Quote:
Originally Posted by KV-1926R
I see a big ol' gap coming in technical history as none of today's junk sets will be around in the decades to come. Surface mount=not repairable.
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I agree. Flat screens with modules, however, will be repairable, albeit not at board level due to, as you mentioned, surface-mounted components. Most FS TVs only have three such modules and, of course, the LCD panel; when these sets develop problems, they can almost always be found on one of those modules, which of course can be replaced. The LCD display can be replaced easily enough, but the problem is that the cost of a new panel, plus the shop's labor charges, often (more often than not) equals or exceeds the cost of a brand new TV. I personally would not even bother having a flat screen (with a name I never heard of) repaired, for just that reason.
Any flat screen TV that lasts anywhere near ten years will be one for the record books, as these sets are simply not meant to last that long. Replacement of components such as burst electrolytic capacitors or capacitors with bulges (the main cause of total failure in flat screens) is beyond the abilities of most non-technical people, so when any flat screen goes bad after the warranty expires, the set will be put out for the trash and a new one purchased. I saw a Westinghouse 24" (approximately) flat screen in the trash behind my apartment last year; it wound up there probably due to a defective capacitor or even a broken screen. I couldn't tell the condition of the panel, since the TV was placed with the screen facing one of the trash barrels. My best guess is a component failed, probably a power supply electrolytic.
It's a shame that very large flat screens (which includes the newest 4K and UHD [ultra-HD] TVs now appearing in stores), which cost upwards of $1k (not chicken feed to most people), are junked after the warranty expires, and it is very wasteful to junk a smaller set when it eventually quits. Stores such as Best Buy do have recycling programs for old, defective flat screens, but just how many people take advantage of them is anyone's guess unless the store recycles the old sets as soon as they come in.