Thread
Reddish hue around Color Classic screen
It seems that in most, if not all Color Classics I've seen, the display does not use the entire width and height of the CRT screen real estate, but leaves about 1/4" black border unused. Anyone know why that is? More importantly, in both of my CCs (one upgraded with a LC520 board and another with a Presto Plus), I've noticed that the black border now has a reddish tint to it which is really noticeable under poor lighting. This went away one day on the LC520 upgraded unit but remains on my other CC. Has anyone else noticed this on their CC or figured out what may be causing this? Just want to make sure that this isn't some sign of imminent screen failure. Thanks in advance for any input!
Red is set too high. You need to go in and adjust it a bit down.
Thanks, Elfen. That was quite the speedy response.
Probably a cap issue. I have the same issue with mine now, sometimes the whole display will cast over in magenta. Since I sold my other, I can not test if its the mobo's fault. But I am pretty sure its analog caps.
i had a LC575 that had a slight reddish tint once.
the funny thing though is, i changed the CRT with a parts machine and the red tint went away.
but yeah as unity said, the AB and the MB needs caps too... All LC5XX and CC models.
unity sold me his color classic. its a beauty! i'm going to fire it up tonight and play around.
the funny thing though is, i changed the CRT with a parts machine and the red tint went away.
but yeah as unity said, the AB and the MB needs caps too... All LC5XX and CC models.
unity sold me his color classic. its a beauty! i'm going to fire it up tonight and play around.
Uni and Uni,
Thanks for your suggestions. Small world, Uniserver. Just as you bought your CC from Unity, I bought my recapped LC520 board from you as well as the recap service on my other CC MB with the Presto Plus. Remember? Both now run OS 7.6 with the Presto Plus CC dual booting 7.6 and 8.1. Great job, by the way! Aside from the screen issue, these are both functioning well.
But what this means is that the MB caps are NOT the problem. Maybe the AB caps instead or the CRT? I see Elfin's suggestion about the red setting being too high as a possible explanation but am not sure. Oddly, the problem went away on my LC520-upgraded CC after I removed the back housing and used a leaf blower to remove every speck of dust on the interior of the unit. The thing had been in someone's basement for years before I bought it. The problem with my other CC came on suddenly a few days ago and hasn't gone away. Really annoying.
Thanks for your suggestions. Small world, Uniserver. Just as you bought your CC from Unity, I bought my recapped LC520 board from you as well as the recap service on my other CC MB with the Presto Plus. Remember? Both now run OS 7.6 with the Presto Plus CC dual booting 7.6 and 8.1. Great job, by the way! Aside from the screen issue, these are both functioning well.
But what this means is that the MB caps are NOT the problem. Maybe the AB caps instead or the CRT? I see Elfin's suggestion about the red setting being too high as a possible explanation but am not sure. Oddly, the problem went away on my LC520-upgraded CC after I removed the back housing and used a leaf blower to remove every speck of dust on the interior of the unit. The thing had been in someone's basement for years before I bought it. The problem with my other CC came on suddenly a few days ago and hasn't gone away. Really annoying.
so if you swap main boards in the 2 cc's does the red tint follow the CC mb to the swapped machine?
i'm happy to have 2 CC's again... hopefully when i fire up the one i got from unity powers up HAHA.
i'm happy to have 2 CC's again... hopefully when i fire up the one i got from unity powers up HAHA.
It better power up, I sold you my GOOD one! lol
I put my money on AB caps. It would be odd for the adjustment to get out of spec on its own.
I put my money on AB caps. It would be odd for the adjustment to get out of spec on its own.
Swapping logic boards is an excellent idea. Once I accomplish this, I'll let you know the results. Unity, I agree that it would be odd for the color adjustment to be altered spontaneously, especially on two separate CCs, though I guess this is worth a shot, if all else fails.
On a completely different topic (which maybe should be posted separately), have you guys tried and had any major issues with using a 575 board for the Mystic upgrade? Thinking of buying a third CC to complete the trilogy. If I proceed, I don't intend to alter the native screen resolution, though I'm aware this requires a ResEdit modification all the same. Just wondering if the Mystic CC is known to be associated with any major bugs or decreased longevity of the unit. Some problems with the mod have indeed been posted, so just wanted to pick your guys' and anyone else's brains before proceeding. Uniserver, you might just get another logic board to recap in the process.
