Anyone ever fix a bad motherboard?

I have an Enterprise security DVR with a bad motherboard and can't find
one anywhere. I dropped it off at a local Mom and Pop computer shop who
had it for 6 months but couldn't find a replacement. I was thinking of
trying to find the bad component. Has anyone ever been successful at
doing this?
Thanks.
Al

Al Drake wrote:
I have an Enterprise security DVR with a bad motherboard and can't find
one anywhere. I dropped it off at a local Mom and Pop computer shop who
had it for 6 months but couldn't find a replacement. I was thinking of
trying to find the bad component. Has anyone ever been successful at
doing this?
Thanks.
Al

Yes.

But in a lab with every possible piece of equipment.

I've repaired circuits with a schematic in my hand.

And on one occasion, fixed a complex circuit with no schematic.

One with 50 logic chips on it. Because I had a good idea
of what the circuit was doing. So I could make it up
as I went along. I traced the problem to a single PAL,
phoned the manufacturer in California, they said "how
did you figure that out, and yes, we have a field
recall for that chip". They sent me a file to use to
flash the chip, and the board worked after that. I
didn't even think of phoning them first, for some
reason. I guess I got caught up in debugging it.
Usually, it's a matter of trying to observe the
thing well enough, to report a problem, and you
just keep going until you find the root cause
yourself.

And am I good at it. No. I worked with a guy
in our small volume production shop, and he
was twice as fast as me at finding trouble,
and on a circuit I designed myself! So there
are people who are *very* gifted at this stuff,
to the point of being freaky. That guy was
non-verbal, and a long conversation was
"Good Morning". All his brain power went into
his work. He was a hoot to work with, and
the other people in the shop looked to him
for inspiration on tough problems. If you
asked him to verbalize how he concluded
the problem was at a certain exact point,
he would say (without point of a lie)
"I just know". So he doesn't use my
"hypothesis and proof" methods. It would
be impossible to get him to train someone
else, like a "cloning operation". Wouldn't
happen. And it's not because he's mean spirited
and is withholding information to protect his
job. He's just physically incapable of
explaining what he's doing, to others.

That's who you want working on your DVR. Kreskin.

Paul

On 6/3/2015 2:33 PM, Paul wrote:
Al Drake wrote:
I have an Enterprise security DVR with a bad motherboard and can't
find one anywhere. I dropped it off at a local Mom and Pop computer
shop who had it for 6 months but couldn't find a replacement. I was
thinking of trying to find the bad component. Has anyone ever been
successful at doing this?
Thanks.
Al

Yes.

But in a lab with every possible piece of equipment.

I've repaired circuits with a schematic in my hand.

And on one occasion, fixed a complex circuit with no schematic.

One with 50 logic chips on it. Because I had a good idea
of what the circuit was doing. So I could make it up
as I went along. I traced the problem to a single PAL,
phoned the manufacturer in California, they said "how
did you figure that out, and yes, we have a field
recall for that chip". They sent me a file to use to
flash the chip, and the board worked after that. I
didn't even think of phoning them first, for some
reason. I guess I got caught up in debugging it.
Usually, it's a matter of trying to observe the
thing well enough, to report a problem, and you
just keep going until you find the root cause
yourself.

And am I good at it. No. I worked with a guy
in our small volume production shop, and he
was twice as fast as me at finding trouble,
and on a circuit I designed myself! So there
are people who are *very* gifted at this stuff,
to the point of being freaky. That guy was
non-verbal, and a long conversation was
"Good Morning". All his brain power went into
his work. He was a hoot to work with, and
the other people in the shop looked to him
for inspiration on tough problems. If you
asked him to verbalize how he concluded
the problem was at a certain exact point,
he would say (without point of a lie)
"I just know". So he doesn't use my
"hypothesis and proof" methods. It would
be impossible to get him to train someone
else, like a "cloning operation". Wouldn't
happen. And it's not because he's mean spirited
and is withholding information to protect his
job. He's just physically incapable of
explaining what he's doing, to others.

That's who you want working on your DVR. Kreskin.

Paul

He sounds like The Electron Whisperer. A motherboard savant. Give me
his number. I'll give him a call and tell him you spoke highly of him.



My way of thinking is there must be certain failures in motherboards
that don't happen in many other circuits. A finger print. Other than
components failing due to normal wear and tear there must be a series of
events in the functioning of a board that would tell you where to start
looking. I never went far enough as a child HAM radio operator and
builder to get me off in that direction.

My guess is you did and started at a young age. Something I admire.

This DVR was on 24/7 for well over a year until one day after a power
failure it never came back. I had it on a UPS with serge protection but
I wasn't home to fire it down. The unit ran in the neighborhood of $700
so it is/was a bitter pill to swallow.

