Hi! I have a color TV/VCR combo. About a month ago, I guess, we had a storm..and I went to sleep with the TV on. I don't know if the storm did it, or not. The next morning when I woke-up, there was a "burning plastic" smell coming from the VCR part. So, I turned off the TV. After I did that, it made clicking noises. I'm thinking, "Uh-oh...", so, I turned it back on. There was only a sliver (an inch wide) of a picture on the screen! The volume works, the channels change, etc...You just can't see anything. Since then, I have had it unplugged. Can anyone please tell me what may have happened to it? I can't afford a tech to come look at it, or buy a new one. If anyone can help, please do! Thank you!
-Trinity
Posts: 319 | Location: Texas USA | Registered: 06-28-02
because of the lightning storm, it leads me to believe that your set was hit by a powersurge that fried some key components inside your set, unless of course you had it connected to a surge protector extension cord. in that case i have no idea.
Posts: 409 | Location: CT and TN USA | Registered: 06-03-02
Well it sounds to me that you blew a picture tube. That can happen during a severe storm or sometime they just wear out. Some sets have more than one - and if you have an older model then more than likely it was a picture tube. There is nothing that can be done other than taking it in and having that tube replaced. Sorry....but keeping it unplugged isn't going to magically repair it!
Posts: 9192 | Location: Atlanta, GA, USA | Registered: 06-03-02
Trinity: There are horizontal and vertical drive circuits that cause the three color guns to scan the picture tube in those planes. You don't mention what direction this sliver runs on your set so it is impossible to say which of these two has failed. But I can say these two circuits are a very common failure in an electrical storm. The fact that you have a line the width of the screen indicates that at least one of the two is probably still in tact. I have seen both fail and leave nothing but a dot in the center of the screen. Now, the big consideration here would be should you have it repaired. You don't say what size your set is. I have seen these TV/VCR combos on sale in a 13" or 15" for under $200. I would guess, IF in fact this is the problem with your set, that the repair will easily go over $100. You may be better off replacing the set. You might want to look at your homeowners insurance, there may be some assistance there.
Posts: 127 | Location: Medina, Oh. USA | Registered: 06-03-02
Georg...I never said that keeping it unplugged would magically fix it.
Trinity - I just meant that ignoring it wouldn't fix the problem...since you can't afford a tech to look at it or repair it. I was just trying to add some humor - you know like ignore it and will go away... Oh well...I tried! LOL
Posts: 9192 | Location: Atlanta, GA, USA | Registered: 06-03-02
I have a color TV/VCR combo. About a month ago, I guess, we had a storm..and I went to sleep with the TV on. I don't know if the storm did it, or not. The next morning when I woke-up, there was a "burning plastic" smell coming from the VCR part. So, I turned off the TV. After I did that, it made clicking noises. I'm thinking, "Uh-oh...", so, I turned it back on. There was only a sliver (an inch wide) of a picture on the screen! 
The volume works, the channels change, etc...You just can't see anything. Since then, I have had it unplugged.
