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Watts Current
Winter 2007/8

FLORIDA’S VOICE IN ELECTRONICS

"WATTS CURRENT" is the official newsletter of the
Florida Electronics Sales & Service Association, Inc.
and is published bi-monthly.
EMAIL: fesa@fdn.com

We Support NESDA

Awarded Best State Publication 1993,1996 & 2000
Visit Vance Baldwin Electronics
www.vancebaldwin.com
F.E.S.A. Officers for 2006/2007
--------------
President
Pat Eubanks
 5323-3 Firestone Rd.
email: fesa@fdn.com Jacksonville, FL 32210
Fax: (904) 772-9492 Phone: (904) 772-1420
--------------
1st Vice President Ethan A. Allen 10878 Carroll Rd.
email: allisonallen2@aol.com Bryceville, FL 32009
Fax: (904) 266-4597 Phone: (904) 355-0267
--------------
2nd Vice President Neil Mengel 4745 San Juan Ave.
email: mengel_n@popmail.firn.edu Jacksonville, FL 32205
Fax: (904) 388-3456 Phone: (904) 388-3456
--------------
Treasurer Billy F. Williams, EHF 1409 Glendale Rd. W.
email: billyw@fdn.com Jacksonville, FL 32216
Fax: (904) 772-9492 Phone: (904) 725-9789
--------------
Secretary Larry Scott, CET 507 S. Lake Parker Ave.
email: JazzL532@aol.com Lakeland, FL 33801
Fax: (863) 687-2323 Phone: (863) 688-3172
--------------
Immediate Ken Cisson CET 7247 Adele Ct.
Past President email: keltron1@aol.com Jacksonville, FL 32277
Fax: (904) 745-6545 Phone: (904)-744-4496
--------------
Watts Current John N. Eubanks, CET 5323-3 Firestone Rd.
Editor and Publisher email: fesa@fdn.com Jacksonville, FL 32210
Fax: (904) 772-9492 Phone: (904) 772-1420
--------------
Home Page Editor Bob Williams PO Box 17835
and FESA Web Master email: bobw@duckman.net Jacksonville, FL 32245
--- Note ---
FESA or Watts Current neither endorses any company, product or service - nor guarantees the validity of statements made in any advertisement - appearing in any advertisement or article included in this publication. Watts Current is published quarterly. All articles to be published in "Watts Current" must be received by John Eubanks, Editor, 5323-3 Firestone Rd., Jacksonville, Fl 32210 by the following dates: 2/15, 5/15, 8/15, and 11/15 in order to be printed in the next newsletter. Otherwise, they will be published in the following issue, as appropriate. Please send any inquires or comments to the Editor. Please excuse any grammar or punctuation errors you may find as this newsletter is entirely composed and published by association volunteers.
Visit PTS Electronics
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President's Message

Members and Friends,

We hope everyone had a Great Thanksgiving, Happy Chanukah, and Merry Christmas with our wishes for the most peaceful and prosperous New Year.

We enjoyed another outstanding FESA Christmas Party hosted by Santa Jo along with all her faithful helpers, Ken Cisson plus Viola and Ethan Allen. We had a great turn out and everyone enjoyed an outstanding meal shared with many friends and filled with fellowship in addition to gifts and an evening of fun.

Of course we have also suffered the loss of some very wonderful people since our last message. In November we lost Roger Marvin, a FESA Life Member and our very first President of FESA-Jax. Roger had been recently placed in the hospice program and suffered a setback due to the added complications of Pneumonia that lead to his demise on November 10, 2007.

We have also lost another Industry and FESA friend, Gerry McCann on December 26, 2007. He had often attended FESA functions along with his wife Faye who were nationally well known for their "Best Ideas Contest". We always looked forwards to seeing them at NPSC but Gerry’s health took a turn for the worse and they were unable to attend the most recent NESDA Convention in Denver. Although he had serious health problems his passing was sudden and unexpected.

