Philips 42PF9631D HD Plasma - Page 40

Is the TV periodically going ON/OFF ? That would be BSOD and would alllow you to check the Software Version in the SM. Sorry for the confusion.

Re-boot your cable or satellite box.....can you get a picture thru other inputs (HDMI, Component, Side) ? Does the On-Screen Menu come up ?

You have sound, but no picture at all.....try and find the weak link (bad input, bad cables/HDMI, cable/Sat box, etc). It may NOT be the TV.

I would also let the TV stay on a while as if it is BSOD it may 'fix' itself after a while. It's been a while since we had this problem, I forget if it fixes itself randomly or if turning off the TV was the fix or if it turning it OFF/ON just returned you to the BSOD screen.


Sounds like you're up-to-date and it's PROBABLY not BSOD. But run the checks above I suggested. That you are getting sound is probably a good sign.

BTW, more BSOD solutions earlier in this thread and the 9630 User thread, too (both times, probably in the first 10-15 pages or less).

No cable box, I am using a cablecard. I'm pretty sure its not the BSOD, I had that when I first got the set, but firmware updates cured that one. I tried a HD DVD player via the component inputs - no dice. I'm pretty sure its the TV itself. Sometimes when it is cold I don't get sound either, but if I leave it on and let it warm up, cycling the power gets me audio, but never video.

Try and get a picture via SD Card or USB Flash or whatever from the side inputs.

Change HDMI and Component cables -- switch from one to the other.

Try a VCR or DVD to make sure it's not the Cablecard or digital Inputs into the plasma TV.

Ok... great thread - thanks to all who have sorted it out this far.

However, my (recently inherited) 42PF9631D did *not* get that memo!

Found and replaced the twin 3300uf caps (C8059 & C8060) - twice!
Checked all fuses for continuity... all good.

Unfortunately, I'm still getting the dreaded "Flashing 7 Red" - which supposedly was to have been cured by the cap replacements.

It fires up briefly: the Ambilights come on for about 2 seconds - then it kicks back off again. Tried the power patching trick several times... no joy there either.

Any suggestions on the next logical location to check next for a solution?

All other caps on the PS board look fine, which I know means absolutely nothing in the grand scheme of things, so there may still be another failed component yet to be discovered. Has anyone else still got this "7 Red" problem after replacing the caps in question?

Bueller? Anyone? Anyone?

Thanks much for any response.


Peace!
Audius

Nobody here or on the 9630 Thread has NOT had the 7-blinking Red LEDs fixed with either the capacitor replacement (98%) or that fuse replacement (2%).

Go back a few pages and re-read the fuse one.

BTW, the fuses you replaced are good ones, right ? From Digikey or a similar outlet ?

Can you get the TV powered on using the PLUG/UNPLUG technique ? Depending on how long ago the 7-LED problem happened, it could take anywhere from 2 - 15 minutes but it should CONFIRM it is the capacitors (not that I think the 7-LEDs are flashing a false indicator, but the fuse could be sending that indicator and misleading you to a capacitor replacement. The PLUG/UNPLUG should confirm the 7-LED/Capacitor problem).

Turn the Ambilight OFF if you can since it requires alot more power to turn the TV ON with Ambilight ON than with Ambilight OFF.

(1) Do PLUG/UNPLUG (2) Re-read fuse replacement posts (3) If PLUG/UNPLUG gets TV ON to confirm 7-LED indicator/Capacitor problem, then try new capacitors (ones you have could be bad).

The fuse problem, again. But do the PLUG/UNPLUG.

Ferris is not on this board, I believe he left school early today to undergo a life-saving operation. SAVE FERRIS !!!!!!

Thanks for the reply.
I've read and re-read this thread. Tried all suggestions.

Fuses tested fine: positive continuity on all - they were not replaced.
Caps were replaced twice, as new component doesn't always = good component and I had spares.
Must be something else going on, but now you've heard of one person who was *not* able to get it fixed with new caps. (what did i win?)

No luck with the power unplugging repeatedly: 20-30x.
If it's another dead cap in the line it may never fire up.

No known way to shut of Ambilights unless I physically unplug them from the PS board. Will this work for testing, or cause something else to happen?

Thanks!

OK, sounds like they're OK.


They're the exact replacements for your (42" or 50" ?) 9631 -- the 3300 uf 10 volters ???

Where did you get them ? If they're some generic brand, please order 4 new ones (2 for repair, 2 for reserve) from Digikey or PartsExpress. #493-1754-ND from Digikey.


