PLEASE NOTE : I will NOT email you the service manual. I get several requests per day to send the manual to people. I tried to make the manual available via the link below. If that works for you, great. If it doesn't, I'm sorry.
- The service manual is at the bottom -
Recently I started having problems with my Samsung Slimfit HDTV (TX-R3079WH) that I bought at Best Buy. There have been many complaints about the geometry of the TV that I have read online, but mine had never been particularly bad. All of the sudden, the geometry started getting progressively worse - with the picture bowing out to the side. In 4:3 mode, the picture almost filled the entire screen, and in 16:9 mode, the edge of the picture was significantly off the screen.
To top it off, the TV started turning itself off at seemingly random times. Well, not so random. At the worst possible times actually. Pretty much every time there was a gunshot, or explosion, or loud scream, or anything else exciting and climactic on the screen. After it turned itself off, I would have to wait a few minutes, and then I could turn it back on.
Fortunately I bought the Service Plan from Best Buy. On many items I think the service plans are a big rip-off. But in this case, I definately came out ahead, as the repairs were $300, on an $800 tv, and the plan only cost me $120.
Apparently some models of the slimfit have the incorrect resistors/capacitors/something electric in them. This causes power fluctuations (causing the geometry problem), and eventually as a self-protection method, the TV turns itself off to avoid surges. My mom bought the same TV as I have, so I was worried that she would have the problem too. The tech gave me the serial number pattern of the affected TVs. If your serial number has a Y in the middle, followed by an 8, 9, or A, you are affected. so Y8, Y9, or YA for the pattern deficient out there.
The bad timing of the power-off occured because additional power is needed to show/hear the explosions etc, and that was enough to push it over the edge each time.
The fix only took a few minutes, he popped the back off the TV, yanked some stuff, and soldered something else back in.
After that the TV worked great, but the geometry was not back to perfect. He didnt have the service manual with him, but he said he would email it to me. He did, and I was able to use it to fix the TV. In the interests of helping all the other slimfit owners out there, I will post an HTML version of the manual below. I also have the PDF if you want a copy that way that has the pictures and stuff. Use the manual at your own risk, I wont take the blame if you screw up your TV, and you might void your warranty by doing something in there.
The PDF can be found here : http://google.com/base_media?q=hand-2197576518937845934&size=8
PLEASE NOTE : I will NOT email you the service manual. I get several requests per day to send the manual to people. I tried to make the manual available via the link above. If that works for you, great. If it doesn't, I'm sorry.
Print | posted on Thursday, August 17, 2006 9:44 AM