We are also sad to see our printed Watts Current come to an end with this issue. This will be our last paper issue as our future issues will be in an electronic format only. This is required to offset the ever increasing cost of postal permits, postage and printing costs. Our income can not sustain these increasing expenses as membership decreases. Make sure you book mark the following link so that you will not forget where to find future issues of Watts Current. It is also on the front page of this Issue:

http://users.fdn.com/~fesa/

Sincerely,
Pat Eubanks
President FESA
Sanyo Pin Cushion Problem

What seemed to be a common problem threw us an unexpected surprise while seeking the faulty component in what we thought to be another routine failure. A customer brought in a Sanyo DS31520 Television for service complaining that, the set will not turn on with suspicions of the problem being caused by a recent power surge.

Troubleshooting this set seemed to confirm those suspicions. It was determined to have a faulty SMPS Regulator (Q601 2SC4423), Regulator Driver (Q605 2SA608N or 2SA1015Y), Opto-Isolator (D612 PC123 or PS2501) along with Q604 2SC3807) in the SMPS regulator circuit. Installing test components to confirm these findings, brought the set up briefly operating. However, shortly the switch mode Transformer (T601 LS1B3460N) began overheating producing a very slight trace of smoke. At this point all power to the unit was removed.

Our next steps were already in progress, searching online for available replacement parts with their costs to make a customer estimated cost of service. Servicing Sanyo products has become more difficult under their current parts procurement policies, whereas previously Sanyo parts were available from their authorized distributors. Expecting to find the SMPS transformer a NLA item we were pleasantly surprised to find one in stock at one of our favorite parts distributors. After speaking with the customer to present our estimated cost of service, we placed an order for the necessary parts upon approval.

When these parts arrived we installed them expecting to play the unit long enough to insure no further problems arose. Shortly after the set began playing we noticed a side pin cushion problem. Both the left and right sides were bowed inwards causing distortion in all vertical lines of the picture that became progressively worst towards the outer portion of each side.

While a technician further checked the unit, I searched various data bases on line to see if someone else had encountered this problem and turned up an incident that found a defective D406, said to be caused by a bad connection on L416. Unfortunately neither of these components were the problem in our set.

More troubleshooting traced this horizontal problem to a most unusual source IC501 (LA7847) the vertical output device for this set. If you recall our problem was a side pincushion defect not a top/bottom pin cushion problem. Had it been a top/bottom problem this component would have been uppermost in the mind of most technicians. But on this particular unit a portion of the vertical output IC provides the application of the horizontal component to enable side pin cushion correction. After checking stock for a LA7847 and finding none, we discovered that the LA7848 that we had in stock was a viable replacement. After replacing this device the set was restored to normal operation...Editor
Visit Andrews Electronics
www.andrewselectronics.com
FESA-JAX’s First President and Life Member Roger Marvin Passes

As we approach the Holiday Season of another year we have been informed of the passing of Roger Marvin at 3:15 AM on November 10th, 2007 at the Baptist South Medical Center in Jacksonville, Florida. His loss is a great one to his family, many friends and our association.

He served in the U.S Navy during WWII stationed at Green Cove Springs Naval Station on the Saint Johns River in Florida . While on Active Duty he served on one of the many mine sweeping vessels home ported there at the time. Afterwards at the end of his enlistment he decided to stay in the area and eventually opened his own service business. Founding Marvin’s TV in Jacksonville in 1948 which is still operating continuing many of the same principals he established at the conception of this business, where he also remained active until retiring about seven years ago.

I first met Roger by chance as a young Navy Enlisted man seeking service literature to service my own TV in the late fifties. He ordered a Sam's Photo fact for me that included my TV. It cost me $2.00 at this original business location that remains today.

