Philips 42PF9631D HD Plasma - Page 52

My Plasma has been relegated to the Garage Shop - pretty nice TV for that area if I can keep it working...

Not sure how many hours you have on it or how long you spend in the Garage, but it can last a LONG time if you don't use it that much every day.

Think about it: my original 42" 9631 is now my bedroom TV where it gets used about 1/10th as much as the main TV. If the 42" had maybe only 1,000 hours left on it -- about 6 months as my everyday #1 TV -- that will be 6 years of service before it breaks down or reaches its useful life in the bedroom !

Hii dears,

As I above mentioned I have 42PF9631D/10 plasma TV with 6-3 red led problem..Tv is 2006 model and problem is 6 months old. I've already read all pages but I could not understand the solution completly.First of all how to identfy the problem..fuse or capacitors? If anyone tell us step by step the diagnosis method will be appreciated.

I can on the Tv by un-plugged/plugged again only and sometimes it needs 10 times to on.(Turn of ambilight sometimes helps decrease of the the openning time)
Sorry for my poor english..waiting your clear help.

Hi Feyizu.....even though the capacitor problem seems to be linked to 7-Blinking LEDs, the fact you are getting your TV on with PLUG-UNPLUG shows that maybe your model # and circuit board # indicate that problem.

(1) Replace the 2 caps we have talked about here with the Digikey replacements.

(2) If that doesn't work, then try either the fuse replacement mentioned a few pages back or the Big Fat capacitor replacement that Montl did in the previous page.

Yes, turning OFF Ambilight helps with PLUG/UNPLUG...it's always good to turn off Ambilight before turning off the TV because even on regular POWER-UP, the circuits have to work harder to turn on both the TV and the Ambilights.

Just a side note the Cap that I am replacing is not a big one - it is a small one in 100uf 35v cap - .315 Diameter x .450 tall.

I am replacing it with a Digi-Key 493-4501-1-ND

Fingers crossed if it will fix my 6 blink problem...

Thank You PhilipsPhanatic for your quick reply..I have one more question...If I decide to preplace power supply Unit instead of several caps, how can I find the correct P/N of PSU without open the TV unit?

Full model code of TV is: 42PF9631D/10 and S/N is:T62206322 or QG1C0631024148
There are several PSU in Digikey website, I've chatted with digikey salesman but he could not help me about P/N of PSU.

Not sure....I've never been an expert on the innards of the 9631, either the capacitors or the entire circuit boards.

Didn't even know they sold entire circuit boards for the 9631....but I would guess you are going to have to open up the back. Will take 10-15 minutes I think.

Try and fix the TV by replacing individual capacitors. You're going to have to open up the back to replace/check them out.

Bad news for me - The failing 100uF cap that I replaced did not fix the problem.

I still have the 6 red blinks.

At this point I am done with trying to fix my TV. Sounds like it is going to go on Craigslist Bay Area as a TV for parts for someone...

Thanks for the help everyone!

WAIT !!!

Did you replace the 3300 uf 10v's or the problem fuse that someone else here replaced ?

THOSE have been proven to fix the 6-3 problem....you may have replaced a redundant capacitor that had nothing to do with the problem.

If you are getting your 9631 on with PLUG/UNPLUG, then it's the 3300's....get new ones from Digikey.

Hii dears;

I need your comments about the firmware upgrade on my 42 in plasma TV.
According to the given procedure on Philips homepage, I've downloaded/unzipped the upgrade file and copied to the empty USB memorystick(memorystick is not new but cleaned and formatted for this upgrade)..file name is "autorun.upg".version of upgrade file is newer than mine.I inserted the USB to plasma and opened it but nothing happened(upgrade dos not start automatically)..tried several times but no success..TV reads the USB but upgrade does not start.Then tried to manual upgrade using TV menu, however said "no upgrade file in this media or something like that...I've checked several times that upgrade file is in USB memorystick..I had several times upgrade before without any trouble for other Philips Tv's but this time I could not???

Have you any comments about my unsuccesfull upgrade attempt?

Use a brand-new, low-megabyte or gigabyte USB stick and retry it.

I've tried with brand new USB stick but no success..Then I've asked to Local Philips service engineer and he said "if there is any hardware problem on plasma, it is impossible to wirmware upgrade"..have you heard something like this?
Actually this reply is logic for my case because My plasma has 6-3 red blink problem and still did not touch it..however I dont understand the relation with hardware problem and firmware upgrade???

Sometimes the memory stick capacity matters. The smaller the better. Use a 512MB or 1GB size.



