Huh... Tube TV help, anyone?

"BlazinAce - Doctor of Internal Combustion" (pbs)
08/04/2014 at 21:30 • Filed to: None

I recently "upgraded" from a 19 years old tube TV to another, similar tube TV that is just 10 years old. Now the new... Err, less old TV is displaying a greenish shadow. I read online that this is a convergence issue and that it can be pretty easily fixed, even if your TV doesn't have a manual convergence setting, as mine doesn't. Anyone on Oppo familiar with tube TVs can confirm that? And no, I'm not buying a new TV because I have zero money and TVs cost more than that.

Have a Fiat 131 for your troubles

DISCUSSION (12)

Ramblin Rover - The Vivisector of Solihull > BlazinAce - Doctor of Internal Combustion
08/04/2014 at 21:41

If you don't have any adjustment in the menu, the tube is bad or out of alignment and sometimes has manual adjustment on it, from what I just read. How happy are you with taking your TV completely apart to look for an adjustment ring?

http://wiki.arcadecontrols.com/wiki/Monitor_c…

BlazinAce - Doctor of Internal Combustion > Ramblin Rover - The Vivisector of Solihull
08/04/2014 at 21:47

Not too happy, but not too sad either :p I figure I could wing it and learn something new at least

beardsbynelly - Rikerbeard > BlazinAce - Doctor of Internal Combustion
08/04/2014 at 22:05

Got any magnets? I remember fixing one a decade ago that didn't have an inbuilt degaussing ring. I used a magnet from an old Harddisk drive. Just move it around until you either fix it or make it 100% worse.

BlazinAce - Doctor of Internal Combustion > beardsbynelly - Rikerbeard
08/04/2014 at 22:20

I thought about that, but I only have fridge magnets and the like. Too weak for that I believe...

Zibodiz > BlazinAce - Doctor of Internal Combustion
08/04/2014 at 22:24

I'm actually a TV repairman ....yes, we do still exist.

Is yours a projection TV? Convergence only applies when you have a projection TV with 3 separate light cannons (CRTs). Also, a greenish tint wouldn't be convergence; it'd be one light cannon turned up to high. Convergence will show a double or triple picture that looks a lot like the old red/blue 3D. This may be correctable through the picture menu. If not, oftentimes, TVs will have a hidden menu where technicians can adjust a lot of things, including the intensity of each cannon. I'd google the model of your TV and see if you can find instructions on how to get to the hidden menu. If there isn't one (or if it doesn't contain the adjustments you need), you can adjust some things by turning the rings on the cannons — be aware, however, that you could also fry the TV, and you could also die if you touch the wrong thing, even after it's been unplugged for a while. CRT TVs have what basically amounts to a coil (like in an old car) hooked up to a capacitor bank that'll fry you if you touch it.

If it's not a CRT, but is actually an LCD Projector (which were pretty common a decade ago - they're shaped like CRTs, but they're a lot lighter), the greenish hue is a common problem that means you'll need a new light path, usually a $75-200 part.

What model is your TV? I'd be happy to research it and try to help you with more specific information.

beardsbynelly - Rikerbeard > BlazinAce - Doctor of Internal Combustion
08/04/2014 at 22:35

you know the fridge magnets for clipping bills and documents to your fridge? The magnets from them might be strong enough.

Short of that, neodymium magnets are incredibly cheap on ebay.

BlazinAce - Doctor of Internal Combustion > Zibodiz
08/04/2014 at 22:41

It's definitely not an LCD... that fucker is heavy! Moving it upstairs was a two person job and all... Anyways, from what I could gather, it's a Philco RealFlat TPF2940, and I don't think I'd call it a tint, it's more like the image was smeared and left a greenish trail behind it. I don't wanna get fryed though, so forget about winging the repair hahaha....

BlazinAce - Doctor of Internal Combustion > beardsbynelly - Rikerbeard
08/04/2014 at 22:44

I might be able to borrow a degaussing coil from one of the local tv shops, I'll have to look into it tomorrow...

beardsbynelly - Rikerbeard > BlazinAce - Doctor of Internal Combustion
08/04/2014 at 22:46

ah yes, probably a good idea before attempting the rare earth magnet method ;)

Tekamul > BlazinAce - Doctor of Internal Combustion
08/04/2014 at 23:05

Do you have any large floor speakers? Those are big enough magnets

Denver Is Stuck In The 90s > Zibodiz
08/05/2014 at 00:55

TV Repairman? Ive got a question for you: I have a 1989 Macintosh SE/30 that needs the motherboard pulled for capacitor cleaning and SMC battery replacement. But I dont wanna do it because Im afraid of shocking myself and or the computer into oblivion by messing with the CRT. How do I discharge the CRT safely while not killing it or any other components?

Zibodiz > Denver Is Stuck In The 90s
08/05/2014 at 09:27

The only way to be sure that you're safe is to test the power on the pins for the capacitors; you can touch a multimeter to them, they're marked + & -. They'll be on the bottom of the board, so you'll have to get at the bottom before you can test/discharge them. If there's any power, touch a slot screwdriver across the pins to short it out; that'll use up the energy without damaging anything. Just be careful not to touch any other pins at the same time, just the 2 pins coming from the capacitor in question. The other thing is just to leave it unplugged for a couple days. These usually have small power drains that will get rid of 90% of the stored electricity within 24 hours or so. The big thing, however, is to avoid the flyback controller. That's the canister that looks like a coil, with a wire that looks like a sparkplug wire that runs to the side of the CRT tube. That's where the real voltage is. As long as you leave that alone, you'll be fine.

The wires are, of course, wrapped in insulation to prevent unintentional electric discharge. As long as you don't touch bare metal, you've got nothing to fear. The contacts on the bottom of the PCB could hypothetically hurt you, but as long as you're careful, you'll be fine.

I should also point out that the voltage in a small computer is going to be orders of magnitude less than that in a CRT projector. Much less dangerous. Like, think the different between getting run over by a bicycle, and getting run over by a midsize sedan.