luck. Hope you get her going.

[bud02]

Sorry to here that.
I fooked around with a 311 MB that I cut the Icam out of before attempting mine
I used a embossing gun and a pen torch and decided that I didnt want to attempt repair with eather on a 501.
I ended up using a dremel
http://www.dssftp.com/forum/showpost.php?p=497859&postcount=10
http://www.dssftp.com/forum/showpost.php?p=497862&postcount=12
Worked just fine this one would not find sig at all.
Not pretty but it works, you can see the black that extrudes from the MB when heated. Also the miss coloration around the area caused buy normal operation.
9208

[billybobb]

I agree with the above posts that say to update your software and if the problem persists, then it is most likely the tuner chip. I have seen a bunch of legit subbed 501s with this problem.

The replacement chips have been improved to withstand heat better. They were a big problem for sure as the average Joe cannot do the replacement. You need a hot air station and a steady hand to do the work. There is a guy called "fat bastard" that replaces these pretty cheaply. He has been around forever in the hobby, and is still around today. You can find him at hxxp://www.sonicperfection.com.

He sells the new chips for $20. He put tuner chips in several PVRs for me back in the day. I had good luck with his service.

I would ask around before I sent anything to anyone for repair. There are options. Please don't take my experience as a recommendation. I have no idea if my good experience is the norm, or was a fluke. I'm just telling you about one option that I'm aware of.

Good luck.



I know this is an old thread but i thought this would help a lot of people get their pvr up and running again.
I have a pvr501 that had the conexant chip problem and i fixed the problem (temporarily)by heating and forcing the chip down until it cooled causing it to be concave.
I wanted to try and fix the cx24108-xx with the upgraded cx24109-11 but could only get it if i ordered 100+ or worry about getting ripped 20+ dollers.

So i did some searching and found that most (if not all) Bev 4100 cardless irds are equiped with a CX24109-11 chip :D.
Its great for me cause i have 6 4100 virgin's that i removed the BGA chip so they are useless to to me (without boxkeys and bga).
I haven't installed 1 in my pvr yet but i was so happy to find them in another ird and thought that i would pass along this good news.

If Someone else could check other newer ird's they may find these tuner chips and repair their pvr's.

The pvr501 is a great board! (other then the conexant prob) it has a jtag port and no need for a vid mod.
Upgrade the hard drive and you have a 510 with out the headace of messing with a 510 board (vid mod and crazy jtaging)

Hope this helps


CHEERS!!