Soldering

[Killswitch]

Good afternoon, gentlemen. What would be the best, most prtofessional way of fixing a 14 pin Header onto a DCT3416 motherboard ? Funny - if you take this job to a Pro, all 4 that I've tried in Phila. will steadfastly refuse to take the challenge. 100% of the Pros around here will NOT get near that issue. Just to show how weak the level of professionalism is around here. How to fix the Header into its proper place so that it won't creep around is the obstacle. Aluminum tape will NOT book it. I shake my head at a spring loaded application. It would appear that wiring pins 1,3,5,7,9,11 and 13 to micro alligator jumper clips along with a wire for ground might be the only realistic, sensible way to fly. However, I welcome your opinions on this. Goodday.

[Wolfgang]

Good afternoon, gentlemen. What would be the best, most prtofessional way of fixing a 14 pin Header onto a DCT3416 motherboard ? ....

I wish I could help you but I am not sure what exactly you are trying to do. Are you removing or inserting the header? What exactly is the problem? I haven't opened a DCT34XX in a while so I don't remember which header you are talking about. Anyway, that is a multi-layer board so there is no way to fix the board once is damaged. Every hole has a "via" which is a barrel that connects both sides of the board and that is easy to screw up by overheating. Inserting a new header on SB5101 was pretty easy for me. Have you used some solder-wick to remove the extra solder between pads? You must use flux or paste to clean it too. Removing a soldered header is totally different story. That'll be a challenge even for a pro. Be very careful.

[merkin]

This is what i do...
bend your pins

stick them in the header

line up on the board and solder

there is already enough solder on the pcb, but definately some flux will make the job even easier

desoldering is a breeze to since they are not connected together like a normal header

you can pry up the plastic piece of the normal headers (thru-hole) like on a sb5101 to remove the pins one by one, if you dont have the tools to remove it properly

Canela vs Angulo PPV fight to start soon

[usbbdm]

What I did was not remove pins from its case but simply bend the lower part of the pins and just enough to solder on the PCB. Not very professional but works.

[merkin]

What I did was not remove pins from its case but simply bend the lower part of the pins and just enough to solder on the PCB. Not very professional but works.

But desoldering is bitch then...sometimes boxes have to be returned.

[Killswitch]

Sincere thanx goes out to Mr. Merkin. Didn't know that those pins were as flexible and mobile as they are. Bend 'em close to a right angle , do them one at a time into position and them slide the Header sleeve onto the pins. I was ready to try my luck with my trusty HeatGun. His way is a Solid. I suppose that's why he's buried inside the so-called Inner Circle. He'll deny one exists. If it does, he's definitely on the leading edge.

[MrRogers]

While your effort i s a good one and merits notice and with it being put there and said merkin and usbbdm are 100% right that bending of the pins is the most ideal and practical, then the question arises, since I and others have also tried what I believe you are trying to do.

You will be able to get a read from the DCT boxes but you won't be able to write back on to it at all - this has been tried by more than just you (I am being honest with you so you don't go on a wild goose chase and end up wasting your time and efforts), there is another tool that exists that is more effective and doesn't require soldering that can be used on the back port of the box to extract vital information and can write OOB back to it, but that is as far as people have gotten with the DCT boxes, that and the primitive hardware mod that has notoriously ruined alot of what we have been trying to do in terms of testing, real testing I mean, not getting freebies just so the kids can have free nickelodeon lol.

I do support your enthusiasm and wish more people on here took the initiative that you have, and please don't take this as an insult because it's not. I am just simply saying I see what you are trying to do and it has already been tried and it doesn't work, at least not with any of the known tools I own. And I give 100% of my time to this stuff so I know, I am not being an arrogant asshole to you, I am just saying you are not doing anything new.

[Killswitch]

Okay, it goes like this - I've got me here a vintage DCT3416 Phase 1 that was accidentally Disconnected (EP01) by Comcast back in October. This box was terminated w/ Digital Preferred w/HBO and has current Keys. It's my understanding from reading the archives and your exploits of a similar box that, by using the DLL of a 6412, the box can and has been reconnected by other Members. So far, I haven't had much luck with this unit. After I Detect, it spits out a one line ID Code of 00000000 . I'm beginning to doubt that this is a standard EJTAG pinout. Do you realize the difficulty in hanging a 14 pin Header into place ? My God, Pros will NOT even look at this application. I went 0 for 4 in the so-called Professional medium. I've got a very narrow tip on my Weller and, i9f ya don't have perfectly still hands you're fucked. However, I've got NO quit in me and will lay that Header into perfect position. This will be a big time challenge.

[merkin]

There is nothing hard about this process.

You cleary misunderstand the process. Don't try to hold each pin individually and solder...

Just stick all 14 (bent) pins into the header.

Then hold the header in your hand and line up ALL the pins on the pcb.

Then put your soldering iron in your other hand.

Then solder.

I do not understand why this is so difficult to comprehend.

[Wolfgang]

.... I'm beginning to doubt that this is a standard EJTAG pinout ...

Here is the exact pinout on the JTAG header of DCT3416 Phase 1. I hope you are soldering those pins on the right pads, J501.

[Killswitch]

Dear Sir : No worries. The challenge has been met and the JTAG is next to the SATA cable. Laid it into place and, voila ! It Detects both CPU and Flash liked a champ. Now, how to disable the Watchdog. Probably a big old Basset Hound with a bark like a trombone. Use the DLL for the DCT6412 which is 64 bit and I can zero the EP 01 back to EP 00 . A little more research and, Testing to continue ......

[Wolfgang]

Dear Sir : No worries. The challenge has been met and the JTAG is next to the SATA cable....

I am glad you already figured that out, looking forward for more exciting news from you

[Wolfgang]

... A little more research and, Testing to continue ......

Per our conversation, here is the audio muting circuit for DCT3416. The Schmitt trigger IC U705 controls the audio on the RCA outputs but not on the HDMI. You have not specified what cable you used when the audio was muted. If you used HDMI output, modifying this circuit will not have effect on your audio problem.

[MrRogers]

The easiest way I found was to solder wires to each connection, then to the corresponding spot on the pin header to make it easily accessible without messing anything up, and it eliminates the need for bending pins lol.

It is honestly a waste of time though since you cannot do much with the flash anyways. Unless you are debricking, then it makes sense.