Why Terratec Aureon 5.1 Fun got burned?

[t47]

Hello,

I've a problem. Some time ago I connected Terratec Aureon 5.1 Fun card
to a server (PCI slot). It was universal (5V & 3.3V) card so I thought
it would be fine. Card got burned immediately after powering up the
server. Pins around 10 (just before first notch if you count from the
rear of the computer) were burned totaly (even after 2 weeks you can
smell it). Nothing was connected to the card.

I thought that the card itself was damaged (or something like that) so
I connected another soundcard (identical as before) to another server
(again - identical as before). Unfortunately effect was also identical
- card was burned.

To prevent similar accidents in the future I would really like to know
why did it happen? Shouldn't Universal PCI card work with any PCI
slot? Or am I missing something?

regards & thanks in advance for any ideas
t47

 

[Paul]

Hello,

I've a problem. Some time ago I connected Terratec Aureon 5.1 Fun card
to a server (PCI slot). It was universal (5V & 3.3V) card so I thought
it would be fine. Card got burned immediately after powering up the
server. Pins around 10 (just before first notch if you count from the
rear of the computer) were burned totaly (even after 2 weeks you can
smell it). Nothing was connected to the card.

I thought that the card itself was damaged (or something like that) so
I connected another soundcard (identical as before) to another server
(again - identical as before). Unfortunately effect was also identical
- card was burned.

To prevent similar accidents in the future I would really like to know
why did it happen? Shouldn't Universal PCI card work with any PCI
slot? Or am I missing something?

regards & thanks in advance for any ideas
t47

Pin A10 is +VIO. There are a number of +VIO pins, so more
than one could burn. Keying is used to prevent a VIO problem.

http://www.interfacebus.com/Design_PCI_Pinout.html

http://pinouts.ru/Slots/PCI_pinout.shtml

Maybe if the card isn't keyed properly, and the card
is 5V VIO only, that's why it happened ?

Now if I look at this picture...

http://webshop.terratecshop.net/sho...8d27136e95/p/h/photo_aureon_5.1_pci_board.jpg

that card is keyed "5V only".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:PCI_Keying.png

If your card has two slots cut, that seems a bit strange.

Maybe the card is counterfeit ?

The chip on there looks like CMI8738. The datasheet for the
CMI8738 makes it seem universal, but I can't be 100% positive
about that. The datasheet makes a claim of tolerance, but
without the specification section putting it in black and white.

I have a spare CMI8738 based card here, not plugged in, and
it is keyed 5V only as well.

Paul

 

[t47]

Pin A10 is +VIO. There are a number of +VIO pins, so more
than one could burn. Keying is used to prevent a VIO problem.

http://www.interfacebus.com/Design_PCI_Pinout.html

http://pinouts.ru/Slots/PCI_pinout.shtml

Maybe if the card isn't keyed properly, and the card
is 5V VIO only, that's why it happened ?

Now if I look at this picture...

http://webshop.terratecshop.net/shop/media/catalog/product/cache/2/im...

that card is keyed "5V only".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:PCI_Keying.png

If your card has two slots cut, that seems a bit strange.

Maybe the card is counterfeit ?

The chip on there looks like CMI8738. The datasheet for the
CMI8738 makes it seem universal, but I can't be 100% positive
about that. The datasheet makes a claim of tolerance, but
without the specification section putting it in black and white.

I have a spare CMI8738 based card here, not plugged in, and
it is keyed 5V only as well.

    Paul- Ukryj cytowany tekst -

- Poka¿ cytowany tekst -

my cards were keyed universally so it is strange that they burned
the server I plugged them into is HP Proliant ML350 (if it makes any
difference)

 

[Paul]

my cards were keyed universally so it is strange that they burned
the server I plugged them into is HP Proliant ML350 (if it makes any
difference)

Does it look like this card or not ? Maybe I've got the wrong card.

http://webshop.terratecshop.net/sho...8d27136e95/p/h/photo_aureon_5.1_pci_board.jpg

Paul

 

[t47]

Does it look like this card or not ? Maybe I've got the wrong card.

http://webshop.terratecshop.net/shop/media/catalog/product/cache/2/im...

    Paul

Sorry for delayed answer. My cards look different. I've made 2 photos
myself:
https://picasaweb.google.com/madzionyu/TerratecAureon51Fun?authuser=0&feat=directlink
You can clearly see the burned part.

t47

 

[t47]

Does it look like this card or not ? Maybe I've got the wrong card.

http://webshop.terratecshop.net/shop/media/catalog/product/cache/2/im...

    Paul

Hello,

sorry for the delayed answer. My card looks different than the one you
found. Since I couldn't find any pictures of my cards on the Internet
I made them myself:
https://picasaweb.google.com/madzionyu/TerratecAureon51Fun?authuser=0&feat=directlink
What's even more interresting - Terratec doesn't even mention the
existence of this card on company webpage.

t47

 

[Paul]

Sorry for delayed answer. My cards look different. I've made 2 photos
myself:
https://picasaweb.google.com/madzionyu/TerratecAureon51Fun?authuser=0&feat=directlink
You can clearly see the burned part.

t47

Now, your card says "version 1.2" on it. Other cards have no version
at all, or version 1.0 on them.

