So it happened today: The main salon's TV decided to act up. At first it was a single black vertical line, rapidly followed by more and more until about half the TV was showing garbage.
A quick YouTube search showed a small chance that it could be a simple fix, cleaning and resetting various ribbon contacts. Or alternatively that the video board was dead. Either case, far from any TV repair shop (do they even still exist?) I took matters into my own hands, carefully following the video TV repair guides I found for my particular model.
I really had nothing to lose: It was already broken and on the way out, so there could only be an upside should I manage a miracle.
Cleaning all the various ribbon contacts achieved absolutely nothing, as every time the TV restarted it would exhibit the same symptoms over and over.
Pushing my luck even more I realized that the video card actually appeared to be the cause of the problems, and with all contacts clean and secure I had to admit that this TV was no more.
In better words
"It's not pining'! It's passed on! This TV is no more! It has ceased to be! It's expired and gone to meet its maker! It's a stiff! Bereft of life, It rests in peace! It's kicked the bucket, it's shuffled off its mortal coil, run down the curtain and joined the bleeding choir invisible! THIS IS AN EX-TV!"
Of course, as luck would have it they don't make this particular size TV anymore in 4K resolution (40" screen for a TV width of 36 inches) but now the minimum screen size is 43" for a TV width of 38 inches. The TV was already tight in its spot on the boat, so we'll have to be creative to make the extra 2 inches work.
As soon as we get close to a major appliance shop we'll get a replacement TV, but that may have to wait until we're back in Portland where we have a Target and a Best Buy nearby. For the moment I'm using the TV from Di's cabin in the salon.
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