Need Help Repairing my LYNX II

[evilevoix]

So today I picked up a Lynx II On the cheap. It worked fine but the speaker was loose and it was FILTHY. So I opened it, cleaned it, removed 10 pounds of dust and put it back together and nothing. I took it apart and put it back together 3 times and no dice. The ribbons are are attached fine and everything is plugged in.

 

 

Any advice?

[Turbo-Torch]

Not a whole lot to mess up as they're pretty straight forward when it comes to taking them apart.

Dumb question, but do you have a cartridge inserted?

[evilevoix]

Yup. I think I might have shorted something. I tested the Atari AC adapter on my old Lynx I and it works fine. Batters don't work either.

 

 

It worked, I take it apart, clean it, back together, not working.

[Turbo-Torch]

I just replaced all the capacitors in mine and it would be kind of hard to short anything out. When you pulled the flex cables, did you pop the clips up to unlock them? If not, you may have ruined the flex circuit.

Another very common issue is a bad transistor that controls the power; although, if it was working before you took it apart, that's not likely the problem.

[evilevoix]

I really don't know what I did. I placed the flex cables back perfectly. Maybe I shorted it somehow.

[7800fan]

There's a sticky on taking apart Lynx 2, check over it in case you overlooked something.

 

It's also possible the classic fried transistor is fouling up your Lynx. Short one of the transistor leg to ground to see if that works. If you get nothing on, not even LED, try this: http://www.retroisle.com/atari/lynx/Technical/Hardware/lynx_repair.php

 

If that doesn't work, you may have broken power jack. Those cheap plastic shell doesn't hold well and the middle pin often breaks off, It's possible the middle pin is shorting to the other metal contact, which would prevent you from using batteries to power it on.

 

If all else fails, use fire!

[evilevoix]

Is there anyone I can mail it to for repairs? It worked fine and I killed it somehow. It's driving me nuts!!!

[StijnDW]

If you did not do anything special except removing the dust i would recheck the ribbon cables.
If it might help here's a layout of the connections I found on the internet.

 

 

The power-on button is between the violet and dark-green traces.

 

Also visually check the traces on the ribbon cable for any damage.

 

[evilevoix]

Will do. I'll report later but I was hoping to mail it to someone to repair and possibly upgrade.

[evilevoix]

Can't figure it out. It worked now it doesn't.

[leonk]

this is a common problem I documented in another thread here. So here's the problem: your buttons ribbon cable is not making full contact. You can fix it with either brand new membrane, jump the mosfet (system turns on when power applied) or you can massage it to work.

 

Try this: when you put system back together make sure button ribbon is pushed all the way in before snapping holder closed. Then, make sure the ribbon is as verticle as possible going into connector. This means push it down and in when looking from behind into console.

[evilevoix]

this is a common problem I documented in another thread here. So here's the problem: your buttons ribbon cable is not making full contact. You can fix it with either brand new membrane, jump the mosfet (system turns on when power applied) or you can massage it to work.

Try this: when you put system back together make sure button ribbon is pushed all the way in before snapping holder closed. Then, make sure the ribbon is as verticle as possible going into connector. This means push it down and in when looking from behind into console.

You sir are BRILLIANT!!!!

 

 

 

TA-DA!!!!!

 

 

 

I had a feeling that it was that ribbon cable. It looked raty at the end so I made an executive decision and cut the tip off, peeled the plastic back, and shuved the remaining bit in the holder and it just turned right on. Everything works 100% except the backlight button which I guess I can live with. The sound didn't work at first but then just popped on. I hope it stays on.

Edited April 16, 2015 by evilevoix

[evilevoix]

Well I still have some issues, no power light, no up function, no back light. I'm thinking I may have to fiddle with the ribbon some more.

[7800fan]

Pin 1 for LED, 3 for Up, and 7 for backlight. (number should be on Lynx mainboard). Since it is all over, either you got messed up cable or the pins in the connector got bent out of place.

[evilevoix]

Can a hard wire it? Simple solder it to the board?

[GadgetUK]

The sound not working to start with will be cap needing replacement an audio output stage. Lots get damaged or destroyed by people plugging DC into the headphone socket.

[+karri]

I have seen Lynxes where the speaker itself gets fried when someone has plugged power to the headphone jack. Nothing else took damage - just the speaker. The headphones worked ok.

[evilevoix]

If I shake it the sound comes back with on.

[GadgetUK]

Sounds like the speaker then as Karri says! Shaking is probably allowing coil to reconnect. Does sound go off if you have volume up loud?

[evilevoix]

Well I can get it to work when it is apart but the no power light, no up function, no back light problems persist. When I put i bac together the ribon simply yanks out so for all intents and purposes it is a broken machine. Anyone care to repair it or have the extra ribbon I need?

 

 

Regards