Repair-It

Board shipped out on Friday. Unknown what was repaired but it certainly didn't take long. ETA on repaired power board is Tuesday. Good. Good.

Received the repaired power supply board yesterday evening. I was nervous at first because it looked like it was in the same box I shipped it in, and when I opened it up, appeared to be packed the way I packed it, complete with my e-mail printout on top. So my first thought was "did he even do anything?"

So I unpacked everything. Nothing out of the ordinary on the front of the board. When I turned the board over, I definitely noticed signs of repair/soldering. Thankfully. Check it out (load full size). I spent no more than 20 seconds looking at it. Could have been a cap, maybe a diode, maybe a transistor. I dunno. Next step: haul the TV back into the repair position (glass down on a blanket on the sleeper fold down) and remove the back panel. Then install the repaired board. Nothing else to do but reinstall the back panel (what is this, the 6th time?) and test it out. Results next.

Plugged it in and it turned on. I remember when I first replaced the main board, it clicked a bunch of times before powering on. This time it did not do that.
From last time, I remembered unsuccessfully updating the firmware on the main board, so I thought I'd let it run for a bit before doing something sort of critical. I decided to let it scan ATSC channels. It turns out the tuner sensitivity is a little better than my dual tuner ATSC card in my HTPC, but that could easily be explained just by virtue of that card having to split the signal internally between two tuners.

Here it is on my favorite show. It had been a while and I saw zero funky behavior, so I decided to do some main board firmware updating, as directed by the leaflet in the box. Not only did the TV finish the update and turn itself off automatically, but it turned back on. Yay.

Here we are watching The Goldbergs: And Last Man Standing: I declare this fixed. I will send the dead main board back as the core.

Total into this repair:
Main board: $310.50 - $104 core + return shipping, so call it $216.50 for the main board replacement
Power supply: $85 + $10 to ship + $17 to ship back = $112 for power supply repair
Total: $328.50

Quick analysis:
It is impossible to find this TV, or a TV of this caliber, in used, working condition for this price. Since this TV is also suitable for my requirements, it was therefore a justified repair.

I did set the TV to the settings on this review: http://www.flatpanelshd.com/review.php? ... 42685085#6

Not far off from the default Movie mode so the factory calibration is obviously decent.

But I decided to try my Pantone Huey anyway. Some interesting things happened.
First, when I initially ran the utility, it failed, citing an error measuring. I switched the TV type to CRT in the utility and it ran fine. Plasma behaves a lot like a CRT at the pixel level so maybe that had something to do with it.

But when it ran, I honestly didn't like the calibration and decided I'd just run it uncalibrated. I know, right? But wait, there's more.

There is a setting in the picture menu called HDMI Black Level. That setting is designed to invoke the full PC RGB mode where 0-255 is used to define the brightness of each subpixel. The other mode is the 16-235 RGB range that typical consumer electronics use. That setting was greyed out when I first looked at it indicating the TV was auto-detecting my HTPC.

However, after the calibration didn't look right, I went back to that setting and it was no longer greyed out. I set it to Darker, and that lowered the blacks and brightened the whites, literally increasing the dynamic range of the image. I decided to re-run the calibration utility and THIS time, I like the result.

In short, the TV had too much red saturation and the result just looks amazing (I'm sure there were other changes, like gamma). I imagine it looks like what the director saw on his studio monitor, or as close as this $99 consumer calibrator can get. I bet I can improve the results with A) a better calibration system and B) a better baselining of the picture settings prior to running the tool, using the color filters I got with my Avia calibration DVD years ago. Right now, it is quite good enough to enjoy.

I will be watching that HDMI Black Level setting, however. Last night, it was greyed out. Today, it was selectable. If this varies based on the HDMI handshake (which is entirely possible), then the only remaining question is, does it always land on the right setting? That's all I really care about (0-255 full RGB).

Reading a little more about the 0-255 vs 16-235 thing (btw, new to me since I've never used HDMI in my life, for anything, so this was never a concern before). I think I may want to reinstall the ATI drivers. The windows generic driver gives me no video options at all. The ATI driver should present me with the choice between limited and full RGB output.

