What's Your M4 Look Like?

**ecog** · 06-22-2009, 03:49 PM

Out of curiosity ecog, were the inductors on the working ones you tested the same as mine?

I can't imagine that when the M4's are manufactured parts are put on in random order, I would imagine that they'd keep it pretty consistent.

The inductors were not laid out in the same orientation. Although the batch we have in stock have red dip-switch components instead of the blue ones, but that doesn't mean much except it's a different manufacturing batch. Factories source the cheapest components they'll find as long as it complies with the build spec and color proly wans't one of them.

As for the different orientation on the inductors, it could have been a revision change, or different manufacturing batches. Since they don't need to keep track of polarity they probably don't keep track of which end of the reel they feed into the machines first. It's hard to know, I couldn't find any clearly labeled versioning information on M4 PCBs.

One thing that I didn't mention is the M4 software did NOT recognize the firmware version on the M4 units. I'm hoping it's just scrambled firmware, in case all we'd need to do is reload it (if mini-box gives us their secret recipe for doing so). But since resetting the firmware doesn't work, something might be fried.

Either way, hopefully mini-box has noticed a pattern and maybe there is a way to avoid it, or maybe it was just a bad design in the first place.

**jpinkerton** · 06-22-2009, 04:11 PM

HiJack - The DSATX is looking nice, had I ordered that to begin with I probably would've saved nearly 3 weeks on my project, and extra money in shipping charges.

ecog - Thanks again for the extra details on the M4s you tested. Hopefully Mini-Box will get it settled for you.

**soundman98** · 06-22-2009, 04:33 PM

Ecog, thanks for all your support in this matter.

There is a thread around here for the pruceedure to update the firmware-- a couple of users(NOT mini-box) figured it out to replace the older buggy firmware.

I can't say that I will never buy a mini-box product ever again, but I really think that there are alot of unneccessary problems directly relating to mini-box, that should have been solved before being marketed/sold to anyone. I guess that is what makes up the cost difference...and I chose to vote with my wallet...

**blk02si** · 06-23-2009, 12:08 AM

So it may be a motherboard incompatibility since you tried both with the same motherboard and neither will run it. Before returning I would "hotwire" the m4 output to force it to turn on and check the rails for voltage readings.

I still have had no problems with the 2 I have used in builds.

**ecog** · 06-23-2009, 09:10 AM

Just a quick update. Mini-box got back to me late last night and we're moving up the chain. I sent an email this morning to Andrei, who either designed the M-line of PSUs or runs the shop over there (I think).

I'll let you know how things went once I get a response back.

**jpinkerton** · 06-23-2009, 10:17 AM

Originally Posted by ecog

Just a quick update. Mini-box got back to me late last night and we're moving up the chain. I sent an email this morning to Andrei, who either designed the M-line of PSUs or runs the shop over there (I think).

I'll let you know how things went once I get a response back.

This is why I love MP3Car's support, thanks for the update!

Originally Posted by blk02si

If you ground the green wire on the output side of any atx power supply it will kick on and you should get 12v across yellow, 5v across red, 3.3 across orange with a multimeter. If you get those readings the supply is good.

Are you talking about using a desktop PSU to power the M4? I did try that, actually with three different desktop PSUs, the first only had 15AMP on the 12V but the other two had over 25AMP on the 12V.

If you're talking about doing it to the M4 I'll try that tonight.

Originally Posted by blk02si

So did you try this method, and/or a different motherboard?

Tried powering just a fan off the M4's fan header - no dice. Will try forcing it and with a different motherboard tonight.

Originally Posted by blk02si

Don't even worry about the start-up shut-down controller hookup until after you have the supply circuits stable. Put it in dumb mode and power up, after the os is installed and stable, then worry about hooking up the controller circuit.

OS/Centrafuse/plugins/music/movies/tv shows are all installed on the hard drive and everything runs stable on a little Rosewill Desktop PSU. I'm just trying to move everything from the workbench to the car, sans Rosewill PSU

**blk02si** · 06-23-2009, 08:27 PM

Originally Posted by jpinkerton

Are you talking about using a desktop PSU to power the M4? I did try that, actually with three different desktop PSUs, the first only had 15AMP on the 12V but the other two had over 25AMP on the 12V.

If you're talking about doing it to the M4 I'll try that tonight.

I was talking about jumping the M4 to see if it turns on and take some readings on the rails. I've heard of a couple motherboards that just don't play nice with the M2, so I wouldn;t doubt if there was a fussy board that didn;t like the M4

**ecog** · 06-24-2009, 09:14 AM

So I think we finally figured it out.

It turns out it's most likely a firmware issue that should be fixed with reflashing the firmware. Haven't confirmed yet, as I don't have the correct firmware. I'm trying to get some specifics on the process and maybe get my hands on the firmware. Lol, it's kinda hard to communicate, I got a reply back at 3:30 a.m.

In the mean time I'll see if I can screen our current stock and put any bad ones aside.

**jpinkerton** · 06-24-2009, 10:12 AM

The firmware update isn't something I can do is it, it's something Mini-Box has to do?

**Enforcer** · 06-24-2009, 10:19 AM

It can be done if you have a PIC programer.

There is a diagram of a circuit that can be made that will do the job in the 'all you need to know about your M4' thread.

I need to get mine reprogrammed as, although it does work, the shutdown timings don't change with the dip switches.