Bowers & Wilkins CLASSE CT/SSP-800 User manual

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CT/SSP-800
SERVICE MANUAL V1.0

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Table of Contents
Introduction .................................................................................................................................................3
The preferred method of servicing Delta Series products is as follows:............................................3
This method of servicing offers: ........................................................................................................3
Service Assistance..............................................................................................................................3
Important Notes on Servicing.............................................................................................................3
Ordering Replacement Parts...............................................................................................................4
Returning parts for credit ...................................................................................................................4
Normal power up sequence.........................................................................................................................4
Understanding the front LED status............................................................................................................5
Protection modes and indicators..................................................................................................................5
Troubleshooting Introduction......................................................................................................................5
Troubleshooting guide.................................................................................................................................5
Common Repair Scenarios..........................................................................................................................6
Does not initialize (Standby LED flashing continuously)...........................................................................9
Firmware explained.....................................................................................................................................9
Firmware Download procedure.................................................................................................................10
Firmwares are found at the following link:......................................................................................10
USB Driver:......................................................................................................................................10
Microsoft Redistributable software:.................................................................................................10
Saving and archiving user settings............................................................................................................11
PCB List ....................................................................................................................................................13
PCB Identification.....................................................................................................................................13
PCB revisions and compatibility...............................................................................................................13
Circuitry guide...........................................................................................................................................14
Block Diagrams.........................................................................................................................................15
Appendix A: AC line voltage ranges ........................................................................................................17
Appendix B: Voltage change ....................................................................................................................18
Appendix D: USB & RS232 interface configurations ..............................................................................21
Appendix E: Trigger..................................................................................................................................21
Appendix F: IR..........................................................................................................................................22
Appendix G: Fuse chart.............................................................................................................................22
Appendix H: Typical Specifications .........................................................................................................23
Appendix I: Power Supply test points.......................................................................................................24
Appendix J: Quick spare parts list.............................................................................................................24
Amendment Record...................................................................................................................................25

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Introduction
Please read this manual carefully before commencing servicing!
Only qualified and authorized personnel should attempt to service this product.
The lightning flash with arrowhead symbol, within an equilateral triangle, is intended to alert
the user to the presence of un-insulated dangerous voltage within the product‟s enclosure that
may be of sufficient magnitude to constitute a risk of electric shock to persons.
The exclamation point within an equilateral triangle is intended to alert the user to the
presence of important operating and maintenance (servicing) instructions.
Delta Series products contain NO USER SERVICABLE PARTS.
The preferred method of servicing Delta Series products is as follows:
1. Identify the source of the problem using the block diagram, troubleshooting guide and/or Service Notices.
2. Replace the defective module or PCBA.
3. Return defective modules and PCBAs for failure analysis as appropriate.
This method of servicing offers:
1. Quickest turnaround for the customer.
2. Ease of repair and shortest „touch time‟ for the service technician.
3. Continuous quality improvement for Classé through analyses of failures and implementation of corrective
actions.
Please report any omissions or inaccuracies in this Service Manual to [e-mail]
Service Assistance
Classé has a global product support network. For product assistance or to order replacement parts please
contact your nearest service center always quoting the unit serial number and software version.
Asia
Phone: [phone] E-mail: [e-mail]
Europe
Phone: [phone] E-mail: clas[email protected]
North America & Rest of the World
Phone: [phone] E-mail: [e-mail]
Important Notes on Servicing
1. ALWAYS observe ESD precautions when handling electronic modules or PCBAs.
Refer to IPC excerpt_ Handling Electronics Assemblies and ANSI_ESD_S20_20_1999
2. NEVER unnecessarily exchange boards between two units. All Delta Series PCBAs are bar-coded. Each
unique bar code ties important trace-ability information to the unit serial number.
3. All PCBAs are RoHS compliant „lead free‟ and therefore only lead free solder should be used if
soldering is required.
4. ALWAYS use Classé original replacement parts. The use of generic parts may void the warranty of the
unit.

