Sony optical block talk and repair assitance - Page 2

Right there with you. Same dilemma!

Needed a thinner TV than my Old Monstrosity (it's a technical term) asap due to a move, but I was still saving up for a flat panel. I found a KDF42WE655 with the blue blob/blue pixels issue on Craigslist for $50, and since I would mostly use it as a monitor and for kids' cartoons, I figured the brightness would mask the defects and it would be a good transitional TV--which it is.

Now I've come to really like this TV and I am thinking of attempting the $160 repair, but I am seriously concerned about the convergence issue. I really don't want to spend the $329 for a refurb because then I might as well get a newer, functional TV for a couple hundred bucks more. But I refuse to simply discard this one just because it has blue-blobitis, and think it'd be a fun project while I save up for the new set. I'm just afraid of making it unwatchable before I'm ready to let it go!

I'm curious to find out if you ended up going the total DIY, trial-and-error $160 route. Hope you post an update!

Are there any significant advantages in picture quality or expected longevity with a new optical block instead of getting a refurb?

That is the $10,000 question. From everything I have been able to find on the net, there is no guarantee that a "new" optical block ordered from Sony is not a re-built optical block. In this article by Steve Linke it indicates that Sony does exactly that...refurbs old ones.

http://sites.google.com/site/sonylcd...ockreplacement


If that is the case I would rather let someone like TriState Module or John Breton "rebuild" my optical block....or maybe even give it a go myself if I could find the parts. TriState sells the LCD Panel and the article above indicates it comes with the blue light path polarizer but their web-site only states it is the LCD Panel.

http://tristatemodule.com/p-16423-so...cx043axxx.aspx


Not sure I would try it but would sure be interested to see if anyone else has and how it turned out.

TriState Module does indeed sell the blue polarizer but the price for the polarizer and the LCD Panel is within $100 of the cost to get John Breton do the rebuild and you would also get a 6 months warranty. Don't think I will do anything right away and may just sell the TV "as-is" one day. Maybe if I get bored and have the time I will tackle it....will just wait and see.

Hi Chuck.

i am having difficulties with my 60a2020. Just wondering if you have some time to answer a couple of questions about the optical block and cleaning, etc.?

Sorry. Chuck F. just in case there are multiple Chucks out there!

I have pulled out the optical block, removed the three colored lens. cleaned them up, but they really don't look that bad. Just curious why the yellowing is occuring?

And. i did take a picture..but the flash went off and when I went to reinstall I can't tell which color goes where because of the refraction from the flash.

What's happening?

Sony was kind enough to replace my XBR2 and give me a new KDL-LX720 as it's replacement. My XBR2 isn't bad yet, there is some discoloration starting to occur, and frankly I didn't notice it till I started to recalibrate my TV. I am going to move this one to our Lake House but was thinking of installing a rebuilt one myself. But even though I have rebuilt some CD Players and fixed Amps and Pre/Amps this is a tad above my technical expertise! Anyone in the Midwest that will Install one? I would gladly pay and give you the other Optical block in return. My set is 5 years old and I have 7000 on the first bulb, but I am afraid to change it as other people I have talked to says there green haze got worse after they changed there bulb. Thanks for any help and thanks to all posting the great information!

I have a 60XBR950 wanted to share my experiences on opening the optical block.

Although you must be on your own in removing the block and opening the block. You can open the top of the block to get at the glass filters with no effect to picture alignment. However I did not have THE BALLS to remove the LCD panels in fear of not getting the alignment correct.

On the top of the block there are screws that hold the Filters in place and there are screws that hold the cover in place. DO not remove the screws that hold the filters in place. I think they where covers in a red glue type stuff that keeps them in place. You will flip out when you take the cover off BC you will hear the filters fall back in to the block! IF there was a noise that said your alignment is now messed up, this is the sound you will hear! DO not worry filters will or should fall back in place when you replace the cover! At least in my case it did!

So happy that the filters are now available to the common idiot!

Still believe that this set blows away the replacement LCD that Sony sent me A year ago!! I have kept my XBR because I know it is a mater of time before my 2 year son Buddy throws a ball through it! Then I get to tell my wife I told you so! The XBR is the second least wife friendly TV I know of, only to be beat by my Coffee table size 1995 VHQ 1252q CRT projector! The CTR projecter is for the guy that wants to KEEP IT REAL @ 150inch in a pitch black room!

Thank you for this forum!

Tri-State module is not someone I can recommend to do business with. When my optical block went out, I scrapped my TV out and contacted TSM to see if they were interested in buying the optical block so they could rebuild it and resell it. They replied yes and that they would give me $50 for it. I spent a good hour removing it from my TV, carefully packaging it, and mailing it to them. That was 5 months ago and I have still not received my money. I contacted them numerous times and would never get a reply back from them. I filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau and TSM keeps promising to pay me (only to satisfy the BBB), although they never have to date. I know its only $50, but is the principle that you should be able to trust a business such as this. Bad and unethical of them to treat a customer like this.

I have a KF-50XBR800 that has the optical block issue....yellowing around the edges. Sony offered and I accepted a new LED which I am pleased with.

Does anyone have any suggestions on what to do with the Old set. It seems that a repair is extremely expensive and/or poloraizers are not available.

Any suggestions short of donating to Good Will and taking a tax deduction?

Thanks,

What did you say to Sony to get them to replace it? How old was the set and was it in any sort of warranty?

I simply explained the problem, pointed out that this was a known problem and pointed out that had they told me sooner by direct mail (ore email) (since I registered my set) and not through the internet that I could have gotten it repaired. I also pointed out that I paid a LOT of money for my set and had a reasonable expectation of a long life. In fact, the 50XBR800 still looks great (if you can get past the yellow haze around the edges).

