PROBLEM SYNOPSIS
Problem At-a-Glance:		TV suddenly displays gray screen with white horizontal lines. How do I get it working again?
Device:		TV set
Conditions:		Basic familiarity with soldering tools and circuit boards.
Search Strings:		TV problem, gray screen with white lines, white screen with horizontal lines, TV turns itself off

The Problem

One fine day, I turned on my TV and instead of being engrossed in my favorite show; the screen displayed a gray color with white horizontal lines. The audio was fine. After a few seconds, the TV automatically shut off. This was very frustrating since the TV set was fairly new (less than 4 years) and in good condition. Using my TV's manual and manufacturer website, I was not able to fix the problem. However, after performing several searches on the web, I was able to find the cause and eventually fix the TV. This solution is simple, inexpensive and takes very little time.

First, a necessary disclaimer:
Please note that there may be other causes to this problem. The information provided below is for informational purposes only. Proceed at your own risk.

Here is the reference to the solution:
http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/electronics/msg0422572015185.html

On the circuit board attached to the picture tube, there is a resistor labeled 3340, which is 10 ohms, 1/3 W. This resistor delivers voltage to the RGB video transistors. If the resistor is damaged, the voltage will be too low to these transistors, causing excess brightness to occur, and subsequently the TV will turn off. This brightness may not be visible because the TV may shut down before the picture tube has warmed up enough to show a picture. Please see the reference above for a more detailed explanation.

By replacing the resistor with a 10 ohm ½ W resistor (available at Radio Shack), the problem was fixed. This resistor is sold in packs of five, but it is very cheap (a dollar or less).

Details

My TV is a 27-inch Philips Magnavox, Model TS2779 C221 (TS2779CI on the manual). The chassis number is R27TNTN. I used an old 30/35 W soldering iron and the following from Radio Shack:

• high-tech rosin core solder #64-015E
• 10 ohm resistor, 1/2 W, 5% tolerance #271-1101

I unplugged the TV and removed the back cover of the TV. The exact location of the resistor is labeled at the back of the circuit board attached to the picture tube. Please note the way the resistor is mounted on the circuit board and mount the replacement the same way. When removing/soldering the resistor, please make sure not to get the circuit board too hot, as this may cause damage to other areas of the board. After replacing the resistor, I put the cover back on and plugged in the TV. It worked fine.

Many thanks to Pee Wee from the Garden Web Electronics "Philips Magnavox TV problem" forum!

pictures coming soon!

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