Ion's RFR continuously reboots

[DutchVander]

I recently found a RFR for our Ion sitting a box full of junk. I couldn't believe my predecessors would leave something like that in a box of junk. Then I tried to use it. After I turn it on, I can get through one or two commands then it starts to continuously reboot itself. Any ideas what would cause something like that? I've done some searching on the problem but haven't seen anything similar.

 

[Goph704]

The major question is before it re boots is it doing what you want it to do, or is it doing nothing and then rebooting?
Sadly it could be That your unit is Fried. Try eliminating some of the obvious stuff. Top things I'd check for are


1. Are the the Batteries the ones that ETC Suggests, The rechargeable ones suck, but andthing else will eventually burn out the Unit. .
2. Is the software updated on the base station, on the RFR, and on the Ion. Older software versions have unique problems.
3. Does the Console recognize the Base station and the RFR?
4. Is there any Corrosion around the Terminals?

These are just some quick and general Trouble shooting questions, and hopefully you've already eliminated them, but just in case you haven't then chack there first. If you start running out of Ideas then I suggest checking out the ETC forums or calling up ETC to see if they can help you with an over the phone diagnostic.

 

[DutchVander]

It works perfectly for about 5 minutes then it just starts to reboot non stop.

1. Are the the Batteries the ones that ETC Suggests, The rechargeable ones suck, but anything else will eventually burn out the Unit?

The unit is sealed and charges from the base station so batteries can't be changed without cracking the unit open.

2. Is the software updated on the base station, on the RFR, and on the Ion. Older software versions have unique problems.

Software is all up to date.

3. Does the Console recognize the Base station and the RFR?

Everything recognizes everything else. Finishing that recognition stage is usually as far as the reboot gets before it starts over and reboots again.

4. Is there any Corrosion around the Terminals?

There's no corrosion that I can find.

Until I started here a few months ago, everything was run entirely by high school students so I wouldn't be surprised to find out its fried. Someone probably dropped it out of the catwalk or something to that effect and never told anyone.

 

[jstandfast]

You should contact ETC directly. I'm sure this is symptomatic of a condition they know about. If memory serves, it's a software related thing that
has been widely reported.......

 

[Goph704]

Yeah, last thing I can think of is let it charge overnight directly from the USB. See if that charges the batteries. If that doesn't work, or you've already been doing that, I'd Give ETC a call and ask them if it sounds like a familiar problem, be careful however repairing those things can be expensive and if you send it back you will probably be charged a diagnostics fee. At the theater I work at we had a similar problem with one of the Units, and after a little research we found that it would be cheaper to buy and I-pod touch, an Air port and down load the iRFR application. Shop around a little bit and see if that might be a cheaper solution for you.

 

[starksk]

DutchVander,

There have been several good troubleshooting points in this thread. I would recommend that you follow Goph704's suggestion to let the batteries charge overnight. If the issue remains, you can remove the 4 screws on the sides of the unit to replace the batteries.

If you remove the screws, pay careful attention to which hole each screw came from as they are not the same length. Make sure you put them back into the appropriate hole when reassembling. The batteries are rechargeable NiMH AA batteries that can be found at most electronics stores. When you replace the batteries, pinch the contacts toward the center slightly to ensure a tight fit. (When the unit has been dropped they can spread and make intermittant connection causing the issue you are seeing.)

After swapping the batteries, please make sure you are running the latest firmware for the RFR handheld and base station. (The current versions are 2.08 handheld and 2.04 base station.) If you are not running these firmware versions, please download the latest version of GCE to a PC and use the USB connection to update both devices.

If you are still experiencing these issues after replacing the batteries and updating the firmware, please give us a call at 800-688-4116 M-F 8-5 Central Time so we can talk through some additional troubleshooting.

One final note on battery life: We have found that NiMH batteries can develop what some people refer to as a "memory" of their charging cycle. When they are left on the charger when not in use, the batteries aren't allowed to fully discharge. This can cause shortened battery life. We recommend that you only charge the RFR when the batteries have been discharged and that you do not store it charging. It takes approximately 6-8 hours for a full charge. (Usually that means plugging it in the night before a focus call in many theatres.)

 

[jglodeklights]

Based on my knowledge and experiences in the field of photography, I second Kirk's suggestions regarding the NiMH batteries in the RFR. They need to be allowed to be fully discharged before charging, and fully charged before the unit is used again. However, NiMH batteries are available in a pre-charged package, specifically from Sanyo. Their Eneloop NiMH batteries maintain a claimed 85% of their charge after 1 year of storage, and my experience with them is that this is true. $9.99 for a pack of 4 seems reasonable to keep around as a spare set in case the primary set drains during a call. Plus they are still rechargeable. Keeping a set around that you charge once a year doesn't seem so bad either.

 

[FMEng]

Many types of rechargable batteries are damaged by allowing them to sit discharged for long. Or they were worn out to begin with, which is why it landed in the junk box. Chances are the batteries are gone and need to be replaced. When the voltage sags too low, it causes the thing to reboot. Check with ETC about battery replacement.

 

[jglodeklights]

FMEng, as Kirk already stated, the batteries are user replaceable NiMH AA rechargeable batteries. The whole process of changing them should take between 2 and 5 minutes, and is not difficult as long as, per Kirk's instructions, you keep track of where each of the four screws goes.

 

[DutchVander]

Thanks everyone for your help. Problem appears to be battery memory as well as loose contacts to the batteries. After fixing those I was able to use it for 45 minutes and it never rebooted. Hopefully that's all that was wrong. Thanks again.

 

[jglodeklights]

That is good to hear! While I personally prefer my iRFR over the standard RFR, if it has already been invested in then, hey! roll with it. Get a good set of NiMH AA's and you should be all set.

Those ETC tech guys really seem to know their stuff when it comes to troubleshooting. Too bad they can't replace an ION's MoBo via teleportation.