Openbox S10 - resurrection

hairybadger

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My genuine Openbox S10 recently started refusing to boot. I turned it on with the power switch,"boot" came up on the front panel and then nothing. I switched it off again, back on again and nothing at all displayed. The box was just over two years old and thus out of warranty. I'd read that failed capacitors are common with satellite receivers and so decided to give repairing it a bash myself.

Opening up the box (I tried to preserve the "warranty void if broken" sticker but I guess it's designed to fall to bits at the slightest disturbance :) ) I could see that one largish capacitor (22uF 400V) had leaked brown gunk at its base and another (1000uF 10V) was bulging noticeably. I found that with the postage costs I was better off ordering from a French supplier, Mixelec. I couldn't find direct equivalents but since with capacitors the voltage rating is the voltage tolerated by the component, having a higher rating doesn't hurt (much like fitting higher speed or weight-rated tyres to your car). I thus ordered 22uF 450V and 1000uF 16V replacements, the temperature rating being the same as the originals. Both are stated to be "low ESR", but God only knows what this means in practise. Although both replacements had the same diameter as the originals, the second one was slightly higher. This was not a problem here - the S10 has plenty of room in the case.

The new capacitors arrived after just over a week, the packet having a Hungarian stamp on it :)

Getting the old capacitors off was a bit of a problem - the old solder was very hard, although it's possible that my soldering iron (23W) is just a bit weedy. Soldering the new caps into place was relatively simple, although I paid attention to put them in the same way round as the originals. I'm not sure that the solder I have (2mm 40% tin) is the best for the job but I think it will do. The Openbox now boots again without problems. I *suspect* it boots faster than before, but I can't think of any reason why this would be the case and it might just be psychological.

The only problem (assuming it doesn't now spite me by catching fire) is I was looking forward to having an excuse for buying an up-to-date version of the Openbox :)
 

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Lazarus

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It beats me why manufacturers skimp. The cost saving on crap components must surely be outweighed by the damage to reputation.
 

Vipersan

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It beats me why manufacturers skimp. The cost saving on crap components must surely be outweighed by the damage to reputation.
A question I ask myself every single day..
Then again ...I would be completely surplus to requirements if they spent those extra pennies on quality components.
When I replace pelectrolytic caps in any repair I ALWAYS up the rated voltage to the next available ie 10v replaced with 16v etc..
It avoids repairs bouncing ..and is the least I can do if customers choose repair over replacement.
cest la vie..
More evidence of the throw away society I keep ranting about.
 

Analoguesat

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We have a big flat screen tv at work in one of the meeting rooms. Only ever used for displaying computer output on, and if its been powered up a couple of dozen times in the last 4 or 5 years Id be surprised.

Turn it on now and you just get a regular clicking from the power supply area. And there are no little repair shops in this area, so it will end up being slung in the scrap bin up at the local tip. The only reason its still on the wall is that no-one will give me authorisation one way or the other wtf to do with it. And it dont need it collecting dust propped up against the wall in my office....
 

Vipersan

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We have a big flat screen tv at work in one of the meeting rooms. Only ever used for displaying computer output on, and if its been powered up a couple of dozen times in the last 4 or 5 years Id be surprised.

Turn it on now and you just get a regular clicking from the power supply area. And there are no little repair shops in this area, so it will end up being slung in the scrap bin up at the local tip. The only reason its still on the wall is that no-one will give me authorisation one way or the other wtf to do with it. And it dont need it collecting dust propped up against the wall in my office....
Clicking eh ..
Bet it's a Samsung ..
??

slinging it in the scrap bin is not the answer ...
Chances are I could fix it in a hour ...and avoid more poison for mother Earth..
 

Captain Jack

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I've repaired a few receivers by simply replacing caps - cheap and simple.
 

hairybadger

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A question I ask myself every single day..
Then again ...I would be completely surplus to requirements if they spent those extra pennies on quality components.
When I replace pelectrolytic caps in any repair I ALWAYS up the rated voltage to the next available ie 10v replaced with 16v etc..
It avoids repairs bouncing ..and is the least I can do if customers choose repair over replacement.
OK - I think I'll be adopting this policy myself. Was just luck that that's the way it worked out this time....
 

hairybadger

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I've repaired a few receivers by simply replacing caps - cheap and simple.
I've done it before with a Philips Senseo coffee machine. My wife wasn't too pleased that I managed to repair it because she wanted to get a Nespresso :)
 

Vipersan

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OK - I think I'll be adopting this policy myself. Was just luck that that's the way it worked out this time....
Nice one HB ..
99% of the time this is possible ..
very occasionally is not possible due to physical restrictions ..
Caps packed in like sardines and an upgrade voltage wise means a bigger diameter capacitor.
rgds
VS
 

Analoguesat

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Clicking eh ..
Bet it's a Samsung ..
??

slinging it in the scrap bin is not the answer ...
Chances are I could fix it in a hour ...and avoid more poison for mother Earth..

Ive finally remembered to have a look - sure enough its a Sammy..... If I was closer to you Id bring it down & get it repaired at my own expense. (Then stick it in my office :D)
 

Analoguesat

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Talking of duff caps. Back in summer 2006 my workplace had its clapped out computer system replaced with a lovely new system. We had around 60 nice hard panel 19" Neovo monitors installed. These had a separate psu - and almost all of them failed in under a year. At one point the bloody things were burning out faster than I could get them replaced under warrenty. I was given strict instructions that all the broken ones were to be returned - so I promptly smashed one open to have a look and sure enough bulging caps all over the power board.

Im just a rebel :D

The other 200 or so were 17" monitors of a different make and were no trouble at all - many of them are still in use today as secondary monitors for the teachers machines. A few have gone bad with burned out lamps but Ive got plenty of spares stashed away
 

Vipersan

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Ive finally remembered to have a look - sure enough its a Sammy..... If I was closer to you Id bring it down & get it repaired at my own expense. (Then stick it in my office :D)
Thought it would be ..
Bread and butter jobs I calls 'em ..
Sometimes you get away with a psu fix ..BUT ...
Very often the firmware in the tiny surface mount eeprom becomes corrupt due to the severe ripple on the LT supply lines ..
The chip can occasionally be replaced with a new blank chip ..and the set will write the contents on power up AFTER the psu is fully fixed ..
BUT on some occasions it is neccessary to program the new chip manually off board then fit it ..
Very much depends on the specific model of Samsung..
Believe me ..I need the work..and I'd gladly fix it for you If as you say ..you were closer..
But IF you fancy taking this on yourself ...
Perhaps I could help you do it ..
Off board of course ..
It is my only source of income afterall ...
Don't want to cut my throat by making it all too public.
;)
 
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