We'll ID the problem, don't give up.


Are you doing the PLUG/UNPLUG CORRECTLY as per the detailed instructions on the previous page ? You just don't plug-unplug willy-nilly.....have to make sure you're getting the GREEN LED and when it fails to power ON, you unplug BEFORE the RED LEDs come on. And if it 'clicks on' but the GREEN LED doesn't come on, hit the SIDE POWER ON button as the TV 'forgets' if the button is ON/OFF when doing PLUG-UNPLUG.

If the TV had the problem a while, you may need to do it 50-75 times or so. And do it CORRECTLY. It's tedious and boring, but it WILL CONFIRM what the problem is.


The 450's were sometimes a problem but you should be able to tell if there is the slightest bulge on any of the other (larger) capacitors on the PSB.


No, it's just that whether you're doing PLUG/UNPLUG or even when the TV is fixed, it's best to NOT have Ambilight ON as it needs more power to turn them on from a cold start. When you get the 9631 on from PLUG/UNPLUG or finding the capacitor problem, turn it OFF.

Report back !!

The caps I ordered were DigiKey # 493-1505-ND ... Nichicon 8000 hour @ 105*F 3300uf 10v.

I've been doing the power unplug sequence from a power strip button according to recommendations (power off after green) but will run through it again with the Ambilights disconnected.
Went over all other caps on the entire PS board with a magnifying glass - noticed no others bulging.

I inherited this tv (free is good), so am hopeful for the cheap fix and a bigger screen to watch soon.
Currently running a little VIZIO 32" plasma: great picture, but PS caps on that failed with less than 1000 hours - heat tolerance of cheap factory components seems to be a common theme with all these flatscreen sets, LCD or plasma.

Thanks for your patience - will definitely keep you posted on the results!

Peace!

Wasn't aware of that Nichicon model, thought they made 2200's. I would get the same ones I listed above -- keep everything the same.


No, DO NOT disconnect the Ambilights...you can get the TV on with the Ambilight on, it may take just 1-2 extra PLUGS/UNPLUGS. You'll tell when you're close the TV will almost 'fire up' and then go off. You know then you're getting close. Again, do NOT disconnect the Ambilight stuff -- more trouble than it's worth and can cause other problems later on.

You should be physically PLUGGING/UNPLUGGING the 9631 Power Cord into the strip or outlet, not turning off the TV with a master ON-OFF button at the strip level. Again, read my detailed instructions on the previous page...remember, when you PLUG IT IN the GREEN LED comes on....when it CLICKS OFF with the TV not coming on, pull the plug ASAP....wait a few seconds....re-PLUG in.

If you do it too quickly you will NOT get the fresh click-ON nor the GREEN LED....so re-pull the PLUG and wait 10 seconds or so....and if you hear the click-ON but no GREEN LED, hit the POWER ON on the side of the 9631 (TV forgets)....this will turn the GREEN LED on and make sure the TV power and the PLUG-UNPLUG are in synch.


I think you need to get the Digikey 3300's I listed above. Order them today -- cost you less than $15 for 4 with S&H.


We'll get it fixed, but please spend the 10 or 15 or 20 minutes doing PLUG-UNPLUG to confirm the capacitor problem.

You never said if the TV died on you or the previous owner....is it possible he/she did the PLUG/UNPLUG and the useful life of that trick has almost expired ? If the caps went on you and you haven't done it, then you should be able to get the TV on within 5 minutes if you do PLUG-UNPLUG correctly.

Remember to WAIT 5-7 seconds after the GREEN LED disappears and you pull the plug before re-PLUGGING.



No problem....not familiar with the Vizo's and not sure if failed capacitors are common problems on other models though I would think they are. They seem to be the 'weak link' and you would think they'd show up (fail) on other models, too.

What makes the 9631 easier to fix is the problem has been narrowed down to 2 specific capacitors on the PSB, so we don't have to ditch the entire board.

BTW, I trust your bad capacitors both had the BULGE...and also matched up on the back-end of the circuit board with the same number locations that I and others posted pics of ??

One Final Thought: Make sure you're a competent solderer, or get someone to do it for you. Remove the old capacitors on both sides of the board and trim the antenae on the new ones.

I think I mentioned above I already tried the component inputs using an HD DVD player. No video there either. No TV Menu either, it has to be the TV that is the problem.

