I have a three year old 65" Mitsubishi HD rear projection unit. Its got a weird problem...

Sometimes when we turn the set on, the RGB convergence is WAY off, gradually from the center of the screen to the outside corners. To explain - the very center of the screen is converged, and as you go out to the corners, it becomes separated by up to about an inch. After a few minutes, the screen just "pops" back into normal. Sometimes smacking the side of the TV (no flames please!) will get it to "pop" back into normal. Over the past few weeks, its taking longer to fix itself and smacking it doesn't seem to work.

Any ideas?

If we need a tech in Houston, can y'all suggest anyone? Perhaps someone that can recalibrate well after the repair?

Thanks for your help!

StewartG

An alternative to hitting your TV would be to make it sit on its bed for 5 minutes. This is called a “Time Out.” Physical abuse is not the answer.

You can use this link to find an ISF calibrator near you, who may be able to solve your problem. http://www.imagingscience.com/isf-trained.cfm

Technically, experts recommend one minute in time out for every year of age. The TV should probably only have three years in time out, anything more might traumatize it. :p

Seriously though, at this point, I'm more interested in diagnosing and fixing the problem than worrying about calibration. (I've put off the calibration for three years already...)

Does anyone recognize the problem I'm having?

More importantly, does anyone know of an honest, reasonably priced repair tech who can fix it here in Houston?

Thanks for the help!

StewartG

Immediately upon starting the tv put up the internal convervence grid. Or put up a geometry grid from avia or dve. Note if all three guns are off or just one or two.
Call and personally talk to repair person and see if he has any idea what the problem is and how much he thinks it will cost to fix.
And quit hitting your tv or i'll turn you into the SPCRPTV.
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Rear Projection TV's

Thanks for the reply! I've already tried what you suggested. The result is very weird. All three guns are misconverged by the exact same amount. After warm up... POP - picture is perfect again!

I'm going to start hunting for a tech in Houston tomorrow. I just don't know where to start looking... (other than yellow pages)

StewartG

There is what they call a "convergence board" inside your televison.
Probably need replacing. Maybe there's a loose connection in it.
Hitting it gets it connected?...what do i know.
Main thing is don't get a repair man over there that will start turning
the guns and messing around with the convergence. Seen a few sad posts
like that. Keep an eye on 'em while he's fixing it.

I had a slight convergence prob, so I called my local sears repair man out to fix it. After 5 days of calibrating, the tech had made my picture so bad that his only suggestion was to have the set replaced. The moral of the story is, don't let a redneck guy named Ray work on your TV.

See, thats the thing... The repair guy shouldn't even have to BEGIN to adjust convergence. That is NOT the problem... After the warm up (or the slight smack to the side of the TV) the convergence is perfect.

If I had to guess, I am thinking there is a slight short or something that, when heated, reconnects...

(Good a guess as any, I suppose...)

StewartG

It sounds like there is a bad connection, most likely on the convergence amplifier ICs. These are the devices that generate the most heat.

Robert

Stewertg,
My ws55813 does the same thing..ie. when I turn it on the convergence are out of alignement. After 2-3 seconds or change of input the convergence are OK???

Now. My set was just calibrated by Greg(Feb 4 '05)..I had this trouble before and after calibration. Maybe this is a problem with netcommand, as for I had similar trouble with a 65511. Mit's replace it in october(ir shut down problem)

I do have a problem with my pronto changing the inputs to early and causing the tv to do strange things. It will show that it changed to s-vid input but black screeen until input is changed again.
And also the component and dvi conergence can't be algined at the same time. The set was cal. for component HD and so the convergence are off on DVI. when you algin the dvi, the conponent convergence are off. This happens from the center off to the right side..

I don't know if there are any electrolytic capacitors in the convergence circuitry,but with my experience with electronics 'warming up' and generally being bad then good-it has usually been due to an electrolytic going bad for keeps. If you can access them,if present,try some freezing spray (available at Radio Shack) or a REASONABLE amount of heat from a heat gun or hair dryer. The heat and cold treatment can also sometimes find a dry solder joint and other components on the way out.

fandale8:

After you turn your set on, does your convergence "pop" back into alignment? Or does it slowly "drift" back into alignment? I was wondering if this were a problem other Mitsu owners were having...

RCHELI:

I appreciate the tip, but I'm not going to open the thing myself. I'll blow something up.

I was hoping someone would be able to give me the name of a good and reasonably priced repair tech in the Houston area...

StewartG

Stewartg
I never really paid it any mind, so when i red your reply I turned on the tv. To describe it I would really say it looks like a b/w picture for just a second and then goes to a blueish grey and then all of a sudden it's fine. 3 seconds tops..
If my pronto sends a code within thoughts 3 seconds the tv does wier stuff.
fandale8

This is a problem with your power supply. It is not convergence problem. The repair is pretty simple and not that expensive. A repair tech that works on a lot of Mits sets will be able to fix it. BTW, it will get worse and worse as time goes by.

I had mine repaired for this last summer. I described the problem over the phone to my local repair tech. He was so sure that it was the power supply that he ordered the parts before coming by my house! He was right. Apperently, its a common problem.

allan

What was the cause of this issue? My WS-65908 is doing the same thing. :(

sconner
srconner@yahoo.com

This sounds like something I have heard of with the IC Convergence board. I have heard that there is a relatively easy fix, if you are handy with a soldering iron. You might search here or in the Home Theater Spot site.

