CRT TVS?
Obsolete Electronics Repair
I spent the majority of my life servicing older technology consumer electronic equipment. Manufacturers quit producing most of this tech between 2005~6, because people at the time felt that the new plasma and LCD equipment had much higher picture quality and they took much less space than the equivalent CRT set.
So it didn't take long for the populous to migrate that direction.
As a consequence, the businesses and supporting infrastructure surrounding the service and repair of that tech dried up, and those who decided to continue in the industry focused their efforts on repairing the newer equipment.
Myself included.
I disposed of a lot of the parts, manuals and some specialty tools needed to repair them, over 10 years ago.
Recently I have been approached by many customers to repair their CRT televisions. And while the possibility remains that the tech can still function, repair relies more on used, salvage and NOS parts and supplies. Not to mention the talents required to safely repair old CRT based tech, which might be reserved for those with the experience and equipment to perform those tasks.
The majority of modern customers who are interested in having their obsolete electronics repaired are younger people, who are drawn to CRT TVs for their ability to present a period authentic display to play old console games like Atari, Genesis, Nintendo 64 and others.
As a result; I will take Direct View CRT TVs and VCR's in for repair on a selective basis, but I do not accept rear projection models.
My cost structure is different than what you would expect for me to service a modern flat screen set.
First: Please call me to discuss your equipment and be ready to supply the Make, Model Number and a description of the symptom that want to have repaired.
Services that I do not supply :
- Recapping: I do replace bad caps as needed, but I do not shotgun all the caps in the device. This method can create more problems than you started with.
- Restoration: This is a process best left to hobbyists with time and patience to be ultra detailed about their project
- CRT replacement or rejuvenation: simply because there are no new CRTs. Video Display Corp (a CRT remanufacturer) went out of business over 10 years ago so replacement parts just don't exist.
Rejuvenation will only give limited life to an already worn out CRT, if any at all and may even cut that short.
I repair what I find wrong with your equipment and will put it in reasonable operating condition, if the parts are available.
I charge $75/CRT TV or Combi, $50/VCR, $40/Audio or $100 for AV Receivers paid in cash or Venmo up front when the equipment is dropped off. The money will be applied either to the eventual repair costs or will become the charge for diagnostic service.
Repair or diagnosis of obsolete electronics is much more involved than just guess work. It requires a working understanding of the equipment and the theory behind its technology. To do a successful repair or to give an accurate diagnosis requires more than probing around with a meter or reading a schematic. Parts can be difficult or impossible to source and might require a technician to spend more time measuring dimensions and properties of the individual components, and then searching on the internet or in old manuals or other materials for acceptable substitutes. The process might result in a working device, or be a complete waste of time.
I hope this gives you the answers you are looking for.
