Pioneer VSX-808RDS IR problems (Was: Testing an I.R. Receiver)

[Old Sparky]

Mark, yes it is partly because the working 'scope is here at home, whilst a similar Philips scope in my workshop is out of action, and has been on the 'to do it 'pile for ages! What happened though, was that the owner of the Pioneer HiFi brought it back with the complaint that the remote had stopped working again, which was true. I checked it soon afterwards. As the the 'supercap' I used, I haven't checked it again, and don't remember when I bought it, but it was working and holding a charge after I fitted it to the receiver. The remote continued to function correctly for several days until the owner collected his equipment. This particular remote comes apart quite easily. One screw, then gently prise open the two halves of the case, so it was no big deal to get into. Admittedly I didn't expect an unused Supercap, still sealed in its packet, to be prone to failure, but will check it again. I agree that, logically, the part I'd earlier repaired should be the first to check, but my excuse, for what it's worth is (a) as stated I didn't expect a new part to fail so soon, and (b) it's actually easier to open the remote than dismantle the receiver! As I think I said, all the functions can actually be operated from the front panel, and, if it were mine I wouldn't worry about a non-working remote. Maybe that's an age thing - the owner is quite a bit younger than me, so expects everything to be remote controllable!

[Murphyv310]

Never assume a new or NOS part won't fail. If new parts didn't fail there would be no need for a guarantee.
If a job bounces check what's been done or fitted before anything else.

[Mark Hennessy]

OK - it's good to hear that the remote is easy to get into; that's rarely the case, what with all the hidden clips, etc. Often, they are glued or welded together.

What can I do to persuade you to get that 'scope to the workshop?

I could ask really nicely: "please, pretty please".

Or I could try to make you feel guilty: "I'm really disappointed that the 'scope I gave you - indeed delivered to your door - completely free of charge - isn't being used as I thought it would be. I should have given it to someone who would have made better use of it!".

Is that last one a reflection of how I'm feeling? A little, perhaps. I admit that I am a bit disappointed - I've lost count of the number of your threads I've read that would have been easier if you'd used a 'scope. Obviously, I can't make you do anything you don't want to do, but it's frustrating nonetheless.

What is required to get it moved? Is it the cost of a taxi ride?

[Old Sparky]

Mark, I'm very grateful to you for that 'scope. Admittedly it only gets occasional use at home so perhaps it's time I took it to the Cellar. There have certainly been times before this job, when a working 'scope would have made things easier. As I said in post # 41, there is a similar Philips 'scope in the Cellar, which doesn't work, so I could (should!) get that one on the bench and find out what's wrong with it. From memory, that 'scope has been sitting in the 'to do it' pile for 3, maybe 4 years. Perhaps it's because I managed without a 'scope for at least 15 years, that it hasn't been uppermost in my mind (no excuse really, I know!)

[Murphyv310]

Hi.
When I go into the shed the order of things are thus:
1, Turn on the lights.
2, Put the heater on if its cold.
3, Switch on the bench power which includes the isolating transformer and direct feed for the test equipment including the scope which incidentally is used every day.
4, Go back indoors for the piddle I needed before going into the shed!!!!!!

[Refugee]

I would most certainly fix that scope.
That Phillips would most likely only take one sitting.
You want to see what happens when I get a basket case with three plug ins that are also basket cases.
http://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/...p?tid=4732

[Old Sparky]

The 'scope in my cellar workshop is a Philips PM3305. It's been sitting on the floor in a 'spare corner for several years, so needed a clean up externally, plus some WD40 applied to the two screws holding the rear panel on, before I could unscrew them. That's as far as I got before calling it a day. I now have to work out how to remove the handle so that the covers can come off. IIRC the fault was in the PSU, but whether several years in a damp cellar has caused more problems, I won't know. As Mark, and no doubt some other members know, these Philips scopes are quite large, and one takes up quite a bit of room on my somewhat small workbench. I do have a small Russian 'scope which is also in need of attention. This is suitable for some jobs, no doubt including checking the remote control, which doesn't trigger my Remote control tester at all now!

[ppppenguin]

MIght just be easier to pick up a 20MHz Hameg or whatever. That sort of scope in working order crosses the Bring & Buys at Harpenden and NVCF fairly often. Loads of that class of scope around. Under £50, sometimes down to £10.

[Mark Hennessy]

That particular 'scope has a digital section that probably isn't all that useful today, but will add substantially to the complexity and might well make it harder to repair.

The PM3215 that I donated is rather more straightforward and easy to work on. There's only one thing that renders these Philips 'scopes of this era BER - the transformer in the PSU. Not the 50Hz mains transformer, but the high-frequency transformer than generates all the rails from the single DC from the conventional PSU. These transformers are unobtainable unless you can find a good part in a donor model. I imagine that long periods of non-use in a damp cellar won't exactly help...

So, get the 50MHz PM3215 to your workshop and use it regularly. Otherwise I'll ask for it back

[Diabolical Artificer]

A man without a scope is like a blind-folded man in a densely planted coniferous wood plantation. A man with a scope that has been given to him but doesn't use it.........

Andy.