Could I Fix My TV Myself? (1 Viewer)

[James Zos]

I've got a 27-inch Panasonic (CT-27SF11S), which was manufactured in 1995. I love this TV, it has served me well, but there is a problem with the hue--it has a slight but noticable (to me, anyway) greenish tint. (I've calibrated with the AVIA disc, and it is still there.)

I mentioned the problem to the local TV repair guy and he suggested that it might be fixed by tweaking the grayscale - which he also refered to as the green gun (are they one and the same?)

Thing is, I don't feel entirely comfortable schlepping my TV over to this guy. I can't find out anything about his shop's reputation and they're not a member of the BBB.

What I'd really like to do is fix the problem myself. But I have no experience fiddling around with the inside of a TV (I assume I'd have to open it up) and have read that the risk of electrocution can make it dangerous, even when unplugged ...

How hard is it to tweak the grayscale? If, say, I got a service manual, would it be unduly difficult? What do you think?

 

[Michael TLV]

Greetings

If you are lucky, there is a service menu to use and you don't need to open up the set.

If you are not ... it is no big deal either. Just don't wear a lot of dangling gold chains. After you take the back off, there will likely be 5 to 7 screwdriver controls located either at the neck of the crt or along the bottom edge of the circuit board in the set. These things are labeled r/g/b cuts and drivers and this is what you adjust with the TV turned on.

Regards

 

[James Zos]

Wow - that was fast! Thanks for the response, Michael!

By 'service menu,' I assume you mean an onscreen calibration option, like the basic picture adjustments I can do with the Panasonic remote control? There is no service menu listed via the remote control, but I'm guessing this could be a feature hidden from the consumer's view? How would I enable such a menu, if indeed my TV had one?

Thanks again for your response!

 

[Michael TLV]

Greetings

You'd have to get the service manual to know if it has or not. ( I bet you have to open it up )

Regards

 

[Jack Briggs]

James:

Most service menus are accessible via a series of codes on the remote and on the television's front panel.

But that's not what's important here.

What's important is that if you cannot access the service menu, do not open the TV up. Even unplugged TVs are dangerous; voltages are still stored.

This is strictly a job for the pros.

Now, say you do have access to the service-menu codes. Even still, you will not be able to perform an accurate grayscale calibration without having the necessary equipment (signal generator, color analyzer, etc.). This, too, is a job for the pros. You can very literally ruin your television by poking around in there.

So, both options are no good: 1) risk electrocution or 2) risk the destruction of your television.

If this set is that important to you, call other shops in the area and ask about a grayscale calibration. Or, if you want to spend some money, call the ISF for an estimate.

 

[Michael TLV]

:p) :b
Yup ... gotta be careful.
Regards

 

[Jay Mitchosky]

It's amazing how much stored juice is in there, even when unplugged. That being said I've been inside my set without a problem. You just need to be very, very careful. That being said the most compelling issue here, IMO, is the fact that you don't have the proper tools to evaluate grayscale. Without them you're more likely to make things worse than better. Particularly as you're just starting out. Have a tech come in and do it right. Consider the odds that you may have to have one in anyway after you're done.

 

[James Zos]

Thanks, Jack and Jay. You've convinced me.

I asked around at work to see if anyone had any experience with the local TV repair shop, and a co-worker of mine said the shop used to hire his dad to fix TVs. They would just bring the TVs to his dad, and he would do the actual work. He's an electrical engineer who's been fixing TVs and VCRs for many years.

So now I can just bring my TV to him and I won't have to pay the $20 appraisal fee. Hopefully this guy knows what he's doing. Wish me luck.