Rotel T14 - Streamer module crashing - Ideas?

[Sirphir]

Hi fellow audio-folks! 
 

So I bought this (used) Rotel T14 and it has a problem: the Wi-Fi streamer module stops working after a while.
 

It works for a few minutes, then resets (only the Wi-Fi/Streamer) and DTS Play-Fi App also loses the device. Also the Wi-Fi Settings are in the T14 are gone when it is coming up again (which it will do only after a phase of being turned off).  
Observation: when the T14 is running longer than a couple of minutes, it happens faster (few seconds, not even enough time to couple it to Wi-Fi or the Play-Fi app again). When I let the unit cool down (literally - only when I give it 1/2 hour) it then works again for a few minutes, then dies again.
 

FM and DAB+ tuner work just fine, they play happily for hours.  

Also noticed: when the streaming module is active, the power LED of the device shows occasional flickers, as if current/voltage surges occur. This does not happen when it runs on FM or DAB. 
 

I suspect the previous owner either knew it or did not notice it. He had it hooked up to a LAN cable instead Wi-Fi and even sent the 3rd party USB2RJ45 dongle supplied.  Also the screws on the back look like it’s been opened before. 
I guess they will not easily accept return claims, hence I might be stuck with trying to fix it. 
 

Any ideas where to start troubleshooting? 
Thanks in advance for any suggestions! 

 

Edited February 4, 2023 by Sirphir

[Demondes]

Damn that sucks.   First thing i would try is a lan cable as that would help isolate whether the issue is just with the wifi module (which maybe on a separate board) or something wrong with the part that does streaming itself, or power related.

 

 

[cafe67]

Vague chance - are there any firmware updates you can do ? 
 

 

[Demondes]

20 minutes ago, cafe67 said:

Vague chance - are there any firmware updates you can do ? 
 

 

Seems like latest version from 2020 for that model 

 

[Snoopy8]

I suspect it is crappy DTS Play-Fi, probably the worst App ever when I used it on an Anthem AVR (and Anthem abandoned it in next model).  Suggest using a LAN cable and don't bother with Wifi.

[bob_m_54]

I agree with @Demondes, it looks like a hardware problem if it is heat related. ie it works for a bit till it warms up, then again once it has been left off for a while. testing with the LAN cable should help to prove if it's the wifi module or not. It doesn't sound like a software/application problem.

 

I don't know the device personally, but found a couple of pics on the www, and the wifi module appears to be a separate module (blue board, bottom left).

 

 

Basically, the module isn't easily repaired, and may require replacement. Unless you are willing to take the risk, and you can get the board, it looks like a job for a competent tech who has worked on them b4 and has access to spares.

 

 

[Sirphir]

Thank you for the replies!

 

@Demondes, @bob_m_54: Looking at the inside picture, I begin to wonder why my unit even m gets so warm to the touch when running for a while. I mean the power transformer doesn’t look so potent. 

 

@Snoopy8, @Demondes, @cafe67: So according to Play-Fi documentation their SW in the device can be updated by placing it on a pendrive and then upon power-up the device would update and signal update by a number of beeps. I have tried that now, but the device does not react in that way. Either I’ve been doing it wrong or maybe  it recognizes that it has already the latest version. I might retry with a fresh, smaller-size FAT-formated pendrive just to be sure, but I’ll have to buy one first. 
 

I will try using LAN cable next. I’ll have to get a long enough one first to connect to my router. 
 

Will report back. 
 

Thank you very much for the suggestions! 

[Sirphir]

@Demondes: Also I will try the T14 SW update. At least to be sure and rule one more potential cause out. 

[Sirphir]

So, I have meanwhile tried with an Ethernet cable via the USB-2-RJ45 adapter that the previous owner supplied with the T14. It seems that the T14 still tries to connect via Ethernet, ignorant of the cable connection being present.

 

I was - by other sources, which I am now trying to locate again - led to believe that the T14 would switch off Wi-Fi as soon as it detects an Ethernet connection via the USB.

 

If anyone knows of a specific setting (in the T14 or in my router) that I need to set, to make the T14 recognize the cable connection, I would be grateful to hear your input!

