Sony 57WS500 With Flicker Problem/Questions - Please Read (1 Viewer)

[Adam_R]

Well, it happened! My Sony 57" RPTV started flickering. DARN IT!!!

I called Circuit City and they're sending someone on Monday. Any suggestions of what I should say? Should I demand a replacement set. Will repair suffice? Should I ask him to calibrate the TV while he's there? Do those guys even know how to calibrate a TV?

Sorry for all the dumb questions, but I have almost no experience with RPTVs. Thanks.

 

[Steve Schaffer]

Adam,

Sony issued a service bulletin on the flicker problem--don't know specifically what it entails but there are a few threads about it over at Home Theater Spot that might help.

 

[Adam_R]

Just a follow up. Mr. TV Repairman came to my house today, tore my TV apart, replaced 2 transistors and cleaned the pins that connect the CRTs. Flicker is gone, for now.

 

[Rain]

Oh, I'm glad to hear that the repair could be done in your home.

My Sony (KP51WS500) has developed the same problem. Seems to have an annoying pink tint that also comes on when the flicker starts.

I sure hope they can fix this without having to take my TV away for a week.

 

[Adam_R]

Me too Rain. That's the reason I paid extra to buy from Circuit City. Say what you will about buying from big chain stores, but I'm glad I paid to protect my investment. I can't imagine having to deal with some Internet dealer with this problem. Good luck with yours!

 

[Rain]

Well the service tech. came to my place this morning and did his thing.
I asked him to tell me what he was doing and it sounded like exactly what you had done to yours.
Only problem is when I turned on the set this evening, the problem is still there and not even slightly improved.
I guess I call again on Monday.
:frowning:

 

[Rain]

Oops. Double post.

 

[Adam_R]

Sorry to hear it didn't work. Sony's says if the first thing doesn't work, they should replace ALL of the CRTs. Call and bitch! Good luck with it.

 

[Jenna]

I was advised this morning that the ONLY remedy for Sony's flicker problem is to replace ALL the CRTs and associated Circuitry. :frowning:
A Circuit City repairman came to look at my set this morning, a KP57HW40, which I've had less than a year. He called Sony from my house and was told that ALL of these sets have "bad" CRTs and will need to be repaired. WHY DON'T THEY JUST RECALL THEM????
The repairman admitted that the set could be fixed in my home, but that it would "take up a whole day" so he's gonna send my set to Charlotte for repair (3 hrs away) which will take at least 2 weeks!!! To make matters worse, they're refusing to give me a loaner larger than 27"!!!!
Rain, I'd be interested in hearing how long they took to fix YOUR set. I'll keep you posted on my ordeal.
:frowning:

 

[Phil L]

I got the CRTs replaced on my 51ws500. The tech did it at my home and it took about 3-3 1/2 hours. He then did convergence for all modes. He didn't get the geometry right though

 

[Jenna]

Thanks for the info, Phil. I'm still "fighting" with Circuit City to have them repair my set IN HOME as their "PERFOMANCE GUARANTEE" plainly states in writing as follows:
- "In-Home Service for larger TVs that are not easily transported".
Well, MY 57" Widescreen is certainly NOT easily transported. Not only am I afraid that my set will be further damaged by transporting it over 3 hours away to Charlotte and back, I'm also faced with moving a living room full of heavy furniture out of the way to make a path for the TV to be removed. This includes 2 heavy limestone tables! There's no other way for the TV to be removed.
Additionally, I raised the question of having to pay someone AGAIN to calibrate my set after the move back & forth. The Circuit City repairman who came to my home stated that "Circuit City would either send someone out to re-calibrate my set or reimburse me for paying an outside party." When I phoned Circuit City's repair center to verify this, they stated to me that they would only "repair a manufacturer's defect".
I deeply resent that Circuit City is NOT honoring their "Performance Guarantee" which I have in writing. Do any of you know if I have a legal right to sue Circuit City if they do not honor this written guarantee???

 

[Rain]

Rain, I'd be interested in hearing how long they took to fix YOUR set.

Well, the new CRTs were on "back order" for about 3 weeks. I finally got tired of waiting and called Sony myself. Coincidentally, the CRTs arrived the next day.

All 3 have now been replaced and it seems fine now. All was done in my apartment.

The tech. didn't do a very thorough job with the convergence, so I was going to have him back. But I got tired of waiting and figured out how to do it myself.

 

[Michael D. Bunting]

I have a KP-57HW40 myself.

As of now, I am not (to my knowledge) having the "Flicker problems".....

My set was calibrated by Gregg Loewen about a year ago (my set is about 13 months old).

I have not checked my serial # to see if my set is one of the effected models or not - I will do that in the morning.

My questions are:

#1. Will Sony replace the CRT's if you aren't having the problem (but your set is one of the effected via it's serial #) ?

#2. When Gregg Loewen calibrated my set - we "altered" it quite abit. The screen was "re-stacked" and we also added a lens hood cover around the CRT housings.....will this all need to be taken back out of my set prior to having Sony look at the set?

My guess is that the lens hood would need to be taken out....but maybe the screen wouldn't be an issue.