The ambilights if turned on do work, and they respond to what should be on the screen (changing color and brightness). I just don't get any video, none, ever, no matter what I do. Solid green light just like it was working correctly, but no video.

Hi,

I have been following this thread for quite sometime trying to figure out an answer to my problem, which is the same problem most people here have.

I have a 42PF9631D/37 with the seven blinking light syndrome. Dead

I am an electrician by trade but really know nothing about electronics.

I have the same power supply board as PlasmaGuyFrog which is a
LJ44-00119a (PS-425-PHN) this board does not have the problematic
3300 mfd caps that the common board has as he stated.

All of my caps look fine and the fuses check out OK, but I am still going to replace the caps that PoBoy stated he replaced and see if it fixes it.

I just wanted to know if anyone had any further success with this "Other"
power supply board and if so what they found.

Also, I have a question about testing the board itself.

Once the power supply is working should you be able to get a solid green light with the two "Y" board connectors disconnected from the power supply board?

The reason I am asking is because I get the 7 blinking lights whether they are plugged in or not and I do not have any output voltages from the power supply.

I did not know if the power supply would sense them being unplugged as a "Problem" and go into shut down. If not, technicaly, once the supply is fixed you should get Ambilight and sound, but no picture correct?


Sorry for the long winded first post, but I really want to get this set fixed without buying a new power supply.

Thank you for any help.

USB, SD card....can you get a picture (JPEG) to show up on theTV ?


That's weird.......can you bring up the OSM ? Could the brightnesss/contrast be out of whack....anything messed up in OSM? Turn off ACTIVE CONTROL.

What is it with this freakin' Power Supply Board.....

Here's what I posted earlier:


http://72.9.159.100/avs-vb/showthrea...716082&page=35

"I have the same model tv as the one in the picture with the bad caps, 50pf9631d/37, but the PS board in mine is different. The two caps sited as the culprit are not there, that area might have been redesigned to prevent this, the PS board looks mostly the same with some differences, one difference being the area shown in the picture about the fix for the two bad caps. My tv has the same 7 blinking red light. There are two caps in the general vicinity, they are 680uf @100v not 3300uf @10v, board locations C8087 and C8088. There are two others, not far away, 1500uf @10v, board locations C8015 and C8016. I suspect that the first two are the replacements in a redesigned circuit, but not sure. Does anyone know anything about the fix for this redesigned PS board, for the 7 blink red light? Ps, there is no bulging of any caps or leaking/corrosion visible. "


This almost sounds what Ion has, with Ambilight working and no picture....the rest is above my paygrade.

One person with that board fixed the problem...I am very confused as to why the 7-blinking LEDs is coming on, indicating a capacitor problem, but nobody can ID the right capacitors (or see any bulging ones).

Can anybody else offer a solution ? I think PlasmaFrog was going to replace the 1500 uf 10v's but we never heard back from him.

Plasmaguyfrog, any luck fixing your 9631 ???

whether you're doing PLUG/UNPLUG or even when the TV is fixed, it's best to NOT have Ambilight ON as it needs more power to turn them on from a cold start. When you get the 9631 on from PLUG/UNPLUG or finding the capacitor problem, turn it OFF.


Ok - that makes sense from a load perspective. So... if it's best to not have them on, how can I turn them off if the set doesn't fire up to see menus?

DO NOT disconnect the Ambilights...you can get the TV on with the Ambilight on, it may take just 1-2 extra PLUGS/UNPLUGS. You'll tell when you're close the TV will almost 'fire up' and then go off. You know then you're getting close. Again, do NOT disconnect the Ambilight stuff -- more trouble than it's worth and can cause other problems later on.

Again - I see no way to shut them off for startup without physically disconnecting them, but I defer to your wisdom on this point. Any info on a potential shutdown procedure is greatly appreciated.

Wasn't aware of that Nichicon model, thought they made 2200's. I would get the same ones I listed above -- keep everything the same.

Well, I will try replacing them with others only if these don't do the trick, but in both theory and reality - and for all practical and electrical purposes - the difference in specs between them is no more of a critical issue than using a 16V cap instead of a 10V (which has been a widely acceptable solution for such situations in the past).

You should be physically PLUGGING/UNPLUGGING the 9631 Power Cord into the strip or outlet, not turning off the TV with a master ON-OFF button at the strip level. Again, read my detailed instructions on the previous page...remember, when you PLUG IT IN the GREEN LED comes on....when it CLICKS OFF with the TV not coming on, pull the plug ASAP....wait a few seconds....re-PLUG in.

