Sony KDL-32CX523 32” LCD Sound Only, No Picture After 10 Minutes.

[JustGreg]

Hello Everyone,

Firstly great site, I have been reading various posts on here about people with similar symptoms so have tried a few things to identify the problem. I would appreciate any help as I don't know what the problem is.

The TV is 19 months old.

The problem is the TV turns on and works OK for 10 minutes (9mins 48secs last count), but suddenly loses picture. When it loses picture you can hear a clicking noise, this noise is only a split second. I heard it do this 3 times in quick succession last night and then saw very quickly on the top half of the screen a load of lines, but I have only noticed this last night as I was watching closely. After that had happened the picture disappeared. The TV will go into standby from the remote control but after switching back on the screen is still blank. This is also the same if you unplug the set and plug it back in. The TV needs a period of time before the picture will work again.

I think the backlight is OK as in a dark room I can see the TV screen glowing and also looking from behind I can see light through the vents.

I have held a torch up to the screen in various angles and cannot see any faint picture.

I cannot see any menus, channel numbers, TV guide, volume bar, etc.

I can change the channel and can hear the channel fine.

After reading around my guess is that it could be the T-CON, but think that's probably accused in most cases. Those are my thoughts and assumptions so probably are wrong. I would really appreciate any help or advice as I would like to try and fix this myself!

Thanks for reading.

Greg.

[tom66]

Re: Sony KDL-32CX523 32” LCD Sound Only, No Picture After 10 Minutes.

Does the sound continue to work immediately after the clicks/picture goes out?
It does sound a lot like a t-con problem.

[JustGreg]

Re: Sony KDL-32CX523 32” LCD Sound Only, No Picture After 10 Minutes.

Does the sound continue to work immediately after the clicks/picture goes out?
It does sound a lot like a t-con problem.

Thanks for the prompt reply tom66.

Yes, the sound is never lost, works fine.

[tom66]

Re: Sony KDL-32CX523 32” LCD Sound Only, No Picture After 10 Minutes.

Can you unplug the speakers from the main board then wait for it to cut out. If it doesn't make the clicks, I'd suspect the main board.

[JustGreg]

Re: Sony KDL-32CX523 32” LCD Sound Only, No Picture After 10 Minutes.

Can you unplug the speakers from the main board then wait for it to cut out. If it doesn't make the clicks, I'd suspect the main board.

OK, thanks for the advice. Will try this when I get home from work.

Just a quick question, what made you think it wasn't the T-Con?

Thanks,

Greg.

[tom66]

Re: Sony KDL-32CX523 32” LCD Sound Only, No Picture After 10 Minutes.

I do not yet know. If the main board is producing a sound when it fails, it makes me suspect the main board more. But the T-con has components on it which can produce a sound too, so if there is a problem there, it will still click.

[JustGreg]

Re: Sony KDL-32CX523 32” LCD Sound Only, No Picture After 10 Minutes.

I do not yet know. If the main board is producing a sound when it fails, it makes me suspect the main board more. But the T-con has components on it which can produce a sound too, so if there is a problem there, it will still click.

OK, brilliant.

I had the back off last night. Do the speakers just unplug at the speaker end or do i trace the wire back and unplug them there?

I know you dont have the set there, just thought you may know

Thanks.

[tom66]

Re: Sony KDL-32CX523 32” LCD Sound Only, No Picture After 10 Minutes.

Unplug it at the main board end, there should be a connector there.

[JustGreg]

Re: Sony KDL-32CX523 32” LCD Sound Only, No Picture After 10 Minutes.

Unplug it at the main board end, there should be a connector there.

Thanks

[JustGreg]

Re: Sony KDL-32CX523 32” LCD Sound Only, No Picture After 10 Minutes.

Hi Tom66,

Got in late tonight so haven't had chance to take the back off and disconnect the speakers. But tried it again with the sound muted and just under 10 minutes the picture disappeared but there were no clicks. Only the picture fading out.