If you can smack the set and watch the convergence pop in/out, then it could just be bad solder connection(s) on the convergence IC's. If you feel comfortable with opening the Tv up and doing some soldering let us know, otherwise calling someone will cost $250~$400.

Hammer

Well, I gave it a light wack a couple times and didn't seem to make any difference. But I didn't bump it that hard. Next time it does it I'll be sure to give it a beating. :D

sconner

I've since had this problem several times again and as stated, give it a few firm whacks on top and it pops back into alignment. So one of these days when I get bored :eek: I'll check solder joints.

sconner

I have a similar problem as described here with my Mitsubishi WS-55807. where can I find some detail instructions on replacing the convergence ICs? And where can I order the parts?

In most cases, the Mits convergence ICs don't have to be replaced, just resoldered. There is information about this over on the Home Theater Spot. The repair doesn't look to be difficult, just finicky.

I went to the hometheater spot but could not find where to get this info, can you please guide me?

I was whacking the side of my set to fix convergence for about a month. Then the whacks quit working and I had to pursue a proper fix. I paid the Spot membership and downloaded their article on resoldering the convergence ICs. The article was pretty detailed with pictures. It took about 2 hours to remove and install the circuit board and it is a bit tedious, but very doable. The soldering, once the board was on the kitchen table, took about 3 minutes. My convergence was back to normal after the repair.

I have the same problem with my Mits, I didn't get it fixed, and let the tv sit around for a year. Well I think it's high time I fixed it, I miss my big screen. Off I go to the Hometheater Spot to grab a membership.

I have a stuck RED to the right on my WS65908 did you find a way to fix the convergence problem?

Another update, some months back I took the mainboard out of the TV, flipped it over and just soldered the pings for the convergence ICs. I didn't acually go through the hassle of replacing the chips or removing all the old solder...just basically added more to each pin. In the end, it's been running for several months without any problems.

The entire job took me about an hour or so but most of that time was just getting all the screws and cables unhooked to remove the board. Took the opportunity to give it a good cleaning while I was in there as well. Lots of dust bunnies. :D

sconner

Mitsubishi WS65909 bought 3/02. Now has intermittent convergence problems and other strange behaviors.

Set is at a vacation house. Worked great last Jan. Did not unplug from Jan to June when house was idle (I know, mistake). Came back in June and set would not respond to remote. Picture was unviewable. (power surge?)

Unplugged for one day, then it worked fine -- for an hour or so. Then started to intermittently jump back and forth from normal picture to bad convergence (old 3D movie look, with image warped in an arc shape).

Leave TV on and eventually it will not respond to remote control and will be permanently in the bad convergence mode.

Called a repair service and the guy sounded confident he could fix it. I have also seen this thread suggest either resoldering convergence IC's and/or power supply problem. I suspect power supply since it is not just the convergence that is acting strange.

Advice appreciated. Thanks, - Jon

If it was just the convergence acting up I'd say for certain it was the convergence IC chip needed re-soldered. Remote not working? Don't know how that could be related to either IC or PS? Dumb question, but maybe batteries flakey? Remote flakey? Have another universal remote to try?

sconner

I have seen this type of thing countless times in my 20 years plus in the repair biz. Convergence going out on CRT RPTVs is very common, like a thermostat going out on a car. You just remedy it and keep driving her, it's really just a bump in the road.


If it's still intermittent, you have a chance to fix it without having to put new parts in. If it has gone over the edge to not snapping back in, chances are the parts will need to be replaced. When cold solder joints cause non-connection, the ICs start getting run outside of their design parameters, eventually causing them to overheat and/or simply die. They could also short, causing the power supplies feeding them to be compromised. I have seen this happen, where the set actually shuts down permanently after a certain point, because the power supply that runs the +24v to the ICs has been shorted, and that's what allows the set to turn on. Without it, it just stays in shutdown.

So don't dally once your set has gone intermittent! It could get worse. Get it fixed ASAP.

If your intermittency is still alive, resoldering your ICs - which get ungodly hot in there - will usually restore everything without further ado.

It's a pain getting in to do that resoldering, tho, and that's where all the time and energy of this fix goes.

All HDready Mits have a light box that is removable from the main box, for spiriting down to the shop. It involves removing 4 screws on each side - 2 big bolts on the floor and 2 flatheads at CRT lens level per side, all screws/bolts #2 Philips head - plus disco'ing the wiring to the front of the set. This is much easier and much safer than disco'ing all the wiring needed to get a board out, and taking a board out, where you might inadvertently mess something up when you put everything back together.

Once removed from the main set box, the light box can then be up-ended to reveal the legs of where the ICs are soldered in. The resoldering itself is very straightforward and only takes a few minutes. As already mentioned, just adding a bit of solder to each leg is all that is needed.

If you need to replace the ICs, be sure and be liberal on the heat sink compound, as it is critical for heat transfer away from those ICs to the heat sinks themselves.



But replacing a board when there is a convergence problem is never the best solution. Starting out from scratch on your geometry and convergence is something that requires lots of time and experience just to master, let alone accomplish with finesse. And is not needed when you simply repair the board in question - as in resoldering or replacing ICs, rather than replacing the entire board.


Mr Bob


PS - your convergence paradigm in there might be overheating the ICs. I have seen some really dorky work done on the convergence at the Mit factory, with lots of registers fighting each other.

