Help: Faint Vertical Line on my PVM : (

[Ziggy]

So I've had this 13" PVM for 1-2 years now. I haven't had any issues with it since I got it, until now. Just a few days ago I noticed I'm having an issue. There's a very faint vertical bar in the center of the screen.

It only shows up on light screens. It's so faint that I can really only notice it when there's movement. When everything is still, it's so faint that I loose it. So I can't post a pic of it, but for anyone familiar with the SNES vertical line problem, it's similar to that.

As faint as it is, it's actually VERY distracting. Again, really only noticeable on lighter screens, especially light solid colors. So for example, it's noticeable in the overworld levels of Super Mario Bros with the solid light blue sky, but not at all noticeable in the underground levels. I first noticed it with the NES, but I'm also noticing it with the N64. For example, in Goldeneye, I can't notice it in most levels but I can see it in Surface 1. So I'm pretty sure it's a problem with the TV and not a particular console or cabling. Also worth noting, nothing has changed with my setup since before I noticed the problem. So there isn't anything new that could be causing interference or something, and I haven't change any settings on the TV, etc.

Just for the hell of it I tried to spot it with the SNES. I tried the first levels of Super Mario Bros 1 and 3 on All Stars, and since those skies are more busy than there NES counterparts it's really hard to tell if it's there or not. But I think it IS there, just very faint. So I'm pretty sure this bar is ALWAYS there, no matter what the source is, it's just so faint that you can really only notice it if the conditions are just right.

I'm really bummed out about this. I've absolutely loved using this PVM since I got it. What can I do to fix this?

[Anapan]

Harsh! At first I thought it might be something like the stabilization/damping wire in aperture grille masks and you only just noticed. That happened to me and now I can never unsee it. Since you describe it like the SNES bar (I had that - so maddening) I'm stumped. Hopefully it doesn't boil down to re-capping. I 've seen the insides of a PVM and the thought of messing with those boards makes me cringe.

[Ziggy]

Yes, I've seen gut shots and it doesn't look as simple as consumer TVs. I have the skills to recap, as annoying as it would be to make a list of every cap I would need to order. I'm sure it has a ton of electrolytic caps. But I'm more afraid of electrocution. I've watch a lot of discharge videos, but I'm still terrified to crack open a CRT.

Still, this PVM has been my favorite thing. I might learn to get over my fear for this lol. A recap was my first thought, but it's also my only thought. It would suck to recap it and still have the same issue. I googled a little, but couldn't find anything (similar things, but not exactly my issue).

I would totally consider bringing it in for service if there was an old timer around. Maybe I should see if I can find one. I could also get a better model (mine doesn't input component or 50hz pal signals) but they're getting too pricey.

[Nemoide]

I don't know how far you might be willing to travel but Cronk's Electronics helped get my old Trinitron working. They're in a pretty rural area upstate, but it's the only place I know of in the region that can fix a CRT. If you can handle a couple hours of driving, it might be worth reaching out to them and seeing if they'd be willing to try fixing up your baby!

[Ziggy]

Thanks! I'll definitely keep them in mind.

[Jagosaurus]

Came to ask if it was a SNES. Boo.