Being the cable guy....

Yesterday, I was asked to take a look at the cable converter hooked up to the TV in the living room. While I may not know how to fix a fluorescent light, people here at home tend to turn to me whenever a problem with any electronic doodad occurs. I guess I can't complain. It is up my alley.

The TV in our living room is more than a decade old. A 25" Sony Trinitron which lacks frills like picture-in-picture, stereo sound or cable readiness, but it is as reliable as nails. The converter, a unit supplied by SkyCable, is another story altogether. I guess it can't be helped. It's pretty old as well, and it withstood years of abuse from people pressing at its buttons day in and day out. Until yesterday at least.

The power button didn't work. Not only that, it sank deep in the housing, and got stuck there.

Well, all it took to fix it was a screwdriver, a can of contact cleaner, and a couple of cotton buds. The circuit contacts had a lot carbon buildup, and the buttons were out of alignment.

Since virtually all TVs nowadays are cable ready, I hardly get to see any other cable converters being used nowadays, much less see one taken apart. Curious on what it looks like on the inside? Take a look:

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With the cover off.

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If you don't want your hair to stand on end, always be careful when you see this symbol.

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Ready to go back to duty.

That's all about there is to say about my short stint as a cable guy. Now if I could only fix that damn fluorescent light...:-)

Comments

Ronald Allan said…
Well, I could always find myself a stall in Greenhills. :-)
October 17, 2005 5:27 PM
OptyMyst said…
i LOVE taking things apart and seeing their innards. hehe, thanks for those pics, ron.

for your light - get a ballast. first thing to try. :)
October 17, 2005 7:32 PM
Ronald Allan said…
Hey optymyst! :-) Thanks for the tip. :-)
October 17, 2005 8:19 PM
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