Hi everyone!
While investigating the cause of some RMAs I had the idea to recommend and offer a heatsink to put on the ZYNQ chip on the ZZ9000.
So far, 6 of around 500 ZYNQs have been damaged in the field, but not necessarly by overheating. This is just one of a number of possible reasons. It is advisable to cool all hot-running electronics/chips to increase their lifespan. ZZ9000 is no exception.
This doesn't mean there is any inherent problem on ZZ9000 or ZYNQ. But we are trying to analyze the failures anyway because nobody likes to go through the trouble of having their card fixed/replaced, and it certainly costs me money to replace dead ZYNQs. So far we do _not_ know what caused these 6 ZYNQs to die. A theory is that it might be caused by power surges finding their way through I/O lines.
Besides cooling your case, other recommended preventive measures:
- Make sure you have proper power supplies. If you use an ATX supply, please use a proper adapter like:
http://www.ianstedman.co.uk/Amiga/de...x_adaptor.html
- Use a surge protector on your power outlet. This can protect your electronics from surges caused by lightning, which can be common in hot summers.
- Ground yourself before touching electronics with your hands, so the electrostatic discharge from your body doesn't unload into the device.
Best
Lukas / MNT Research