sony bravia lcd screen problems made in china

Ours is a Sony Bravia that is now over 10 years old. Several months ago we started noticing lines, especially on the left (our left) side of the screen. They’d go away after the tv warmed up. Then we started noticing it was darker on that side of the screen, but again, after the tv warmed up the screen would be normal. Then about two months ago it started getting worse and didn’t ever get completely better, even after the tv warmed up. So I watched some youtube videos that all talked about the ribbon cables becoming loose over time and to apply pressure along the top and see if that made it better, and if so, it was a loose cable and if you put electrical tape or something that would help keep the pressure, it would fix the problem. Hubby pressed along the top and sure enough, when he pressed in one spot on the left side suddenly the picture cleared up. Stayed good for about a week, then problems again, pressed again, fixed again. A week or so later, same problem, but this time when he pressed on it nothing got better.

So I decided to take the cover off and look at it better. As I was pressing on the tops of the ribbon cables that run down from the top of the frame, for a minute it got better but then suddenly there was a wide white vertical line, with a thin green one down the center of it, running down the front of the screen, and it was perfectly aligned with one of the cables. So now I still have the dark side of the screen, and some ghosting, and some lines, but now this bright white streak/line right down the front. Another weird thing is that if the whole screen is bright (like watching a show set in a snowy place) then the darkness even on the left side is basically gone, but if the scene is dark at all, that side is almost black. I don’t know if it means that particular ribbon cable is bad, or if something is loose, if things need to be replaced or what. It’s very frustrating as it’s been a great tv. Hubby wants to just buy a new one, but even if he does I would still like to try and figure out this one as it could then go in another room.

South Korea’s Samsung is the de facto market leader in the world television space, leading competitors like LG and Sony by a wide margin in terms of overall sales. That’s partly a result of the company’s size (Samsung ranks 18th on the Fortune 500), but mostly it’s because Samsung makes great TVs with a focus on accessibility.

Tizen places all your apps in a row along the bottom of the Smart Hub (read: home screen). It’s got all the popular streaming apps as part of a 2,000-plus app library, and it has a neat feature that activates when you select an app, showing you popular sub-categories (like Netflix shows or Spotify playlists) for that app. There’s also a Tizen Gaming Hub which supports Google’s Stadia platform, Xbox, and GeForce Now for streaming games.

Samsung has so far avoided producing OLED displays like those of LG. So, instead of striking a deal to use LG’s panels, Samsung branded its own LCD tech “QLED.” For a detailed breakdown, check out our QLED TV versus OLED TV comparison, but the general gist is this: QLED uses quantum dots to enhance performance by producing a purer, full-spectrum white light than LEDs are capable of on their own. In practice, QLED televisions are brighter (better for bright rooms) than less-expensive LCD TVs, and unlike OLED, can be more affordably built into large displays (100 inches and beyond).

2022 also saw Samsung announce its expected QD-OLED TVs, which use an advanced blue light source that acts as a hybrid between QLED and OLED. We are starting to see these TVs show up in the wild now, including the stunning Sony A95K QD-OLED, and the Samsung S95B OLED, if you are looking for an OLED-like upgrade from your current set. Like other major brands, 2022 also saw Samsung unveil a new MicroLED TV line, a major LED upgrade using the latest technology for super-tiny LEDs that can achieve higher brightness levels and very accurate dimming.

WebOS — currently in its sixth iteration, WebOS 6.1 — completely revamps the LG smart experience. Where past models relegated apps to the bottom of the display (similar to Samsung Tizen), LG’s WebOS 6.1 sets utilize the entire screen for apps and other recommended web content. LG’s Magic Motion Remote has also been redesigned to support voice commands for both Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, along with a Magic Explorer feature that lets viewers get additional info about the show or movie they’re watching, from what actors appear in the series or film to notable trivia.

As with Tizen, WebOS allows users to screen share (using Miracast), though that ability is limited to Android devices and Windows computers. The previous 5.0 update added VR capability to WebOS, in case you’ve got any 360-degree videos or photos you’d like to view, as well as support for additional devices like the Google Stadia.

