HDTV help

Karnack

Have a question for anyone out there who knows much about HDTVs.

I bought a SyncMaster T240HD a few months ago and everything was fine, could watch TV, hook up to my computer and use it as a second screen, play games, the works.

Recently (the last two weeks) it has begun flickering black, on and off. The sound remains constant, no problem there, but it will eventually get to the point where it just completely freezes and it and will begin fading to white. It comes back within a few seconds after the fade but immediately begins flickering and starting the process over.

I don't think it's overheating, nor is an issue with the power (I believe) or the cable, since it happens with games, too. I have tried adjusting the settings on the menu (when I can see it, anyway) and no changes. It seems to work better when there is a solid color in the background but as soon as a scene changes rapidly it will begin its flicker countdown.

Before it would only happen once in awhile, I'd push the power cord in and I believed that fixed it at the time. Now it starts happening as soon as I turn on the TV and has now only subsided if I plug it into my laptop and kept a solid color on the screen. Right now it is mainly fine with the discovery channel, but I think that's because it often has solid blues.

Has anyone had any issues like this? google reveals nothing specific about the model doing this.

EDIT:
On an old show that's in black and white and it works relatively well without flickering, maybe one a minute but you can hardly see it. I believe it is still under warrenty, got it from Costco, if that helps.

JaysonFour

I'd contact the manufacturer and see about a repair/replacement due to faulty parts from the factory. Is it still under warranty?

shutz

The only issue I have with my HDTV is that, sometimes, when I turn it on, the backlighting doesn't turn on, or just flashes on for a fraction of a second. If I turn it off, then back on (sometimes once or twice more, but it usually works on the second try) then the tube turns on. That's because the backlighting in my TV is fluorescent, I think. Modern LCDs now use LED backlighting, I think, which probably eliminates this problem.

Anyway, about your problem: this sounds serious enough to justify sending it in for warranty. Depending on the store you bought it from, and if you bought an extended warranty there, you might even be able to get an immediate replacement, or, barring that, they might let you pick another similarly-priced TV in the store for you to use while your own TV is getting repaired. If you're within the 90-day mark, you shouldn't have any trouble getting some warranty help. I do hope your TV came with at least a 1-year warranty, though.

Karnack

okay, kept messing with the settings based on the black and white thing, and found if I put the contrast below 30 it works with no flickering whatsoever. it's still a little dark, but I guess that's a decent trade off. I may still give it into a service center if I can't get it slightly brighter, but anything over 35 and it will go back to flickering.

RUNN1NGMAN

This is the reason for warranties. It's broken—return it!