In the early sixties he became actively involved with our Florida Electronics Sales and Service Association. He was the first elected President of the local Florida Electronics Sales and Service Association, FESA-Jax affiliated chapter. He lead the way for our state association to establish the Florida Bureau of Electronic Dealer Registration and served a term on the governing board of directors after seeing it implemented. Although never popular with large retailers it did effectively standardize ethical business operations for independent servicers while eliminating fly-by-night scammers from operating in our state. He also fought hard to keep this consumer oriented asset knowing it faced elimination by a new Florida Governor, however after many trips to Tallahassee, escorting a new retention bill through our State House and Senate, it was lost because the Governor didn’t sign it into law after the state congress adjourned in 1979.

There was and has been no greater proponent for ethical service than Roger Marvin. Although we will miss his presence we are fortunate to have had the benefit of his friendship and guidance for the greater portion of his 90 years on this earth. Always a gentleman supporting professional and ethical service, his memory will remain etched upon the hearts of all those who knew him…..Editor
Union Electronic Distributors
www.ued.net
National Service Industry Mentor Gerry McCann Passes

At a time known for giving, one of our Industry’s most generous personalities, Gerry McCann has passed away at home with his family on the day after Christmas 2007.

Gerry was a bright and guiding light for our entire service industry over many years. He was 64 years old. He founded McCann Electronics in 1967 with the help of his wife Faye in their family garage after the service company where he had been previously employed closed. From this point forward Gerry and Faye offered their assistance and encouragement to many individuals and associations. They often traveled and contributed at state, local, and national association meetings to provide motivational and management seminars.

In 1983 he began a weekly Radio Program in New Orleans "Living With Home Electronics" that has been on the radio every Saturday Morning for over 20 years. In 1986 he briefly had a TV show with the same name for 13 weeks on Cox Cable.

I have never met a more positive considerate person. Presenting a constant kind and helpful demeanor, even when experiencing personal tragedy. In 2005 his home and business were devastated by Hurricane Katrina but I never heard him utter anything other than an optimistic future regarding the many improvements intended as he returned to rebuild their family business. Then just as this was accomplished he encountered a health setback from a previous problem he had received treatment that had been in remission.

Even then he continued helping and serving as a Board member of the National Independent Electronics Hall of Fame in 2006, where he was inducted in 2004. All during the time he received treatment he was often the main contributor to many plans to enhance the HOF. He assumed the position of President in 2007 serving cheerfully and often while enduring some of the most severe medical treatments. Whenever Gerry communicated with me regarding this self felt important function he was always apologetic for any shortcomings he had caused by these medical procedures. He was a gentleman that exceeded all expectations in every assignment even when undergoing such severe medical treatments.

He will be missed by this entire Industry in every segment. We send our condolences and respect for this wonderful man that we were fortunate enough to have as a friend.
Visit B&D Enterprises
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Samsung Outlines Plans For 2008 at CES

This year Samsung doesn’t plan to exit the rear-projection TV market despite the market’s decline, and it will launch its second dual-format HD disc player later this year as planned despite Warner’s surprise decision to pull out of the HD DVD market.

The technology road map was outlined here for the press during a Samsung-moderated roundtable in which executives from Korea also said the company will ship its first 3-D-ready plasma displays in late March for use with 3-D PC games. The company also said it doesn’t expect to commercialize OLED TV technology until 2010.

Although Warner is pulling out of the HD DVD market, Samsung will go ahead with previously announced plans for the launch of its next-generation dual-format Blu-ray/HD DVD player, dubbed HD Duo, said Kevin Morrow, director of the digital A/V division’s product planning group. "The white flag for HD DVD hasn’t been raised yet," he said, noting that "very important players" are still supporting the format. Many consumers have already invested in HD DVD discs that need to be played back, and the PC industry could still embrace HD DVD more aggressively, he said. The HD DVD market, he concluded, "realistically won’t go away right away."

Morrow said Samsung was surprised by the Warner announcement but that, even had it known of Warner’s plans, it would have gone ahead anyway with its Duo introduction later this year.

