No more TV for me

[Sinjz]

Awwww.... my TV is busted. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mecry.gif I came home, hit the power button on my remote and all I got was about two seconds of crackling. After that nothing. Now when I hit the power button on the remote or TV itself, nothing happens. Doesn't seem like it's even trying to power up. No static, no flash of light, nothing. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif Before anyone ask, I did the usual fiddling like unplugging it and trying a different outlet, I let it rest for a bit before plugging it back in. Yes I even gave the side a few good whacks. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Anybody know what happened? Any chance it can be fixed, by me? This is a basic CRT TV, past warranty. I NEED my TV!!! I'm cut off from the world now. What's going on out there? What day is it? Is it going to rain tomorrow? I don't know what's going on!!!!.... I'm lost. Heck, what's happening on 'Lost'? Is 'Beauty and the Geek' on? Help me!!!!!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/Christo_pull_hair.gif

 

[raggie33]

wish ya was cl;ser id give ya one of my old ones

 

[Sigman]

Sounds like the power supply went. Sometimes there's a fuse. Standard warnings apply - HIGH VOLTAGE WARNING!!

 

[raggie33]

yep sigman is very corect even when it is unpluged it can knock ya around .i found out the hard way

 

[Sigman]

"LIT" you up like an incandescent light, eh raggie! I've taken a few "shocks" in my day (maybe that's why I am the way I am today?! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif)...what a rush! (and that's not a good thing at all!)

 

[drizzle]

Heh, I thought you were giving up TV when I saw the title. I did that. I still have the TV for the occasional movie rental but all the network/cable stuff is gone and I don't miss it. I replaced the TV antenna on the roof with a ham radio antenna.

But I did lose my internet service for a few days recently and THAT was hell. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

BTW, awesome avatar! Beautiful and mesmerizing.

 

[raggie33]

lol sigman it shocked me i looked at tv and siad what in the world its unpluged im loseing my mind so i toucjed same place again to make sure lol it didnt get me as bad the second time.

 

[Sinjz]

Okay I've got gloves. Tell me how to pop this sucker open and replace the fuse. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Sinjz]

[ QUOTE ]
drizzle said:
Heh, I thought you were giving up TV when I saw the title. I did that. I still have the TV for the occasional movie rental but all the network/cable stuff is gone and I don't miss it. I replaced the TV antenna on the roof with a ham radio antenna.

But I did lose my internet service for a few days recently and THAT was hell. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

BTW, awesome avatar! Beautiful and mesmerizing.

[/ QUOTE ]

I can't help but think how ironic. My avatar is a clip from a TV show. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif Hahaha.... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crackup.gif

Anyway, I can't survive without TV. TV is my friend. How do you watch sports? How do you get your news?

 

[raggie33]

i hate to say it sinz but i wouldt try it tv are so cheap now it aint worth harming ya self

 

[jtr1962]

I'd say you either had some electrolytic caps that blew from the input surge current when you turned the set on, or a semiconductor that did so. In either case, based on the rest of your description, it sounds like the set is history. Considering what new basic CRT sets cost, fixing it would be a waste of money, and I highly doubt it can be fixed based on my experience with electronics. Also, next year non-HD sets will basically be obsolete, so I'm not sure I'd see much point fixing it.

Think of this as an opportunity. HDTVs are getting cheaper by the day. You can get a CRT-based HDTV now for as little as $600. My dad picked up a 30" Westinghouse LCD HDTV for $1100 at BestBuy two months ago. I'm using my brother's 27" to bide my time until the 37" LCD HDTVs I'm interested in fall under $1000 (that might be within six months). If you have another TV you can use I might advise you to do same, or see if you can borrow an old TV from someone until you find a new TV you like and can afford.

 

[Sigman]

How do you get "The Real Gilligan's Island"? Ok, there are some shows I can do without - but really it comes on tonight! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

How about that "Average Joe" show? Will the lady pick the wrong guy AGAIN!?!!

...just teasing! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Oh but what about "Beach Volleyball"???!!!!

 

[PhotonWrangler]

Snakebite is the resident expert here, but I'll take a stab at it -

If it made a crackling sound, there's an excellent chance that the failur ehas left visible clues as to it's location. Take the back off, get a good flashlight and then start with the sniff test to see if you can locate the area that went snap-crackle-pop. My guess is that it's either the low-voltage power supply (usually near the power cord - look for a transformer and a couple of large metal capacitors) or the horizontal output transistor (usually a "pancake-shaped" metal transistor mounted on a large heatsink).

