21 Jul
2007
21 Jul
'07
1:48 p.m.
Regardless of what the automotive people say about repairability, I
submit that modern television receivers aren't made to be repairable.
THankfully I've not had one on my bench yet, but I am told that the
flat-panel TVs (both plasma and LCD) are repaired by board-swapping. The
so-called service manual includes no scheamtics, or even details of the
signals between PCBs. Just a fault-finding chart of the form 'for
fault <foo? replace this module, then this module, then... until it works
again'. And of course it's all large custom ICs that you have little hope
of deciphering.
Ouch. Not only (as you know) do I disaprove of replacing plenty of good
components when some simple part has failed, but also it maens the
manufactuers can effectively make repair impossible after a certain time
by no longer supplying any replacement PCBs.
If it were otherwise, you'd be able to find people
who repair them
for a living.
There is also the fact that TVs (and other thigns) are too darn cheap....
-tony