Fixing a wireless controller reciever, ran into something I have not seen before

Started by ken_cinder, December 07, 2008, 11:02:45 AM

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ken_cinder

So I tear this receiver apart, give everything the once over and figure out there is a shorted ceramic cap on the board. This thing is getting power, and even polling for the controller but Windows isn't even aware it's plugged in.
Looking over the board I realize the RF unit is getting power (The controller will sync) but the the largest chip on the main PCB (Stacked PCBs in this tiny little thing, it's quite a cool little device crammed in a space no larger than a matchbox) isn't getting any power.........and the traces lead back to this damn Cap.

I unsolder the cap, test it again to make sure it wasn't just being in circuit that was fooling my meter. Nope, dead. I read it to see what cap I need to pull out of my bin......."6.0M" WTF is that?

Anyone? Isn't M the old μ? Is this thing 6 micro-farad or 6 milli-farad? What the hell gives?

ken_cinder

I tried a 7μf cap, and nothing changed......though the cap charged. I think the chip is screwed, and I can't get at or directly around it thanks to nice black epoxy over it.

I paid a few bucks for this thing awhile ago, screw it.........in the garbage she goes.

phreak97

you probably dont even need a cap there, it's probably just there to nicen up the power..

ken_cinder

I gave up on this thing, though I tried wiring it up directly to a USB connector. I assumed the encoding to USB was done on the controller itself and then transfered over wireless.

It appears not, the signals are sent to the receiver and then encoded for some weird reason, which explains the 3rd IC on the receiver. Less parts would be required encoding on the pad itself and then sending, but it's obvious by the build quality of this POS that it wasn't designed by someone with much thought.
I saved all the parts though, for future use in.....who knows what.