Is My Vbox Fried?

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gpflepsen

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Sep 8, 2003
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Here's one I haven't seen and didn't find via searching here or Google. My Vbox7 (DMSI stickered) is giving an er5 code, which is not covered in the manual or any other place I've looked.

I had to reset the Vbox because it displayed -l -l -l in the display. I had to do a couple resets (pull power, press power while pushing on button, letting it count down to 0) to get back to a normal display. I reset the microHD positions and tried to store sats by position. When I save one, it gives error code "er5" and doesn't seem to store it.

Any ideas?
 
I don't know that one specifically, but the ONLY one error code I've seen those boxes display, means: "I'm moving but not getting back any pulses".

Check the wiring in general, and especially where it connects to the back of the box.

Edit: what happens when you move dish with buttons on Vbox?
 
No Pulses is er2. I can motor the dish back and forth and the pulses count +/- 500 like it has in the past. The thing will not save positions... but the microHD seems to. If I continue on and save a second satellite (er5 again), then try to recall the previously saved, the dish motors off to one direction until it hits the actuator limit.
 
Just a guess, but some boxes like this must have the East and West limits set BEFORE it will save a satellite position. It's usually stated in the instructions somewhere...
 
Here's one I haven't seen and didn't find via searching here or Google. My Vbox7 (DMSI stickered) is giving an er5 code, which is not covered in the manual or any other place I've looked.

I had to reset the Vbox because it displayed -l -l -l in the display. I had to do a couple resets (pull power, press power while pushing on button, letting it count down to 0) to get back to a normal display. I reset the microHD positions and tried to store sats by position. When I save one, it gives error code "er5" and doesn't seem to store it.

Any ideas?

Hi gpflepsen. I'm not sure what the er5 error is since I don't have a Vbox. Nothing is mentioned in my Gbox manaual either. From what you describe above (highlighted in red) it seems like an electronic limit was set accidentally. Resetting the box should have cleared that limit so I'm stumped (ponders?)
 
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Does the STB control the EAST / West movement?

Does the V-box control the East / West movement?

Have you tried disconnecting the microHD and direct save a position using the controller's own buttons?

Also try master reset on the G-box, 0 reset on the microHD followed by a recalculate. With all motor positions set to zero, a recalculate will set all of the G-box motor positions to zero. If you are able to drive the motor East/West, set the limits before programming a motor position.
 
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Fresh (re)start time... I did a reset of the VBOX-7 (several attempts required) and the microHD, connected just the mHD to positioner and lnb to remove the 22kHz switch and ku dish from the equation. Everything set up fine with satellite positions saved across the arc, and E/W limits programmed into the VBOX. I returned home today from some family holiday stuff and tried to change the channel from 87w to 131w, and the positioner went to the west limit. The mHD couldn't control the dish. The VBOX remote was used to shift on 137w. The mHD then controlled back to 87w, then to 99w, then when going to 107w, it went to the west limit and stayed there, giving the odd -l -l -l display. Note the limit indication is only one -l. I shut it down and ordered a VBOX-10 and will see if it suffers the same fate. I don't think it's the mHD because it took several resets of the VBOX to get it back working.

Oh, and the mHD had reverted to GMT "ON" and the time was screwed up.
 
Sounds like one of the relays of the VBOX is sticking, especially if it's 'told to'. I.E: move more than 2 or 3 sat positions in the west direction.
 
Agreed that this is likely a controller or a communication issue between the controller and the motor..

The microHD cannot automatically change from GMT ON to OFF. GMT ON / OFF can only be user selected.
 
Agreed that this is likely a controller or a communication issue between the controller and the motor..

The only communication happening between the controller and motor is the pulse stream from the motor for position feedback. I'm not loosing counts in any of this. The controller just "flakes out". I think it's entirely internal to the controller.


The microHD cannot automatically change from GMT ON to OFF. GMT ON / OFF can only be user selected.
I'm not so sure of completely discounting the mHD having a hiccup on such things. This forum has many reports of weird things happening.

For example (not going after the mHD), although diseqc may be a robust control protocol the, implementation of such may leave something to be desired. The world is full of examples of software not being engineered or developed/tested to high standards, and then problems pop up under use. If Toyota can have problems with vehicle braking software where the consequences could truly be life altering, our fringe electronic components are certainly susceptible too. I'd imagine the software for items like a $30-$40 electronic device that employs power supplies, memory, controller functions (like a VBOX-7) could have had a shortcut or two along the way during development.

Why did "they" release a VBOX-10 as a successor to the VBOX-7? Wast here a deficiency in the -7?
 
The controller model doesn't indicate feature set or sequence of development or release. VBox 7 and 10 are from different distributors.
 
Thought I'd give an update to this issue. I was in the mood to do some putzing today, so I took the problematic vbox apart...

I found a couple suspect solder joints on two resistors, and a couple other that looked like they were overloaded and possibly bridging on an DIP8 IC. After cleaning up the IC solder joints on the trace side of the board, the vbox still gave the goofy ER5 code and the -l -l -l display. Another look at the IC showed some solder was actually bridging two pins between the body of the IC and pcb! After removing the IC and cleaning it up and re-soldering, the vbox stopped giving the error code! The pictures were following the repairs, and I wish I'd taken some of how I found them.

The IC was labeled ht93lc66 and is an CMOS serial eeprom, so I guess it wasn't liking how it was originally installed. I'll have to wait until I acquire another big dish to try it out for real, but it works on the bench when I fake the load and sensor feedback.

I'm starting to think many of these items with suspect dealer backing almost need a second round of consumer QC checks done after we buy them.
 

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Glad to hear you got it fixed. :)
 
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