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Ordering Replacement Parts
Complete and email the form CLASSÉ PARTS REQUEST to [e-mail].
Please be sure to include all required information as there may be a delay in processing incomplete requests.
Returning parts for credit
Email [e-mail] with your part number and Classe order number in order to get a return
authorization number.
Parts returned without an authorization number will not be credited.
Normal power up sequence
The CT/SSP-800 upon plugging the AC chord will have a blue LED blinking on the front standby switch. This is an
indication that the unit is initializing its firmware. This will typically take 2 minutes and stabilize itself to a solid red
color upon completion. Once in this state, it will be in standby mode and ready to be powered on.
The CT-SSP-800 once powered
on and initialized will have LED‟s
lit up. The following illustration
shows the correct indicators
once a complete initialization
has been achieved. Any
indication of LED‟s missing will
signify that a problem has been
encountered and a potential
hardware failure has occurred.
In such an instance, the blue
Front Panel LED will blink
continuously. Troubleshooting
will be necessary in order to
restore proper functionality.
For more details, consult
“Does not initialize” at P9

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Understanding the front LED status
Red = Standby
Blue = On
Blinking Blue
Over voltage AC limits attained. A message will be displayed on the front screen and unit will shut down.
Under voltage AC limits attained. No change in operation of the unit.
Protection modes and indicators
The SSP-800/CT-SSP Surround Sound Processor contains protection features that prevent the processor from
operating at dangerously high or low voltages. These features are incorporated to help protect the processor
from dangerous power surges and other power irregularities that could cause extensive damage to the processor.
This circuitry guards against the following irregular supplied power conditions.
Startup Voltage: If the AC mains voltage is NOT within a range of approximately –15% to +10% of its
nominal value, the SSP does not turn on. For example, a 120V AC service generally requires the AC mains
voltage to be no lower than 95V and no higher than 135V in order for the processor to turn on and operate
normally.
Over-voltage Condition during Operation: If the AC mains voltage surges by roughly 10% or more during
operation, the Surround Sound Processor enters a protection mode and shuts down. The Standby LED
flashes to indicate that the protection mode has been engaged. An error message also displays on the LCD
touch screen.
Under-voltage Condition during Operation: If the AC mains voltage sags by 15% or more, the Surround
Sound Processor does continue to play since the voltage irregularity won‟t harm the processor, but the
sound quality may be degraded due to the compromised power conditions. The Standby LED flashes to
indicate an irregular power condition exists.
Troubleshooting Introduction
It is always important to have the latest Firmware installed in the CT/SSP-800. This may solve certain problems
that have occurred. If this is not the case, then intervention is needed in order to repair the CT/SSP-800.
Through the use of the LED status indications, signal status and general observations, a troubleshooting
approach will be defined.
Troubleshooting guide
Preliminary verifications
A quick way to verify the state of the CT/SSP-800 is to check all power supplies. Please follow a verification
procedure at Appendix I.

