# Solved: Insignia tv red dots



## Biscuity (Aug 11, 2007)

I bought an insignia 50 inch plasma tv in september 2010. It is still under 2 years manufacturers warranty but I can't find the receipt and paid cash. 

Model number ns-50p650a11

I love this tv but its started to have minor issues. Small red dots "sparkle" in and out while watching either a blu ray, dvd, tv or whatever. If you just sit on a still black screen they don't show up, but if you switch to something and back they seem to form an outline around objects where they were. I talked to an experienced tech at my work(sears) while he was fixing a TV and he said the voltage is too high. I asked him if I had to use software or any special thing and he said no, you just take the panel off and decrease the voltage. although he didn't give me any details how, he was busy.

I tried calling a few other places because for him to do it, officially at least, is 251 dollars parts and labor standard fee. 

The first guy I called didn't even know if they repaired tvs. He handed the phone to someone else and they said they do "voltage adjustments" for 130 labor +80 dollars to look at it or whatever. I told him I was not interested.

The second guy I called seemed to laugh at the idea that tvs can be manually reduced in voltage from the power supply or whatever. He says he fixes them all the time for in warranty repairs (like my tech does). He asked who the tech was that i was talking about and where he worked and everything... they are both just third party guys I guess. He said hes sure its the board, a 200-250 dollar part and 75 for labor. (I had been trying to find any kind of information on the tv... in reviews, firmware updates, called insignia.. called best buy.. noone can give me any answers only price tags. There are no firmware updates.) So finally after arguing politely with him for a little while i ask if he can at least check if he has any kind of software or firmware updates. He looks and says there actually were 2 updates... he read through the notes and saw that its for fixing red pixels and glowing red dots on the screen. And that it also among other things reduced the power supply voltage from 200 to 170. So I truly believe the first tech to be correct that the voltage is indeed too high. The problem is insignia, best buy, and the internet has NO record of any firmware or updates. The tech said he can put it on for 75 bucks, but its just a small piece of data and a flash drive I need and its not worth that kind of money.

My guess is he has an unofficial firmware or one thats not fully tested yet. I might go talk to him soon in person but when i asked him why can find it but insignia doesn't have it on the website he laughed and said they don't give it out. I'm sure it sounds shady but I really believe he has the firmware update from what he was reading off to me.

That said, I need help either:
finding an available update to my firmware
reducing the voltage to 170 from 200 (if its simple... I build computers not tvs, so i have no clue)

I actually tore apart a samsung 50 inch plasma(similar parts) that was broken and looked for ANYTHING that could resemble something of use like on a motherboard.. anything adjustable without soldering but couldn't find a thing.

If i leave the TV guide up for 20-30 seconds (white text on black background) and take it away, theres a massive rush of blue and red dots around the text and you can actually read the outlined words for 5 or 10 seconds from all the dots around them.

Anyone who has any advice please let me know..


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## Elvandil (Aug 1, 2003)

My first advice is to make sure that you take it to someone that knows what they are doing. Changing voltages on TV's is not something for the amateur. You might also damage it irrevocably.


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## Frank4d (Sep 10, 2006)

Biscuity said:


> I bought an insignia 50 inch plasma tv in september 2010. It is still under 2 years manufacturers warranty but I can't find the receipt and paid cash


If no reciept is keeping you from seeking warranty repair, just contact the manufacturer and tell them when you bought it. I did that when I had my Samsung monitor repaired and they didn't requre a receipt.


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## Biscuity (Aug 11, 2007)

Did a bit more research. Took the back panel off after unplugging for a while. Found 5 potentiometers for different settings. - came to the conclusion the one with more dials on it was for vscan. Turned tv on, very very carefully turned it left a few degrees. The tv was much better. Turned it a few more(hardly at all) and it fixed my problem!

Its been like a week and I'm very happy!


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