Help With Smart TV Repair

[Fixer Guy 73]

Hello.

I'm new here and I'm hoping someone can help me.
55 inch TCL Smart TV
Model number 55S41R
Serial number 2307GNA003221A01571.

This set is just 2 days over the warranty and the picture went out. There is sound and I can switch channels up and down but there is no picture. I unplugged the TV, waited 2 hours and plugged it back in and it made no difference. TCL refuses to honor the warranty because it's 2 days over the warranty. I have tools and I'm handy. Can someone please tell me which control board or (or boards) need to be replaced ?

Thank You So Much.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

I did something similar a while back, but your best bet is to find relevant YouTube videos.

edit: Like I said, there is always something relevant on YT:

 

[highfigh]

This is one of the reasons I have always thought that TVs should be stupid. If I want the TV to display ANYTHING, I'll send it- as a custom integrator, I have seen too many "smart" TVs that had problems with those features. A Roku starts at $29.99 and it's reliable. If someone wants to drink the Apple KoolAid, that costs more (and it doesn't even come with a turtleneck sweater).

Buy a Roku Express 4K+ for $39.99 and be done with it.

 

[TLS Guy]

Hello.

I'm new here and I'm hoping someone can help me.
55 inch TCL Smart TV
Model number 55S41R
Serial number 2307GNA003221A01571.

This set is just 2 days over the warranty and the picture went out. There is sound and I can switch channels up and down but there is no picture. I unplugged the TV, waited 2 hours and plugged it back in and it made no difference. TCL refuses to honor the warranty because it's 2 days over the warranty. I have tools and I'm handy. Can someone please tell me which control board or (or boards) need to be replaced ?

Thank You So Much.

Without a service manual, which modern scum manufacturers refuse to make available, you are likely out of luck.
The other issue is that when you change a board in modern equipment, you often have to install codes the manufacturer won't give you and sometimes re-flashing BIOS is required which only service centers can do, if you are lucky.

There are no local service center guys to guide you, as they have been put out of business by this scum.

So, unfortunately you will have to send it to an authorized service center. You may well find that cost more than a new TV, and so have to recycle it already.

Before you do that, I would wiggle all the board connectors just in case one is lose.

In future try and stay away from junk Asian brands like TCL. Sony or LG are your best bet. You have found the hard way, that the cheaper products are often the most expensive.

A cursory search turns up that those TVs are widely known for a black screen. There are videos of how to proceed. Unfortunately the cause is often the LED screen backlighting.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

another issue worth mentioning is this: the same brand-new model costs $271.6 at Walmart (or even cheaper for similar model)
I can almost guarantee you that most attempts even at self-repair would likely cost more, not to mention any cost of 3rd party repairs outside warranty.
They are built to cost - aka JUNK and they are clearly engineered to fail

 

[BMXTRIX]

another issue worth mentioning is this: the same brand-new model costs $271.6 at Walmart (or even cheaper for similar model)
I can almost guarantee you that most attempts even at self-repair would likely cost more, not to mention any cost of 3rd party repairs outside warranty.
They are built to cost - aka JUNK and they are clearly engineered to fail

This is always the way I think about this type of stuff. I mean, my 65" Samsung plasma was $3,000 new, but when it stopped working I just went to Walmart and picked up the 58" Hisense Roku TV for under $300. It's even cheaper now. Like $260 or something. It's not my plasma, but that's fine since I have it in my guest bedroom. If the TV fails in a few years, then I will just get something else.

I did spend some time messing about with my old TV and I just don't have the know how to fix it. Yes, I can swap a board out, but I can't measure or test the board properly to know what the actual problem is. So, I sadly tossed it. This is the simple reality of these things. If you really know your stuff, I encourage people to play with them to try to get them fixed on their own. But, if you actually want to just watch some TV, then it is much quicker to just go out and grab a new one.

 

[Eppie]

The most common things to go on a flat panel TV are the power supply and back-light. If you get sound and can change channels, then the power supply is likely still ok. It becomes more a matter of whether or not you can get the parts. The first video posted is pretty good. Note that the parts are surface mounted so replacing them is not trivial without the proper equipment. Board swap is likely the best option but you have to first confirm whether the board is bad or the back-light itself has gone. Hourly shop rates make these inexpensive TVs too costly to send out for repair but if the TV is scrap there is no harm in trying DIY as long as you take the appropriate cautionary measures when servicing anything electrical. There are no high voltages in flat panels compared to what CRT TVs used to have, but there is still 115V coming into the power supply and the 32V supply can give you a decent jolt. You also need a big enough space to be able to lay the panel flat to work on it, which is why many repair shops don't like to service them.

 

[Fixer Guy 73]

Good morning all.

Sorry this answer is coming late.
Thank you all so much for your answers.
Your answers got me started in the right direction.
I was able to figure out that the T-con board was the problem.
Replaced the board and the set is working again.
Cheap fix and very well worth it.
Board was $16.00 from Amazon with free shipping.

 

[Eppie]

Good morning all.

Sorry this answer is coming late.
Thank you all so much for your answers.
Your answers got me started in the right direction.
I was able to figure out that the T-con board was the problem.
Replaced the board and the set is working again.
Cheap fix and very well worth it.
Board was $16.00 from Amazon with free shipping.

I didn't expect the board to be that cheap. Thanks for the update.

 

[lovinthehd]

Good morning all.

Sorry this answer is coming late.
Thank you all so much for your answers.
Your answers got me started in the right direction.
I was able to figure out that the T-con board was the problem.
Replaced the board and the set is working again.
Cheap fix and very well worth it.
Board was $16.00 from Amazon with free shipping.

Had to look up t-con board....congrats!

 

[isolar8001]

Good morning all.

Sorry this answer is coming late.
Thank you all so much for your answers.
Your answers got me started in the right direction.
I was able to figure out that the T-con board was the problem.
Replaced the board and the set is working again.
Cheap fix and very well worth it.
Board was $16.00 from Amazon with free shipping.

Since that was such a cheap set, thankfully the T-Con (timing control) board was much cheaper than they usually are. (around 75 and up)

Some new mid to upper tier sets with the Pentonic or similar SOC's eliminate the T-Con board all together by incorporating that function on the SOC itself.

 

[TLS Guy]

Good morning all.

Sorry this answer is coming late.
Thank you all so much for your answers.
Your answers got me started in the right direction.
I was able to figure out that the T-con board was the problem.
Replaced the board and the set is working again.
Cheap fix and very well worth it.
Board was $16.00 from Amazon with free shipping.

How did you determine it was a faulty timing control board?