TV Power Supply Most Likely Dead

[cornemuse]

My old Olevia (42") TV finally stopped working. It is 12-13 yrs old. I got a new Samsung 50" & I cannot get a decent image on it. The Pic looks like a home 8mm movie. I just do not like it.
Anyway, I think the PS board is bad, when off the lite is barely visible, click power on & the lite flashes brightly for an instant & then goes out. Had to unplug it from the wall to get the same results.
I've found (it is claimed) that the caps on the PS board are most likely the problem. A kit with "all" the caps is about $17.00. You think its worth taking it apart & replacing them? The image is/was still good, better than almost all tv's I have looked at over the years. Till now it has never failed me!
What do you all think?

[loster]

If some of the capacitors have failed visually it could be worth a shot. At a minimum I would test the supply by measuring the output voltages.

[jan5678]

Like @loster i would check the output voltages from the powersupply first. Maybe you need a schema (dutch word, don't know the english one) to find out what those voltages should be.

If you are handy with a soldering iron and have patience you can try with this kit. For this kind of money it is worth a shot.

[Cornucopia]

I got a new Samsung 50" & I cannot get a decent image on it. The Pic looks like a home 8mm movie.
...
What do you all think?

I think you should return the TV for a working model, as it ought to still be under both manufacturer, and maybe even retailer, warranty.
I think unless you are a seasoned electronics technician/engineer, you shouldn't replace ANYTHING internal in your electronics. It will most assuredly void any warranty, and could be detrimental to the health of the electronics, if not YOU.


Scott

[cornemuse]

I am pretty handy with a soldering iron, guns too. (I still have a weller gun I've had since about 1960), I'd use a small iron for this,tho.
The Samsung I got from Costco last Monday. I am definitely returning it, Tuesday, closed Labor day.
What would be a better tv than Samsung? Image quality that is. Cost to $600.00 or so?
Also, Are there any tv's anymore that are *simple* to use? All I want is to connect one hdmi cable from an AV reciever. I dont want i-net connect. Dont want (dont have) smart fone operating. Just want to be able to set/adjust image bright/contrast etc etc, thats all.

[jagabo]

I got a new Samsung 50" & I cannot get a decent image on it.

Did you try turning off all the Auto... functions? All they do is ruin the picture. And the factory settings are usually set for way to much contrast, too much saturation, overly bright, way oversharpened, etc. I'd be surprised if you can't get at least a watchable picture on a recent model Samsung with some tweaking.

[cornemuse]

Did you try turning off all the Auto... functions

Did that, With autos on, a terrible pic, , , ,

Are LG tvs decent?
Any recomendations for other brands? As I said, $600± 50"-55"

[Constant Gardener]

Our new LG arrived (a few years ago) with settings suitable for nearby arc lights - and an annoying frame-interpolating feature called Truemotion that is, er, a matter of taste. After a bit of fiddling, we had a good picture. I also had to play with the set-top box, which retained the 1080i settings for the previous TV (a 170-lb widescreen Panasonic, R.I.P.).

[cornemuse]

I am looking at an "LG 55" Class - UN7300 Series - 4K UHD LED LCD TV" = $460
What do you (anybody!) think of Sony's?

-c-

[orsetto]

After fifteen years, the video character of your old TV is imprinted on your brain, so it will be difficult for anything newer to "measure up" unless and until you are convinced it can't be resurrected. Thats just how some of us are: we can't fully give up on a lost cause until we're fully convinced its 100% lost. Ten years ago it took five exchanges on various models of LCD display before I found one I didn't think was totally horrible vs my beloved Proton CRT monitor (that had finally died after 25 years). I ended up choosing a Sony Bravia EX CFL, which has a matte finish screen (impossible to find now), minimal LCD motion lag, and consistent color from scene to scene vs the then-new LED technology. I'm not looking forward to replacing the Sony when it eventually dies.

Since you're handy with a soldering iron, and the parts are cheap, you've got nothing to lose by rebuilding the power supply of your old TV. If that was the only problem the TV developed, you could get a few more happy years out of it with a little repair effort. OTOH, if the repair is not enough to restore function to your old TV, you'll be more receptive to a replacement TV. Either way, you "win".

Those of us with persnickety eyes often need to buy and exchange at least two or three different TVs, evaluated in our own homes with our own favorite video sources, before we find one we can live with. In the store, it can be impossible to discern the subtle differences between models. Some brands like Samsung, Sony and LG can have wildly different performance curves from model to model and size to size: you can't know until you test them. At the time I bought my Sony, they had three or four model series, only one of which appealed to me. I'd originally wanted a specific Samsung LED: my parents had got one the year before that to this day remains a phenomenal display. But ten years ago, Samsung only made that specific model series in very large size that I couldn't use. Some friends of mine recently picked up a 60" Sony that is pretty good, however Sony's later control interface is really bad: another element that is hard to check in a store.

