Entertainment Center: TVs, Stereos, VCRs and DVDs - 32" Sony Trinitron "doing it's own thing"

I have an older Sony Trinitron 32 inch TV. I looked on the plate on the back for the model # and info. It says the model # is KV32SXR10 and it was manufactured in 1989. I have no idea what it would cost me if I sent it in for repair and it's too heavy for me to carry in to a shop. Since it's pretty much dead anyway, I figured if someone here could give me advice on what's wrong I'll give it a whirl. I've got nothing to lose at this point. Here's the problem:

The first thing that happened was the main tuner started malfunctioning. The picture kept jumping and it would give this intermittent pattern of static and clear picture and sound. I could not watch it like this. Fortunately, the video modes worked, so I hooked my hi-fi stereo vcr to the Video 1 input jacks and put the tv into video 1 mode and just used the vcr to change channels. I got great picture for quite some time this way. some time later the tv seemed to develop a mind of it's own. Without warning it would start cycling through it's video modes. It would jump to Video 2, then Video 3, then main with External Audio then Main, then back to Video 1. But it wouldn't stop. It kept cycling through all the modes. Sometimes as an added bonus, the Timer/Block screens would pop up. I found that if I left the tv alone (off) for awhile, it would start working again for a while then start this mess all over again. Sometimes it would work fine for a long time (a couple of months), then malfunction. At times when it malfunctioned, the problem would last weeks at a time before it would snap out of it. At other times, it would lock on a particular mode, like it would jump to Video 2 and then stay there. At all times, it wouldn't respond to the remote or any of the buttons on the set. The only button that works is the on/off button. I could turn the set off, but usually when I turn it on, it's still stuck.

Now, I have a new problem that left me dead in the water with this set. Every time I turn the tv on, it goes right to Auto Program. I get a screen of nothing but snow and no audio and I watch it cycle through all upper channel numbers starting with 86 and going to the 120's. When it's done, it goes to Main with External Audio and then is stuck there. So all I can see is the jumpy tuner picture, stuck on channel 2 with no audio. If I turn the tv off and turn it back on again, it goes right into Auto Program again and the same scenario happens all over again. It has been stuck like this for 2 months now and I'm beginning to think it's not going to snap out of it.

For all I know (and I'm not an electronics genius by any stretch of the imagination), it sounds to me like loose or broken solder joints. But I wouldn't know where to begin looking or what I'm looking at. Any help you can suggest would be appreciated and I'm willing to try anything, since a repair would probably be more costly than the tv is worth and the next stop is the local sanitation dump. So what the heck!

Thanks!

Gary_CEI, The first part sound like tuner/I.F pack failing and the second part sounds like the micro-computer circuit failing. Sony's are known for cracked solder joint also.


Fred:)

So is it worth it to try and fix it? or does it have nothing but curb value?

Is my problem with this TV so hopeless that nobody wants to give me any further advice, or does no one want to touch Sony equipment?

Should I try to fix this tv or dispose of it? Or should I give it to a pro? And if so, does anyone have any idea what a repair like this would cost if I did send it in?

Thanks. I appreciate any advice and help anyone can give me.

How's the picture on the PIP insert, snowy or clear?


Fred:)

This tv doesn't have PIP. It's an older set. You must have seen the Trinitron that had the speakers on the sides that stick out like ears. That's the set I have. The problem is with the entire set.