A guide to fixing/troubleshooting some common plasma TV problems

[mcface]

Re: A guide to fixing/troubleshooting some common plasma TV problems

Hi Tom-

great guide - i have been reading but am unsure about vertical purple lines. Can you have a look at the pic and start me in the right direction?

Thanks, BTW its a 50" Sammy Plasma, about 3-4 years old. I can go get the part number if needed.

[capkid]

Re: A guide to fixing/troubleshooting some common plasma TV problems

Hi Tom-

great guide - i have been reading but am unsure about vertical purple lines. Can you have a look at the pic and start me in the right direction?

Thanks, BTW its a 50" Sammy Plasma, about 3-4 years old. I can go get the part number if needed.

It's usually best to create your own thread instead of posting in this info thread. Anyway, I only see one vertical line in the pic, which is a sign of a bad panel. You can try reseating cables at the top or bottom of the panel in the vicinity of the line, but it probably won't make a difference.

[LG50pc5d-UT]

Re: A guide to fixing/troubleshooting some common plasma TV problems

Hello,

I would like to repair my LG Plasma 50PC5D-UL. My TV started with one red vertical line down the middle,(not directly down the middle it's a inch to the rt. middle), of the picture. Today another line showed up next to the first one. What parts do you think I should replace to fix this problem.


Help me please, I can not afford a new TV or to get this one repaired by a Shop.

[capkid]

Re: A guide to fixing/troubleshooting some common plasma TV problems

Hello,

I would like to repair my LG Plasma 50PC5D-UL. My TV started with one red vertical line down the middle,(not directly down the middle it's a inch to the rt. middle), of the picture. Today another line showed up next to the first one. What parts do you think I should replace to fix this problem.


Help me please, I can not afford a new TV or to get this one repaired by a Shop.

It looks like your panel is dying. See my comments in the post previous to yours.

[tom66]

Re: A guide to fixing/troubleshooting some common plasma TV problems

I would agree, it is pretty common on these LG panels, very strange that the lines go red, which means the blue/green is probably dying.

[LG50pc5d-UT]

Re: A guide to fixing/troubleshooting some common plasma TV problems

Sorry, I'm a little new to TV repair. Is there a way to fix the panel, is it cost effective to look for a new one? What would you do Tom and Cap? Specifically what cables left side or right side should I look at on the LG Panel?

[tom66]

Re: A guide to fixing/troubleshooting some common plasma TV problems

Sorry, I'm a little new to TV repair. Is there a way to fix the panel, is it cost effective to look for a new one? What would you do Tom and Cap? Specifically what cables left side or right side should I look at on the LG Panel?

No, it cannot be repaired without replacing the plasma glass. The plasma glass will cost around $300 to $500 for this model (thinking of new price; used may be cheaper but risks future failures in the same way), so is generally considered uneconomical when you can buy equivalent, new TVs for $400.

[capkid]

Re: A guide to fixing/troubleshooting some common plasma TV problems

Since I like to try to fix everything, I'm inclined to say that you should look for a used, non-working TV. Realistically, as Tom stated, new TVs are so inexpensive now, and you get the added benefit of a warranty.

[KellyKellyKelly]

Re: A guide to fixing/troubleshooting some common plasma TV problems

Hey all, great site I am very impressed with this site!
Here is my TV problem - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtyQyV4JALk


I am hoping someone can tell me what to test next on MY TV.
I already checked the VS and the VA voltages and they are good.
VS Spec is 205 and it tests 205.5 and the VA voltage Spec is 55 and it tests 55.4

Here is a You tube video of what my 42 Samsung Plasma PN42B400P3DXZA is doing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtyQyV4JALk

[tom66]

Re: A guide to fixing/troubleshooting some common plasma TV problems

Can you start a separate thread for your problem? It is very likely to be an LVDS, main board or control board problem. The first one is easily fixed, the second two may require replacement of a board.

[KellyKellyKelly]

Re: A guide to fixing/troubleshooting some common plasma TV problems

I also checked VSCAN voltage and it is good at -193

[KellyKellyKelly]

Re: A guide to fixing/troubleshooting some common plasma TV problems

Sorry Tom I never saw your response before my second post. Yes I can start a new thred.

[jrwhites]

Re: A guide to fixing/troubleshooting some common plasma TV problems

No picture. Big one, lots of causes, lots of problems. First, check if you have sound when you plug in a source. If so, it's probably not a power supply fault. Does the set respond to the remote control or side buttons? Is it stuck in standby? There are too many power supply faults here to debug - create a thread.