This can all be straightened out, and I do so whenever I encounter it, as part of my basic calibration package. Just like optics cleaning, which is another absolutely essential part of that package. I encountered one Mit HDready where all the numbers in the point system were positive, and in the hundreds, whereas they SHOULD all revolve around an average of zero, plus or minus. When I zeroed them all out to start over, the picture had shifted itself to the side by 7"!

So if you have me calibrate your set and it has these registers fighting each other in there and causing excessive heat by so doing, that sloppiness on the part of the factory gets cured in the process.

Remote not working? Don't know how that could be related to either IC or PS? Dumb question, but maybe batteries flakey? Remote flakey? Have another universal remote to try?

sconner


All Mit HDreadys have had problems with their coolant leaking in an appreciable number of their sets. This should be checked for, any time freaky problems start cropping up.

If your Signal board has been compromised, you could be SOL. The other 2 boards under the CRTs are single sided and as such can always be repaired.

The Signal board, beneath the blue gun, is a 4 layer board, and once infected with coolant penetration, will eventually usually be history, even if cleaned off now. That coolant really does a number once it has penetrated that board's layers.

Here ismy suggestion - Go over to HomeTheaterSpot.com and join. The cost is nominal and the information is priceles. There are a ton of very highly qualified people there, especially for the Mits and they are very helpful.

Here ismy suggestion - Go over to HomeTheaterSpot.com and join. The cost is nominal and the information is priceles. There are a ton of very highly qualified people there, especially for the Mits and they are very helpful.


I couldn't agree more. I am a SPottie Calibrator at the SPot. I was invited to be one of the first moderators when Paul Carleton was starting it up, but could not, due to my Mom's illness at the time. I still don't have the time to be a moderator, but have been one of Paul's chosen SPottie Calibrators for years. He's very picky about who he allows to be a SPottie Calibrator.

The info over there is definitely priceless. A lot of it is mine, which you'll find if you join and check out the Tweaks sections, esp. Mit tweaks and Universal tweaks.

It is one great resource, along with AVS here. 2 of the best available.


Mr Bob

Okay, I got this tv for next to nothing. It has a board problem that prevents me from accessing any menu functions. So to just adjust the red is not an option. I have replaced both ICs about 6 months ago.

Yesterday, I noticed on the right side of the screen the red was bowing out. I tried messing with the focus block to see if I could get it back in there, but to no avail.

So now I have to decide if I wanna throw more money at the set, or search for a new one with a smaller footprint. I really love this set, and love the looks of ppl that see it for the first time.

What would I need to get my onscreen menu back, and anyone have a suggestion on the red? I think when I have some time I'll check those ICs I replaced to make sure no solders when cold.

And I'm looking for a PCB or Convergence board. new/used/or busted...cuz I can take two boards and get one to work I'm sure.

Thanks in advance for any help provided.

Dan

Okay, I got this tv for next to nothing. It has a board problem that prevents me from accessing any menu functions. So to just adjust the red is not an option. I have replaced both ICs about 6 months ago.

Yesterday, I noticed on the right side of the screen the red was bowing out. I tried messing with the focus block to see if I could get it back in there, but to no avail.


Not a good idea. I hope you didn't mess with the screen controls AT ALL. The focus block and the conv sys have absolutely NOTHING to do with each other.


So now I have to decide if I wanna throw more money at the set, or search for a new one with a smaller footprint. I really love this set, and love the looks of ppl that see it for the first time.

You should definitely throw more money at it, esp. since you got it for next to nothing. They don't make these anymore, they are now impossible to get, new. The slightly larger footprint of CRT is worth the dazzling image quality they are capable of, and a 65" is nothing to sneeze at. And nobody goes backwards in terms of picture size. If anything once they see how good it CAN look, they always want a bigger picture out of CRT.


What would I need to get my onscreen menu back, and anyone have a suggestion on the red? I think when I have some time I'll check those ICs I replaced to make sure no solders when cold.

And I'm looking for a PCB or Convergence board. new/used/or busted...cuz I can take two boards and get one to work I'm sure.

Thanks in advance for any help provided.

Dan


Be careful about replacing conv boards. To do so will at the minumum require redoing your convergence, as replacing your present board to an unknown quantity called a new board will change everything in there, at least a little bit. Better to get yours going, than to go to a new one. Even as it is, yours is a hell of a lot closer to being ON, right now, than any new board would be. If all that's wrong is that your red is bowing out, get your set to receive commands and fix just that - preferably in sm - and you'll be home free.


DK why you're not getting onscreen menus, that's inserted as the last thing before the CRT socket boards.

Have you checked for leaked coolant on your boards in there? Be sure your set is UNPLUGGED when you go in to look for that. Use a strong flashlight and bounce it off the boards under the CRTs, towards your eyes.

If you see the gleam of liquid on the boards, you have more serious problems than convergence. If it leaked years ago and has dried up, and is now penetrating the 4 layer Signal board, it will look like dried up weathering, or blue-green corrosion, or both.

If the Signal board, beneath the blue gun, has leaked, it will need to be replaced. Once that coolant has penetrated the layers, it's history unless you can find some very gifted individual capable of its repair. (Not me.) It usually gets worse as time goes on. The other 2 boards are emminently repairable, if they've been leaked upon, as they are single layer boards. (Yes me.)

