SkyStar-2 modification
Posted: Fri Sep 26, 2008 11:46 pm
I have SS2 and tried it on different computers with similar CPU's, memory size and versions on Windows. On some computers it works, on other - works unstable or can't find channels at all. Finally I discovered this is due to high power consumption by SS2 through PCI bus and not all motherboards can supply enough power.
I took a female connector from CD/HDD power Y-splitter, cut all males from it and using soldering iron attached its wires directly to SS2 PCB:
1. Two black wires (Ground) - to ground line of SS2 - any place connected with metal screen of RF part
2. Red wire (+5V) - attached to +5V line of PCI connector. Those are pins A61,A62,B61,B62. If you look on PCB - they are all connected together.
3. Yellow wire (+12V) - attached to +12V. This is A2 of PCI connector.
Then I installed SS2 back to motherboard, inserted male power connector into my female and finally SS2 started working stable in any PCI slot with any motherboard.
If you want to try my suggestions, you have to do it very carefully and double check enumeration of PCI pins and wires location. Soldering needs to be done neatly that no chance of short circuits or conductors damages took place. No solder should be put on golden PCI pins themselves. All soldering needs to be done higher than golden pins.
Please use extreme caution about what you are doing. Double check wiring and quality of your work. If there are any short cirquits or miswiring, you have a great chance of TOTAL DAMAGE YOUR WHOLE COMPUTER including motherboard, CPU, memory, power supply and other electronic components.
Using this modification you completely lose all manufacturer's warranties, so do it on your own risk. But I have two SS2 cards working on two different computers and they both work great after modification, though one couldn't find any channels before and second one frequently caused BSOD on Windows or didn't find all channels
I took a female connector from CD/HDD power Y-splitter, cut all males from it and using soldering iron attached its wires directly to SS2 PCB:
1. Two black wires (Ground) - to ground line of SS2 - any place connected with metal screen of RF part
2. Red wire (+5V) - attached to +5V line of PCI connector. Those are pins A61,A62,B61,B62. If you look on PCB - they are all connected together.
3. Yellow wire (+12V) - attached to +12V. This is A2 of PCI connector.
Then I installed SS2 back to motherboard, inserted male power connector into my female and finally SS2 started working stable in any PCI slot with any motherboard.
If you want to try my suggestions, you have to do it very carefully and double check enumeration of PCI pins and wires location. Soldering needs to be done neatly that no chance of short circuits or conductors damages took place. No solder should be put on golden PCI pins themselves. All soldering needs to be done higher than golden pins.
Please use extreme caution about what you are doing. Double check wiring and quality of your work. If there are any short cirquits or miswiring, you have a great chance of TOTAL DAMAGE YOUR WHOLE COMPUTER including motherboard, CPU, memory, power supply and other electronic components.
Using this modification you completely lose all manufacturer's warranties, so do it on your own risk. But I have two SS2 cards working on two different computers and they both work great after modification, though one couldn't find any channels before and second one frequently caused BSOD on Windows or didn't find all channels