LG 32LX4DC buttons don't work

[MRX37]

Found an LG 32LX4DC today on the curb. Almost didn't bring it home, decided to anyway just to see what's wrong with it.

I expected the set to be dead, either bad caps or a bad board in it. To my surprise, plugging in the set makes it turn on and the screen, apart from a nasty scratch, works fine.

But the front panel buttons don't work. Power, channel, volume. None of the buttons do anything.

I've already taken it apart to see what's what. tried reflowing the soldering on the button and remote control boards, no effect. Wondering what the issue could be.

Also wondering if it's worth my time to fix it. It has some things going for it and against it.

CONS:

Screen has a deep scratch.
No HDMI
720P resolution

PROS:

Very well built, with the weight to back it up. 55 pounds worth. Thick, solid metal both for the stand and inside the TV. LG did not go cheap when making this TV!
No apparent bad caps.
Some unique features such as two VGA ports.

I don't really need it, but it's not often I find an LCD TV, much less one that doesn't have a cracked LCD.

[Findm-Keepm]

Originally Posted by MRX37

Found an LG 32LX4DC today on the curb. Almost didn't bring it home, decided to anyway just to see what's wrong with it.

I expected the set to be dead, either bad caps or a bad board in it. To my surprise, plugging in the set makes it turn on and the screen, apart from a nasty scratch, works fine.

But the front panel buttons don't work. Power, channel, volume. None of the buttons do anything.

I've already taken it apart to see what's what. tried reflowing the soldering on the button and remote control boards, no effect. Wondering what the issue could be.

Also wondering if it's worth my time to fix it. It has some things going for it and against it.

CONS:

Screen has a deep scratch.
No HDMI
720P resolution

PROS:

Very well built, with the weight to back it up. 55 pounds worth. Thick, solid metal both for the stand and inside the TV. LG did not go cheap when making this TV!
No apparent bad caps.
Some unique features such as two VGA ports.

I don't really need it, but it's not often I find an LCD TV, much less one that doesn't have a cracked LCD.

Lemme dig through my archived manuals on CD - I have the service manual for this set, and can either email it or make it available via download. I have all the post-2000 LG and Zenith stuff from the LG Service Academy website.

[Eric H]

Could there be something in the setup to deactivate the panel buttons, for use in a public display or similar where you don't want people tampering?

[MRX37]

Originally Posted by Findm-Keepm

Lemme dig through my archived manuals on CD - I have the service manual for this set, and can either email it or make it available via download. I have all the post-2000 LG and Zenith stuff from the LG Service Academy website.

That would be pretty cool if you can find it.

Originally Posted by Eric H

Could there be something in the setup to deactivate the panel buttons, for use in a public display or similar where you don't want people tampering?

Googling brought up a lot of stuff regarding a hotel mode. Apparently these TV's were suitable for the hotel industry, which I can believe as they're built like tanks. I kid you not the metal cover for the mainboard is 1/8th inch thick steel and it could probably stop a bullet.

Anyway, even if the set was in hotel mode, the power button should at least work.

[kf4rca]

The last time I saw this, I had to do a software update. Fortunately I was able to find the file online and download it to a thumb drive.
Then you plug the thumb into the USB port on the set, turn the set on, and the rest is done automatically.

[MRX37]

Originally Posted by kf4rca

The last time I saw this, I had to do a software update. Fortunately I was able to find the file online and download it to a thumb drive.
Then you plug the thumb into the USB port on the set, turn the set on, and the rest is done automatically.

Uhhhh... there is no USB port.

There's a serial port and what looks like an RJ45 port, but no USB port.

[Findm-Keepm]

Originally Posted by MRX37

Uhhhh... there is no USB port.

There's a serial port and what looks like an RJ45 port, but no USB port.

The Serial port is RS232, and there are a set of commands you can send to the set to perform a remote/front panel lockout. We used to do them with RCAs that were used as monitors in schools.

You'll need the LG terminal program or a really good understanding of how to send specific commands to the set via PC.

[MRX37]

Originally Posted by Findm-Keepm

The Serial port is RS232, and there are a set of commands you can send to the set to perform a remote/front panel lockout. We used to do them with RCAs that were used as monitors in schools.

You'll need the LG terminal program or a really good understanding of how to send specific commands to the set via PC.

