Duo2 Dead - White LED / Blank VFD and no Boot

[Catface]

I bought the Duo2 last October from world-of-satellite.co.uk running VIX 3.xx with the CFE V2 Bootloader and it's been flawless until now, about an hour ago, the screen went blank and now the box appears to be dead.

When the Duo2 is powered up from the switch at the rear, the white LED lights up, the HDD spins but there's nothing on the VFD screen and the system won't boot.
It doesn't appear to be possible to load anything from the front USB since the prompt on the VFD screen doesn't show.

Is there a tool similar to the ones used for boxes like the DM500 to reflash the box if it's a software corruption issue? I really hope it's something not too difficult to rectify.
I did a search to see if anyone else had a fix for this but all I found were some people with the same problem with no solutions.

I'm grateful for any replies

 

[zoro25]

Have you tried to use a usb with an image on it to see if it will flash a clean image?

It also might be an idea to remove the HDD so you rule that out.

 

[Stanman]

When using the front usb make sure you don't have another usb stick attached.

Is there anything on the video

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk

 

[Catface]

Thanks for your responses.

Here's what I've tried so far.
Starting with no USB devices attached.
Disconnecting the HDD,
Attempting to load an image from the front USB. (no other USB devices are attached)
Starting without the twin DVB-S2 and DVB-T tuner cards.


What makes it difficult is the box doesn't get to the stage where the prompt to update from the front USB appears. It used to boot with the VFD displaying CFE V2 and then "double your expectation" would appear followed by a message asking to press the power button for an update. There's no video on the screen and nothing appears on the VFD or LCD at all, possibly indicating that the basic functions of the receiver aren't starting. It behaves as if it's stuck in deep standby mode, the HDD spins up when it's connected but the fan doesn't spin.

The inside of the unit is immaculate with next to no dust. The white LED flickers when the front button is pressed, no response from the remote.

 

[marty]

Possible power supply failure?

 

[Catface]

It's possible it's the power supply but it's unlikely since when the rocker switch on the rear is switched to the on position the HDD will spin up, the white light on the front will light up and the tuner will get warm after a while so power must be reaching the rest of the unit.

There doesn't appear to be any tools where if the memory containing the bootloader is corrupt it can be read and corrected. I doubt it is as I wasn't flashing an image or making any alterations, the box was playing a recording from the HDD when the picture went off for the last time.

It could turn out to be a hardware fault and the box will have to be sent back. It's disappointing because it's been superb so far.

 

[nickj]

I had the same problem. I press the black button on the top of the front USB slot and the box start for me.

 

[DaMacFunkin]

It's possible it's the power supply but it's unlikely since when the rocker switch on the rear is switched to the on position the HDD will spin up, the white light on the front will light up and the tuner will get warm after a while so power must be reaching the rest of the unit.

There doesn't appear to be any tools where if the memory containing the bootloader is corrupt it can be read and corrected. I doubt it is as I wasn't flashing an image or making any alterations, the box was playing a recording from the HDD when the picture went off for the last time.

It could turn out to be a hardware fault and the box will have to be sent back. It's disappointing because it's been superb so far.

Thats exactly how mine ended up although it didn't go quietly it was a downward spiral from the off, you will need to send it back to Vu, I got pissed off with s**tems*t messing me about so I contacted Vu+ myself and sent it back, after having it in their possession for 2 weeks they said they couldn't repair it and sent me a new one (thanks Julian).

 

[Rob van der Does]

Only a bootlog (rs232) can shed some light on what's going on.

 

[Catface]

I had another look it it over the weekend, trying to see if I could get any information from the RS232 connection using PuTTY and HyperTerminal, selecting the correct COM port and 115200 baud. Most of the time there was no response at all apart from a couple of odd occasions where very few garbled characters were displayed. The DM500 worked perfectly with the boot sequence displayed so I've come to the conclusion that it's a hardware fault

It's a shame there aren't at least some basic recovery tools that use the RS232 port for the Duo2. The image support is fantastic but it's shocking that there appears to be nothing available for restoring fundamental features of the system like the bootloader, especially considering it's been out for nearly a year now. I'd expect poor support for clones, but not from genuine boxes that cost £400+. I know in my case it appears to be a hardware fault but I wish there were programs that could be used to rule out software issues sooner.

It looks like sending the receiver back for replacement or repair is the only option now. Just my luck when the World Cup is about to start

Hopefully I'll get it back and up and running soon. Thanks to everyone that responded

 

[mimi73]

hi to all

the same problem with the famous white light

after installing the latest bootloader Duo2_CFE_V2 and the last image of BH

he does not want to start it stops on the white light only no boot detect.
the fan does not work
it does not detect any USB device so that I can flash
(I tried 4 different types of USB .. with different version of images .. and also different Original Version .. nothing is happening with duo2 .. just the white light present)



Now I'm sure this is a hardware fault

unfortunately it has no support solution with rs232
shame vu +

according to my research on this subject, this is the case of many people.
what breaks me is the cost we pay for a failed technology.

vu + do not believe it too just false advertising, I should choose the last competitor reliable and stable ..

the video is not mine (another victim)
but this is my scenario too.

 

[Rob van der Does]

I had another look it it over the weekend, trying to see if I could get any information from the RS232 connection using PuTTY and HyperTerminal, selecting the correct COM port and 115200 baud. Most of the time there was no response at all apart from a couple of odd occasions where very few garbled characters were displayed.

