Plasma TV problem

[JeffG78]

Does anybody know anything about plasma TVs? I got a call this morning from LOML. She said that the TV was working fine before she left the room for a minute. When she returned, the picture was very dark. I had her turn it off and unplug it before restarting it. When she turned it back on, the normally bright blue startup screen was dark and gray with no color. I fear the worst. The TV is less than two years old and I don't have the money right now to replace it. Anybody know what might have blown? Is the repair cheap enough to bother?

[LCHIEN]

is the screen dark blank like it was off or gray like its partially on lit up?
Was there sound?

if the screen is blank/off and no sound its usually a power supply problem, not the most expensive part to repair. A home service call on my mom's 50" rear projection Toshiba set cost her $300 to replace the power supply. An evaluation visit will probably cost you $75 and may apply to the repair...

[JeffG78]

I'll know more tonight when I see for myself, but she said it is very dim, but there is a picture. She said nothing about the sound, so I believe it is working. Also, since she was out of the room, she doesn't know if it made any ugly sounds as it died.

A quick internet search points me to a blown board. If that's the cause, it's now probably a 42" piece of wall art. Best case is a blown fuse on one of the boards, but that is unlikely to be the case.

[LCHIEN]

fuses are usually only used in power supply feeds. if the fuse blows whatever is powered goes completely out there's usually no gray, dim pictures, with sound.

[Uncle Cracker]

Plasmas have a limited service life, and usually get darker when they are near the end, but this is normally a gradual process. The fact that yours darkened up in a hurry leads me to suspect as Loring does that you may have a power supply problem. It may not be completely bad, but just putting out a fraction of what it should, hence the very dim picture.

[JeffG78]

Maybe I'll get lucky and all will be fine when I turn it on tonight

[JeffG78]

Well, I checked out the TV when I got home from work. Upon startup, the picture was almost all black and very slowly, these weird blobs of black started to form. It was similar to cloud formations in the sky. The blobs slowly got smaller until they were completely gone. At that point, the picture was dim, weak, and grainy. There was some color, but it wasn't vivid at all. I'd say it was about 25% as bright as it should have been.

I'm beginning to think it could be a power supply problem like Loring suggested. It's like it didn't have enough juice to make the plasma stuff do its thing (technical description, huh? ). I'm not sure how this bit of knowledge will help me. I guess I'll make a few calls tomorrow and see if it can be fixed.

I KNEW I should have gotten an LCD. I've never had a laptop screen go bad...