Flir PM595 disk error - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: evgeek
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: September 28, 2021, 03:10:22 am
content: I have been trying to setup storage disk for PM595 (version 3.41 edit 3). I tried various cards, PCMCIA CF adapters with 256MB, 512MB and standard PCMCIA 128MB card. All formated as FAT using windows xp. None of these seem to work. It shows "disk error" as soon as i insert the card. Wondering if the PCB responisble to read the storage card is faulty. Is there any special drive/volume name i should try?

author: Fraser
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 28, 2021, 10:34:49 am
content: Take a close look at the PCMCIA port pins. You are looking for bent or missing pins. The PCMCIA port is connected to aPCIISA bridge on the main LiCo (Processor & control) PCB.Fraser

author: Fraser
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 28, 2021, 01:09:13 pm
content: I attach some pictures of a PM570 LiCo board showing the PCMCIA port and associated Cirrus Logic CL-PD6722 ISA-PCMCIA bridge IC. I attach that bridge IC's data sheet.The PCMCIA port may be unplugged from the PCB for inspection or repair.The PM570 board is very similar to your PM595 so may haelp in understanding the topology. I will see if I can dig out some PM595 LiCo board images as I know I have some.The camera carries out a self test on boot so a fault in the ISA-PCMCIA bridge should have been detected if present.Fraser

author: evgeek
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: September 28, 2021, 11:20:56 pm
content: thanks Fraser. The boards look great. The PCMCIA pins look fine, no bent/missing pins. I hestiate to dissassemble, afraid of messing up other part of the camera. My guess is that board or that Cirrus Logic Chip gone bad.

author: Fraser
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 29, 2021, 09:39:12 am
content: A failure of the ISA-PCMCIA bridge should be detected in the boot up-self test unless it has some obscure I/O fault that only effects the PCMCIA card communications. If the LiCo board experiences a fault the camera normally reports it at boot or the processor goes into a halt state and boot stops.Are you formatting the CF and ATA cards as FAT 16 ? I do not recall whether Fat 32 is supported on the PM series.To me this still sounds like a compatibility issue rather than a hardware failure.Fraser

author: evgeek
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: September 29, 2021, 02:10:25 pm
content: I dot get any boot errors. Yes. I formatted all cards to fat-16. I will try again later today. I three three different brand cf adapters and one standard pcmcia ata card.

author: Fraser
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 29, 2021, 03:30:43 pm
content: Sadly it does sound like your PM575 is having issues accessing the cardsThe only time I have seen this happen is when a PCMCIA port is physically damaged due to someone forcing a card in and bending pins over at 90 degreeFurther investigation of the LiCo board would be needed to discover more. I have a PCMCIA extension card that I would use in the PCMCIA port to check that the port is receiving the correct power rails and that all the required pins are terminated and none are open circuit. Sadly such extension cards are rare and expensive. I was lucky to find one some years ago.Fraser