How to Fix your Vizio M470NV and M550NV

[Nick's Tvs]

Re: How to Fix your Vizio M470NV and M550NV

3-5 business days is the typical turn around time. As for the tint on screen, that could be due to interference, but I believe that could also be related to the main BGA failing and simply not sending the correct information to the T-con. When BGA chips start experiencing cracked solder joints, there are several different issues that can start occurring dependent on which joints are giving out first. This is why a lot of different symptoms are all caused by cracked joints on the BGA.

[wgrimes]

Re: How to Fix your Vizio M470NV and M550NV

Hi Nick,
I have a Vizio XVT373SV that suddenly developed a problem. The organge standby light is on and the TV turns on. Once it turns on, all I get is a "No Signal" on the screen and none of the outputs are working - HDMI, Composite, etc. The TV menu screen works and allows me to switch between inputs.

With the TV turned on, I checked the power supply connector pins and get the correct voltages listed on the board for each pin - 5.1 for pins 1-3 and 12 volts for pins 8-10. When I turn the TV off, I get 5.1 on standby pins 1-3 and 0 volts on all other pins on the board. The power board is a Delta DPS 143AP-1.

My symptoms seem to fit your list of signs of a bad main board. Do you think it's tha main board?

Wanted to be sure to order the right part to fix the TV. Appreciate any help you can provide.

[nomoresonys]

Re: How to Fix your Vizio M470NV and M550NV

Try a factory reset if no joy try firmware update, if possible. This may work:
Press the menu button on your Vizio remote. Use the remote arrow buttons to select SYSTEM and press OK on the remote. Select RESET TV TO FACTORY DEFAULTS and press OK. The TV will display the message “Select reset to restore all TV settings to factory defaults.

[nomoresonys]

Re: How to Fix your Vizio M470NV and M550NV

Help Menu System Info Display the technical information including model name, version and revision of firmware, source type, and resolution. Reset TV Settings Return all Picture and Audio settings to factory default. A screen will come up to confirm your selection or to cancel it. Press Left or Right Navigation buttonsto make the selection, and then press OK to accept it. Note: This does NOT reset the Parental Control Password. Clear Memory (Factory Default) Use this function to reset the TV to the default factory settings. The screen will display a message to confirm that you want to reset the values to factory settings. Press ◄ or ►to make the selection, and then press OK to accept it. Note: This does NOT reset the Parental Control Password.Guided Setup Use this function to return to the Initial Setup menu. Use this function if you want to have a guided setup when you move your TV. Refer to Chapter 3 for more information. Note: Previously scanned channels will be removed.

[wgrimes]

Re: How to Fix your Vizio M470NV and M550NV

Nomoresonys - Thanks for your suggestion. I tried a factory reset and still get no signal when I turn the TV on. The firmware is the latest version. Do you think the main board is bad?

[nomoresonys]

Re: How to Fix your Vizio M470NV and M550NV

I get no signal text on my working tv, if no source is hooked up or powered on, using this jvc as monitor, when I turn off pc it says no signal. Did you try hooking up an antenna and scan for channels? But if it worked fine before then it probably is a mainboard issue.

[jason123]

Re: How to Fix your Vizio M470NV and M550NV

Hello folks - Not sure what everyone's experience with Nick's TVs has been.. but I have a XVT3D424SV with simply flashing Amber / White - same issue as listed here. I bought the repair service through eBay - Sent it in, and received it about 10 days later with "board has been repaired and tested".. well, it was not repaired - board was flashing for a while, then solid amber, then white upon power up then cycle again. Called the folks at Nick's TVs repair and they assured me it couldn't have been DOA, reluctantly they took it back - and sure enough 6 days after they received it, they informed me it was indeed found defective - 4 days later I get a notice it's been repaired and in shipping queue - fine, I guess they lost some people or whatever so they were slower.

Here is the kicker.. I received the board today - this time solid amber and absolutely no activity and no response to button, remote,... board is fully dead though the processor gets hot...

I'm assuming the response form Nick's TVs might be "well we repair it, but something on your tV is damage causing the repeat failure".. ok.. I might bite - different failure mode each time.. I guess possibly.

Can't keep playing this DOA much longer - just wanted to share as this is not the service I expected - aside from delays - I'm offering this board up for sale to Nick's TVs for $100 since they're confident they're repairing it everytime and it keeps getting damaged when I install it in my TV.. fair?

