Any hope to save my GX4000 board?

[kamelie1706]

Hi,


I just give a shot to a GX4000 but no luck at this point.


Attached a picture of the board.


The symptoms:
- led turns on
- 11v as input but drops to 9V when I turn the console on.
- the RAM gets hot in few seconds after turned on (hot at a level to burn you if you keep the finger for a sec) .... followed by gate array raise of temperature (can burn you few sec after the RAM).
- no sound from the headphone jack
- nothing happen on the screen from the SCART with the Burnin Burner cardbridge.


I am thinking to replace the RAM and see if this fix the issue. Any recommendation for reliable RAM chips and socket for the chip?
I have SANYO LM33464G-12 92926B and seen alternatives such
TMS4464-12NL IHE 9022
KM41464AP-12 936 KOREA



Any other idea?
How to test if I have a dead Gate Array?


Thx

[Bryce]

Sorry to have to say this, but if the ASIC is getting hot enough to burn you, then it's dead forever. Changing the RAM won't bring the GX4000 back to life. I suspect it has been connected to an over-voltage or reversed voltage at some time.

Bryce.

[kamelie1706]

Kind of expected that .... 


Really dumb idea the way they have implemented this double power setup, it is not even labelled!


Well I will use it as spare and practice for soldering ... and have the original box and 2 joysticks in stock.


Continue my chase for another board/console/plus cpc ... even if I have to say I am not a big fan of this "non" reparable architecture!


Has anyone make a cardbridge working with a traditional cpc architecture?

[tjohnson]

It made more sense at the time because they supplied a power supply which couldn't be inserted into the wrong socket and people just used that, the 5v was designed for the cm 14 monitor.  It's only since that careless people have wrecked them and you can't blame the original manufacturer for that.

[kamelie1706]

I understood that even if you could not put it, the simple contact in the 5v with original 11v power supply could be enough.


Some kind of marking at least would have been good.


Actually I do not immediately recall any consumer device having 2 different voltage inputs as such ...

[tjohnson]

It's not possible to blow up the gx with the original power supply or not unless you are stupidly forceful.  It's a modern issue with people not knowing what they are doing and being careless.  I wrote on my one with a cd marker pen.