CurtPalme.com Home Theater Forum

**Curt Palme** · Posted: Tue Oct 30, 2007 2:32 pm Post subject:

Yeah, it's funny, whenever I admit that I've never worked on something specific before I sometimes get the 'oh, I'd rather deal with someone that's familiar with the unit' response. That's happened right back when I was working at the TV shop in the 80s. (mostly from little old ladies that wanted the 'old man' (my boss) to work on their sets, even though I knew the circuits better than he did.

In the G90 case though, the problem is that NO ONE short of JohnHWMan in France and Sony themselves has had any experience with the G90s, and none of us want to pay the Sony price to repair the boards..

macgyver655 · Joined: 22 Aug 2007 Posts: 8508

I agree with that Curt. Just because someone has worked on a particular model before doesn't mean they know what they are doing. If you know the theory of operation, have the ability to identify the problem and its possible location by section, then you can repair any brand or model. They are all basically the same with some occasional bells and whistles added.

oliverg · Posted: Tue Oct 30, 2007 2:49 pm Post subject:

Curt, you've got decades of generic foundation knowledge, which means you'll pick the G90 up in a few hours.

Its the specifics of the G90 that you will need to familiarise yourself with. Based on the fact that you've fixed more CRTs than probably anyone else on the planet, well put it this way - as good as John is - after a few days of consideration, your knowledge will be at least his equal

Vertical learning curve for the first few hours and a G90 expert the next day Smile

**Curt Palme** · Posted: Tue Oct 30, 2007 3:14 pm Post subject:

John has it way over me when it comes to digital signal tracing. I'm much more an analog guy.

I narrowed it down to the CPU board (I thought), he not only confirmed it and nailed what chip it was.

rsh · Joined: 01 Aug 2007 Posts: 66

oliverq

rsh · Joined: 01 Aug 2007 Posts: 66

Folks,

After trying a new chip and uploading the OS using the PJUpdate and having no success getting the PJ from the standby more (red 88, orange 88, nothing) I put the original Dallas chip back. Now I am constantly having 88 in RED, 88 in Orange, 30 Green.

30 Green User NVM format not available ! User Domain NVM is not formatted.

Before I send the board to Curt, anyone wants to chip in and suggest what else can be done?

Thank you in advance
Roman

Frank D · Joined: 20 Jun 2006 Posts: 73

I am no expert but from what I have been reading so far:

According to the G90 service manual page 5-10 under section 5-6-2 the Green 30 error indicates that "the software is requesting initialization of the user SRAM". Initializing the user SRAM will erase all user data.

To do this you must press the S202 for about 5 seconds WHEN the Green 30 error code is showing. The error code should change to 31 and then off very quickly. You should then turn on your G90 to ensure all is ok.

It sound like you have already done this with no success? Did you see the code change to 31 quickly when you hit the S202?

rsh · Joined: 01 Aug 2007 Posts: 66

Frank,

I did not do that with the original chip. I was hoping that it may still be alive and that the problem could be somewhere else. As you mentioned pressing the S202 fro 5 secs would erase all the data, so I did not do it. I did it with the new chip, and it did not help.

Roman

oliverg · Posted: Sun Nov 04, 2007 2:13 pm Post subject:

Roman, the data is already gone. Its corrupted/dead - at this point trying S202 on the old chip is an option.

(yes its a long shot)

By the way, you did pull the G90 off the mains before you did all this?

It occured to me there may be a problem with IC234 as well. Replacing that and reloading the firmware is another thing you could try.

Lastly, do you know how to use freezespray and a blow dryer?

Kind regards

rsh · Joined: 01 Aug 2007 Posts: 66

oliverg,

If the new chip did not help, is not the problem should be somewhere else? Or in addition to this chip another as you mentioned could be bad too?

What is the IC234 can be bad, and the IC333 is till alive and have some data? Is that a possibility? I'd rather try to replace the IC234 first before trying initializing the user SRAM. Or this is the definite case that the IC333 is bad and something else, like IC234 could be bad too?

Frank D · Joined: 20 Jun 2006 Posts: 73

Just a though Roman,

Why don't you try to read the data from the old Dallas IC333 chip and save it? Others have posted a reader that you can buy for $45. Here is a link previously posted by AVS forum member glassact http://www.sivava.com/

Unfortunately I have never used this reader before but I would think that glassact or others would help you. I believe the reader comes with instruction too. If you do choose this route than please do a detailed post regarding this for the rest of us to reference too.

You can read you old chip and then try to do this:
1. Upload firmware 1.11 to it. This may fix the problem - although from what you posted probably not.
2. If step 1 does not work then initialize the chip by pressing the S202 for about 5 seconds.

