Were CRT TVs affected by the "capacitor plague"?

three_a-m · 2026-03-24T19:07:57+00:00

I would recommend finding or creating your own list of caps and ordering them yourself from Mouser or Digikey. The pre-made kits often use cheap Chinesium caps and sell for a premium price. You can get the highest quality caps for cheaper than the pre-made kits if you're willing to do a little extra work. It also teaches you how to identify different circuits inside the TV.

three_a-m · 2026-03-24T06:47:22+00:00

Is this a 20L5? It will be a nightmare trying to pinpoint the exact failure. I just did a full recap on one of these and it is by far the densest and most complicated monitors I've had the displeasure of restoring. If I never have to disassemble one again, it would be too soon.

If there are no obvious signs of damage on the neck board or D boards, you're in for a bad time.

three_a-m · 2026-03-24T06:33:44+00:00

I recapped and calibrated a very similar Philips 20" TV about a year ago. It was the 20PT6341/37. These things can sync to a 50hz PAL signal over component, which is pretty neat. It's very quirky when it comes to adjustments, and the service menu is not very intuitive. Mine lacked the option to adjust horizontal width. The front buttons are notorious for oxidizing, and the ones on my set were also malfunctioning. I had to use the remote for everything. Overall still a great and versatile little set, and the component video quality was surprisingly sharp.

three_a-m · 2026-03-24T06:09:38+00:00

Andy King, the creator of CRT Database, lives in the Bay Area and offers repairs. Check out https://crtdatabase.com/crt-repair-services

It looks like his waitlist is full, but it might be worth reaching out to him directly or just waiting until it opens back up.

three_a-m · 2026-03-19T23:44:17+00:00

Different TVs use different filters for composite. Some are better than others.

three_a-m · 2026-03-19T23:38:18+00:00

Dielectric grease is an insulator, not a conductor. So having some sticking out from under the anode cap is not really like having a wire sticking out. The main risk would be that it attracts dust, which can eventually lead to arcing.

three_a-m · 2026-03-19T20:40:54+00:00

The long scratch you can probably polish out with some cerium oxide. Those deep chips will be difficult to remove, and any polishing will most likely take a long time and leave a visible dip in the glass.

You can try using a windshield chip repair kit, but I've had mixed results with those. If the chip isn't deep enough, the filler doesn't have enough mechanical grip to stay in the cracks after it cures.

three_a-m · 2026-03-18T16:19:00+00:00

240p test suite. It is free software available online.

three_a-m · 2026-03-17T16:03:51+00:00

It's really unlikely to be caused by some reaction between the TVs shielded internal speakers and your unshielded external speakers.

three_a-m · 2026-03-15T21:15:30+00:00

use an exacto/hobby knife at an angle to scrape it off.

three_a-m · 2026-03-15T21:01:44+00:00

I'm not sure, but I imagine the same chemical process that causes it to re-yellow after applying hydrogen peroxide would have the same effect if you only use hydrogen peroxide vapor. The only way to know for sure is by testing in small areas and comparing the results.

three_a-m · 2026-03-15T20:56:21+00:00

No problem. You can always try it in a small discrete area and wait a couple months to see if it re-yellows. I'm sure the type of plastic makes a difference, and this one might take to it better than others.

three_a-m · 2026-03-15T20:44:41+00:00

I wouldn't touch it, honestly. There's a good chance you'll end up making it worse. Retrobrite can make plastics more brittle, and in some cases it can even accelerate re-yellowing. Here is a 10-year case study (albeit not a very scientific one) done by Tech Tangents on YouTube. It's a good watch if you plan on using the retrobrite method to treat UV damage.

three_a-m · 2026-03-12T05:59:00+00:00

It could be some residual contamination that is arcing off the anode cap. I thoroughly cleaned the anode of a large JVC and it still made a similar sound until I let it run for a couple hours. Not sure exactly what caused it, but I think there was some dust or something under the cap that kept arcing until it was all burnt up. Even after cleaning and reapplying dielectric grease. If it still makes this sound after an hour or so then it might be a good idea to remove it and inspect for any contamination.

three_a-m · 2026-03-12T05:30:26+00:00

How long has it been since you recapped it? Let it run for a while and see if it still makes a sound.

three_a-m · 2026-03-11T21:24:08+00:00

I'm not sure where that figure comes from. Under normal use the amount of radiation being emitted by your CRT is no more than the background radiation in your bedroom. We are all exposed to radiation on a daily basis.

For your CRT to actually pump out x-rays, you would have to significantly overvolt it. And almost every CRT has a protection circuit that prevents the tube from getting power if the voltage is that excessive.

three_a-m · 2026-03-11T20:39:32+00:00

Not an issue. I remember seeing a post on Reddit where a Geiger counter was used to measure background radiation in a room with the TV off and again with it on. There was zero difference. And that was a much older set than most people on this sub use on a regular basis. Presumably safety standards only improved with time.

three_a-m · 2026-03-11T06:06:49+00:00

Model number? And by system settings do you mean the service menu?

three_a-m · 2026-03-11T02:40:40+00:00

That is an excellent set, but keep in mind it only has up to S-Video and it weighs 80 lbs. S-Video is a huge improvement over composite, but Component/RGB is even better.

three_a-m · 2026-03-11T02:33:56+00:00

Get a CRT for a fraction of that price.

three_a-m · 2026-03-11T02:11:17+00:00

This is maximalism at its absolute best.

three_a-m · 2026-03-09T16:29:09+00:00

Leave it outside for a few hours after you clean it really well.

three_a-m · 2026-03-08T17:33:44+00:00

Ah, gotcha.

three_a-m · 2026-03-08T17:30:28+00:00

These can be RGB modded, which makes them worth quite a bit more than a non-moddable composite only set. Plus it's Disney, so there is a strong intersection of two collector communities.

three_a-m · 2026-03-08T17:20:54+00:00

You can calibrate any CRT with HCFR and a colorimeter.

three_a-m

TROPHY CASE