'Garbled characters' probably mean wrong settings.
Can you check please?

It looks like sending the receiver back for replacement or repair is the only option now.

Surely the box must still be within warranty?

 

[mimi73]

Now it works with the original image

he started himself; after almost 3 hours waiting

may be the problem is in:

the new bootloader
or the various new images
or a default constructor

:smiley_yup:

 

[mimi73]

I hope it works for you

 

[DaMacFunkin]

I had all the same problems you if it is working now it will randomly lock up and eventually give up the ghost, the garbled characters seems to be when it can't read the flash, I suspected dodgy soldering although it could be capacitors not discharging properly which would explain how it can suddenly reflash and work again after a few hours, I bet any money it only had version 1 boot loader on it when you recieved it, even though they have been shipping with v2 fir nearly a year.
After having mine replaced because Vu couldn't repair it I havnt had one lock up or crash whatsoever.

 

[Rob van der Does]

.... the garbled characters seems to be when it can't read the flash,

Very unlikely; what is being read is the talkback from Linux, not from flash.

 

[marcus1975]

Hi all

This has also happened to me lately

my box is just coming up to 2 years old and out of warranty (very sad)

since this last post has any one found a fix or now of a repair ?

thanks

 

[bellejt]

I had the same with my duo2 as mimi73.Is in repair now already 8 weeks.Bad service from VU+.

 

[marcus1975]

Hi

will they repair boxes out of warranty ?

thanks

 

[:-)]

Bellejt - what happened to your Duo2 in the end? Your sign off mentions latest openVIX - did you have 3.2 on there? Is flashing 3.2 what killed it?

Sounds like poor quality capacitors fitted by the manufacturer.

Opened my (currently working) Duo2 today to be greeted by mainly "Samyoung" brand electrolytic capacitors - Samyoungs are known troublemakers in other Korean made set top boxes - worse still they are only 85c temperature rated because Vu+ wanted to save money plus it seems to be a good business model to build in obsolescence using cheap capacitors - even the garbage capacitors Sky fitted to their infamous Thomson power supply boards were at least rated to 105celcius - funny how Sky fitted quality capacitor brands to the Thomson motherboards but deliberately fitted rubbish to the adjacent PSU board in the same receiver.

Changed & upgraded the capacitors myself in my SKY Thomson SD & HD boxes (same PSU's) - they both worked perfectly after that - or rather I initially fitted a ready made kit (that everybody raved about online at the time) BUT the kit failed after only just under a year - SO de-soldered the lousy kit capacitors & mailed it all back (to the suppliers horror!) got a refund - THEN made up my own kits and finally had some peace as the SKY HD & SD boxes then kept working for years!

Catface - sorry to disagree with you but power supplies generally seldom go totally dead - unless the primary [mains voltage] side develops a fault - then they generally go KA-BOOM & then totally dead while cryptically managing to only blow the 3 or 5 Amp fuse in the plug while leaving the generally 1Amp fuse on the PSU PCB intact.

PSU's generally manage to fail by gradually fading away for instance the output filtering caps. on the secondary [low voltage] side can fail meaning that the relevant voltage is still there (but it needs to also be accurate so a +5volt rail reading that is slowly moving around or solidly reading +4.89 [or even +5.15] is enough to be faulty - it has to be practically dead on spec while under its normal operating load) but with enough mains borne AC noise (as DC output filtering caps are past it) superimposed over what is meant to be a smooth & clean DC supply that the Duo2 CPU cannot function correctly as it needs clean & smooth DC power - you would need an oscilloscope to spot that a multi-meter generally couldn't see it (if it was really bad try seeing if you can read any AC voltage on a DC PSU voltage output line - again depends on the quality of the multi-meter - if you find AC where there is only meant to be DC you have a problem).

If it were me I would start by changing all the caps. on the PSU and seeing what happens - then I would re-cap the motherboard electrolytics - take apart the front panel & re-cap any electrolytics that might be lurking in there - likewise do the tuner modules in the same way - after that I would look at the polymer and SMD type caps on the motherboard and replace those - upgrading as I go of course!

The only good thing about Sky boxes is the ability to force download of fresh non-corrupt firmware by holding down backup button and applying mains - although theoretically flashing new firmware by USB should achieve the same thing on a Duo2 - lack of adequate power would prevent replacement (non-corrupt) firmware being written to the flash memory chips as writing to the flash memory generally needs higher voltage than the normal memory read function voltage so that could be why people cannot get the same USB pen drive to work to flash update firmware (vix version) as before because there is now inadequate power to complete the programming process.

Anyway could keep writing endlessly on the topic but am off to bed - you might have guessed by now I am keen on replacing cheap capacitors (changed 65 caps on one of my computer motherboards - it solved a BIOS problem it was having last year) let me know how you all get on.

You know I thought I was detecting a slight hesitancy creeping in to my Duo2's otherwise smooth operation (not like when it was brand new at all!)- faulty caps become temperature sensitive - maybe my Duo2 is looking to give me an excuse to pounce on it with a soldering iron - I thought it was Hades that was the problem so was planning to go to 3.2 when I had the patience to do so but maybe it is the capacitors and they had it coming all along!