Sony, standing as the last great Japanese TV heavyweight in the U.S. (sorry, Panasonic, Toshiba, and JVC), doesn’t market as many proprietary technologies as Samsung or LG, but it has all the tech it needs to create awe-inspiring TVs.

Google TV — versions of which run on many other devices, like the Amazon Fire TV family — isn’t quite as slick as WebOS, but it’s arguably more powerful. Unlike WebOS and Tizen, the Google TV home screen is laden with apps and suggestions, and you can scroll down for even more. Sony’s 2021 catalog was the first generation of sets to switch over to Google TV, an overhaul of the Android TV OS that features a faster, more intuitive user interface, complete with recommended and sponsored web content.

Sony is one of a handful of companies offering OLED televisions (the list has recently expanded to include Panasonic, Philips, Hisense, and Vizio) thanks to a deal with LG allowing Sony to build TVs using LG panels. Due to the Cognitive Processor XR chip, Sony’s Bravia flagship TVs offer greater contrast, improved sound, low input lag, and faster web performance than we’ve ever seen. Sony’s newer TVs also offer VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) for gaming, particularly with the PlayStation 5.

In 2022, Sony also announced a push into mini-LED technology, announcing its first mini-LED TVs like the Z9K series. We’ve already seen mini-LED technology crop up in other devices like some Apple iPads. It’s a more affordable version of MicroLED tech where the LEDs are a bit larger, but still provide some of the same benefits, including better-localized dimming and contrast. Sony’s processor is key to this as it is designed with backlight algorithms to take the most advantage of smaller LEDs.

Like Samsung, Sony has also developed its own QD-OLED televisions. Our own Caleb Denison flew to Sony’s headquarters to thoroughly test one and found that Sony’s QD-OLED was a significant upgrade from past displays, albeit an expensive one.

Hisense is unique in that it doesn’t have a singular operating system tied to its line of televisions. Some of its TVs use Android TV, like Sony, some of its TVs use Roku OS, like TCL, and some use VIDAA U, a slick-looking software that you can learn more about here. The models we are most impressed with are currently using Android TV, although at CES 2022 the company announced that all of its newULED TVs and its A6H and A7H lines will use Google TV. And for those of us that rely on Alexa, there’s even a Hisense TV that uses Amazon’s Fire TV platform!

Before 2017, all of Vizio’s Smart TVs ran a system that required users to download an application on their smartphone or tablet, which would be used to cast any content to the screen. In a nutshell, they were designed for mirroring. SmartCast updated that system by automatically curating a wide selection of apps without the need to download anything. That includes major streamers from Disney+ to Netflix, plenty of individual channel apps, and a wide variety of niche apps. It’s particularly easy to use in a field where smart TV platforms aren’t always the most user-friendly.

Vizio also now offers a WatchFree+ service, which allows users to watch free content on SmartCast from partners like Disney, Lionsgate, Sony, MGM, and others.

Modern flat screen TV"s have a known problem with capacitors going bad. If your LCD or LED TV won"t turn on, or makes repeated clicking sounds, there is a very good chance that you can save hundreds of dollars doing this simple repair yourself.

I know, I know. You"re thinking, "Tinker inside my LCD HDTV. Are you crazy?" No, I"m not crazy. This is a repair almost anyone can do and this fix will work for any TV.

The bad News. If your TV is physically damaged in any way, been dropped, has a broken screen or gotten wet then this repair isn"t for you. But if your TV was working one day but not the next, read on.

Online discussionsBelow are links to a sampling of online forums where Sony optical block and related problems have been discussed extensively. This includes discussions on settlement offers Sony has been making to customers:

The optical blocks in all of Sony"s 2003-2007 rear-projection liquid crystal microdisplay TVs have been the subject of a Sony warranty extension, a class-action lawsuit, or both.

The following table indicates, for each model family, the issuance and expiration dates of the warranty extensions for discoloration issues. It also contains links to Sony"s announcements, claim forms, and KnowledgeBase articles. Some of the links are to archived versions, because the extensions have expired, and Sony has removed them from their web site. In addition, the table includes links to information on class-action lawsuits.TV family and models

**The 2005 3LCD models are unique in that they are the only models between 2003 and 2007 that have not had a Sony warranty extension.***The expiration date of the extended warranty was originally 10/31/2008, but, based in part on the settlement of a class action lawsuit, on 11/12/2007, Sony extended the expiration date to 6/30/2009.

