Sony PFM-500A3WU plasma panel
 

I've got this Sony plasma monitor here that an aquaintance picked up for
free. From what I hear it was dropped, though initial inspection revealed
that the glass panel is intact. Powering up the unit results in a quick
flash of the screen lighting up then the unit shuts down, blinks the power
indicator several times and repeats the cycle. Opened the thing up and found
no signs of physical damage but to my dismay the boards along the right edge
of the screen with the driver chip blobs on them have two chips on each
board with what appears to be craters blown in them. I'm not experienced
with plasma screens at all but these boards appear to be directly bonded to
the glass panel. Is there any hope of salvaging this unit? Obviously I lack
the tools to do it myself but is it even worth looking into having done or
would it be best to scrap the thing or sell it on ebay? Seems this model
currently retails for around $6k, ouch.

"James Sweet" wrote in message news:...
I've got this Sony plasma monitor here that an aquaintance picked up for
free. From what I hear it was dropped, though initial inspection revealed
that the glass panel is intact. Powering up the unit results in a quick
flash of the screen lighting up then the unit shuts down, blinks the power
indicator several times and repeats the cycle. Opened the thing up and
found
no signs of physical damage but to my dismay the boards along the right
edge
of the screen with the driver chip blobs on them have two chips on each
board with what appears to be craters blown in them. I'm not experienced
with plasma screens at all but these boards appear to be directly bonded
to
the glass panel. Is there any hope of salvaging this unit? Obviously I
lack
the tools to do it myself but is it even worth looking into having done or
would it be best to scrap the thing or sell it on ebay? Seems this model
currently retails for around $6k, ouch.




I should add that it blinks service codes 12 and 22.

"James Sweet" wrote in message news:...
I've got this Sony plasma monitor here that an aquaintance picked up for
free. From what I hear it was dropped, though initial inspection revealed
that the glass panel is intact. Powering up the unit results in a quick
flash of the screen lighting up then the unit shuts down, blinks the power
indicator several times and repeats the cycle. Opened the thing up and
found
no signs of physical damage but to my dismay the boards along the right
edge
of the screen with the driver chip blobs on them have two chips on each
board with what appears to be craters blown in them. I'm not experienced
with plasma screens at all but these boards appear to be directly bonded
to
the glass panel. Is there any hope of salvaging this unit? Obviously I
lack
the tools to do it myself but is it even worth looking into having done or
would it be best to scrap the thing or sell it on ebay? Seems this model
currently retails for around $6k, ouch.




I should add that it blinks service codes 12 and 22.

I doubt you will be able to service this yourself, unless the fault is
simple. You can try to contact the Sony service department, or simply
take the gamble and have an estimate done. I have a feeling the former
owner may have done this, and the cost of servicing it was too high...

--

Jerry G.
======

"James Sweet" wrote in message
news:LWQ1d.8389$iS2.7240@trnddc09...
I've got this Sony plasma monitor here that an aquaintance picked up for
free. From what I hear it was dropped, though initial inspection
revealed
that the glass panel is intact. Powering up the unit results in a quick
flash of the screen lighting up then the unit shuts down, blinks the
power
indicator several times and repeats the cycle. Opened the thing up and
found
no signs of physical damage but to my dismay the boards along the right
edge
of the screen with the driver chip blobs on them have two chips on each
board with what appears to be craters blown in them. I'm not experienced
with plasma screens at all but these boards appear to be directly bonded
to
the glass panel. Is there any hope of salvaging this unit? Obviously I
lack
the tools to do it myself but is it even worth looking into having done
or
would it be best to scrap the thing or sell it on ebay? Seems this model
currently retails for around $6k, ouch.

I doubt you will be able to service this yourself, unless the fault is
simple. You can try to contact the Sony service department, or simply
take the gamble and have an estimate done. I have a feeling the former
owner may have done this, and the cost of servicing it was too high...

