"427Cobraman" wrote in message
oups.com...
Thanks for the encouragement boost. I would normally shoot deeper, but
I lack the SMD solder/desolder tools I'd need, especially the micros on
there. I've done chip resistors and caps, etc. with a standard iron on
occasion, though. I did see that crystal there and will check it out
as well as the switch matrices. The remote is actually from the 845.
...the adventure continues...


There is a guy over here who has created " Beer's Maxim " ( his name is
Beer ). It basically states that " The more pins an IC has, the less likely
it is to be faulty ". Over the years, I've found this to be a pretty good
thing to keep in mind. On many occasions, I've condemned a micro, because
it's easy to do. With the best will in the world, none of us mere mortals,
no matter how experienced in the world of repairs, TRULY understands the
black magic, sorcery and esoteric shenanigans, that go on inside a
microcontroller IC, so when one doesn't work, we always condemn it. On the
occasions when I have actually replaced such an IC - and you can do it
perfectly successfully with ordinary workshop soldering equipment - it has
cured the problem on probably fewer than 20% of the occasions. Almost
always, unless there is a definite reason for the IC to be bad, such as
lightning damage, screwed internal software ( people trying to hack DVD
region protection etc ) or your 'scope probe having slipped ( !! ), the
problem turns out to be something simple, elsewhere. Often, an input to the
micro is wrong - even the /reset line. If you've got the time and
inclination, I would recommend checking all of the pins on the micro on the
working board, and noting the conditions on them, and then comparing to the
bad board.

Also, as you previously did work to this board, involving soldering, check
carefully, all over the board, with a strong magnifier, just in case a
whisker of solder has flown off the end of the iron, and lodged across
somewhere. Also check that there are no bent pins on any connectors, or
damaged foil fingers on the ends of any flexiprints going to the board. It's
amazing how often secondary faults, are caused by something you've done
yourself ...

Arfa