Izen Posted May 17, 2019 Share Posted May 17, 2019 (edited) Hi everyone, I purchased a dead Lynx II with the hope of reviving it. It had no power. I installed new components from Console5.com for the voltage refresh kit and replaced the MOSFET, Zener, Q7 and 8 and the power jack. I now have power. When I insert a game, it stays stuck at the title screen with no audio. Sometimes I can press A or B and get it off the title screen, but it goes to a black screen. I was wondering if anyone knows where I should check? I'm tempted to replace the capacitors to see if I'll get anything, but don't know if that will fix the issue and I'm not sure it's worth spending more money on. Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thank you! Edited May 17, 2019 by Izen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+karri Posted May 17, 2019 Share Posted May 17, 2019 I would start with fixing the power. Start with the caps. Just changing the largest caps will probably get it to work. Because getting a title screen means that CPU, RAM, Suzy works. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Izen Posted May 17, 2019 Author Share Posted May 17, 2019 I would start with fixing the power. Start with the caps. Just changing the largest caps will probably get it to work. Because getting a title screen means that CPU, RAM, Suzy works. That's good to hear. I was worried that it was one of the chips. Maybe it is worth the $5 investment to see if it will work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Izen Posted May 17, 2019 Author Share Posted May 17, 2019 Out of curiosity, how would this be a capacitor issue and not a chip issue? I'd be happy if replacing the caps would get me past the title screen, but just want to know for my own knowledge. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Izen Posted May 17, 2019 Author Share Posted May 17, 2019 So this is what it gets up to... Don't mind the messed up image. I want to replace the screen with a McWill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nop90 Posted May 17, 2019 Share Posted May 17, 2019 Don't mind the messed up image. Why do you think the the problems on the screen are related to the LCD. It doesn't seems to me a common behaviour of a fault LCD, so I suspect that what the image shows are wrong values in the ram, and the capacitors could be a possible reason for errors while writing/reading. If the same problem happens to the game code data, it's very likely that the Lynx hangs. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bdoi Posted May 17, 2019 Share Posted May 17, 2019 No it s clearly a bad lcd. Already have some lynx like that. Replace lcd and it will work:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Izen Posted May 17, 2019 Author Share Posted May 17, 2019 Why do you think the the problems on the screen are related to the LCD. It doesn't seems to me a common behaviour of a fault LCD, so I suspect that what the image shows are wrong values in the ram, and the capacitors could be a possible reason for errors while writing/reading. If the same problem happens to the game code data, it's very likely that the Lynx hangs. The game does work as I have tested on my working Lynx I. All games I put in this Lynx II behave the same. No it s clearly a bad lcd. Already have some lynx like that. Replace lcd and it will work:) So a good recap and a McWill or BennVenn should solve the issue of not getting past the title and no sound? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bdoi Posted May 17, 2019 Share Posted May 17, 2019 The game does work as I have tested on my working Lynx I. All games I put in this Lynx II behave the same. So a good recap and a McWill or BennVenn should solve the issue of not getting past the title and no sound? You can try the recapped and see if the lynx past the title. I spoke about the LCD issue that can be solved by a new LCD (mcwill, bennvenn or stock one) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Izen Posted May 17, 2019 Author Share Posted May 17, 2019 You can try the recapped and see if the lynx past the title. I spoke about the LCD issue that can be solved by a new LCD (mcwill, bennvenn or stock one) I will definitely want/need to replace the LCD, but the main issue is getting past the title screen and no sound. I would be happy if I can replace the LCD and that will get things going, but I want to make sure that this is something that is repairable (not a chip) before I spend money on a screen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Izen Posted May 23, 2019 Author Share Posted May 23, 2019 So I replaced all the capacitors and I still cannot get past the intro screen. I have heard from a few people who repair things by me and Brad from Best Electronics that it is possibly the RAM. Can anyone confirm? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+karri Posted May 23, 2019 Share Posted May 23, 2019 The RAM is extensively used during the decryption process. So I don't see it to be likely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Izen Posted May 23, 2019 Author Share Posted May 23, 2019 I know that I need a new screen, but my issue is with the system not getting past the title. Would that be a RAM issue? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+karri Posted May 23, 2019 Share Posted May 23, 2019 It could be RAM. Those chips are cheap so just change them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Izen Posted May 23, 2019 Author Share Posted May 23, 2019 Ok, do you know what the equivalent chips would be? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+karri Posted May 23, 2019 Share Posted May 23, 2019 D41464C-10 NEC DIP18 10NS NEW Z6 Lots of these on ebay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Izen Posted May 23, 2019 Author Share Posted May 23, 2019 Thanks! Just to make sure, that's a replacement for HY53C464LS-10? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+karri Posted May 24, 2019 Share Posted May 24, 2019 I bought a pack of 10 RAM chips for $6 that had the marking I wrote about. They worked perfectly on a Lynx I. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Izen Posted May 24, 2019 Author Share Posted May 24, 2019 Is the RAM the same in a Lynx I and Lynx II? I need for a Lynx II. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+karri Posted May 24, 2019 Share Posted May 24, 2019 From Console5 Wiki page: https://console5.com/wiki/Atari_Lynx#Lynx_II The chips are different that were used in Lynx I and Lynx II. Search for the Lynx II parts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Izen Posted May 24, 2019 Author Share Posted May 24, 2019 (edited) I bought a pack of 10 RAM chips for $6 that had the marking I wrote about. They worked perfectly on a Lynx I. Was your issue similar to my issue? From Console5 Wiki page: https://console5.com/wiki/Atari_Lynx#Lynx_II The chips are different that were used in Lynx I and Lynx II. Search for the Lynx II parts. Thanks! Edited May 24, 2019 by Izen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+karri Posted May 24, 2019 Share Posted May 24, 2019 My Lynx did not start at all. The 5V was short circuited to ground. I fed 5V at 1 A directly and saw the RAM chips get really hot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Izen Posted May 24, 2019 Author Share Posted May 24, 2019 Is there a way to check the RAM with a logic probe or voltmeter to see if they are the problem. I didn't feel either RAM chip get hot. I know they can still have issues, but if I can rule out that one or both are not working, that would be best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nop90 Posted May 24, 2019 Share Posted May 24, 2019 If you can go past the boot decryption and title screen, the RAM chips are definively not dead: every chip stores only half the bits of each memory location,so if one is dead the system won't start. But some memory locations can be defective for the age and not working properly (not charging or losing the charge). I had such problems with a couple of old laptops that some friends of mine asked me to repair. With a laptop testing the ram is easy, remove the banks one at a time and check if the system works fine, then replace the defective one. With a lynx the only option is to replace both and check. It's a relatively easy and cheap fix. If it doesn't work at least you don't lose much money. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Izen Posted May 24, 2019 Author Share Posted May 24, 2019 If you can go past the boot decryption and title screen, the RAM chips are definively not dead: every chip stores only half the bits of each memory location,so if one is dead the system won't start. But some memory locations can be defective for the age and not working properly (not charging or losing the charge). I had such problems with a couple of old laptops that some friends of mine asked me to repair. With a laptop testing the ram is easy, remove the banks one at a time and check if the system works fine, then replace the defective one. With a lynx the only option is to replace both and check. It's a relatively easy and cheap fix. If it doesn't work at least you don't lose much money. Thanks! I ordered a couple of 4464 chips from China today. I heard from Best Electronics that those are compatible. It came out to $9 US. I'll give it a shot. Thanks so much! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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