The rep may have meant "if you can't turn the TV on you'll not be able to upgrade." As long as you can get the TV up and running you should be able to upgrade.

You asked for a step by step to fix capacitor problem? Here's mine:
1. Order the caps first. They shouldn't be more than $10 shipped.
2. My TV has torx screw heads. I think it takes a #10 Torx and the larger ones are a #25 Torx. Get those.
3. When the caps come in take you tv down and take out all the screws that hold the back onto the front.
4. The power board is the board that has the AC power wires going to it. (Did I mention UNPLUG THE TV!?!?!)
5. Press the power button a few times to deplete the caps.
6. Take picture of cable positions then remove cables then the board.
7. My caps didn't have any visible ooze or bloating, yours might. Find caps number C8059 & C8060, unsolder them (remember their orientation ("+" "-"))
8. Solder in new caps.
9. Put board back in and reattach cables.
10. Plug in TV.
11. Power on
12. Good luck.

Folks, you are making it more difficult for yourself than it has to be. I know looking at an electronic circuit board can be quite intimidating if you don't know what you are looking for, however the fix for each problem has been stated in the thread.
Steps to take before removing or assuming a part is bad or assuming that you are pulling the correct part.

1. Identify which of the 3 power supplies you have in your unit.
2. Confirm the problem is similar to one of the posts here unless you just want to replace the caps as a preventive measure.
3. Identify the parts that failed visually and also by what's discussed here for that particular power supply (SMPS), PSU.

4. Purchase the parts as per the value written on the parts or as per the posted part numbers here.

5. Replace the parts. Be patient.

The SMPS are all not the same so capacitor c810 is not the same c 810 across the board.
I hope this helps

Get a friend who is PC smart and understands how to 'unzip' a ZIP file, what the ".exe" folder/file does, etc etc etc. Have him help you with it IF you are NOT good with software and PC stuff (like me).

All I knew was to put the damn thing on the USB stick and then hope it did it automatically. Fortunately, it worked.

You know there are 2 different ways -- automatic and manual -- to upgrade the firmware ?

BTW, you should write down the current version you are running.

Feyizu, listen to D_Cool & Carpenter....go back a few pages, there are solutions to the 7-blinking LED and 6-3 blinking problems. Sometimes 6-3 is a capacitor problem, sometimes it is something else (fuse ?).

I would fix the HARDWARE problem first since if you can't get the TV on/fixed it doesn't really matter if you have the latest software upgrade, right ?

Does your TV work now ? If 6-3 Blink is the problem, does PLUG/UNPLUG get it on for you ???

Don't forget to re-set the hours counter in the Service Menu (the 2nd one).

I have no problem with PC and related applications..also I know how to unzip etc. additionally I did before the firmware upgrade for this plasma and other LCD TV.
I ordered the caps for 6-3 blinking problem whenever I received them I'll try to replace..I am mechanical engineer and I have some experience about mechanis but not so much experience about electronics..however I have welding gun and I'll try to replace caps..How difficult could be??
Since TV still works by unpluging/pluging I am not in a hurry.

By the way I need some help about re-set the hour counter...is there any link or explanation about how to do?

Good, you should be OK then....consult the Philips Manual about AUTOMATIC and MANUAL upgrading of the firmware. One might work better for you. Again, get a CLEAN and preferably small megabyte/gigabyte USB.


Sounds like the 3300 cap problem....should be easily fixable. You seem to know what to do, go back to August/September 2010 posts (including mine) for pictures, videos, helpful tips, etc, on doing the re-solder.


0...6....2....5...9....6...INFO

Hit those on your PHILIPS remote....the "6" won't show on the TV, just hit "INFO" right after. You should get the Service Menu Warning....enter the SM....just SCROLL up/down....do not change any settings...goto the 2nd (lower scroll) Hours Counter....if it's stuck at 4,000 reset to 0000....if it's below 4,000 write down hours and check back in days/weeks/months when it should hit 4,000 based on your daily usage.

I've tried to enter the service menu for test purpose by hitting 0...6....2....5...9....6...INFO on the remote but notting happened..just said "channel not adjusted" Did I miss some thing or done something wrong?
I've searched the topic then try to hit 0...6....2....5...9....6...MENU this time...screen cahanged to menu screen and SDM letters appeared on the upper RH corner of the screen but no SM warning..also menu language changed to English automatically(normally menu language setting was Turkish)..I changed the menu language Turkish again and exit from the menu..but SDM letters on the upper RH corner still exist. I think something wrong.
After OFF/ON of the plasma, SDM letters went off..I am confused what does it mean?

