Philips TV: Blank screen with "F" in corner

Ray Riedel

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Apr 13, 2001, 11:05:34 AM4/13/01

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The symptoms:
TV won't turn off, no response from on/off switch
No video signal from gamebox, antenae, or VCR -just white screen
I DO get audio from games, antenae, and VCR
I DO get color text from on-screen menu, on-screen menu works (so
picture tube works)
No response to any buttons on remote control
A capitol "F" remains in the upper right hand corner of the screen

The problem began after the TV was unplugged while turned on. This is a
Philips Magnavox "SMARTseries" 19 inch TV.

I have no clue where to start with this. Does Magnavox have ANY form of
support for TV troubleshooting? I assume the "F" is some kind of mode
or problem indicator.

Tom MacIntyre

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Apr 14, 2001, 8:38:23 AM4/14/01

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On Fri, 13 Apr 2001 11:05:34 -0400, Ray Riedel <rjri...@prodigy.net>
wrote:

Sounds like an EEPROM or uP problem.

Tom

Ray Riedel

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Apr 13, 2001, 11:34:29 AM4/13/01

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Tom MacIntyre wrote:

My knowledge of electronics is marginal. If it's an EEPROM, and only erased
-not damaged, does any one know how (or if) I can restore it's default
data? I've been through the menu and didn't find anything useful. Some
times hitting the right button combo can restore default settings.

I don't know what a uP is.

Dave M

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Apr 14, 2001, 12:27:21 PM4/14/01

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This does indeed, sound like a uP (Microprocessor) problem...
If you don't know what a microprocessor is or how to troubleshoot the
problem, your best bet is to cut your losses and take the set to a repair
shop.

--
Dave M

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CLSNOWYOWL

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Apr 14, 2001, 4:58:29 PM4/14/01

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Here is an easier suggestion, in addition to the possibility of a
microprocessor that is a much simpler troubleshooting technique.

Basically, the easiest thing to check for would be to actually check the
wiring. Perhaps the wiring is not properly configured. Also, the user functions
of just one of the items you mentioned could be causing the problem. The
problem with video games as that often people do not place them on a seperate
switcher. Not having the video game device on a seperate A/B switch (to switch
between the VCR and the video game) can cause the rest of the system (the VCR
and TV) to detect no signal as being present when either the VCR or the video
game machine is shut off.

Therefore, the "F" key could be a "function" or "frequency" symbol displayed on
the TV. Either the VCR, TV, or the video game is looking for the presence of a
video signal, but just cannot find one.

I would suggest you check your wiring and the user functions of each device. I
would need to know specifically how you wired it in order to give you an answer
on whether or not these devices are hooked up properly.

Subject: Philips TV: Blank screen with "F" in corner
From: Ray Riedel rjri...@prodigy.net
Date: 4/13/01 10:05 AM EST
Message-id: <3AD715BE...@prodigy.net>

Scott

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May 11, 2001, 11:34:14 AM5/11/01

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Sage advice has already been given, and I'd like to add if you can get any
kind of support from Magnavox it might help; I had a TV once that somehow
got turned off and then back on with the right combination of buttons being
pushed that put it into "dealer mode", a display routine that was used in
the store only and included all kinds of undesirable behavior. I had a hell
of a time figuring out which buttons to press in power up to make dealer
mode go away. This "F" definitely means something.

hansmunsters

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May 11, 2001, 5:20:20 PM5/11/01

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F = Factory mode

normally only used in the factory for alignments at the production line.

if there is data corruption in the Non Volatile Memory then this "F"-mode
could come up.

hans
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