I wonder if there's any way to adapt another board.

Sounds good Paul, what company is this if any ???

Bye,
Skyboard =D

On Wed, 03 Jun 2015 03:32:15 -0400, Al Drake
wrote:

I have an Enterprise security DVR with a bad motherboard and can't find
one anywhere. I dropped it off at a local Mom and Pop computer shop who
had it for 6 months but couldn't find a replacement. I was thinking of
trying to find the bad component. Has anyone ever been successful at
doing this?
Thanks.
Al

It's huge -- security. Nothing escapes CMOS recordings today. M&P
computer shop is the last place it needs be. A specialist security
outfit is where it needs to be to track down the model/serial number
production, and its assembly, to the security control box. Possibly
three or four modules: control front panel module, mainboard input
feed routing/storage facilities, and a power supply.

Bad thing, as with specialists, is nothing is cheap. That $25
replacement board may be marked up to $250. Depending. It's and
expert or specialist in the security field, whose advice is needed.

Good thing, being huge, is quite a few options would exist for
designing/building your own -- within acceptable parameters and not as
complex as the midnight "pit operator" overseeing a Las Vegas gaming
floor, when the pros come in late and are at work. (Was offered a job
in Las Vegas security and also worked a number of years with a former
"pit boss" who had covered all-night gambling operations, casinos from
New Jersey, Nevada, to offshore "Islands.")

Also seen some pretty inexpensive gear in security off the Pacific Rim
distribution channels. Tempted a couple times to set up a software
based monitoring system through a PC. Definitely don't need the added
cable routing, nor, really, so much the security -- just sort of
appealing in an offhand way. (Right. I've got to load up some boxes
with old computer gear and drop it off at the Salvation Army.) Should
be able to find, ideally/basically, gear that will work within
standards suited a PC-based security system -- meaning potentially
quite inexpensive to build.

Only, wouldn't be necessarily as fancy of course as security systems
in settop/rack factors that sell from and feature a heavy-duty
capacity for law enforcement, court- and criminal-type activities.

On 6/4/2015 2:31 AM, Flasherly wrote:
On Wed, 03 Jun 2015 03:32:15 -0400, Al Drake
wrote:

I have an Enterprise security DVR with a bad motherboard and can't find
one anywhere. I dropped it off at a local Mom and Pop computer shop who
had it for 6 months but couldn't find a replacement. I was thinking of
trying to find the bad component. Has anyone ever been successful at
doing this?
Thanks.
Al

It's huge -- security. Nothing escapes CMOS recordings today. M&P
computer shop is the last place it needs be. A specialist security
outfit is where it needs to be to track down the model/serial number
production, and its assembly, to the security control box. Possibly
three or four modules: control front panel module, mainboard input
feed routing/storage facilities, and a power supply.

Bad thing, as with specialists, is nothing is cheap. That $25
replacement board may be marked up to $250. Depending. It's and
expert or specialist in the security field, whose advice is needed.

Good thing, being huge, is quite a few options would exist for
designing/building your own -- within acceptable parameters and not as
complex as the midnight "pit operator" overseeing a Las Vegas gaming
floor, when the pros come in late and are at work. (Was offered a job
in Las Vegas security and also worked a number of years with a former
"pit boss" who had covered all-night gambling operations, casinos from
New Jersey, Nevada, to offshore "Islands.")

Also seen some pretty inexpensive gear in security off the Pacific Rim
distribution channels. Tempted a couple times to set up a software
based monitoring system through a PC. Definitely don't need the added
cable routing, nor, really, so much the security -- just sort of
appealing in an offhand way. (Right. I've got to load up some boxes
with old computer gear and drop it off at the Salvation Army.) Should
be able to find, ideally/basically, gear that will work within
standards suited a PC-based security system -- meaning potentially
quite inexpensive to build.

Only, wouldn't be necessarily as fancy of course as security systems
in settop/rack factors that sell from and feature a heavy-duty
capacity for law enforcement, court- and criminal-type activities.


I had searched for many months on and off. I spoke to a heavy
professional who was doing business with the likes of the casinos. He
said the big rollers and many little rollers spend thousands on security
DVR and their maintenance. The problem is they are on 24/7 for many
years and sooner of later they all break down. I had been using a PC
that I added a DVR card to and later updated to a newer bigger one but
the company went out of business. When I switched over to Win7 there
were no drivers. I had replaced a motherboard in one computer which went
well but in the end I had no drivers as the original setup and
configuration had been done over the phone by the owner. That's why I
switched to the dedicated device.