However, if it doesn't seem like a power supply fault - if you have sound and the TV will respond normally - then it's likely a Y-sustain or Z-sustain fault.

If you don't have sound: First, turn the TV off and unplug it from the wall. Give it 5 minutes to discharge the capacitors. Then, unplug the connector going to the Z-sustain. Now plug it in, do you have sound? If so, the Z-sustain is failed. Now, give it another 5 minutes and then disconnect the Y-sustain and re-connect the Z-sustain. If it now powers up with sound, then the Y-sustain is faulty. With a Y-sustain problem, it can also be a buffer problem. If your TV has two buffers (upper and lower), disconnect the upper buffer (wait 5 minutes before doing so), and see if you get a picture on the lower of the screen, then swap around. The board that when removed gives a picture is faulty. If your TV has only one buffer, remove that and see if it comes on with sound.

If you have sound: This is often a Y-sustain fault. There is usually at least one fuse on the Y-sustain. First, unplug the TV and give it 5 minutes to discharge the capacitors. Then, set your DMM to the 200 ohm range. Touch the red and black together. Note the reading, it should be around 0-2 ohms. Now, touch one probe on one end of the fuse, and the other probe on the other end. If your DMM reads "1" on the left hand side, or "OL", the fuse is blown. If you get the same value as when you touched the probes together, the fuse is not blown.

You should replace the fuse. Should that then blow again, you need to repair or replace the Y-sustain. Diagnosing a particular fault is tricky and requires considerable experience. Unless the Y-sustain is very expensive, or difficult to repair, I would advise a simple swap of the board.

So have have read through these posts looking for the common answer, but yet to find one. I thought I was close with Tom's post here.

I have a 50" lg. No picture or sound. Now the screen does have a dark grey with faint snow. As it stands now, the control board does have three LED lights on, d3, d4, d5. Besides that I did the buffer check. I have the upper and lower. Each time I disconnected one, the lower half of the screen got brighter. So does that mean both buffers are bad?, or it the Y-sus causing the whole issue? One other interesting fact is the Z-sus. AFTER 5 minutes of checking that, I went to connect it again and sparky sparky. Anyones help would be appreciated. Thank you!

[tom66]

Re: A guide to fixing/troubleshooting some common plasma TV problems

It's a good idea to start a new thread for any problem you have.
Include the model # and pictures of the chassis.
Your fault sounds like main board, there is a test that can be run to rule out all the other boards except the main board.

[robel1966]

Re: A guide to fixing/troubleshooting some common plasma TV problems

Hi there.

I have an LG 50ps8000 plasma which was purchased in Feb 2010. In the last couple of weeks it has developed two thin green vertical lines, from the top of the screen to the bottom and positioned on the right hand side of the screen as you look at it.

Any ideas, please?

Thank you so much.


Rob

[tom66]

Re: A guide to fixing/troubleshooting some common plasma TV problems

That would be a defective plasma panel; unfortunately, it's not repairable economically.

[robel1966]

Re: A guide to fixing/troubleshooting some common plasma TV problems

Wow, thanks Tom for such a swift answer mate... Yes i was hoping it could be repaired economically but at the price point its not worth it.

Out of interest, do you think I would get longer shelf life if I purchased a Panny or Sammy as opposed to another LG? Or are they all pretty similar regarding life expectancy?

Once again thank you.

[tom66]

Re: A guide to fixing/troubleshooting some common plasma TV problems

As far as panel lifetime go, Panasonic followed by LG followed by a large gap followed by Samsung.

As far as general reliability goes, the order is the same though a higher end Samsung or LG is generally as good as a higher end Panasonic; at the lower end Panasonic beats Samsung and LG.

[robel1966]

Re: A guide to fixing/troubleshooting some common plasma TV problems

As far as panel lifetime go, Panasonic followed by LG followed by a large gap followed by Samsung.

As far as general reliability goes, the order is the same though a higher end Samsung or LG is generally as good as a higher end Panasonic; at the lower end Panasonic beats Samsung and LG.

So not much has changed really over the last few years. I did research very extensively plasmas, before i bought, so kinda new this but after my failing LG, I wondered if Sammy had got better....

Well thank you again mate.

[CLANKIRKPATRICK]

Re: A guide to fixing/troubleshooting some common plasma TV problems

Hi Tom,
I have a Samsung PN42A400c2d that was working fine and then one day I turned it on and the blue power indicator light blinks a few times and the stays lit with no picture whatsoever. I have gotten some conflicting advice on whether its a power board issue or a Y-main issue. Help!