****The expiration date of these extended warranties was originally 6/30/2010, but, in mid-June 2010, Sony extended them to match those in the pending Cardenas SXRD2 class action lawsuit settlement.

liquid crystal on silicon (LCoS) technology ("SXRDTM" models).All of the 2002-2006 and some of the 2007 modelsuse the WEGATM video processing engine and are generally known as Grand WEGAs. The remaining 2007 models use the newer BRAVIATM engine and branding.

The optical blocks in SXRD models appear to have defects that cause predominantly green blobs, green haze, and/or yellow stains, although other discolorations (e.g., magenta-colored tint) also occur.An Opinion and Order from a class-action lawsuit on the 2005 models provides unique insight into the causes of the discolorations. A majority of the green issues that appeared in the 2005 SXRDs (the green blobs) arose almost immediately after they were put into service, often occurring near the middle of the screen, sometimes being donut-shaped. Sony claims that they identified and fixed that issue ("temperature fluctuations at the calibration stage of the assembly line") within a month of the start of production. Sony claims that this only affected the first ~7,000 TVs to be produced.Sony also claims that other minor causes of green issues (the green haze) were identified and fixed by 1/2006, although no details were provided.

Most likely, all of the green discolorations occurred due to the presence of improperly polarized light in the green channel, arising from defective green polarizers and/or SXRD panels. There is more recent evidence from a subsequent SXRD class action lawsuit that green haze can be caused by skin oil or debris introduced during the manufacturing process (presumably, optical block assemblers touching the parts with their bare fingers). However, Sony claims that they cleaned such optical block parts in a clean room prior to releasing them.

Sony further claims that the yellow stains in the 2005 SXRDs, which tend to start in the upper or lower right corner, were caused by a "microscopic material" in the liquid crystal panels, disrupting their uniformity over time during prolonged exposure to UV light produced by the projection lamp. Sony claims that the extent of the discoloration depended on the amount of microscopic material present in the panel, which varied from TV to TV, and the frequency of usage by the consumer. They also claim that service records indicate that the issue always appeared within the first 3,000 hours of usage, if it was going to happen.

Sony also claims that, between 1/2006 and 10/2006, they worked to reduce both the amount of the microscopic material and the amount of UV light exposure. This is consistent with findings by an independent testing laboratory.The yellow color likely arises due to light being completely blocked in the blue channeldue to photochemical and heat-based damage to the parts. The improper blockage of blue lightleaves the predominantly yellow light from the combined green and red light paths.

Sony convinced the Plaintiffs counsel and judge in the class-action lawsuit that virtually all of the defective TVs that were subject to the problems would have exhibited them by the optical block warranty extension expiration date (6/30/2009), given the claimed 0-3,000 hour time period to appearance. However, inconsistent with Sony"s claims, many 2005 SXRD owners have experienced the same failures on the allegedly re-engineered optical blocks. In addition, original optical blocks have continued to fail after the extended warranty date and the claimed 3,000 hours of usage. Furthermore, similar issues are now being reported by owners of both the 2006 and 2007 model year SXRDs, which were largely produced after the alleged 10/2006 fix on the 2005 models.

The blue discolorations seem to be the most common, particularly in the earlier (2003-2005) 3LCD models, although they are also observed in the more recent 3LCD models, as well as the SXRD models. These discolorations can take the form of blue blobs, haze, lines, bands, dots, star pattern, etc. In some cases, the discoloration is centered around an oval-shaped anomaly in the middle of the screen. In many cases, the discoloration (e.g., haze) is most visible on a gray background, but in other cases, the discoloration is visible on a black background (e.g., blobs). Once they become evident, the discolorations tend to accumulate and spread across the entire screen over the course of a few weeks to months.