 

[Demondes]

I had a quick scan of the manual, there is only one reference to USB and it doesn't say anything about being able to use it for an Ethernet connection, when you mentioned. I assumed originally the device had an RJ45 port on the back, which it doesnt.  My guess USB will only work for firmware upgrades from a USB stick and maybe diagnostics.

 

I would check with Rotel to see if ethernet is even possible via USB.

[bob_m_54]

13 minutes ago, Demondes said:

I had a quick scan of the manual, there is only one reference to USB and it doesn't say anything about being able to use it for an Ethernet connection, when you mentioned. I assumed originally the device had an RJ45 port on the back, which it doesnt.  My guess USB will only work for firmware upgrades from a USB stick and maybe diagnostics.

 

I would check with Rotel to see if ethernet is even possible via USB.

There is this in the manual

 

Quote

USB Connection [22]
This connection is used for service and can also be used to attach a USB-
ETHERNET (optional) adapter for hardwired connection to the network. For
more information please contact your authorized Rotel dealer.

 

Edit: Link to the manual

 

https://s3p.manualzz.com/store/data/025545257.pdf?key=16d43b56f14f97ba2a7e489686d99ed3&r=1&fn=25545257.pdf&t=1675676490495&p=86400

Edited February 6, 2023 by bob_m_54
info

[Sirphir]

The Ethernet via USB seems to work. I have re-tried with a bit more patience and:
 

Good: The indicator LED of the USB2RJ45 adapter flashes with traffic indication as well as the Rotel T14 appearing in the Play-Fi app as potential partner device (without setting any Wi-Fi prior), i.e. it seems to be connected via the Ethernet cable.

 

Confusing: Even though connected by LAN cable, the blue Wi-Fi indicator LED (or is it meant to be a Play-Fi indicator) on the back of the T14 still does its blinking routine as if waiting for Wi-Fi being set up. It shuts down after a while and either stops blinking (solid on) or turns off altogether - yet no reproducible behavior. 
As @bob_m_54 mentioned, the Ethernet connection is only briefly described, so Rotel gives no information whether the indicator LED will give relevant information about the streaming connection status via Ethernet.

 

Bad: The streaming is possible yet the stream still breaks down after a while and the unit seems to shut down the streamer unit. I interpret that from the display switching from showing "streaming" to "select input" (which is the start-up behaviour prompting the user to select between: (1) Play-Fi, (2) FM, (3) DAB.
This is the same behaviour it showed under Wi-Fi connection when the streamer "crashed".

 

Intermediate Conclusion: So it seems that either the streamer still crashes when connected to Ethernet - or it crashes by still running the Wi-Fi.

I have yet not found a way to manually turn Wi-Fi off.

 

------------------------

 

And - on a side-note - in the Play-Fi app today all entries under the section "Internet Radio" have disappeared. (This was the main reason for me to get a streamer.) I think it is a bug in the App or in the online database, not a problem with the T14. Re-installing the app did nothing so far. I expect/hope, the radio-stations might re-appear anytime soon.

To continue testing my defective T14, I created a Deezer account and am trying with the Deezer free 'radio-like' streams. This works so far (with above-mentioned results).

 

 

Edited February 6, 2023 by Sirphir

[Sirphir]

No further updates. I will probably hand the unit to an electronics repair shop. Hoping it is a relatively easy to repair problem with maybe just the power supply of the streamer PCB. 

[Sirphir]

In case later readers find this thread: 

 

I ended up handing the unit to an official Rotel service dealer (here in Germany these are the Bowers & Wilkins dealers). 
 

Turns out the unit was still under warranty and the previous owner (who I contacted) told me he had the same issue fixed once before under warranty. 
 

So - long story short - it was sent to a Rotel service center, repaired and sent back to me. The streamer was replaced and is working now. 
 

Just wondering for how long, because the flickering power LED is still there. I was afraid that might indicate a faulty power unit as  it might explain the twice failing of the streamer. According to the service tech (who I phoned) it is a frequent issue with the blue LED and does not indicate a faulty power unit.

 

Fingers crossed. 

[georgehifi]

On 05/02/2023 at 1:17 AM, Sirphir said:

So I bought this (used) Rotel T14 and it has a problem: the Wi-Fi streamer module stops working after a while.

 

Seems to be a common problem with these Rotels, seen a few of these for sale cheap as just a FM and DAB+ tuner, where the seller says the internet section has a fault.

 

Cheers George