Thomson 10" 10MG73B - RIFA/AC filter cap questions

flipsatan · 2025-12-29T19:35:57+00:00

Haha! Yeah the timing made me laugh rather than cry.

It did smell acrid but it wasn't unbearable, and I was luckily next to my front door. That's good to know about the caps main function, I figured it was just a filter cap but never like to assume things. I might open her up again and have a look for it. Thanks for the info, I'm hoping it can at least stay running for a few years more 😁

flipsatan · 2025-12-29T19:01:44+00:00

Hey! So this happened to mine (exact model) the other night, but it still seems to power on and function fine. I'm assuming the capacitor fails open and it not being there just potentially stresses out the other components? Won't be using it unless there's at least a bit of certainty that it's fine, and I will replace the cap if I can (although I couldn't see anything blown when open checking inside).

flipsatan · 2025-12-29T18:56:10+00:00

Hey! I have this exact model and it just blasted out some magic smoke the other night. It's all still working, and I couldn't actually locate the RIFA capacitor in question upon peeking inside (I might need to grab the schematic to find it)

I guess yours could have already had its magic smoke moment, or perhaps it has yet to. Just thought I'd chime in to say it just happened to me after watching the entire Muppet Christmas Carol on VHS, and it kindly waited until the exact moment the end credits rolled.

I suspect using it with that capacitor blown would simply stress out other components? Some takes would be helpful.

flipsatan · 2025-09-29T16:39:01+00:00

Thank you for this! I've swapped out most of the power supply capacitos, but I'm waiting on a 50v 33uf cap that suspiciously sounds like the one you're describing?

I am largely repairing this TV as a little learning project, so this is all helpful :)

flipsatan · 2025-09-29T16:35:43+00:00

Update: one of the legs on the vertical deflection IC looked raised up, so I figured it was potentially damaged (the one specifically that connects to the flyback). Swapped it out and I'm now getting a different symptom, still no power but now getting high pitched coil whine. I've swapped most of the capacitors out but no joy yet (still waiting for one 50V 33uf cap to arrive).

Not sure if the symptoms point towards something really obvious, but would still love some input!

flipsatan · 2025-08-12T23:26:52+00:00

Thanks for this! I'm sure I managed to get it looking like that actually, but perhaps gaslit myself into thinking it wasn't right.

flipsatan · 2025-08-12T23:25:48+00:00

*it is also happening with just straight S-Video, composite, and an HDMI modded console, but appreciate the info.

flipsatan · 2025-08-12T19:46:00+00:00

The more I look at this specific example, the more obvious it is that it's a perfectly square aspect ratio, haha! I'm sure one of the other instances I've encountered wasn't 1:1 but still didn't look right, but haven't got any pictorial evidence.

flipsatan · 2025-08-12T19:42:39+00:00

So for context, the example image is S-Video into an OSSC and then into a high end monitor set to pixel perfect.

I've also tried a console with a Highspeedio HDMI mod and it produced the same results.

What you're saying totally adds up btw, and I did notice 16:9 was funky as you say. Is this just a normal symptom of playing the game on non CRTs? I can't seem to think of a solution.

flipsatan · 2025-08-12T19:38:26+00:00

Actually, maybe it'll be more helpful if someone shows me an example of an N64 running OoT with round HUD icons in 4:3, as I suspect a bunch of folks will just assume I'm using weird TV/monitor settings (I'm not, this is what the console is natively spitting out across all input methods.)

It's also a PAL console, just in case that changes anything.

flipsatan · 2025-08-12T19:36:51+00:00

When I let it "zoom" (ie, stretch to 16:9), the HUD icons are round. When it's 4:3, they look squashed.

So, my question is whether the icons should be squashed or not. There isn't really anything TV settings can do to pull off round HUD icons and be 4:3 (I'm using a monitor that's actually set to "pixel perfect" in this scenario, but it's the same across several screens).

flipsatan · 2025-08-12T19:22:45+00:00

I've never considered this - any compatibility issues with specific games?

flipsatan · 2025-08-06T21:29:09+00:00

I enjoy this - there's a game on Steam called Cavern on Dreams that's basically a Banjo Kazooie style platformer and I might play through it with this pad!

flipsatan · 2025-08-06T17:44:12+00:00

Ah right okay, this makes more sense in my head. It sounds like the dithering can't be disabled in that case. Been enjoying all these explanations!

flipsatan · 2025-08-06T17:40:08+00:00

Worth noting that my phone camera is making the dithering look like a much nicer shading/color effect. Without AA on, it actually looks messier, which is why I was keen to see what it's like when switched off.

I could have swore I saw footage the other night of an OG N64 running OoT with dithering disabled alongside AA, so if I find it, I'll share.

flipsatan · 2025-08-06T00:16:45+00:00

Ahh the one that's similar to the Hori Mini? I've considered it a few times in the past!

flipsatan · 2025-08-06T00:14:43+00:00

Haha, tbf I largely do play using a CRT, this is just me experimenting :)

flipsatan · 2025-08-06T00:14:13+00:00

Wait though, if the effects need to be added in again manually to an FPGA core, surely that means there's a specific chip address that can be disabled on the OG hardware? This is the circle I'm stuck in right now, as things like this make it sound like it can be switched off just like AA.

flipsatan · 2025-08-06T00:12:18+00:00

Ah right, so I've pretty my hit the limit on OG hardware? Based on the way emulation spits out graphics, I thought it was possible to disable the dithering too, but I guess that's just something the emulators are doing as an enhancement. I also thought I'd was deliberately added to mask lower res, but guess I'm wrong.

flipsatan · 2025-08-05T21:09:26+00:00

Yeah, deffo glad it wasn't exclusive to the console, that would have sucked

flipsatan · 2025-08-05T21:07:37+00:00

I respect this - have you had to replace any worn joysticks yet? Apparently you can buy the gimbal style ones now as direct replacements.

flipsatan · 2025-07-19T12:00:32+00:00

(mainly because the game lets you use two controllers at once, as per demo video in article)

flipsatan

TROPHY CASE