# What might be wrong with this TV? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 27, 2008, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-might-be-wrong-with-this-tv/450752 "2008-05-27T12:47:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Renee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/renee/32/287_2.png) [@Renee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Renee)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2008, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-might-be-wrong-with-this-tv/450752/1 "2008-05-27T12:47:08Z")
We were watching Superbad tonight and the TV turned itself off. We turned it back on and there was a streak of color down the screen, then nothing. That happened once more, and now we can’t turn it on at all. It’s a Sanyo, the non-flat screen type (sorry, forget what that’s called), about 4 years old. We don’t know a lot about electronics, but we’re generally quite handy and would be comfortable trying to fix it if it sounds fixable. Any ideas? ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2008, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-might-be-wrong-with-this-tv/450752/2 "2008-05-27T14:05:28Z")
It’s a Cathode Ray Tube, or CRT model. It’s pooched and not worth repairing. You can buy CRTs for next to nothing now. ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2008, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-might-be-wrong-with-this-tv/450752/3 "2008-05-27T14:22:25Z")
Yeah-unfortunately, the days of pulling all of the tubes out and using the tube tester at Lafayette are gone, along with 1$/gallon gas. Some integrated circuit in the power section has likely crapped out, and as indicated, the diagnostic and repair charge exceeds the value of a new box. ---
**Author:** ![Hodge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Hodge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hodge)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2008, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-might-be-wrong-with-this-tv/450752/4 "2008-05-27T14:49:47Z")
[QUOTE=Renee] We don’t know a lot about electronics, but we’re generally quite handy and would be comfortable trying to fix it if it sounds fixable. Any ideas? [/QUOTE] Do NOT try fixing this unless you know exactly what you’re doing. CRT television capacitors can hold enough charge to kill a person. As others have said, the price to repair probably wouldn’t be worth it, anyway. Time to upgrade to HDTV flatscreen 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Astroboy14](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/df705f/32.png) [@Astroboy14](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Astroboy14)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2008, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-might-be-wrong-with-this-tv/450752/5 "2008-05-27T18:03:54Z")
> [@Renee](#): > > What might be wrong with this TV? It might be broken? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Renee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/renee/32/287_2.png) [@Renee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Renee)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2008, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-might-be-wrong-with-this-tv/450752/6 "2008-05-27T23:16:05Z")
Thanks, guys. I just thought it might be something simple that we could pop in quickly, but it sounds like it’s time for a new TV. It’s going to be more of a pain disposing of the old one than getting a new one, unfortunately. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2008, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-might-be-wrong-with-this-tv/450752/7 "2008-05-27T23:44:35Z")
[QUOTE=Renee] It’s going to be more of a pain disposing of the old one than getting a new one, unfortunately. [/QUOTE] Find the site for your local [Freecycle](http://www.freecycle.org/) and put up a free ad. Someone is bound to want to scrounge it for parts. Best way to get rid of crap you don’t want EVER. ---
**Author:** ![Renee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/renee/32/287_2.png) [@Renee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Renee)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2008, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-might-be-wrong-with-this-tv/450752/8 "2008-05-27T23:55:11Z")
I’ll be damned. There\* is\* a freecycle group in Okinawa. Thanks!