My 4-year old 37" LG LCD television recently refused to start up. I called around for quotes on repair and was told it was a capacitor issue and to expect a $300 plus repair bill. I wasn't sure about spending that much for repair given the price of a new TV so I started looking at options. Soon I discovered lcdalternatives.com. 3 days and $16 later I had a set of capacitors and detailed installation instructions in hand. My 8-year old boys and I took the TV apart and within an hour had it back up and running. Don't know what was better, saving $300 bucks or the look on my kids faces when the TV fired up perfectly.

Awesome! Doesn't it feel like you just stuck it to the man? Revel in moment, these events are few and far between.

About 10 years ago the car battery died. I was going to go shopping with my son who was about 10 and when I turned the key I just got the clicking of the starter solenoid but the engine wouldn't turn over. Next morning we got a new battery and installed it and the car fired up perfectly. The look of incredulity on my sons face was priceless.

I have done the same thing in the past with a DVDP.
Interesting story.

I owned a Panasonic CP-67, 5 disc dvd changer.
I wanted the CP72 which had 480p (not just "i") so i bought one. Sold the other Panny to a friend for $100 (at the time they were $130 new).
He had discs in it when he decided to move it downstairs in his house. Never took the discs out. Turned it on its side during transport and tried to fire it up in the basement. He quite clearly had lodged discs in the mechanism and it burned out the motor.
So, he gave it back to me as junk.
Not wanting to throw out electronics into the garbage at a time when there were no good e-waste depots, I went online and through a painstaking process , i found a new motor ordered from Panny directly, and got a service manual all for about $40.
Installed the motor when it came in (a rather delicate procedure) and that Panny is still running 6 years later in our living room (kids dvdp).

Net gains:
$60
1 dvdp

$300!!! That seems excessive for an electronics repair. Good for you on the repair, I probably would have spent the money on a new TV 37"-40" TV considering they are about $300-400 these days.

That would have been my first choice, but it seemed like a learning moment for my boys. Explaining the opportunity to fix and save and avoid dumping a relatively new TV in a landfill was the lesson for the day. A new plasma would have looked good though.

Excellent and inspiring story, Jorge!

Ah, the timing... my old 27" CRT (which had been demoted to kids' TV) died today. The magic smoke got out.

Were they playing a video game in which they were chasing dragons?

Ken, I'll give you a great deal on a recently refurbed 37" LG LCD. Magic smoke included no extra charge. LOL

Ken, I'll give you a great deal on a 61" JVC RPTV. you pay shipping.