Well, I’m 99.9999% sure my TV is headed for the landfill. I was flipping around the channels when the screen went black and I heard a soft pop followed by a series of fading pops. I went over to inspect and there is a godawful smell coming out of the TV–clearly, something is fried.
My question, Dopers, is what? I’ve been having problems with discolored areas on the screen for a few weeks–is that related? Any recommendations for a new one? More importantly, how in the hell am I going to get through the holidays without a TV???
Most likely. The components that fried were probably on their last legs for a while. Unless this is a very new, very expensive TV, it will cost more to repair it than to replace it.
No. No, I don’t. Not being much of a TV watcher, I would not know where to start. I have heard that some shows are actually in color now, but don’t quote me on that.
May I suggest not getting a replacement? Read a book. Talk to your friends/family. Start a new hobby. Get out of the house and DO something.
It sounds like one of the components released its magic smoke… probably a capacitor… they are famous for doing that.
And it wouldn’t have, if some other component hadn’t failed and stressed out that part.
It’s probably totaled. These days, the labor to fix something like that costs more than a comparative replacement TV, unless that one was a 30inch or bigger, or a Sony flat picture tube, or a flat panel… but if it’s as old as you say, I doubt it’s any of those.
No. The discolored areas are caused by local magnatizing of an internal screen which deflects the electronic beam. Most sets have a degausser which turns on for a moment when the set is first turned on. This failed first, not uncommon.
You may be able to duplicate the discoloured areas by turning on a set and then moving it while it’s on.
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by danceswithcats * Not that it matters, but I’ll place my wager on the high voltage /horizontal output transformer assembly.
That’s what the TV guy thought.
**Based upon the age of the set, it may not make sense to have it repaired. **
I got it in '97–it’s a Phillips. The TV guy quoted $120 to fix it. I haven’t priced a new one.
**Do you still have audio, or did everything file for divorce? **
At this point, everything has not only filed for divorce but cleaned out the bank account and is sitting on a beach in Rio.
Thanks for all the responses, even the ones that assume I’m an anti-social couch potato.
Definitely sounds like that high voltage thingie. I had the same thing happen to a TV a few years back. Some models place the thingie (can’t think of the name for it) too close to something else and the current is attracted to the other thing, eats through the casing and causes the burnout. Replacing the component costs about $60 and since it’s the placement that causes the burnout, not a defect in the part itself, it will only happen again.
KSO! Do you have a built in VCR? Is it a 25 inch…er…27 inch, Phillips? Lately my set has been going out, with a pop, and then when i try to use the remote, all i get is a red light, and pop…
