Weird line around edge of Samsung LCD
 

My 2008 Samsung, bought in 2011-12 for $25, replaced one capacitor and no further problems.

However, it has been developing this weird line around the edge of the screen over that last few years, it started way out at the edge and has been creeping slowly inward. It's mostly on the top and right side, a little on the left and none at the bottom, possibly because it's moving down off the screen? Or maybe it's a Cataract where the Liquid part is deteriorating around the edge? The image is fine past the line so it's not affecting the function.

The set is probably very low hours since it failed early on in it's life, I hardly use it, but when it's really in the Summer, I like to go in the bedroom, turn on the small A/C and cool down watching TV. Running the Plasma during peak hours is too expensive.

Anyone experience this? I hadn't used the set in months and it was noticeably further in than the last time I used it.

Either delamination of the display or maybe some moisture intrusion. Is this stored in a humid environment?

John

This some kind of smartphone data streaming rate thing, or is the California electrical grid so screwed up they're charging more for power during peak hours (I've never heard of a time varied electrical utility rate for residential customers before)?

That is weird. Looks like a frame that is not illuminated by the back lighting.

California is the most populous state with 40 million people. In Summer, air conditioning puts a strain on the grid, so California offers flex time to ease the strain during peak hours. We took advantage of the offer in our 30 years living there. Use dishwasher at night, set thermostat to 80 during the day, etc. We saved money.

No, So Cal on the fringes of the Mojave Desert, also A/C in the house.
It is mounted up high on the wall, the top of the set is only 4 or 5 inches from the ceiling so it's probably a little hotter up there, but not significantly.

As long as it works it doesn't really bother me, I was just curious what was happening. It'll be interesting to see how far it progresses.

It's been great for a $25 set, it was only three years old when I got it and Flat Screens were still somewhat expensive at the time.

Here in the Tucson area, Tucson Electric Power offers a couple of types of discount rates, one set based on time-of-day rates and another based on peak demand. Unfortunately, neither helps me, since 1) I am retired and home all day; and 2) my house has two independent HVAC units, one for upstairs and one for downstairs, and when both happen to run at the same time, they exceed any of the demand-limited plans.

Back in northern Illinois, Com Ed had a small discount plan based on allowing remote shut off of the AC compressor - $5 / month for up to 1/2 hour per day, and $10 for up to a few hours a day (don't recall how many). I had the $5 plan, and only once in 15 years did they actually cycle the compressor off.

Actually I guess i'm on a Tiered rate so when I use it doesn't matter, they do request that people do laundry and other heavy loads in the evening to prevent overloading the Grid.

I got into Tier 2 last month by 49 Kwh, it apparently doesn't get really expensive until you hit tier 4, I've never been there afaik.

I wonder if your Samsung has the same manufacturer of LCD panel as my old Sony? About the same vintage. "S-LCD" was the joint effort with Sony and Samsung to produce LCD panels. My high hour Sony has one in it. I can see the tag on the back of the panel through the cabinet grill. Now, on a dark screen and looking a little off axis especially, I can see some odd shading about 1" all the way around the edge of the screen. Not a distinct line like yours though. I don't see this on normal video and looking at it from a normal viewing angle.

Probably some type of deterioration from exposure to atmosphere, just like the PVA deterioration on CRT sets.

If it ever dies I'll have to dissect it and see if I can figure it out.

Be careful! That inner glass layer is *thin* and if it cracks, will cut you almost like a razor.

John

Here's what mine's looking like. It's pretty even all the way around. Not noticeable under normal viewing angles and picture content. I started noticing it at night when I would power off the DVR first and the screen would go near black. In the pic there's a lot of ambient light reflected off the screen from the next room. It does black a lot better than that.

I think operating the panels cooler would improve things a lot. Fans would be my solution. Remember, the manufacturers need to keep you buying a new one every few years.
An interesting page of panel manufacturers.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o..._manufacturers

One thing I've done since I bought mine in 2008, I run the backlight at 3 out of 10. (It's still plenty bright enough for me.) With it plugged into a Kill-A-Watt meter at the factory setting it drew over 200 W. With the backlight set on 3 the power was about 95 Watts and the set runs noticeably cooler. I'll attribute that to its long life so far.

The only thing I could think of would be a failure in the polarizers. I believe all lcd panels have two of them, one vertical and one horizontal. Seems far fetched to me, but it's better than saying that gremlins have been attacking your tv.

Damn foreign tv, shoulda bought a Zenith.

How about the big black blobs that move around? I was able to push one off the screen with my thumb. Took me a couple of days though.

That's a delamination issue. I'm surprised you were able to resolve it..

John

I've been seeing a rash of two year old Samsungs coming in with the edge lit LED strips absolutely trashed. So bad that they are shorting through the barrier and making contact with the aluminum substrate and therefore grounding out.

The problem with the edge lit versions is that they damage the diffusion barrier behind the screen where it comes into close proximity with the LEDs.

Turning down the back lights is crucial if you want more than two years out of any TV.

In the case of CCFLs like yours, turning the backlights down would extend the life of them but even run full out, they are good for 30K hours minimum, and I've seen several at 60K hours still running fine.

John