If you end up replacing the old TV, resign yourself it might be compromise one way or another (the best picture may entail an unappealing confusing interface, etc.). And if certain popular "picture improvement" features bother you, make certain they can be turned off before you commit to that model (i.e., my understanding is recent LGs have made the annoying "TruMotion" smoothing feature a non-defeatable permanent default: if you hate the "soap opera effect" as much as I do, that knocks them out of the running altogether). Difficulty obtaining a proper 4:3 aspect ratio for older movies and TV series also seems to be trending in the latest TVs: check for that as well.

[cornemuse]

If you end up replacing the old TV, resign yourself it might be compromise one way or another (the best picture may entail an unappealing confusing interface, etc.)

Oh, I'm getting a new TV. One LG (too big for me) looked much better than the Samsung, cost more (on-line) than the Sam, but acceptable cost wise. I am 73 & really dont want to spend thousands's of dollars for one that looks 'good'. Although,come to think of it, I cant take it (da $) with me! I realize they all have more than I need/want, setup-wise/controls/etc, and am resigned to that.

So, which tvs are recommended by people here? Say $600, maybe a bit more, , , ,? Any brand.

[usually_quiet]

If you are OK with a 2160p TV these might be worth a look.
https://www.rtings.com/tv/reviews/hisense/h8g
https://www.rtings.com/tv/reviews/hisense/h9g?beaten_size=55%22

The 55-inch H9g costs $650 but it gets an impressive rating for an LED TV from my favorite review website.

[orsetto]

You should definitely be able to find something nice for $550-$650: competition in that price arena is fierce, so choices abound at any Best Buy or WalMart or Amazon (the HiSense line usually_quiet suggested is a good place to start). Unlike the early days of HDTV, there aren't that many middling-average performing models anymore: no "panel lottery" or other nonsense variations (just as with phones, Samsung's supplying the panels for almost everybody now). Performance range is pretty binary (either blah, or very good-excellent). Each brand does have a different pictorial flavor from the other, which often additionally shifts further among each model series of a brand: what might be ideal for me might be terrible for you (personally, I can't stand LGs, others love them).

Don't bother trying to find a "dumb" model: that used to be a premium add-on, today they can't give a TV away unless it has built-in NetFlix access at minimum. Usually the smart-tv features can just be bypassed if you aren't interested, but some models insist on presenting a grid of options every time you power on (thats what I meant by "compromises" you might have to accept).

[davexnet]

If you are OK with a 2160p TV these might be worth a look.
https://www.rtings.com/tv/reviews/hisense/h8g
https://www.rtings.com/tv/reviews/hisense/h9g?beaten_size=55%22

The 55-inch H9g costs $650 but it gets an impressive rating for an LED TV from my favorite review website.

I bought a "budget" Ultra 4k LG TV 3 years ago. I like it's functionality and it's features.
The sound quality, for TV speakers, is good.

On the downside, the processing is slow, the CPU quite often seems that it gets bogged down,
taking 5 seconds before it responds to a channel change. The picture quality is average at best
and it's not consistent. I put this down to inferior electronics.

I made a point in the LG community forum, I mentioned my 10 year old Samsung 1280x1024 4x3 monitor.
Every day I use it, the picture is identical. This must be due to better electronics operating at a tighter spec.

Non-OLED LG's constantly get poorer picture quality reviews at rtings.com even compared to offerings from budget brands
such as Vizio and TCL. Check out the reddit forum https://www.reddit.com/r/4kTV/

[cornemuse]

This is what I just bought = Samsung 50" Class - TU700D Series - 4K UHD LED LCD TV

I will definetely look into Hisense.
Amazon = Hisense 55-Inch Class H8 Quantum Series Android 4K ULED Smart TV ($499) ULED what is this? oled = uled?

I bought a "budget" Ultra 4k LG TV 3 years ago.

Costco has this "LG 55" Class - UN7300 Series - 4K UHD LED LCD TV" Watcha think of it? ($460)

Costco = Samsung 55" Class - Q6DT Series - 4K UHD QLED LCD TV ($699) can live with $ if its that much better
And Sony 55" Class - X75CH Series - 4K UHD LED LCD TV ($569)

[davexnet]

This is what I just bought = Samsung 50" Class - TU700D Series - 4K UHD LED LCD TV

I will definetely look into Hisense.
Amazon = Hisense 55-Inch Class H8 Quantum Series Android 4K ULED Smart TV ($499) ULED what is this? oled = uled?

