Are PC Tuner Cards repairable ?

[mct1]

I've used a KWorld DVBS100 for just over a year and it started losing signal and
shutting down intermittently for a couple of days and then lost signal totally. It
seems just like a capacitor as it slowly croaks, but I have no way of testing it or
wonder if anyone really tries to fix these. Is the life of tuner cards this short ? I
can't see paying out for a card every couple of years. Are STB's that much more
durable ? Thanks for any thoughts.

 

[brentb636]

Have you examined the card, to see if there are signs of swollen caps, etc ? Heat is a big enemy of electrolytics, drys up the paste, they swell , burst, leak, etc. More case ventilation never hurts.
A big help in repairing any of these relative cheap cards, is a supply of used parts ( scrap boards that you can rob ) . Capacitors, dc-dc convertors ( components in the power circuit) are good choices for replacement.

 

[mct1]

Thanks for the reply, Brent. Yeah, I've checked and can see no physical heatstroke. Windows of course says the card is working properly which
means nothing. I'll just hang onto it in case I get a clue as to a fix. It's been
a very good card for a cheap one, although $70 doesn't sound too cheap if
you can get an STB for under $50. Do cards usually fizzle out after a few years ?

 

[brentb636]

Do you have a multimeter ? You might check to see if any voltage is present at the connector, and whether it changes as you change polarities with software. You're looking for 13VDC and 18VDC , nominal ( meaning voltage should probably be slightly higher in each case) .

 

[starman345]

I'll just hang onto it in case I get a clue as to a fix. It's beena very good card for a cheap one, although $70 doesn't sound too cheap if
you can get an STB for under $50. Do cards usually fizzle out after a few years ?

Someone posted a question on this forum about a dvbworld pci card that was giving them problems and a dvbworld rep replied with a solution for it. I think it was a cap that needed replacing. Have you tried to contact the Kworld people, they might be able to steer you in the right direction?
As far as cards fizzling out I suppose some do and some don't. I've had 8 or 10 cards over the last 8 years and never had one go bad. I have a Twinhan 1020a that I use daily and its 6-7 years old now. Might be just my good luck. Hope you can get yours fixed.

 

[mct1]

Thanks guys,

I will try to investigate it as much as I can and may even try KWorld, but they are one of the
most unresponsive companies I've ever dealt with. I had one of their ATSC cards and it took
months to get any resolution.