Pioneer DVD Recorder/VCR Combo Issues

[Ed in Tx]

The purpose of that is AC line noise filtering either coming in or going out from the SMPS. It is simply in series with the AC coming in. That's not going to be the problem. Most likely one or more electrolytic capacitors on the secondary output side of the PS.

[vortalexfan]

Originally Posted by Ed in Tx

The purpose of that is AC line noise filtering either coming in or going out from the SMPS. It is simply in series with the AC coming in. That's not going to be the problem. Most likely one or more electrolytic capacitors on the secondary output side of the PS.

OK, That's what I was thinking originally as well, but there don't seem to be any capacitors that appear to be bulging or anything that I can see of, but then again I guess an electrolytic doesn't always have to fail by venting...

How can I test if an electrolytic has failed or not? I'm asking because my ESR tester isn't working anymore for some reason (it reads "no or unknown part" everytime I attach an electrolytic capacitor to it, even known good ones).

Any particular values of capacitors that I should look out for that are known to be trouble prone in these things?

[Ed in Tx]

Yep they don't always look bad, which is why you need an ESR meter to test them in-circuit. Makes troubleshooting bad caps quick and easy.

[vortalexfan]

Originally Posted by Ed in Tx

Yep they don't always look bad, which is why you need an ESR meter to test them in-circuit. Makes troubleshooting bad caps quick and easy.

Well I do have an ESR meter but like I said its malfunctioning for some reason. It refuses to recognize that a capacitor is attached and thus won't perform an ESR test.

[vortalexfan]

I got my ESR Meter Fixed, apparently I was hooking up my test leads wrong.

Anyways, I got the power supply fixed so that the Combo unit will power up now, but for some reason its only partially working as the unit powers up through the self diagnostics phase and then shows the dim clock display like its supposed to, but then the unit powers on and proceeds to show the brightened clock and channel readout and then shows both the VCR and DVD mode lights lit up and then goes into DVD Mode where its then "Frozen" in that mode with unresponsive front panel buttons, including the power button.

Do you know what that's all about?

There is a black ribbon cable that went from the power supply board to the main board on the VCR part that when I first opened up this unit it was disconnected and I reconnected it but I'm not sure if I reconnected it correctly or not (there is one wired on the ribbon cable that's white colored which i'm assuming is "Pin 1" and I installed it with the white wire connected so that it was on the left side of the cable plugin but maybe it was supposd to be facing the right side?

thanks for your help.