Fixing other electronic equipment & gagets around the house

[GuitarPilot65]

You know, the stuff made since the shift in manufacturing from Japan to China:

JVC UX-C6:  CD changer malfunctioning; hope that replacing a popped cap on changer control board will fix it.  Great "micro" bookshelf unit.

JVC KD-5700:  Frequently looses EQ, radio and clock memory; diving into this one once the UX-C6 is fixed.  Awesome unit for DVD playback and iPod control on the road.  Built-in EQ and 20w output power more than enough for me.

Sharp Aquos LC-37GB5U:  "older" sliver model with real built in speakers on each side facing the viewer (not those downward mylar planar piece of crap speakers that sound like an AM radio that most flat screen TVs now have.  We LOVE the Aquos TV (as well as its 42" cousin in the living room).  This is an interesting one.  Short of it:  the digital HDMI/ DVI inputs on the AV board were fried by activating the power-on/ power-off feature of our new 5.1 surround receiver (i.e., turn the tv on, receiver senses signal via HDMI cable and turns itself on also, and vice versa).  Only problem:  TV didn't have the capability to talk to the receiver.  Downloaded a service manual and tore the thing apart.  Found a replacement sound board on eBay, but in the process of putting it back together I crinkled some of the contacts on two FFC flex cables.  All inputs work great now, but the sound cuts out periodically, likely because I wasn't able to straighten a couple of bent contacts completely parallel on the 50-pin FFC connector.  A replacement's on the way from Mouser.  I want to keep both of these Aquos models going for as long as I can.

Technics Receivers (2; vintage 1980s):  Still going strong with no issues.  Had to replace a couple of incandescent bulbs in my SA-203 receiver a few years ago, but that's it.

Both our Sony 5-disc carrousel player and 5-disc player/ recorder are going strong, as well as our Sony VCR/ DVD combo unit.  Wish I could say the same for the Sony BluRay player we now have.  Has built-in WiFi, and frequently locks up requiring unplugging to reset.  Pain in the butt.

Also solved my Morley ABY amp switching feedback issue by removing the ground loop with one of those gray three to two prong adapters for one amp, and replaced the mother board in our Dell Dimension 4300 (popped cap as well).  No rest for the weary.

[GuitarPilot65]

TV's fixed; replaced popped cap on UX-C6 board.  Will test that one tonight.

[EL34]

You are a trouper

At the prices I pay for Chinese electronics these day, I just go buy a new one
Every few motnhs the features list goes way up and the prices go down, so I just give my old stuff away if it's not dead

[billcreller]

I have a Technics SA R350 receiver that quits when it gets warmed up good.  My brother says he can fix it.  Maybe he can rescue it.   

[Ritchie200]

When my wife and I first got married we had a second hand tv.  Every once in a while it would turn itself on for no apparent reason.  We eventually got another main tv and moved this one to our bedroom.  THAT'S when it became possessed!  After about a month it would turn on by itself in the middle of the night while we were sleeping - never in the day....  It would be on a blank channel with static and the volume would be full on!  Here is where it gets interesting...  When it did this, the remote would not work, the on-off button on the front would not work, the volume and channel changer would not work.  The only way to shut it off was to pull the plug - which of course was behind the dresser and required the strength of Hercules to move it...  Talk about scare the living crap out of you!  Then you are staggering around trying to get your bearings with the static blasting and move the fricken dresser.  I installed a power strip the next day.  I tried to recreate the problem without success.  Had that tv open more times than any amp I've ever worked on - nothing.  That is when I swore off fixing ss anything...

Jim

[billcreller]

You have more tolerance than I do !  That TV would have wound up on my front lawn at 2 AM in the morning, same place a toasters, coffee pots etc that screw up.   I quit buying the 100+ dollar coffee pots, since the cheap ones seem to last longer.
  The wife says that I'm getting more mellow these days though....

[EL34]

It's a shame, but at todays prices for electronics, it's just not worth my time to mess with them.

Now, I do have simple fix for Mr Coffee type drip machines.
Inside there is an in line fuse/thermal device that goes bad.
Just bypass it with a piece of wire and they continue to work for many years

I have fixed a few for me and others over the years.
This one is so simple that I don't mind doing it.

I fixed a George Forman grille that had the same in line device

[stingray_65]

You have more tolerance than I do !  That TV would have wound up on my front lawn at 2 AM in the morning, same place a toasters, coffee pots etc that screw up.   I quit buying the 100+ dollar coffee pots, since the cheap ones seem to last longer.
  The wife says that I'm getting more mellow these days though....

I've found the distance I can throw a coffee maker is inversely proportional to the cost.

Cheap ones fly further 

[jjasilli]

Anyone know how to fix a toaster?   

[DummyLoad]

Anyone know how to fix a toaster?   

pull!!!   

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:OpusShootingToastersWithHelicopterRotors.jpg

[cbass]

I've fixed countless switches and dials.With ...........Gasp .... WD40.Don't tell anyone though.

I heard if you try to clean a pot or switch on your amp with it your amp will blow up.