Where do you live? I would be glad to bring her back from the brink for you. I repair Mits's all the time - am warranty connected, for them, and can talk live with their tech assistance phone line whenever necessary. They have never let me down when I need help on location in the field. Which can be 100% necessary at times, as their service manuals do NOT contain all the necessary info, esp. on things like their protection circuits. And are often misprinted as well.

I have done so many conv sys repairs, tho, that calling them would probably not even be necessary in this case.


Mr Bob

Well, the onscreen what happens is when I hit menu, the screen goes black...that's it. When I replaced the ICs, I did notice a couple caps on the corner of the board under the blue gun that has leaked yes. I would like to just replace the whole board so I can have everything working again.

I just plugged in the set after leaving it unplugged for 24 hrs...no change.

I live in Tampa Bay. when my Dad first got the tv, he had a service call done, and they said that the board needed is not available. That true? I need one...I need my clarity back.

Yes I agree the pic quality is outstanding on this set...and yes I wont be goin down in size any time soon.

What next?

Well, the onscreen what happens is when I hit menu, the screen goes black...that's it. When I replaced the ICs, I did notice a couple caps on the corner of the board under the blue gun that has leaked yes. I would like to just replace the whole board so I can have everything working again.

For a screen to go completely black in response to a Menu command is very unusual - I have never heard of it. But coolant leaked onto ECBs can produce all sorts of freaky, unexpected goings-on in there. In 4 layer boards, like the Signal board, the green colored board under the blue gun, it can really wreak havoc.

Caps can exude their innards, but this is rare. What comes out of one is usually black, and smells fishy, esp. if the cap has been soldered and thus heated.

If leaked out coolant - which is clear - has formed around the caps in question, chances are it is coolant that has leaked out from the CRT above it, esp. if the caps are not bulged out on top, which is a classic sign of a defective cap.

Feel for a drip up above that area. When a Mit leaks, it gets onto the metal cowling above it and drips from that cowling's lowermost edge. If it's still wet, you will get a clear drip onto your finger when you feel the bottom edge of that cowling. If you do, it's not water, so don't let it stay on your skin for any length of time.

If so and the board is the one under the blue gun, yes, chances are it is NLA. You might find it on the net if someone out there has had another gun drip onto some other board, one of the single layer boards, and has abandoned usage of their set and is parting it out, in which case that board in their set - the one under the blue gun - might still be OK. Or you might send yours to PTS, tho they will not usually even try to work on one with coolant damage. Or check and see if PTS has any on their shelves.

At first when I read what you said above, I thought you meant that the board you were talking about was the same one the ICs were replaced on. But for conv ICs, that would be the middle board, while the 4 layer Signal board - the one under the blue gun - is the rightmost one, when looking in from the front.


Mr Bob

What do your acronyms mean? Sorry... I understand about the coolant and will check it right now. If I could just find a whole different PCB, I would be happy, no matter price...maybe...

Dan

Oh and just to clearify...I know that the focus block intensities have nothing to do with convergance...but mine is different. Once you turn the red or green past a level, the convergence DOES move into line, but I cant get the right red bow to correct...forgot to tell ya that...could be a clue

Dan

What do your acronyms mean? Sorry... I understand about the coolant and will check it right now. If I could just find a whole different PCB, I would be happy, no matter price...maybe...

Dan


ECB = PCB = circuit board

NLA = No longer available

Oh and just to clearify...I know that the focus block intensities have nothing to do with convergance...but mine is different. Once you turn the red or green past a level, the convergence DOES move into line, but I cant get the right red bow to correct...forgot to tell ya that...could be a clue

Dan


Without a pic, it's pretty hard to do anything with the service menu, which is what you'll need to correct that bow.


Mr Bob

Well, I finally found the time to remove the board for inspection. I touched up both IC solder joints and any other cold looking solder... It is right back to where it was before. Still no onscreen menu, but the pic is all together, and Discover HD Theater looks awesome again. Thanks for the info, and assistance....

Dan

Well, I finally found the time to remove the board for inspection. I touched up both IC solder joints and any other cold looking solder... It is right back to where it was before. Still no onscreen menu, but the pic is all together, and Discover HD Theater looks awesome again. Thanks for the info, and assistance....

Dan


I've done lots of Mit conv repairs, and usually there's no other cold solder joints to be found in there other than the ICs, but sometimes I touch up the connectors to the yokes, plus the raised resistors, just for good measure. On one set many years ago - not a Mit - the problem with no horizontal conv response on one of the colors was NOT the ICs - it was its connector for that color! Just one cold solder joint was capable of all that...

Not having menu graphics must be a bitch! Glad you're looking good again, tho.


;)

Mr Bob

Thanks for the advice. Due to travel I have not been able to try to fix the TV yet. Now things are worse. The TV will not power up. The green light on front flashes for a couple of seconds, but then goes out. I tried holding down Input+Menu for a few seconds and I get a fault code of 1-2.

I cannot find a service person who will come out to my house (on Martha's Vineyard, an island off the coast of Massachusetts). I feel reasonably comfortable removing boards, maybe even soldering.

Can you suggest the best step-by-step way to proceed?

Can I hire you for phone consultation, and/or send you boards, etc?

Sounds like I should be trying: a) resolder convergence IC's, b) replace convergence IC's, c) look for bad capacitors, d) look for coolant leakage.

Thank you very much for your help.

