topic Re: Dream Machine ICF-CL75iP - cant change date? in Hi-fi Systems

Dream Machine ICF-CL75iP - cant change date?

lee_m_a — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 13:55:10 GMT

Hi all,

Had product in question for a while, always had issues with crashing. However, after the last crash now I cannot set time, date etc on the first screen. Even when trying to amend and confirming by pressing enter the numbers default. Anyone else had this problem? Obviously the problem makes the product unusable. Is it possible to do some sort of master reset?

Any help much obliged! If anyone needs more info just reply and Ill do my best!

Cheers!

Re: Dream Machine ICF-CL75iP - cant change date?

jamcdon82 — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 20:47:56 GMT

I also have the same issue I have done the firmware update also.

Time and date can not be changed and the clock just flashes but never move from 00:00.

I have bought Sony products for years and this is complete rubbish.

What is the point of a clock/alarm clock that does not tell the time?

Like a plane with no wings.......

Sony not very helpful with a fix for it either.

Tried removing battery etc turning off etc etc

Still at the samepoint \i was befoe firmware update.

Posh speaker....

Re: Dream Machine ICF-CL75iP - cant change date?

Thalamus. — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 21:20:44 GMT

Hi lee_m_A,

welcome to Questions & Answers..:smileyhappy:

Have you tried replacing the CR2032 battery.?

Re: Dream Machine ICF-CL75iP - cant change date?

jamcdon82 — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 21:30:53 GMT

yes I have done this and no help. I was also under the impression this was just a back up battery and when plugged in to the 240v you should still be able to change the time and date and this battery keeps the time etc when the power is turned off.

Re: Dream Machine ICF-CL75iP - cant change date?

hebhaga — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 20:05:05 GMT

Hi,

has anyone found a fix for this it?

its pretty useless right now!

cheers,

Re: Dream Machine ICF-CL75iP - cant change date?

Thalamus. — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 16:36:52 GMT

Hi jamcdon82,

can you checked that you have the latest version of firmware installed.?

To check the firmware version of your unit, follow the below instructions:

Turn on the unit and press the [HOME] button on the displayed screen.
Select [General Settings] and press the [ENTER] button.
Select [Unit information] and press the [ENTER] button.
Check [S/W Version] on the displayed screen.

If it's the correct version have you tried resetting your ICF-CL75IP back to default settings, this can be found with settings..:smileyconfused:

Re: Dream Machine ICF-CL75iP - cant change date?

Thalamus. — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 16:17:48 GMT

Thalamus. wrote:

Hi jamcdon82,

can you checked that you have the latest version of firmware installed.?

To check the firmware version of your unit, follow the below instructions:

Turn on the unit and press the [HOME] button on the displayed screen.
Select [General Settings] and press the [ENTER] button.
Select [Unit information] and press the [ENTER] button.
Check [S/W Version] on the displayed screen.

If it's the correct version have you tried resetting your ICF-CL75IP back to default settings, this can be found with settings..

Hi jamcdon82 or lee_m_a,

could you please answer the above..:smileyconfused:

Re: Dream Machine ICF-CL75iP - cant change date?

guenter.fritz — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 15:43:41 GMT

I bought this unit back in 2009. It showed the same issue, random freezes, usually at night, almost right from the start. Of course I took it back to the dealers place just to be informed about a firmware update Sony had released. It was installed but did not make a functional change just like all the updates which followed. A few months after the warranty ended the clock stopped working at all whilst everything else continued to work ...

Of course I was disappointed not only because this rather expensive device which I expected to live for many years turned out to be a lemon but also because of Sony - definitely knowing what's going on inside ! - was not willing to find a customer friendly solution.

So I started my own investigation, opened up the unit and examined the logic board.

Obviously this area was not intended to look like that. The dark brown coverage was rough but easily could be removed using a wooden toothpick. Doing so I uncovered a 2 pin oscillator which should be soldered to the board but wasn't. I resoldered it and reassembled the unit, which booted and is doing fine now :

Of course this is not for the faint hearted. You should have good knowledge in electronics, otherwise you'll risk breaking it forever and you better take pictures of every single step while taking it apart.