The precise cause(s) of these discolorations have not been revealed by Sony, but the problem is well-known in the industry.Thediscolorations tend to be bluish in color,because the parts in the blue light path (particularly the blue polarizing filters and liquid crystalpanels) aresubject to the highest energy light (including UV) and heat. Photochemical and heat-based degradation of the blue polarizing filters can allow stray, improperly polarized blue light to pass through the blue LCD panel and onto the screen, leading to blue blobs on images that should be black. Photochemical and heat-based degradation of compounds in the blue LCD panel (e.g., the liquid crystal itself and/or alignment layers) can cause irregular distribution and/or alignment of the of the liquid crystal. This can lead to improper polarization of blue light as it passes through the damaged areas of the panel, resulting in the projection of stray blue light onto the screen.

lead to focused areas of liquid crystal disruption and burned in images. These tend to diffuse out over time. This is inconsistent with Sony claims that these TVs are immune to screen burn.

While the 2003-2004 3LCD models tend to have primarily blue discolorations, as described above, they can also suffer from stains in the yellow range, and this seems even more common in the newer 3LCD models (e.g., 2005-2006), particularly the A10s. These discolorations tend to start on the edges or appear within oval-shaped anomalies, and to spread over time. Similar to the yellow stains in the SXRDTM models, the yellow color arises due to light being completely blocked in the blue light pathdue to photochemical and heat-based damage (e.g., darkened areas on the orange-colored polarizing filter in the blue light path). The improper blockage of blue lightleaves the predominantly yellow light from the combined green and red light paths. TriState Module sells the orange-colored polarizing filter for the blue light path and reports that it can fix yellow discolorations.

Example of severe yellow stain on a light background, which was also accompanied by blue blobs on a dark background (image by Michelle Bowers on Facebook - I Have a Defective Sony TV):

Example of severe blue discoloration with central oval containing a yellow discoloration (image by Jamie Kwapich from Facebook - I Have a Defective Sony TV):

On top of the high risk for blue discolorations described above, some2003-2004 3LCD modelsare also susceptible to developing an opaque, non-moving pattern on the screen, which is particularly evident on white or light backgrounds. This is referred to variously as stationary scribble, squiggly, random line, or road-mapping, and tends to be a solid color such as yellow, purple, or blue-green on a white background, but it varies somewhat depending on the specific color of the image on the screen.The problem tends to grow worse over time.

For the most part, this problem seems to have been caused by defective materials in a specific lot of LCD panels that were installed in the optical blocks, whichare particularly sensitive to damage arising from hot-cold (on-off) cycling. The color of the scribbles likely correlates with the light path with the damaged LCD panel. For example, damage to the blue panel may selectively block blue light in the damaged areas, leading to a yellow scribble (green plus red), damage to the green panel may lead to a purple scribble (blue plus red), or damage to the red panel may lead to a blue-green scribble. In some cases, different colored scribbles appear in different areas on the same TV, suggesting damage to multiple panels.

upgrade purposes rather than failure. Unlike products like computers, TV technology does not become obsolete over short periods of time. Niche features are constantly added (e.g., Internet connection), but the underlying technological standards,such as tuning (e.g., NTSC, ATSC, and QAM) and display (e.g., HDTV) tend to remain stable for decades. And many of these things can be added with additional equipment, if desired, rather than replacing the entire system. Thus, average consumers generally do not expect to replace extremely costly (~$2,000-$13,000) state-of-the-art large-screen HDTVs every few years.

about 33 years at the current average usage of five hours per day. In their marketing, Sony promoted these TVs as "extremely high quality," "suitable for years and years of enjoyment." Sony New Zealand marketing suggested that a lamp change every 8-10 years would "regenerate the picture of the set to its original condition." Sony Canada went so far as to suggest that the TVs could have infinite lifespans with periodic lamp changes. Sony has since argued in lawsuits (successfully, in some cases) that this type of marketing is mere "puffery," and that it is not reasonable for consumers to use such information in their expectations of longevity. Instead, Sony has argued, they should only reasonably be allowed to use the length of the limited warranty (one to two years) to estimate longevity.

Most consumer electronics companies require a minimum of 20,000 hours of life in their TVs. Even setting aside Sony"s alleged marketing hype around their liquid crystal projection video technology, and considering the TVs as appliances with electronic components, it is reasonable to expect a real-world lifespan of at least 12-20 years with periodic lamp changes.