A specialist shop would have been overkill for my needs. I'm not all
that concerned about my hood. One can leave the car parked in the
driveway running all night and it will still be there. You don't even
have to lock your door at night. The biggest crime is the ice cream man
getting $5.00 for a fudge cycle or a bear who robs your bird feeder.

I still have a dozen cameras so I might figure out a way to use then.

On Thu, 04 Jun 2015 03:23:45 -0400, Al Drake
wrote:

On 6/4/2015 2:31 AM, Flasherly wrote:
On Wed, 03 Jun 2015 03:32:15 -0400, Al Drake
wrote:

I have an Enterprise security DVR with a bad motherboard and can't find
one anywhere. I dropped it off at a local Mom and Pop computer shop who
had it for 6 months but couldn't find a replacement. I was thinking of
trying to find the bad component. Has anyone ever been successful at
doing this?
Thanks.
Al

It's huge -- security. Nothing escapes CMOS recordings today. M&P
computer shop is the last place it needs be. A specialist security
outfit is where it needs to be to track down the model/serial number
production, and its assembly, to the security control box. Possibly
three or four modules: control front panel module, mainboard input
feed routing/storage facilities, and a power supply.

Bad thing, as with specialists, is nothing is cheap. That $25
replacement board may be marked up to $250. Depending. It's and
expert or specialist in the security field, whose advice is needed.

Good thing, being huge, is quite a few options would exist for
designing/building your own -- within acceptable parameters and not as
complex as the midnight "pit operator" overseeing a Las Vegas gaming
floor, when the pros come in late and are at work. (Was offered a job
in Las Vegas security and also worked a number of years with a former
"pit boss" who had covered all-night gambling operations, casinos from
New Jersey, Nevada, to offshore "Islands.")

Also seen some pretty inexpensive gear in security off the Pacific Rim
distribution channels. Tempted a couple times to set up a software
based monitoring system through a PC. Definitely don't need the added
cable routing, nor, really, so much the security -- just sort of
appealing in an offhand way. (Right. I've got to load up some boxes
with old computer gear and drop it off at the Salvation Army.) Should
be able to find, ideally/basically, gear that will work within
standards suited a PC-based security system -- meaning potentially
quite inexpensive to build.

Only, wouldn't be necessarily as fancy of course as security systems
in settop/rack factors that sell from and feature a heavy-duty
capacity for law enforcement, court- and criminal-type activities.


I had searched for many months on and off. I spoke to a heavy
professional who was doing business with the likes of the casinos. He
said the big rollers and many little rollers spend thousands on security
DVR and their maintenance. The problem is they are on 24/7 for many
years and sooner of later they all break down. I had been using a PC
that I added a DVR card to and later updated to a newer bigger one but
the company went out of business. When I switched over to Win7 there
were no drivers. I had replaced a motherboard in one computer which went
well but in the end I had no drivers as the original setup and
configuration had been done over the phone by the owner. That's why I
switched to the dedicated device.

A specialist shop would have been overkill for my needs. I'm not all
that concerned about my hood. One can leave the car parked in the
driveway running all night and it will still be there. You don't even
have to lock your door at night. The biggest crime is the ice cream man
getting $5.00 for a fudge cycle or a bear who robs your bird feeder.

I still have a dozen cameras so I might figure out a way to use then.

There are "many"* inexpensive DVR units that will take up to 8 camera
inputs. One of those might be a suitable replacement. My DVR is a Swan
labeled unit, and I've had lots of problems with the DVR (4
replacements in the first year under warranty). Now that warranty is
up, the next failure results in a purchase of one of those "other"
units.

* for all I know they might all be made by the same Chinese outfit.

On Thu, 04 Jun 2015 03:23:45 -0400, Al Drake
wrote:

I had searched for many months on and off. I spoke to a heavy
professional who was doing business with the likes of the casinos. He
said the big rollers and many little rollers spend thousands on security
DVR and their maintenance. The problem is they are on 24/7 for many
years and sooner of later they all break down. I had been using a PC
that I added a DVR card to and later updated to a newer bigger one but
the company went out of business. When I switched over to Win7 there
were no drivers. I had replaced a motherboard in one computer which went
well but in the end I had no drivers as the original setup and
configuration had been done over the phone by the owner. That's why I
switched to the dedicated device.

30% of machines supposedly are still XP. Meanwhile, for something
like that, doing security in continued working order and dedicated to
that one function, it could be a VISTA or 98 built to rot, for all it
functionally provides, regardless what MickeySoft is up to with
certified drivers and Win7 64bit.

Good thing there's still at least a few new MBs, a few weeks ago, last
I was looking at NewEgg among manufacturers still providing XP
drivers.