--

Jerry G.
======

"James Sweet" wrote in message
news:LWQ1d.8389$iS2.7240@trnddc09...
I've got this Sony plasma monitor here that an aquaintance picked up for
free. From what I hear it was dropped, though initial inspection
revealed
that the glass panel is intact. Powering up the unit results in a quick
flash of the screen lighting up then the unit shuts down, blinks the
power
indicator several times and repeats the cycle. Opened the thing up and
found
no signs of physical damage but to my dismay the boards along the right
edge
of the screen with the driver chip blobs on them have two chips on each
board with what appears to be craters blown in them. I'm not experienced
with plasma screens at all but these boards appear to be directly bonded
to
the glass panel. Is there any hope of salvaging this unit? Obviously I
lack
the tools to do it myself but is it even worth looking into having done
or
would it be best to scrap the thing or sell it on ebay? Seems this model
currently retails for around $6k, ouch.

"James Sweet" wrote in message news:JKR1d.8118$5t4.7988@trnddc01...
"James Sweet" wrote in message news:...
I've got this Sony plasma monitor here that an aquaintance picked up for
free. From what I hear it was dropped, though initial inspection revealed
that the glass panel is intact. Powering up the unit results in a quick
flash of the screen lighting up then the unit shuts down, blinks the power
indicator several times and repeats the cycle. Opened the thing up and
found
no signs of physical damage but to my dismay the boards along the right
edge
of the screen with the driver chip blobs on them have two chips on each
board with what appears to be craters blown in them. I'm not experienced
with plasma screens at all but these boards appear to be directly bonded
to
the glass panel. Is there any hope of salvaging this unit? Obviously I
lack
the tools to do it myself but is it even worth looking into having done or
would it be best to scrap the thing or sell it on ebay? Seems this model
currently retails for around $6k, ouch.

Driver chips are most definetely fried :(

If they are indeed bonded to the panel, then there is no chance of
repairing it without the specialised re-bonding tools (similar to LCD
screens). About all you can do is send the screen back to the
manufacturers for refurbishment.

-A





I should add that it blinks service codes 12 and 22.

"Andre" wrote in message
om...
"James Sweet" wrote in message
news:JKR1d.8118$5t4.7988@trnddc01...
"James Sweet" wrote in message news:...
I've got this Sony plasma monitor here that an aquaintance picked up
for
free. From what I hear it was dropped, though initial inspection
revealed
that the glass panel is intact. Powering up the unit results in a
quick
flash of the screen lighting up then the unit shuts down, blinks the
power
indicator several times and repeats the cycle. Opened the thing up and
found
no signs of physical damage but to my dismay the boards along the
right
edge
of the screen with the driver chip blobs on them have two chips on
each
board with what appears to be craters blown in them. I'm not
experienced
with plasma screens at all but these boards appear to be directly
bonded
to
the glass panel. Is there any hope of salvaging this unit? Obviously I
lack
the tools to do it myself but is it even worth looking into having
done or
would it be best to scrap the thing or sell it on ebay? Seems this
model
currently retails for around $6k, ouch.

Driver chips are most definetely fried :(

If they are indeed bonded to the panel, then there is no chance of
repairing it without the specialised re-bonding tools (similar to LCD
screens). About all you can do is send the screen back to the
manufacturers for refurbishment.

-A


Yep that's what I figured, seems ridiculous to me that the chips are on the
flex boards bonded right to the panel, why not on the board that the flex
boards plug into?! Oh well. I'll tell the owner that, perhaps it'll be cost
effective to have it factory serviced.

I am an owner of a PFM 500A3WU with the exact same problem.

And it wasnt dropped, just moved carefully form location ot location.

All my research tells me the panel would need to be replaced. And with sony this is VERY cost prohibitive, especially when you factor in the cost for new EDTV 42" plasma displays and the 500A3WU is a first generation plasma.

Very dissapointing especially when dealing with Sony service.

If you ever find a solution please post. But I think you and I are both out of luck and a plasma TV poorer (luckily for you yours was free)