The issue described at the beginning of this thread is exactly what I am experiencing. It happens on startup when cold for a minute and then snaps back to a perfect picture. Perfect picture in the middle, bowed inward from the corners. It is a Mitsubishi WS65913.

Is there anyone in Chicago who could fix this for me reasonably? I am scared to attempt this myself.

Anyone?

Can you suggest the best step-by-step way to proceed?

Can I hire you for phone consultation, and/or send you boards, etc?

Sounds like I should be trying: a) resolder convergence IC's, b) replace convergence IC's, c) look for bad capacitors, d) look for coolant leakage.

Thank you very much for your help.


Yes. Contact me directly.


Mr Bob

Mr. Bob, do you ever make it out to Chicago? :)

I want to get my TV fixed that is having this issue and needs the soldering touched up. It is very intermittent right now, but fear it will get worse. The bowed in convergence problem with the middle being fine.

Can you recommend any good repair persons in Chicago? I hate to try the yellow pages or something. This problem sounds pretty straight forward, but the wrong repair tech could just make it worse or possibly break something else. Please help. :)

Mr. Bob, do you ever make it out to Chicago? :)

I want to get my TV fixed that is having this issue and needs the soldering touched up. It is very intermittent right now, but fear it will get worse. The bowed in convergence problem with the middle being fine.

Can you recommend any good repair persons in Chicago? I hate to try the yellow pages or something. This problem sounds pretty straight forward, but the wrong repair tech could just make it worse or possibly break something else. Please help. :)


Don't dally on this or you will have to replace the parts also, along with the labor you are currently contemplating. The longer it is allowed to function in the bad condition, the more stress is put on the ICs, because during those times they are being pushed way out of their design parameters. If it is only in the bad condition for a few seconds then snaps back, you'll prolly be OK without the necessity of replaced parts, but any longer than that and I would not use the set until it is repaired. Or at least turn it off immediately whenever it goes bad, and don't leave it on again if it stays bad.


I go where I am flown. I'll fly to Nova Scotia to do this work, if I am sent a plane ticket.

I fly out of OAK - that's Oakland, CA. I can fly out of SFO - San Francisco Int'l - but would have to charge a little extra for the added shuttle time to and from that airport. 2-3 weeks advance purchase will usually get you the best ticket prices, tho sometimes a special will do you even better. www.kayak.com is one I hadn't heard of till I was flown last week to LAX then Santa Barbara, to do a repair on a Pioneer in Lompoc.

I prefer nonstops - there are horror stories I could tell you about layovers - but sometimes layovers are necessary. Cost you a bit more in my direction if I have to go that way - I am willing to throw in lost production time in terms of how much time it takes to fly somewhere, but there's a limit... Sometimes a layover is all that will get you that plane ticket you can afford.

I am not available the weekend of August 17/18/19, nor the following weekend, nor the weekdays of Sept. 18-20.

If you fly me in, I am also available to give your set a world class calibration, along with the repair. To make it ready for the next 5 years of videophile, movie theater grade viewing.

Let me know how you'd like to proceed.


Mr Bob

Mr Bob,

I am sending you a private message to see if this will work out. I really like this TV and it has been good to me for five years and I would like to keep it another five if possible.

Mr Bob,

I am sending you a private message to see if this will work out. I really like this TV and it has been good to me for five years and I would like to keep it another five if possible.

No problem. With videophile viewing habits, a 10 year lifespan on these sets is easy. With a calibration, you have videophile grade viewing at all times for the whole 10 years. And longer.

See your pm box, your pm has already been answered.


Mr Bob

I have a WS-65413, the red convergence just shifted about an inch to the right and can't be adjusted using the remote. The red vertical adjustment works fine and the blue is also fine in both directions. Anyone have any ideas?

I have a WS-65413, the red convergence just shifted about an inch to the right and can't be adjusted using the remote. The red vertical adjustment works fine and the blue is also fine in both directions. Anyone have any ideas?


That will be one of the ICs giving out, the one with the red horizontal. Will need to replace that IC.

Would recommend doing all concerned, even if it means reconverging everything all over again. Getting to that puppy is not a quick, easy task, and many things can happen while inside that you may not expect. Doing both - or in some cases all 3 - while doing one is the best way to upgrade your set and make it ready for its next 5 years of use.

Your registers in there may not be set optimally, either. I have seen some REALLY sloppy work done in the Mit factory settings, OOB, on their geometry/conv paradigms. This can stress out those ICs really bad, and after awhile make them croak.

Whenever I run across high numbers in the registers where they should not be high, I lower them appropriately whenever I do a cal. It's included in my basic cal package.


Mr Bob

Bob,
Do you have a rough idea of what it would cost to replace the convergence chip?
Also how much is the part? I could try to put it in myself, I have a nice Pace rework station so it would not be to hard once I get the board out.

I am near Seattle, know of a good shop here?

Bob,
Do you have a rough idea of what it would cost to replace the convergence chip?
Also how much is the part? I could try to put it in myself, I have a nice Pace rework station so it would not be to hard once I get the board out.

I am near Seattle, know of a good shop here?


I charge travel plus $350 plus parts if needed.

My brother lives in Seattle. I'll split the travel expenses with you, if you want me to do it for you, plus you'd have me available for an extreme calibration on your set, if you'd like to get it ready for its next 5 years.


