Category Archives: Philips

Philips

CD-i, Disassembly, Philips, Repair

Nikkodo / BMB CD-I Auto Master Controller CDI-M1500 (A)

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Master controller for Nikkodo / BMB CD-i karaoke systems. It is similar to the Philips CDI 181 MultiMedia Controller (JNMS). The mainboards of these units were made by Kyocera. They all lack optical disc drives and require additional units (e.g. CDI 180 for JNMS and CDI-A1500 for BMB).

So far, three different hardware generations have been found, and there may be more. The hardware has evolved from being very similar to JNMS to something that hasn’t been seen in other CD-i players. To identify different mainboards/generations, I use the first character of the serial number:

  • A unit – mainboard PDCDG4001D (this WIP Page)
  • L unit – mainboard PDCDG4002B (upcoming WIP Page)
  • V unit – mainboard PDCDG4003B (upcoming WIP Page)

Continue reading Nikkodo / BMB CD-I Auto Master Controller CDI-M1500 (A) →
CD-i, Disassembly, Modification, Philips, Repair

Introducing WIP Pages and a New Menu

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As it took longer and longer to finish my articles due to too many projects, I have now decided to introduce the WIP Pages. These pages contain photos of the disassembly and all the information I have found out so far about a particular device or project. For example, components, markings and pinouts.

The first WIP Page is about the Philips CDI 370 portable CD-i player. More will follow soon.

In addition, the structure of the main menu has not been revised for 13 years. To make it easier to find certain static pages and information without having to use the search or tag cloud, the first menu is now called Information. In this menu you will find

More static pages and menu items will follow.

CD-i, Disassembly, Philips, Repair

Philips CDI 370 Portable CD-i Player

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This unit was contributed by Jorne / MrMii.

Defects: Partially dismantled, screws missing, power supply missing. Unit has been used for parts to repair another unit. Display does not work.

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CD-i, Disassembly, Modification, Philips, Repair

Philips CD-i Power Supply Units

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The aim of this article is to compile a comprehensive documentation of all known power supply units for Philips CD-i players. It is a work in progress and will be updated with new information at regular intervals. I welcome feedback, especially if you discover an error or can contribute additional information.

Frequently asked questions concern the operational safety of a model in different countries and the location of fuses. To answer these questions accurately, you need to know the specific built-in or external power supply associated with the model, version and revision of the player. The grouping by mainboard/hardware generation provides a clear overview, as already shown in the article Modifications for Philips CD-i players.

The documentation of the fuses in the Mono III and IV generations began years ago with the article Philips CD-i Mono III / IV Fuses, and it was always the plan to summarise it in a more comprehensive article covering all generations.

This article now follows that approach and presents specifications, information on fuses, compatibility and possible modifications. It summarises all relevant data from the previously mentioned articles.

Continue reading Philips CD-i Power Supply Units →
CD-i, Disassembly, Modification, Philips, Repair

Philips FW380i Mini System Repair Part 1

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The Philips FW380i Mini System landed unexpectedly on my repair table last August. I never intended to get one of these models because the CD-i part is at the lowest end of CD-i hardware (very similar to the Roboco mainboard of CDI450 etc.) and also the build quality of FW mini system is not something I would have bought or used in the 90s. However, this particular CD-i mainboard was only used for this model and has some very unique features such as a separated servo board, a connector for communication with the FW part and even some unused connectors for a disc changer – which unfortunately never saw the light of day. Long story short: this model was never properly analysed, which is why it piqued my interest.

In this article I will show you how I carried out the disassembly and basic cleaning last year. I will follow up about diagnosis, repair and possibly modifications at a later point. The exact model/version I’m taking apart here is an FW380i/20 – which means that a 22ER9956/20 DVC mini cartridge was installed at the factory.

Continue reading Philips FW380i Mini System Repair Part 1 →
CD-i, Disassembly, Philips

DVS VE-200 NVRAM Backup and Battery Replacement

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The DVS VE-200 CD-Interactive Player is a CD-i player manufactured by LG. Like other CD-i players, it contains a battery-backed NVRAM and real-time clock.
In this article, I will take a look inside and show how the battery can be replaced while making sure that the NVRAM data won’t get lost in the process.

