# Magnets screwed up my TV screen...



## earlboykins (Feb 18, 2005)

...And it now has a large purple stain on it.

Anything I can do about it?

Thanks!


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## V0lt (Sep 14, 2002)

You're in luck. You'll need a degaussing coil, such as This one. If this is a newer TV (or a computer monitor), it should have a deguass coil inside it which should work each time the device is turned on.


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## JamesO (Mar 30, 2005)

Or do the poor mans degaussing by using your magnet in a circular motion about the size of the screen, start about 2 feet from the screen and move in closer to about 6", or maybe a bit less, and watch the screen as you move the magnet to see if the spot starts to clear up, then while you continue in the circular motion, pull slowly away from the screen. 

You may need to repeat this a few times until you get the hang of it.

My son took a toy with a magnet and put it up to the TV screen and caused a similiar spot. I took the toy and used it as a poor mans degausser and was able to clear up the picture!!!

YMMV, good luck, may save you some bucks and time getting it improved.

JamesO


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## batty_professor (Jul 29, 2004)

Fox is correct about the internal degausser, but it may take a few COLD turn-on's to get the problem cleared up. Familiar with a "bulk tape eraser"? Those generate the same alternating magnetic field, so have the same effect, only on a smaller scale. But it would help.


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## Volt-Schwibe (Jan 12, 2003)

personally, with tv's and monitors that don't have their own coil, i do it the poor man's way too.

always has worked fine for me.


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## koala (Mar 27, 2005)

I wish I'd known the magnet trick a couple of years ago. I lost two 17" monitors before realising it was my hi-fi speakers causing interference. The repair shop said they couldn't be fixed cheaply, better to buy new.

Does it work on really damaged screens where everything looks purple or just on small areas at the edge?


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## JamesO (Mar 30, 2005)

If it's broke, its worth a try with the poor mans trick. 

Can't tell if your problem could be solved. You mentioned 17" monitors (computer?), do they have a built in degauss options? Most monitors do, sometimes manually by the menu, sometimes when powering on like some TV's.

JamesO


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## Terrister (Apr 18, 2005)

If all else fails contact a TV repair shop in your area. Most still have a deguasing coil. I have seen them so screwed up that the coil is the only thing that will fix them. Some of the cheaper TVs can be screwed up easily if you do not do this just right. They don't build tvs like they used to.


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## ebackhus (Apr 21, 2005)

If you're braze and don't mind risking fire you can make your own degausse coil with an old extension cord. Simply warp the cord around itself in a hoop shape and then wrap it up with black tape. Why black tape? Because anyone who knows anything knows that black tape is the answer to all of life's problems.


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## nicko970 (Aug 27, 2008)

i tried poor mans way but it diddn't work
(i think its cos i don't have a powerful magnet in my whole house)


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## mommabear (Apr 5, 2008)

This happened to us years ago. It might not work on the newer TV's. Our speakers got too close and messed up the screen. All I did was unplug it for awhile; and moved the speakers out a bit, of course. Turned it back on and all was well again.


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