Maxent MX-50X3 Constant vertical lines, looks like bar codes.

[cdcamaro9534]

I have saved one of these Maxent PDP's from a dumpster and believe it's the Y buffer board. The lines stay pretty constant in color with only a few flickering and changing color. I thought I would ask the opinion of smarter minds since this is my first PDP. Am I on the right track, or do I need to be looking else where?

In the chassis pic, I've already removed the upper y board.

[tom66]

Re: Maxent MX-50X3 Constant vertical lines, looks like bar codes.

There's a good chance this is a panel defect. Do the lines appear over displayed images? If they do it's definitely a bad plasma panel unfortunately non repairable.

[tucocaps]

Re: Maxent MX-50X3 Constant vertical lines, looks like bar codes.

I just posted a similar problem with horizontal lines on an old maxent.

Do your lines extend across the entire screen, and does the screen flicker along with the backlight? Based on research, it seems it is the mainboard. It sure would be nice to be able to definitively test these things to know.

[cdcamaro9534]

Re: Maxent MX-50X3 Constant vertical lines, looks like bar codes.

I've put a ton of heat to the controller board, and anything that's BGA along with board flexing. Nothing made a change to point to a BGA issue that I can tell. But it still could be possible.

I disconnected the top PDP ribbon on the Y buffer board in the first pic. And in the second pic, I completely disconnected the PDP ribbons from the top middle X board.

Yes Tom the lines to appear over images. I'm uploading some video to better show.

[cdcamaro9534]

Re: Maxent MX-50X3 Constant vertical lines, looks like bar codes.

Here is some quick video to show better.

Youtube video of lines.

Video w/X board disconnected

[tom66]

Re: Maxent MX-50X3 Constant vertical lines, looks like bar codes.

Definitely a bad plasma panel. Sorry, non repairable.

[cdcamaro9534]

Re: Maxent MX-50X3 Constant vertical lines, looks like bar codes.

Definitely a bad plasma panel. Sorry, non repairable.

Well that's the chance you take for digging through dumpsters. Thanks for the help Tom. Looks like it's time to part out and grave yard it.