My soundbar:
I was really lucky being able to meet a good seller on Carousell, who willing to part his Phillips 40" TV http://www.philips.com.sg/c-p/40PFL6605_98/102-cm-40-inch-full-hd-1080p/overview and soundbar HSB2313 http://www.philips.com.sg/c-p/HSB2313_12/soundbar-home-theater for a really good price and took me home without charges. If you ever read this, I am really thankful for this.
Disclaimer: I am not an audiophile nor movie addict or pixel peeping.
It was super amazing being able to enjoy my Popcorn Time or Netflix or simple TV on this set up. The sound was really immersive, with base strong enough I must set it as minimum, else I would make the neighbor trembling. As I am living with housemates, the feeling our members watching movies and enjoying snacks together partly filled my empty heart.
Disclaimer: I am not an audiophile nor movie addict or pixel peeping.
It was super amazing being able to enjoy my Popcorn Time or Netflix or simple TV on this set up. The sound was really immersive, with base strong enough I must set it as minimum, else I would make the neighbor trembling. As I am living with housemates, the feeling our members watching movies and enjoying snacks together partly filled my empty heart.
Well, everything has its own catches. One fine Sunday, while I was playing PS1 emulation with my housemates, the soundbar died. Just died, without warning or anything. Simple reboot, plugging in / out, does not help. I have no choice but disassembling the soundbar out and let it aside.
While the TV is still functioning as expected, the soundbar did add about 40% of the immersiveness. Losing it, watching TV is half as good as it was. Lesser the gathering we had. Act I must.
While the TV is still functioning as expected, the soundbar did add about 40% of the immersiveness. Losing it, watching TV is half as good as it was. Lesser the gathering we had. Act I must.
The quest for repairing and the truth of consumer electronics:
First thing you do when your electronics sploit and after rebooting/unplugging failed to do anything is to contact manufacturer. I did just that by mailing to Phillips. Beforehand, I did some inspection, with major suspicion on the power supply parts (hearing clicking noises in the subwoofer). Well, the customer services via email was just averagely helpful, by telling me rebooting/unplugging again and again. Did not work, so I was directed to Phillips services center in Toa Payoh, about 40 mins on train from my place.
As working adult, thankfully they open on Saturday morning (8am to 1pm). I reach at about 11:30, and the queue was about 1 hour + . For speakers and home theatre items, Phillips charges 60$ upfront for out of warranty item, excluding parts. I was told that the control board will cost ~ 65$, and the same for power supply board. They didn't have the stock for power supply board, so I was lucky/ unlucky that they couldn't do any repair. If I left it to them, it will cost me 125$ to replace the power board.
I bought the soundbar for way less than that amount, so I did determined that if the cost to repair was too high, I might have to:
I did have a heated discussion with one of my tech journalist friends from GENK.VN about the cause of phone power supply explosion. One of the major reason discussed was the aged capacitors. I knew of capacitor aging in sizing power supply for CPU, so for my speaker, I went and checked out all the capacitor. A bit of google check pointed out that when capacitor is spoilt, it has the cap popped out and start leaking electrolyte. I checked mine. Bingo
As working adult, thankfully they open on Saturday morning (8am to 1pm). I reach at about 11:30, and the queue was about 1 hour + . For speakers and home theatre items, Phillips charges 60$ upfront for out of warranty item, excluding parts. I was told that the control board will cost ~ 65$, and the same for power supply board. They didn't have the stock for power supply board, so I was lucky/ unlucky that they couldn't do any repair. If I left it to them, it will cost me 125$ to replace the power board.
I bought the soundbar for way less than that amount, so I did determined that if the cost to repair was too high, I might have to:
- Try to self repair or
- Send it to Vietnam to repair or
- Disassemble it for parts ( I have made speaker before).
I did have a heated discussion with one of my tech journalist friends from GENK.VN about the cause of phone power supply explosion. One of the major reason discussed was the aged capacitors. I knew of capacitor aging in sizing power supply for CPU, so for my speaker, I went and checked out all the capacitor. A bit of google check pointed out that when capacitor is spoilt, it has the cap popped out and start leaking electrolyte. I checked mine. Bingo
Well, I spotted a popped capacitor. Buying a new capacitor was pretty simple in Singapore : Sim Lim Tower, level 3 sells these for 1-2$ each cap. I could buy from RS component (70c each, 5 minimum, free delivery) or Element14 (1+ each, 10$ delivery fee), but since I only needed 1, Sim Lim Tower was my choice. I did also bought a desoldering pump for 5$, which helps the process of removing the capacitor tremendously.
Anyway, according to the label, I needed to buy a 50V 1000uF. 1.2$. Removed the old one with the help of the new desoldering pump, put it the new one, and I have my system back and running.
My total cost : 1.2$ for the capacitor and 3$ for getting my ass back and forth Sim Lim Tower
Anyway, according to the label, I needed to buy a 50V 1000uF. 1.2$. Removed the old one with the help of the new desoldering pump, put it the new one, and I have my system back and running.
My total cost : 1.2$ for the capacitor and 3$ for getting my ass back and forth Sim Lim Tower
A bit of reading on capacitor pointed me to a few facts:
- For most electronics, capacitors for power supplies are things that fail the fastest.
- Capacitor from China / Taiwan is worse quality in comparison to Capacitor from Japan. Read: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capacitor_plague
- In my Phillips soundbars, it is full of China made capacitors (brand DECON).
- Rated hours for cheap capacitor is 1000 hours @ 85C. High quality capacitor is rated 2000 hours
- After 1000 hours at 85deg C, the capacitor will fail. Without electronic knowledge, you have to replace the entire board, which may prove to be so costly you want to throw away the old one and get a new one instead.
- For every 10degC , the capacitor last twice as long. Working temperature of these capacitor is assumingly at minimum 45C (could be way higher). So by right, my capacitor should last 16000 hours. 8 hours a day watching TV, the system will last about 5 years.
- After 5 years, well beyond any warranty and extended warranty ever covered, the system will ultimately fair, and you must replace it.
- If Phillips choose better quality capacitors, the system will last another 5 years.