Topic: C1 BOOTUP - Blank screen, three pops and a boop

I could not find any description of diagnostic sounds for the Chumby  anywhere.
Could someone please tell me what these sounds mean?
Thanks in advance! smile

Re: C1 BOOTUP - Blank screen, three pops and a boop

I've been scouring the 1.0.x source tarballs, and still haven't found anything.  Anybody got any pointers?

Re: C1 BOOTUP - Blank screen, three pops and a boop

The three pops and a boop is just the startup animation.  The three pops are the chumby "swimming", then the chumby name pops up with the chumby waving one tentacle and winking for the boop.

Linux Guy - Occasional Chumby Hacker

Re: C1 BOOTUP - Blank screen, three pops and a boop

I just plugged in my CC that has easy access to serial and double checked the bootup sequence (so I wouldn't mis-state something).

First there's a blue screen with white bubbles.  This is the kernel booting after being loaded by the bootloader.

Then some of the white bubbles stay white, some are changed orange, and some green.  This is when the root filesystem has been mounted.

Then the animation plays shortly thereafter while more things are starting up.

This means your device is executing code and is trying to start up, most likely the screen is toast, or somehow became disconnected or something (a drop?).

Linux Guy - Occasional Chumby Hacker

Re: C1 BOOTUP - Blank screen, three pops and a boop

On other possibility, which I've seen a couple of times, is that the screen brightness has been set to very low or off - the device is working fine, but you just can't see anything.

Re: C1 BOOTUP - Blank screen, three pops and a boop

Thank you both!! smile  This Chumby was an auction site purchase, and the power jack was broken off during shipping.  I sincerely hope the screen isn't toast, too.   I'm planning to re-image a new micro-SD card this weekend (after I receive an adapter) using the 1.0.7 firmware image.  If the behavior stays the same with the new SD card, then I'm afraid it definitely is the screen that's bad.  sad

Re: C1 BOOTUP - Blank screen, three pops and a boop

keith721 wrote:

Thank you both!! smile  This Chumby was an auction site purchase, and the power jack was broken off during shipping.  I sincerely hope the screen isn't toast, too.   I'm planning to re-image a new micro-SD card this weekend (after I receive an adapter) using the 1.0.7 firmware image.  If the behavior stays the same with the new SD card, then I'm afraid it definitely is the screen that's bad.  sad

try unplugging cleaning and reconnecting it's ribbon cable, http://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/Chumby+One+Teardown/1614

Cleaning up any loose bits and bytes.

Re: C1 BOOTUP - Blank screen, three pops and a boop

If it turns out to be a bad screen, let me know - I'll be setting up a new store for parts, and I can see if I can make some displays available.

Re: C1 BOOTUP - Blank screen, three pops and a boop

Of course, I'm really hoping it's not a bad screen.  It lights up just fine, but something's obviously not right.  I'll double-check and clean both the ribbon cable and connector and hope for the best!

Re: C1 BOOTUP - Blank screen, three pops and a boop

keith721 wrote:

If the behavior stays the same with the new SD card, then I'm afraid it definitely is the screen that's bad.  sad

Although, since you say that the screen lights up, this would tend to suggest that the screen is working, but some part of the circuitry that sends information to it is not. If the problem is that the firmware is not sending any information out to the screen, then a new SD card may well be the solution, but if a new SD card does not fix things, then this does not automatically point to the screen alone as the problem.

Re: C1 BOOTUP - Blank screen, three pops and a boop

If you are keen enough, you might want to hook up a serial connection (if you have a TTL->Serial converter available) when you have it open.  You might be able to see boot messages and see if there's anything out of the ordinary.  I have a C1 with serial hooked up that I can compare logs with if you need:

http://i.imgur.com/28yi7ALh.jpg

Linux Guy - Occasional Chumby Hacker

Re: C1 BOOTUP - Blank screen, three pops and a boop

keith721 wrote:

Of course, I'm really hoping it's not a bad screen.  It lights up just fine, but something's obviously not right.  I'll double-check and clean both the ribbon cable and connector and hope for the best!


When you say "It lights up fine" do you mean the backlight comes on or you can see an image on the screen for a moment?

Tar, feathers, congress. Some assembly required.

Re: C1 BOOTUP - Blank screen, three pops and a boop

If the backlight comes on, then goes off later in the boot sequence, that almost certainly means that the backlight level has been set low or off.

Re: C1 BOOTUP - Blank screen, three pops and a boop

Maybe you could SSH in and set the brightness to a high level. Check the WIKI for the file location- I dont remember.

