I have a Panasonic TV which is in for repair and I wanted to kknow what thelse problem is as the store are reluctant to tell me.

The problem started with just a few and over time, more and more appeared.

On bright images, I would see large white circles (like a polo mint). They were evenly spaced and after a month or two, the whole bottom half of the screen had them. It then started to spread through to the top. On dark images/pictures you couldn'the see them. It is almost like the TV has many evenly spaced back lights and these have started to burn through. I have no idea how these TVs work and that is a guess.

I've seen some posts mention white dots or circles with certain screens but it isn'the this.

Why would the shop not tell me the problem and inform me what is being replaced? I suggested the screen but the store doesn'the think so. Either they are hiding the problem or simply they have no idea and/or lack of communication.

Any ideas?

It is only 6 months old!

It really depends on the shop, and if they are a Panasonic Service Centre - if they aren't it will have been sent to the nearest Service Centre, so the shop won't know what they are doing to it unless they contact them and ask.

However, statistically you are very likely to be correct that the screen needs replacing - the VAST majority of LCD faults in decent make sets are the screen.

How long have you been without the set?, and did they lend you a replacement one?.

The store is an authorised Panasonic dealer and the part required is with TNT, should be delivered tomorrow or early next week.

I have a loan set which is basic, no Freesat nor OnDemand / Interactive Services which I mainly use.

After researching online, the problem does look like the LED BACKLIGHTS (Local Dimming) diagrams where they are dark in the centre of the individual lights.

I always believed it wasn't worth fitting a new screen and would rather be replaced. It has been over two weeks now.

Thanks.

An Authorised 'Dealer' doesn't mean they are a service agent, although they 'could' be.


To be fair you're unlikely to find those on a loan set


While it's not worth replacing a panel out of warranty, it's common to replace them under warranty - where they are available. Any exchange set under warranty is at the discretion of the manufacturer concerned - and usually only if the panel isn't available, or out of stock with no sensible expected date.

As far as your legal rights go you are entitled to the set been repaired within a 'reasonable period' - and while the actual time isn't specified in the legislation it's defined as ten working days by RETRA (the main retailers trade organisation), and because of that is the figure that Trading Standards usually work with.

Having searched online via the Panasonic website, the store is a Panasonic Service Centre. I guess I will wait a few days and see what happens.

Hopefully all will be fixed and working. When they collected the TV they noticed the standby light was amber and not red, he said this represents another fault but I'm not convinced...

Thanks for your help, much appreciated

From memory the amber light represents something is stored in the TV guide programming list, either a reminder or a request to record. Been a while since I did that on a Panasonic though.

**Just tried one at work, the light is amber if something is stored in the programming memory.
Last edited by skinj : 29-01-2016 at 09:25

Thanks for that, I read that also. A timer recording is active or scheduled.

I did check but nothing was set and I assumed it had something to do with the Viera Link I use as I have a Panasonic Blu-Ray HDD/Recorder. I did disconnect the Viera Link and it was still Amber, so not sure. It isn't causing an issue, if it does then i'll report it. Let's see what colour it is once repaired.

Thanks again for your help, much appreciated

[UPDATE]

I now have the TV back from a repair and a new panel was fitted. All seems fine for now, I'm hoping the same problem doesn't return later. The fault was the backlights showing through the screen on bright images, why this happened I don't know but over time, more and more of these backlights burned through. Perhaps this is a common fault and as previously stated, I hope it doesn't return.

The standby light is again red, perhaps it was fault related but no timer recordings were set when it was amber.

:fingers crossed:

Thanks to all those who shared there time and thoughts, much appreciated.

The problem seems to be starting again...

Although it is currently hard to notice and can be noticed on very bright white backgrounds, I can just about notice the same problem as before. It is difficult to notice but this is how the problem originally started and eventually half of the screen showed these white polo shaped lights which I assume are the back lights burning through.

I've only had the TV back from repair (new panel) for just over 2 months, surely this shouldn't be happening again.

Any recommendations on what I should do? It seems to me that this problem is going to keep on returning and don't want to be sending it back for repair every few months. It has already had one replacement screen. I have a free 6 year warranty which is good, should I ask for a different model or is it likely to have the same screen no matter what model I have?

Pretty cheesed off because I know it's going to get worse.

Thanks in advance...

Well, as you know the problem I originally had continued to return after having the panel replaced. Three times this happened but no cause was ever given. I asked Panasonic time and time again but there reply was "the panel was dead". To me it looked like the backlights were somehow burning through the panel, this causing white circles to appear and more and more would appear over time.

Anyway, Panasonic have told me that they no longer manufacturer the panel and they must provide a new TV. I have to admit, it was extremely difficult to find a a panasonic TV with all of the previous features but Panasonic have offered me the following TV as a replacement and I've accepted;

Panasonic TX-50DX750B

Do you think this is a good replacement?

Oh! The repair centre stated that the fault on my original tv was common and they've had many units returned to them, I honestly feel that this is a manufacturing fault but Panasonic will never admit that...

Thanks all...

No idea if it's of any relevance to your problem?, but a while back Panasonic had massive panel problems, and it turned out that the Chinese manufacturer of the panel had changed the type of adhesive they were using - without informing Panasonic.

Unfortunately, this is all too common with Chinese manufacturers, presumably they start using cheaper materials and pocket the difference.

I'm not sure but 3 failed panels indicates another problem which is then causing the panel to have permanent marks.

I've pushed Panasonic for a specific fault but the service centre returns the reply 'white blotches on lcd/panel'. Fantastic diagnostic!

I want to know what's causing these 'white blotches' and why it seems to happen everything the panel is replaced, it starts of gradually and then becomes more of a problem as more appear.

Do you think the replacement offered is a good one? It's bigger and has 4K HDR but to be honest, 4k HDR is something I'm not bothered about.

Thanks for help...

They wouldn't know, service would only consist of replacing the panel - perhaps you don't realise that a 'Panasonic Service Centre' isn't anything to do with Panasonic, it's just a dealer (or even a repair place only) that does warranty repairs on behalf of Panasonic.

Assuming you did actually ring Panasonic, you're not going to talk to anyone who knows anything, at best they could just read what's written on the warranty system.

The service engineer 'could' dismantle the screen and try and find what's happened, however this would invalidate the warranty claim, leaving the service company hugely out of pocket.


A bigger TV, and 4K, has got to be a decent deal - in any case, it's a question of a set that meets your specific requirements, which appears to be difficult (according to your previous post).

They never do. We've seen it all so many times before:

Split NIT.

MPEG4 sets that don't work in Ireland.

Freesat sets that won't work on ITV HD.

Most recently sets that won't work with Al Jazeera HD.

Now your problem.

Why o why do people think Panasonic are one of the top makes? OK anyone can get it wrong but it takes Panasonic not to admit their faults.