Fix an old TV?

[Paquita]

I have a RCA console TV that's about 25 years old.  For the past 10 years or so it's been "fussy".  What I mean by that is it would work most of the time but then every once in a while, around the changing of the seasons, it would start getting staticky. Beating it on the top and on the left side would usually fix it; when it would get REALLY bad, elevating it slightly on the left side and/or hugging/humping the left side made it better, but sometimes it would only work while it was being hugged. Doing anything to the right side of the TV makes it worse!

I recently had to put the TV away for 6 months while we had some construction done. When we brought it back out it worked a little better than normal for a while, and then it started acting like normal, and then it just kind of stopped working.  When I turn it on sometimes it works immediately for a few minutes to an hour and then goes to black snow, other times it's just black snow right off the bat.  But the sound is fine, except for a little static!

This TV has been with me my entire life and I LOVE it and I don't want to junk it!  Does anyone know how to fix old tvs?  I can take pictures and stuff if I need to!  Everyone wants me to give up on it but I just can't.  If I need to keep it as a table I will, but I just don't want to give up on it yet.

 

[Ash]

It's probably something as simple as a wire inside that needs re-soldering.
I had a similar problem with an old TV and the TV repairman charged me $100 to re-solder a few wires and adjust the picture.

[Andrew]

This could also be one of the components going bad, but the trick is knowing which one.  Maybe Googling for "black snow" along with the TV model or just general make might find something.  Here's something I found with a quick search:

http://www.fixya.com/support/t452654-rca_32_1996_color_trac_plus

[Doctor Menard]

Before you go and do anything, keep in mind that $100 dollars is pretty cheap compared to your safety and your life.

Those capacitors and picture tube can store one hell of a charge, enough to injure or kill if you don't know what you are doing.

Be very careful if you still plan on trying to do it yourself.

[Paquita]

I've tried looking online, but couldnt find anything specific for a tv as old as mine, but I did find a picture of the volume remote that I haven't seen since I was in high school!!  I think I'll ask Radio Shack about that HV Supply thing and see if they can help.

When I opened the back of the TV I saw a really big scary warning, so I decided not to touch anything!  But I thought  maybe it would be a simple fix like blowing out the thick coating of dust with a can of air.  I looked up a couple TV repairs and most want you to bring the TV in, but it's so big that I wanted someone to just come in and poke around and make it work.  I'll gladly pay $100 to fix it if it means not getting a new one! Although, some of the repair places say they will only work on TVs that are less than 15 years old, I hope their not all like that.