If you do it too quickly you will NOT get the fresh click-ON nor the GREEN LED....so re-pull the PLUG and wait 10 seconds or so....and if you hear the click-ON but no GREEN LED, hit the POWER ON on the side of the 9631 (TV forgets)....this will turn the GREEN LED on and make sure the TV power and the PLUG-UNPLUG are in synch.

Got it. I will modify my method accordingly.
However, I do notice a slight discrepancy between posts on this point.
When I power it up, the green light comes on, 2 clicks... a few seconds later 2 more clicks, but the green LED stays on for a good 10 seconds longer before going to red flashes.

Here in this post, you say to kill it as soon as it powers off (which I assume is the second set of clicks?), but in post #1154, rather different directions are given:
"(3) Keep repeating the PLUG/UNPLUG, making sure that you unplug the TV ***as soon as the GREEN LED disappears and BEFORE the RED LED's start to flash***"
... which I interpret as waiting for the transition from green to red before unplugging.

Which version is the correct/preferred method?


You never said if the TV died on you or the previous owner....is it possible he/she did the PLUG/UNPLUG and the useful life of that trick has almost expired ? If the caps went on you and you haven't done it, then you should be able to get the TV on within 5 minutes if you do PLUG-UNPLUG correctly.

It died on the previous owner, and it had the Red 7 condition when I got it, and I tried a variation of the power toggle procedure before opening it up for surgery.
The 3300uf caps had been replaced already, apparently as a warranty repair (he got it as a store demo/refurb) and they were easy to locate as they were in blue plastic, not black like all the rest.
I replaced them with new components, and when it didn't solve the problem I replaced them again, figuring one or more of the replacements may have been faulty. Having done several similar repairs on a few other TVs and LCD computer monitors, I noted that they usually fire right up and work perfectly immediately after the cap swap, so now I seriously doubt that these particular caps are the (sole) problem.
I will work with it a while longer, though. Sometimes things just get stupid and need a wake-up call.

Remember to WAIT 5-7 seconds after the GREEN LED disappears and you pull the plug before re-PLUGGING.


Ahhhhh!
I don't recall the timing issue on that having been addressed earlier. That could make a huge difference in the results. Thanks for the clarification.


BTW, I trust your bad capacitors both had the BULGE...and also matched up on the back-end of the circuit board with the same number locations that I and others posted pics of ??

Yes, correct on both points.

Locations: C8059 & C8060

I'm confident it'll be a functional unit eventually, and I'll try not to be a nuisance about it. I've also just downloaded the service manual for this, so maybe I'll do a bit of "light reading" before proceeding too much further with this if the revised power patch sequence doesn't remedy it.


Thanks for your input and assistance. I'll keep you posted.

Peace!

No worries - got that covered.
Started building electronic circuits at age 7 (I'm 51 now) and do Mil-spec soldering. I've been doing component level repair work for both government- and corporate-owned television broadcast facilities and world-class recording studios for 20+ years... just fairly new to working with the flatscreen guts. It's not rocket science, but it's also not always intuitive.

Peace!

When you get it on --either permanently (capacitor/fuse issue solved) or temporarily (PLUG-UNPLUG) -- then just turn it off.

I turn OFF Ambilight all the time when POWERING OFF except when the TV turns off when I'm sleeping and it's OFF via sleep-timer with the Ambilight ON (dark room when I'm in bed ).

Like starting a car with the air conditioner on full blast and the stereo on...can be done, but not recommended.


Again, not critical -- I just think physically/electronically disconnecting the Ambilight system (even if you're comfortable fooling around with electronics; I'm not !! ) isn't necessary. Until the TV is permanently fixed, try and turn off the Ambilight before POWERING OFF the TV (unless it goes off via sleep-timer when you're in bed). Obviousley, I'm assuming we get the Ambilight and TV on via PLUG-UNPLUG until it's permanently fixed.


Agreed, it's just that when things get funky I want the same exact ones to replace the problem parts (or in case of that weird PSB, going back to original 3300 UF 10v's ).

Plus, damn capacitors are so sensitive it pays to have a brand new backup pair just to make sure in case you replace using a broken one which you thought was new.


OK, unfortunately -- or fortunately, from my POV since my TVs are fixed -- I'm going by recollection.

