[Bill Noble[_2_]]

a while back there was a discussion thread here about a small silvery Sony
HD FM receiver that was supposedly really good - so I bought one - I don't
like the user interface, but I thought I'd post about a design flaw - on my
unit at least, the audio quit intermittently, and a few days ago would quit
entirely in both channels - took it apart (that's a bit of a chore, to get
the circuit board out without destroying it) and found that the traces that
connect to the RCA jacks, center conductor (e.g. high side) had both broken
right where the through hole for the conductor is - very thin traces - they
should have been larger - I don't know if the cause was thermal or
mechanical stress, but whatever it was, there was no continuity from the
surface mount device in series with the output and the output itself - so
the solution was then straightforward - add a jumper wire from the device to
the output jack that would bypass the defective trace on each channel -

I used to think Sony meant quality (or at least good consumer quality) - I
doubt it now - this radio does get better reception than what it replaced,
but it's a real PITA to use and now with a design flaw like this....grrr

--
Bill -
www.wbnoble.com

[Audio Empire]

On Sun, 27 Dec 2009 08:11:41 -0800, Bill Noble wrote
(in article ):

a while back there was a discussion thread here about a small silvery Sony
HD FM receiver that was supposedly really good - so I bought one - I don't
like the user interface, but I thought I'd post about a design flaw - on my
unit at least, the audio quit intermittently, and a few days ago would quit
entirely in both channels - took it apart (that's a bit of a chore, to get
the circuit board out without destroying it) and found that the traces that
connect to the RCA jacks, center conductor (e.g. high side) had both broken
right where the through hole for the conductor is - very thin traces - they
should have been larger - I don't know if the cause was thermal or
mechanical stress, but whatever it was, there was no continuity from the
surface mount device in series with the output and the output itself - so
the solution was then straightforward - add a jumper wire from the device to
the output jack that would bypass the defective trace on each channel -

I used to think Sony meant quality (or at least good consumer quality) - I
doubt it now - this radio does get better reception than what it replaced,
but it's a real PITA to use and now with a design flaw like this....grrr



My experience with Sony equipment is that they are the "80%" company. Every
Sony product I have ever owned has been excellent - up to 80% of the "total
package". Something is always wrong or quirky. It's either a design decision
or an interface booboo, or a reliability problem. How about an HD camcorder
where the built-in microphones are omni-directional? The sound of the
operator breathing is louder than the audio that one is trying to capture
with the video! How about a gorgeous jewel of a portable stereo cassette
recorder. Dolby B, servo capstan for low wow-and flutter, etc. Comes with a
leather field case. Case has no window on it to allow operator to see LED
record indicators! How about a "special" rechargeable battery that when it
wore-out couldn't be replaced because Sony had stopped making them, and the
form factor was such that a third-party solution couldn't be found either!
How about a $4000 SACD player that refuses, every now and again, to output
any sound when playing a disc (CD or SACD)? Luckily, turning the unit off and
back on again has always solved the problem. How about a Sony HDTV that won't
allow the user any control over aspect ratio? If you play a DVD of an old 4:3
standard movie or TV program, the Sony TV assumes that because it's coming in
through the component video inputs that the program is high-definition and
therefore needs to be anamorphically stretched and does so and YOU can't
defeat it. How about a very expensive semi-pro reel-to-reel tape recorders
that makes excellent recordings, except that it goes through capstan motors
so quickly, that Sony quickly used up all the spares made? The recorder
became a useless lump less than 5-years after bought new.

I could go on. Needless to say, I don't buy Sony any more. I've had my fill
of unreliable, unfinished products from them.

[isw]

In article ,
"Bill Noble" wrote:

a while back there was a discussion thread here about a small silvery Sony
HD FM receiver that was supposedly really good - so I bought one - I don't
like the user interface, but I thought I'd post about a design flaw - on my
unit at least, the audio quit intermittently, and a few days ago would quit
entirely in both channels - took it apart (that's a bit of a chore, to get
the circuit board out without destroying it) and found that the traces that
connect to the RCA jacks, center conductor (e.g. high side) had both broken
right where the through hole for the conductor is - very thin traces - they
should have been larger - I don't know if the cause was thermal or
mechanical stress, but whatever it was, there was no continuity from the
surface mount device in series with the output and the output itself - so
the solution was then straightforward - add a jumper wire from the device to
the output jack that would bypass the defective trace on each channel -

I used to think Sony meant quality (or at least good consumer quality) - I
doubt it now - this radio does get better reception than what it replaced,
but it's a real PITA to use and now with a design flaw like this....grrr

For as long as I can recall (well over 20 years), Sony has had problems
with reliability of soldered joints on PCWBs.