I bought a "budget" Ultra 4k LG TV 3 years ago.

Costco has this "LG 55" Class - UN7300 Series - 4K UHD LED LCD TV" Watcha think of it? ($460)

Costco = Samsung 55" Class - Q6DT Series - 4K UHD QLED LCD TV ($699) can live with $ if its that much better
And Sony 55" Class - X75CH Series - 4K UHD LED LCD TV ($569)

You'll have to parse the comments carefully (typical Reddit) but there may enough to get an idea ...
https://www.reddit.com/r/4kTV/comments/ib2fb2/thoughts_on_the_lg_un7300/
https://www.reddit.com/r/4kTV/comments/igy3m3/returning_q70t_picking_up_lg_un7300_what_are_your/

[usually_quiet]

I will definetely look into Hisense.
Amazon = Hisense 55-Inch Class H8 Quantum Series Android 4K ULED Smart TV ($499) ULED what is this? oled = uled?

I typed "What is Hisense ULED?" into my search engine and it found the following explanation:

ULED, or Ultra LED, is the term Hisense uses for a collection of 20 different patents around four key areas: Ultra Wide Colour Gamut, Ultra Local Dimming, Ultra 4K Resolution and Ultra Smooth Motion Rate.

The ULED TVs are LED back-lit LCD TVs. I think the newest models use photo-emissive quantum dots in combination with blue LEDs to produce a better light source for the LCD color filters.

[usually_quiet]

I have viewed *other peoples* BD's & cannot tell the difference between DVD & BD. Never had a BD reader/writer in my computer. If a BD is @50 gigs, how long does it take to rip one?

Interesting site here shows *miles* of length of 'tracks' on various disks, (not BD's tho)

http://www.lightbyte.com/SpiralLength.htm

(DVD 5 4.7 G = (DVD-5 Track Length = 7.8434 Miles!)

Does the track lengthen on BDs? (by ≈ 10x?)

If you are never going to watch any disc formats other than DVD, unless you are going to stream/download UHD video or subscribe to a paid TV service that includes some UHD content, the UHD TVs that you were considering are a waste of money. UHD TV broadcasts are not yet widely available OTA and no TVs have been released in the USA with an ATSC 3.0-capable tuner except for one or two Sony TVs and a couple of very expensive LG OLED TVs.

[cornemuse]

Well, I returned the Samsung & got a Sony 55" X75CH. It is night & day better. Cost $200 more but well worth that. Everything about it is better, plus I went from sammys 50" to this 55".
Thought I'd pass this along, , , ,

-c-

[usually_quiet]

I wonder if the Sony KD55X75CH is basically the same TV as the Sony KD55X750H? Sony itself doesn't even list your TV on its website. rtings.com says the Sony KD55X750H is a good choice for a budget 4K TV. I only found the Sony KD55X75CH being sold at warehouse clubs and discount appliance stores.

[jagabo]

I think the "C" is for Costco. The slightly different model number is to avoid price matching.

[usually_quiet]

I think the "C" is for Costco. The slightly different model number is to avoid price matching.

Maybe, although Sam's Club and plessers.com have a TV with the same model number as Costco and BJ's has a Sony KD55X75CH/C.

[cornemuse]

I got it at Costco, , , , ,

[jagabo]

I think the "C" is for Costco. The slightly different model number is to avoid price matching.

Maybe, although Sam's Club and plessers.com have a TV with the same model number as Costco and BJ's has a Sony KD55X75CH/C.

Maybe it's stands for Club then. Still, it's so Best Buy can offer a lowest price guarantee and not have to price match Costco, Sam's Club, etc.

[usually_quiet]

@cornemuse: I've only been window shopping for 4K TVs so far but was interested to read your opinion regarding the Sony that you bought. Thanks.

I plan to wait until more models have ATSC 3.0/NextGen TV tuners although I may or may not currently have something to watch in UHD via an antenna. Three OTA channels here are supposed to be broadcasting using ATSC 3.0 but I've read at the Silicondust/HDHomerun forums that most stations in the USA with an ATSC 3.0 transmitter currently broadcast at 1080p. (HDHomerun is going to have an ATSC 3.0 + ATSC 1.0 PC TV tuner available for sale soon.)

[usually_quiet]

I think the "C" is for Costco. The slightly different model number is to avoid price matching.

Maybe, although Sam's Club and plessers.com have a TV with the same model number as Costco and BJ's has a Sony KD55X75CH/C.

Maybe it's stands for Club then. Still, it's so Best Buy can offer a lowest price guarantee and not have to price match Costco, Sam's Club, etc.

That does seem likely. Many people only belong to one warehouse club so there probably isn't as much price competition between them.