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Common Repair Scenarios
Along with using this Service Manual for troubleshooting purposes, it is essential to consult our Service Notices. A
complete set of notices will be available concerning current and past faults found on the CT/SSP-800. These are
descriptive of the fault along with troubleshooting techniques and solutions.
The following cases are described using keywords for the fault. These will be the most common faults found on
the CT/SSP-800. Although thorough, certain instances may arise that are not described in this manual or in the
Service Notices. For any additional troubleshooting support, please contact Classé Technical Support.
Keyword(s): No audio
A dedicated linear power supply is implemented for all analog purposes. This comprises of an 80VA torroidal
transformer along with a series of linear regulators providing +12/-12 volts and 5 volts. These voltage rails will
mostly power op-amps, volume control chips, relays and DAC‟s. Decoupling of these voltage rails are done with
10uF and 0.1uF capacitors. At occasion, these capacitors may produce a fault by becoming resistive and shorting
the rail (s) in question. A full troubleshooting procedure is available at Appendix A.
Symptoms of such a case will be described as the following;
-No sound
-No relays heard clicking between input selections
-Mute relays not heard
Keywords: SMPS power supply
An SMPS power supply will provide 12 and 5 volts DC for all digital purposes. The 5 volts will also provide 3.3
volts through a regulator. The 12 volt rail will provide power to front panel and Video board as well as the Audio
board. This voltage will also be converted to 5 volts and 3.3 volts.
Keywords: No video, no preview
Lightning strikes: Occasionally, lightning storms occur and can damage the CT/SSP-800 through a cable box or
satellite receiver that would be plugged into it. Typically these devices are plugged through the HDMI inputs on
the Video Board. The result of such an incidence will inevitably burn digital components and PCB traces. Typically
in such instances, a complete replacement of the Video Board is needed as repair at a component level is risky
and complicated.
Keywords: No relays switching, no audio. * Specific serial numbers
The LVDS is a low voltage differential interface that allows for digital communication over a certain length while
assuring quiet EMI signal noise. These transceivers are used for providing digital audio towards the DAC
converters. There are 4 pairs or transceivers used for audio. L&R Aux, L&R Main, Center, Sub out, L&R Surround,
L&R Rear will all pass through LVDS transceivers. A dedicated pair of transceivers are used for relay control,
volume chip control, and CODEC resets. When problematic LVDS components occur, no audio may be heard on
all or specific channels as well as un-responding relays. A replacement of all transceiver pairs is recommended.
Keywords: Touch screen alignment, touch screen misalignment, calibration.
The SSP-800 may develop a problem with touch screen alignment. When this occurs, the alignment of the trigger
points become skewed relative to the soft button(s). No calibration is available in this case as it is a hardware
issue. A complete replacement of the video display is required. The front panel PCB in this case will not need to
be replaced.

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Keywords: On screen error codes X.0.0.0.0.
Numerical Error codes such as 2.0.0.0.0 can be displayed when an initialization error has occurred. These errors
may arise when taking the CT/SSP-800 out of standby or when powering up. The first number of the error code
describes in which stage the error occurred. There are 5 stages. The description of these stages go beyond the
scope of this manual. The four remaining zeros are fixed and will remain zeros. Two scenarios can exist when this
type of error is produced.
1- When the CT/SSP-800 is brought out of standby, it will want to lock itself onto the last source seen
before going into standby. If this source is digital and mainly HDMI, is absent or off the CT-SSP may find
itself trying to lock onto an absent clock. This in turn will cause the DSP board to be overwhelmed within
a process where finally a timeout is reached and an error code X.0.0.0.0 is given.
2- When the CT/SSP-800 is powered on, it will want to lock itself onto the source configured for input #1. If
this source is digital and mainly HDMI, is absent or off the CT-SSP may find itself trying to lock onto an
absent clock. This in turn will cause the DSP board to be overwhelmed within a process where finally a
timeout is reached and an error code X.0.0.0.0 is given.
Solutions to these errors are often solved by the power on sequence of the components within a system.
Essentially, the sources and TV/Projectors must be turned on first before the CT/SSP-800. In this way, the CT-
SSP-800 will always be able to lock itself to the initial source without problems.

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Does not initialize (Standby LED flashing continuously)
A CT/SSP-800 that does not initialize
completely will continually flash its blue LED
on the front panel. The significance of this is
that the internal micro-controllers cannot
execute the firmware properly. Probable
causes for this are as follows;
1- Corrupted Firmware
2- Bad digital power supplies
3- Sensor board communication errors
4- Micro-controller errors
Re-downloading the Firmware could resolve
the problem. If not, related hardware will
need to be verified. If communication is not
possible, power supplies would be suspect.
Firmware explained
Firmware code will reside on the front panel in its entirety. This will be stored in Flash memory until the CT/SSP-
800 will be powered on and initialized for the first time. Upon power up, the firmware will be transferred into RAM
memory to 3 different locations. The front panel will contain the functional firmware of the CT/SSP-800 followed
by the Video board FPGA firmware and finally the DSP board firmware. The firmware will be transferred into RAM
and immediately executed at those three distinct areas. Upon completion, the CT/SSP-800 will be fully initialized
and ready to operate. See LED status at P4
In the event that a hardware malfunction occurs and that the CT/SSP-800 does not initialize, the same areas of
concern will need to be verified. The Front Panel, Video board and DSP board will need to be
interchanged/replaced or repaired. The Motherboard may also be a culprit as power supplies and a micro-
controller resides. It is important to understand that the Front Panel contains the serial number so in the event of
replacing it, the correct serial number would need to be programmed into the Front Panel. For this reason,
swapping Front Panels between units is not recommended. It is strictly used for troubleshooting purposes only.

