HDVR2 - Started Tivo w/o ribbon cable properly seated

**philbroketivo** · 12-07-2003, 07:47 PM

I started the tivo (HDVR2) w/o the ribbon cable properly seated. I saw a spark and some smoke. I immediately unplugged the tivo, reseated the white cable. Now the tivo boots up but the it doesnt reply to the remote. Is there any way to fix this problem or a place I can buy a replacement part?

**GREEK** · 12-07-2003, 11:02 PM

pop the front panel off and take a look at the board ICs. Maybe you dislodged the ribbon to it? If it smoked, you may have blown stuff up. Unscrewing the pcb board under the panel will reveal the guts of it..........

**philbroketivo** · 12-07-2003, 11:21 PM

I took the cover off of the front panel to check that out. The cable is still plugged in. I can still use the buttons on the front panel, it just doesnt work when trying to use the remote. I tried a different remote, from the DSR6000, in the other room and it doesnt work either. This remote has worked with it in the past. I did see a spark where the ribbon cable is plugged onto the mother board, then I unplugged the tivo. A few seconds later, I saw a small puff of smoke and then that distinct smell of burning computer parts came.

**GREEK** · 12-08-2003, 01:14 AM

you didnt unscrew the panel pcb board huh? Thats where you need to look, I'd bet if you inspect that youll find something burnt up. You really need to go over this thing with the drives removed and a flashlight and magnifying glass at this piont (literally) to inspect everything. If it smoked, then something is obviously blown up somewhere, smoke = burning of components, and spark isnt much better. Theres a few tiny philips head screw holding the fronty panel board on, take it off, pull the ribbon, and inspect carefully. Somehow you either burnt up a trace or component, probably related to the IR sensor. I have seen similar to this before. Until you visually find the problem, you arent going anywhere. Also I would let the tivo run without the remote and watch some tv with it. It may have problems yet to show up, they love to run for a day or two and then F up.........

**cali** · 12-08-2003, 08:52 AM

puff puff pass...hehe....

Get up close and personal....start sniffing

**tivomaster** · 12-08-2003, 09:52 AM

Take a look at this thread How to fix the remote issue .....

**philbroketivo** · 12-08-2003, 04:48 PM

After reading this, http://tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/sho...83#post1492583 . I am wondering if I just spliced the white cable to expose the ground portion of the wire and then soldered a wire to the exposed portion of the wire. Then connect the other side of the wire to the tivo case to ground it. How bad would it be to ground it to the case. Could it cause any harm? Or does it have to goto the inductor? Thanks in advance......

**David Bought** · 12-09-2003, 03:38 PM

Originally posted by philbroketivo
After reading this, http://tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/sho...83#post1492583 . I am wondering if I just spliced the white cable to expose the ground portion of the wire and then soldered a wire to the exposed portion of the wire. Then connect the other side of the wire to the tivo case to ground it. How bad would it be to ground it to the case. Could it cause any harm? Or does it have to goto the inductor? Thanks in advance......

No. Just short the inductor, what are you finding so difficult about that? If you try to cut up the flat cable you will probably destroy it or melt it.

Ignore the warnings from the drama queens at AVS. They get their rocks off trying to convince people that simple Tivo hacks/repairs are risky.

**philbroketivo** · 12-09-2003, 04:43 PM

Sorry, but I am no electrician by far. When you say short the inductor, Im not exactly sure what you mean. Can you go into detail a little bit. I would really appreciate the feedback....

**tivomaster** · 12-09-2003, 05:04 PM

Originally posted by philbroketivo
Sorry, but I am no electrician by far. When you say short the inductor, Im not exactly sure what you mean. Can you go into detail a little bit. I would really appreciate the feedback....

If you look at the picture on the "how to fix" link above. You can see the inductor that is in quesiton. You should be able to take a small piece of wire such as a strand of multistranded wire and jumper aound the inductor.

Be very carefull and only do this with power off yor TiVo!!!!
Use a very low wattage iron and be very carefull or you may toast your TiVo...

That or carry it to a friend that knows how to solder.

**philbroketivo** · 12-09-2003, 05:12 PM

Ok, I think I got it. Basically, in that picture, there is a solder point on the bottom and top of the inductor. To go around the inductor, you have to connect those two points together. If that is the case, then since they are so close together, very close together, instead of using a wire to connect the two I could just put some solder in the middle of the inductor that will spread and touch both sold points on the inductor? Does that make sense? Or am I way off?

**David Bought** · 12-09-2003, 05:18 PM

Originally posted by philbroketivo
Ok, I think I got it. Basically, in that picture, there is a solder point on the bottom and top of the inductor. To go around the inductor, you have to connect those two points together. If that is the case, then since they are so close together, very close together, instead of using a wire to connect the two I could just put some solder in the middle of the inductor that will spread and touch both sold points on the inductor? Does that make sense? Or am I way off?

It's not easy to get solder to bridge a gap that large.

Use a fine-tipped iron to attach a thin strand of wire across the inductor. Or use a conductive pen to bridge the connection without soldering.

**tivomaster** · 12-09-2003, 05:28 PM

Originally posted by David Bought
It's not easy to get solder to bridge a gap that large.

Use a fine-tipped iron to attach a thin strand of wire across the inductor. Or use a conductive pen to bridge the connection without soldering.

Exactly, It would be very hard and you would probably have to use much to much heat to solder bridge the contacts. Take a fine piece of wire such as a single strand from a stranded wire (like a light cord). and use it to bridge between the solder points.

Again be very carefull and use a small wattage iron or you probably will toast your toasted TiVo.....

**philbroketivo** · 12-09-2003, 05:43 PM

Ok, I think I am going to try to bridge the two solder points using a conductive pen. I think I am better off doing that than using a soldering gun. The only thing I have ever soldered was wire to a speaker that had a broken connector. Thanks for the advice!!!

**philbroketivo** · 12-10-2003, 01:23 AM

YES!, YES!, YES! It worked!!!! Thanks a bunch to everyone that helped me out in this tivoless time of life!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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