Panasonic TX-P50GT30E. Once more the 7 blink disease - TNPA 5335 scan/sustain board fixed cheaply.

When I saw a 7 blink Panasonic GT30 in eBay classifieds (Kleinanzeigen), I acted immediately. I've learned how to fix this standard problem of the 30 series with my 42ST30 and this one was bigger and the better G-type. The S-type is the budget version. The G improves on the S as follows:

• DLNA
• SAT receiver
• USB recording
• Improved contrast filter
• Much finer image adjustment options. Two expert modes and a THX mode.

So I picked it up for 200€. A quick measurement revealed the usual. Loose screws and 6 transistors plus 2 diodes shot. This time I found a cheaper repair kit for the TNPA 5335 board from Germany for 40€.

Let's have a look. The next image makes me go wow! Just wow! Panasonic Plasmas are magnificent machines, meticulously built. It's a pleasure to study the attention to detail. If Panasonic just wouldn't have, well, screwed up the screws.

In the 50 inch model, the buffer boards are separated from the sustain boards, which makes maintenance a lot easier. The panel connectors can stay seated. As I reported here, those are not easy to handle.

I examined the screw holes and their contact area. This did not look good. I think we see black traces of sparking here:

The next image shows the damaged semiconductors. It was not as bad as with the 42 inch. No ICs and small signal transistors affected, just the big thingies. Neither had the power supply failed. I think, in this model, the engineers paid more attention to protection circuits.

Here we go again. Pre-heater plate and hot air makes replacing the parts a smooth operation:

The TV started up no problem after the repair.

The 50GT30 is a brilliant TV. The images are stunningly beautiful. The 3D performance is second to none. Crystal clear. It feels like looking through a window into the world. No other TV I've put my hands on comes even close.

The sound is bad, though. A lot is missing in the highs and there is too much fat in the midrange. I don't care much, as I have my stereo to the left and right of the screen.

A TV as gorgeous as Scarlett Johansson :-) Nothing beats a Plasma when it comes to skin tone.

Watching Gravity in 3D is breathtaking:

Plasmas have a natural sharpness, which LCDs just don't seem to achieve without tricks. The plasmas don't have the funny lock-in effect on hair, when suddenly the shimmering, silvery reflections stand out once a person stands still.

Well, I'm afraid my beloved Sony, which is my first TV repair must trade places with my new darling :-)

It still puzzles me that the screws are the reason for the defect. Their material is very soft. The screwdriver wears them out quickly. Maybe they stretch too much. Or the solder they sit on flows and that loosens the screws. This would be a silly engineering mistake. However, some screws are mounted on a solid bracket and those were still sitting tight. So maybe the engineers underestimated the importance of the problem screws.