How to get to know plasmas

[g*****s]

Have got my head round lcd.But not much info to get my head around plasmas.Almost any fault with lcd is nearly always easy,if not allways fixable.But plasma is a totally differant animal.Any sources of info would be great.

[jimca007]

pretty sure theres a few training manuals in the download section mate if your up for a bit of bed time reading !

[g*****s]

Sorry if this sounds dense, but where are the downloads located.               

[jimca007]

click the home button to go to the home page then scroll down to lcd and plasma manuals and data sheets

[Turnip]

Hi Jimca007,

Hope/Trust Plasma tut is outward bound - lcd is me 'cos they're  cheap and light
Knees and any scrap working plasma panels are a ever a prob  - Chris

[brainstorm]

Hi

The problem with plasma repair is that you can't always apply the theory of how a set has failed to every manufacturer, for example if a buffer board fails on a Panasonic then it is either the screen that has caused it to fail or the buffer itself that has failed, but if a buffer fails on a Samsung then it is usually a problem on the drive to the buffer that has caused the fault

So, obviously learning the theory of how the set works is important, but equally important is the experience of individual manufacturers sets quirks

Brian

P.S. Plasma's need love too Chris

[jimca007]

i've always found plasmas tricky to repair and as you mentioned recognizing previously  found faults and the fix applied plays a big part.Even after following the diagnostic flow charts and suggested fail areas I've often resorted to poppin in replacement boards till I get the faulty one . Its an amateurish way to approach it but I really dont do enough of them to be confident with them

[Turnip]

Hi Brian,

Love most anything that makes the pound but not keen to spend cash on Plasma panels as I see 100 +  Supermarket Technica/Neon 'light' LCD (and they use cheap PS caps) to each hefty well engineered plasma.

Admit good plasma is the best, but as folks can't easily kick the screens in for accidental insurance, see few for spares - Chris.

[g*****s]

Hi

The problem with plasma repair is that you can't always apply the theory of how a set has failed to every manufacturer, for example if a buffer board fails on a Panasonic then it is either the screen that has caused it to fail or the buffer itself that has failed, but if a buffer fails on a Samsung then it is usually a problem on the drive to the buffer that has caused the fault

So, obviously learning the theory of how the set works is important, but equally important is the experience of individual manufacturers sets quirks

Brian

P.S. Plasma's need love too Chris

So basically i prob can read up on the principles of how they work/go faulty,But only by trying to repair lots of differant makes will i get really to know how they work/go faulty.

[brainstorm]

Hi
Exactly, I'm sure we have all made a few costly mistakes when repairing plasma Tvs, It will probably take a good few years before you get the hang of them.

[Ohm Supplies]

I'd read the 42v5, v6 and v7 service/training manuals which shows how they work in depth but also the common fault symptoms and reasons why. then its a case of learning each new set as it comes in.

the reliance on IPM's in the past and the cost of these ic's lead to the x-y's almost always be swapped, this and the FEts used in the psu's not being available ment that board swapping was how most engineers learnt. Service manuals even recommend it.

Recently firms that recommended board replacement have now sided towards component level repair. As these components are often FEts, diodes,  resistors, fuses etc, in other words things that an experienced engineer can measure without the need for specialized equipment, more and more sets can be repaired for a reasonable price providing the boards have not been damaged. We’re getting far to much stuff in that is BER because the caps have been hacked out or shorts have been either deliberately or stupidly left on the boards then switched on
Regards
Andy