15 (edited by keith721 2014-02-16 17:30:33)

Re: C1 BOOTUP - Blank screen, three pops and a boop

Clarification: The backlight comes on and stays lit.  It does not go dark.  It certainly did not appear to be the ribbon cable.  The contacts on it were bright and shiny (I burnished them anyway) and the connector is clean and clear (I blew it out anyway).  I still don't have a Micro-SD card adapter yet, so I can't comment on building and using a new image, yet.  SSH to the device MIGHT be possible, but I'll have to connect it with a Cat-5 cable to find out.  Nope, my old Kaweth and Pegasus USB network adapters were tossed several months ago. sad  I have TTL-to-Serial converters, but I'm fresh out of the itty-bitty pins that solder into the Chumby motherboard. sad

Re: C1 BOOTUP - Blank screen, three pops and a boop

keith721 wrote:

I have TTL-to-Serial converters, but I'm fresh out of the itty-bitty pins that solder into the Chumby motherboard. sad

If you have TTL-to-Serial converters, you must tinker... pins should be easy to "find" on something in your derelict pile, no?!? wink

Linux Guy - Occasional Chumby Hacker

Re: C1 BOOTUP - Blank screen, three pops and a boop

Yup, I'm a recovering hardware hacker who's been slowly trying to throw out a bunch of accumulated junk.  Of course, the only things I've thrown out are those I wind up needing several months later. sad  I'll have to see what I might be able to scrounge up when I get home, tonight.

Re: C1 BOOTUP - Blank screen, three pops and a boop

I wrote a 1.0.7 Falconwing image to a new MicroSD card this evening, and the C1 is making all the right sounds, going through the startup introduction, etc, but still no display.  When disassembling it to double-check the ribbon cable to the LCD, it became painfully clear why the display isn't working.  The signals on pins 53 and 54 are not connected, because there's a break in the ribbon cable across those two signal lines.  I doubt I can repair it, either.  I can solder through-hole and even repair traces on printed circuit boards, but something this small/fine is beyond my capabilities.   sad

Re: C1 BOOTUP - Blank screen, three pops and a boop

Looks like this is your best option now: http://forum.chumby.com/viewtopic.php?id=4283

Linux Guy - Occasional Chumby Hacker

Re: C1 BOOTUP - Blank screen, three pops and a boop

I'll see if I can find a replacement display.

Re: C1 BOOTUP - Blank screen, three pops and a boop

keith721 wrote:

The signals on pins 53 and 54 are not connected, because there's a break in the ribbon cable across those two signal lines.  I doubt I can repair it, either.  I can solder through-hole and even repair traces on printed circuit boards, but something this small/fine is beyond my capabilities.   sad

those kinda things *can* be repaired, but it takes a very light hand with a soldering iron, I've done it in the past on ribbon cables. sometimes, just a drop of solder on the cable is enough to bridge it.

I wonder if some tape on the back and another layer of conductive ink would do it... you can get conductive ink these days in pens, I've seen people drawing circuits with it.

Cleaning up any loose bits and bytes.

Re: C1 BOOTUP - Blank screen, three pops and a boop

He's dead, Jim.

Materdaddy wrote:

Looks like this is your best option now: http://forum.chumby.com/viewtopic.php?id=4283

Thanks, I've seen that composite video is available.  I don't think I want to go that far.

Duane wrote:

I'll see if I can find a replacement display.

Duane, thanks, but don't bother.  Since the power jack on this C1 tore some of the solder pads off the PCB, it's barely rigged for power right now, anyway.  With the LCD ribbon broken, I'm afraid I'll have to consign this one to the parts bin (possibly for somebody in this thread, if anyone wants it.)

diamaunt wrote:

those kinda things *can* be repaired, but it takes a very light hand with a soldering iron, I've done it in the past on ribbon cables. sometimes, just a drop of solder on the cable is enough to bridge it.

I wonder if some tape on the back and another layer of conductive ink would do it... you can get conductive ink these days in pens, I've seen people drawing circuits with it.

I know there are *some* people in this world with the skill to do it, but I'm definitely not one of them. sad

Re: C1 BOOTUP - Blank screen, three pops and a boop

keith721 wrote:

He's dead, Jim.
I know there are *some* people in this world with the skill to do it, but I'm definitely not one of them. sad

don't give up yet!!! http://www.thinkgeek.com/product/1634/

Cleaning up any loose bits and bytes.

Re: C1 BOOTUP - Blank screen, three pops and a boop

keith721 wrote:

[Duane, thanks, but don't bother.  Since the power jack on this C1 tore some of the solder pads off the PCB, it's barely rigged for power right now, anyway.  With the LCD ribbon broken, I'm afraid I'll have to consign this one to the parts bin (possibly for somebody in this thread, if anyone wants it.)

Well, perhaps I can find a display *and* a motherboard smile

I have some C1 units from QA that are missing parts of their cases, typically the bottom and back, and maybe missing the network dongle, but are probably working units otherwise.  I was planning on parting them out for the Chumby Store, but let me see if I can find something you can use to Frankenstein yours to working condition.

Re: C1 BOOTUP - Blank screen, three pops and a boop

Duane wrote:
keith721 wrote:

[Duane, thanks, but don't bother.  Since the power jack on this C1 tore some of the solder pads off the PCB, it's barely rigged for power right now, anyway.  With the LCD ribbon broken, I'm afraid I'll have to consign this one to the parts bin (possibly for somebody in this thread, if anyone wants it.)

Well, perhaps I can find a display *and* a motherboard smile

I have some C1 units from QA that are missing parts of their cases, typically the bottom and back, and maybe missing the network dongle, but are probably working units otherwise.  I was planning on parting them out for the Chumby Store, but let me see if I can find something you can use to Frankenstein yours to working condition.

If you do that, I'll be pleased to offer a monetary donation to Blue Octy, for whatever amounts you would have listed these parts.