First: What voltages do you have at the crt and video output devices?
Second: Are you familiar enough to know what not to touch when inside a
tele?
Third: Do you have any idea how to access the service menu if required?
Initially it would be wise to post any voltage measurements and parametres
that you have checked. Then expect appropiate responses.
What you have done is posted the make, chassis number, and serial number of
your specific item. Then you go on and describe a symptom what may be due to
minor required adjustments or may be due to other faults. Then you start
ranting about not wanting to have the unit serviced! Please: if you are not
competent enough to add the required information then take the set into the
a qualified service shop, have an estimate given to you, and make a decision
regarding the information you have been supplied. Not to slam you but for us
to assist you in a qualified way we need the pertinent information.

"TURTLE" wrote in message
...
This is Turtle.

I was over at alt.home.repair and some fellows over there said this was
the
place where all the brains was hiding out on repair of electronics
equipment.

I have a RCA tv Model # 36668 / serial # 049622039 / Chassis #
CTC-203CA5
and about 3 or 4 years old. The problem is the picture will not show
light
enough to see tv views at nite at all. The faces will not show up if it is
dark time when viewing the picture. I've tried britting up the picture but
it just stays too dark to see the pictures at nite time on the shows. When
there is game show on it , it shows up good because of all the lites in
the
show room where they are but start watching a show of people in dark area,
You just can't see their faces well at all. This started about a week ago
and has staied the same everysince.

I really need to know is to bring it to a shop about 40 miles away and
wait
a week to see what is wrong with it and be told to buy a new one. If I
knew
it could be fixed for couple hundred dollars i would wait a week and have
it
repaired. What i don't want to do is wait a week and not have TV for a
week
to find out. It can't be fixied and to buy a new one. I think I give $700
something for it and did not want to spend $700 something repairing it. I
don't mine waiting if this is a repairiable problem for say $200.00 or
$300.00 but not a $700.00 problem. I'm in the HVAC business and answer
question over at alt.hvac and hope you guys will answer my question here.

I don't mine spending the time and money fooling with it if this is a
repairiable problem. I can let my brother in law work on it but he has let
the smoke out of the last two that I let him work on. After he let the
smoke
out of it . It never worked again. You just can let the Smoke out of them
at
all and still work again.

If you'll could give me a good ideal of this problem . i would thank you
very much.

TURTLE