For reference,in addition to liquid crystal projection technology (3LCD andLCoS/SXRDTM), othernewer technologies at the time included digital light processing (DLP) projection,plasma flat-panel,and LCD flat-panel. In the large screen market, DLP and plasma were in direct competition with liquid crystal projection in its heyday, and LCD flat-panels have overtaken the market as prices have come down on larger panels.

An industry group of LCD projection manufacturers called the "3LCD Group" was formed in 2004 to help market the 3LCD microdisplay technology. Sony is a member of this marketing group, and, along with Epson, accounted for most of the production of the LCD microdisplay panels used in the projection models. Although the current 3LCD Group web site refers only to front projectors, it included rear-projection TVs when they were in production. For example, see this version of the 3LCD Group web site archived in January of 2005. Here is an excerpt from a 1/7/2005 3LCD Group press release:

“As the U.S. market leader in microdisplay televisions, Sony has always been committed to providing consumers with video products that exceed their expectations,” said Mike Fidler, senior vice president in Sony Electronics’ Home Products Division. “3LCD technology fulfills this role by offering an ideal balance between superior performance, overall reliability and manufacturing efficiency.”

Liquid crystal projection TV sales and marketing efforts attempted to steer customers away from competing plasma TVs by citing a short 10,000-20,000-hour lifespanof the plasma tubes (less than 10 years at 3-6 hours per day).In addition, the longevity of competing DLP projection TVs was questioned based on the use of moving parts (DLP technology uses a spinning color wheel with millions of hinged micromirrors). Consistent with this, Sony and its 3LCD Group have released marketing statements such as the following:

It is generally accepted that liquid crystal flat-panel displays have an expected life span of about 60,000 hours(about 27 years at 6 hours per day)(e.g., site 1, site 2, site 3). The liquid crystal microdisplay panels in Sony"s 3LCD and SXRDTM TVs are a bit different than flat-panels. However, Sony and the 3LCD Group do not differentiate LCD flat panels and microdisplays when speaking about reliability. For example, the following statement can be found on the 3LCD Group web site:

Reliable, Road-Tested Tecnology: LCD technology surrounds us – HDTVs, PDAs, mobile phones, monitors and more...this powerful and road-tested technology is an optimal way to achieve sharp, beautiful images. 3LCD systems are reliable and use a simple optical design: 3 chips and 1 prism.

Furthermore, the estimated 60,000-hour lifespan of an LCD flat panel is actually based more on the longevity of the fluorescent back-lighting than the liquid crystal components themselves. So, if the lighting systems were replaceable on these units, the lifespan could, theoretically, be much longer.In liquid crystal projection systems, the lamps are, in fact, user-replaceable, and Sony has exploited this to further promote the longevity of the technology. They strongly promoted that their TVs only needed a lamp change every several years to restore the TV to a like-new condition. Here are some quotes from some of Sony"s marketing:

User-replaceable UHP Lamp. Longevity is a big consideration when you invest in a high quality television. You don"t have to worry about picture quality eroding over time with the Sony Grand WEGA television featuring a user-replaceable UHP lamp. With the turn of a few screws years from now, you"ll restore your Grand WEGA TV"s picture to all of its original glory. Sony"s UHP lamp means that you"ll enjoy brilliant, consistent performance for years to come.

Easy Replacement Of UHP (Ultra High Pressure) Lamp. Sony innovation once again takes the lead with its proprietary new UHP replacement approach. Now you don’t have to worry about time eroding your TV’s picture quality – with a few simple twists of the screw, you can replace the old lamp and restore your Grand WEGA’s performance to full, vivid glory. Thanks to this convenient feature, you’ll enjoy the same high level of quality and enjoyment for many years.