Once you PLUG the 9631's POWER CORD into the surge protector (I trust you're not going right into the wall! ), the GREEN LED should come on with a click or two....if the TV doesn't come on in within 3-5 seconds, it clicks off....the GREEN LED disappears....then 1-3 seconds later, you get the blinking REDs and they keep repeating. In fact, I trust you've CONFIRMED this does happen to visually see you still have (only) the 7-Blinking LED capacitor problem. Just plug it in and wait for the RED LEDs to once again confirm the problem.


Going by recollection here....you don't have to 'wait' for the transition...once you got a GREEN LED and the 1st Click, the TV should come on (within 5 seconds) with the GREEN LED staying on.....if it doesn't (which probably will be the case 10-40 times), once it is clear that the TV isn't coming on (either the Green LED disappears and/or a 2nd click happens), UNPLUG......Wait 7-10 seconds.....repeat.

(1) If upon PLUG-in the GREEN LED doesn't come on with NO CLICK, UNPLUG ASAP and wait 12-15 seconds. TV didn't reset because you PLUGGed back in too quickly and you'll go straight to the blinking 7-REDs which we don't want to see.

(2) If upon PLUG-in no GREEN LED but there IS A CLICK....hit POWER ON side of TV. The 9631 is out of synch between the normal POWER ON-OFF switches and the building up of a charge on the capacitors via PLUG-UNPLUG. This only happened 1-2 times during even the longer PLUG/UNPLUGS, but when you hit the SIDE POWER ON right after you notice you heard a click, but no GREEN LED, you will turn on the GREEN LED. This move gets the TV back in synch, but usually needs more PLUGS/UNPLUGS before you'll get it ON permanantly.

YOU NEED TO BE WATCHING BOTH THE GREEN LED BUTTON AND THE TV RIGHT AFTER YOU PLUG IN !!

Is that clear ? Clearer ???


The one that gets the TV powered on !! Just kidding...go with today's quotes....I haven't done it in almost a month so I kinda forgot some of the details. The key is to pull the plug once it is apparent the TV is not coming on and BEFORE the RED LEDs come on (because if they come on, it takes a longer 'pause' between PLUG/UNPLUG before you can re-PLUG and this re-set time makes the job longer).

Make sure your cable/Sat box is ON so a picture will come on the TV....once my cable box was OFF and I thought I should have had a picture....the TV was actually ON but no picture because of the box. Fortunately, I noticed a slight glow on the screen and realized the GREEN LED was staying on.


You should be able to get the TV on with less than 20 PLUGs/UNPLUGS, IMO....unless the capacitors got damaged MORE during inactivity which I doubt.


You seem to know what you are doing. Again, not only to use the TV but to confirm it's strictly a PSB-capacitor problem, do the PLUG/UNPLUG. If you have to, do it up to 20 minutes (about 60 PLUGS/UNPLUGS; you can usually do 3 a minute).


YES, MAJOR !!! I think it was explained last year when this problem first surfaced 15 pages ago on this thread......that's why I gave the detailed PLUG/UNPLUG instructions on Page 39.


No problem...keep posting here, give us interim updates on the PLUG/UNPLUG method and also on a permanent capacitor solution.

Audius, so you've already replaced (bad) 3300's ? How are all the other capacitors looking, esp. the larger 450's ??

Having replaced the 3300's, and since you are apparently a good solderer/electrician, I'm surprised the TV didn't power up already.

Let's get it on 1st via PLUG-UNPLUG and then re-evaluate.

Audius, Ambrona, Ion -- you guys all have similar problems, bare with me/us if we get some of your details mixed-up. All of you are having a problem getting your TV's fixed with a straight-capacitor replacement even though you all have (only, apparently) the 7-Blinking RED LED's.

Please re-fresh our memories with your posts so we don't confuse one person's problems with anothers, and also give us updates so we can continue to help.

You're not alone, fellow 9631 owners !!!

CORRECTION: Ion, you don't have the capacitor 7-LED probem...sorry for the typo.

I just wanted to elaborate a bit more on PLUG/UNPLUG, specifically, when you PLUG and the TV 'clicks on' but the GREEN LED does NOT come on.

(1) Normally, when your TV is fine, you PLUG/UNPLUG and nothing happens. You have to turn the TV ON by hitting the ON button. Been that way since the 1950's.

(2) However, turning a TV ON that is plugged in assumes that the TV can build up a charge quickly (that's what the capacitors do). Think of the capacitors like spark-plugs igniting an engine.

