I recently rigged up a (cheap) 5.1 system for my living room. The decoder accepts light pipe input and 6 analog audio channels out.
My weirdness is if I start up the decoder using the switch on an outlet strip (also switching 3 power amps) the decoder goes into a locked up mode... All input LEDs lit. Switching the outlet strip on and off again does nothing, but if I unplug the 5v power jack and plug it back in it boots up properly. The decoder does not have its own power switch.
My suspicion is that the external 5v ps (wall wart) has a slow start up ramp or bounces that prevents the micro inside the decoder from cleanly reseting (often the reset is generated from the rail voltage coming up sharply).
This is annoying but it is a cheap ass decoder. It works reasonably well after I get it to properly boot up. It runs hot so I don't want to leave it running 24x7 but maybe I will, since it is too much work to mess with the power jack every time.
I wonder if a RxC on the 5V would help (or maybe just a large C)? It's a 1A PS so I might need a big ass cap... I doubt the decoder draws the full 1A but it does get pretty warm.
JR
PS: I could probably design a delayed start up circuit so the 5V snaps up, but I don't want to redesign everything.
My weirdness is if I start up the decoder using the switch on an outlet strip (also switching 3 power amps) the decoder goes into a locked up mode... All input LEDs lit. Switching the outlet strip on and off again does nothing, but if I unplug the 5v power jack and plug it back in it boots up properly. The decoder does not have its own power switch.
My suspicion is that the external 5v ps (wall wart) has a slow start up ramp or bounces that prevents the micro inside the decoder from cleanly reseting (often the reset is generated from the rail voltage coming up sharply).
This is annoying but it is a cheap ass decoder. It works reasonably well after I get it to properly boot up. It runs hot so I don't want to leave it running 24x7 but maybe I will, since it is too much work to mess with the power jack every time.
I wonder if a RxC on the 5V would help (or maybe just a large C)? It's a 1A PS so I might need a big ass cap... I doubt the decoder draws the full 1A but it does get pretty warm.
JR
PS: I could probably design a delayed start up circuit so the 5V snaps up, but I don't want to redesign everything.