The Fountain of Youth - User-Replaceable UHP Lamp. In the past, the gradual loss of picture quality was just part of owning a TV. Once the picture got to a point where it was unwatchable, the TV was replaced and the process started over. Sony recognizes the investment in time and money that a TV represents. That is the reason that Grand WEGA comes with an ingenious user-replaceable UHP lamp. After countless hours of enjoyment, simply replace the lamp and your Grand WEGA is as good as the day you bought it. In fact, with Sony"s renowned quality, Grand WEGA may be the last TV you ever own.The implication from these quotes is that liquid crystal rear-projection TVs could have an even longer life than a liquid crystal flat-panel display, and even CRT-based TVs, due to the user-replaceable lamps. In fact, a "white paper" from Sony on their projection systems directly suggests that liquid crystal microdisplay (fixed-pixel) projection panels offer "far longer life" than CRT-based TVs (e.g., see page 23):

CRTs have phosphors that are subject to burn-in when an image stays on the screen too long...Fixed-pixel projector display panels are immune to burn-in, offering far longer life. And the SXRD panel is particularly robust.However, unlike flat-panel liquid crystal displays with non-damaging fluorescent back-lighting, the UHP lamps in Sony"s rear-projection TVs create substantial direct heat, direct light (e.g., ultraviolet), and indirect heat (produced by conversion of reflected light). This damaging energy is focused on the small filters and liquid crystal panels within the optical block, significantly reducing lifespan.

The approximately 6,000-10,000 hour life spans seen with many of Sony"s optical blocks, thus, does not compare favorably with the marketing claims of superior reliability and longevity over plasma and DLP, let alone with the language in Sony’s marketing material that the TVs should last for “countless hours” (far into the future), and that, with lamp replacement, it could be the last TV you ever need to buy.

Sony now frequently justifies their compensation offers by citing a 7-year expected lifespan of the TVs. This 7-year figure likely arises from a California law (Civil Code Section 1793.03) that requires manufacturers of any electronic or appliance product that retails for $100 or more to maintain functional parts for repair for a minimum of seven years. However, this does not mean that the expected lifespan of the product is only seven years, and it seems unconscionably short given the claims of reliability and longevity made when the TVs were being sold.

In 2020, it introduced the world"s first true 8K 10 bit HDR screen TV that is based on an AI-powered HDR algorithm and an image quality engine claiming 6.5T supercomputing power.

Qingdao Hisense Communications Co Ltd is a subsidiary manufactures mobile phones and operates an R&D facility.Qualcomm and operates a mobile phone production base in a Hisense IT Industrial Park 90 minutes from Qingdao.Qualcomm"s biomimetic screen technology, Mirasol,

Become a member of Consumer Reports to get access to our TV Screen Optimizer, which will help you get the perfect picture on your TV in just minutes.Join todayto get started.

SharpNo company did more to develop and commercialize LCD TV technology than Japan’s Sharp Corp. But in 2015 it yielded to market pressures here in the U.S. and licensed its brand to Chinese TV manufacturer Hisense, which also purchased Sharp’s TV plant in Mexico. Subsequently, a majority share of Sharp was bought by Taiwanese manufacturer Foxconn, which reclaimed the rights to the Sharp brand from Hisense in 2019. The company recently announced a return to the U.S. TV market in 2022.

Ever had your TV showing nothing but a black screen even if the audio was working? Unfortunately, that’s a common issue with low/middle-end LCD/LED TVs these days… Even more frustrating, this issue often comes from a rather tiny and cheap component that can be easily replaced. Most common issues are:

The first step into repair is to find the root cause of the issue. As backlight failure is a very common issue, this is the first thing to test. To do so, the easiest way is to power on your screen, put a flashlight very close to it and check if you can see the image through. The image would be very dark, like turning the brightness of the screen very very low.

That implies disassembling the TV to access the backlight which is between the LCD screen in the front and the boards in the rear. In my case, with a Samsung F5000, I had to process as follows:

First we have to remove the back housing to reveal the boards (from left to right: main board, T-CON, power supply) and disconnect the LCD panel from the T-CON board.

Note: Older TVs have neon tubes for backlight, which is thicker and less exposed to this kind of failure. LED backlight is the most common thing these days, but do not mistake an LED TV with an OLED TV. The first one is a classic LCD panel with a LED backlight, whereas the second is an OLED panel that doesn’t need any backlight as it is integrated in each pixels (making the spare parts much more expensive by the way).

There might be a lot of other root causes for similar symptoms, a black screen often looks like something very serious and therefore expensive to repair, but this case is the perfect example that taking some time to look for the root cause can sometime lead to a good surprise: here a 1$ fix!