Another Display's NETPLEX link is down Issue

[markpurc]

So I got the dreaded "Display's NETPLEX link is down" seemingly randomly when I turned on the unit.  I've tried replacing the battery, reseating the power supply, checking connections including the MPU.  The only thing I can see that might possibly be wrong is that using the troubleshooting guide:

Check the 3 connections to the Bill Acceptor in an upright machine they are behind the Bill acceptor, near a light that gets very hot quickly so be careful

I looked behind the Bill Acceptor at the white button switch, I think it is called a cherry switch--it's hard to get a picture of it, that looks like the connections might have fallen off.

At the bottom of the machine was a part that also looks like it fell off, but I don't know where it goes, does anyone know where/what this thing is?

[a69mopar]

a bad power supply can cause the netplex down error. if you have another machine you can try some "swaptronics"


W

[Stayouttadabunker]

At the bottom of the machine was a part that also looks like it fell off, but I don't know where it goes, does anyone know where/what this thing is?

That black plastic thing in your fingers is I believe a lamp socket for backlit reels....but missing the bulb.

[markpurc]

Yes, I was hoping to not have to get a new MPU!  Ugh

Does anyone know if that cherry switch behind the Bill Acceptor needs to have connections on it? Maybe that's what's wrong.  I could not find any information on this in the forums.

[sixcardmark]

That cherry switch has probably been bypassed. You would get a stacker error if not. It has nothing to do with a netplex error.  Try temporarily unplugging the BV and the printer (both are netplex devices) and see if you get past that error.  If not, I would swap power supplies next.

[markpurc]

Great!  Thanks for the help!  I'll let you know how it goes

[Retro tech repair]

What mpu do you have?
Is the error solid or blinking?
Does the credit display show no disp?
Is there any external changes when the error happens? Cold, thunderstorms, ac unit running?

[markpurc]

The MPU is the enhanced one. It looks to be in great shape.  I've wiggled the chips in case it was a loose connection, did not help.

The error is blinking.  I've tried unhooking the display, it did not solve the problem.

No other lights display on the main screen, just the error message saying that the NetPLEX is down.

No external changes, I've tried different outlets and it does not seem to be the issue either.[/li][/list]


I've ordered another power supply to see if that will fix it, according to the advice above.  I'll keep you posted if this fixes it!  Thanks for the reply!

[Retro tech repair]

The MPU is the enhanced one. It looks to be in great shape.  I've wiggled the chips in case it was a loose connection, did not help.

The error is blinking.  I've tried unhooking the display, it did not solve the problem.

No other lights display on the main screen, just the error message saying that the NetPLEX is down.

No external changes, I've tried different outlets and it does not seem to be the issue either.[/li][/list]


I've ordered another power supply to see if that will fix it, according to the advice above.  I'll keep you posted if this fixes it!  Thanks for the reply!

Blinking error on 1270 is usually tt3v low does the board Still have the green battery intact and u16?

[markpurc]

Please excuse my ignorance, but I don't know what ttv3 is...

I got the new Power Supply and plugged it in, I get the same error message, but this time it is not blinking!  Hmm!

Also, the string of green/yellow lights on the board now are no longer blinking, they are solid.  I'm going to go check out the S2000 readme's and see if I can decipher this.

Thanks again for all your help on this.

[Stayouttadabunker]

What he means by "tt3v" is the "TellTale Battery voltage".
The telltale battery is the green "Varta" battery.
That battery is used for sensors to report back to the main office about the door being opened, cashbox door being opened even when the machine is powered off such as bad storm. etc.etc.
The green Varta battery should be at 3volts or higher in order for it to work doing it's reporting job.
The "U16" he's referring to is an embedded chip located onboard the main MPU that is near that green Varta battery.
You do NOT need the Varta battery or that chip for home use.

Normally, these green Varta batteries are waayy too old and beyond their "lifetime" and leak acid.
It's the acid that eats miniature electronic "wiring" traces on the MPU board itself...rendering fatal problems.
RetroTech repair is very good at fixing battery acid damaged boards but not all of these acid damaged boards are easily repairable.
He's good at knowing whether or not your MPU is any good.

Now would be a great time to post a good clear photo of your MPU...especially near the green Varta battery area.
If you take a picture with a smartphone that has a high def camera, just make sure your photo is at 1000kb or lower on one side (horizontally or vertically) so it'll fit into the photo attachments below your post.
If you need to reduce the size of it, there's a few ways to do that.
One way is to email it to yourself...you'll get options to reduce it I believe.
Another way is to copy&paste it to "Paint", reduce one side of the photo pixels to 1000 and then save it, click on "Attach" below, find your photo and post it.

[Retro tech repair]

What he means by "tt3v" is the "TellTale Battery voltage".

Correct. On a 1270 board however the tt3v is also used in part of the sram circuit and also is used on the rboad if one is used. I have been seeing a lot of boards where the diod between the main 3.3v and tt3v has actually failed.

[markpurc]

Thanks for the thoughtful responses again!

Here are the pictures. I got out the voltmeter, the green battery shows 1.35 volts, but it looks like there is no corrosion or anything.  What do you think?

[erbs]

The netplex error most likely will go away once the green battery and u-16 is removed from the board. Carefully remove the green battery. They can be a bit difficult to remove. Remove the board from the tray and de solder from the back side. Then cut the 3 legs from the u-16 and bend it back, it will come off. Neither one is needed for home use.

[markpurc]

SUCCESS!!!  Thank you -= here's what happened:

I did what you said, removed the battery and the U-16 chip, reassembled.   Plugged it back in, The NETPLEX error has gone! It does a boot then a memory check, then asks me to call attendant.  After I called myself and opened the door,  pressed the button for 2-3 seconds, its telling me Sound SIMM Memory CRC Error -0xf020...  I thought I was going to have to go down another rabbit hole, but first I made sure that the audio card was properly seated in its socket.  It wasn't! so I pushed it down and tried again.

Same error.  Then I remembered from the FAQ on the S2000 that sometimes these errors stack up, and if you open/close the door a number of times, you can erase them.  In other words, keep turning the key, pressing reset, then closing the door over and over to clear them.  I tried that and on the 3d try BAM!!  Success, it's up and working 100%, thank you for your patience and for all the help!

I hope that my experience, pictures and documentation of all of this stuff will help someone else out there trying to do the same thing.


Best,

Mark

[erbs]

  Glad you got it fixed. I have had that error several times. Seems like when the battery gets low it throws that error.