Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Technical Questions Snowy picture. Help needed please.

Cam, I think we've all assumed that when you said "snowy" you meant as in whitish colour, correct? because if it's a reddish snow, apparently the panel is done. If it's whitish, it could be the digital main board within the TV according to a quick search I just did. They weren't specifically referring to your Samsung, rather it was an LG, but I thought I'd pass it along.

Oh, nothing like a good laugh first thing in the morning from your guys witty comments!

Adrian, yes it is whitish in color. Thanks for finding that for me, dude.

Hey guys, I contacted a local ISF certified calibrator, and he mentioned that the snowy picture is most likely the power supply in the TV. He suggested that I get a UPS because brownouts or voltage drops are a big problem with plasma TVs, and is quite possibly be contributing factor to my problem.

Do you guys know of some good UPS's? He stressed that I make sure it has certain functions, but I can't remember what they are (I'll e-mail him).

Your input is appreciated.

Thanks again.

Edit-just got off the phone with him, and the UPS must have a voltage regulator on it.

APC SmartUPS are excellent UPSes, but they're expensive.

I don't know about that Cam. We have a ton of fluctuations and dimming of the lights here and my Sammy plasma has handled them fine. It is connected to a power bar but nothing fancy.

All of my HT gear runs through a Belkin PF60. This isn't a UPS, but it is a "power conditioner".

http://www.belkin.com/PureAV_detail.process?Product_Id=178925

For $600, it's probably a rip-off. But watch for sales on these. I found mine for about $150 a couple of years ago from eCost. At that price, it was only slightly more than a 'good' surge protector, so I bit and bought it. I've been very happy with it. Purely from a convenience standpoint, it's very handy to be able to plug everything in at one place, and the readouts of amps & volts are entertaining and informative. And telephone + cable surge protection. And the assignable triggers are cool too, though I don't use them.

As far as functionality, it's tricky find hard conclusive evidence that things like this really make a difference. I can say that all of the gear connected through this hasn't experienced any sort of power-related problem. No reboots of my DVR from close lightning strikes, for instance. But hard to say if it's because the PF60 is doing something, or if it just is because it is.

I have, however, noticed one improvement with the PF60. Before it, when using a normal run-of-the-mill sort of surge protector, I would get a light click/tick through my speakers whenever my wife fired up the clothes dryer or a microwave, or when our neighbor's central air kicked on (we share the same transformer). I don't ever get that now. The power 'event' is still there (room lights flicker a tiny bit), but noting comes through my HT system.

Bu anyway, that'd be my nomination for a 'decent' surge protector for anyone's system.

Thanks Peter, I was looking at their products a while ago.

Well, the service tech from the local TV repair shop was here this morning, and supposedly couldn't see what I am talking about. I'm really not happy with him at all. My mom who wears glasses (wasn't at the time) could notice it, along with one of my caregivers.

Does anyone else have the bluray Baraka, by any chance?

I have that Blu-ray.

Charles, a couple minutes into the movie there is a short scene of the night sky with stars. I would assume the picture should be black with the stars shining brightly, but I get a lot of snow/static during that scene. It's very evident because the screen is totally black. Could you do me a favor and see if you notice any artifacts/snow. It is really bad on my TV, and I doubt very much it's the movie because it's washed right across the screen and doesn't move with the camera.

Thanks man.

Could it be something wrong with the disc?