FAQ
About Me
Hi, I am Carlin Eaton, the Owner and
Technician of Eagle Electronics Service since 1991. I
have always aimed to provide Northeast Arkansas and
Southeast Missouri with the best technical knowledge,
and most up to date repair facilities in the Paragould,
Jonesboro area. Always taking the extra time and effort
to make guaranteed, reliable, affordable, professional
repairs.
With an Associates Degree in Electronics Engineering
Technology, and more than 25 years of experience, on-
going training, and practice I am able to repair most any
piece of TV or Audio equipment. Including modern LCD,
Plasma, DLP, and projection TV's, computers and
printers. And of course I still repair the older CRT based
Direct View TV's as well as other items such as VCR's, CD
players, guitar and PA amplifiers, and Stereo's from the
80's 90's and 2000's.
Are Flat Screen TV's Repairable, or should
I just buy a new one?
In most cases, (over 75% of the time), I am able to
repair these sets for less than 1/3 the cost of replaceing
the set with a good new one. Usually $90 to $130. None
of the manufacturers provide the detailed service
manuals, training or as many parts as they did back in
the early 2000's and before. However thanks to the
internet and the ability to obtain parts and to share
knowledge with other servicers and suppliers worldwide I
am able to reliably repair your flatscreen for a fraction of
what it would cost to replace it.
My glass in the front of my LCD tv is
broken, how much would it cost to
replace?
If when you turn on your flatscreen you see cracks or
"spider-webbing", this is a broken LCD panel, the Liquid
Crystals that make the picture are made onto a piece of
glass and the entire LCD panel must be replaced when
this glass is cracked. The LCD panel is priced more than
the cost of a whole new TV. I have checked the price on
hundreds of these by now, and it has never been worth
the cost to repair. This is not new in the TV repair world,
picture tubes for the older style sets were priced the
same way, I have been doing this since 1989 and have
never replaced a picture tube, LCD panel or plasma panel
other than in warranty. The cost is just to high compared
to the price of a new TV.
What brand is the best to buy?
Electronics technology and the industry itself are
constantly changing. It is more difficult than ever to get
assistance from the manufacturers. Most of the old
brands that used to mean quality and dependable service
are now just meaningless names. Still their are some
companies that do a better job than others. If you want
to know what brands are the most reliable and
serviceable when something does go wrong I can help
you make a better buying decision.
You will find endless complaints online about any brand
name you type into Google, or Bing, or any other search
engine. Don't believe the hype.
I DO NOT SELL any new items, I only do repair and
upgrading. I know what products are most likely to
perform best for the longest time, and will therefore be
the best value for your money. This is not information
that you are going to get from a minimum wage or
commissioned sales person.
The brands I would consider purchasing for my own use
are... Samsung, Toshiba, LG/Zenith, Panasonic and the
more expensive parts of the Sony line of products. Even
among these you get what you pay for. The cheapest are
cheap for a reason, or many reasons.
No brand is flawless or makes good every complaint they
get. But your odds of being satisfied long term with your
purchase are much better with one the above brands.
These are the companies that have not sold out their
names for use on others products. Each one is basically
the same company they were 15 years ago.
If you just can't walk past the "great deals" on some of
the low end items, or just want a cheap spare set and
have your eye on couple of different brands, feel free to
call or email me and I will tell you if one is likely to be
better than the other.
Thank you for reading and I hope this is of some help to
you.
Common problems with newer TV's.
One of the most common problems with the "LED" type
TV's is with the LED backlights themselves failing. This is
caused by the LED's being over driven causing them to
overheat and fail after just a few years of use.
This is most common with the LG brand and other
manufacturers such as Vizio that are also using the LG
LCD panels. All brands and manufacturers have had some
of these same issues. Hisense, Rca, Insignia, Sharp,
TCL...even Samsung's have had this problem.
No matter what brand you have or buy I strongly suggest
you find the "Backlight" setting and turn it down to 70%
or lower. Some sets have an "Economy" mode or setting
this will achieve the same thing. After turning down one
of these settings then adjust your brightness, contrast,
and color to your preferences. You will still be able to
get a picture that is plenty bright, and your sets backlight
circuit will last much longer. And you will use less
electricity as a bonus benefit!