i have a rca rear projection tv i aquired for a friend ,model number d52120,had it looked at my local tv repair guy was told it needed a green tube .my question is the man.date is 8\01 is it normal for a color tube to go belly up so soon ,and is it a waste of time for me to have it repaired.thanks mike
It is not normal for a CRT to go belly up, although it does happen from time to time. CRTs are supposed to last for the expected life of the TV, which is somewhere around 10 to 15 thousand hours, although some can last much longer than that. It's hard to say whether or not the TV is worth the repair. As a general rule of thumb, if the repair cost is 2/3 the cost of a new TV, don't bother. If it is over 1/2, then it's your call. Let us know what you decide.
then matt my question to you is ,is the repair guy just assuming its the crt or do i need to research it more,and is it soemthing i can do myself,i have some knowledge of electronics.also is there i web site i can go too for such a self repair? thanks again mike
I would beleive the repair guy until he gives you a reason otherwise. If he was there and looked at it, he probably knows what's wrong. if you want the expense of another in-home service call, you can get a second quote to see if the other repair guy is reasonable.
Remember, I said CRTs are supposed to last the life of the TV, but sometimes they don't. That's electronics for you, everything can fail.
As far as DIY help goes, rear-projection TVs are very tricky to repair, and is not recommended for the average electronics guy. Unless you have training in electronics repair, I wouldn't recommend it for numerous reasones... including your own safety. Besides, you'd have a heck of a time getting a CRT and other parts for your TV unless you were a professional.
If you choose to do it yourself, there are a few repair men that float through the forums from time to time and may be willing to help you. I will say that often inexperienced DIYers often do more harm than good when working on TVs, plus the work you do is not warranted for any period of time. If you buy a CRT and it goes again because it was not properly installed or configured... too bad. 400 bucks down the drain. Whatever you choose. Good luck, and keep the TechLore community up-to-date on your progress. Your experience in this matter will no doubt help others in the future.