Samsung LN37A550P3FXZA White screen with image

[x_orange90_x]

So I've had this TV for a while now and I'm just getting around to trying to fix it. It has a bright white image right off the bat (as of now). Colors are normal and the image looks good, however the entire screen is washed out with white and subtle ghosting. I found a thread somewhere which someone claimed it was the long strips connecting the TCON to the LCD which were bowing and shorting out on the metal LCD frame. I took mine apart and found exactly that. They were bowed out, so I put electrical tape across them along with some padded spacers. Previously, before doing this, the image was polarized on top of being washed out. It's no longer polarized, but it is still washed out. I tried cleaning the LVDS cable but it didn't do any good. However, alternating the LVDS cable in and out of the plug on the main board will produce a brief clear picture, but it's frozen and fades out. ONLY ONCE upon turning the TV on without touching anything, the image turned from washed out to normal, but after about 5 seconds washed out again.

I've read about a bad IC chip on the TCON, but would that produce these results? The TCON is rather expensive and compared to the resale value of the TV, it would be a loss.

Pictures are attached. As you can see, text seems to 'hang around' on screen for quite awhile. If I turn off the TV and turn it back on it will go to a somewhat normal image but still has text/image from a sometime BEFORE it was turned off... So it's some how 'remembering' what was on screen in a certain area previously and underlaying the current image with it.

[nomoresonys]

Re: Samsung LN37A550P3FXZA White screen with image

Can you post a good straight on picture of your tcon? what are the numbers on the white sticker on tcon?

[CapLeaker]

Re: Samsung LN37A550P3FXZA White screen with image

as-15 ic on the tcon?

[nomoresonys]

Re: Samsung LN37A550P3FXZA White screen with image

Looks like its the 48 pin IC, U201.

[x_orange90_x]

Re: Samsung LN37A550P3FXZA White screen with image

So the IC would need to be replaced? Theres no way of fixing them?

[nomoresonys]

Re: Samsung LN37A550P3FXZA White screen with image

Not that I know of, what are the numbers on the white sticker on tcon?

[Dannyx]

Re: Samsung LN37A550P3FXZA White screen with image

Bad gamma IC on the T-con board from what I know. The chip should be an AS15F or similar. Worth replacing if you can find it cheap.

[diif]

Re: Samsung LN37A550P3FXZA White screen with image

So the IC would need to be replaced? Theres no way of fixing them?

It takes 5 to 10 minutes to replace the IC and they cost less than a dollar.

[Dannyx]

Re: Samsung LN37A550P3FXZA White screen with image

It takes 5 to 10 minutes to replace the IC and they cost less than a dollar.

Depends on how skilled you are at soldering that sh!t It sucked badly for me the first time I did it and took almost half an hour.....it worked eventually, but it was painfully slow

[diif]

Re: Samsung LN37A550P3FXZA White screen with image

Depends on how skilled you are at soldering that sh!t It sucked badly for me the first time I did it and took almost half an hour.....it worked eventually, but it was painfully slow

Practice makes perfect, but even if it takes 2 hours to replace it's still far quicker and cheaper than waiting for a replacement tcon to arrive, that may or may not have the same issue.

[Dannyx]

Re: Samsung LN37A550P3FXZA White screen with image

Correct. It's also great if you get to practice on your own stuff instead of a client's I've never reballed anything so far and I'd like to try it, but don't want to risk messing up other people's stuff, plus the amount of effort I see this other guy putting into is not even remotely close to being worthy from my perspective.....

[nomoresonys]

Re: Samsung LN37A550P3FXZA White screen with image

Either you're waiting for a component or you're waiting for a tcon, tcon can be sent back IC's not so much.

[nomoresonys]

Re: Samsung LN37A550P3FXZA White screen with image

correct. It's also great if you get to practice on your own stuff instead of a client's i've never reballed anything so far and i'd like to try it, but don't want to risk messing up other people's stuff, plus the amount of effort i see this other guy putting into is not even remotely close to being worthy from my perspective.....

+10

[diif]

Re: Samsung LN37A550P3FXZA White screen with image

Either you're waiting for a component or you're waiting for a tcon, tcon can be sent back IC's not so much.

If you fix TVs you have them in stock. No waiting.

[x_orange90_x]

Re: Samsung LN37A550P3FXZA White screen with image

I only have a soldering pen. Not even a heat gun. I've seen ICs replaced before and it looks pretty difficult. I like soldering and I've gotten quite good at it, but that's a whole different ballgame.

[nomoresonys]

Re: Samsung LN37A550P3FXZA White screen with image

If you fix TVs you have them in stock. No waiting.

MOST people here DON'T have them in stock, so yes waiting.

[Dannyx]

Re: Samsung LN37A550P3FXZA White screen with image

Agreed. Soldering can be difficult and extremely frustrating at first, especially if you don't have the tools (which if you're a beginner, you most certainly won't).....I don't have nice tools either, despite being the biggest repair center in town, hence why I refuse to work with caveman tools and simply don't do stuff I can't do without them.

QFPs like the AS15F, by my standards at least, require at least a hot air gun to get the chip off. To put one back on you MAY just be able to get away with your soldering iron, unless it's too big and you start bending pins and ripping pads with it, especially if you haven't done it before. Don't get me wrong - I'm not trying to discourage you from getting into it ! By all means, do it ! The more you suffer through the process, the more rewarding the result feels

*SIDE STORY*
Unfortunately the only way to get good at something is to do it....and you can't really do that unless you have no tools.....which you don't exactly want to invest in unless they pay back for themselves somehow.....which they won't do if you don't make a living out this......which you probably don't if you're a beginner.....see what I'm doing here ? That's pretty much how it works for me: I have a mid to low-end set of tools at home, which is still infinitely better than what we get in this dump, and try to practice with those whenever I get the chance, at least to build the skills needed if anything. Once you have the skills, you can graduate to professional tools easier should the opportunity present itself by any means.

Kinda like learning to drive: you don't want to invest in a really nice car and back it into the first lamp post, so you'll probably get a modest one (or even a downright piece of junk) instead and maybe one day you'll get to drive something really nice. I wish I had a Quick 861DW - I don't: I have a YouYoue 858 or whatever it's called. I wish I had a JBC soldering iron - I don't have that either: I have a KSGER T12 which often likes to crash in the middle of the repair I'd like a nice microscope too - nope: too expensive to justify the cost. Our company could probably get one, but they don't care investing in repairing stuff anymore apparently....it's a field that seems to be dying slowly around here, or at least it's not yielding the results these guys want/need to keep this huge business running....

[diif]

Re: Samsung LN37A550P3FXZA White screen with image

The AS15F can be removed using Chipquick and an iron, clean up with a bit of braid. It was my first ever repair on someone else's TV. I now use my hot air station as it's much easier quicker and faster.

I have a Bakon 950D and a cheap hot air station, very similar to what you have. Decent tools help with more consistent and better heat, but they aren't essential. I reached their limits a while ago and should upgrade but they work so I spend my money else where.

My microscope paid for itself within days, it was only £120 though second hand.

[x_orange90_x]

Re: Samsung LN37A550P3FXZA White screen with image

Shopjimmy wants $75 for the TCON and it's roughly $30 on eBay.. Not really worth it for a plain jane 37".

If i were to get a hot air gun, what would be a decent cheap one?

[nomoresonys]

Re: Samsung LN37A550P3FXZA White screen with image

Grab one from Menards, demonstration there, there's
a ton more videos on it if needed: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWL0Y8g-TMo