DVS VE-200 CD-Interactive Player
DVS VE-200 CD-Interactive Player

The player is one of four known very similar models that make use of the GoldStar / LG mainboard (midi-size). The other three models are: GoldStar / LG GDI-700M, GDI-S710 and Knowlogy K2000-MSS. What makes them special in terms of NVRAM and RTC is that they don’t have a Timekeeper or SmartWatch socket, but a different solution:

Continue reading DVS VE-200 NVRAM Backup and Battery Replacement →
CD-i, Disassembly, Philips

Philips 22ER9021 and TecnoPlus TP520 CD-i Gamepads

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Last year, I asked myself whether or not all Philips 22ER9021 CD-i Gamepads are the same and answered with probably. Since then, I have had a look at some more gamepads of different production dates, including an unbranded 22ER9021 and a TecnoPlus TP520 CD-i Control Pad. Let’s revisit and elaborate on what has been discovered last year:

  • The production number on the label contains the year and calendar week (example: 1A 00 9447). This applies to almost all Philips CD-i players and accessories. So far, only the white mice for the professional players didn’t follow the year code.
    A full production number has 8 or 9 digits and an additional 5-6-digit serial number at the end. But most accessories are only labelled with simple 8-digit production numbers and that’s why you find so many accessories with the very same data on the labels.
  • Inside, all 22ER9021 gamepads have the same PCB with these markings:
    CDI JOYPAD REV 1.2
    P/N:12290210001-03
    This is still the case after checking some more, even uncommon variants. Also, they all have the same Philips PCA84C122AT/071 8-bit microcontroller for remote control transmitters.
Continue reading Philips 22ER9021 and TecnoPlus TP520 CD-i Gamepads →
CD-i, Disassembly, Mega Drive, Modification, Philips, Repair, Sega

Philips CD-i RC6 Remote Control Hack

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A quick and dirty hack to save a broken Philips CD-i RC6 remote control with a Sega Mega Drive controller.

Most CD-i players come with or are compatible with the 22ER9055 CD-i Commander, an RC6 remote control with a pressure-sensitive thumbpad. There are three known versions of the CD-i Commander:

  • RV 7701 – standard remote for most CD-i Players.
  • RV 7704 – with additional stand-by button for CDI660 and 670.
  • RV 7706 – with additional controls for CDI740.

When buying a used remote control, your first action should be to check the battery compartment for obvious leaking damage and also take it apart to find hidden damage. You never know if there were accidents in the past and previous owners just cleaned out the battery compartment without looking further into it.

Philips RV 7704 with battery leakage
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CD-i, Modification, Philips, Repair

NVRAM+RTC Solutions for Philips CD-i Players

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There are two main types of NVRAM+RTC solutions for Philips CD-i players to store user data and settings: 8 KB and 32 KB. They have a built-in battery that powers the non-volatile memory and the real-time clock. These two types are not compatible and thus cannot be replaced with each other (at least, not without hardware and/or ROM modifications).
There are other types, also 8 KB and 32 KB, but they concern only very few and rare devices. I point them out when necessary.

In this article, you’ll find information about the different NVRAM types and their alternatives. You’ll also find tips for repair and upgrades. If this looks familiar to you then you have probably read parts of it in my Modifications for Philips CD-i Players article before. Since the NVRAM section grew so large, I’ve completely rewritten it and will continue to update it in its own article.

Philips CD-i 8 and 32 KB NVRAM
Philips CD-i 8 and 32 KB NVRAM
Continue reading NVRAM+RTC Solutions for Philips CD-i Players →
CD-i, Philips, Repair

Philips CD-i Mono III / IV Fuses

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Replacing blown fuses in Philips CD-i players with Mono III and Mono IV mainboards – sounds too simple to write an article about. That’s why I’m going to dig a bit deeper into the topic. An important fuse sits on the mainboard and protects the -5 V rail. I tripped (over) it by accident and was confronted with these weird symptoms that are hard to diagnose:

  • No video output (well, there is something, but see below)
  • Service Shell video output with a rolling/flickering image
  • The disc tray opens on its own (tray loader motor is constantly spinning)
  • The spindle motor is constantly spinning
  • “cd” flashing on the VFD
CDI470 and 490 Player Shell (flickering)
CDI470 and 490 Service Shell (flickering)
CDI470 and 490 Player Shell and Service Shell (flickering)
Continue reading Philips CD-i Mono III / IV Fuses →