Dead Vu+Duo repair guide

[TK4|2|1]

Easy way to check if it's capacitors. Remove the top, get your hair dryer and heat it up. Then see if it comes on.

 

[garyblas]

Easy way to check if it's capacitors. Remove the top, get your hair dryer and heat it up. Then see if it comes on.

Never heard of this to check an electrolytic cap....! I'm an electronic engineer and can tell you this will not check anything, apart from tell you if the solder joint is suspect which i doubt.

Only way to check cap is with a capacitance meter which places a small load into cap to check its function

 

[TK4|2|1]

Never heard of this to check an electrolytic cap....! I'm an electronic engineer and can tell you this will not check anything, apart from tell you if the solder joint is suspect which i doubt.

Only way to check cap is with a capacitance meter which places a small load into cap to check its function

20 years repairing TV's I tell ya it will


Sent by pressing buttons.

 

[garyblas]

20 years repairing TV's I tell ya it will


Sent by pressing buttons.

Sorry mate but as i said before this will only detect faulty joints... Take it from me

 

[TK4|2|1]

Sorry mate but as i said before this will only detect faulty joints... Take it from me

Whatever.


Sent by pressing buttons.

 

[addicted]

Easy way to check if it's capacitors. Remove the top, get your hair dryer and heat it up. Then see if it comes on.

You are right, mate !!
Here is my story on the DUO:
- redlight issue, did not boot anymore
- replaced C807 ( the famous one ) + the regulator U801
- boots again, but have severe problems on HD-channels, not locking
- after a while HD working, except the critical ones ( 8PSK here in Netherlands )
- I discovered that if the box is heated, everything works....
- removing cover, heated extra with hair-dryer and the SNR goes from 68 to 72%
- used freeze spray to identify another faulty capacitor : C848 !!
- will let you know the result after swapping this capcitor

 

[TK4|2|1]

You are right, mate !!
Here is my story on the DUO:
- redlight issue, did not boot anymore
- replaced C807 ( the famous one ) + the regulator U801
- boots again, but have severe problems on HD-channels, not locking
- after a while HD working, except the critical ones ( 8PSK here in Netherlands )
- I discovered that if the box is heated, everything works....
- removing cover, heated extra with hair-dryer and the SNR goes from 68 to 72%
- used freeze spray to identify another faulty capacitor : C848 !!
- will let you know the result after swapping this capcitor

I'm always right.
That is exactly the method we use to identify faulty capacitors in TV's, heat the buggers up, then freeze them.


Sent by pressing buttons.

 

[addicted]

great results after replacing C848: SNR now increased to all time high values ( for me ) and HD-channels very stable !!

 

[dotts]

Should I replace the cap????

Over the last few months im having freezing problems with my vuduo (not clone) i have it about 3 years, never gave any trouble until a few months back when i updated the image after about 6months, this might be just a coincidence but ever since its been freezing i.e spinning vix, when changing channels, moving through the menu etc and recently rebooting itself every hour or so its almost unusable at the moment. I have reflashed the box several times and set it up again from scratch but get the spinning vix within minutes. I tried enabling a swap file, have only essential plugins installed and have cacheflush installed, but still it freezes every minute, it also reboots every now and then, and interrupts recordings, the wife is on my case bigtime about it now, need to sort something out soon. I also flashed a blackhole image and old kernel version of vix but neither helped the issue. any advice wold be great?

 

[Alec]

Should I replace the cap????

Over the last few months im having freezing problems with my vuduo (not clone) i have it about 3 years, never gave any trouble until a few months back when i updated the image after about 6months, this might be just a coincidence but ever since its been freezing i.e spinning vix, when changing channels, moving through the menu etc and recently rebooting itself every hour or so its almost unusable at the moment. I have reflashed the box several times and set it up again from scratch but get the spinning vix within minutes. I tried enabling a swap file, have only essential plugins installed and have cacheflush installed, but still it freezes every minute, it also reboots every now and then, and interrupts recordings, the wife is on my case bigtime about it now, need to sort something out soon. I also flashed a blackhole image and old kernel version of vix but neither helped the issue. any advice wold be great?

In future it is wise to make a backup of a stable image, so if there is problems. You can go back to it, to discount that. I think if you have the know how it would be wise to change this capacitor, especially if you record a lot, or the room is very warm.