Another reason I say that is because, despite my glowing praise of the current calibration, I have a gnawing suspicion that I am experiencing some black crush. Black crush basically means things that are very dark get pushed down to the same as black. Therefore, dark image detail is totally ruined.

I should pull up a test pattern on my HTPC. Black crush should be evident by how many distinct levels of gray I can see on the black end of the spectrum. If too many are all the same black, then I have black crush. So I have my marching orders.

I did the test. Had a pretty wicked black crush. Put it back to normal and recalibrated again. Still don't like it so back to uncalibrated. But the "Normal" setting for HDMI Black Levels seems to be correct. Either that or it's a dice roll spending on the HDMI handshake but I don't have any evidence of that - yet. I confirmed, for sure, that the setting does not change how dark total black is. Before, though, I thought it needed the "Dark" setting, as the blacks seemed grey. Need more time. I already miss analog component video.

Uncalibrated I will say there is too much red saturation so I think the answer is to get at that as best I can with the TV settings. A better calibration tool would probably handle this better but working the TV settings first is always recommended anyway.

Couldn't even last 2 years before this happened. Ian threw a remote at it in frustration (something wasn't working I guess). I think the best course of action is NOT to run out and buy a 4K HDR set as I had planned. Because that plan was at EOL for this set, which it was not at. Of course now it is failed. I bet I can find a good 1080p plasma given everyone is upgrading to 4K HDR. That will buy more years until the 65"+ OLED HDR is priced where I want it. Currently it is $3k.

That is terrible. Is it possible to replace the screen?

Anything is possible. A new panel runs in the $1000 range. I am currently pursuing two realistic paths: A) find a same-model set with a good panel and swap my set's guts into it, or B) give up on that if it does not pan out and just buy a similar and working ~60" plasma, which could be the same model, brand, or a different brand entirely.

For A), I don't really want to try to buy a good panel and put it in - would be much easier to get one that did not function due to something like a main board or power board, and swap my stuff in. I won't rule anything out but I think that makes sense.

For B), realistically I'd probably pick between Samsung or Panasonic given what I know. I can probably pick up one of these for less than the cost of a mediocre 60" LCD unit. Granted, a mediocre LCD TV is much better than it used to be, but I assure you, I will notice all of the things that plasma still does better: black levels, color gamut and accuracy, viewing angles, motion blur. LCD uses less power...and gets much brighter in a bright room. That ends the advantages. Which is why OLED is the natural successor to plasma as it is a similar concept and follows a natural generation of development that goes from CRT -> plasma -> OLED.

I'll start throwing CL options for replacement TVs in here I guess.

Here's the latest batch:

60" LG plasma tv - $550 (woonsocket)

https://providence.craigslist.org/ele/d ... 86819.html

$500 Panasonic Plasma 60" - $500 (Woonsocket) hide this posting
condition: excellent
make / manufacturer: Panasonic
model name / number: TC-P60S30
Panasonic Plasma 60" HDTV
Model: TC-P60S30
Smart TV with use of LAN cable.

https://providence.craigslist.org/ele/d ... 73816.html

Samsung 8500 Series PN60F8500 60" Full 3D 1080p HD Plasma Internet TV - $1000 (Canton, MA)
Missed out on black Friday tv? Selling used Samsung PN60F8500 60 inches. There is no image burned in and it comes with all remotes/accessories. Rated best picture for 2 years in a row. The highest rated Plasma TV ever and they do not make these anymore. Offer is $1,000 cash only and is firm only serious buyers please contact. The item is in my home and it is located on the second floor. I can help bring to truck/car if needed. There is nothing wrong with the TV and I am the original owner. I bought this late 2014.

Side note these TVs are known to buzz and so does mine it is not a defect its just how these plasma's were made. You do not notice it once there is sound coming from the television.

https://boston.craigslist.org/sob/ele/d ... 15350.html

60" Plasma TV - $250 hide this posting
Hitachi brand. HDMI hookups built in. Excellent picture. Built in surround sound. 60 inches wide, picture screen is 52 inches wide. FYI: DOES NOT COME WITH ANY STAND.

https://hartford.craigslist.org/ele/d/6 ... 69429.html