In rear-projection TV, the company will go ahead with a spring launch of new DLP models despite faster growing demand for flat-panel displays, said Charles Park, senior manager of the PDP management group within Samsung’s visual display division. The company will also continue development of later-generation DLP models, including laser-based projection sets, but will remain in the rear-projection market only if it can drive down rear-projection prices enough to maintain "a price gap" with flat-panel TVs, he said. "We will stay there this year, and next year we will have to see."

In plasma TV, the company is demonstrating its first 3-D-ready models, complementing 3-D-ready rear-projection TVs already available. They’re designed for connection to an outboard module to deliver the 3-D graphics of 3-D games running on a connected PC. Two 3-D-ready plasmas ship in March in 42-inch and 50-inch sizes, said Park. About 100 game titles are available in 3-D, he noted.

In OLED, the company is demonstrating a 31-inch concept model, but OLED introductions from Samsung won’t occur until 2010, and then only in 20- to 30-inch sizes, he said.

In the meantime, the company will remain in the plasma and LCD TV markets, and although one competitor has launched a small 32-inch plasma in other markets, Samsung said it has no concrete plans for this size in plasma. "It depends on the shortage in LCD," he said….Courtesy of Twice Magazine
Electronics Manufacturers Establish e-cycling Venture

Three major electronics producers have partnered to form an electronics recycling company that, initially, will handle e-scrap collected in Minnesota, but will eventually expand to handle e-scrap generated by other statewide programs as well. Panasonic Corp. of North America (Secaucus, New Jersey), Sharp Electronics Corp. (Tokyo) and Toshiba America Consumer Products (Wayne, New Jersey) have created The Electronic Manufacturers Recycling Management Company, LLC (MRM), to initially handle end-of-life electronics recovered under the new Minnesota Electronics Recycling Law, with further plans for programs in Connecticut, North Carolina, Oregon, Texas and Washington to come in the next two years.

"We believe that forming an independent company to manage collective electronic recycling programs is the best way to achieve the economies of scale and efficiencies necessary to create a sustainable recycling system for used electronics products," said David Thompson, MRM president. "MRM already has entered into collection and recycling agreements with Hitachi Ltd. (Tokyo), JVC (Yokohama, Japan), Mitsubishi (Tokyo), Philips (Amsterdam, The Netherlands), Pioneer Corp. (Tokyo), Sanyo (Osaka, Japan) and Olevia brand maker Syntax-Brillian (Tempe, Arizona), and looks forward to working with other manufacturers going forward."

Some industry observers suggest that similar alliances will be launched in the near future. "Competitive compliance organizations will be formed in the U.S.," said Mike Watson Dell's senior manager of Global Recovery Services, who also told E-Scrap News that Dell "encourages this market-driven behavior." Jason Linnell, secretary and executive director of the National Center for Electronics Recycling (Davisville, West Virginia), also told ESN that he expects further similar programs "in the coming weeks and months."

This article reprinted courtesy of E-Scrap News online.
Sony Halting Rear-Projection TV Production

Reports from Tokyo indicate Sony to be leaving the ranks of manufacturers producing rear projection television models because of lacking profitability. It appears they will base their worldwide future on new flat panel technologies using liquid crystal displays and organic light-emitting diodes.

Recent declining sales of rear-projection TVs coupled with increasing sales of LCD TVs that continue to be available in larger sizes lead to this decision, Sony spokesman Shinji Obana said.

Sony had lowered its projected sales figures for the rear-projection models in October from 700,000 to 400,000 units which already represented over a million less than last year.

The projected sales for their LCD TVs are estimated to be close to 10 million units within this fiscal year ( which runs through march) with forecasts of an increase over 6 million units above sales from the previous year.

Halting production of rear-projection TVs at facilities in Japan, Malaysia , and Mexico eliminates the source previously supplying greater demands in the US and a lesser market in Europe allowing Sony to concentrate on LCD and OLED production as competition is heating up in flat TVs

Sony lost 60 billion yen (over 500 million dollars) in its TV operations, thought due to current diminished rear-projection TV demands and declining LCD TV prices.