(3) With the 7-blinking LEDs, we can't turn the TV on. It's plugged in and we hit POWER ON and nothing happens. However, by unplugging and then plugging what we do is build up a charge in the capacitors that can turn the TV on.

(4) For the most part, the TV's circuitry 'forgets' that it has a Master ON/OFF switch and defaults to the PLUG circuitry activating the capacitors. That's why for THE MOST PART the TV comes on (even if only for a few seconds) when you keep re-PLUGGING. Try that with a normal functioning TV -- nothing happens, TV's don't normally come ON when you PLUG in the cord.

(5) And this is why I say "beware of a PLUG-in that 'clicks on' the 9631 with no GREEN LED" -- the TV is out of synch and you have to hit the SIDE POWER ON button (don't use the remote !!) to get the GREEN LED and the 'click' and the PLUG-in back in synch. Usually only happens 1-2 times even during a 15-20 minute PLUG/UNPLUG sequence but make sure every PLUG-in leads to a GREEN LED light, every one is closer to getting the TV powered on.

If you don't turn the 9631 POWER ON from the side, then PLUG/UNPLUG won't be able to turn the TV on even when the capacitors have built up enough charge. That's why you should be doing PLUG/UNPLUG right near the right-side of the 9631, able to see both the TV screen and the GREEN LED indicator while having the surge protector/power cord right there, too.

Yes, I have replaced them - twice - with no luck either time.

I too was very surprised that the cap replacement(s) didn't cure it immediately, as it had in all the other tv's and monitors I have done similar work on. Assuming the rest of the components are good, it should have fired right up, as most others' sets here seem to have done in the past, and apparently without incident.
That procedure was ultimately unsuccessful for me, however, which is why I believe there may be a bit more to my equation than just these 2 caps.

All other Aluminum caps on the PSB *appear* good - I checked them all with a magnifying glass, but I know appearances can be misleading with these.
Checked for cold solder joints too - all ok.
The very largest (pairs of 220uf/450V & 470uf/315V) all have sealed phenolic tops and could not be inspected visually for leaks or domes, but otherwise nothing looks or smells bad or burnt.

There should (in theory) be no need to have to continue the Plug/Unplug sequence once caps C8059 & C8060 are replaced, unless we are trying to jumpstart yet another failed capacitor somewhere in the circuit, which, depending on severity of failure, realistically may never "catch" again... right?


As mentioned earlier, I inherited this set with the Red 7 condition, and I have not yet seen this tv work in any form: I've seen no display action at all... ever. Not even the backlight - just a dark screen.
C8059 & C8060 were replaced per this thread's diagnosis *prior to attempting anything else*, as all discussion pointed to those items as not only being the most likely culprits, but indeed as essentially being "the cure" for Red 7 - and past experience with other flatscreens dictated that was a logical path to follow.

-

To refresh our memories, here are the symptoms again:

Initial Power-on (plug in) gives a steady Green LED - 2 relay clicks - Ambilights fire up for about 1-2 seconds then relays click it off again.
( ~11 seconds total elapsed time from Power on to relay off )
Green LED remains steady for another *10-12* seconds after that, then reverts to a rapidly flashing Red-7 condition, after which the power can not be toggled from the onboard power switch.
The set must be physically unplugged to restore power.

Rinse. Repeat.

-

Since the Ambilights briefly fire up during power-on, that tells me that it is getting power, but as the whole system shuts down immediately afterward, either another capacitor is still bad in the PSB, or some other component elsewhere in the system is not returning a proper "OK" signal to the microprocessor, and telling it to shut off.
It could still be a downstream voltage-related issue: possibly even something on the X-Y boards, but I'm not ready to go there unless it's absolutely necessary.


Scheduling hasn't allowed me to start reading the Service Manual on this yet, but that will provide the complete factory troubleshooting procedure - including expected voltages at specific test points - which should ultimately point to the defect.
I'm convinced it's still got to be something simple, and I still highly suspect that a few other caps have simply heat-failed over time (Mfg date: Sept '06, so just over 4 years old now... a lot of things can get mighty toasty in that time).
I may eventually order all new caps for the primary power section just to be sure it's solid.

Anyway, you will be among the first to know when I get it running.


Peace!

Very strange......that's why we need to get the TV on with PLUG/UNPLUG....that will confirm it's strictly the capacitors but maybe something is interfering with how even (good) capacitors are working on the circuit board.