With the exception of the picture you just posted, *none* of them
have universal keying (both a 3.3V and 5V key position cut). They all
look like this, and are keyed for 5V only.

http://webshop.terratecshop.net/sho...8d27136e95/p/h/photo_aureon_5.1_pci_board.jpg

A possible reason that particular VIO pin burned, is they removed
the other VIO pins, forcing the VIO fault current through the
single pin. If more pins were available in parallel, more contacts
would have been available to handle the fault current, which is
still not a good thing.

It's always possible there could be a short on the PCI card, between
VIO and GND, and that can be caused by a defective capacitor. But what
really bothers me, is the fact your card is keyed as universal, when
I can find no other pictures like it! Something smells, like counterfeiting.
And it makes no sense to counterfeit a card like this one, when ordinary
CMI8738 cards can be made for less money, by simply removing the
TOSLINK ports on the faceplate. That saves two dollars right there,
and allows a competing card to be made for less.

I think it would be interesting, to relate your story to Terratec
tech support, to see what they say. If all their cards are keyed
for 5V only VIO operation, that card should never have been able
to plug into your 3.3V server.

Paul

 

[t47]

Now, your card says "version 1.2" on it. Other cards have no version
at all, or version 1.0 on them.

With the exception of the picture you just posted, *none* of them
have universal keying (both a 3.3V and 5V key position cut). They all
look like this, and are keyed for 5V only.

http://webshop.terratecshop.net/shop/media/catalog/product/cache/2/im...

A possible reason that particular VIO pin burned, is they removed
the other VIO pins, forcing the VIO fault current through the
single pin. If more pins were available in parallel, more contacts
would have been available to handle the fault current, which is
still not a good thing.

It's always possible there could be a short on the PCI card, between
VIO and GND, and that can be caused by a defective capacitor. But what
really bothers me, is the fact your card is keyed as universal, when
I can find no other pictures like it! Something smells, like counterfeiting.
And it makes no sense to counterfeit a card like this one, when ordinary
CMI8738 cards can be made for less money, by simply removing the
TOSLINK ports on the faceplate. That saves two dollars right there,
and allows a competing card to be made for less.

I think it would be interesting, to relate your story to Terratec
tech support, to see what they say. If all their cards are keyed
for 5V only VIO operation, that card should never have been able
to plug into your 3.3V server.

    Paul

I was equally curious when I discovered the fact, that there are no
images showing my card on the net (at least I didn't find any). Fact,
that Terratec doesn't even mention it's existence is also quite weird.
It seems, that I'll have to contact Terratec tech support through
their private info hungry form. I'll post any info I get from them.

regards
t47

 

[t47]

I contacted Terratec tech support and after few emails they stated
something like: "we don't know why your cards burned, please notice
that we do not provide drivers for Windows 2003 server".

Since both cards burned immediately after powering up the system I
think that the fact that I didn't have any driver installed doesn't
matter.

Anyway - Terratec Aureon 5.1 Fun was once a 5V PCI card. Then they
changed it to universal PCI (I asked when did this transition happened
but they wouldn't tell me). I plugged it into PCI-X port with which it
should have been fully compatible. It seems it isn't. I provided full
info to Terratec about this but it seems that they aren't interested.
So for now there's one conclusion - stay away from Terratec products -
who knows how many more surprises are still waiting to be discovered.

regards
t47

 

[Paul]

I contacted Terratec tech support and after few emails they stated
something like: "we don't know why your cards burned, please notice
that we do not provide drivers for Windows 2003 server".

Since both cards burned immediately after powering up the system I
think that the fact that I didn't have any driver installed doesn't
matter.

Anyway - Terratec Aureon 5.1 Fun was once a 5V PCI card. Then they
changed it to universal PCI (I asked when did this transition happened
but they wouldn't tell me). I plugged it into PCI-X port with which it
should have been fully compatible. It seems it isn't. I provided full
info to Terratec about this but it seems that they aren't interested.
So for now there's one conclusion - stay away from Terratec products -
who knows how many more surprises are still waiting to be discovered.

regards
t47

Have you checked, to see if they have another contact
besides tech support ? Perhaps someone else, higher in
the company, can shed some light on this.

I wouldn't expect them to compensate you for the damage,
but at the very least, they should stop production of
that thing (if it is actually coming from them and
isn't counterfeit). And change the keying, to protect
customer computers.

When you write them, include a picture of the card as
an attachment, with a closeup to show the keying.

*******

Years ago, some SIS305 based AGP cards, did something
similar to customer motherboards. Burned Northbridges,
because of incorrect keying (cards keyed universal, should
have been 3.3V only keying). So this has happened before,
but with the AGP slots.

I've also seen pictures of a Creative SoundBlaster
doing this (burn pins on PCI), but in that case, it may
have been a component failure, rather than a keying error.
Mainly because, the event wasn't repeated. A couple
of victims, and that was it.

Paul