Oooh... Uh given the scratched LCD and no HDMI (technically DVI is the same just with no audio) and the fact that I already have a 32" LCD and don't need another one...

Unless there's something simpler I can try first, I'll just get rid of it.

[Findm-Keepm]

The service manual is an 11 Meg PDF, else I would post it. I guess I need to get a dropbox or Google drive - I was using a hook-up from a buddy, who let me FTP some stuff up to his work site...

I also found a LGTerminal program - it's a 2 Meg Rar, and works. Lemme know, and I can make arrangements. 31 LG CDROMs, and they are a pain, as I haven't labeled them with the exact contents. I guess I should rent some space in the cloud, and make it available somehow. I probably have a Terabyte or two of Service Data - Thomson (90+ CDs), Hitachi (11 CDs), LG, Zenith, Philips, Sony (ESI CDs, no anchor program, just directories) and a smattering of Samsung, Sanyo, Panasonic, and others. Findm-Keepm, I say...

[MRX37]

Nah. I'm not going to go through all that to get an 8 year old LCD TV with a damaged screen up and running.

Sometimes its best to know when to let a project go.

[Findm-Keepm]

Originally Posted by MRX37

Nah. I'm not going to go through all that to get an 8 year old LCD TV with a damaged screen up and running.

Sometimes its best to know when to let a project go.

eBay the boards - use the scratched screen as the reason for parting out.

[MRX37]

Hm they are worth a fair bit... Might do that if I need the money.

[MRX37]

Actually I probably won't ebay the parts and here's why:

eBay is great if you're a buyer. You usually get great customer service because a negative feedback will really damage a seller, if not outright torpedo them. So a seller will usually bend over backwards to make you happy. Again, great if you're a buyer.

If you're a seller however...

Well first is the item even worth selling on eBay? The ideal items to sell are things that are worth a lot but don't cost much to ship. Phones, tablets, various other electronics, small collectables, the list goes on. Those items you can advertise ***FREE SHIPPING*** and eat the shipping cost while still making a profit. and if a customer doesn't like it, you can eat the cost of a return label as well and still get that all mighty positive feedback.

In the case of these TV boards, yeah they're fairly pricey on eBay, but so is an Electro Voice SP-15 woofer, like the one I have and have been trying to sell for years.

So it's a gamble of paying for the ad/exposure, eating the shipping cost to be competitive with other sellers, risking the customer returning it and eating the cost of a return label... all for parts that I might make $100 off of after ebay takes their cut, and that's even if they sell.

Not worth it to me.

[MRX37]

Okay here's an update: I now know the buttons do work and the remote sensor works. It's just that this TV has been completely locked down. So technically it's not broken, just more locked down then a Verizon phone...

I found out I can get into a service menu by holding both the MENU button on the universal remote that I programmed, and the MENU button on the TV. Do this for about 20 seconds and one of two service menus pop up, an EZ start menu and a more technical menu

Found out I had the remote programmed when the LED on the TV blinked.

So it seems like I'm close...

Oh and feel free to get pissed at the jerk who made this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61qBtWSFngU

He shows that the TV can be unlocked with a remote, but doesn't explain how he does it.

[MRX37]

Originally Posted by Findm-Keepm

The service manual is an 11 Meg PDF, else I would post it. I guess I need to get a dropbox or Google drive - I was using a hook-up from a buddy, who let me FTP some stuff up to his work site...

Could you by chance send me more of that service manual.

See, I was going to give up on this, but I decided to play with it and see if a remote would do anything. So I programmed a universal remote with some LG codes. Once I saw the LED on the TV blinking when I pressed a button on the remote, I knew the remote was programmed right.

So I pressed on and found out how to get into what looks like a service menu, and what looks like a simpler service menu that allows for picture adjustments.

I found that less then helpful video showing that yes the TV can be brought out of hotel mode. The guy making the video didn't feel the need to explain how he did it of course, but I now know it's possible and possible without messing around with a terminal program or hunting down a serial cable.

Also I discovered just now that if I press and hold the MENU button on the remote, well the menu doesn't come up, but the channel display does, then I can put in a single command with the remote before it locks back up again. So I can now change inputs in a roundabout way.

So I can't give up on this now, not when I'm one menu setting away from having a usable TV.