Dear friends;
I've tried to enter the service menu for test purpose by hitting 0...6....2....5...9....6...INFO on the remote but notting happened..just said "channel not adjusted" Did I miss some thing or done something wrong?

Attached my remote picture..which is the info button?

Hmmmm....you saw the "0-6-2-5-9" all show up in blue on the TV screen ???

Might take 2 or 3 times...hit each digit CLEARLY....you should see all/most of the numbers show on the screen (except the last#6).....hit each digit/number CLEARLY and then hit INFO.

WARNING box should show up and then access it via the RED button.

(1) If the number entries don't 'hit' then hitting MENU will access the normal On-Screen Menu. That tells you to re-try from scratch.

(2) Don't know what SDM letters are.

(3) Not sure about language shift, are you in Turkey ? Or do you have the language set to Turkish ? If this is a foreign-built TV, then maybe the SM code won't work though if the TV is a 9630/31 I thought it would.

Put the TV on....just put it on a regular TV channel.....make sure you have good batteries in the remote.....0-6-2-5-9-6 (won't show) and INFO....should get in on 2nd or 3rd attempt if not 1st.

Report back......

I did it at last..the problem was the last hitting button...0-6-2-5-9-6 and INFO works on my other Philips LCD tv but does not work on 42in plasma..because my plasma remote has no info button and needs to be hit (i+) button as final (I've found that information from the other forum where all Phlips model's codes given by some electronics there)..O.K friends now I can enter the service menu..now which data should be taken from and which operation hours should be reset and how?
There are two operation hours; the 1st one is on the first screen after hitting red button and O/H is 22528..on the 2nd one O/H PDP is 4000 and can be reached by scrooling down in the menu.

Reset the 2nd number stuck at 4,000 hours.....you probably have about 17,000 hours on the TV which is alot (going by the old rule of thumb which is that the 1st number X 80% = actual hours).

The actual hours counter is the 2nd one which got stuck at 4,000 years ago.

Write down both numbers and go back in a few months and you can see how each has increased once you re-set the 2nd numbers to "0000."

Congrats !

As for your original TV problem, do you see any ERROR codes or messages in the SM ? Again, just scroll and look and outside of resetting the 4 digits to "0000" don't change or enter anything.

Black Screen: My screen has been undergoing an occasional 'black out' where I hear sound but the screen goes dark. Turning OFF/ON the cable box and/or the TV or waiting and it usually comes back. I can't see the On Screen Menu when I hit it.

It's intermittent and I can't tell if it's the TV, cable box, or something else. TV is getting up there in use but this came out of nowhere; and so far it's only happened 4-5 times in a row, a few times ever few days/weeks.

TV then runs for hours fine.

O.K..I will do it, I think I will just enter the four zero on side menu..is it correct?..BTW what is the importance of resetting O/H counter? why do we reset that counter?

Yes, on the 3rd line there is Errors title and on the side menu there are some numbers which: 63 00 00 00 00 and below 00 00 00 00 00.

Also there are several data on SM..should I note them on somewhere..at the end of SM there is two options 1) download from USB 2) upload to USB etc.
so may be possible to upload those to the USB in case of necessary.

Hii dears...I've ordered the two caps (493-1754-ND)to digikey however I 've cancelled because of transportation cost..(They claimed US$ 75 for transportaion)
Now I will look for in local markets and found already but there are some difference between digikey's and mine..(Brand name is Panasonic EEUFFM1A332 and major specifications are same)
1) Digikey cap is PW series, mine is FM
2) Digikey cap's Ripple current is 1.95 A, mine is 3190 mA
3) Dİgikey cap's Impedance is 30 mOhm, mine is 0.015 ohm

That are the differences and taken from their spec. list..I dont know anything about electronics,,please tel me can I use those caps instead of digikey's?

Well, if you did it when it first happened you'd have a more accurate Hour Count. The 2nd number is actual hours and it gets 'stuck' at 4,000 and you have to reset it. Use the 4-way directional buttons to move RIGHT when you scroll down and then you can manually change each number to "0000."

The 1st number is hours the TV is on PLUS 1/2 hour each time the TV is turned ON or OFF. So it is HIGHER than the other one. The ratio tends to approach 80% on average.

So....once you change your 2nd Hour Count to "0000", write down BOTH numbers somewhere. In a few months go back and check and see what they both are.

The change in the 1st number (New Reading - Old Reading) will be a bit higher than the new 2nd Count reading. The ratio of the 2 numbers will be your actual ratio % that I discussed above.

The ratio is HIGHER the longer your TV stays on without ONs and OFFs.