I'ld be glad if this small guide will help to prevent some units from being trashed because of a small fault.

Re: Dream Machine ICF-CL75iP - cant change date?

Cheezpie — Mon, 09 Sep 2013 09:40:54 GMT

How do you take off the back cover? I have removed all the screws but the cover seems stuck near the snooze / brightness button.

Re: Dream Machine ICF-CL75iP - cant change date?

Cheezpie — Tue, 10 Sep 2013 11:53:25 GMT

I have got into the machine, it was just a couple of clips holding it together. The crystal does look black like teh picture above but is soldered to the PCB. Does anyone know what these crystal are?

Has anyone else any ideas what is wrong?

Originally it was running software version 1.01 and the issue I had was the clock display was changing, each digit would flash then eventually go to 0:00 Sat 01/01/2000, but then randomly would display the correct time. It wouldn't let me alter the time but it actually was altering it, just not showing that it has been alterred as when it randomly showed the correct time it was wrong and then I could go and alter it.

since this error I have updated to version 1.10 and that seems to have made it worse as now it only shows 0:00 Sat 01/01/2000 and doesn't let me alter it.

Re: Dream Machine ICF-CL75iP - cant change date?

Cheezpie — Tue, 10 Sep 2013 11:58:13 GMT

Don't know if its just coincidence, i have turned "Auto Summer Time" off and it has let me alter the time and date, just testing how long it works for????

Re: Dream Machine ICF-CL75iP - cant change date?

Cheezpie — Wed, 11 Sep 2013 11:50:09 GMT

Didn't last long, its now in the bin.

Re: Dream Machine ICF-CL75iP - cant change date?

guenter.fritz — Tue, 08 Apr 2014 11:16:19 GMT

Just to let you know, my unit is still in daily use. Since I've fixed it as shown in my previous post there've been no more issues 🙂

Re: Dream Machine ICF-CL75iP - cant change date?

Chrisbiggs21 — Tue, 30 Sep 2014 06:26:42 GMT

I have a dream machine IFC-cl75ip it has crashed 6 times this time ti will not turn back on what can I do

Chris

Re: Dream Machine ICF-CL75iP - cant change date?

scotiangold — Fri, 30 Oct 2015 22:50:04 GMT

Thanks to guenter.fritz, I fixed my dream machine. Mine wasn't as melted as his was, but the melted plastic did run down into the micro chip below. As best as I can guess, the plastic sliver was placed below the silver cylinder circuit thing (don't know what it is) as some sort of heat shield, but it melted instead. Really bad choice on sony's part. I scratched most of it off, especially around the solder joints and IC connector points the best i could with a toothpick and a blade careful not to break any contacts, swabbed with alcohol, reassembled and it works!!! I guess I'll see if it was worth the effort. I like the alarm clock, innovative for its age. Hard to imagine that a tiny defective circuit could ruin an otherwise product and harder to believe Sony chose to ignore the problem despite all the evidence. Anyway, if you are inclined as I was to take it apart, there are a lot of screws and the top behind the snooze button doesn't like to let go. There are several plugs and cables to pull to get proper access. The metalic one going to the screen has a tab you have to lift before you can pull it out.

i'm sure most people will just chuck the thing in the trash, but I like to tinker.

Re: Dream Machine ICF-CL75iP - cant change date?

scotiangold — Fri, 30 Oct 2015 22:56:59 GMT

I did it and it worked for me. The plastic that melted was underneath the cylindrical thing and ran down to the other circuits. I scratched it off with a toothpick and knife as best I could and cleaned the area with a swab dipped in alcohol and it worked. An obvious design flaw.

thanks gunter.

Re: Dream Machine ICF-CL75iP - cant change date?

scotiangold — Fri, 30 Oct 2015 22:58:13 GMT

I had to slide a knife in there and it eventyally popped apart.