A minute of silence

This forum is for general discussions and questions, including Collectors Corner and anything to do with Computer chess.

Moderators: Harvey Williamson, Steve B, Watchman

Forum rules
This textbox is used to restore diagrams posted with the fen tag before the upgrade.
User avatar
chesspcmac
Member
Posts: 250
Joined: Sun Feb 05, 2012 2:58 am
Location: Richmond, Virginia

A minute of silence

Post by chesspcmac »

A minute of silence for my Montreux. I played few games the night before and next morning was dead!!! I tried the reset button in the back, unplugging it , waited few days ...nothing. No lights, nothing in the screen. Only tears on my desk.
Dead!!! any ideas? Could be the Eprom? When the Eprom dies what do you see? When is something else what do you see?
If it is the Eprom where can I get it? expensive.? Revelation ii coming with the emulation anyways.

I can always put it on sale on ebay like that Chinese guy on eBAY. he is selling many computers for cheap.


Keeping hope alive regards

Mike
"Sir, the slowness of genius is hard to bear, but the slowness of mediocrity is insufferable"

Henry Thomas Buckle
User avatar
Steve B
Site Admin
Posts: 10140
Joined: Sun Jul 29, 2007 10:02 am
Location: New York City USofA
Contact:

Re: A minute of silence

Post by Steve B »

chesspcmac wrote: I can always put it on sale on ebay like that Chinese guy on eBAY. he is selling many computers for cheap.
Hi Mike
i think that Chinese Guy is a hoax
he is a new member with 0 completed transactions...selling strong wooden chess computers for $25

as far as your Montreux...
sorry i cant offer any helpful advice but i totally sympathize with you and i shall be wearing black for the next 7 days

In Mourning Regards
Steve
User avatar
Dave C
Member
Posts: 460
Joined: Fri Jul 17, 2015 1:50 am
Location: SoCal, US

Montreux RIP

Post by Dave C »

Hi Mike,

Sorry to hear about the Montreux going dark.

Are there a few technically competent electronic repairman around the country that we could send these units to for repair? I have not found one yet.

When I click on the Chinese listings that are "too good to be true" I receive an error messaging saying that ebay has removed the listing.

Regards,
Dave
Larry
Senior Member
Posts: 2269
Joined: Wed Aug 01, 2007 8:42 am
Location: Gosford, NSW Australia

Re: A minute of silence

Post by Larry »

chesspcmac wrote:A minute of silence for my Montreux. I played few games the night before and next morning was dead!!! I tried the reset button in the back, unplugging it , waited few days ...nothing. No lights, nothing in the screen. Only tears on my desk.
Dead!!! any ideas? Could be the Eprom? When the Eprom dies what do you see? When is something else what do you see?
If it is the Eprom where can I get it? expensive.? Revelation ii coming with the emulation anyways.

I can always put it on sale on ebay like that Chinese guy on eBAY. he is selling many computers for cheap.


Keeping hope alive regards


Mike
By "dead" I'm assuming that includes zero sound, no lights whatsoever
and absolutely nothing on the display....zilch...nada..
Could it be that someone else you live with could have used a wrong
power adaptor to power up the Montreux without your knowledge?
Regarding the reset button, I think you'll find it says in the owners
manual to (with the power on)unplug the power lead, plug it back in again, and press and
hold the reset button for a few seconds. Whatever you use to push in the
reset button, you will feel it 'click' as you give it a bit of pressure.
If still no luck, it does sound like perhaps a diode in the power supply
has gone bad. The risc2500 has a CPU that can easily be pried out and
have its contacts brushed, but the later Montreux has an inaccessible
CPU. Hopefully this is not the problem with yours.
Has the Montreux shown any intermittent problems in recent times?
I'm sure we are.all hoping for a good outcome.
L
CompDad
Member
Posts: 30
Joined: Wed Feb 08, 2017 9:59 pm

Post by CompDad »

If it's completely dead, looks like a power source problem or the power circuit inside the computer and can be fixed easily with a good eletronics technician.

Have tried to change the mains adaptor?

Anyway, the worst scenario would be a dead cpu, which you only could replace using another identical computer cpu, as I think there isn't any to purchase nowadays, but looks like it's not the case.