The low-voltage supply may have lost one of the large capacitors and/or the rectifier diodes. The diodes are usually small black resistor-shaped things with a white band on printed around the cathode-end of the diode. Blown diodes are *quite* visible - the thing is that if they're blown, you need to be able to make out the part number in order to get a suitable replacement with the right current and PIV (peak inverse voltage) rating.

Horizontal output transistor failures are much less visible, unfortunately. You'll need to check it with a VOM, measuring resistance from base to collector and base to emitter in both directions. A normal transistor acts as two back-to-back diodes.

 

[Sinjz]

Raggie, how big a shock are we talking about? Like I said I've got gloves and I'm not bothered when I put a 9 volt on my tounge. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

jtr1962, next year's HD requirement is why I prefer not to buy a new one now. I think prices will drop. But if I can't fix it, nothing I can do. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif $600 bucks? You know what lights I can buy with that?!?! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Guess it's time to sell more stuff. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[raggie33]

it was a shock ill never forget /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gifand ive been shocked a few times

 

[PhotonWrangler]

A shock from the HV section can knock someone off their feet or throw them across the room. Think about a Taser that zaps only once. Many repair techs will take a screwdriver (with a gloved hand) and short the CRT's HV anode connector (located under the rubber boot on the wire leading to the side of the CRT) to the nearest chassis ground. It's a little tricky - you have to use the screwdriver blade to gently pry under the rubber anode cap and then short the blade from the connector to a nearby metal part on the chassis. It's best to do this with safety glasses on just in case the tube gets cracked and implodes (yes, it can implode - and then subsequently EXplode). It's rare, but be careful.

 

[jtr1962]

[ QUOTE ]
Sinjz said:
jtr1962, next year's HD requirement is why I prefer not to buy a new one now. I think prices will drop. But if I can't fix it, nothing I can do. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif $600 bucks? You know what lights I can buy with that?!?! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif


[/ QUOTE ]
That's basically why I'm biding time now instead of getting a new set-the prices will drop dramatically next year.

PhotonWrangler gave some good suggestions if you want to try to fix it yourself. If you're really lucky just a cap or diode blew and didn't take anything else with it. Generally though, when parts in a power supply blow, they take the other parts which are fed by the power supply with them.

A good idea when working with high voltages is to keep one hand away from the TV (putting it in your pocket is often suggested). This is so that in case your other hand accidentally touches a high-voltage source the electricity can't take a path through your heart. Rubber gloves are a good suggestion but I'm not sure they offer much protection against 25 kV. They do come in handy though when I do live 120 VAC electrical work.

Best of luck if you attempt a repair.

 

[Sinjz]

Okay, I'm gonna reread the info over, get a good nights rest and then give it a shot tomorrow night. If you don't see me post tomorrow, call 911. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[drizzle]

[ QUOTE ]
Sinjz said:
I can't help but think how ironic. My avatar is a clip from a TV show. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif Hahaha.... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crackup.gif

Anyway, I can't survive without TV. TV is my friend. How do you watch sports? How do you get your news?

[/ QUOTE ]

Sports is the one thing I really miss. I listen to the radio for local teams and sometimes go to a friend's house. I lost interest in TV news years ago. I prefer to pick and choose the stories myself. I now use the internet and some radio for news.

I don't want to sound like it's just out of snobbery that I quit watching. It is a little out of snobbery but also because it was really addicting. I would channel flip for hours, never watching all of any show and then end up feeling like I had just wasted an entire evening or weekend even. That's time that I could spend productively writing in CPF instead. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[turbodog]

[ QUOTE ]
drizzle said:
[ QUOTE ]
Sinjz said:
I can't help but think how ironic. My avatar is a clip from a TV show. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif Hahaha.... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crackup.gif

Anyway, I can't survive without TV. TV is my friend. How do you watch sports? How do you get your news?

[/ QUOTE ]

Sports is the one thing I really miss. I listen to the radio for local teams and sometimes go to a friend's house. I lost interest in TV news years ago. I prefer to pick and choose the stories myself. I now use the internet and some radio for news.

I don't want to sound like it's just out of snobbery that I quit watching. It is a little out of snobbery but also because it was really addicting. I would channel flip for hours, never watching all of any show and then end up feeling like I had just wasted an entire evening or weekend even. That's time that I could spend productively writing in CPF instead. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

I quit in college. We didn't have a tv one semester, so I learned to do other things with my time. That was 13 years ago now.

No news, no sports, no nothing.

We have friends that don't visit anymore because we have no tv reception. Well... why were they visiting in the first place then?

I get my weather report by looking out the window.

And now (check my sig), I'm kicking cpf also.