Terminally ill HDR FOX T2

mike_m

mike_m

Active Member
I think one of my Hummies has given up the ghost. Symptoms: when it powers up, front panel displays ‘System Start’ and the Humax title page displays, then the screen blanks while the front panel displays the Custom Firmware title – then it goes back to System Start again, and cycle of System Start, Custom Firmware, repeats ad infinitum. Sometimes there is a flash of a solid green screen between the two stages. I’ve left the machine powered off for a few hours and tried again, but the same thing happens.

I’m assuming that this is a fairly terminal problem, so I’ll pull the machine out and replace it with a spare bought on Ebay a couple of years ago… but I wondered if there was anything I can try to resuscitate it?
 
This sounds like the problem described here (from Steps for Resolving HDR-FOX Crash/Reboot Issues):

Black Hole said:
3Ba: We have become aware of a common fault developing on ageing HDR-FOXes where the unit won't boot with the HDD connected but will boot without it. While this might seem to indicate a faulty HDD, in some instances it has been shown to be a deeper problem on the main board (not the PSU). The main diagnostic symptom is that the boot process continually restarts the moment "start system" (or the custom firmware announcement, if installed) disappears from the VFD (front-panel display), which is when the HDD gets powered up (but before it has had chance to be accessed). If the restart occurs later than this, it is more likely to be a HDD fault (see 3Bb). Diagnosis is confirmed if the problem remains when a different (known working) HDD is fitted, or the original HDD is shown to work in a different HDR-FOX (or when tested on a PC). Repair might be effected by the relatively simple replacement of a capacitor on the main board. For more information see https://hummy.tv/forum/threads/start-up-fails-when-hdd-connected.10164/.
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Black Hole said:
This sounds like the problem described here (from Steps for Resolving HDR-FOX Crash/Reboot Issues):
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A second machine developed exactly the same crash/reboot problem within a couple of days of the first one. I formatted a new HDD in a spare HDR T2, recorded and played back a programme to verify that the new HDD was kosher, and then ran the tests you suggested in ‘Steps for Resolving HDR-FOX Crash/Reboot Issues’ para 3B.

If the power cable to the HDD was disconnected, the machine booted correctly and functioned as a receiver. If the power cable was connected, the crash/reboot problem re-appeared. This behaviour was independent of whether the red data cable was connected or not (I tried all the combinations) – it seems to be only the power supply cable that affects the behaviour.

Then I swapped in the new HDD and ran the same combination of tests, resulting in exactly the same behaviour. I replaced the new HDD back into the spare (working) machine to verify that the HDD was still working correctly, which it was. Both the faulty machines reacted in the same way to the tests.

I’m assuming that I’m going to have to replace the 4u7 capacitor as detailed in the ‘ Start Up Fails When HDD Connected’ thread - I’m rather dreading that. Soldering has never been my strong point – I’m tempted to use the clipping technique described by Newcoppiceman to remove the old cap, however brutal it might be, as I know that any attempt of mine to desolder it would result in me melting all the nearby components!
 
mike_m said:
I’m tempted to use the clipping technique described by Newcoppiceman to remove the old cap, however brutal it might be...
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I strongly advise that, no matter how adept.

mike_m said:
...as I know that any attempt of mine to desolder it would result in me melting all the nearby components!
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There is a very high risk of the PCB track lifting off the board if you were to try it, the only "safe" method being hot air.
 
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Black Hole said:
I strongly advise that, no matter how adept. There is a very high risk of the PCB track lifting off the board if you were to try it, the only "safe" method being hot air.
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I may have misunderstood, is there a word (i.e. against) missing from the first sentence?
 
bottletop said:
I may have misunderstood, is there a word (i.e. against) missing from the first sentence?
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Debatable. The section quoted by BH contains contradictory components, so his reply isn't unambiguous, though the implication can be assumed from the overall context.

My understanding is that he (BH) intended to reference the first part, up to the comma, in which case only quoting that part would have made his answer clear (probably).
 
I've edited my post to make the intention absolutely cast iron. Apologies for any confusion.

Should anyone need it, I am willing to undertake the surgery... but that will entail return postage of course (and there will be fine print about the risk of it not solving the problem, or me cocking it up). In the worst case it's one-way postage and more parts for my spares bin.
 
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Black Hole said:
I've edited my post to make the intention absolutely cast iron. Apologies for any confusion.
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Many thanks for the advice...
Black Hole said:
Should anyone need it, I am willing to undertake the surgery... but that will entail return postage of course (and there will be fine print about the risk of it not solving the problem, or me cocking it up). In the worst case it's one-way postage and more parts for my spares bin.
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... and for the offer of help - I'll try my hand at one of them, and if I cock that up, I'll have a dead machine going free for spares! But if it goes OK, then SWMBO will be treated to the sight of a 75-year old chortling "Calooh, callay!" around the house for several days.

Anyhow, this whole exercise has been beneficial for me in one way - I was forced to unearth old machines that I retired for various reasons, and for the first time I compared their serial numbers and found that the first HDR that I bought (new from John Lewis, £239 in 2013). and which I retired a few years later, is actually the newest machine I own - the rest (bought on eBay) are older still. So with a couple of new 1TB Seagates, I've brought it (and another) back into service.
 
I can report that replacing the 4u7 capacitor has restored both faulty Humaxes to full working order, and all recordings on the hard drives appear to be intact. Hooray!

Many thanks to all on this site whose excellent work enables ham-fisted laymen like myself look like geniuses to our other halves.
 
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