Good luck

Cheers
User avatar
Sargon1972
Member
Posts: 348
Joined: Sun Jul 14, 2013 9:30 am
Location: Dussen

Post by Sargon1972 »

Hello ,

Mine first thinking is a broken power supply
I had the same problem last week with mine Risc 2500
Where i did buy a new power supply for a year ago ,now it is broken!
did take the Power supply of the Montreux and then it started up

Kr,Hans
Hello
I am from Netherlands and many years involved with computerchess
It,s a way of life i suppose :p

Kr,Hans
Erik Stillum
Member
Posts: 56
Joined: Wed Aug 01, 2007 2:54 pm

Post by Erik Stillum »

Is Arno still in the business? I think he had some ways to get the old Risc 2500 og Montreux alive again.

http://www.elpeon.com/index.php?mod=werkstatt

Erik
User avatar
Sargon1972
Member
Posts: 348
Joined: Sun Jul 14, 2013 9:30 am
Location: Dussen

Post by Sargon1972 »

Hello Erik,

Arno is in Hospital till 11-10
Nothing to worry about
Back problems

Kr,Hans
Hello
I am from Netherlands and many years involved with computerchess
It,s a way of life i suppose :p

Kr,Hans
User avatar
chesspcmac
Member
Posts: 250
Joined: Sun Feb 05, 2012 2:58 am
Location: Richmond, Virginia

Post by chesspcmac »

Thanks for all the replies. When I plugged in the computer few of the red lights worked and then it went completely dead. I have the original power source and also a regulated extra power source. I tried both of them and Nothing. The right bottom of the computer is a little warm. I left it connected to the power all night...nothing. I use the ACL as Larry suggested ...nothing. Change adapters...nothing. Tried all of these on 3-4 different days...nothing. Now it is sitting on my desk dead. A cruel reminder that life is not fair. I feel bad not only because its monetary value but also because these units are disappearing.. becoming extinct.. . This person from "elpeon" speaks English? At the end once I have tried everything I will have to sell it for parts. I have box, original adapter, and original pieces.


Dodo bird regards

mike
"Sir, the slowness of genius is hard to bear, but the slowness of mediocrity is insufferable"

Henry Thomas Buckle
Erik Stillum
Member
Posts: 56
Joined: Wed Aug 01, 2007 2:54 pm

Post by Erik Stillum »

Yes, you can communicate with Arno in English. Sad to hear that he is in the hospital.

Erik
User avatar
Steve B
Site Admin
Posts: 10140
Joined: Sun Jul 29, 2007 10:02 am
Location: New York City USofA
Contact:

Post by Steve B »

chesspcmac wrote: Now it is sitting on my desk dead. A cruel reminder that life is not fair.
A Shame
I do feel your pain Mike
however all is not lost..

you can always try selling it on Ebay
throw away all of your power supply's
then list it as ...

Untested...Do Not Have Power Supply Regards
Steve
User avatar
chesspcmac
Member
Posts: 250
Joined: Sun Feb 05, 2012 2:58 am
Location: Richmond, Virginia

Post by chesspcmac »

hahahaha. That's right. that always seems to work Steve



Sold as is, no returns regards


Mike
"Sir, the slowness of genius is hard to bear, but the slowness of mediocrity is insufferable"

Henry Thomas Buckle
User avatar
Fernando
Admiral of the Fleet
Posts: 3059
Joined: Tue Jul 31, 2007 4:35 pm
Location: Santiago de Chile

Post by Fernando »

chesspcmac wrote:hahahaha. That's right. that always seems to work Steve



Sold as is, no returns regards


Mike
Maybe the thing to do is to get the services of a good funerary house and give the machine the ceremony it deserves. After the burial, some good drinks in the most near bar.
It works..

Fern
Festina Lente
JeffB
Member
Posts: 420
Joined: Sat Mar 07, 2015 6:36 pm
Location: Seattle, WA USA

Post by JeffB »

I wouldn't give up on it just yet. If the internal power supply died without damaging the processor or ROM, then it is not dead, but in a coma. A skilled surgeon (or technician) should be able to fix it.
Cheers,

Jeff B.
User avatar
blaubaer
Full Member
Posts: 935
Joined: Thu Jul 28, 2011 12:53 pm
Location: Bavaria, the centre of Mysticum
Contact:

Post by blaubaer »

Fernando wrote: Maybe the thing to do is to get the services of a good funerary house and give the machine the ceremony it deserves. After the burial, some good drinks in the most near bar.
It works..
Fern
Amen! 8)
Post Reply