 

[dotts]

I might have sorted the issue out, i had a dualband router directly over the box not sitting on it but pretty close, (which as I think about it I might have put there around the same time I flashed the image after a few months of not updating) I moved it this evening, only 1/2 meter to the side and hey presto the gui is working 10 times better, not getting any freezes, where as before it would freeze while just watching a program, I can now traverse the menu and play recordings without an issue , I might be a bit premature in saying it has sorted the problem but fingers Xed is it possible the wifi was/is effecting it?

 

[Larry-G]

is it possible the wifi was/is effecting it?

Doubtful, Routers kick out a lot of heat, it is more likely that your receiver was overheating because the router was too close, also as the receiver has built in safety measures it will shut down when it gets too hot.

 

[dotts]

Doubtful, Routers kick out a lot of heat, it is more likely that your receiver was overheating because the router was too close, also as the receiver has built in safety measures it will shut down when it gets too hot.

I'd say your right, even though I was conscious of this when I put It there, and checked the top of the box regularly and it didn't seem that hot, but wasn't cool either, which it is now. Anyway it seem to be working perfectly now. Hopefully I haven't caused any long term damage.

 

[franta]

hello and many thanks for this topic.
my receiver went dead after some days of restarting suddenly, strange was that just before it has restarted i could not get any reaction from receiver. after stopping the receiver it did not start anymore. I had changed the capacitor and now everything seams OK.
Thank you again for the tutorial

 

[guffe2005]

Ty it worked for me TY TY :violin::violin:

 

[funstuffkg]

Thank you very much! I replaced the capacitor with a 330mfd 35v and my VU+ duo is working again.
This saves me a lot of money!

thx again!

 

[cactikid]

just to add to this i found this elsewhere and if alright with mods will add ebay link later.

having had this myself and got box repaired by a tv expert i now see this available from ebay.

I have for sale a repair kit for the original Vu+Duo & maybe the Vu+Duo 2 (but please check if motherboards are the same). The kits consists of a Capacitor and a Regulator,

If you have a redlight on the duo it is normally caused by the Capacitor (C807) drying up but it can also blow the regulator (U801).
I had these both go on mine. Sometimes you can get away with just changing the capacitor the 1st time you get the redlight but if you continue
switching the machine off you can then blow the regulator like i did.

The original capacitor value is 220uf and i changed it to 330uf and a higher voltage.
The regulators you cant buy in this country and you have to bulk buy.
This regulator is the original and works very well as i had this go on my receiver.

There are 3 regulators and 3 capacitors the same and i changed all mine but is not necessary do to this
and only change the ones i have stated.

The kits for sale consist of 1 x 330uf Capacitor and 1 x Regulator, But if you feel like changing all
regulators (U801,U802,U805) and Capacitors (C807,C814,C815) then i can sell you them to you.

Please check my other listing on Vu+Duo if you want to buy the IC only

Multiple buys i will discount if you decide to change all 3 ie 3 x capacicitor, 3 x regulators for £25 saving you £11

Please Note:-
Please have this repair carried out by a qualified repair man as I will not be held responsible for damage to you Vu+Duo , unless you are capable of doing yourself.Name: duo regulator.JPG Views: 9 Size: 716 BytesName: duo cap.JPG Views: 9 Size: 764 Bytes



not my add just a listing

 

[cactikid]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vu-Duo-Red-Light-/271411349084?pt=UK_Sound_Vision_Satellite_TV_Receivers&hash=item3f3160865c

this is the listing for the post above for red light fix on the duo.

 

[dfdream]

All.
My brother has my old DUO and txtd me that the red light does be on some mornings when they switch on the box and can take an hour to come on.
Other times it comes on first thing.
Is this the first signs of this issue. It sounds like it anyway...
Should I replace the parts recommended here ?

 

[Larry-G]

All.
My brother has my old DUO and txtd me that the red light does be on some mornings when they switch on the box and can take an hour to come on.
Other times it comes on first thing.
Is this the first signs of this issue. It sounds like it anyway...
Should I replace the parts recommended here ?

yes thats a definite sign things are not rite, i would tell him to leave the unit powered off to prevent further damage occurring.