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Firmware Download procedure
Firmwares are found at the following link:
http://www.classeaudio.com/downloads/Downloads.htm?Path=/OPERATING_SOFTWARE
USB Driver:
http://www.silabs.com/Support%20Documents/Software/CP210x_VCP_Windows.zip
Microsoft Redistributable software:
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=5638
1. Follow the link above for the correct Firmware
2. Select the file for the model you want to update.
3. The *.pkg file is the operating software for the Classé component. Download the *.pkg file and save to
a location on your hard drive. Take note of this location as you will be prompted for the location of the
*.pkg file later on.
4. Download the Downloader.exe file and save it to your desktop. You need this program to load the software
(*.pkg) into the Classé component. If you‟re having trouble with this program you may need to download the
redistributable package from Microsoft located here.
Note: Always read the RELEASE NOTES for the software you are planning to download to confirm that the
download is appropriate for your unit.
5. Power down the Classé unit using the main power switch at the rear of the unit.
6. Connect the unit to your PC. All models can be connected using a Pin-to-Pin RS232 cable. Models that also
have a USB port have the option of using the B side of a USB A/B cable. Using the USB port disables the RS-
232 port and vice versa.
7. Follow the instructions below for your particular cable selection:
Updating via RS-232 input
There are two scenarios for connecting with RS232A. If your PC has only one RS232 port simply plug in the
RS232 cable. In this case the communication port should be COM1. Follow the instructions below to verify.
B. If your PC has no RS232 connector, you may use a USB to RS232 adaptor. These adaptors are available at
your local electronics store, and come with the appropriate drivers for installation on your PC. Follow the
instructions for the adaptor carefully to ensure proper installation. It is possible, in both cases, for COM1 to be
unavailable. If this is the case you must identify the port you are connected to. To verify:
1. PRESS START �CONTROL PANEL �SYSTEM
2. Once in the “SYSTEM PROPERTIES” window select the “HARDWARE” tab.
3. Select “DEVICE MANAGER”. A “DEVICE MANAGER”window will open with a list of devices on your computer.
4. Find the “PORTS (COM & LPT)” section in the list, and expand it (if not already expanded) by clicking on the
small “+” sign to the left.
5. Find the connector you are using in the list, and take note of the COM port associated to it. This information
is in brackets beside the description. I.e. “Prolific USB-to-serial Bridge (COM1)”.
Updating via USB input
1. Connect the B end of the USB cable to the rear of the unit.
2. Connect the A end of the USB cable to your PC.
Note: Ensure that your PC is booted up, and has an internet connection available as you may need to install
Drivers from Microsoft Update. If you do need to install drivers a dialogue box will automatically appear on
your PC stating that there is new hardware. Follow the directions to install the necessary drivers for the USB
connection. You will need to follow this process twice as there are 2 sets of necessary drivers. The second
installation will automatically start once the first is completed.
3. Once the hardware is installed you must take note of the COM port being used by the USB connector. To find
this information press START �CONTROL PANEL �SYSTEM.
4. Once in the “SYSTEM PROPERTIES” window select the “HARDWARE” tab.
5. Select “DEVICE MANAGER”. A “DEVICE MANAGER”window will open with a list of devices on your computer.