Picasso IV..defect

[Amigaz]

When I got my Escom A4000T there was a Picasso IV inside it.
The card worked perfectly for about a week until the scandoubler/flickerfixer on it didn't give any output.
This happened about two years ago, I didn't do any major troubleshooting but replaced it with a Cybervision64 and a videoslot SD/FF instead.
Today I tested the card in one of my A4000D instead to see if it's just my A4000T that's causing the trouble but the card's SD/FF gave no output
Is it worthwhile repairing the card by sending it to amigacenter for example? or sell it as broken?

[zipper]

The first thing is to press the socketed chips down - or take them out and clean the contacts and reinsert them. They belong to the FliFi circuitry. I once had problem in my FliFi, which was corrected by this operation.

[Damion]

Agreed.... same issue here when I got my PIV, no output or messed output, re-seating the little guys fixed it.

[alexh]

Be very careful the plastic on the sockets of these chips is rubbish. It has hardened to become as brittle as glass.

[Gavilan]

@AMIGAZ: just my 2 cents on this subject.

Dont sell the card! Its THE best gfx card for high end Amigas!

first, try all what was suggested. As last resort, i think sending the card to Amigacenter in France is worth every penny (Of course, if the reapir doesnt cost same as getting a used PIV). but my guess is, it will cost only a fraction to get it fixed!!


Good luck!!!

Sebastian

[X-ray]

I would send that to MastaTabs first, he knows something about those cards

[Gavilan]

by X-ray on 2009/2/1 18:59:19  I would send that to MastaTabs first, he knows something about those cards

Thats another great option, but i have read in some forum (cant remember where) that he was overloaded by work or something???

Of course its THE best idea since he is one of the fathers of the Picasso cards, right??
 :-D

[Amigaz]

Thanks for all the suggestions, guys  :-)

I'll extract the chips this weekend and give them and the sockets some threatment with CRC Electric Cleaner spray..

I have a plcc extractor or whatever it's called to I won't mess with an old rusty screwdriver to get the chips out  :-D

[Dragster]

@Gavilan

but i have read in some forum (cant remember where) that he was overloaded by work or something???

Yeah, he must be busy since one of my PIVs has been 12 months on repair with him now.

Cheers,

Dragster

[da9000]

...and he hasn't responded to any of my emails :-(

@AmigaZ:

Careful because you can still crack the sockets even with a PLCC tool. As Alexh says, due to age they've become very brittle.

[marcfrick2112]

I agree, be real careful about the sockets, I know a guy who wanted to strip an old 486 PC for parts, (for whatever reason)  he told me that many sockets just crumbled when he tried to extract the chips, he was using official chip pullers, BTW....
 

[Crumb]

@AMIGAZ

If it's just the FliFi perhaps the flash of the FliFi has lost the config.

Launch PicassoPrefsNG and reconfigure the scandoubler, save the prefs. Shutdown your miggy, cross your fingers and turn on your machine again.

[Amigaz]

Crumb wrote:
@AMIGAZ

If it's just the FliFi perhaps the flash of the FliFi has lost the config.

Launch PicassoPrefsNG and reconfigure the scandoubler, save the prefs. Shutdown your miggy, cross your fingers and turn on your machine again.

uuuhh..it was some time ago I fiddled with this
I don't have a working Picasso96 setup for the card, do I need that for changing the config?

[Crumb]

perhaps picasso96tng floppy disk autobbots, I don't know

[Amigaz]

ahh..it's that disk...I have it..now I remember
I'll give it a go and use my external SD/FF to get some output before I start messing with the socketed chips  :-)