You'd think they'd learn...

OTOH, I've gotten some nice pieces of gear for the price of inspecting
those boards for the telltale circular cracks, and redoing them.

Isaac

[sparky]

On Dec 28, 3:50=A0pm, isw wrote:
In article ,
=A0"Bill Noble" wrote:





a while back there was a discussion thread here about a small silvery S=
ony
HD FM receiver that was supposedly really good - so I bought one - I do=
n't
like the user interface, but I thought I'd post about a design flaw - o=
n my
unit at least, the audio quit intermittently, and a few days ago would =
quit
entirely in both channels - took it apart (that's a bit of a chore, to =
get
the circuit board out without destroying it) and found that the traces =
that
connect to the RCA jacks, center conductor (e.g. high side) had both br=
oken
right where the through hole for the conductor is - very thin traces - =
they
should have been larger - I don't know if the cause was thermal or
mechanical stress, but whatever it was, there was no continuity from th=
e
surface mount device in series with the output and the output itself - =
so
the solution was then straightforward - add a jumper wire from the devi=
ce to
the output jack that would bypass the defective trace on each channel -

I used to think Sony meant quality (or at least good consumer quality) =
- I
doubt it now - this radio does get better reception than what it replac=
ed,
but it's a real PITA to use and now with a design flaw like this....grr=
r

For as long as I can recall (well over 20 years), Sony has had problems
with reliability of soldered joints on PCWBs.


And now with lead free solder the problem has increased by several
times.

[Audio Empire]

On Tue, 29 Dec 2009 04:15:27 -0800, sparky wrote
(in article ):

On Dec 28, 3:50=A0pm, isw wrote:
In article ,
=A0"Bill Noble" wrote:

snip for length

For as long as I can recall (well over 20 years), Sony has had problems
with reliability of soldered joints on PCWBs.


And now with lead free solder the problem has increased by several
times.

I hadn't thought of that, but you're right. Lead-free solder is mostly tin
(96%) with a about 3% of silver and a trace of copper. Without the lead, it
would tend to be more brittle than regular solder, and thus, much more likely
to crack.

Audio_Empire

[Bill Noble[_2_]]

"Audio Empire" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 29 Dec 2009 04:15:27 -0800, sparky wrote
(in article ):

On Dec 28, 3:50=A0pm, isw wrote:
In article ,
=A0"Bill Noble" wrote:

snip for length

For as long as I can recall (well over 20 years), Sony has had problems
with reliability of soldered joints on PCWBs.


And now with lead free solder the problem has increased by several
times.

I hadn't thought of that, but you're right. Lead-free solder is mostly tin
(96%) with a about 3% of silver and a trace of copper. Without the lead,
it
would tend to be more brittle than regular solder, and thus, much more
likely
to crack.

Audio_Empire

you may be right, though I didn't notice an ROHS tag so it may or may not
have been lead free - but it wasn't the connection that failed, it was the
circuit trace itself that separated from the pad - I suspected a vibration
induced crack, but on further contemplation, I think it was due to the heat
of soldering the connection - whatever it was, the stupid thing broke, and I
had to fix it. (the good news is, that if anyone else on the NG has one,
they can be on the lookout for this problem and the fix is now known)

[Audio Empire]

On Wed, 30 Dec 2009 22:20:26 -0800, Bill Noble wrote
(in article ):

"Audio Empire" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 29 Dec 2009 04:15:27 -0800, sparky wrote
(in article ):

On Dec 28, 3:50=A0pm, isw wrote:
In article ,
=A0"Bill Noble" wrote:

snip for length

For as long as I can recall (well over 20 years), Sony has had problems
with reliability of soldered joints on PCWBs.


And now with lead free solder the problem has increased by several
times.

I hadn't thought of that, but you're right. Lead-free solder is mostly tin
(96%) with a about 3% of silver and a trace of copper. Without the lead,
it
would tend to be more brittle than regular solder, and thus, much more
likely
to crack.

Audio_Empire

you may be right, though I didn't notice an ROHS tag so it may or may not
have been lead free - but it wasn't the connection that failed, it was the
circuit trace itself that separated from the pad - I suspected a vibration
induced crack, but on further contemplation, I think it was due to the heat
of soldering the connection - whatever it was, the stupid thing broke, and I
had to fix it. (the good news is, that if anyone else on the NG has one,
they can be on the lookout for this problem and the fix is now known)

I'm sure that Sony, like everyone else on earth (seemingly) manufacturers in
China and that your tuner, was doubtless, made there. While China CAN make
some very good stuff, It depends upon the how diligent the client company is
about quality. I've bought good and bad Chinese stuff, and it's really
variable.