Satellite TV Receiver Repair Smart Card Not Found Not Detected PART 2 : Can We Fix It?

[@LearnElectronicsRepair]

*Unfortunately several days after publication KZbin decided that this video breached copyright because I showed the satellite receiver working, and originally you could see that in the last 30 seconds of the video. This is because apparently whoever owns the rights to the stupid sporting event that showed in a small segment of the screen while I explained the box was now working and thanked you guys for watching, took exception to me. There is such a thing as fair use, and there are exceptions to what would normally be a breach of copyright under certain conditions, one of which by the way is if you use copyrighted material incidentally to demonstrate that a piece of equipment has been repaired, then this is not legally a breach of copyright. But honestly I could not be arsed to argue the toss so I just accepted the offer for KZbin to trim out the offending (to them) section. I'm sure all you guys were not interested in the sport and just wanted to see the equipment working. Anyway no worries you did see it work for an instant and please accept my apologies for the abrupt end to the video*

[@ianhewitt1858]

There is a bean counter somewhere in the world that is very proud of themselves. We can all sleep well knowing that they are on the case.

[@carolinefreeman8208]

KZbin needs a VERY severe kicking

[@robinedminson6461]

Although I am unlikely to be asked to repair a set top box, I have thoroughly enjoyed watching your diagnostic processes. These days my TV viewing is mostly YT. Most broadcast channels carry content of little or no interest to me. Richard is mt evening watch! Keep up the good work and thanks for all that you do

[@CliveTrezona]

Thanks Richard.

[@sherlockholmes1121]

🎖Nice one Richard.

[@GregM]

Nice repair. The picture of sat card emulator board brings back memories ;)

[@kriswillems5661]

Great fix. This is the first time I see that IC getting broken.

[@lucymc0191]

great video richard ...very precise professional and most important informative ..as always ....regards from uk ..

[@Dutch-linux]

Great video Richard.... All TDA series chips are known to fail so that will be a common fault with those humax boxes... plus we had ads 😀

[@CooLDEaFY4204Me]

Awesome Video… 😊

[@petewmids]

Another fascinating video - even though I am never likely to repair one of these and I do not even own one! Keep them coming!

[@Lightrunner.]

👍👍👍🥳 Its alive

[@Dutch_off_grid_homesteading]

Heya, nice repair. it's a + wen you have a 2st or 3th divice and you can switch components to see if it will work afterwords

[@CoolKoon]

Wow, that was a really neat repair right there! With that being said these eviscerated Humax boxes (they custom-made those for quite a few sat operators including Digi/RCS among others) are usually worth less than the chip you've replaced in there, so to speak.

[@warwickbunn1250]

Its interesting that youtube are watching for broadcast infringements but not helping their suppliers ! I had quite a few ad breaks throughout that video including one that could run a full 2 minutes ! Although i eventually skipped a bit of it. I hope that means you'll get a better payment from it ! I'd be interested to get an update if this video is better financially for you. Maybe we can beat the YT A.I. ? Thanks for another great repair. I have a nature camera that has a no card recognised fault, so this might give me a better direction to go in. 😊

[@olbrzym11]

Great video. Would it be ok if I visit you at your shop and say hello? I will be visiting Gran Canaria soon.

[@jspencerg]

No ad at the beginning of any of your videos this morning, which I started as a test. I watched this video all the way through without seeing one commercial. I dislike commercials, but it seems a bad sign that there are none...

[@gregwmanning]

Congrads

[@chrishartley1210]

I think I would have checked if the /PRES signal came from the switch on the card reader and if it was there. It's quite likely that the chip doesn't supply voltage to the card until that signal is valid, simply to avoid shorting the power to the card reader. Nevertheless, good diagnosis and repair.

[@LearnElectronicsRepair]

I'm not sure how you came to the conclusion seeing as changing the TDA chip fixed the problem. I think, because the evidence suggests this, that the Presence switch on the card reader must go to the CPU. This would kind of explain why when first powered up the screen would show the message 'Smart Card Not Present', which is what you also see if you put a card in upside down, and then then instantly change the message to 'Card Not Inserted' when I removed it. It could be though that part of the TDA chip was still working, it still had Vcc after all, and just the inbuilt mosfet or whatever that supplies power to the card was faulty. I guess like you say I could have traced where the switch on the card reader connected to. I did mention if changing the chip didn't fix it then checking the signals to and from the TDA would be the next step. Like you, I was happy to see it working.

[@chrishartley1210]

@@LearnElectronicsRepair The datasheet says it is the contact input so it comes from the switch not the CPU. I would simply have checked the signal path from the switch to the chip just to eliminate a break in that circuit (possible broken track/diode/resistor) before desoldering the chip. A couple of seconds probing rather than the risk of heat damage.

[@Agent24Electronics]

Good idea, I would have checked for a short on the +5v card supply rail too, before replacing the chip. One of those two SMD ceramics on the +5v next to the card slot could have been shorted, SMD ceramics love going short for no good reason.

[@f1remandg]

Yeah it was very interesting that the one chip/ card supplies the power and that had failed.

[@alltechinbox]

Have you even checked the IC pins if you don't say solid, solid, solid , solid ;-)

[@LearnElectronicsRepair]

Good point 🤣

[@davidhollfelder9940]

The mfgr of these things is all about the cheapest they can, as these complex chips could have been socketed. Such was the case case of a Roku unit I had recently. SMT is a monster to repair, and most would just toss them out, as I had to.

[@CoolKoon]

"these complex chips could have been socketed." - ROFL I hate to break this to you but literally NOBODY does this anymore, in fact they've stopped doing this more than 20 years ago even for BIOS chips on PC motherboards. But I do agree that these customized Humax things are the cheapest sat receiver crap you can find and they aren't really worth repairing at all.