Try and get the TV on with PLUG/UNPLUG....and early on, if you (or a family member) can turn off the AMBILIGHT with the Philips Remote if it's coming on for 1-2 seconds....as soon as it comes on, hit the AMBILIGHT button and hopefully during future PLUG/UNPLUGS it will not come on.

It's just going to drain electricity from a cold start and if we can turn it off MANUALLY without disconnecting crap, I'd like to do it. I'm sure we can get the TV on with AMBILIGHT ON, just would like it off. Might save a few PLUGs/UNPLUGS.


Agreed....and no other blinking error messages so VERY confusing. Again....get the TV on with PLUG/UNPLUG or confirm it won't do that even with 20-25 minutes (70-75 PLUGS) not doing the job.

It's tedious and boring and actually physically difficult to sit near the right-side of the TV and do the PLUG-UNPLUG time after time, but you need to see if it will fire up.


You seem to know what you are doing....1st priority should be to do PLUG/UNPLUG and see if the TV will turn on. Other caps seem like they're OK.


Possible...but maybe the capacitors are good but the connections from C8059/8060 are damaged or something. Dunno.....just know that if you have the 7-blinking LEDs that (1) the capacitors should have fixed the problem and (2) you should have 125-150 PLUG/UNPLUGs in reserve that will turn the TV on before the capacitors either fail completely or takes so long (30 minutes or more) that it's not worth the effort.

If it hasn't been done (correctly) and it appears it hasn't, I think you should be able to get the TV on within 5 minutes the first few times. Again, this should be your 1st priority (it will also let you USE the TV while we try and figure out what needs to be done to fix it permanently).


Gotcha.


Yup, our old friend 7-Blinking RED LEDs.


Yes, see my latest detailed post....make sure every PLUG in gets you a GREEN LED....if not, it either means you need to hit the 9631 SIDE POWER ON (not remote control !!) to re-align the GREEN LED and the PLUG....or, you'll go right to 7-RED LEDs blinking which means you re-PLUGGED too quickly.

For 1st problem, hit the SIDE POWER ON....GREEN LED will come on, and then probably go out without TV starting but subsequent PLUG-ins will have both click and GREEN LED.

For 2nd problem, yank plug ASAP and wait 12-15 seconds to let circuits clear.


Agreed......I even wonder if the Ambilight wasn't left in the ON position and the PLUG/UNPLUG is firing it up regardless sort of like the TV itself ? But I am going to assume the Ambilight was left ON and we can either get it ON with the Ambilight trying to power on or you can turn Ambilight OFF during the 1-2 seconds when you see it on (you'll probably need another person to hit and aim the Philips remote during that brief interval since you'll be busy watching the GREEN LED and holding the power cord to PLUG/UNPLUG).


Yes, we have the Service Manual but as long as the only indicator flashing is the 7-LED's I want to get the TV on with PLUG/UNPLUG and then do more fooling around. Plus, you can at least use the damn thing, right ?

Also, once you get the TV on you can enter the Serivice Menu and both check the hours used and also check the ERROR records and see if anything serious was being noted by the TV.

First Things First: Get the TV on using PLUG/UNPLUG so you can use it and also turn off the Ambilight, get the hours used, and check the ERROR log (if you go into the Service Menu, just SCROLL up/down -- do not enter any sub-menus or change anything).

I'm a new member and have been following the discussion between philipsphanatic and Audius. I have the exact same problem as audius. 2 clicks, ambilight comes on for 2 seconds, turns off, green led stays on for about 10 seconds before switching to 7 red flash.

I've replaced 8059 & 8060 and have checked over the rest of the board for bad caps. I've attempted the plug/unplug for about 30 minutes according to philipsphanatic detailed instructions with no luck. I've appreciated reading the tips and following along on here thus far, but not sure where to go from here.

Welcome aboard Mich, sorry about your problem, hope we can solve it.

First....do you recall if your TV was last used with Ambilight ON or OFF ? I ask this because if your problem is so similar to Audius I am beginning to wonder if a derivative of the 7-RED LEDs is causing Ambilight to flicker On/Off regardless of whether it was last ON when the TV was used. So something could be triggering the Blinking LED's + Ambilight.

Second...how long ago did your TV not start ? I presume it was with 7-RED LED's right from the start ? Have you ever gotten the TV on with PLUG/UNPLUG ? Are you sure you are doing it correctly (see my detailed instructions...you do NOT simply plug-and-unplug the TV power cord into the Surge Protector).