Most Manufacturers are focused on production of larger sets using LCD technology and Plasma Display Panels. Sony has an agreement with Samsung Electronics in LCDs.

Matsushita, Hitachi and Canon agreed to cooperate in their liquid crystal display businesses. Sharp Corp., another major LCD maker producer, formed a partnership with Toshiba Corp. agreeing that Toshiba will buy LCD panels from Sharp for its TVs.

Information compiled from various reports read on the internet by Watts Editor.
Visit Herman Panson Electronics
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Panasonic IPTV Center Of Attention At CES

Panasonic is getting attention at the Consumer Electronics Show for its big, thin and wireless TVs. It's showing the world's largest plasma — a 150-incher — alongside dazzling, inch-thick, 50-inch diagonal models coming in late 2009. It's also highlighting a wireless system that beams full 1080p content from a Blu-ray player to a high-definition screen.

But I think its sleeper announcement here is a line of Viera-brand Internet protocol televisions that it plans to start selling this spring.

The IPTVs connect to the Web and display online video, photos and other content. They look like any other flat-screen TV and, yes, they have the obligatory access to YouTube videos.

But what's really interesting is how Panasonic is taking that Web connection to the next level. It's treating the TV-screen real estate the way the tech industry treats PC and mobile-phone displays.

When you switch the Panasonic to its Internet input, the screen becomes a home page with a collection of widgets that you click to pull up online services, such as photo and video sites. This would be perfect for Hulu's online TV library and Microsoft's streaming NBC video from the Olympics.

I'd think these sets would take the wind out of Comcast's announcement today that it's boosting its "on demand" video library and TiVo's Monday announcement that it's giving subscribers a new way to get user-generated video content from sites such as YouTube on their TVs.

How much longer are people going to buy boxes and pay service fees if they can easily connect their sets directly to free (ad-supported) online high-def video libraries?

A Panasonic spokesman was vague about who will get access to the screen real estate but said the company is talking to a number of organizations. He wouldn't disclose prices.

I hope it keeps the prices close to those of standard TVs, opens the screen to developers and gives users a choice of which applications to run. Will it let developers put the same widgets and applications they're developing for social networks, phones and PCs on its mainstream TVs? How about a purely online Xbox?

It's been obvious for some time that televisions would eventually connect directly to the Web without having to go through PCs or another gadget.

That will accelerate the shift toward a future where the majority of video content comes over the Internet (assuming there will be decent broadband and the network can handle it). I'm taking these sets from Panasonic — the General Motors of the consumer-electronics industry — as the biggest sign yet that it's really, finally happening.

Article from "Brier Dudley’ s Blog" online
REQUEST FOR FESA MEMBERSHIP

DATE_________


NAME_________________________________

COMPANY NAME________________________

ADDRESS_______________________________

CITY/STATE_________________ZIP_________

PHONE NO.______________________________

NO.OF EMPLOYEES_____________

Dues Per Year: 1 Person Service Center= $25.00/ 2/3 Person Service Center=$30.00/ 4/6 Person Service Center=$35.00/ 7/9 Person Service Center=$40.00/ 10 & up =$45.00. This rate schedule is for independent membership and may be affected by a chapter or affiliate in your region.

Please include your dues with your completed application, this will constitute your agreement to abide by the Constitution and BY-Laws of FESA. Members will continue to receive Watts Current.

