A Haier Television, 5 months old.  I lost control of all functions,
remote and front panel. The screen is blue with a red lock image in
the lower left corner and is unaffected by a signal by any source.
Haier Corperation is useless. I am beyond the 90 day return policy,
Kmart.  Took it to a local TV repair guy.  He said he did not know how
to unlock the screen.

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Request for Question Clarification by stuartwoozle-ga on 09 May 2004 04:32 PDT

Hello there -- this sounds most frustrating! What model of Haier
television do you have? It should say either on the front (perhaps
just underneath the glass of the screen itself), or at the back on a
label.

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Clarification of Question by wlstyer-ga on 09 May 2004 19:50 PDT

The model number is HTF20R21.  Looked into purchase protection,
(Discover) and there is none.

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Request for Question Clarification by stuartwoozle-ga on 10 May 2004 01:47 PDT

Hello -- thanks for the extra information. I'm in touch with Haier at
the moment and should hopefully be able to confirm how to unlock the
television shortly...

stuartwoozle.

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Request for Question Clarification by stuartwoozle-ga on 10 May 2004 09:26 PDT

Hello there,

I believe I have the information for you to unlock your television
now, along with an electronic copy of the manual that I can make
available for you to download.

Before I type in the full answer though, let's just check that this is
the problem (Haier agree with me that it sounds as though it is). Try
turning the television on, and then even if you're still getting that
blue screen, press the "Rating" button on the remote control (it's
just beneath the "9" key). You should now be able to use the CH+ and
CH- buttons to go up and down the menu, and the VOL+ and VOL- buttons
to go into the TV rating and Movie rating menus.

In the TV rating menu, down the left you'll see a table of the
different possible ratings that it is possible for a programme to be
given (e.g. TV-Y, TV-PG, TV-MA). Along the top are different aspects
of those programmes (such as FV for fantasy violence, D for sexual
dialogue etc). I'm guessing that some, or even all, of the squares
within this table are set to "B", which means that those programmes
will be blocked. Of course, if most of those squares are set to "B"
rather than "U", then almost every channel will be locked out most of
the time.

Is this the case? If so, then I'll post the full solution, along with
a link to the manual for the television. Keeping my fingers crossed
for you that this will solve the problem!

All the best,
stuartwoozle

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Request for Question Clarification by stuartwoozle-ga on 11 May 2004 02:33 PDT

Hello hello,

Thanks for the extra info! The manual I've currently got is the user
manual, but I can probably track down a copy of the service manual
too. Before I do so though, what functions *do* currently work? Does
pressing the menu button on the remote control do anything? (and if it
does, try pushing menu, then ratings). When turning the television on,
does pushing the power button on the remote work, or do you have to
use the power button on the set itself?

Hopefully we're getting much nearer to working out the solution for
you -- I'll have another chat to Haier later today!

stuartwoozle

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Request for Question Clarification by stuartwoozle-ga on 12 May 2004 14:57 PDT

Hello again,

Right then -- I've just come off the phone to Haier America who were
very helpful ... but I'm no closer to fixing your problem, I'm afraid.
This blue screen with the red lock symbol is, they believe, a standard
screen that it shows when it's detected some sort of internal fault,
and this appears to be backed up by the difficulties you're having
with none of the other buttons working.

Haier don't believe there's any easy way to service the television as
a result, and certainly not remotely. However, they did confirm for me
that the television *should* be replaced under warranty as there are
no service engineers in Hawaii, as you say -- so I think that all I
can suggest is that you ring them back again on 1-888-76-42437 and ask
them to chase your replacement television. On the plus side, they do
log their calls, so hopefully if you just give them the telephone
number that you gave before, all the details you gave previously will
come up on their system.

Sorry that I'm not able to be of more help. Originally this issue
sounded like a difficulty with a child lock, but now it sounds more
complicated, and almost certainly not something that a Google Answers
researcher can diagnose or fix remotely. I'll keep my fingers crossed
that Haier find a satisfactory solution for you, and that you have a
new, working television very soon!

All the best,
stuartwoozle

Why not play Hell with Kmart?

Sure, you may be past your 90 day return date, but where I live (the
UK) TVs come with at least a 12 month Warranty.

Another thought ... If you paid by Credit Card, you may also have some
'Purchase Protection'.

Yes, it has a 12 month warranty on parts.  However there is no support
here in Hawaii.  As of 5 days ago A Haier rep assured me that I would
be called in 2-3 days by the corperation for a replacement TV .

Stuart,
Wow, what a response!  
Sounds like you may have broken through a layer of Haier secret information.  

I have had several conversations with the Haier reps.  Their info for
this problem was limited to "make sure the cables are connected
correctly".  Beyond that, I was told I would be contacted.  Has not
happened yet.

I followed your troubleshooting path and got nowhere.  The blue screen
and red lock remain after pushing the "rating" button. Tried fresh
batteries again, checked the battery contacts, held down the rating
button for up to 15 sec.,  no help.  A week ago I brought the TV to
the Kmart I got it from.  The TV guy there tried many things including
another remote control, no help.

I have the User Manual.  Is the manual a Service manual or User manual?

Could this be the result of a power surge or lightening strike?  I did
not have it on a surge protector.  My guess is somehow the lock was
inadvertently selected by a well meaning parent (wife) or a curious
teen (son).

Incidentally, your suggestion of this lock being accidentally
activated by someone sounds quite likely! The Haier manual isn't the
most well-written as you'll also have seen -- though there are some
hilarious translations from the original language...

The only button that works is the power button on the TV front panel.
No other buttons do anything at all on the front panel. No buttons
work on the remote.
Thanks, WL

Stewart,
Your efforts are appreciated.  I found this "Google answers" forum
while looking for technical information for TV lock mode.  I had run
the gamut of avenues for help as you may have surmised.
While I will pursue a replacement, I doubt it will be the soultion to
my problem.  Haier's warrenty asks that I pay shipping.  While that
does not sound so bad, I can assure you that the shipping may approach
half of the original cost of the set.  That in mind and recent
expierence with "off brand" televisions I will likely find a
reconditioned replacement from our Sears appliance center in Honolulu
and cut my losses.  Product support is good there.
My bad for being such a cheapskate in the first place.

It certainly sounds somewhat of a pain! I hope you manage to get
something sorted out though -- and do come back to Google Answers with
other queries that you may have in the future!

All the best,
stuartwoozle