Sony was firm but in the end fair and i cannot complain.

MDM

I have a KF -50WE610 that has been sitting patiently waiting for a new life that one day I would find a used (cheap) similar model that I could swap components and bring it back to life. It suffers from a blue image that has grown to cover the bottom 3 inches of the screen. This developed a few weeks after changing to a new bulb.
I found a gently used KF-42WE620 for very cheap. About the same cost as a new filter Now for the big question? Can I just change engines? after a full cleaning of course. Or should I use components from the 42 to fix the 50? I am not worried about the level of complexity except I probably don't want to spend the hours to do a mechanical reconvergance (PITA). Which is the most effective way?

I am been reading all over but haven't found anything concrete other than the LCD Panels and Filters are the same.

Thanks for any help,

Long time lurker.

I don't think anyone would have the answer to this unless they happen to have done exactly the same swap. I did a similar swap, using parts from a good LE from a 42WE655 to fix a dead 55WF655. I found that I had to swap the X-prism block with the LCD panels attached. No larger assembly was like-for-like swappable.

You seem to understand that removing the LCD panels from the block puts you in a world of hurt, so it sounds like you know what you are doing. The 610 and 620 are both LA-2 chassis, a good sign, but then the WE and WF655's are both LA-3.

I say go for it.

Hello everyone,

I've been searching until my eyes bleed to find a solution on how to correct this optical block issue. I acquired a KDF-E60A20 from one of my fathers friends that also had the blue LCD panel issue and filter that was burnt. Being I have no money in this TV what so ever I too would like to try ordering the LCD Panel and filter from tristatemodule. This model actually has a different model number optical block then what has matched up to other models in the A20 series (A1129508A). I will be reporting back later this week on it just waiting on funds to come in this week so I can place the order.

On another note I was really surprised to even see that this thread was still going lol every other one I have seen hasn't been posted in for over a year now!

Quick update,

I got the parts ordered if I get them before the weekend that would be nice
Shipped to the door it was $159.90 from tristatemodule

Hi,

I'm new to this forum but I have been reading all the posts. I too bought a KDF-55WF655 from a young couple off ksl for $50 bucks. Super cheap Which had the blue blob and yellowing problems. Thanks to this site and to Steve Linke who happen to have the same tv, I was able to take the tv apart and put it back together after having purchased the LCD Panel from Tri-State Module. It was $90 all together. Needless to say they actually sent me the LCX043AUB4 GL which I needed the blue LCX043AUB5. But all the LCD Panels are actually interchangeable. It fixed both blue blobs (which were bad) and yellowing. Now my problem is the convergence is slightly off. Probably about an 1/8" or so. It does look tons better though.

Does anyone know how to get into the convergence setting for this tv as the menu does not have it?

I will also try the trial and error to find that it helps.

Also, I'm using component inputs which don't come in. It just shows the static looking picture like I have a bad reception (sort of). Could this also be caused by the convergence? Will it fix it?

Is it the actual LCD Panels that need to be aligned or is it the filters. The filters have adjustable pivots but the LCD Panels do not, they simply screw into place right where the older one was... I don't quite understand how to adjust the LCD Panel if that's what needs to happen?!

From what it looks like the filters are to focus the light, of that path. My parts will be here tomorrow and I will be able to throw some ideas back and forth with you on the convergence problem. I do believe that the LCD screen has some sort of alignment to the prism in optical assembly.

Finally! I did it. I fixed the convergence after installing the LCD Panel. As already stated in these posts, the only way to fix it on the KDF-55WF655 is by manually adjusting the panel. I did it first by taking it apart, then adjusting the panel, then putting it back together. After hours of doing this, I finally just had everything together, and the tv on with my wife in front while I adjusted it. A couple of hours later I fixed it.
I don't recommend having the tv on while adjusting, so if you plan on fixing it I would be careful.
All in all, for $150 I have a pretty nice 55" HDTV. $50 for the tv and $90 for the new LCD Panel from Tri State Module, including shipping. Good Luck!

Yeah, I think you're right. I started to adjust that too but found out it did nothing to help the convergence. I was pretty excited that I got it fixed. Let me know if you have questions. I hope you get it fixed.

Also if you figure out a better way to adjust it let me know.

Congrats man! I cannot wait for this later today I got my 60" for free so I only got $160 bucks in this with the panel and LCD Also did you leave the filter at the same setting it was from the factory then? Another thing I was gonna say to try was adjusting the convergence from the service menu?

So I just received in my parts for the TV, they sent me a GR for the LCD screen which is fine but the blue filter that they sent was burnt just like the one I got I attached a pic of it on here so you can see. The one on the left is what they just sent me I haven't removed the other one.

Another update, got the TV back together for a test with the new LCD in the blue path, picture is a million times better like snoopyfix2000 said my convergence is off a slight bit to the right and down a bit. Posted another pic to show how much it was off. Waiting on it to cool down now and I'll make the adjustments here in a few, more updates to come!

Another update, I have gotten most of the convergence out of the screen and it looks pretty good there is a slight missalignment on the right hand side of the screen. I made a video of what I did to align it and I did have to do it powered up and adjusting at the same time which was a PIA!

I hope this is helpful to anyone else wanting to attempt this repair.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Abr-Mz40wzs&hd=1


Still gonna mess with it some more to make it 100% perfect.

TV is complete, I finally got it dialed in how I want. I attached a picture of how it looks now... this thing was terrible looking it had blue dots everywhere and now you cant even tell it was broken.

Hi xst3althx. Congrats for getting your set fixed! I have a 42 inches set with same issue: blue dots and yellow 'paint'.
I'll order replacement parts, but have a question: how do you know if need to replace both LCD module and filter, or just the LCD module? Thanks