End of an era. - Page 7 - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

dave walsh · 12th Mar 2018, 9:47 am

Yes, that's the same people Dai. At one time they specialised between Video and TV repairs so when you went in they'd say "Oh you want my brother for that!" [I don't know what happened with Hi Fi]. They didn't seem to have a lot of nostalgia for the Trade [as expressed here] and stopped doing VCR repairs even though customers were still around at the time but locals preferred to buy a reconditioned TV there because of the convenience and service. I suppose working at something daily might be very different to being a hobby enthusiast

Those pre-amps were very good. I used them to get better TV/ FM radio from deep in the valley at home but there was also a 2 Meter band converter that put out an IF around 8 megs [I think] and that worked well. If I was short of the odd cap or or any other component they were usually able to sell me one, even though that might have been seen as "counter" productive for them. They could usually dig out what was wanted. Nice chaps!

Dave W
Bexhill

[But I will be back home to see Tornado on the ELR at Easter! Conveniently featured in the second part of CH5's Flying Scotsman Doc last week]

slidertogrid · 12th Mar 2018, 10:35 am

I got out of the trade in late 2000 I could see a meteorite size pile of S#ite heading for my fan...
The supermarkets were starting to sell VCRs for peanuts. cheapo brand 21" TVs were under £120 we had a full time video engineer two bench TV engineers and three field engineers. We also had around a thousand rental customers.
I realised that there wasn't going to be much of a market for used ex rental Tvs and VCRs soon and we relied on selling the ex rentals when they were replaced.
Also we had a high turnaround on chargeable repairs. I couldn't see anyone spending money on repairs when the cheapo stuff went wrong..
I realised the writing was on the wall when even pensioners were buying sets and starting to send the rental back..
I managed to sell the business as a going concern. within 3 years the new owners had moved the remaining customers to their other branch and closed the shop. it's now a Polish supermarket...
This meant I missed the delights of the flat panel junk... The painter chip fiasco.. The Philips tubes that went short or flat..
At least I stayed sane...wibble...Inserts pencils in nostrils...

Rich.

slidertogrid · 12th Mar 2018, 10:37 am

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2DCExerOsA

Nuvistor · 12th Mar 2018, 10:43 am

“The painter chip fiasco”
I had not heard of this, a quick search produced a a different forum post from 2004, a company, not sure who, were quoting around £100 to replace the chip if the PCB was sent to them.

Not heard of the Philips CRT’s going flat either.

Seems I was better off out of it myself.

FERNSEH · 12th Mar 2018, 10:59 am

"Not heard of the Philips CRT’s going flat either."
Not exactly going low emission but various internal gun shorts, usually heater to cathode.
The problem was to be found in the later widescreen CRTs having the low consumption heaters.
I do remember a transformer manufacturing firm offered an isolation transformer to solve the heater to cathode short circuit fault.

DFWB.

Welsh Anorak · 12th Mar 2018, 11:06 am

Hi
Thanks for all the nice comments about Uncle William (post #108). The TV show was called 'Y Bocs yn y Cornel' (the box in the corner, as if you hadn't guessed). Unfortunately my VHS copy succumbed to the dreaded mould and died.

linescan87 · 12th Mar 2018, 12:40 pm

Thanks for sharing that Glyn, I really enjoyed the read. Hardly a fitting end for such a kind man.

It would be nice if other people could share their stories as well.

John Joe.

FERNSEH · 12th Mar 2018, 1:30 pm

Just received a phone enquiring about a repair to a Baird LCD TV. A four mile trip to collect it. However, I was reminded by the caller that there is a local guy on Facebook who fixes TVs for £25! My answer was, "that's your man" Who on earth is going to go out to fix a clapped out LCD TV for that kind of money?

DFWB.

linescan87 · 12th Mar 2018, 1:37 pm

Good for you, you can certainly live without that kind of business! Now that customer was talking tripe!!

John Joe.

Refugee · 12th Mar 2018, 2:10 pm

You have to account for all the time it takes to remove the covers from a flat TV.
They are made in such a way as to deter anyone from bothering to repair them.

dave walsh · 12th Mar 2018, 3:16 pm

Oh no

. Don't mention Tripe John Joe!!! [Post 115].

Dave

Station X · 12th Mar 2018, 3:44 pm

I think we've had quite enough tripe in this thread.

Back on topic please.

