Vast box...

[Chuck]

Our van already had a sat tv fitted when we bought it... & it worked just fine when we got it home.

Felt a bit 'how ya goin' using it when the Wineguard gave just as good a reception - so we turned the dish off & left the box in sleep mode until we left on this trip in March. Now this is where we get a bit confused.

Navigator reckons she turned the box 'off' at some stage but has forgotten how she did it. A check of the instructions - yes I have looked at them - indicates that the top left hand button (standby) switches the decoder between ON & STANDBY. Fairly straight forward... but where the hell is the OFF/ON button.

I understand that there is a 6 monthly renewal requirement & so far this system will still be in the original owners name.

Have been on line & found a way to re-boot the smart card "if the unit has been turned off for some time" by submitting the smart card number & it indicated straight away that the signal had been sent to the unit... but naturally the bloody unit has to be turned on to receive it. DUH!!

Tried ringing the help line but on a mobile phone that would be a costly exercise when they say "press ###, sorry we are rather busy at the moment please hold" yeah right!

So... any ideas how to get the elektrickery into this vast box?

[BruceS]

no on or off switch Chuck. Use the power point switch!! doh!!!
If it doesn't come on (red or green) then it's dead as a dodo!
You may need to leave it on for several hours to get the card activated.

[Chuck]

Then it looks like this is a relative of the Dodo & it's name is Cactus Rektus!!!

Managed to get onto the help line & a nice young lady said the same as you Bruce... no lights = no power = no luck then said to contact the company as this seems to be a fairly frequent fault. She put me through to Altech UEC in Lane Cove NSW & lady there asked for the box #, gave that to her & she said the warranty ran out in May this year ! Geeeezzz if I didn't have bad luck I wouldn't have any luck at all !

She suggested I return it to them & gave me a repair docket number to quote... when they get it it will be repaired & returned within a week either at a cost of $80 or if the warranty people are feeling in a good mood they might do it gratis, considering it's just out of warranty.

So,Bruce & Kay are due here - Mullewa WA - tomorrow, so might wait till Friday & then head into the Geraldton P.O. & send the box back & keep my fingers crossed.

Just as well we'd planned on stopping here for a couple of weeks at least.

Isn't this travelling caper fun.

[BruceS]

Hey, next time tell Catriana to just turn off the powerpoint & not turn it off with a hammer!!!
I wonder if it has a fuse in it Chuck?
I'll pop open mine & take a peek.

EDIT:
1 screw each side & 3 on the rear. Slide cover back & up.
240V 2A glass fuse (short) inside Chuck.
2cm or 3/4"
Disregard the 240V bit I reckon............... (Oldtrack?)

[T1 Terry]

Can't remember where i saw it now, but there is a kit available to replace the 240vac power supply with a 12vdc power supply, maybe someone else will remember where it was or a google search may find something.

[SteveW]

The 12v thing is on ebay. Easy change over - just take the cover off, unplug and remove the 240v card. Reverse the process. Literally a 5 minute job. Best to add a switch in the 12v cable. Otherwise, like the 240v, it will always be on standby while it's plugged in.

The vast is actually a 12v device. The 240v bit is just a transformer - more or less.

[Dot]

Hey Chuck!! tou got that

[T1 Terry]

The 12v thing is on ebay. Easy change over - just take the cover off, unplug and remove the 240v card. Reverse the process. Literally a 5 minute job. Best to add a switch in the 12v cable. Otherwise, like the 240v, it will always be on standby while it's plugged in.

The vast is actually a 12v device. The 240v bit is just a transformer - more or less.

There is a You Tube video on how it's done as well I believe, could be a better way to go Chuckie

[Craig]

or you could just replace it with the DSR4639 VAST decoder which can record 2 channels and has a built in hard drive and is 12/240 volt.

[Chuck]

Ahh... G'day,

From the top:

Bruce. Catriana says she's a gentle creature & would only use a hammer as a last resort... hold your hand out!
Checked the fuse - ok.

SteveW. Link?

Dot. Got it - now.

Terry. That would help... got a link?

Craig. I have enough trouble understanding this one without spending another $500 & being doubly confused.
Googled it & this mob - http://www.austech.info/vast/81102-dsr-4639-vast.html - whoever they are, are asking questions.

I like the idea of converting to 12v & a video showing dumb me how to do it would be great.... once I get the bloody the to turn on. So looks like it will get posted back to UEC for that problem to be rectified first.

Thanks all, appreciated.