On a completely different topic (which maybe should be posted separately), have you guys tried and had any major issues with using a 575 board for the Mystic upgrade? Thinking of buying a third CC to complete the trilogy. If I proceed, I don't intend to alter the native screen resolution, though I'm aware this requires a ResEdit modification all the same. Just wondering if the Mystic CC is known to be associated with any major bugs or decreased longevity of the unit. Some problems with the mod have indeed been posted, so just wanted to pick your guys' and anyone else's brains before proceeding. Uniserver, you might just get another logic board to recap in the process.
works, and still on original caps too!
now i need to get started on this BMW EDC, epoxy coated controler from unity's V12 race car.
CC and Mystic upgrade.
i would be for the mystic upgrade if you did the SW patch to run the monitor at its stock resolution.
but the 640x480 hack, its just no good… and not to mention it will throw most people into an ecliptic shock. To me, 47 HZ is not a usable refresh rate.
car ECUs are a PITA. fixed a friend's Audi S6 ECU years ago, sunroof drain clogged and soaked the hell out of the ECU. enough that the harness corroded and pins started to come out of it. nightmare. but replacement was $1200 so it was worth a shot. I got it to work again, so he was happy.
yeah the sunroof drain is clogged in my saturn vue… its causing my A/C to basically not work.
i need to tear it all apart, just so busy...
i need to tear it all apart, just so busy...
My god!!! What board is that with the huge red heat sinks??!!IMG_2096.jpg
CC and Mystic upgrade.
i would be for the mystic upgrade if you did the SW patch to run the monitor at its stock resolution.
but the 640x480 hack, its just no good… and not to mention it will throw most people into an ecliptic shock. To me, 47 HZ is not a usable refresh rate.
jack
That board, with the heat sinks, if for the suspension system. 
Its one of those crazy active type things with inertia sensors in the car. I can only assume since its always working hard and reading the road it must really heat up. I thought the same when I first saw it.
Its one of those crazy active type things with inertia sensors in the car. I can only assume since its always working hard and reading the road it must really heat up. I thought the same when I first saw it.
Well, at least we know where all the red from the CC ended up... in your BMW. 
Ha!
I've mentoined this before, but we have a 1998 Ford Windstar minivan, and it is rather quirky (it will stall if you accelerate just right during a hard turn, sometimes, it'll stall for no reason), and the more I think about it, the more it seems like an ECU (or PCM, as Ford calls it) issue, probably cap related.
Of course, this model of car is noted for being among the most unreliable Ford has produced in the last 30 years, so there's that.
c
Of course, this model of car is noted for being among the most unreliable Ford has produced in the last 30 years, so there's that.
c
Probably the MAF sensor. My parents had the same issue. Any stain on the engine during partial idle. Or sudden movement of the gas pedal could result in a stall. But it was not constant. I know they replaced the MAF and I replaced the idle air control valve - never an issue again. Same minivan, I think it too is even a 98.
I got rid of a 98 ford taurus a few years ago. NEVER again....
The Windstar is based on the same drivetrain, so it's even worse (Windstars are seriously prone to having transmission failures as a result).
So, was their "Service Engine Soon" indicator lit when the problems came up?
c
So, was their "Service Engine Soon" indicator lit when the problems came up?
c
I dont recall but I think it was. But it indicated other issues, like O2 sensors which we knew were good. It never did ID the problem right.
That drivetrain is fine in the Taurus, if you follow the 30,000 mile fluid change schedule. People don't and then blame the poor car when it dies, like pretty much every other car failure. You've got roughly fifty thousand components in a 1990's car, things do wear out.
The Windstar is a bit heavy for it, but with care it can last.
The Windstar is a bit heavy for it, but with care it can last.
Falcon: I agree, and with a (largely unnecessary, I might add) rebuild at ~20-30k, it should last forever (we hardly drive it anymore because, among other things, the A/C barely works (so it's miserable driving it on a hot day), the headlights inexplicably started "blinking out" (at night, no less), and these aforementioned stalling issues).
So, anyway, I can't rule out the ECU at this point, because we took it to several different mechanics, and they all looked it over and found everything to be in good working order (all the sensors check out, the engine is mechanically in good shape, etc.), so the ONLY possible explanation for it's quirky behavior that I can think of is an ECU problem so minute that typical OBDII scanners can't detect it (the problem is not in the programming, in other words).
I suspect caps, because they're failing in just about everything else these days, and their failure usually causes some rather bizarre and otherwise inexplicable problems.
c
So, anyway, I can't rule out the ECU at this point, because we took it to several different mechanics, and they all looked it over and found everything to be in good working order (all the sensors check out, the engine is mechanically in good shape, etc.), so the ONLY possible explanation for it's quirky behavior that I can think of is an ECU problem so minute that typical OBDII scanners can't detect it (the problem is not in the programming, in other words).