That's no good, a setup over the phone that can't now be duplicated.

A specialist shop would have been overkill for my needs. I'm not all
that concerned about my hood. One can leave the car parked in the
driveway running all night and it will still be there. You don't even
have to lock your door at night. The biggest crime is the ice cream man
getting $5.00 for a fudge cycle or a bear who robs your bird feeder.

I still have a dozen cameras so I might figure out a way to use then.


I was thinking it, for a personal perspective, might take being on the
horn possibly all afternoon, calling specialists nationally from
security search engine results over a computer telephone service.
Sooner or later one will squawk, be interested in a conversation and
know the gear you have for recommending a replacement source, possibly
having viable pricings for a rebuild and such.

OTOH, if building one into a PC I'd check DealExtreme, located out of
Singapore, Ebay is another, for various CMOS camera sensors, then
begin working on angles for integrating a capture device. Amazon
offhand would cater more to the integral system, although as it's a
huge market with many brand products providing satisfied results,
checking over the results might reveal further directions and issues.
Perhaps another dedicated unit with a better track record.

Me, too. Safe area. Nothing much happens. Last summer, believe it
was, I walked out late night upon a woman walking with a stroller. She
had stopped in front of my house, then happening to bend over to
adjust the stroller, whereupon the shorts she was wearing dropped to
around her ankles. I said 'hello" nonchalantly, after she had pulled
them up to turn and look back at me, standing there, somewhat behind
her, evidently having noticed that she was weaning only one pair of
pants. Unless I'm mistaken, night cameras require spectral emitters
(built around the CMOS receptors) and carry limited depth to their
field of view.

On 6/4/2015 11:03 AM, Charlie Hoffpauir wrote:
On Thu, 04 Jun 2015 03:23:45 -0400, Al Drake
wrote:

On 6/4/2015 2:31 AM, Flasherly wrote:
On Wed, 03 Jun 2015 03:32:15 -0400, Al Drake
wrote:

I have an Enterprise security DVR with a bad motherboard and can't find
one anywhere. I dropped it off at a local Mom and Pop computer shop who
had it for 6 months but couldn't find a replacement. I was thinking of
trying to find the bad component. Has anyone ever been successful at
doing this?
Thanks.
Al

It's huge -- security. Nothing escapes CMOS recordings today. M&P
computer shop is the last place it needs be. A specialist security
outfit is where it needs to be to track down the model/serial number
production, and its assembly, to the security control box. Possibly
three or four modules: control front panel module, mainboard input
feed routing/storage facilities, and a power supply.

Bad thing, as with specialists, is nothing is cheap. That $25
replacement board may be marked up to $250. Depending. It's and
expert or specialist in the security field, whose advice is needed.

Good thing, being huge, is quite a few options would exist for
designing/building your own -- within acceptable parameters and not as
complex as the midnight "pit operator" overseeing a Las Vegas gaming
floor, when the pros come in late and are at work. (Was offered a job
in Las Vegas security and also worked a number of years with a former
"pit boss" who had covered all-night gambling operations, casinos from
New Jersey, Nevada, to offshore "Islands.")

Also seen some pretty inexpensive gear in security off the Pacific Rim
distribution channels. Tempted a couple times to set up a software
based monitoring system through a PC. Definitely don't need the added
cable routing, nor, really, so much the security -- just sort of
appealing in an offhand way. (Right. I've got to load up some boxes
with old computer gear and drop it off at the Salvation Army.) Should
be able to find, ideally/basically, gear that will work within
standards suited a PC-based security system -- meaning potentially
quite inexpensive to build.

Only, wouldn't be necessarily as fancy of course as security systems
in settop/rack factors that sell from and feature a heavy-duty
capacity for law enforcement, court- and criminal-type activities.


I had searched for many months on and off. I spoke to a heavy
professional who was doing business with the likes of the casinos. He
said the big rollers and many little rollers spend thousands on security
DVR and their maintenance. The problem is they are on 24/7 for many
years and sooner of later they all break down. I had been using a PC
that I added a DVR card to and later updated to a newer bigger one but
the company went out of business. When I switched over to Win7 there
were no drivers. I had replaced a motherboard in one computer which went
well but in the end I had no drivers as the original setup and
configuration had been done over the phone by the owner. That's why I
switched to the dedicated device.

A specialist shop would have been overkill for my needs. I'm not all
that concerned about my hood. One can leave the car parked in the
driveway running all night and it will still be there. You don't even
have to lock your door at night. The biggest crime is the ice cream man
getting $5.00 for a fudge cycle or a bear who robs your bird feeder.

I still have a dozen cameras so I might figure out a way to use then.

