Panasonic composite input problem

[foma]

I have been using my Panasonic Viera 42" ED for more than a year without any issues. However, this morning I noticed that the composite (good old single yellow video cable) input shows strange noise with green overcast. I switched to component input and it looks fine. To make sure it wasn't the vcr, I changed the DVD to output interlaced, and hooked up the composite and it showed the same proble.

So I am lead to believe that the Viera's composite input is somehow damaged. Or is this a simple problem that I don't know how to fix? I guess another possibility is that the composite cable itself is damaged.

Any thoughts?

[BruZZi]

Try another composite input on the Plasma.

__________________________________
[FONT=Arial Black][size=1][color=#2063FF]BruZZi's Panasonic Plasma FAQ — bruzzi.ws [/color]
Lots of info for all Plasmas in general.[/SIZE][/FONT]

[butlermd]

I've got a similar problem on mine...All non-HD content (on any input) is not displayed. Audio with a black screen only. HD is fine. Cable box thru component displays only HD channels...others black. Replaytv on any analog input only black. :eek: :mad:

[louv]

I have the same problem with my TH-50PX25U:

HDMI & PC inputs work fine.

All other inputs (Composite, S-Video, Component) are a black screen. The TV seems to know that something is plugged in, but I get no picture.

All audio inputs are fine.

Does anyone know the solution to this? Since I am out of warranty, by over a year, I'm hoping it isn't terribly expensive to repair.

thanks in advance.

[butlermd]

For me it was the tv's line doubler. Cost about $850 for parts and labor. Fortunately my American Express card covered it through its "buyers assurance" program which doubled the lenght of my warranty. As a temporary fix you could set your dvd player or cable box to send out a 480p signal and this should be displayed ok, like the 1080i signal is. At least that worked for me. It took over 3 weeks to get the part.
-JB

[louv]

Thanks. I'll suggest the "line doubler" to the TV Repair Guy who was supposed to call me today to schedule a house call. None of Panasonic's "recommended" repair facilities wanted to drive to my house (2 of them are within 20 miles).

Or maybe I'll just call Panasonic and have them send me the part and I'll repair it myself. :rolleyes: How tough can it be? The hard part will be taking the beast down off the wall.

[butlermd]

Good Luck. I wonder if there is a premature failure problem with this part. That happened with one of the CCD's on my panasonic pv-dv953 minidv cam and they repaired it out of warranty (well, they would have if UPS hadn't lost it in transit).

[louv]

Do you happen to have the part number for the Line Doubler board?

Panasonic's parts line is less than helpful. They promise to call back, but don't.

Panasonic's repair line is useless. They just fail to have any useful advice.

Panasonic's "Preferred" Service & Repair shops, "prefer" not to drive the measly 20 miles to my house. Ok, "refuse" is a better word than "prefer".

The Panasonic "Plasma Concierge" agent promised to help me by finding a local repair shop for me. He never called back either.

The local, non-Panasonic-authorized, TV repair guy said he'd call me back and never did.

By now, I'm fairly sure that the Panasonic 800 numbers have all be re-routed to Sony... And they are just pretending to help for a good laugh.

[butlermd]

I should have the invoice at home...I'll take a look and let you know.

[louv]

Thanks for looking up the part number.

The "Concierge" phone agent claimed to be familiar with the problem. He said it needed "a reprogramming of an EEPROM". He said that he thought the ral problem was that the picture was "off screen". The way he described it, the software gets confused and displays the picture way above (or below, or off to the side of) the visible part of the screen.

That would sort of explain the behavior, because the TV DOES seem to know I have a signal plugged in, but it is all black.

[butlermd]

[QUOTE=louv]Thanks for looking up the part number.

The "Concierge" phone agent claimed to be familiar with the problem. He said it needed "a reprogramming of an EEPROM". He said that he thought the ral problem was that the picture was "off screen". The way he described it, the software gets confused and displays the picture way above (or below, or off to the side of) the visible part of the screen.

That would sort of explain the behavior, because the TV DOES seem to know I have a signal plugged in, but it is all black.[/QUOTE]

Actually, I've had that problem as well but that is a different issue. For me that involved analog pictures being displayed shifted up or down...that is easily fixed by going into the service menu and adjusting the picture placement...if you have the problem of no video displayed with 480i content that is likely a different issue. Can your non-HD inputs display 480p content (DVD set on progressive scan or cable box set to 480p override)?

[butlermd]

My invoice reads DG Board (TNPA2816AB)...and for the record my set is a TH42PX25

[louv]

The saga continues...

The TV was "repaired" yesterday (finally!). The technician came out, and loaded new firmware via the SD card slot on the back of the TV. He used the TN-PX25JIG

Now, I'll be sending the bill to Panasonic.

We'll see if they pick up the tab for this repair. I hope so. If they pick up the cost of this repair, then I'll buy another Panasonic (someday). If not, then never again. There are plenty of other good TVs out there. "This is a test of the Emergency Repair System... Duck and Cover..."

[aztech_1]

louv - I am a little confused. I have the same exact problem, my analog channels show nothing on the screen [perfect audio], my digital channels [ota] shows fine, all other inputs show video/audio.

So in your case did the technician:

1. Upgrade the firmware via the SD card slot OR
2. Updated the EEPROM via the $40 part - which is something different than the SD card slot. For this process looks like the back of the TV is opened [one screw] and one has to plug in an IC (integrated chip) and use the menus to reload the EEPROM.

The 2 processes seem very different - can you remember what exactly he did? How much did it cost?

THanks a bunch