Welsh Anorak · 12th Mar 2018, 3:59 pm

Just had someone refuse an estimate for a scaler chip in a Samsung. When asked how much he though was reasonable he reckoned no more than £30. After all, he reasoned, you can get a TV on Facebook for around £80. Which was more than we wanted for a guaranteed repair! People are strange...
We have the local Facebook guys too. They buy up all the old smashed TVs, remove the boards and hope for the best when one comes in. They know little or nothing about TVs, of course, but can use a screwdriver and can spot a bulging capacitor, even if their soldering skills are neanderthal. And if the TV doesn't get fixed, the parts are 'unavailable' or the 'screen is faulty'. To think we thought we'd seen the last of the cowboys!

FERNSEH · 12th Mar 2018, 4:07 pm

Earlier this year a chap brought in a small screen Samsung LCD in for repair.
The report was "it takes ages to come on" Two electrolytic capacitors in the power supply needed replacing, a nice easy job, or so I thought. Well, the capacitors didn't fix the set and the fault persisted. Spent some time checking around the main board but no nasties found.
The owner came around to collect the set stating he couldn't wait any longer.
He then said, "my wife says I shouldn't pay you anything because the set still has the fault and anyway it does come on eventually if it is left on".
As an act of generosity he offered me some money, £4! Wow. Rest assured the money received was entered into the till as takings. You have to do things in a businesslike manner.

DFWB.

Refugee · 12th Mar 2018, 11:57 pm

Bulging capacitors can sometimes corrupt the firmware.
You need to hack a good one to get the firmware fixed on the one that has had new caps.

Phil G4SPZ · 13th Mar 2018, 12:06 am

Put a computer in charge of a simple TV set and look what happens!

mark pirate · 13th Mar 2018, 10:32 am

Quote:

Just received a phone enquiring about a repair to a Baird LCD TV. A four mile trip to collect it. However, I was reminded by the caller that there is a local guy on Facebook who fixes TVs for £25! My answer was, "that's your man" Who on earth is going to go out to fix a clapped out LCD TV for that kind of money?

Times are hard, I freely admit that I still take on low price repairs

I look at it this way, if I can fix a set within an hour using less than a fiver's worth of parts, it still makes financial sense.
As discussed earlier in the thread, customers usually turn down repairs if the cost exceeds £30.

I am of course retired and have no real overheads, apart from electricity used.
Three or four repairs a week certainly help pay my bills!

Mark

FERNSEH · 13th Mar 2018, 11:41 am

The problem with my business (or what's left of it) is the rent of the shop which including service charges can be over £10.000 per annum.
Thankfully, I'm in a rates assisted area.
It was in the early 2000s when I stopped selling small screen TVs. It would be OK to sell such items if it was just a matter of handing the sets over to the counter and the customer did the tuning in themselves, but it wasn't so easy for me. That £149 TV had to be delivered and tuned in which meant fiddling about with the loop aerial to achieve some decent pictures. Then there was that problem with certain Thomson small screen TVs with a patterning effect which required an additional filter choke in the power supply, more work, and all this hassle for £20 mark-up!
Stopped selling small screen TVs after that debacle.

DFWB.

usradcoll1 · 13th Mar 2018, 5:33 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Station X

I think we've had quite enough tripe in this thread.

Back on topic please.

In the future, I'll curb my crazy inquiries and stay on topic!
Everything stated in the topic regarding the end of an era is spot-on. It's worse in the US and has been for quite a while.
I quit in the mid-80's, which wasn't early enough.

dave walsh · 13th Mar 2018, 9:08 pm

Can you perhaps say more about the Stateside decline from your own particular
experience? I've seen You Tube films re very interesting now vintage Radio and American TV sets nobody seemed to be interested in, that seemed extraordinary by UK standards. One or two others about rural Radio/TV Workshops just abandoned, in the middle of nowhere sometimes.

