problem with an Insignia brand TV

[Steve]

Happy Holidays to all.

My neighbor has discarded an almost new 24 inch
Insignia CRT television. It is model number ISTV040922A with
a manufacture date of March 2006 but it is beyond the 90 day
warranty period. This appears to be a cheap Chinese
manufactured store brand sold only by Best Buy chain stores.

It has a problem.

The screen display appears to have alternate scan lines replaced
with dark gray (or blank?) signal information. (as if the image
data for all the odd (even?) numbered scan lines is missing
mode. The scan lines which do get displayed appear to be "normal".
The user manual does not indicate anything relative to the
television operating in a non-interlaced mode and there is no
option for changing this in the user level setup menus.

The problem occurs with both of the composite signal input sources,
the antenna input and even the user setup menus. (The
television also has component and S-Video inputs but I have
not seen what happens when these are used as the input source.)
The implication being the trouble is located in the circuits
after the input processing (cold solder joint?; vertical blanking
circuit perhaps?).

Is it likely there is a simple fix for this problem (defective
capacitor or resistor)? Is it more likely the fix will require
a chip replacement?

Probably it is not worth taking to a repair shop as the unit is
being advertised for new sale at $119 (sorry about that TV
repair techs). It seems a shame to discard an almost brand new
television, even one as cheaply made as this one, without making
some attempt to salvage it.

Steve

 

[William R. Walsh]

Hi!

a manufacture date of March 2006

Ouch. (Looks over to June 1983-manufactured Zenith table TV that's still
working great...)

This appears to be a cheap Chinese
manufactured store brand sold only by Best Buy chain stores.

It is.

Is it likely there is a simple fix for this problem (defective
capacitor or resistor)? Is it more likely the fix will require
a chip replacement?

Checking the capacitors and similar components is worth a shot. You might
find a bad one and that could be enough to restore the set to life. Anything
else is likely to be difficult unless you've got a lot of time and a desire
to reverse engineer the circuit. Just be careful...TV sets utilize high
voltage and there may be parts inside that are directly connected to the AC
line. High voltage is mostly painful, the line voltage can easily kill.

Even if you wanted to take this TV to a repair shop, I am not sure that they
would fare any better. It is said that service information for these sets is
simply not available. I doubt the ones returned under warranty are
serviced...they probably just pick another one off the shelf and eventually
toss the old one.

William

 

[David Naylor]

Happy Holidays to all.

My neighbor has discarded an almost new 24 inch
Insignia CRT television. It is model number ISTV040922A with
a manufacture date of March 2006 but it is beyond the 90 day
warranty period. This appears to be a cheap Chinese
manufactured store brand sold only by Best Buy chain stores.

It has a problem.

The screen display appears to have alternate scan lines replaced
with dark gray (or blank?) signal information. (as if the image
data for all the odd (even?) numbered scan lines is missing
mode. The scan lines which do get displayed appear to be "normal".
The user manual does not indicate anything relative to the
television operating in a non-interlaced mode and there is no
option for changing this in the user level setup menus.

The problem occurs with both of the composite signal input sources,
the antenna input and even the user setup menus. (The
television also has component and S-Video inputs but I have
not seen what happens when these are used as the input source.)
The implication being the trouble is located in the circuits
after the input processing (cold solder joint?; vertical blanking
circuit perhaps?).

Is it likely there is a simple fix for this problem (defective
capacitor or resistor)? Is it more likely the fix will require
a chip replacement?

Probably it is not worth taking to a repair shop as the unit is
being advertised for new sale at $119 (sorry about that TV
repair techs). It seems a shame to discard an almost brand new
television, even one as cheaply made as this one, without making
some attempt to salvage it.

Steve

Yes your right these sets ARE made from failed quality parts from major
manufacturers, what I mean is they fail quality test by the major brands
and are almost functional. I have NEVER seen one with a decent pix in my
shop. If I'm right htis is a prety black cased monster. the problem you
are having is caused by the digital board. part are available from prima
of canada...But good luck getting them , and when you do the pix quality
is so bad you think why did i bother put it back in the rubish PLEASE

 

[Homer J Simpson]

Even if you wanted to take this TV to a repair shop, I am not sure that
they
would fare any better. It is said that service information for these sets
is
simply not available. I doubt the ones returned under warranty are
serviced...they probably just pick another one off the shelf and
eventually
toss the old one.

Yes. The returns wind up on eBay - sold "As is where is".

 

[T o d d P a t t i s t]

"William R. Walsh"

Ouch. (Looks over to June 1983-manufactured Zenith table TV that's still
working great...)

My 1979 Zenith 25" is also working great - it's in daily
use.

 

[Jim Land]

"William R. Walsh"


My 1979 Zenith 25" is also working great - it's in daily
use.

Ah, Zenith. "The quality goes in before the name goes on."

 

[David Naylor]

Ah, Zenith. "The quality goes in before the name goes on."

NOT ANY MORE on the Zeniths there made by LG lucky Goldstar and
are CRAP

 

[Mike WB2MEP]

"William R. Walsh"


My 1979 Zenith 25" is also working great - it's in daily
use.

