At the very least they should take the tv into a shop that can do some basic
troubleshooting and provide them with an estimate for repair.

You could also do a Google Groups archive search for Sony tv, plus:
blanking, blinking, etc.

It could literally be anything causing the issue from a simple low cost fix,
i.e. under $100, to a major time to toss it failure.

David

"cecelia" wrote in message
om...
My parents have a Sony Trinitron that is about 9-10 years old. For
the past week they say that when they are watching something the
screen will flash to black (as though it's turned off) for a second or
two and then go back to the program. When it goes back to the program
the number 3 appears in the upper right hand corner (that's the
channel they have the tv set to for their satellite dish). This
"flashing" continues over and over. It seems to happen most when
they've just turned the tv on and mellows out after it's been on for
awhile.
Should they be shopping for a new tv or is this repairable?

"cecelia" wrote in message
om...
My parents have a Sony Trinitron that is about 9-10 years old. For
the past week they say that when they are watching something the
screen will flash to black (as though it's turned off) for a second or
two and then go back to the program. When it goes back to the program
the number 3 appears in the upper right hand corner (that's the
channel they have the tv set to for their satellite dish). This
"flashing" continues over and over. It seems to happen most when
they've just turned the tv on and mellows out after it's been on for
awhile.
Should they be shopping for a new tv or is this repairable?

It's probably a solder joint in the power supply or near by, sounds like the
microcontroller is losing power and resetting. This should be a fairly
simple repair for a competent shop, if the pic is decent otherwise then I'd
have it repaired.

(cecelia) wrote in
om:

My parents have a Sony Trinitron that is about 9-10 years old. For
the past week they say that when they are watching something the
screen will flash to black (as though it's turned off) for a second or
two and then go back to the program. When it goes back to the program
the number 3 appears in the upper right hand corner (that's the
channel they have the tv set to for their satellite dish). This
"flashing" continues over and over. It seems to happen most when
they've just turned the tv on and mellows out after it's been on for
awhile.
Should they be shopping for a new tv or is this repairable?

They should NOT be using the TV until it's been looked at by a technician.

Two reasons

1. The set will not get better by itself, but continuing to use it in this
state may well cause it to get worse, i.e. more expensive to repair

2. There is a very small, but very real risk of the set becoming a fire
risk.

If when the picture comes on , shows a pinkish or poor color quality , the
picture tube is showing its age.

The sony sets will blank or black out the image when the CRT gets weak.
Picture will blink on/off/on/off.........



--
==========================
Jeff Stielau
Shoreline Electronics Repair
344 East Main Street
Clinton,CT 06413
860-399-1861
860-664-3535 (fax)

========================
"If you push something hard enough it will fall over."
Fudd's First Law of Opposition - Sir Sidney Fudd


"cecelia" wrote in message
om...
My parents have a Sony Trinitron that is about 9-10 years old. For
the past week they say that when they are watching something the
screen will flash to black (as though it's turned off) for a second or
two and then go back to the program. When it goes back to the program
the number 3 appears in the upper right hand corner (that's the
channel they have the tv set to for their satellite dish). This
"flashing" continues over and over. It seems to happen most when
they've just turned the tv on and mellows out after it's been on for
awhile.
Should they be shopping for a new tv or is this repairable?

"Shoreline Electronics" wrote in message
om...
If when the picture comes on , shows a pinkish or poor color quality , the
picture tube is showing its age.

The sony sets will blank or black out the image when the CRT gets weak.
Picture will blink on/off/on/off.........



Yeah but usually that just happens when the set is cold and gets better as
it warms up, also the sound doesn't blink.

No one said anything about the sound.......


--
=================================
Jeff Stielau
Shoreline Electronics Repair
344 East Main Street
Clinton,CT 06413
(860)399-1861
(860)664-3535 FAX

=================================
"James Sweet" wrote in message
news:lxn5c.16630$KO3.50352@attbi_s02...


Yeah but usually that just happens when the set is cold and gets better as
it warms up, also the sound doesn't blink.

The tube is getting "weak" as was stated earlier. You can have a repair shop try and Restore or "rejuvinate" it, but it's a 50/50 type deal and may fix it up for a few weeks, a year, or kill it completely. I've done a few with decent results, but like I said it's anyones guess to how it would work out and for how long.

If it just started doing it you can turn the Screen voltage up a tad on the flyback and get it to settle down a little, but you end up with a brighter washed out picture and are only prolonging the blinking again. You can also defaet the IK circuit that monitors the tube current, that would have to be done at a repair shop for sure, unless you're handy with the soldering iron and know your way around the inside of a TV. Then you end up having a color that's slightly off because there's a gun going bad and causing the current the IC monitors to be off, so it blanks the screen, it settles down and starts all over. Once it warms up, like you said, it will be OK (usually), but that will take longer and longer as time goes on until it either doesn't come on or blinks all the time.

See if any local places can do a tube restore on it and what it costs. If it just started acting up you may be able to squeeze a little more life out of it, but it's dying and there's not much can be done to correct it but relpace the tube. That would cost what 2 or 3 new TV's of the same size would.

Do you realize you are replying to a post that is 2 years old?
I have no doubt the tv was either already patched or pitched by now.

Didn't even realize it, lol. Still, it's not to say that the info may help someone else that searches the forums.