Possible Cause of Dead Neuros - Solved.

[g4cru]

Hi
Like I guess most original owners of the Neuros MP3 Player, somehow you can't just let go. I have had mine from the start and still think the audio is better than my iPhone and iPad. So, imagine my upset when it died...

Fortunately (originally) I was an Electronics engineer by profession (So PLEASE if anyone has or is willing to legally release the schematics, or signal definitions per i/o pin send em my way?) so it never bothers me taking electronics apart.

I had previously changed out the battery, have one left and sorry folks I won't' part with it (well perhaps for a new iPad 3 LOL). This time it was just dead. Put the base unit on charge without the brain... no LED flashes nothing.

So, to get to the point before I write a book! Take an eyeglass (5x magnification will do) and look very carefully for stress cracks in the power connection socket.
Mine had a barely identifiable hairline crack (due all that use over the years). I have not found a source of replacement sockets of the same configuration.... again if you find any.... please notify me. The solution that worked for me was VERY risky but then it was not working was it? After some probing with various bits of test gear I knew for certain that the socket was not switching through the charge supply as it should. So, the crack was the cause. I therefore took a brand new pointed scalpel blade and forced the crack wider still... in real terms <.5MM and smeared a solid setting glue over the cracked surface and SLIGHTLY! into the crack. I then clamped the socket tightly closed along the crack line until set.

RESULT! plug in the charger.... LED flashes it's appropriate cycle and following re-assembly and plugging in the brain.... Ahh it's like music to my ears (sorry for the bad joke)!

So watch out for that one as if you have no other bases then you can be forgiven that the brain is dead as well as the base unit.

Hope this helps someone.

Miles

[ChadV]

Hooray repairs!

Glad you got it to work, and a great help for other people.

As for schematics, there are some that were released publicly near EOL, but I'm not sure where they're at or how detailed they are...