4 Common TV Repair Concerns

Regardless of whether you have an RCA, Phillips, GE, Toshiba or Sony television, chances are that ultimately you are going to need to repair or replace your set, after all, nothing last forever. In addition, because manufacturers are now making items such as DVD players, microwaves, televisions and other electronics as quickly and as inexpensively as possible, oftentimes these items don't last near as long as we, the consumer would like. Consequently, it becomes necessary for us to replace or repair these household items anywhere from every 3 to 5 years. Whether it's the HDTV in the conference room in your Bristol, Pennsylvania office or the schoolroom DVD player and television set in your child's Levittown elementary school, items such as televisions, stereos and other electronics are a part of life. However, for many, it seems that the question of to replace or repair one of these items comes up far too often. If you are contemplating the best recourse, then before you toss out your current television, take a few minutes to check the following: • Check to see if there is dust on the television. You can use a vacuum cleaner hose and run it over the venting on the back/top of the set. Once you have removed any dust, keep the set as dust-free as possible. In addition, if there are any items set on top of the set, remove them. • Is your television picture snowy? This perhaps one of the most frustrating things to deal with as both a viewer or as a repairman. This is often caused by the television screen being magnetised and the demagnetizer in the television isn't working. Begin by removing any items that may be magnetic-stereo speakers, electric motors away from the television set. Then buy a de-magnetizing (or degaussing) coil at any electronics store. Using the coil, start in the upper corner of the television set and working in small circles, travel across the entire screen. When you reach the bottom of the screen, your television set should be fully demagnetized and the picture restored. • If you have cable, then your TV is likely connected by via coaxial cable and copper cables to the cable provider. Occasionally, the cable can become loose which is why fiddling with them can produce a better picture, for a time. To correct this problem, you may need to replace the fitting, which is the metal part of the cable that connects to the television or you may need to replace the actual cable. These items are also available at any electronics store. If you do this, it is vital that you turn off the television set before you begin! • If you are still using an antenna, and you are getting a fuzzy picture, it may be time to replace the antenna. These are still available at the electronics stores, just be sure to purchase the type of antenna designed specifically for your television set. Install according to directions, being sure to turn off the power supply first!