Mr Bob

Does anyone know if the WS-65413 has HDCP on the DVI input? I would like to use a HD-DVD and I think it is required to get a picture with encoded content.

Does anyone know if the WS-65413 has HDCP on the DVI input? I would like to use a HD-DVD and I think it is required to get a picture with encoded content.

The whole HDCP purpose of DVI/HDMI is to enable HDCP and keep it as an airtight stopgap against video pirating. This STARTED with DVI, and is now the same with HDMI.

Why would any set have DVI and not have its HDCP component built right in as part of the package?

:confused:

The only difference between DVI and HDMI is the digital audio, which is not there on DVI - was added later with the advent of HDMI.

A simple HDMI->DVI breakout cable or adapter should be all that's needed to equip any DVI display to receiving the video portion of HDMI and in the process being HDCP compliant. DVI is the same digitally encoded material and is just as complicated as HDMI - even more so, as there are various levels of DVI - analog vs. digital, RGB passthru, etc.


Mr Bob

Pardon my thread-jacking, but I obtained a WS-65908 from my office that was exhibiting similar symptoms of not turning on except when unplugged for long periods of time. Then it started turning off all the time or after a few minutes. Other weird things were happening like the sound getting really loud all of a sudden and once the picture would get all crazy a few times. I got a chance to at least see the TV a little in all it's HD glory, and maybe it was the size compared to my 46" LCD but I really saw HD in a new light when it was working (football at least). I thought it looked better than anything I have seen lately even thought the set is over 6 years old. I have seen just about everything lately, kind of addicted to the sport of TV comparison. Anyway I got a repair quote of $492 to replace the signal board due to fluid leakage. That includes all the labor and parts to fix the problem -not sure if the sound problem was related but I run the sound through my stereo receiver anyway. I already had to put $90 down just to look at it, so I don't think it is refundable. So it's really another $402. I was thinking I would only pay 200-300 to repair this thing, but I am inclined to pay b\c it would cost at least 3 or 4 times as much to get a new 65" DLP or LCOS. The good news is that the set has hardly been used, but the bad news is that is does have burn in right in the middle of the screen "No Input Signal". You can only really notice it when the background is white like a hockey game. I forgot to ask the repair company about the burn-in, but I assume it would cost another 400 or 500. Then we are talking new TV time, but I could live with the burn-in issue - you don't even see it 95% of the time. I also spent half a day and $50 to rent a truck to move this thing to my house. You kind of marry these CRT RPTV's once they are in your house. If I can get a few years out of it I think $500 would be worth it. Just wondering if anyone had any comments as to whether this is a fair price or they think it is worth it.

Pardon my thread-jacking, but I obtained a WS-65908 from my office that was exhibiting similar symptoms of not turning on except when unplugged for long periods of time. Then it started turning off all the time or after a few minutes. Other weird things were happening like the sound getting really loud all of a sudden and once the picture would get all crazy a few times. I got a chance to at least see the TV a little in all it's HD glory, and maybe it was the size compared to my 46" LCD but I really saw HD in a new light when it was working (football at least). I thought it looked better than anything I have seen lately even thought the set is over 6 years old. I have seen just about everything lately, kind of addicted to the sport of TV comparison. Anyway I got a repair quote of $492 to replace the signal board due to fluid leakage. That includes all the labor and parts to fix the problem -not sure if the sound problem was related but I run the sound through my stereo receiver anyway. I already had to put $90 down just to look at it, so I don't think it is refundable. So it's really another $402. I was thinking I would only pay 200-300 to repair this thing, but I am inclined to pay b\c it would cost at least 3 or 4 times as much to get a new 65" DLP or LCOS. The good news is that the set has hardly been used, but the bad news is that is does have burn in right in the middle of the screen "No Input Signal". You can only really notice it when the background is white like a hockey game. I forgot to ask the repair company about the burn-in, but I assume it would cost another 400 or 500. Then we are talking new TV time, but I could live with the burn-in issue - you don't even see it 95% of the time. I also spent half a day and $50 to rent a truck to move this thing to my house. You kind of marry these CRT RPTV's once they are in your house. If I can get a few years out of it I think $500 would be worth it. Just wondering if anyone had any comments as to whether this is a fair price or they think it is worth it.


Fix it if you can still get the board. It's a fantastic set, once fully cleaned and calibrated.


Mr Bob

OK, my turn for confession, I guess. I've got a Mitsu WS-55857 s/n 104xxx, manufactured Mexico Sept 2000. Convergence went wonky some time back, occasionally back normal, then out again.

Based on reading here and being a fair mechanic, I took the back off, blew/vac'd the dust out (mostly) took half a doz pix as insurance and began to disconnect things. (Nobody mentioned how heavy that CRT gun tray is!) Got that disconnected and out, then realized the IC's in question must be mounted to that monster heat sink, and soldered from the bottom. Threw in the towel and bailed at that point, put it back together and bought a 42" Akai plasma for $700 on sale.

Problem I need answered is (help me Mr Bob) that I have one connector on the (from rear) left side motherboard, forward edge, labeled RG, that the connecting plug for there has gone AWOL. Can't find any plug to go there. From my pix, I suspect (no clear shot of that connector) that there wasn't anything plugged in there. But I'd like to know before I try to sell this as a repairman's special that everything is plugged back in. Based on the threads I read above, I won't power it back up anyway, and I haven't put the wiring back into the looms as it's going to have to come back out anyway.

