TE Screen Issues (A.K.A I think it might be toast)

[MomentsAgo]

Last week I purchased a lot of TG games with a TG16 console and a Turbo Express off of a guy on craigslist. When I called him up and inquired about it, he told me me the TE worked fine, both video and sound. Long story short, the sound had "quit working" as he was playing it in his truck while waiting for me to meet up with him, and there was no battery cover, but at the price I was getting the lot for, I decided to risk it in hopes that I would be able to have it repaired(seeing as how Game Gears have similar issues and I knew those were relatively easy to fix). I did test it out there before I bought the stuff and the screen was working great then and for the little while I was playing around with it after I got back home. Then I started having issues.

 I was playing Alien Crush, switched it off, plugged in Splatterhouse and the screen seemed like the brightness was turned all the way down. Initially I thought I had managed to turn it down by mistake, but I adjusted the wheel on the side and there was very little change between all the way up and all the way down. Then I noticed a tiny bit of what looked like an image burned into the screen but quickly realized it was moving. Slowly, over the course of about a minute maybe, the picture started to brighten up until it looked normal. I played it for a few minutes with no issues. Turned it off, popped in a new game, same thing only now it doesn't ever brighten back up to "normal". This is how it's been functioning ever since. I can tilt it at different angles and the picture becomes a little more visible, but it doesn't ever clear back up like it the first time. I tried putting in a fresh set of batteries and it had no effect.

So what I'm wondering if it's the capacitors or the screen itself? I did a search on here and didn't find anything that seemed to match up to the issue I'm having(though admittedly, I may not be searching for the right thing). It just seemed strange to me that it was working perfectly fine with one game and then in less than 10 seconds, go completely screwy on me with the next. Do these things usually go out like that?

[BlueBMW]

Sounds like you have symptoms of cap failure.  That would cause all the issues youre experiencing.  I have the whole unit recapped, then you should be up and running good again!

If tou dont want to / are unable to change the caps yourself, there are several of us on here than can.

[MomentsAgo]

I kind of figured that was the case, but it seemed odd that there were no warning signs(but then I'm not too familiar with the TE). I was starting to wonder if maybe I had done something by accident that screwed it up. LOL

I might have one of you do that! I've not messed with that sort of thing too much. I have a new set of caps for a game gear that I've been meaning to try and replace, but I have three game gears, so I'm not too worried if I end up doing more damage to it because I don't know what I'm doing, LOL. I only have one TE and I'm more hesitant to jump in and start messing about.

Who all repairs these bad boys?

[thesteve]

definitely cap failure.
they tend to work better worm when bad, so the guy running it up to the exchange masked it.
I am repairing these.
I also do screen upgrades, region mods and AV mods.

[Flare65]

definitely cap failure.
they tend to work better worm when bad, so the guy running it up to the exchange masked it.
I am repairing these.
I also do screen upgrades, region mods and AV mods.

I can vouch for thesteve.  He did an outstanding job on my Express with new screen, sound fix, and automatic region mod.  Great guy and was able to handle all the issues I had with my Express.  I just wish I had a chance to play it more.

[HercTNT]

I can second that, you cant go wrong with his work.

[BlueBMW]

I wouldnt let steve touch your system with a 10 foot pole!   He'll fix it up so nice you wont recognize it anymore!!   Beware! You have been warned!

[roflmao]

Both BlueBMW and thesteve have ravished my Express (one for a cap swap and the other for a switchless region mod), and it's never been happier.   They are truly upstanding citizens here, imo.

[c0ldb33r]

Both BlueBMW and thesteve have ravished my Express (one for a cap swap and the other for a switchless region mod), and it's never been happier.   They are truly upstanding citizens here, imo. 

Seconded. Between the two I've had my GT recapped, region modded, screen replaced with a beautiful LCD and had an AV out port installed. It's so well done you'd swear it came from the factory this way!

[GohanX]

Whoa... steve got the screen replacement done? I'm going to have to find that thread!

[thesteve]

http://pcengine.freeforums.org/express-gt-composite-t179.html