LCD TV

[Viking]

I have a 20" Samsung LCDtv about 2 years old. About a week ago a narrow, bright blue to purple, vertical stripe appeared near the center of the screen. It's still there and won't go away. I have tried all possible screen adjustments, no luck. Is my tv screen done? Can these LCD screens be fixed or do you just throw them away and replace.

If it can't be fixed I'll replace it with a picture tube tv. I have a 35" Mitsubishi that I bought when the 35" screen first came out and it still works and has a great picture.

 

[Dargo]

Can these LCD screens be fixed or do you just throw them away and replace.

One business I used to co-own was a computer/monitor repair business. Business was booming with the repairs of larger CRT monitors from local companies such as Alcoa, Bristol Myers, GE, Toyota and various local hospitals who used larger screen CRT monitors. At the time it made sense to have them repaired. We did about 40% board level repairs and about 60% board or power supply replacement.

I sold out to my partner about 7 years ago or so when I predicted that people would just replace such equipment rather than repair it. That seems to have become the case. He can repair your LCD monitors and TV's (the name of the company is C&I Electronics - you can find them on Google), but the replacement LCD unit usually costs what a new one costs and then you have labor on top of that. Scott now mainly repairs older computer systems, the few really large CRTs (like 21" and larger), recycles used computer components and the like. What's funny was that when I was there, we used to pay $5 for junk computers. Now Scott charges $50 to take your old computer! Even more surprising is that he gets plenty of takers even though the $50 charge to take your computer does not include coming and picking it up.

Long story, sorry. The bottom line is that, in general, with plasma and LCD's out of warranty the most common thing to do is replace. Good luck.