So, anyone know if there is a connector for that socket, and anyone in the SLC/Ogden Utah area want to make me an offer?

dcm

If you can smack the set and watch the convergence pop in/out, then it could just be bad solder connection(s) on the convergence IC's. If you feel comfortable with opening the Tv up and doing some soldering let us know, otherwise calling someone will cost $250~$400.

Hammer

beat me to it. easy fix. +1

OK, my turn for confession, I guess. I've got a Mitsu WS-55857 s/n 104xxx, manufactured Mexico Sept 2000. Convergence went wonky some time back, occasionally back normal, then out again.

Based on reading here and being a fair mechanic, I took the back off, blew/vac'd the dust out (mostly) took half a doz pix as insurance and began to disconnect things. (Nobody mentioned how heavy that CRT gun tray is!) Got that disconnected and out, then realized the IC's in question must be mounted to that monster heat sink, and soldered from the bottom. Threw in the towel and bailed at that point, put it back together and bought a 42" Akai plasma for $700 on sale.

Problem I need answered is (help me Mr Bob) that I have one connector on the (from rear) left side motherboard, forward edge, labeled RG, that the connecting plug for there has gone AWOL. Can't find any plug to go there. From my pix, I suspect (no clear shot of that connector) that there wasn't anything plugged in there. But I'd like to know before I try to sell this as a repairman's special that everything is plugged back in. Based on the threads I read above, I won't power it back up anyway, and I haven't put the wiring back into the looms as it's going to have to come back out anyway.

So, anyone know if there is a connector for that socket, and anyone in the SLC/Ogden Utah area want to make me an offer?

dcm


The RG is for connecting up a laptop to do I2C work. It stays blank and empty during normal operation.

You're incredibly lucky to have a Mit, where ALL plugs are marked with letters that ID ALL their sockets. If you follow those letter'd markings, you can't get it wrong when you put it back together. Not nearly so co-operative, on other brands. Hat's off to Mit, for that.

Sorry for your removing the CRT array, that was completely unnecessary. And all you need for conv repair when it's still intermittent is resoldering of the ICs on that big heatsink. The whole "light box" comes out with removing 8 wood screws - 4 bolts and 4 flatheads, all simply #2 Philips heads - and disco'ing some inline plug-in wire conn's at the front. Contains the CRTs and the boards, all in 1 assembly, ready to be taken out of the main huge set, thrown into a van - tech speak for CAREFULLY placing it in a vehicle - and transported to any shop and brought back and reinstalled later. Removing THAT is quick and simple and allows complete access to the underside of the board in question, for simply resoldering the ICs or replacing them as well.

After the conv has been run in bad condition for awhile the ICs get stressed from running out of factory parameters, and croak. If that hasn't happened yet, chances are they are still just fine. Unless it's just one IC, the 393-110, which comes unsoldered at the IC end of the legs, requiring replacement if you don't want to do the resoldering on all the legs at the IC end. Which is quite cumbersome, it's easier to just replace it.

As such, just resoldering the ICs might rescue your set right now, if you haven't broken anything yet.

:eek:

If you need to replace any IC, be sure to renew the heatsink compound, critical for heat transfer to the sink, away from the IC itself - which runs ungodly hot in there and will burn itself up without the proper heat transfer to the ventilated sink.


Mr Bob

Well, took the (not-so-)light box out to my workbench. The smell of rosin core smoke in the bedroom or kitchen just would not go over well with my wife... Touched up each pin with a tiny drop of solder to help heat transfer and help any cold joints. Took maybe 5 minutes or less. Put the wires back into the looms and put the TV back together.

First smoke check: Plugged it in. Passed.

Second smoke check: Turned it on. Passed.

Convergence problem is gone and has not shown up in the last two hours of viewing.

Mr Bob hits another home run, right on the money. Guess the 42inch plasma goes back to the dealer, and $700 back in my pocket!

Appreciate everyone's comments in this forum; the history provided much knowledge. :D

Well, took the (not-so-)light box out to my workbench. The smell of rosin core smoke in the bedroom or kitchen just would not go over well with my wife... Touched up each pin with a tiny drop of solder to help heat transfer and help any cold joints. Took maybe 5 minutes or less. Put the wires back into the looms and put the TV back together.

First smoke check: Plugged it in. Passed.

Second smoke check: Turned it on. Passed.

Convergence problem is gone and has not shown up in the last two hours of viewing.

Mr Bob hits another home run, right on the money. Guess the 42inch plasma goes back to the dealer, and $700 back in my pocket!

Appreciate everyone's comments in this forum; the history provided much knowledge. :D


:cool:

Here's some eye candy from a well converged set - mine -

Just finished adding another shim to my CRT array, a la (thanks!) Owen, for a total of 2.25" - 3 shims of 3/4" each, 4 of them - to my 73" Mit. I added a spot of white glue between the shims and under them, for stability. This makes half again the amount of shimmage I had before today, with just 2 shim thicknesses each x4, for 1.5" of shimmage for the last few months -

Took this opportunity to reclean the lens tops, it had been a year or so since last time, made a noticeable difference. Mit's HDreadys don't need the deeper optics cleaning, they don't allow an air gap between the lenses and the coolant covers, like the Elites do.