Might not mean anything but thought I'd update. Will try unplugging the speakers tomorrow.

Thanks.

[tom66]

Re: Sony KDL-32CX523 32” LCD Sound Only, No Picture After 10 Minutes.

Actually that's a useful test, one I didn't think of. Since it doesn't click with the sound muted, the main board must be making the sound through the speakers. I'd highly suspect the main board in this instance then.

[JustGreg]

Re: Sony KDL-32CX523 32” LCD Sound Only, No Picture After 10 Minutes.

Good evening,

I have done a couple more tests with the sound on and muted, unfortunately not disconnected the speakers yet.

SOUND ON
Two tests, both produced one sound when picture faded out.

MUTED
Two tests, one with sound and one without.

On both tests noticed the tv screen flickering before picture was lost.

Don't know if this means anything or not.

Thanks.

[tom66]

Re: Sony KDL-32CX523 32” LCD Sound Only, No Picture After 10 Minutes.

Suspect the main board then. Very common issue with Sony is main board failure, few other things kill them.

[JustGreg]

Re: Sony KDL-32CX523 32” LCD Sound Only, No Picture After 10 Minutes.

Suspect the main board then. Very common issue with Sony is main board failure, few other things kill them.

Sorry tom66, its getting late, should have been vice versa on the findings.

SOUND ON
Two tests, one with and one without sound.

MUTED
Two tests, no sound.

Just tried again twice in quick succession and it is making the noise on both

Is there any other way to diagnose do you know? Think i need to try your advice and disconnect speakers to say for sure about sound.

How much is a main board and T-Con board? Where would you recommend buying these from?

Thanks as always.

[tom66]

Re: Sony KDL-32CX523 32” LCD Sound Only, No Picture After 10 Minutes.

Yeah, try the speakers.

For the UK, I use flattvparts.co.uk (once for a T-con, arrived quickly and well packed, plus very cheap usually but often out of stock), Recycling Lives (pretty cheap, UK charity selling TV bits for homeless), and general eBay sellers (less reliable but had good luck usually, many think boards are worth lots... not really!!)

[gilly1984]

Re: Sony KDL-32CX523 32” LCD Sound Only, No Picture After 10 Minutes.

Is it a click? or a pop?

I have heard tvs make a pop sound when switching them off, it may just be a bit of feedback from the psu when your picture goes out.

Just adding my little bit

In good hands with Tom.

[JustGreg]

Re: Sony KDL-32CX523 32” LCD Sound Only, No Picture After 10 Minutes.

Evening guys,

Thanks for the input gilly1984.

I think you might be onto something as I have just tried tom66's advice of unplugging the sound from the main board. The results are in tom66, and it does make that "popping" noise every time the picture goes out. Does this help identify the cause?

Thanks as always.

Greg.

[budm]

Re: Sony KDL-32CX523 32” LCD Sound Only, No Picture After 10 Minutes.

Not sure if this Sony has error detection if the T-CON is not functioning or not, what happen if you disconnect the T-CON board (you will not have pictures but if you wait for 10-15 minutes to see if it stillls pop)

[tom66]

Re: Sony KDL-32CX523 32” LCD Sound Only, No Picture After 10 Minutes.

So, with speakers unplugged, you are still hearing the sound?

I cannot be 100% sure, but this to me indicates something is changing on the main board. This change is causing the picture to go out.

The next step is to heat up the main board using a hair dryer or similar instrument. You want to get some part hot and make the TV cut out. If heating a particular part causes the issue, you can possibly replace one component, if not, you can replace the whole main board.

[JustGreg]

Re: Sony KDL-32CX523 32” LCD Sound Only, No Picture After 10 Minutes.

Not sure if this Sony has error detection if the T-CON is not functioning or not, what happen if you disconnect the T-CON board (you will not have pictures but if you wait for 10-15 minutes to see if it stillls pop)

Thanks budm, sound connected or not?

Thanks tom66, trying the disconnected T-Con now.