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cd-i 350 memory 'warp'

Posted: Sun Jul 17, 2005 10:00 pm
by Alan
Bad news - I played a disc last night in my cd-i 350 player and low and behold the entire memory on the cd-i player had been erased. I played a disc last Sunday and the memory was there. Could I have been the victim of the dreaded battery failure that comes after 10 years? I have now reset the cd-i date back to 1995! Will this make any difference? Another theory is the heat - I wonder if this could have had an effect although I find it unlikely.

Any thoughts?

Posted: Sun Jul 17, 2005 10:56 pm
by Devin
Doesn't the Portable 350 Player come with a CR2032 button battery to backup the memory with whilst the player is switched off? If so this would probably need replacing.

Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2005 2:53 pm
by XCLTempesT
If the CDi-350 is like the CDi-360, (I assume so), then no it doesn't have a replaceable battery, and you will get a memory problem when the battery runs out.

I should Open my cdi-350 and compare it to the cdi-360, might ne interesting

Image
Image

As you can see in the lower right corner there is a standerd timekeeping and memory module.

Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2005 2:59 pm
by Devin
So this would involve unsoldering the defunct timekeeping module and replacing it with a new one. Can you recommend a place where you could get such a part at a reasonable price?

Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2005 3:04 pm
by XCLTempesT
Beplacing the timekeeping/memory module would be difficult, since this is such a crowded PCB (that has a print on both sides)
But there are people who have done modifications on the existing modules (by drilling some small holes in then), and connecting an external battery (the module on top only holds a quartz kristal and a lithium battery)
I posted some link in the old forum, but as I don't own any player that has this problem, I haven't tested it yet.
if somebody in Holland wants to donate a CDI with an empty battery, I may experiment and write a how-to. preferably a CDI player that isn't worth alot .

Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2005 3:09 pm
by Devin
Yes I think I remember.

A tutorial on a modification like this would be awesome, i'll host all the pictures on CDinteractive if you have a problem finding the webspace. Now we just need a defunct player!!

Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2005 3:12 pm
by XCLTempesT
Saddly, no I don't know.
I usually get my replacement CDM mechanisms through http://www.lejos.nl/ , but according to the website this timekeeping part isn't available anymore.
Maybe some body else knows a place? or maybe ebay?

Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2005 3:15 pm
by XCLTempesT
Hmm, come to think of it I do have a not-used CDI-210 in my basement. Maybe I can experiment on that one? Allthough it would defy the point, as this battery is still working. but then again, adding a external battery would be cool.

Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2005 7:59 pm
by Devin
Go on...take a hammer to it :wink:

Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2005 10:13 pm
by Alan
Devin,

I'm sure I remember you saying before that you managed to buy a spare battery for your cd-i 370. I'm now dreading the day that this 'warp' happens to my 370 - 10 years next year :( so I was wondering where (if anywhere) I can obtain one of these batteries?

Your help would be much appreciated! :idea:

Cheers

Alan

Posted: Fri Jul 22, 2005 12:27 pm
by Devin
I bought a battery for the 370 that powers the entire player!! You know the one that slots into the back and makes the player weigh a ton :shock:

I don't think the 370 would suffer the same problem because it has the CR2032 button battery to maintain the memory. So it's a simple process of keeping the player plugged into the mains and changing the battery over. Or just upload your NV-RAM content with CD-i Link and your save games are forever safe on your PC :D

Posted: Sun Jul 24, 2005 9:44 pm
by Alan
Thanks Devin

Do you think though that you could find the CR2032 battery anywhere? Is this the battery you mean when you say ''switching them over''?

I would have no idea how to transfer my cd-i memory to PC!! :(

Alan

Posted: Sun Jul 24, 2005 9:55 pm
by Devin
Alan wrote:Thanks Devin

Do you think though that you could find the CR2032 battery anywhere? Is this the battery you mean when you say ''switching them over''?

I would have no idea how to transfer my cd-i memory to PC!! :(

Alan
Yes the CR2032 is dead common, you could walk into DIXONS right now and pick one off the shelf!! So no worries on that front your 370 should be safe.

Transferring memory shouldn't be that hard with CD-i Fans CD-i Link and Stubs program all you need is a Null-Modem Cable that will be stocked in The CD-i Store before release of the emulator. With the cable hooked upto your CD-i Player and PC then all you need to do is use a simple command prompt to run CD-i Link and your away, further support for newbies to this program will be given in the CD-i Emulator Discussion Forum here. So you will have all the support you need to get this thing off the ground!! :D

Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2005 10:16 pm
by Alan
Sorry for the delay in replying Devin just been extremely busy :(

Many thanks for your help and advice here.

My only worry is losing all the memory whilst changing over the battery!!

Do you think then if you keep the cd-i connected to the mains it will be ok?

BTW, any news on Frog Feast?

Cheers mate

Alan

Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2005 10:24 pm
by Devin
Alan wrote:Sorry for the delay in replying Devin just been extremely busy :(

Many thanks for your help and advice here.

My only worry is losing all the memory whilst changing over the battery!!

Do you think then if you keep the cd-i connected to the mains it will be ok?

BTW, any news on Frog Feast?

Cheers mate

Alan
Charles would be the one to ask about Frog Feast :D

Yes, apparently you just connect your 370 to the mains leave the player "off" and change over the battery. Must be current going into the player anyway to support the NV-RAM whilst you switch batteries!!