The idea of plasma display is to illuminate a colored
substance to form an image. You see on
the screen is burning gas between to pieces of glass. The gas is neon or
xenon. The estimated life span of a
plasma display is 45,000 to 60,000 hours.
The serene contains a complex structure, has millions of colored
pixels. Each of these pixels are
powered by tiny electrodes, has ists own gas and color. Each one controlled by
brightness and color. It is plasma
display. Usually plasma display
problems start with its screen. If a
plasma screen is broken or crashed, it is not repairable by no way. It needs a new screen replacement, which
might cost around 2/3rd of the total cost of a new plasma TV. The front protection screen glass can be
replaced and is not so expensive. If
you have just a protection screen damage problem, after the replacement of the
same, TV will work without any problem.
Plasma screen have aluminum base, and two pieces of glass with gas in
between them. The gas is not
rechargeable. Pixels with gas,
controlled by tiny electrodes. Each pixel contains three colored sub pixels of
Red, Green & Blue. The plasma
screen works in two steps. [1] Gas ignition [2] Picture reproduce.
Ignition => power supply => logic control => Z or X
sustain => screen.
Picture => power supply => video control board
[otherwise called as scaler] => logic control board => Y-sustain =>
X-sustain => buffer boards => screen.
Defects to screen.
Flashing red dots or pixels on the screen when it is
cold. even though after some time it
might disappear.
Color distortion at one part of the screen, either be its
left or right corner.
Colored vertical line/s on picture
Flashing red dots on some part of the screen, or all around.
BURN IN IMAGE
This is an image you notice on top of the normal
picture. It is usually displayed as
dark lines or dark area on the screen.
The static [still] image display for along time will develop burn-in
spots. This is not a repairable issue.
VERTICAL/HORIZONTAL LINES/BAR
The problem might be due to a dead driver [part of the
screen], or poor connection between plasma glass and ribbon wire connector. PDP
panel and address driver on it are not separated. If one of drivers is going out, need a new screen replacement.
Defective buffer boards cause other common problem with lines on screen. Voltage needed to operate controllers on
buffer is high for a small SMD IC. They
are mot strong enough to drive address electrodes.
Plasma TV is a very hard working device. It is working harder than any other TV, which
has been built before, and produces a lot of heat. Overheating causes 80% of
technical problems to it. If there is
no active cooling system, most of the plasma TVs will die in the first 3 to 6
years. After about 5 hours of work without cooling system some of the
components on power supply regulator board were out of temperature
balance. Vs voltage changes up to 2 or
more volts. This may lead to
overheating problem and cause other permanent damages.
POWER SUPPLY
In a plasma TV, it develops voltage to supply all the
components, high current-high voltage.
Input fuse is of 10 Amps, with not so many TVs in TV history use input
fuse of 10Amps. Very sensitive for
input AC voltage and output DC voltage.
It is a good idea to check the electric outlet, before hook up the
plasma TV. All connections should be perfect in all respect. A sparking electric plug connection can
damage the TV. Never use chap extension
cords, and very old electrical connections.
Keep in mind that the plasma needs twice as much input current. Common power supply problems are:
Hard to turn ON.
Stops working after a while.
Does not turn ON at all.
Flashing pixels on screen.
LOGIC CONTROL, X,Y USTAIN & BUFFER BOARDS
Controls picture, fires the gas, and many other
functions. Common problems include
negative image, no image, vertical or horizontal stripes on picture, turns ON
and OFF, and many more.
CARE
Cooling system.
Good electrical plug & connections without any loose
contacts.
Do not leave the TV on one channel for a long time, say 2 to 6 days.
Do not use plasma TV on the same electric line with other
powerful units, such as electric motors, electric cutters, welding equipments
etc:
Standard companies build their own product, there own
components, and have there own design.
So when you determine to buy a plama TV, care the Brand you’re looking
for. Never choose it from exotic
companies, as they do copy and paste.
PLASMA TV FAILURE SYMPTOMS
No power supply
=> Power supply.
Hard to turn ON. No power light on front panel. =>
Stand-by power supply.
Power turn On after 20 minutes of so. Turn ON and shuts dow immediately. =>
Stand-by voltage.
Flashing pixels on screen.
Turn ON, but no video and sound. => Board.
Negative image. TV
turns ON and shuts down in 2 seconds, or Z flashing pixels on screen. Dark image => X or Y sustain board.
Has sound, but no picture.
Screen goes blank and then return to normal picture. Vertical color lines on the screen, no
video. Vertical color lines along with video.
Vertical bars on screen. Horizontal
lines on image. Picture turns ‘Red’
after a while => Sustain boards
should be checked.
Left part of the screen only works. Right part of the screen only work. = >
Logic board
Vertical & Horizontal lines on screen. Part of the screen do not work. Some functions do not works. No video, but
has sound. => Control board.
Part of the screen not working. Black vertical bars on screen.
Burning smell. Vertical color line size changes. White or colored horizontal lines =>
Buffer Boards.
No video from one of the inputs. No sound. No video, but
have Menu lettering on screen. Some channels not working properly. Snow on screen, no video at all. A gray
colored screen try to shut OFF. Picture gets distorted after a while. Intermittent sound. Want to bring Menu on screen but shuts down
for no reason. Dark image on part of
the screen. => Audio/video main board.
Burn-in image.
Static image from previous seen channel or show. Clears in few minutes. Turn ON and shuts down. Flashing red dots when it is cold. intermittent change of colors => Plasma
Panel.
