Dead C-200 AGAIN?

[floydenheimer]

I posted about this a while ago, looks like it's happening again. My C-200 will power on (red power light to white) but then nothing happens. The front panel LCD doesn't light up, it seems completely dead, again. I tried an external PSU and it does the same thing. My C-200 is stock, nothing added. Any ideas?

[chris57]

So what happened after your last thread when you were intending to RMA the front panel:-
http://www.networkedmediatank.com/showth...?tid=38190

You have had everything else replaced.

Does it work when you bypass the front panel:-
http://support.popcornhour.com/article.aspx?id=1104

[floydenheimer]

(01-18-2011 07:36 AM)chris57 Wrote:  So what happened after your last thread when you were intending to RMA the front panel:-
http://www.networkedmediatank.com/showth...?tid=38190

You have had everything else replaced.

Does it work when you bypass the front panel:-
http://support.popcornhour.com/article.aspx?id=1104

Yep, tried to bypass the front panel. Still nothing.

[chris57]

Then I would create a ticket and in it point them to your original and this thread. You thought that the front panel was the problem last time as you've had everything else replaced.

[floydenheimer]

Well, they're offering me a new motherboard for $50. I'm apprehensive because I don't want to keep replacing motherboards every year. Why do these things keep failing? I've built computers that last a decade, but this thing can't even survive a year with light use? Would taking the board out and putting it in a different enclosure with a real atx PSU decrease the likelihood of future hardware failures?

[chris57]

No idea, I'm still on motherboard number 1. I do have surge protection on my power into the motherboard and do see that in USA you seem to suffer from power issues more than in the Uk.

It's not the front panel if the player wont work when you bypass it, you did use the jumper on the write pin etc. didn't you?

I cant see how using the motherboard in some other case with a ATX PSU would help. You could look at a different PSU and use the original case. Pico do one that I think nuke or halfie have used instead of the PCH PSU.

[floydenheimer]

I have mine on an APC H10 power conditioner, it's protected from surges and the voltage is regulated. I unplugged the front panel cable and jumpered the 2 pins on J31 closest to the front of the unit. I am just thinking a real atx PSU (like SeaSonic) would feed the motherboard cleaner and more reliable power, I have seen faulty PSU's fry just about every PC component imaginable over the years. It seems that the C-200 PSU's die quite often and I'd like to avoid another fried board if I pony up for the replacement.

[chris57]

The first PSU's are failing in a lot of cases. I have had mine replaced. A better quality PSU may provide a cleaner source of power but I still can't see it giving the problems that you are incurring with motherboard failure.
You had the PSU replaced though so I would have thought that it should be fine. The early ones fail at around 12 months if you are one of those unlucky enough to get one. The capacitors bulge and fali. You may be able to examine your current PSU if you take the cover off to see if it is showing any signs of this.