OLED TV - any parts worth saving? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / repair

author: AndyC_772
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 07, 2023, 11:21:57 am
content: Thanks to an incident invoving a pet which, in time, we'll no doubt look back on as funny, I find myself in possession of a 2 year old 55" LG OLED TV with a smashed screen.Insurance approved a new one straight away - big thanks to Hiscox - and it's already here awaiting unboxing and setup. I just need to dispose of the old one.Before I take it to the tip... is there anything at all inside it that anyone reckons might be worth salvaging?I'm thinking almost certainly 'no', but it seems a shame.

author: kripton2035
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 07, 2023, 11:27:44 am
content: I would try to sell for some low price on craiglist or similar the boards inside, logic + power.it may have some interest for anyone having a dead similar LG tv with a good screen ?

author: Haenk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 07, 2023, 07:14:48 pm
content: Yep. Try to sell as a whole for a couple of days, then maybe rip out the PSU and the T-Con for ebay.

author: RoGeorge
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 07, 2023, 07:39:50 pm
content: Absolutely worth keeping it all (if you don't sell the parts).Don't know your model, but usually you'll find a full Linux or Android board inside any smart TV, some might have an FPGA onboard, etc. Aside from the small embedded computer, there are also a power supply, buttons, LED drivers for backlight, connectors, card readers, cables, microphones, speaker, audio amp, etc. lots of parts or functional blocks that can be salvaged/re-purposed for other projects.As a trivial example, if the backlight is still good, you can usae it as a light table, or get yourself a fancy difuze light lamp (from the backlight of the LCD). Good for macro photography shots, or to inspect PCBs by transparency, or to transparency scan photo negatives, or to just make yourself a transparency art-paint to hang on a wall.Another example might be to turn it into a standalone audio player.

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 07, 2023, 07:44:42 pm
content: Put circuit boards on ebay. They may go for quite a bit depending on how hard they are to source. Here are boards which were sold recently.https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=lg+oled+pcb&_sacat=0&LH_Complete=1&LH_Sold=1

author: Koray
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 07, 2023, 08:09:59 pm
content: Exactly, this, don't waste time selling it on craigslist, just sell the boards on ebay. In its current state plug the TV, turn it on, and take pictures of the screen smashed, then a close-up picture of the model number, serial number, etc. Then remove the boards carefully and put them as separate listings on ebay. Put the board numbers, the type of board, TV model no with several photos under daylight. Photos taken by smartphones is perfect for that purpose. Based on sold item prices, set a fair price and put it as a buy-it-now listing. Some boards I list get sold after several years, but hey, if you have a storage space and if you label the boxes nicely, you wouldn't mind the extra cash that comes after that time. Great way to fund hobbies etc. On the plus side, one TV can save several TVs going to the tip, so it is good for the environment, too. Finally, please list things available for shipping internationally. I sell hundreds of things all over the world, and with registered post I have never had a problem. Please ship worldwide.K.

author: AndyC_772
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 07, 2023, 09:25:08 pm
content: OK, so as expected, no individual components of particular value, but the complete PCBs might be useful to resurrect someone else's similar TV.It's an OLED, so no backlight - but thanks for the creative suggetions, it's just a shame they're not an option with this TV or I'd have given them a go - I'm quite into my photography.The TV clearly runs some kind of POST which fails; switching it on results in a flash of a few bright, colourful vertical stripes that pass through the smashed part of the screen, then it turns off again. It's not going to power on with that panel connected - or, I suspect, with no panel connected at all. So the idea of using it as a music player probably isn't going to work, sadly, though I could possibly rescue the speakers.As to whether it's really worth my while, I'm not sure. Spare boards don't seem to sell for much, which I find surprising given that a replacement board can save a fairly new, costly TV from ending up in landfill. Do I really want the hassle of taking the old TV to bits, sitting on a pile of said bits until these TVs reach an age where the power supplies start to fail, then dealing with Ebay? Not sure.It's just possible that the PSU is compatible with my replacement TV (an LG 'CS', which looks externally identical to the old 'CX' model). Maybe that's a reason to keep it.

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 07, 2023, 09:56:16 pm
content: Complete PCBs are absolutely worth something. Also the stand if it is detachable, people sometimes buy a TV that was wall mounted so the default stand is missing. The remote too, they get lost, dogs eat them, batteries leak, etc. There is a market for good used remotes when you know what models of TV they work with.

author: mzzj
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 08, 2023, 08:21:18 pm
content: You might have to hang on the pcb’s for couple of years before they sell. If the model is relatively new on market most of them are under warranty and/or not failing in masses.LG UK seem to have 1or 5 year wannanty on OLED tv’s.Even then it could be for example panels itself starting to fail enmasse.Bit similar situation with car engines: the really durable engines are not worth much as spares