a neat little 13" Jensen television

[RobtWB]

Bought off of CL last week an RCA console from the mid 90's and an early RCA home theater with most of its speakers included. Bought them for parts really, but dammit all to hell they both work.
This little Jensen tv was included in the deal. The total price for all 3 pieces was 15$ so there was no loss even if all 3 turned out to be dumpster fodder. I feel I really got a bargain. He even delivered the items to my home.
The seller said the Jensen powered up with a blue screen but no picture. Said he thought all it needed was a remote to program the set.
Well, I plugged it in and powered it up, and sure enough a perfect blue screen. I let it remain that way for a while, and seeing nor smelling any smoke, I screwed cable to the F connector and started with the menu button. Damn if the seller wasn't correct. After letting it run through "autoprogram" the set works just fine. A very acceptable pic and sound. Scrounged around the box of remotes I have, found an off brand programmable model and set it for this set. I used the set on and off for a few days and found no faults. NO it ain't a Sony, or Hitachi, or Panasonic, or NEC, or JVC etc LCD/plasma flatscreen, but it is no piece of junk either.
On a whim I pulled the back of of the set. Very acceptable construction. A circuit board with through the board mounted components. No bastard unobtainium IC's. Common resistors caps, etc. No surface mounted components. A simple set. So simple, even a person with the most rudimentary skill can work on the set without a schematic.

I really have no need for the set, but I think I'll throw this set in storage. Someday someone less fortunate than I am may need a tv.

[zenith2134]

Let's see the internals!

[RobtWB]

As you can see, pretty simple and straight forward.
I looked around on the net, and I think these little devils sell for ~ 65 - 95 dollars new at the discount barns, certainly not too much for what they are.
If I am correct these are sold under numerous house brands.

[radiotvnut]

I don't think I've seen a Jensen TV and that chassis does not look familiar, either. I do know that some of the lower end Chinese CRT TV's, like Durabrand and Apex, still use more conventional non-SMD parts. Funai, Orion, Daewoo, some Durabrands, and most so called "name brands" have gone to using mostly SMT devices and those can be a PITA to work on. Some of the newer sets even have the microprocessor AND jungle IC in the same SMT package. It goes without saying that when that IC fails, you trash the TV. And, it only takes one lightning strike to do it.

[zenith2134]

Stuff like that is always a bummer. IC's can be a PITA to source, and when the set is pretty much worthless in brand-new condition anyway, it's just not really worth the time.

That is a nicely laid-out chassis at least. Still, I bet the flybacks are a common failure in this set. Most newer sets tend to eat them it seems.

[wilkes85]

He thought it was broken because all it had was a blue screen?

[45rpm]

He must have been a computer technician. XD