[wgrimes]

Re: How to Fix your Vizio M470NV and M550NV

Nomoresonys - Tried hooking up to outdoor antenna and did a channel search. No anolog channels were found in the search. Still no signal. None of the inputs are working - 3 HDMI, composite, and analog. What would cause the main board to completely fail?

[nomoresonys]

Re: How to Fix your Vizio M470NV and M550NV

Best guess is bga needs reballed or replaced, can try a diy reflow with a heatgun, anybodys guess how long it will last, a test that sometimes works is heating the bga with a hairdryer or cooling with freeze spray or upside down can of duster, maybe have tv unplugged, do the heating, plug it in try it, no joy then try the cooling same way, see if tv comes on even for just a bit.

[nomoresonys]

Re: How to Fix your Vizio M470NV and M550NV

Check youtube, there's some good videos on heatgun reflows, important not to thermal shock the board, some use an oven or toaster oven and cook the whole board. I think it's important not to overheat but you have to get it hot enough to melt the solder so it reconnects. Then if the diy reflow works cut a hole in the back cover of tv, right where your bga chip is and put a fan there to try and keep the chip as cool as possible when watching tv.

[nomoresonys]

Re: How to Fix your Vizio M470NV and M550NV

They're selling Nand Flash (EEPROM) Repair Kits on ebay for 24.50 but according to this thread they're not fixing the problem in most cases, mainboards are always the trickiest to troubleshoot and fix in my opinion.

[wgrimes]

Re: How to Fix your Vizio M470NV and M550NV

Still getting a "No Signal" message when I turn the TV on. Have tried all the suggestions above. Here are pictures of my Vizio boards. Nothing really stands out as being bad.

If I can see the "No Signal" message, the menu screen and the app icons, does that mean my T-con board is OK? If not, how do I test votages going from the main board to the T-con board? Should I remove the ribbon coming from the main board to the T-con where it connects to the T-con board?

I'm pretty sure the problem is my main board but want to make sure something didn't cause the main board to go bad. Have found a new main board for $90.

[nomoresonys]

Re: How to Fix your Vizio M470NV and M550NV

So you tried a reflow of the bga?

[nomoresonys]

Re: How to Fix your Vizio M470NV and M550NV

Just one, there's more just got to hunt then down: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvgXk-m8idc

[wgrimes]

Re: How to Fix your Vizio M470NV and M550NV

No - haven't tried the hot air gun reflow. Watched your video link and the one that came on right after it. The second video was also good - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8sslythR5HE Think I will try that and see what happens. Don't have a hot air gun so will try a hair dryer.

I don't have a sodder gun and not sure my skill level is good enough to try re-soddering.

Thanks for all your help .

[nomoresonys]

Re: How to Fix your Vizio M470NV and M550NV

What are the first 12 numbers on the white sticker on your mainboard? might start with 3647xxxxx

[nomoresonys]

Re: How to Fix your Vizio M470NV and M550NV

A hair dyer probably won't get hot enough, might need to bake the whole board, whats important is to not overbake/bake too long or get too hot BUT you need to get it up to a certain temp to melt the solder. There's a real good video on youtube about how long and what temp to bake at but I can't find it again, also have to keep in mind that ovens usually vary, one might be set at 375 and actually be 375 another might be set at 375 and really be 500 or 250. A trick I saw was a guy put a piece of solder where he could see it thru the glass door in a location where it melting wouldn't effect anything like somewhere beside the board not on it, then he knew about when the solder was melting.

[wgrimes]

Re: How to Fix your Vizio M470NV and M550NV

Main board numbers are 3637-0592-0150. Here is a link to a new board on E-Bay - https://www.ebay.com/itm/292950340212

Not sure I want to bake the board. Might see if I can borrow a hot air gun.

[nomoresonys]

Re: How to Fix your Vizio M470NV and M550NV

Is your tv a 37 inch screen?

[wgrimes]

Re: How to Fix your Vizio M470NV and M550NV

Nomoresonys - Yes, TV is 37 inch.

Borrowed a heat gun and heated both sides of the board for 4 minutes per side. Put it all back together and IT WORKED!!! Don't know for how long. Thanks for all your help.