For a Non Member Watts Current Subscription Only. Include your check for $12.00, write Watts Current subscription on this form and return it to:

Billy F. Williams EHF
1409 Glendale Rd. W.
Jacksonville, FL 32216
Phone: (904) 725-9789
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FESA SERVICE INVOICES

PRICE LIST - MEMBERS ONLY

INVOICES ARE CARBON FOUR PART WITH CLAIM AND HARD FILE COPY
ZONES 4 & 5

#1 (SMALL)
1000 2000 3000 4000 5000
63.50 125.00 183.00 218.00 275.00

IMPRINT
1000 2000 3000 4000 5000
26.50 48.00 69.00 85.00 102.00

Sub Total
1000 2000 3000 4000 5000
90.00 173.00 252.00 303.00 377.00

S/C
1000 2000 3000 4000 5000
7.50 12.50 15.00 20.00 22.50

TOTAL
1000 2000 3000 4000 5000
102.50 190.50 272.00 328.00 404.50

UPS PREPAID FREIGHT COLLECT


Please note: The price increase announced previously is now in effect. We delayed the increase until the forms previously contracted have been depleted. All form requests from this time forward will be at the posted prices, freight collect. We no longer have a supply of the LARGE invoices. We are in the process of locating new a source for our large invoices.

Until we find a new source the FESA-Large invoices are NO Longer Available.


NEW ORDERS TAKE 3 TO 4 WEEKS --- INCLUDE IMPRINT INFO WITH CHECK REPEAT ORDERS TAKE 2 TO 3 WEEKS RUSH ORDERS WILL NOT BE PLACED UNTIL I RECEIVE YOUR CHECK! MAKE CHECK PAYABLE TO F.E.S.A ALL SERVICE INVOICE ORDERS SHOULD BE MAILED WITH YOUR CHECK DIRECTLY TO THE FESA TREASURER:

Mr. Billy F. Williams EHF
1409 Glendale Rd. W.
Jacksonville, FL 32216
Phone & Fax: (904) 725-9789

NOTE: Small Invoices are 5:5/8"W X 9:1/8" H / You must be a Member of FESA to order forms from FESA.
NET WIT

Pun Fun From Many Places

1. England doesn't have a kidney bank, but it does have a Liverpool.

2. The Irish should be rich because their capital is always Dublin.

3. The pharaohs of Egypt worked out the first pyramid scheme.

4. A practical Czech is considered to be Praguematic.

5. People in Switzerland can't learn to ski without a lot of alp.

6. How Long is a Chinese man.

7. Television sets in Britain have to cross the English Channel.

8. When there are auto accidents in Sudan the vehicles go to the Khartoum.

9. Television sets in Britain have to cross the English Channel.

10. Hawaii vacationers are here today, gone to Maui.

11. Purchasing land in Baton Rouge won't bayou a thing.

12. The first drinking establishment in Alaska was a polar bar.

13. Fashionable women in Indiana all wear designer Hoosiery.

14. Many people need to learn to be happy with the State they are in.


Puns Courtesy of www.punoftheday.com
Upcoming Changes for our Watts Current FESA Newsletter

This is the last Paper Issue of Watts Current. We want to thank everyone for all of your interest and support in our Florida Electronics Sales & Service Association and request the continued participation of all our advertisers in the new Watts Current newsletter format. In 2008 we will begin publication of subsequent Watts Current newsletters in the electronic format only. Our last paper publication will be our next and final paper issue, this 2007/8-winter edition.

We will continue to strive for original articles of industry interest and as always encourage your suggestions and input for inclusion in all future on line electronic publications. We will also begin displaying ads in color within our new electronic format in addition to the active links we currently use. These changes were necessitated by increased printing costs along with USPS permitting and postal rate increases.

Savings derived from previous changes along with these allow us to maintain our ad costs at the same rates, $250.00 per year for a page-sized ad in Watts Current, which will continue to be published quarterly on line. We look forward to providing this new format to you and your continuing support. Please send future ads for 2008-Watts Current with annual fees to the address below.


Billy F. Williams EHF
FESA Treasurer
1409 Glendale Rd. W.
Jacksonville, FL 32216
Phone: 904-725-9789
billyw@bellsouth.net


Don’t forget the electronic Watts Current news letter’s new location:

http://users.fdn.com/~fesa/

You can send suggestions and color ads to the Watts Current Editor John Eubanks

fesa@fdn.com
www.andrewselectronics.com

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www.nesda.com

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www.uec.com

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