Third.....it's possible something with the Ambilight circuits is interfering with a successful capacitor replacement. I admit I'm guessing here, but if you and Audius have the same TV and same problem and still can't get your TV's on with the PLUG/UNPLUG -- and neither of you has used up anywhere near your allottment of 100-125 PLUGS/UNPLUGS -- then maybe we need to disconnect the actual Ambilight circuitry and see if that allows PLUG/UNPLUG to work and/or the TV to fire up normally.

Again....critical....if your TV's were last used with AMBILIGHT ON then it's just coming ON again for 1-2 seconds (which I THINK was the case with my TV) just because when you do the PLUG it is fooled into thinking the TV is going to fire up and when it doesn't it turns off. But if you are sure you turned Ambilight OFF the last time you used it....or if we physically disconnect the circuitry and still get no response on main TV POWER, then we have a new problem.

Audius seems skilled at soldering and reviewing any electrical problems so I doubt he did anything accidentally that screwed up his circuit board(s).....I'll assume you're the same.

Again.....please confirm you are doing PLUG/UNPLUG CORRECTLY (if you are, and if you've never done it to turn on the 9631, then something is wrong as the basic 7-BLINKING LED's should be bypassed by PLUG/UNPLUG...it means we have another un-identified problem that is not showing up with an LED message or this is a 7-LED Blink problem with another problem elsewhere that won't show up with any blinks).

Get back to me with some answers....and Audius, waiting to hear back from you, too.

PhilipsPhanatic,

No picture, from any input, at any time, including the OSM. Everything seems to be working fine (solid green power light, ambilights work as always, set even generates heat like it was turned on, audio works fine) except there is no picture - just a dark screen.

As a refresher, I was watching a Hockey game on NHL Center Ice, turned off the TV between periods to save energy and cool the set, and when I turned it back on for the second period all I got was sound, and it has been that way ever since - not a single flash of light.

Just a thought - since I can't see the menu in order to check settings, is there a way to cause a factory reset with the remote or buttons on the set?

Ion, using the Philips remote and making sure it has good batteries and is aimed right at the TV:

(1) Hit MENU
(2) Scroll DOWN 1 notch using the DOWN directional button
(3) Scroll ACROSS RIGHT 1 notch using the RIGHT directional button
(4) Scroll ACROSS RIGHT 1 more notch
(5) Scroll DOWN 3 notches to the RESET AV SETTINGS feature
(6) Scroll ACROSS RIGHT 1 notch
(7) Hit the OK button as you are now at the START NOW feature that resets the picture and sound to the factory settings.

Ion, I'm not sure this will help but it shouldn't do anything bad to the set. I am going to ask a friend about your problem as it seems like it could just be 1 capacitor/fuse/connection causing this annoying problem.

Thanks so much, I am REALLY hoping it turns out to be a fuse! Easy fix that would be!

Give me an update on this 'fix'...remember, since you can't see the screen you have no idea if you are at the MENU screen after the 1st time you hit MENU (after that, we're guessing 50-50).....so since we can't see the OSM, this may be good only 1 time until the problem is fixed. Do it slow and right and report back.

Okay, let me chime in here with a couple of questions:

First off, I have a slightly different model: I have the 42PF9431D/37, which I believe is just the 9631 without Ambilight. So first off, apologies, but I couldn't find a dedicated 9431 thread.

That said, the last three days I've had the 7-red-lights problem when trying to turn it on for the first time each day. Now, we've had a cold snap here in the Seattle area, and I *think* I am finding that when my living room is heated up, the TV is more likely to turn on, but it could be that I've simply tried plug/unplug enough times for it to finally work. (Both days I've tried it 5 or 6 times, waiting 10 minutes or so between each attempt.)

I found the diagnosis (the cap issue) on another message board, and after reading through that and the information in this thread, I am more confident than ever that when I get this thing wrestled to the ground and the back off of it, I'm gonna find bad caps.

So here's the deal: Preemptively, I went across town on Monday before the cold snap REALLY hit and got two 3300 uf / 25v replacement caps. (The 16v ones they had were big giant things that I know won't fit.) They are almost exactly 1/2" (16mm) across and about 1 1/4" (32mm) long.

My two questions:

1) Size-wise, think they'll fit? From what I read the dimensions are very close to the original caps.

2) I am very comfortable soldering. I am a little less comfortable soldering things that potentially carry electric charges that can shock the hell out of me. If I do get this board out of this TV, what's the best way to make sure everything is discharged so I don't fry myself?

Thanks much!

-- Chris