Sony Projection KP57HW4o

[Pitto]

This is what is wrong with my t.v.

Sony received reports of flickering on select rear projection TV models and immediately started an investigation. Sony’s engineering team found that in a small percentage of sets (less than 1%) made with impregnated cathode CRTs, the material used to impregnate the cathode may attach itself to another section of the electron gun and cause a mild brightness fluctuation or change in hue.

Is this something that I could fix on my own if I can get my hands on the parts. They go on to say that all three CRTs will be replaced along with some minor adjustments made. My problem is that I don't trust my local sony repair shop and they have already set me up for more repairs. They also are telling me that it would be 6 plus weeks to get my t.v. back. Oh, did I mention that their shop is full of used big screens?

I have another repair service that will fix it for me but they told me to try to get sony to fix it because it should be free. If I go with my repair guy it's gonna cost me $700. Help! :wall:

[zigzag]

The other service shop is not an authorized Sony repair facility as you state they say to let sony fix it. Well you could do a google search and find the nearest SONY factory repair facility and ship your big screen to them but that probably isn't something you want to do.
That first shop is probably a AUTHORIZED SONY repair shop and they can help you if your problem is in WARRANTY which yours is not.
You as a customer must advocate for yourself at this point.
If you can get the AUTHORIZED shop to state it is indeed the CRT's that they where having a problem with maybe you can then call SONY and complain. SONY does not know the you are having this particular problem.
Case in point there are other reasons why you may have a shift in brightness and only a AUTHORIZED Sony service shop can make that determination.
One example of brightness change not related to the CRT's is as below.

I found 80% of the problem of Intermittent brightness is do to bad contact with the CN1601 an CN1602 between the AD and A Boards.
Some of them I just push the board down firmly to fix the problem.
ALSO
It is normal to see the brightness level of the gray areas vary in 4:3 normal wide mode. The gray bars vary by the APL level in the picture. The darker the main picture becomes, the brighter the side bars intensity will increase. If the video content has rapid change in brightess, then the outside areas will also change at the same rate. The same effect will occur in Twin Pix. mode, and CH. Index mode. Gray bars are applied by MID-X circuit.
So you need to have it stated by an AUTHORIZED service shop that you indeed have bad CRT's before you call SONY and try to get it fixed out of warranty.
YOU MUST ADVOCATE FOR YOURSELF WITH THE HELP OF THE REPAIR SHOP.