S3 PS failed - replacement options

2991 Views 18 Replies 10 Participants Last post by unitron, Dec 5, 2011

schampio

Discussion Starter · Apr 19, 2011

My 5 year old S3 OLED seems to have given up the ghost with an initially marginal PS that's getting a little closer to 100% fail (crashes, hung in LED startup test and now dim version of powering up screen). I popped over to Weaknees to order another one and fell out of my chair when I saw the $99 charge. Since we're circling the drain on impending foreclosure I can't really make that till I can get a job again but would like some tivo goodness to help with the kids' sanity as we roll through this rough patch.

Anyone know of some cheaper alternatives for an S3 PS? I tried to buy a dead S3 on ebay but it looks like that will jump over the $100 on the bidding war that ensued. Any refurbs/pull sites or "How to swap out your most probable of failure electrolytics" instrurctions floating about? It would really help.

1 - 19 of 19 Posts

dlfl

· #2 · Apr 19, 2011

badcaps.net

Look for the bulging electrolytics and be sure to buy premium (hi temp, low ESR) replacements.

Did the ebay S3 you looked at have lifetime? Surprised it was above $50.

mattack

· #3 · Apr 19, 2011

I'm interested in another solution too. My S3 died somehow while I was upgrading the hard drive.. fan powers on and the drive gets power (it spins).. no front lights, no video output.. That *seems* like something with the power supply.

TiVo Bob W

· #4 · Apr 26, 2011

I have a few of these power supplies left. They are new OEM parts. If you are interested please PM me.

Thanks, Bob

nooneuknow

· #5 · Apr 26, 2011

Just to be sure, are we all talking about the original Series 3, with the OLED display on the front, or the TiVo HD, which is just built on the Series 3 platform?

I have two professionally refurbished (it's what I do) TiVo HD power supplies on hand. PM me if that is what you need.

mattack

· #6 · Apr 27, 2011

I PMed both of you.

clearmoon247

· #7 · Sep 14, 2011

my tivo hd power supply blew on me today. Does anyone still have a power supply that will work with the tivo hd?

nooneuknow

· #8 · Sep 18, 2011

Due to loss of local supplies of new TiVo HDs to part-out, and that some TiVo power supply components can't be sourced, I have no power supplies to sell at this time (and the foreseeable future).

That leaves web stores that sell them for $99, or more, eBay (where it's often cheaper to buy a whole unit than a part of one), and local thrift/charity stores.

Repair is also an option, provided that the parts needed can be acquired, and you have the skills needed, or can find somebody who does. I'm not "in the business" of doing repairs at this time.

nooneuknow said:
Just to be sure, are we all talking about the original Series 3, with the OLED display on the front, or the TiVo HD, which is just built on the Series 3 platform?

I have two professionally refurbished (it's what I do) TiVo HD power supplies on hand. PM me if that is what you need.

DrSnoCaps

· #9 · Nov 30, 2011

I bet I'm two months too late but do you have one of the S3 Power Supplies left by chance? If not, can somebody give me part #'s for replacement caps?

schampio

Discussion Starter · #10 · Nov 30, 2011

Have you isolated which caps it is that are typically failing?

worachj

· #11 · Nov 30, 2011

DrSnoCaps said:
I bet I'm two months too late but do you have one of the S3 Power Supplies left by chance? If not, can somebody give me part #'s for replacement caps?

Here's a good place to start about replacing the Caps:
http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?p=8079658#post8079658

Teeps

· #12 · Nov 30, 2011

Are there proprietary voltage or terminations making a TiVo power supply different from an over the counter pc power supply?

DrSnoCaps

· #13 · Dec 1, 2011

schampio said:
Have you isolated which caps it is that are typically failing?

C701 & C602 - I ordered replacements from Mouser Electronics. I'll let you know how it goes.

unitron

· #14 · Dec 1, 2011

DrSnoCaps said:
C701 & C602 - I ordered replacements from Mouser Electronics. I'll let you know how it goes.

Did you try my guy in Raleigh?

unitron

· #15 · Dec 1, 2011

Teeps said:
Are there proprietary voltage or terminations making a TiVo power supply different from an over the counter pc power supply?

Unlike PC supplies, some of the TiVo models have a low amperage rail in the neighborhood of +28 to +32 Volts which I suspect is used for the tuning voltage for varactors (diodes that act like capacitors depending on how much they're reverse biased) in the tuner(s).

Otherwise they have +12, +5, and in some cases +3.3 Volt rails.

Unlike PC supplies they don't have a -5 or -12 Volt rail, they don't have a +5 standby, a power good, or an on-off trigger. If the power cord is plugged in, they're on.

They are not separately enclosed like a PC supply, and the dimensions of the single circuit board are different.

With the exception of the capacitor problem, they're decent quality, and the capacitor problem is by no means limited to TiVo power supplies.

The way to deal with a TiVo power supply problem is to either replace the entire supply with another TiVo power supply specific to that model (expensive, since they aren't commodity items like PC supplies), or get out your soldering iron and replace the capacitors which have gone bad (under $10 if you don't have to buy anything, like a soldering iron and solder, other than the capacitors).

My observations are based on experience with stand alone TiVos, satellite receiver models may differ for all I know.

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Teeps

· #16 · Dec 2, 2011

unitron said:
.

Thanks for the reply.

unitron

· #17 · Dec 2, 2011

Teeps said:
Thanks for the reply.

I see you quoted the most intelligent part of my reply.

DrSnoCaps

· #18 · Dec 5, 2011

unitron said:
Did you try my guy in Raleigh?

Caps came today and I installed them about an hour ago. Same problem so I took a closer look at the hard drive and it won't even spin up - when it's powered externally :/ Looks like I need a drive. Actually, I need an image, I have the drive. I tried the #tivo channel but so far no luck and I can't afford to take the risk of a torrent download

unitron

· #19 · Dec 5, 2011

DrSnoCaps said:
Caps came today and I installed them about an hour ago. Same problem so I took a closer look at the hard drive and it won't even spin up - when it's powered externally :/ Looks like I need a drive. Actually, I need an image, I have the drive. I tried the #tivo channel but so far no luck and I can't afford to take the risk of a torrent download

Well, if you needed the caps you needed them regardless of the state of the hard drive.

Have you tried posting your image request here

http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=388695

yet?

1 - 19 of 19 Posts

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