Dave

12th Mar 2018, 9:47 am	#121
dave walsh Dekatron Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Ramsbottom (Nr Bury) Lancs or Bexhill (Nr Hastings) Sussex. Posts: 5,817	Re: End of an era. Yes, that's the same people Dai. At one time they specialised between Video and TV repairs so when you went in they'd say "Oh you want my brother for that!" [I don't know what happened with Hi Fi]. They didn't seem to have a lot of nostalgia for the Trade [as expressed here] and stopped doing VCR repairs even though customers were still around at the time but locals preferred to buy a reconditioned TV there because of the convenience and service. I suppose working at something daily might be very different to being a hobby enthusiast Those pre-amps were very good. I used them to get better TV/ FM radio from deep in the valley at home but there was also a 2 Meter band converter that put out an IF around 8 megs [I think] and that worked well. If I was short of the odd cap or or any other component they were usually able to sell me one, even though that might have been seen as "counter" productive for them. They could usually dig out what was wanted. Nice chaps! Dave W Bexhill [But I will be back home to see Tornado on the ELR at Easter! Conveniently featured in the second part of CH5's Flying Scotsman Doc last week] Last edited by dave walsh; 12th Mar 2018 at 10:08 am.

12th Mar 2018, 10:35 am	#122
slidertogrid Octode Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, UK. Posts: 1,898	Re: End of an era. I got out of the trade in late 2000 I could see a meteorite size pile of S#ite heading for my fan... The supermarkets were starting to sell VCRs for peanuts. cheapo brand 21" TVs were under £120 we had a full time video engineer two bench TV engineers and three field engineers. We also had around a thousand rental customers. I realised that there wasn't going to be much of a market for used ex rental Tvs and VCRs soon and we relied on selling the ex rentals when they were replaced. Also we had a high turnaround on chargeable repairs. I couldn't see anyone spending money on repairs when the cheapo stuff went wrong.. I realised the writing was on the wall when even pensioners were buying sets and starting to send the rental back.. I managed to sell the business as a going concern. within 3 years the new owners had moved the remaining customers to their other branch and closed the shop. it's now a Polish supermarket... This meant I missed the delights of the flat panel junk... The painter chip fiasco.. The Philips tubes that went short or flat.. At least I stayed sane...wibble...Inserts pencils in nostrils... Rich. __________________ The rotation of the earth really makes my day...

12th Mar 2018, 10:37 am	#123
slidertogrid Octode Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, UK. Posts: 1,898	Re: End of an era. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2DCExerOsA __________________ The rotation of the earth really makes my day...

12th Mar 2018, 10:43 am	#124
Nuvistor Dekatron Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Wigan, Greater Manchester, UK. Posts: 9,431	Re: End of an era. “The painter chip fiasco” I had not heard of this, a quick search produced a a different forum post from 2004, a company, not sure who, were quoting around £100 to replace the chip if the PCB was sent to them. Not heard of the Philips CRT’s going flat either. Seems I was better off out of it myself. __________________ Frank

12th Mar 2018, 10:59 am	#125
FERNSEH Dekatron Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, UK. Posts: 7,444	Re: End of an era. "Not heard of the Philips CRT’s going flat either." Not exactly going low emission but various internal gun shorts, usually heater to cathode. The problem was to be found in the later widescreen CRTs having the low consumption heaters. I do remember a transformer manufacturing firm offered an isolation transformer to solve the heater to cathode short circuit fault. DFWB. Last edited by FERNSEH; 12th Mar 2018 at 11:20 am.

12th Mar 2018, 11:06 am	#126
Welsh Anorak Dekatron Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: North Wales, UK. Posts: 6,916	Re: End of an era. Hi Thanks for all the nice comments about Uncle William (post #108). The TV show was called 'Y Bocs yn y Cornel' (the box in the corner, as if you hadn't guessed). Unfortunately my VHS copy succumbed to the dreaded mould and died. __________________ Glyn www.gdelectronics.wales

12th Mar 2018, 12:40 pm	#127
linescan87 Heptode Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Meath, Ireland Posts: 551	Re: End of an era. Thanks for sharing that Glyn, I really enjoyed the read. Hardly a fitting end for such a kind man. It would be nice if other people could share their stories as well. John Joe.

12th Mar 2018, 1:30 pm	#128
FERNSEH Dekatron Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, UK. Posts: 7,444	Re: End of an era. Just received a phone enquiring about a repair to a Baird LCD TV. A four mile trip to collect it. However, I was reminded by the caller that there is a local guy on Facebook who fixes TVs for £25! My answer was, "that's your man" Who on earth is going to go out to fix a clapped out LCD TV for that kind of money? DFWB.

12th Mar 2018, 1:37 pm	#129
linescan87 Heptode Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Meath, Ireland Posts: 551	Re: End of an era. Good for you, you can certainly live without that kind of business! Now that customer was talking tripe!! John Joe.

