When is my TV going to die?

P

Pat Johnson

Guest
I have a 10-year old Mitsubishi TV that I paid nearly $1,000 for. Two
years after I bought it, something went wrong (I forget what..) and the
repairman fixed it for $180. Now, eight years later, it is acting up.
When I first turn it on, horizontal lines form at the top quarter of the
screen, the faces are elongated, and the channel number which normally
is at the top right of the screen when first turned on does not appear.
In less than 5 minutes, everything is OK and stays OK until turned off.
When I turn it on, there it goes again. I just would like to get an idea
of what could be wrong, and how much time I have before I will need to
get a new one. I know TVs are much cheaper now, and it isn't worth
spending several hundred dollars to have it fixed when I can buy a new
one for that much, but I am not quite ready to spend 3 or 400 dollars
now for a new TV. I can live with it the way it is, but are these death
throes? Could it go on that way for years??? Thank you.
 
The TV has leaky capacitors in the vertical circuit, and probably needs a
few others replaced in other sections of the set. Repair cost should not
exceed 150 dollars, and maybe quite a bit less if you call around and check
different shops base prices for this type of repair. Very common problem,
that any half decent shop should be able to handle. Whether it's worth
repairing depends a lot on how the picture is other than the vertical
problem. If the set still has a good, bright picture, with good focus and
color, then it probably has at least a few more years life left in it. Like
anything used, repairing is a gamble, but so is buying new nowadays.

"Pat Johnson" <Patson3@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:patson3-90B1AE.22493228072003@news.west.cox.net...
I have a 10-year old Mitsubishi TV that I paid nearly $1,000 for. Two
years after I bought it, something went wrong (I forget what..) and the
repairman fixed it for $180. Now, eight years later, it is acting up.
When I first turn it on, horizontal lines form at the top quarter of the
screen, the faces are elongated, and the channel number which normally
is at the top right of the screen when first turned on does not appear.
In less than 5 minutes, everything is OK and stays OK until turned off.
When I turn it on, there it goes again. I just would like to get an idea
of what could be wrong, and how much time I have before I will need to
get a new one. I know TVs are much cheaper now, and it isn't worth
spending several hundred dollars to have it fixed when I can buy a new
one for that much, but I am not quite ready to spend 3 or 400 dollars
now for a new TV. I can live with it the way it is, but are these death
throes? Could it go on that way for years??? Thank you.
Click to expand...
 
Don't necessarily go with the cheapest cost if you call around, go with the
shop that tells you what Mike did in the first sentence below. If this is
one of the sets that has leaky caps in several areas, you want to make sure
that they get them all. If not, you will certainly have other problems.
Many shops will only deal with the immediate problem, which here is pretty
obvious, and not bother with other caps that might be about to cause other
problems. Good for repeat business if the customer doesn't decide to take
it somewhere else, but bad for the customer.

You should also ask whether the shop will test the CRT and report on its
condition. We always test the CRT on a set this age. If it is weak, it may
need restoration or it may be time to dump the set. Most Mitsubishis at
this age have more life left in them, but there are too many variables to
predict without checking it with a good tester.

If you will post the model number you might get more specific information
about the probability of having more problems than the vertical problem you
described.

The problem will likely only get worse and you may damage other parts or
cause circuit board damage by waiting to get it fixed.

Leonard Caillouet


"bigmike" <bigmike@cornhusker.net> wrote in message
news:3f261487$0$5010$9a6e19ea@news.newshosting.com...
The TV has leaky capacitors in the vertical circuit, and probably needs a
few others replaced in other sections of the set. Repair cost should not
exceed 150 dollars, and maybe quite a bit less if you call around and
check
different shops base prices for this type of repair. Very common problem,
that any half decent shop should be able to handle. Whether it's worth
repairing depends a lot on how the picture is other than the vertical
problem. If the set still has a good, bright picture, with good focus and
color, then it probably has at least a few more years life left in it.
Like
anything used, repairing is a gamble, but so is buying new nowadays.

"Pat Johnson" <Patson3@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:patson3-90B1AE.22493228072003@news.west.cox.net...
I have a 10-year old Mitsubishi TV that I paid nearly $1,000 for. Two
years after I bought it, something went wrong (I forget what..) and the
repairman fixed it for $180. Now, eight years later, it is acting up.
When I first turn it on, horizontal lines form at the top quarter of the
screen, the faces are elongated, and the channel number which normally
is at the top right of the screen when first turned on does not appear.
In less than 5 minutes, everything is OK and stays OK until turned off.
When I turn it on, there it goes again. I just would like to get an idea
of what could be wrong, and how much time I have before I will need to
get a new one. I know TVs are much cheaper now, and it isn't worth
spending several hundred dollars to have it fixed when I can buy a new
one for that much, but I am not quite ready to spend 3 or 400 dollars
now for a new TV. I can live with it the way it is, but are these death
throes? Could it go on that way for years??? Thank you.
Click to expand...
 
Bad capacitors in the vertical circuit, just get it fixed, it's still a nice
TV, it should give you many more years of service and the fix will be
relatively cheap, certainly under $200. Personally I'd fix it for a 12 pack
of beer if it were near me.

"Pat Johnson" <Patson3@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:patson3-90B1AE.22493228072003@news.west.cox.net...
I have a 10-year old Mitsubishi TV that I paid nearly $1,000 for. Two
years after I bought it, something went wrong (I forget what..) and the
repairman fixed it for $180. Now, eight years later, it is acting up.
When I first turn it on, horizontal lines form at the top quarter of the
screen, the faces are elongated, and the channel number which normally
is at the top right of the screen when first turned on does not appear.
In less than 5 minutes, everything is OK and stays OK until turned off.
When I turn it on, there it goes again. I just would like to get an idea
of what could be wrong, and how much time I have before I will need to
get a new one. I know TVs are much cheaper now, and it isn't worth
spending several hundred dollars to have it fixed when I can buy a new
one for that much, but I am not quite ready to spend 3 or 400 dollars
now for a new TV. I can live with it the way it is, but are these death
throes? Could it go on that way for years??? Thank you.
Click to expand...
 
"James Sweet" <jamessweet@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:pTIVa.11256$It4.8224@rwcrnsc51.ops.asp.att.net...
Bad capacitors in the vertical circuit, just get it fixed, it's still a
nice
TV, it should give you many more years of service and the fix will be
relatively cheap, certainly under $200. Personally I'd fix it for a 12
pack
of beer if it were near me.

LOL! Barter - that's the ticket!
Click to expand...
Regards,
Tom
 
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