That's amazing, considering all the failures of SMD caps I've seen. Sony camcorders were some of the worst, 20 years ago. Many different devices come to mind... JVC hi-fi audio boards (no or distorted audio), Panasonic VCRs, just about any model including the AG "Pro line" models, I have a mint condition AG-1830 here with so many SMD caps bad it's hopeless. Used in so many electronic devices. I have a Icom 706 Mk IIG here with bad SMD caps all over. A $1000 radio.:tears:

Well I don't do it for a living...The SS gear I fix is mine and mostly 70's-90's stuff. I can't do SMD soldering worth a crap (nor do I see value in buying gear to do it better) so most stuff where the issue is most likely SMD gets round filed when it dies...Generally speaking most post 1980 SS stuff here gets the round file when it dies...Only things that have performed very well, have special features I like, or would be too costly to replace merit bench time upon failure.

Generally I've had no or very little luck soldering surface mount devices. Generally I just try to replace the board. Most of this newer stuff seems that either you change the board or trash the unit. Of course with cheap foreign made junk, generally you use it for a few years, it quits, and then you junk it for a newer "more improved" model. Just look at the cell phone industry. Most phones are only kept for 2 or 3 years (if that) and trashed for a newer model. Although I have a cell phone, our landline gets more use than my cell. Plus a landline is dependable, no dead spots, poor or dropped connections. Well so much about that. As far as the Samsung 50 inch, I ordered another power supply board, and should get it this week. I just hope they don't break this one in shipment. I'm still taking a chance that this will fix it.

Well, I got the replacement power supply board, installed it and it powered up. Picture is great, but not quite as it should be though. I have full screen, good color, no missing areas on the screen or solid lines, etc. But at times there are small digital sparkles, (sort of like snow you would see on a weak analog channel but finer) and it sort of looks like very fine (analog looking) horizontal trace lines like you would see on a low def. CRT set. Picture is bright, crisp looking, otherwise normal. One time (and only once) I tapped the Y sustain board and the sparkles disappeared, but came back once the set cooled off and I turned it on again. I am just receiving local high def channels over the air as of now. It's hard right now for me to take a photo screen shot as it had been wall mounted and I do not have a base here for it, so I have it leaning up against a wall with cardboard boxes bracing it so it doesn't slide over or break. I am suspecting the Y sustain board, as it is producing a low audible buzz noise. I ordered a replacement Y sustain, and I'm hoping that will take care of the problem. Here are some pictures of some parts of the screen taken at close range. Any thoughts? I hope I'm on the right track. All heat sinks run quite warm to the touch, but I assume that is normal.

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Yes, I checked the power supply voltages and they are exactly right on. I just received the new Y sustain board and installed it. Still a few sparkles but almost gone. Of course this is on broadcast stations. I hooked up a blue-ray player and pictures looks perfect no sparkles at all. Also with the replacement board (y sustain) the lines don't pair up anymore, looks pretty good. I think I will put it back together and see how it goes.

The sparkles are there for the first 10 minutes or so, then they disappear. I've tried adjusting the 3 pots on the Y sustain and it just seems to make it worse to I moved them back to the original position. Maybe it's the buffer board, but seems as if the only one available right now on E-bay is $80, and it might not even take care of the problem. I think my friend who I'm fixing it for is just going to have to live with it. It is possible there is some damage to the screen? It was hauled horizontally in a pickup with the glass facing down.

I know on some models, specifically the Vizio 42s with the LG panel (VP42, P42HD, etc), I would see sparkles on the high-hour sets. I would tweak them out with the pots as best as I could, but they didn't always go away completely.

I guess I am saying, with your set, it might have a lot of hours on it, and that's as good as it's going to get.

Also, that laying-flat thing is an old wives tale in my opinion. When I worked at the recycler, ALL of our TVs were shipped to us flat, in stacks, on pallets. You've seen how they work, I don't see how anything could be damaged by laying them down.

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The set was quite a challenge to fix, but I now have it working really good, once it warms up for 5 or 10 minutes. Apparently the set has had quite a few hours on it and being a Samsung, I believe the sparkles are just caused by a weak high hours panel. But fixing it became quite a challenge. First finding out the power supply was the main culprit, and I ordered a used one off E-bay. Well that one came in the mail with the box crushed and one corner of the panel broken off, so had to send it back for credit and order another one from a different supplier. Then after seeing pairing of lines and sparkles, I figured out the Y sustain board had problems. I ordered one (also of E-bay), adjusted the pots on the board for the least amount of sparkles and had a good picture, well for about 2 hours, and guess what, I went back to check on the set, and the screen was flashing off and on, high contrast, super bright. Checked power supply voltages, and they were jumping up and down. Unplugged the Y sustain, and power supply voltages were normal, and adjustable, but no picture of course. Well scrap the Y sustain board, and ordered another. Got the 2nd Y sustain board in the set (adjusted the pots) and the set has worked perfect for over a week now, about 6-8 hours a day. Apparently the first Y sustain board crapped out after a couple of hours of use. Finally got everything back together and the set is looking good, except for a few sparkles when first turned on. Another "learning" project completed. I think working on old tube TVs is actually easier to troubleshoot.

You might be able to check the actual hours on this set by using one of the methods listed here:

http://www.hometheatershack.com/foru...ur-plasma.html

I just found out yesterday my repairs were a success, after the replacement of both the power supply board and the Y sustain board. My friend that owns the set says it's still going strong, yes a few sparkles in the picture most likely due to a weak plasma panel, but I was able to reduce them to a minimum with adjustments on the Y sustain. It has an excellent picture otherwise and they are happy with the results. Thanks for all the advice from fellow VKers.

Good show!