12th Mar 2018, 2:10 pm	#130
Refugee Dekatron Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Worksop, Nottinghamshire, UK. Posts: 5,553	Re: End of an era. You have to account for all the time it takes to remove the covers from a flat TV. They are made in such a way as to deter anyone from bothering to repair them.

12th Mar 2018, 3:16 pm	#131
dave walsh Dekatron Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Ramsbottom (Nr Bury) Lancs or Bexhill (Nr Hastings) Sussex. Posts: 5,817	Re: End of an era. Oh no. Don't mention Tripe John Joe!!! [Post 115]. Dave

12th Mar 2018, 3:44 pm	#132
Station X Moderator Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Ipswich, Suffolk, IP4, UK. Posts: 21,287	Re: End of an era. I think we've had quite enough tripe in this thread. Back on topic please. __________________ Graham. Forum Moderator Reach for your meter before you reach for your soldering iron.

12th Mar 2018, 3:59 pm	#133
Welsh Anorak Dekatron Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: North Wales, UK. Posts: 6,916	Re: End of an era. Just had someone refuse an estimate for a scaler chip in a Samsung. When asked how much he though was reasonable he reckoned no more than £30. After all, he reasoned, you can get a TV on Facebook for around £80. Which was more than we wanted for a guaranteed repair! People are strange... We have the local Facebook guys too. They buy up all the old smashed TVs, remove the boards and hope for the best when one comes in. They know little or nothing about TVs, of course, but can use a screwdriver and can spot a bulging capacitor, even if their soldering skills are neanderthal. And if the TV doesn't get fixed, the parts are 'unavailable' or the 'screen is faulty'. To think we thought we'd seen the last of the cowboys! __________________ Glyn www.gdelectronics.wales

12th Mar 2018, 4:07 pm	#134
FERNSEH Dekatron Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, UK. Posts: 7,444	Re: End of an era. Earlier this year a chap brought in a small screen Samsung LCD in for repair. The report was "it takes ages to come on" Two electrolytic capacitors in the power supply needed replacing, a nice easy job, or so I thought. Well, the capacitors didn't fix the set and the fault persisted. Spent some time checking around the main board but no nasties found. The owner came around to collect the set stating he couldn't wait any longer. He then said, "my wife says I shouldn't pay you anything because the set still has the fault and anyway it does come on eventually if it is left on". As an act of generosity he offered me some money, £4! Wow. Rest assured the money received was entered into the till as takings. You have to do things in a businesslike manner. DFWB.

12th Mar 2018, 11:57 pm	#135
Refugee Dekatron Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Worksop, Nottinghamshire, UK. Posts: 5,553	Re: End of an era. Bulging capacitors can sometimes corrupt the firmware. You need to hack a good one to get the firmware fixed on the one that has had new caps.

13th Mar 2018, 12:06 am	#136
Phil G4SPZ Dekatron Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Bewdley, Worcestershire, UK. Posts: 4,748	Re: End of an era. Put a computer in charge of a simple TV set and look what happens! __________________ Phil Optimist [n]: One who is not in possession of the full facts

13th Mar 2018, 11:41 am	#138
FERNSEH Dekatron Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, UK. Posts: 7,444	Re: End of an era. The problem with my business (or what's left of it) is the rent of the shop which including service charges can be over £10.000 per annum. Thankfully, I'm in a rates assisted area. It was in the early 2000s when I stopped selling small screen TVs. It would be OK to sell such items if it was just a matter of handing the sets over to the counter and the customer did the tuning in themselves, but it wasn't so easy for me. That £149 TV had to be delivered and tuned in which meant fiddling about with the loop aerial to achieve some decent pictures. Then there was that problem with certain Thomson small screen TVs with a patterning effect which required an additional filter choke in the power supply, more work, and all this hassle for £20 mark-up! Stopped selling small screen TVs after that debacle. DFWB.

13th Mar 2018, 9:08 pm	#140
dave walsh Dekatron Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Ramsbottom (Nr Bury) Lancs or Bexhill (Nr Hastings) Sussex. Posts: 5,817	Re: End of an era. Can you perhaps say more about the Stateside decline from your own particular experience? I've seen You Tube films re very interesting now vintage Radio and American TV sets nobody seemed to be interested in, that seemed extraordinary by UK standards. One or two others about rural Radio/TV Workshops just abandoned, in the middle of nowhere sometimes. Dave