So long AFN

[butlertims]

Ralph, I'm having the same problem can I get that ckt diagram? and can explain a little what i need to do?

hi,
i have repaired a few afn decoders and most have power supply problems.
downloaded a ckt diagram form the internet and fixed about 10 of there here in naples.
only one took a lighting strike and was not fixable.
if the box is making a high pitch sound and voltages are low
problem is c9 47 uf cap.
here is the voltages
on the power supply colored wires
white plus 14/19v
orange plus 30v
black ground
red plus 5 v
blue plus 12
yellow minus 12v
if these are all low than c9 could be the problem

the big cap c2 holds a 315vdc on it and will knock you down.
this is for the d9234 power diagram.
if you need the diagram i can get it again and send it
have a good day
ralph

 

[Llew]

You will find the power supply circuit uploaded later in the thread from the post you have quoted (Post #17 to be precise).

 

[ralphmagno]

hello butlertims
i haven't been here for a few days
what is your problem with the powervu?
if it is making a clicking noise look above and change c9, this will solve 95% of the power supply problems.
most problems are clicking noise
power lights blinking on and off rapidly
etc
ralph

 

[DragonSat]

hi,
i have repaired a few afn decoders and most have power supply problems.
downloaded a ckt diagram form the internet and fixed about 10 of there here in naples.
only one took a lighting strike and was not fixable.
if the box is making a high pitch sound and voltages are low
problem is c9 47 uf cap.
here is the voltages
on the power supply colored wires
white plus 14/19v
orange plus 30v
black ground
red plus 5 v
blue plus 12
yellow minus 12v
if these are all low than c9 could be the problem

the big cap c2 holds a 315vdc on it and will knock you down.
this is for the d9234 power diagram.
if you need the diagram i can get it again and send it
have a good day
ralph

Hello Ralph,
I have a strange problem with my D9234. The Reciever wont lock, but the signal is good, tested with a meter and another box.

Reading all these problems with the PSU's in these I swapped with a known good PSU and it locked up no problem. So great the problem is the PSU.

Now here is where it get tricky.

All voltages are good. Purple carried +30, White +19, Grey +5 (HI) to make the white go to +19. Orange is 0v (Indicating PSU good) yet it dont work. If I use just the LNB power wires from another PSU it comes back in to lock.

So the problem is definatly in the LNB power supply section of the PSU board, maybe dirty supplies to the front end reciever parts, or LNB power.
Also if you go to the installer enu, the AFC is always wandering, indicating a problem with the incoming frequency, or demodulation of it.

Have you seen this before? I am thinking a cap somewhere, but not the usual C9 (Which has already been changed by someone as the solder is fresh.

Paul.

 

[DragonSat]

I have sorted it, noise LNB supply line. Replaced Cap C22 470uF 25v with a 1000uF 25v (Didnt have 470uF in my toolbox). Its the LNB supply smoothing capacitor. This got me lock and a quality of 8, I then looked at the +30v supply rail, it too was noise, so strapped a 10uF 50V between the black and purple wires to iron out the noise. Perfect now. I could have replaced C13 to get the same result but it was too fiddly in there, so left it.

So another couple of Caps to watch out for, if the signal quality begins to deteriate for no reason.

 

[ralphmagno]

hello to all,
here is some news.
we moved many bfbs systems here in nov and dec 2010.
what a mess that was.
the new service has moved from 7 degrees east to 10 east.
using crypto works and made by pace the new signal is on 11221v.
only problen there is a stronger signal on the 13 degree satellite hot bird on 11200 v .
so if the wind is blowing strongly the stronger signal in hot bird spilles over and brakes up the BFBS service .
someone didn't plan this one.
AFN service.
the decoders are in the navy exchange as well.
they have hdmi outputs and have mpeg 2 and mpeg 4 both incorperated inside.
but if AFN goes to high deff in the next 2 or 3 years i will be surprised.
and they are supposed to move to another satellite as well.
to them high deff is 700 lines, an inprovement fron the 525 lines ntsc standard
but seeing the picture its more like 425 lines.
just for your information
ralph

 

[DragonSat]

Do anyone know where PSU's may be bought. I have one that just refuses to repair. Its not even the same board layout of the usual AFN decoders. Its so old, maybe a previous obsolete version. Capacitors are different. The main Cct board is not all 1 like usual, it has 2 daughter boards. The PSU has 1995 ASTEC on it. In top right corner 01B. Any ideas?

