Bargain TV / DVD Player

[Parksy]

Our caravan television which is a 19" led flat screen model that we've had for 3 years started to play up on our last outing.
Despite replacing the remote control batteries the signal from the remote doesn't seem to be getting through, the tv volume suddenly went down to zero and we couldn't get it to go back to normal and we couldn't access parts of the set up from the menu.
I know nothing about tv repairs so after 3 years of rainy day caravan entertainment we decided to buy a new portable flat screen tv for the caravan.
We looked around online for a bog standard small flat screen tv and quite by chance I saw a great bargain on E-bay

It's a brand new 19" flat screen hd ready tv with a built in dvd player for just under £90 from Argos Clearance ebay outlet, I ordered it on Saturday morning (free delivery) and it was delivered this morning which is pretty good. We run out tv via an inverter from our solar charged 110 a/h leisure battery when we're on rallies if it's raining and we don't go out so we'll try it in the caravan next week on our 5 day Whitsun rally.

 

[LMH]

That sounds like a good bargain Parksy.

We have a 15inch tv. A few months ago, i was watching it in bed and unfortunately one of my dogs which is like a miniature carthorse somehow knocked the tv off the little table. Ever since then, when you switch it on, you have then have to take your thumb and forefinger and squeeze each side of the screen, it then springs into life. Weird.

Lisa

 

[DeliDave_]

Lisa,it could be one of the connectors has become dislodged in the fall,you may find that if you remove the back and push everything you can see you might sort it.I have just got a power socket from Maplins to repair my failed Bailey TV which had a similar problem

 

[Parksy]

I went through the tried and tested routine of swearing at the failed tv but I hadn't thought about giving it a squeeze Lisa.

 

[colinw1]

I dont want to be the one to bring everyone down.... but!
In LCD displays (tv's monitors, laptops - and so im told - low energy light bulbs are made of the same stuff) there's a a very thin glass tube. If you like a, miniature fluorescent tube that lights up the screen
This tube contains some very very very nasty stuff - if a tube gets broken - basically RUN!!!!. the room has to be cleared and the room ventilated for around 30 mins. I work as IT tech support in a college and we've been told that the rooms surrounding will have to be cleared should one of the tubes gets broken (so we now do monitor repairs during holidays when there's less people around).
Seemingly the same nasty stuff is also in the low energy lamps that we all use in our homes- citation is needed on this, but I've been told, that people have died as a result of coming into contact with the mercury vapor etc that is contained in these tubes/lamps.

So Lisa, please be gentle - dont squeeze too hard.

 

[Damian]

Quote "

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I dont want to be the one to bring everyone down.... but!
In LCD displays (tv's monitors, laptops - and so im told - low energy light bulbs are made of the same stuff) there's a a very thin glass tube. If you like a, miniature fluorescent tube that lights up the screen
This tube contains some very very very nasty stuff - if a tube gets broken - basically RUN!!!"

Absolute rubbish!!
LCD crystals contain NO mercury vapour, and are NOT thin glass tubes.
They are a natural substance which are energised by changes in the electric current passed through them to realign the molecules to produce different colours.
Although called Liquid Crystal, ther eis in fact NO liquid in them.

A plasma display panel is an array of hundreds of thousands of small, luminous cells positioned between two plates of glass. Each cell is essentially a tiny neon lamp filled with rarefied neon, xenon, and other inert gases; the cells are luminous when they are electrified through "electrodes"

Whoever told you that rubbish needs to research the products they are working with, and by the seems of it, misinforming people of a "danger" that simply is not true.

Low energy light bulbs however are a different matter, they are just fancy shaped flourescent tubes which DO contain mercury vapour and should be disposed of in a licenced recycling centre.
However, if one is accidentally dropped, there is no need to panic and certainly not evacuate the whole neighbourhood.
Just ventilate the room for a while then hoover up any broken glass.

I deplore scaremongering over minor items.

 

[colinw1]

Damien.
Your reply made me laugh - I did'nt say the lcd display itself... I said a thin glass tube that lights up the display.

Besides - I'm not here to argue with you or anyone else for that matter, I was just giving some points that's contained in a Health & Safety manual I have to work to (it gets updated every 6 months and I have read the updates and then feed the new rules and regs down to my team)

so how about we leave this alone eh....

 

[Parksy]

Hmm, I don't recall seeing any health warning with my tv which is identical to more expensive models so I'll try not to worry too much about the possibility of mercury vapour inhalation when I'm watching Constipation Street in the caravan

 

[Mel]

Dunno about mercury in TVs but I do know that the long life "environmentally friendly" light bulbs we now buy contain mercury. Don't think it is sufficient to require running but I'm told you shouldn't handle it. Mind you when I was a kid we used to push blobs of mercury from a broken thermometer about, to watch them coalesce! My Dad also told a story of how some bloke working in the same chemical plant as him (BP in Baglan Bay, if any of you know it), nicked a load of mercury by filling up the frame of his push bike and attempted to wheel it out past the security guard. He got caught when the bike fell over and the bloke could barely lift it.
oh the joys of toxic heavy metals
mel

 

[Surfer]

Surely the poster is joking about glass tubes and clearing the room for 30 minutes. In all my years I have never heard of this happening. If it was true, they certainly would not allow the TVs in a domestic residence.

 

[colinw1]

(Sigh!!!)

Can I point out that I'm only sayin' what we get told to do via our H&S book we get chucked at us every 6 months.
Having re-read it yesterday - it does point out that newer monitors etc now have tubes that contain less MV (mercury vapour).

http://www.howstuffworks.com/question580.htm

 

[Damian]

Quote "Sigh!!!)

Can I point out that I'm only sayin' what we get told to do via our H&S book we get chucked at us every 6 months.
Having re-read it yesterday - it does point out that newer monitors etc now have tubes that contain less MV (mercury vapour)."

Its no good sighing.
You posted a dire warning about a "problem" that is not a problem.
You stated that you have heard of people dying from inhaling Mercury Vapour,,,,,,,the please back that up with who? when? where?

If there was such an urgent danger then no flourescent tubes would be sold for use in any public place.
I have had a flourescent tube fall on me and break, I suffered no ill effects from the vapour, but did from the glass.
I have cleaned Mercury by squeezing it through a chamois cloth on many occasions and suffered no ill effects.

Mercury is a cumulative poison so a one off or very rare contact is very unlikely to have any ill effects.

I hope you have no Amalgum tooth fillings as they contain Mercury,,,and I have not heard of anyones mouth dropping off yet.

 

[KeithJ]

Hi Parksy - can I get back to your original post?!!!!
Our TV didn't breakdown, but we got fed up with watching a 15 inch box - too used to watching a bigger one at home I guess.
So I started looking for a bigger one, as prices are coming down. Currys/PC World have a clearance centre near us, and I picked up a 22inch flat screen set, with DVD player and USB socket with ability to record onto external memory...............for £62!!!!

For that price there was no remote (got one from an internet supplier for £16) - no instructions (downloaded and printed them for free) - and no stand (picked up a wall mount for £2 at same store and mounted it on a piece of wood). Picture is brilliant, sound not so good so purchased some computer speakers from same store for £2.95

All in all we now have an excellent set up for less than £85.

 

[Parksy]

Well done Keith
It just shows what is available when browsing online.