CurtPalme.com Home Theater Forum

tse · Joined: 03 May 2006 Posts: 1014 Location: Sweatbucket, Fl.

Z-Photo · Posted: Tue Dec 11, 2007 1:09 pm Post subject: Re: Ampro 2600 will not start up

papalek · Joined: 08 Mar 2006 Posts: 1536 Location: Longs SC

Z-Photo · Posted: Tue Dec 11, 2007 1:23 pm Post subject:

happens - there are always the wierd ones.

I have even heard of a Barco that had one problem (unconfirmed)

papalek · Joined: 08 Mar 2006 Posts: 1536 Location: Longs SC

I think tonight I might try to remove the battery and see if I can get it to reboot itself and cycle through. Then I will have to try and solder the battery back on with it ceiling mounted.

**Curt Palme** · Posted: Tue Dec 11, 2007 1:27 pm Post subject:

Those CPU boards are usually really reliable, and don't have the battery changing problem that I described above. Worst case, send me the board, or ask tse if he has an old spare.

macgyver655 · Joined: 22 Aug 2007 Posts: 8508

papalek · Joined: 08 Mar 2006 Posts: 1536 Location: Longs SC

My problem is that I do not have another 2600 CPU. They seem to be pretty rare. The 2600 "Looks" the same inside as a 2000 except for the CPU and RGB card. It uses the same RGB card as the 3600 and 4600 with a daughter board on it.

papalek · Joined: 08 Mar 2006 Posts: 1536 Location: Longs SC

OK I have swapped in other RGB boards and it will cycle through. They will not work but the CPU is trying. This makes me believe that the RGB board is keeping it from starting. When i do get a picture from it,it is not as bright as it was a few days ago. This leads me to believe something is failing on this board.

I think I need a new RGB board. The problem is, I think this board was ONLY used in the 2600 with the daughter board on the back.

The part numbers are 81358 for the main board and 81357 for the daughter board. The main un-stuffed board is 65424 REV A(same as the 3600 and 4600),the daughter board does not have an un-stuffed number on it.

Here are pics.

macgyver655 · Joined: 22 Aug 2007 Posts: 8508

So are you saying you were able to get it to initialize fully with a different RGB board. That daughter board as you refer to is the Gamma correction board which was optional on some boards. Naturally you cant remove it from that RGB board because the basic board doesn't have the connectors for the video out, however you can use a regular RGB board without the Gamma correction board out of a 3300, 3600, 4300 or 4600. They will work just the same.

**Curt Palme** · Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2007 12:37 am Post subject:

I might have one, but I won't be able to check for a few days, too swamped.. Sad

Email me at my home address curtpalme@shaw.ca and I"ll check when I get a sec.

macgyver655 · Joined: 22 Aug 2007 Posts: 8508

Hey Paul. How are you makeing out with that. I looked through my spare boards and I have an RGB from a 3300 if you want to borrow it and see if it works. Let me know. Did you get it to fully initialize?

papalek · Joined: 08 Mar 2006 Posts: 1536 Location: Longs SC

I have been busy today and have not had a chance to work on it. Yesterday I put in a 4600 RGB board that I know is bad but it cycle through to the RGB input channel screen. I tried one from a 2300 and it put it in a input channel auto search loop. I stuck in one from a 2000 and it did not like that one at all The screen flickered all kinds of stuff.
I sold my spare 4600 RGB board so the only good one that I have is in the 4600 that I am using. I guess tomorrow when I get home from work I will take it out and try it. Unless you just happen to be passing by with yours. Wink

tse · Joined: 03 May 2006 Posts: 1014 Location: Sweatbucket, Fl.

The RGB bd will have to be a 36, 4600 type with the daughter bd and correct programmable chips to work right. Because the RGB bd is hanging up the CPU it sounds like there is a problem with one of the programmable chips that ties right to the processor. You might be able to pull, one at a time, the programmable chips from the original RGB card and see if that lets it boot up. Use the right chip puller or the sockets break real easy. This time of year antistatic procedures are important.

Scott

papalek · Joined: 08 Mar 2006 Posts: 1536 Location: Longs SC

So it has to have the daughter board on it Scott?

Macgyver thought the daughter board was only the gamma option and not necessary. But your the expert and if you say it needs it then I do have a problem with finding the right one.

papalek · Joined: 08 Mar 2006 Posts: 1536 Location: Longs SC

Ok I have been swapping chips out on the original board and I think it is the CPU not the RGB board. It still will not show what ROM version and copyright Ampro corporation like all my other ones. But it will go from Initializing to RGB input Auto search. But I can only get an image if I kill the main power and let it do Auto Restart. I can get the help screen up but the test pattern button does not work. And about half of the image adjustments change numbers but do nothing on the screen. The others work as they should. Things like right pin and key work but left does not.

macgyver655 · Joined: 22 Aug 2007 Posts: 8508

Scott is correct about the 3300/4300 RGB's wont work. Sorry about that. Is was refering to the 3300/4300 haveing the gamma board attached to the RGB. On your board it is for video processing. Sounds like the only way to comfirm whats wrong is to find a 2600 CPU board. I'll keep my eyes open for you.

macgyver655 · Joined: 22 Aug 2007 Posts: 8508

Hey Paul. Somethings been bothering me about your CPU board ever since you
posted a pic of it and last night it finally hit me.The ic in the upper
right corner,should be ic 11 doesn't have a sticker on it.Now what concerns
me is that is one of the ic's discussed earlier and probably contains some
of the firmware. Now the manual I have states that should be the one time
write AT27 chip but the board that I have has a AM27 chip that is eraseable
and rewriteable.Now the method of erasure is exposure to light.Now usually
UV light is used to erase because it will erase it in 15 minutes but other
sources on light (such as sunlight, floresant and so on) will also erase it
but at a slower rate. That is one of the reason for the opague sticker.Even
while in the projector, if light can get in through a crack and maybe even
light from the tubes might erase it.I'm not saying thats your problem
because I can't tell from your pic what chip is in there, but it does make
me wonder.I'm also posting this for others because if you have spare boards
laying around from any make projector or device useing these chips and the
sticker is off they are suseptable to erasure. This could be why I sometimes
hear, well it worked when I pulled it out but now it doesn't. Now without
nowing exactly what firmware is on that chip We dont know what would happen if some of the
data was erased.It may just lockup like what you have.

I'm curious, what is the chip number at IC-11 ?

papalek · Joined: 08 Mar 2006 Posts: 1536 Location: Longs SC

That sticker fell off while I have been messing with it. I have it so I will glue it back on.

I will look at the sticker when I get home.

papalek · Joined: 08 Mar 2006 Posts: 1536 Location: Longs SC

This is what is on the sticker.

37418
1EAD
IC11

I will glue it back on.