I think my shots are being compromised by being in jpeg, which I have heard reduces the res automatically. I checked my cam and can't find any way to redo any of that inside the cam, so it must by the automatic Windows uploading from my cam. Any input welcome on that. Kodak Z712 IS.

After redoing the focus, geometry and convergence - grayscale and colorations stayed the same as before, basically all by eye on the colorations - here's the results -



http://img388.imageshack.us/img388/6892/112808victoriassecretshnq5.jpg[/URL]

Slightly overexposed, but appropriate to the brilliance of the runway
http://img142.imageshack.us/img142/1599/112808victoriassecretshmf5.jpg[/URL]

http://img142.imageshack.us/img142/7840/112808victoriassecretshmk8.jpg[/URL]

Hard to get the crowd shadow details and still have the diamond sparkle without it white crushing out
http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/8902/112808victoriassecretshyj4.jpg[/URL]

http://img388.imageshack.us/img388/9672/112808victoriassecretshhs0.jpg[/URL]

Slight movement blur on this one, mostly on her outfit. But check out those abs!
http://img388.imageshack.us/img388/2586/112808victoriassecretshns4.jpg[/URL]

Blur on this one only on her right shoe and at the top of her rack (no not that one, the one she's WEARING...!)
http://img142.imageshack.us/img142/7339/112808victoriassecretshyi5.jpg[/URL]

The TV will not power up. The green light on front flashes for a couple of seconds, but then goes out.

I have the same issue now with my Mits 65711. Is there a quick fix, or time to call the tech? Love the PQ on this TV, but after all the $$$ I've spent on repairs already, it may be time to move on.

BTW, how do you get rid of these behemoths? :(

I have the same issue now with my Mits 65711. Is there a quick fix, or time to call the tech? Love the PQ on this TV, but after all the $$$ I've spent on repairs already, it may be time to move on.

BTW, how do you get rid of these behemoths? :(

The 65711 is an awesome set. Why would you want to get rid of it??? It still has the best blacks in the biz and an extremely long lifespan. Your set is only at cruising age right now.

See my thread on keeping CRTs, started 2 years ago and still going strong. We're on our 139th page. The new all-digital stuff is having growing pains all over the place. CRT is the most tried and true modality out there, and when fully tits'd out still looks better than most of the fixed pixel stuff out there.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=695922&page=139

It's probably a convergence issue. That's what it usually is. You should also check it out for coolant that may have leaked out of the CRTs and onto your ecb's.


Mr Bob

I have the same issue now with my Mits 65711. Is there a quick fix, or time to call the tech? Love the PQ on this TV, but after all the $$$ I've spent on repairs already, it may be time to move on.

BTW, how do you get rid of these behemoths? :(


If you can't sell it try giving it to the local fire dept.

http://img401.imageshack.us/img401/5371/280924seasonopener2001fm4.jpg[/URL]

http://img15.imageshack.us/img15/7330/280924seasonopener2002pa7.jpg[/URL]

http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/9213/280924seasonopener4qk8.jpg[/URL]

http://img401.imageshack.us/img401/9783/280924seasonopener007jx4.jpg[/URL]

OK, my turn for confession, I guess. I've got a Mitsu WS-55857 s/n 104xxx, manufactured Mexico Sept 2000. Convergence went wonky some time back, occasionally back normal, then out again.

Based on reading here and being a fair mechanic, I took the back off, blew/vac'd the dust out (mostly) took half a doz pix as insurance and began to disconnect things. (Nobody mentioned how heavy that CRT gun tray is!) Got that disconnected and out, then realized the IC's in question must be mounted to that monster heat sink, and soldered from the bottom. Threw in the towel and bailed at that point, put it back together and bought a 42" Akai plasma for $700 on sale.

Problem I need answered is (help me Mr Bob) that I have one connector on the (from rear) left side motherboard, forward edge, labeled RG, that the connecting plug for there has gone AWOL. Can't find any plug to go there. From my pix, I suspect (no clear shot of that connector) that there wasn't anything plugged in there. But I'd like to know before I try to sell this as a repairman's special that everything is plugged back in. Based on the threads I read above, I won't power it back up anyway, and I haven't put the wiring back into the looms as it's going to have to come back out anyway.

So, anyone know if there is a connector for that socket, and anyone in the SLC/Ogden Utah area want to make me an offer?

dcm

I also bought my mitsubish WS-55857 about year 2000 and just today got the convergence problem fixed that I'd been having only for the last few weeks. convergence was fine in the middle of screen but distorted towards the top and bottom and especially bowed toward the corners.
I live in San Jose, CA and bought it fron Anderson's TV. I though their price to repair was quite reasonable. This set has been trouble free so I thought I'd try fixing it for a little over $300 before I shell out $2500 on my first LCD or plasma over 50". So he spent about an hour and a half fixing it. I don't know exactly what he did but I think he put in a new convergence board with new IC's. FWIW, the guy said the static lines that would sometimes appear right before it went out of convergence were due to the board being a secondary power supply, whatever that means. Any way, this forum helped me determine the problem and I told the serviceman exactly what I thought it might be. He agreed and didn't try to do anything sneaky and problem is solved. BTW, he told me this problem occurs after about 5 years in Mitsubishi's so I guess I am lucky, mine lasted 9 years and it is our main TV and gets used hours every day. I hope it lasts another 5 years and then I will move to something new or perhaps I'll sell it soon really cheap while it is still working so that I don't have to figure out how to dispose of it.