 

[Jenna]

Michael, my Sony KP57HW40 didn't have a sign of flicker until it was 10 months "old". The "manufacture" date was January 2002, and the serial number began with "900xxxxxxx" so it definitely fell in the affected serial numbers (although the Circuit City Repairman stated that Sony had admitted that ALL of this model was assembled with BAD CRTs).
Answer to #1: Yes, I think you can get Sony to replace your CRTs. I was told today (by an authorized Sony Repair Shop) that the CRTs have a 2-year warranty, but parts & labor are 1 year; HOWEVER Sony has issued a service bulletin on these sets which stated that Sony would extend the warranty on these sets to cover the "flicker/color hue" problems related to the CRTs.
Try watching a DVD with a clean, white background and see if you notice the subtle tint change. My set doesn't flicker all the time, and didn't flicker in front of the repairman; but he stated that he believed me about the flicker as I had described it perfectly: quick/brief subtle hue changes (very noticable on flesh tones & white snow). Mine didn't JUMP out at me, it was just a gradual, annoying flicker that came and went. The repairman doesn't have to witness the flicker to exchange the CRTs. From the sound of it, your CRTs WILL go bad eventually. I was also advised that it costs approx $300.00 each to replace (so do this while the warranty is valid!!!
Reply to #2: I'd remove the lens hood cover. (Wonder if THAT pretected the CRTs?) In my experience, if you open the "machine up", it sometimes nullifies the warranty. Call Sony and be up front and ask them. Sony suggested that when the set is still under THEIR WARRANTY PERIOD, they'd prefer to do the repairs. They also stated that THEIR techs were more experienced with this type of repair and kept up on Sony Service Announcents and fixes more readily than the retail store service centers.
Lastly, IF you call for service from the retailer, be aware of the potential of them transporting your set to their regional facility for repair. I've heard that unneccessary transports will "undo" your professional calibration....so watch out! And Good Luck!

 

[Michael D. Bunting]

Jenna

Wow! Thanks so much for your quick post and for all your help. Looks like I'll be calling Sony sometime tomorrow if I can get the time.

I also have an extended warranty for in-home service from "The Good Guys" via GE service.

I will definitely call Sony first though - and try to get them to replace the CRT's in-house...hopefully i can have them do this. Would hate to lose the TV for any extended period of time really...but if I must...it is definitely worth it by getting these issues taken care of ahead of time.

I have noticed a little bit of what you were talking about when you said "subtle tint change". About 2 weeks ago, while watching NBC via my Samsung OTA HD box - I noticed exactly that...and it lasted all night. I have not noticed it since, so maybe it was just what I was watching (I forget now)- but it might just be the "flicker" also.

Again, thanks for your help Jenna!

I sure hope you can get your issues resolved "in-home" also. Or maybe have them give you a new set. Seems like CC would have to honor the warranty/esp no matter what the variables are to them. "In-home" can only mean one thing, "in-home".

Good luck Jenna!

I'll be reporting back here with any and all updates.

 

[Michael D. Bunting]

Well....
I just checked my 57HW40's Serial # and supposedly it's NOT one of the sets that is effected by this flickering problem.
My serial #: is 97##### - and not the required: 90#####
I guess this means I'm out of luck on getting the CRT's replaced.
I am going to keep my eye open for any flickering though - like I said - I may have seen it or I may not have - not really sure

 

[Phil L]

Okay Flicker- I spent a lot of time looking at this stuff. The sony forum at www.hometheaterspot.com was extremely helpful.
Michael- The serial number is a guide line but is not 100% percent dependable. People with sets in the range have never had the flicker and at this point, if they have a HW, they probably won't. Sets outside the serial number range have experienced flicker.
Most of the time flicker shows up within the first 200 hours of use. If you have the flicker, don't worry, you'll notice. The flicker related hue change is the problem that bothered me much more than the actual flicker.
The flicker/hue change will be evident across all video inputs- if its just your STB box it could very well be a problem with the source. If you see the hue change-switch the video input, see if its there on the others. I liked to use the On Screen Display of my DVD player- I know exactly what shade of Blue its supposed to be- if it isn't that shade then something is affecting the hue.
Sony has said that they will fix the flicker problem even if the set isn't under warranty.
Don't get the CRTs replaced unless you get the flicker- for a couple reasons 1. Your TV won't be as good as it is now without some serious work after a CRT swap (geometry, convergence, gray scale) 2. Other people are really suffering from the flicker and are waiting for CRTs, they deserve to be first in line.
As for the calibration stuff- it isn't directly related and couldn't have anything to do with the flicker. Even so, I'd undo what you can- the average TV tech seems to disdain ISFs.

 

[Steve Schaffer]

Michael,

My KP57HW40 is an early production model built in Sept. of 01, with a 97***** serial number. At the time I was considering it I did lots of research on it at The Spot and elswhere, and these early models were equipped with Panasonic CRTs. Sony switched CRT mfgs on later sets, and that's when the flicker problem started.

I have seen the described problem exactly once in the 16 months I've owned the set--an intermittent brightness variation but with little or no hue change on one local cable channel--did if for most of one evening but only on that channel, no other source. I had seen the same thing on that channel on a Sony direc-view set a few months previously so never attributed it to my set.

I am so happy with the picture on this set that I would not let anyone replace the crts if they called me on the phone and offered to!!! Won't risk not getting the focus and such right afterwards unless it's absolutely necessary.

I did not buy the extended wty with the set, but CC offered it to me at a good price just before I'd had the set a year and I took them up on it.

 

[David Glenn]

My 57WV700 recently got the flickers. If your intrested in hearing/following my story you can check it out here:
http://www.hometheaterspot.com/htsth...b=5&o=&fpart=1

 

[Jenna]

I did not buy the extended wty with the set

I would NEVER leave the store without an extended warranty. Especially after this! Steve, you were lucky to have been offered a last-minute warranty by CC; glad you took it.