[newcoppiceman]

My investigations lead me to trying the WAC3500 with either or both of its drives (DVD-Rom; hard) unplugged from the bus - but unless both are connected it won't complete the start-up sequence and the screen stays on the Philips logo intro.

Perhaps unwisely, I'd left a FAT32 file-structured USB memory stick plugged into the front port which I'd been able to play tracks from ok (albeit with the clicks I'm investigating). However, after the above investigations I can't get USB playback to work - I've reformatted the stick, but the WAC3500 now refuses to recognise it.

Grrr! Any ideas?

[newcoppiceman]

First "the sought":

Anyone had/having trouble with quite frequent clicks (they may be repeated audio frames, or "stutters") on CD playback and hard drive playback? I've installed latest firmware (v1.11.1020) but this hasn't improved the problem. Problem isn't apparent when listening to the WAC3500's radio (not surprisingly as this must be a problem with the common processing of the data streams off its two drives). I've removed and checked out the CD drive - actually it's a DVD-Rom drive - on my laptop and it's fine.

Please let me know if you have click/stutter problems with your WAC3500.

Now "the offered":

I was recently given one of these systems by a friend who had replaced it because of problems powering-up. I couldn't reproduce the problem - despite wrapping it in a towel to get it nice and warm - but decided to check the third-party power supply (made by Kingwall) anyway as it was likely that one or more of the electrolytic capacitors had dropped in value (although the unit is fitted with a fan there's a plastic cover over the power supply which impedes airflow and - as normal - some of these heat-sensitive components were probably mounted too close to a heatsink - a lump of aluminium to which is bolted heat-producing semiconductors).

Sure enough, three capacitors had fallen in value by a significant amount - the readings obtained (nominal component value in brackets) were:

<200uF (680uF)
<450uF (1000uF)
<750uF (1500uF)

so I replaced all three.

There's a pic at http://www.flickr.com/photos/38818955@N07/