Dead CRT on CC

Then check that all cabling is OK. It could be an analog board problem, or a CRT issue. A/bs fail more often than CRTs. If you trust yourself to turn the CC on with the case off, look for signs of life at the narrow end of the CRT. But I am not recommending that anyone use a CC with the case off.

Stuart

Ben,
I decided to PM a response to you. Check your inbox..
Mike

I have several experience with comopact macs (see http://homepage.mac.com/bengi and http://homepage.mac.com/bengi/68k/68k.html) so turned it on with the case off and there are no life signs at the end of the CRT.

Where do I go from now?

Thanks,

Ben

My next tactic would be to try a different a/b and then a different CRT. Given that no schematic of the a/b is known to exist (ITSR a project to produce one several years ago, but never heard of its completion), unless you really know your way around CRT-driving electronics, then there's little alternative to swapping modules.

You could check for cold solder joints on the a/b if all the cabling is FIRMLY located.

Stuart

Tnaks for the suggestions. I will try first to remove the a/b to see if any cold/cracked solder joint, cable or capacitors leakage (are there any caps on te CC a/b?).

Will keep you posted!

Ben
in the meanwhile I have resurreceted an SE/30 with two new capacitors.

Isn't there something about using a 12" Apple monitor a/b as a replacemtn?

Yep - ISTR it being verified in principle, much like my similat scheme to use a mono 12" a.b in an SE series. But I never got involved in the colour project, so you'll need to search the forum archives. Sorry,

Stuart

great! and what about the 5xxx series a/b?

ben

btw I took apart the whole CC but the a/b does not show anything obviously wrong, so I better look for a replacement a/b.

Sticking to 5xx a/bs; some people have cut down 575 a/bs to fit in a CC. They are very similar to CC boards, apart from about 2 square inches of circuitry for the stereo sound. Apart from that, you could just chop 1 inch of each side of the 575 a/b and slide it in. Because of the extra bits, you have to cut away the plastic rails which hold the a/b in place in the CC, as well as cutting down the 575 a/b as much as possible while maintaining the line-up of the edge connector. It is not a trivial job, but can be done. There should be lots in this forum about the idea!

Stuart

thanx, but what about the 5000 series (5200, 5300, 5400, 5500) a/b?

ben

The 5000 a/bs sit horizontal and take up much of that space in the case. I have never seen a CC, but I do have a 580, which is internally laid out much like a 575. I don't think the 5000 a/b would fit in a 575/580, so I'm guessing that since the 575 board needs cutdowns and mods to fit the CC, I'm really doubting it would fit nicely in one. With major surgery, maybe. By the time amjor surgery is done, doing a Taco with a properly sized VGA LCD (and not gathering the various bits to make a panel work) would be much easier.

The 5000 a/b are made to drive much larger CRTs too. 13"-15".

I have found a good CC I (the 16 MhZ version) in good shape for 150 euro (more or less 180 usd). Is it a reasonable price or do I better wait for a better deal?

Ben

I paid $10 NZ for mine (about $6 US or something). I would think that $180 US is quite a bit too much.

Prices on ebay.co.uk for CCs have risen recently - from typical £40 to around £70, if in good condition. 150 Euros (£110) seems rather high, unless it's so local that you have no carriage costs, and it's immaculate with manuals and discs.

Stuart

immacolate. no manual no disks. actually we agreed for 130 euro, 160 USD. shipping is only 10 bucks.

Ben

My cc is doing the same thing, screen was intermittingly blanking now its black (if I turn brightness all up I see a little of tthe screen) Is this repairable? CRT or video board related? I will open up and see if there are any cold solder joints, where is the best place to look? thanks

Looking for cold solder connections is a good place to start. Where? The entire board, but you could start with the larger connections such as the flyback and ground tabs as these are sometimes not given enough heat in the factory and so fail.