# myvu Crystal Personal Media Viewer - White Haze



## gzsfrk

Here's a good question for those of you that like to dabble in electronics engineering.


I have a set of myvu Crystal goggles that I bought back in 2008. They worked great for a long time, and have served me well during vacations and other travel. However, I went through about a 6 month stretch without using them. So a couple weeks ago, when I decided to use them again, I charged up the pendant (the control module) for a few hours, then plugged it into my Zune and started watching a video. Unfortunately, after a few minutes the left display flashed briefly before returning to showing the video, only now it had what I can only describe as a "white haze" over the screen. It was a bit disorienting, but didn't completely mess up the video (particularly as the right display was still functioning correctly), so I decided to let it keep playing for the time being. But then a couple minutes later, the right-display did the same thing, flashing then developing a white haze. The video still played and was fairly clear, but the haze made it look terribly washed out. I just assumed that I hadn't fully charged it or had maybe accidentally plugged it into a non-powered USB port to charge, so I shut it off and packed it away.


Once I got home, I plugged it into an AC-to-USB adapter and let it charge overnight. The next day, I tried watching a video again, and the same thing happened: it started out fine, but after a few minutes the left displayed got the white haze, followed by the right display a couple minutes later. If I power down the pendant controller as soon as it happens then turn it immediately back on AFTER the hazing has already occurred, it comes back immediately. But if I let it set for a while THEN turn everything back on, the picture comes back clean for a short while before hazing up again.


I've found at least one other person that's encountered the same issue (in the first Amazon review for the product on this page , as well as a similar issue being described in eBay listings), so I'm guessing it's likely a design or component problem. However, myvu has apparently gone bankrupt earlier this year, so I don't even have the option of PAYING them to fix it. I've actually disassembled the pendant, having suspected that it was the fault of a bad LiPo cell. However, checking the single-cell battery with a volt-meter while using the goggles, the voltage never dropped below 4.15v, even after the white haze effect started.


So with that in mind, does anyone have any tips for what I should be looking for when diagnosing the device? Any idea if the problem is likely in the pendant, or is it more likely in the LCD displays within the goggles themselves? I hate to just give up on it, particularly if fixing it requires something as simple as finding and repairing a cold solder joint. Of course, I only paid $70 for it, so I'm not terribly interested in dropping a lot of money either for parts or to have someone else fix it.


Thanks in advance for any advice!


- [email protected]


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## kamisama

I encountered a similar problem. more likely it is the matrix defect. appears with warming of the matrix after some time of working. I lowered the supply voltage each matrices with 9.2v to 8v let them over 91 Ohm resistor. This problem has disappeared but the picture was a little flicker. Then I added 1KOhm shunt to the ground on each line of the RGB and fix it.

I could not do it in pendant. make it very difficult because very small parts.

see attached images.


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## gzsfrk

Thanks for the information! That fix sounds a little over my head, but using this information I might be able to grab an electrical engineer from the college for some assistance.










Thanks again, and have a great day!


[email protected]


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## Capn Gav

Did you ever find anyway to get your MyVu Crystal 701 working again? I've tried everywhere and nothing. I have the same problem with a dead battery and it won't take a charge. If you have any answers please let me know.


Thanks,


J


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## fredskidoo

Anybody come up with any successful repair options for this device?


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## MadisonSkwara1

You have a little bit of open circuit issue with any component (most probably a capacitor). See all the capacitors that are getting more than 3V across it's ends.


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