I suspect caps, because they're failing in just about everything else these days, and their failure usually causes some rather bizarre and otherwise inexplicable problems.
c
Or a bad ground...
Also dont throw the "maintenance" thing at me. Lol. Thats what everyone says and is true to a point....
Dad had the car since new and had a catastrophic trans failure around 17k miles. Luckily warranty covered it.
And yes routine service was done on it like every other car hes owned.
So the trans went again around 65k or so. He changed it and he gave me the car about 162k or so. so he did get some use out of it.
but by that point the head gaskets were already failing and there was a bad ground somewhere because the coolant had turned to rust water. and no matter how often he changed it it was even worse. and that's the car you have to use the red stuff and not the green stuff.
Also dont throw the "maintenance" thing at me. Lol. Thats what everyone says and is true to a point....
Dad had the car since new and had a catastrophic trans failure around 17k miles. Luckily warranty covered it.
And yes routine service was done on it like every other car hes owned.
So the trans went again around 65k or so. He changed it and he gave me the car about 162k or so. so he did get some use out of it.
but by that point the head gaskets were already failing and there was a bad ground somewhere because the coolant had turned to rust water. and no matter how often he changed it it was even worse. and that's the car you have to use the red stuff and not the green stuff.
guess if your not gonna maintain your car, its best to just have a lease every 2 years... drive it, beat it up... get a new one.
I like buying cars broke, i picked up my BMW for a steal, and it was just the pressure tank screw... The seller told me it had a blown head or head gasket. Unity is rebuilding a V12 7 series BMW in his garage as we speak, he may even got it running today?
I like buying cars broke, i picked up my BMW for a steal, and it was just the pressure tank screw... The seller told me it had a blown head or head gasket. Unity is rebuilding a V12 7 series BMW in his garage as we speak, he may even got it running today?
You don't use anything but green in a '98 Vulcan powered car. And yes, if not maintained the block gets a lot of sediment in them.
Vulcan? Our Windstar had the 3.8L V6, and it uses the green stuff as far as I know.
c
c
I dont remember what engine it had, But its long gone now.... Who cares? The brakes would randomly bypass on me. It had a new master cylinder, etc.. But every once in awhile, the brakes would go to the floor, and keep going to the floor, I had a guy change out the master again and made no difference. Then also randomly, had full brakes. I am assuming the ABS controller was going bad. Who knows, I dont work on cars....
Either way, totaled it so it doesnt matter. haha.
Either way, totaled it so it doesnt matter. haha.
Did the brakes stop working when you totaled it?
Of all the problems our Windstar has had, two things continue to work: the brakes and the doors. Literally EVERYTHING else on that wretched car has had *some* sort of problem (my favorite is when, for many years, the radio would randomly mute itself, and if we forgot to turn it off, it would un-mute and blast in our ears out if we accelerated a certain way or knocked on the roof in a certain spot; I finally discovered that some mice ate every morsel of insulation off the wiring harness for the rear radio controls, causing a short in pretty much every circuit, including, of course, an intermittent short in the mute button (duh!). Painstakingly wrapping all thoswe wires in electrical tape (and patching one that was actually eaten through) solved 100% of it's problems, and even got the long since broken map lights working for the first time in like 8 years.)
c
Of all the problems our Windstar has had, two things continue to work: the brakes and the doors. Literally EVERYTHING else on that wretched car has had *some* sort of problem (my favorite is when, for many years, the radio would randomly mute itself, and if we forgot to turn it off, it would un-mute and blast in our ears out if we accelerated a certain way or knocked on the roof in a certain spot; I finally discovered that some mice ate every morsel of insulation off the wiring harness for the rear radio controls, causing a short in pretty much every circuit, including, of course, an intermittent short in the mute button (duh!). Painstakingly wrapping all thoswe wires in electrical tape (and patching one that was actually eaten through) solved 100% of it's problems, and even got the long since broken map lights working for the first time in like 8 years.)
c
Guys,
Looks like this thread went a bit off topic. But a in good way. Getting back to the reddish tint on the periphery of my CC screen, the problem does NOT travel with the recapped logic board (which was deftly completed by Uniserver, BTW). So looks like the problem might just lie with the AB. Hopefully not the CRT. Not too bothersome at this point to try to rectify, so I guess I'll leave it alone. Thanks for all the input!