A separate question:
In viewing other posts regarding the Sony G90 Green 11 and 30 errors some have posted to use "Anti-Static Gear" when handling the YA board. What is this gear and how do you use it? Is this really required or can someone just touch a grounded object (ie. whenever I touch the screw of a light switch plate I sometimes feel the static electricity discharge from my body though my finger- would this be enough?)

rsh · Joined: 01 Aug 2007 Posts: 66

Frank,

From what oliverq says the chip must be bad, and I have never used the reader before, so I am a bit nervous about doing that.

What about the IC234 chip? What exactly is it?

The antistatic gear is the wrist band that is being attached to the ground. I have a friend who is working at TYCO and was able to get one from their labs.

oliverg · Posted: Sun Nov 04, 2007 4:25 pm Post subject:

Hey Roman - yes, it is possible that the data is still there. But IMHO highly unlikely.

Freeze spray / heat when applied to particular ICs can make them function/fail "on demand". Its worth a try!

Kind regards

rsh · Joined: 01 Aug 2007 Posts: 66

oliverg,

couple of questions:

1. Do you know what the model number of the IC234 chip is?
2. Are you suggesting trying "freese/heat" procedure on these two chips: IC333 and IC234?
3. What do you use to "freeze" them?
4.

oliverg · Posted: Sun Nov 04, 2007 6:37 pm Post subject:

IC234 = 8-759-486-26 IC MBM29F800BA-70PFTN should be it - the link below is a datasheet

http://pdf1.alldatasheet.com/datasheet-pdf/view/61809/FUJITSU/MBM29F800BA-70PFTN.html

Freeze spray:
http://www.k1cra.com/catalog/product.aspx?productID=1934 - you can try hot/cold on them, but be very careful, some components are easily damaged by such cold

Tue last question - did you actually pull the power cord out of the mains socket when you did all the work with the IC333

Kind regards

rsh · Joined: 01 Aug 2007 Posts: 66

Just found this info on AVS:

To reset the G90, start the unit in factory mode by turning off switch 1 on the 4 switch box at the outside edge of the YA board (next to S202). Once the machine starts, hold reset on the remote down for 5 seconds. This will bring up a series of screens allowing you to reset the machine. The interesting thing is that in factory mode there are three sources of reset data: Service data, Factory data, and INITIAL Data. The third choice resets EVERYTHING on the G90, and has effectively solved every problem I've had with the projector.

I did not tunr the switch 1 off.

Could that be a problem?

Roman

rsh · Joined: 01 Aug 2007 Posts: 66

Tue last question - did you actually pull the power cord out of the mains socket when you did all the work with the IC333

No, just turn the switch on the projector off, pull the board out, replaced the chip and installed the board back in.

Could I damage anything this way?

Thanks
Roman

oliverg · Posted: Sun Nov 04, 2007 6:42 pm Post subject:

It may be - I think this procedure was mentioned earlier on? Its worth a try, that's for sure. I would actually do the initial - despite your reservations of losing all data (i do know what a pain that would be)

You could try getting a reader/writer with the appropriate adapter and see if you can get a good copy but I have a strong feeling that would be a waste of time. I could be wrong, but I would put $5 on it and I'm not a betting man Wink

Kind regards

oliverg · Posted: Sun Nov 04, 2007 6:46 pm Post subject:

oliverg · Posted: Sun Nov 04, 2007 6:53 pm Post subject:

Here's an email from John to another forum member (who has a similar problem)

You should be aware of the fact that the whole YA/YB board is still powered during Standby mode of the PJ. The software is still running at full speed in standby mode (to catch the IR code when the [ON] green key on remotes is depressed for example). This is the reason why I said to completely switch off the unit from the main when swapping the YA/YB board in your unit…

Then, the YA board is still able to detect failure from itself during standby mode since the YA/YB board is the only one that is fully operationnal in this mode.

The error 88 (orange or red) can comes from several failures :
- The main flash IC234 is corrupted and the software hangs randomly,
- The IC234 / Main CPU buses do have a bad solder join or short/cut,
- The reset circuit have a failure and it sometime resets the system randomly without exiting the reset state (the YB always displays 88 code during reset state).

First step is to try to reload the V1.11 firmware inside IC234. If it not solve the issue, then, try to change IC234 chip with a new one and redo the software dowload. If this will not cure the issue than try to probe the reset signal and the main digital power states withing the YA board (especialy when the unit fails during standby). If reset signal is asserted during the failure, check if the digital power is within specifications, if yes, change the reset circuit which is bad. If the reset circuit is not involved in the failure then you will have to check and redo the solders on the main buses lines within the YA board (it’s a long job to do !)

Here is my thoughts about this. I hope this makes things clearer for you !

John"