There are "many"* inexpensive DVR units that will take up to 8 camera
inputs. One of those might be a suitable replacement. My DVR is a Swan
labeled unit, and I've had lots of problems with the DVR (4
replacements in the first year under warranty). Now that warranty is
up, the next failure results in a purchase of one of those "other"
units.

* for all I know they might all be made by the same Chinese outfit.

I guess that's my plan 'B'. At the time of my decision to purchase the
one I did was due to the recommendations of a regular poster to a CCTV
forum giving reasons why not to go to Sam's Club or Cosco's. In the end
your experience would have been preferable than mine.

In the end everything we buy is made by the same people. The ones that
have our jobs and now we owe them.

On 6/4/2015 11:24 AM, Flasherly wrote:
On Thu, 04 Jun 2015 03:23:45 -0400, Al Drake
wrote:

I had searched for many months on and off. I spoke to a heavy
professional who was doing business with the likes of the casinos. He
said the big rollers and many little rollers spend thousands on security
DVR and their maintenance. The problem is they are on 24/7 for many
years and sooner of later they all break down. I had been using a PC
that I added a DVR card to and later updated to a newer bigger one but
the company went out of business. When I switched over to Win7 there
were no drivers. I had replaced a motherboard in one computer which went
well but in the end I had no drivers as the original setup and
configuration had been done over the phone by the owner. That's why I
switched to the dedicated device.

30% of machines supposedly are still XP. Meanwhile, for something
like that, doing security in continued working order and dedicated to
that one function, it could be a VISTA or 98 built to rot, for all it
functionally provides, regardless what MickeySoft is up to with
certified drivers and Win7 64bit.

The new systems I use at work still use Windows XP to run their
software. If we were to purchase one tomorrow that wouldn't have changed.
http://www.southwesternindustries.com/



Good thing there's still at least a few new MBs, a few weeks ago, last
I was looking at NewEgg among manufacturers still providing XP
drivers.

I think there will be many of those old boards around if not on E-Bay
alone. I haven't looked within the past dew years but before I retired
my older XP boxes I installed new boards and CPUs/RAM.

That's no good, a setup over the phone that can't now be duplicated.

I should have been able to do it myself and was in the process of
searching when this guy made me an offer I couldn't refuse. I probably
could get the job done if I tried but I would want a newer DVR card anyway.

A specialist shop would have been overkill for my needs. I'm not all
that concerned about my hood. One can leave the car parked in the
driveway running all night and it will still be there. You don't even
have to lock your door at night. The biggest crime is the ice cream man
getting $5.00 for a fudge cycle or a bear who robs your bird feeder.

I still have a dozen cameras so I might figure out a way to use then.


I was thinking it, for a personal perspective, might take being on the
horn possibly all afternoon, calling specialists nationally from
security search engine results over a computer telephone service.
Sooner or later one will squawk, be interested in a conversation and
know the gear you have for recommending a replacement source, possibly
having viable pricings for a rebuild and such.

That's exactly my problem. I am out of the house from 4 AM to 5 PM
every day and just don't seem to have the time to do more of what I
want. I have 3 ole ladies to support so I'll be in that salt mine for
some time to come.


OTOH, if building one into a PC I'd check DealExtreme, located out of
Singapore, Ebay is another, for various CMOS camera sensors, then
begin working on angles for integrating a capture device. Amazon
offhand would cater more to the integral system, although as it's a
huge market with many brand products providing satisfied results,
checking over the results might reveal further directions and issues.
Perhaps another dedicated unit with a better track record.

It's even easier than that. Just stick a card ina slot and you're on
your way.

http://www.bigsecurity.com/geovision...FYaRHwodnWYAcA




Me, too. Safe area. Nothing much happens. Last summer, believe it
was, I walked out late night upon a woman walking with a stroller. She
had stopped in front of my house, then happening to bend over to
adjust the stroller, whereupon the shorts she was wearing dropped to
around her ankles. I said 'hello" nonchalantly, after she had pulled
them up to turn and look back at me, standing there, somewhat behind
her, evidently having noticed that she was weaning only one pair of
pants. Unless I'm mistaken, night cameras require spectral emitters
(built around the CMOS receptors) and carry limited depth to their
field of view.

Are you sure she didn't see you first and had her stash in that
stroller, maybe that's where she kept the rest of her wardrobe.

You might be surprised at what some of the night vision cameras can
do. I have one called a license plate camera and can see mice running
around being chased by a cat on a hill beyond my land. While most
cameras do have IR lighting I have lamps that illuminates the areas on
all sides.

http://www.directron.com/ltir200r.html?pgrab=1