Toshiba 42HL196 3 blinking red lights of death (vent thread too)

[TheAdvocate]

Almost 5 years to the day, like it was on a damn timer. In fact, Im getting ready to check the packing slip to see if I can figure out the first day I turned the thing on. I'm literally within 5 days of 5 years... I remember becuase I got it right after MLK day in 2007, was hoping it would get delivered that weekend.

Turned it on tonight and heard a dull pop noise and the picture cut out. It wont come on now. 3 blinking red lights under "timer rec" - a light I have never noticed before. Did a quick google and it sounds like it can be fixed, at significant cost. I dont need this right now.

I'm mad because I certainly expected a moderately used LCD TV to last more than 5 years, especially one I paid $1600 for.

Damn.

Here's wishful thinking that Toshiba will give a rats ass. Hah. Not likely.

/vent

 

[Matt1970]

That's a power supply issue. More specifically an IC in the power supply. You can get a replacement for $100 if you are handy with a screw driver it is a simple swap.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/PE0071E-1-P...658?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19caed8ef2

 

[TheAdvocate]

Matt,

Just thought I'd follow up to say thanks and share a story:

Dropped the TV off at local repair shop
They took a week to diagnose the issue after taking $30 cash and saying they'd get back to me in 24-48 hours.
They only got to it once I asked why they were taking so long
They wanted $345 to fix it (can get a comparable brand new TV for $100-$150 more)
Got quotes from 3 other places all between $200-$225
Told the shop I didnt want it fixed. Too expensive. Explained all of the above.
When I got to the shop to pick it up and take elsewhere, he refused to give me the TV back, said he had already fixed it.
I had expressly told him no.
Had to call cops.
He was a dick to me but sucked up to cops.

Settled for $245, and he said i was ripping him off on the parts alone, which cost as much as he charged me. I showed him this link: http://www.tvparts4less.com/index.p...ba-power-supply-42hl196-exchange-service.html

And he said it wasn't real. He also said that Panasonic, LG, Vizio, etc LCDTV comparables that I showed him were not "real TVs".

Best quote was him telling the police officer, when I said I had other quotes, he says "but that's not how this business works. These shops will say anything to get your TV in there but then they'll find something else wrong and/or charge you double the quote".

The cop nodded along with him.

Apparently cops and crooked repair shop guys are immune to crushing irony.

Anyway, here's hoping he didnt rig the set to blow up in a week.