So is my 1972 Zenith. 25CC50 Chassis. An interesting mix of
technologies in that one: One plug-in module with an IC on it,
a handful of transistors in sockets on the hard-wired chassis,
and 15 vacuum tubes. It was my parents' first color set,
been in daily use since Nov. '71, except was stored for a year
around 1995 when they replaced it and was waiting to be
delivered to me.
Other than badly needing a new CRT when I got it, it's never
needed any other major repairs, and I never had any trouble
getting tubes or other parts for it.

Mike
WB2MEP

 

[Jim Land]

So is my 1972 Zenith. 25CC50 Chassis. An interesting mix of
technologies in that one: One plug-in module with an IC on it,
a handful of transistors in sockets on the hard-wired chassis,
and 15 vacuum tubes. It was my parents' first color set,
been in daily use since Nov. '71, except was stored for a year
around 1995 when they replaced it and was waiting to be
delivered to me.
Other than badly needing a new CRT when I got it, it's never
needed any other major repairs, and I never had any trouble
getting tubes or other parts for it.

It's 34 years old! Have you replaced a lot of the tubes? Transistors?
Capacitors? (How many times have you replaced the filter caps in the
power supply?)

 

[JANA]

You are right! During the warrenty period, the customer is given a new set.
The old ones are put to the crusher. They are absolutely not feasible to pay
skilled technical staff and supply the parts to service them.

--

JANA
_____


"William R. Walsh" <[email protected]>
wrote in message Hi!

a manufacture date of March 2006

Ouch. (Looks over to June 1983-manufactured Zenith table TV that's still
working great...)

This appears to be a cheap Chinese
manufactured store brand sold only by Best Buy chain stores.

It is.

Is it likely there is a simple fix for this problem (defective
capacitor or resistor)? Is it more likely the fix will require
a chip replacement?

Checking the capacitors and similar components is worth a shot. You might
find a bad one and that could be enough to restore the set to life. Anything
else is likely to be difficult unless you've got a lot of time and a desire
to reverse engineer the circuit. Just be careful...TV sets utilize high
voltage and there may be parts inside that are directly connected to the AC
line. High voltage is mostly painful, the line voltage can easily kill.

Even if you wanted to take this TV to a repair shop, I am not sure that they
would fare any better. It is said that service information for these sets is
simply not available. I doubt the ones returned under warranty are
serviced...they probably just pick another one off the shelf and eventually
toss the old one.

William

 

[Meat Plow]

So is my 1972 Zenith. 25CC50 Chassis. An interesting mix of
technologies in that one: One plug-in module with an IC on it,
a handful of transistors in sockets on the hard-wired chassis,
and 15 vacuum tubes. It was my parents' first color set,
been in daily use since Nov. '71, except was stored for a year
around 1995 when they replaced it and was waiting to be
delivered to me.
Other than badly needing a new CRT when I got it, it's never
needed any other major repairs, and I never had any trouble
getting tubes or other parts for it.

Mike
WB2MEP

I remember those, very interesting mix of components and reliable as hell.

 

[T o d d P a t t i s t]

So is my 1972 Zenith. 25CC50 Chassis. An interesting mix of
technologies in that one: One plug-in module with an IC on it,
a handful of transistors in sockets on the hard-wired chassis,
and 15 vacuum tubes.

All the tubes were gone by '79 - except the picture tube,
and we're still running the original on that. Mine hasn't
been totally trouble free - we had a bad cap (leaky and
sound would decay away within 10 minutes, so you had to bump
it up with the remote) and we lost a transistor in the
vertical drive sometime in the 80's Then last year one of
the pots on the blue drive circuitry needed to be replaced.
The remote is ultrasound and still works perfectly - real
switches, not the rubber membrane things that die after a
few years. The only part we don't use is the rotating
barrel tuner - we feed it with a TiVo and leave it on
channel 3.

 

[William R. Walsh]

Hi!

So is my 1972 Zenith.

Wow...I didn't know that comment was going to generate so many similar
replies!

I actually found that TV on the curb, sitting face down and waiting for the
garbage truck. It replaced a much newer Magnavox TV that still worked well
but had no buttons in the front panel as they'd all fallen out.

It has only required one cleaning so far. Some kitchen grease got into the
tuner and made the TV act rather strangely.

William

 

[Mike WB2MEP]

It's 34 years old! Have you replaced a lot of the tubes? Transistors?
Capacitors? (How many times have you replaced the filter caps in the
power supply?)

Yes, I've replaced most of the tubes, some more than once.
During the 1st 12 years my parents owned the set, it never needed
more than tube replaced every couple of years. I had a tube tester,
so whenever I was in it I tested all the tubes and repalced any that
tested bad. The set has a removable plate on the bottom, so you
can access the Rs & Cs under the chassis just by turning the set on
end and removing a few screws. I ESR test all the electrolytic caps
any time I go into the chassis bottom, most of the power supply 'lytics
have been replaced. It uses those multi-section cans, with 3 or 4
caps in each can. I replace bad sections with regular electrolytics
mounted under the chassis. None of the transistors have been
replaced, but I have had some problems caused by bad resistors.
It was a very reliable set for its first 20 years or so, but like an
old car, it's starting to show its age.

There is quite a group of guys on the audiokarma.org website
into restoring vintage TVs. My set would be considered "new" by their
standards. They have 3 separate discussion forums on vintage TV.
You don't have to sign up just to read the forums. That's what
got me interested in keeping this set running as long as possible.

Mike
WB2MEP