Symptoms are the same, low voltage under load, and the box goes on and off every second. So C9 47uF to be replaced, problem is as above PSU is different.

Any ideas?

 

[ralphmagno]

hello
i do not know who has a power supply i usualy repair them.
there is probably a problem on the mother board that is causing the load on the supply.
check the regulators on the mother board.
if you disconect the power supply from the mother board and the voltages come up that would tell a lot.
ralph

 

[griffith]

I am in germany and if anyon needs help i am always up for a challenge and have been fixing many of these systems. It is not the easiest thing but a basic electrician could do it.

Hope to help!

 

[lila329]

AFN service.
the decoders are in the navy exchange as well.
they have hdmi outputs and have mpeg 2 and mpeg 4 both incorperated inside.
but if AFN goes to high deff in the next 2 or 3 years i will be surprised.
and they are supposed to move to another satellite as well.
to them high deff is 700 lines, an inprovement fron the 525 lines ntsc standard
but seeing the picture its more like 425 lines.
just for your information
ralph

I hope AFN goes HD in 2012!! Bout time!! _http://www.broadbandtvnews.com/2010/01/04/afn-to-go-hd-in-europe/

That said I have 2 old D9234 with ye old power supply blown up. Funny thing is one has a repair tag from AAFES on the bottom. Guess they get too hot and burn up no matter what! One is clicking and one has a faint high pitch whine. Guess I will try and source 2 C9 caps and see ifn that can fix one of em. I would sure like to get them fixed .... I will upgrade to a new hd one in a few years, when its worth it!

Cheers!

 

[ralphmagno]

hello to all
just heard today that AFN is moving to 9 east now.
they need to be off hot bird by sept 2011.
they have 2 and 1/2 transponders on the new sat.
looked on ling sat and there is nothing as of yet.
every one's satellite dish will have to be moved.
if anyone has sky italia then they will need a second lnb on dish and a new line.
old afn boxes do not support disec,sky italia old boxes don't ether.
the 1/2 transponder may be for the high deff but that is a guess for now.
if i hear any more i will inform you all
ralph

 

[Analoguesat]

.
old afn boxes do not support disec,sky italia old boxes don't ether.

Ive got an old Sky Italia receiver thats a few years old and its got basic disecq on it.

 

[DragonSat]

Good to know info. Been searching for any indications, but nothing on King of Sat, lyngsat or other site I monitor for upcoming moves. A move 4 Degrees West is too small for a 2nd LNB and line. So a new dish will be needed if retaining 13E.

 

[ralphmagno]

hello to all,
afn is moving to 9 east for sure.
if you have a 80 cm dish a second feed is possible for sure. but you will need some test equipment to set up.
if you are running sky italia then the second feed can be mounted and aligned with a bracket.
i have mounted 3 on the same dish. 19.16.13 all 3 degrees apart.
for the un disec sky italia box there will have to be another line run to the AFN box.
they are taking 2 and 1/2 transponders on the satellite.
2 for the regular packages and 1/2 for some high deff channels.
ralph

 

[satexplorer]

Thanks for the info. Any date mentioned when that will start?

 

[ralphmagno]

hello
no date as yet but it should be soon.
they are talking of having all of europe moved by sept 2011.
we did 190 bfbs systems in 30 days and thats doing 90 a month.part time.
as soon as i have more information i will post it.
ralph

 

[lila329]

Thanks Ralph!!

I just fixed 3 decoders by replacing C9!!

You da man!

 

[DragonSat]

Ralph, while on the topic of BFBS to close to Hotbird. First Strike Meters Satellite Dish Alignment Meters is a meter that can be programmed to just look for the transponder you need. Hotbird maybe nearby and strong, but alignmnet is simple. BFBS rough aligned in under 30 seconds. Sky UK, in under a minute.

Also try the Trimax series of meters, much slower, but you can watch the channel you decoded too.

Much better than watch a Spec anny. De-Modulate the carrier and confirm its the right one. Both meters can do that. With SNR, raw signal level and BER too

My preference is the FS1, soon to be the FS2 when its released

 

[satexplorer]

Now listet on 9E 12418V and 12341V. Didn't try yet, but looks like the same channels.

 

[ralphmagno]

hello
where did you see list??
i went to lyngsat and its no there as of yet.
sr should stay 28,000

hello dragonsat
i aligned it ok but in the wind the dish flexes and picks up 11.200 v on 13 degrees which is close to 11221 v on 10 east.
i have been guy wireing the dishes to they are less affected.
thanks
ralph