[Iceblade]

Hey guys,


I've owned this tv for about 14 months. Overall my experience has been fairly good, although I have experienced the following problems:


1.) The oft-mentioned "high pitched squeal" coming from the rear of the tv.


2.) Picture destruction accompanied by hideous high pitched explosion sound that had me fearing for my life.


and now...


3.) If there is a sudden change on the pic from light to dark, for instance a lightning flash across a nighttime sky, the tv seems to lose horizontal sync for a brief moment. This happens regardless of which input I am watching and what the source is (DVD, OTA, DirecTV).


Since moving to the new house, I haven't really noticed problem #1 happening any more. I unplugged the tv for about a month waiting on 4 service calls from Best Buy (never showed up for a single one) and finally decided to plug it back in... since then I have only had one brief Problem #2 happen and it hasn't done it in about a week.


However, Problem #3 is really irritating. I first noticed it while watching a DirecTV program on Sci-fi... I believe it was an advertisement for an upcoming Sci-Fi flick and there were alot of fast moving light-to-dark transitions. Like I said, I can see the "sync lines" moving in a slightly diagonal motion for about a half second until the pic becomes stable (i.e. very dark or light again). Anybody else see this before?


Thanks for any help you can throw my way.


Regards,

Jeff



------------------

* RCA MM36100 HDTV

* RCA DTC-100 STB

* Marantz SR-8000 Receiver

* Paradigm Reference Studio 40 (L & R)

* Paradigm Reference Studio CC

* Paradigm Reference ADP-450 (LS & RS)

* Paradigm PW-2200 Subwoofer

* Toshiba SD-3109 DVD

 

[RussSchultz]

I have had 4 36100's, and every one of them exhibited the same problems you're describing.


Of course, the final one quit doing the high pitched squeal right before the service man came over, and hasn't repeated it since. It still does the dancing lumincance thing, and occasionally screeches.


I swear the thing is built with demon imbued parts.


I'm planning on riding it for a few more months/year and call in the service contract. Perhaps I'll get a new TV when they can't fix the problem to my satisfaction.


------------------

What?! Me worry?

 

[PCman]

My MM36100 does not squeel or anything like that. For about the first month, it did shutoff and come back on for a second or two once in a while, but it has not done that in months now. The only complaint I have at all is the color shift when in HDTV mode or when using my PC on it in 800x600 res. SD or 640x480 res on the PC does not color shift at all. I got the extended 3 year warrent on mine, so I will wait a year or so and then call them to fix the color shift. Maybe by then they will not be able to fix it and just give me a new updated model without all the bugs. I love this TV, but it seems some people really have probs with this model.

 

[Valnar]

I regret this doesn't help the three of you who posted before me, but........


Does anyone know if those problems were fixed in the newest model MM36110?


I am considering that TV for all the reasons that made the 36100 great, including SVGA input.


Robert

 

[Ray H]

Jeff's observation that the mysterious "Squeal-of-Death" disappeared after taking up residence in a new house makes me wonder about line voltage fluctuations at his former residence. Many home electronics use switching power supplies these days instead of the former massive power transformers and rock-stable 1B3 rectifier tubes common in the early fifties (not very efficient, but just about bullet proof), and Thomson may have skimped a bit on under-over voltage tolerance for these sets. A surge protector would have no effect on an undervoltage situation, but, a backup power supply (say, rated to about 300 watts) might well be beneficial for both under and over line voltage conditions (It's a heck of a good surge protector, too!). Additionally, a sudden change in scene brightness stresses the TV's power supply very hard because of the rapid change in current being handled by the high voltage section. (I hate those commercials where the background alternately flashes between black and white to draw attention.)


[This message has been edited by Ray H (edited 05-26-2001).]

 

[Iceblade]

Hey guys,


I meant to post this when I foudn the solution to the "lightning flash" problem. It turned out to be a crappy S-video cable that caused the problem. This cable was connected from my Marantz SR8000 to one of the S-Video inputs on the back of the MM36100. So voila... that problem was solved.


UNFORTUNATELY, it seems like the TV has gone the way of the dodo as of this morning. Last night I turned off the power via the front panel. This morning, my wife went to turn the sucker on and -- NADA. No hum, no buzz.. no nothing. I spent half an hour with extension cords and anything else I could get my hands on to try out different power outlets with the tv, to no avail. The tv, along with 7 other audio and video components, were plugged into a Niles AC8DSS+ power center. None of the other devices are having problems, and the Niles thing seems to indicate that no surges happened. Not sure of that. We have been getting alot of nasty thunder and lightning since LAST Saturday here in Houston.


Anyway, long story short... I went to Best Buy, explained what a miserable experience I have had with the extended warrantee service guys NEVER showing up and said, "Can I just exchange my damn tv for another 36100?" Essentially the solution is now for them to come to my house, swap out the MM36100 for an MM36110. Which means that the wife and I are now shopping for a new entertainment center since the 36110 has those damn useless speakers on the SIDES instead of underneath like on the 36100.


Hopefully all the paperwork will go through and I will have my replacement TV in two weeks or so. So looks like I will most likely miss the first CBS showing of College Football this year!!! %&*%!!!!


Thanks for the help,

Jeff




------------------

* RCA MM36100 36" 4:3 Direct View HDTV

* RCA DTC-100 STB

* Marantz SR-8000 Receiver

* Paradigm Reference Studio 40 (L & R)

* Paradigm Reference Studio CC

* Paradigm Reference ADP-450 (LS & RS)

* Paradigm PW-2200 Subwoofer

* Toshiba SD-3109 DVD

* Audiotron Digital Music Player

* Panasonic PV-4559 Hi-Fi VHS