Volume 5, Issue 9 Consumer Electronics Newsletter
September 2011
Samsung Electronics America
Samsung Tech Talk
Your source for service information
Keeping Up Appearances
Inside this issue:
Keeping Up Appear- 1
ances
Home Theaters:
Wireless Speakers
Made Easy
2
Replacing the Panel 3
or Main Board?
Look for the Thermal Pad
4
How to Find Service Bulletins in the
New GSPN by
Model
Submitting a Ticket 6
for Panel Evaluation
TV Connection Pan- 7
els: Part 1
GSPN Warranty
Claims Training is
Here!
8
Billing Your Stock
Repair Warranty
Claim
9
2011 RTCTV Training
12
Delivery and Instal- 13
lation in Korea: A
Commitment to
Excellence
Field Engineer TV
Success Story
17
Wes Sirois
Assistant Manager, Triage Lead
For years on end, Service Technicians
have had to overcome a rather negative
image. We have all seen the comedy routines and magazine cartoons depicting
service techs as dirty and sloppy individuals...and gritted our teeth at the false portrayal.
spare shirt in case you get dirty. The shirt
should always be tucked in and should
identify your company as well as display
your first name, if possible. Clean work
pants are preferred, but if you wear jeans,
they should not be worn out or have holes
in the knees.
Considering this, and considering that noone ever gets a second chance to make a
good first impression, it is to our advantage to look as professional as possible
when we perform our jobs. Here are a few
things you can do to improve those first
impressions, satisfy your customers, and
fight negative stereotypes.
When you carry your tools into the home,
they should always be in a soft sided tool
bag and you should carry a tool mat to
place under the tools. Once again, this
demonstrates your desire to protect the
customer’s property. In addition, if you
carry a folder for your work orders and
other documents, the folder should never
be a hard metallic one. This type of folder
can scratch the customer’s table when you
set it down.
Obviously, the first opportunity to impress
your customer comes when you arrive at
their home. A clean vehicle that clearly
states the company or appliance manufacturer’s name demonstrates the pride you
take in your job. The dashboard should be
free of papers and other debris. Nothing
tells a customer that you don’t care about
their property like a dirty, unlettered service vehicle with a load of trash across the
dashboard.
Your next chance to impress is at the customer’s door. You should always wear
scuff proof shoes and you should let the
customer see you wipe your feet. A clean
shirt is a must, even if you have to carry a
At the end of the service call, be sure to
leave the work area at least as clean as it
was when you arrived, thank the customer
for choosing your service company, and
leave a business card with the company
phone number, encouraging the customer
to call if any further service need arises.
These are just a few easy steps that you
can do to assure that your customers are
satisfied with your professionalism. During
these hard economic times, the companies
that “Keep Up Appearances” will be the
ones that prosper.
Volume 5, Issue 9 Consumer Electronics Newsletter
Samsung Tech Talk
Home Theaters: Wireless Speakers Made Easy
Michael Vigliotti
Product Support
When you think wireless speakers, you think convenience, easy set-up, and a clutter-free environment. All this is true, if
you know how to get the wireless speakers to communicate with the main unit. To bring your know-how up to speed, we
provide below the proper procedures for linking wireless sub-woofers and rear speakers to the main home theater unit.
Connecting a Wireless Sub-woofer
All Samsung’s new sound bar home theaters (ex: HW-D450) come packaged with a wireless subwoofer. The main unit
and the sub are linked right out of the box, but if you ever come across a unit that is not linked, follow the steps below to
link them for the first time.
1. Turn the main unit OFF.
2. Use a pin to press and hold [ID SET] on the subwoofer for 5 seconds.
3. Using the remote, press and hold [Mute] for 5 seconds.
4. Power on the main unit.
5. If procedure worked, you will see a blue light on the subwoofer. If it did not, you will see a red light and you must
repeat the steps above.
Connecting Wireless Rear Speakers
Many of Samsung’s home theater systems come equipped with wireless rear speakers. To take advantage of this, you
must have one of our wireless receivers. Older HTS models came with or supported the SWA-3000 and SWA-4000
wireless receivers. Samsung 2010 and 2011 models come with or support the SWA-5000 wireless receiver.
Note: Nearly all wireless receivers have a proprietary TX card that you must install in the back. If the card is not installed,
the wireless connection will not work. The only exception is the HT-C7500, which has a built in TX card.
To link with the older SWA-3000 wireless receivers:
1. Turn the main unit OFF.
2. Press and hold [Remain] on the remote. In 5 seconds, the volume indicator on the main unit will blink.
3. Press [Reset] on the back of the wireless unit 2 or 3 times.
4. Press [Power] to turn on the main unit.. The “LINK” indicator will illuminate if you’ve done the procedure correctly. If not, unplug the main unit, plug it in again, and then repeat process.
To link with the older SWA-4000 and the new SWA-5000 wireless receivers:
1. Turn the main unit OFF
2. Press and hold [ID SET] on the wireless receiver for 5 seconds. The link light will blink blue, indicating it is
searching for the main unit.
3. Point the remote control at the main unit, and then press: [Mute] - [0]-[1]-[3]-[5]- [power]
4. If done correctly, the wireless receiver will display a solid blue light. If the link failed, it will display a solid red
light and you will have to repeat the steps above.
Remember, when servicing a Home Theater system for a wireless issue, that the customer may not have performed the
linking steps properly. Before you take the unit apart and start replacing boards, try linking the speakers and main unit
using the appropriate procedure above.
Page 2
Volume 5, Issue 9 Consumer Electronics Newsletter
Samsung Tech Talk
Replacing the Panel or Main Board? Look for a Thermal Pad.
Scott Whitman
Manager—Product Support
When you replace a panel or a main board, always inspect the bottom of the main board and the back of the panel for
thermal pads.
.
When replacing a panel, check if the pad has remained stuck to the metal on the back of the panel. If it has, remove it,
and reinstall it on the main board.
When replacing a main board, make sure to transfer the pad to the new board. If the pad has remained attached to the
panel, install the new main board normally. The pad will align itself to the correct location.
Failure to re-install the pad (if present) can cause a premature failure of the IC and possibly a REDO.
Page 3
Volume 5, Issue 9 Consumer Electronics Newsletter
Samsung Tech Talk
How to Find Service Bulletins in the New GSPN by Model
Manuel Caballero
Product Support
To find Service Bulletins in the new GSPN by model, follow these steps:
1. After you log in to GSPN, click the Knowledge tab located on the top of the page.
2. In the navigation bar located on the left hand side of the page, click Product Information, then Service Bulletin
(Local).
3. On the Service Bulletin (Local) page, type the model number you are searching for into the Model field, and then
click the magnifying glass.
Page 4
Volume 5, Issue 9 Consumer Electronics Newsletter
Samsung Tech Talk
How to Find Service Bulletins in the New GSPN
continued
4. The Search Model Pop-up appears. Click the checkbox next to the particular model you are looking for, and
then click Select on the bottom page.
5. Back on the Service Bulletin (Local) page, the model code should appear below the field in which you first typed
the model code. Click the Search button and the service bulletins for that particular model should appear.
Note: If the model code you typed in exactly matches a model code in the data base, the Search Model pop-up
will not appear, and GSPN will automatically enter the model code into the field below the Model field.
Please Send Us Your Comments!
Something you’d like to see in the Samsung Tech Talk Newsletter? If there a topic/issue we haven’t covered that you’d
like us to write about, LET US KNOW!
Please send your comments to:
training@sea.samsung.com
Page 5
Volume 5, Issue 9 Consumer Electronics Newsletter
Samsung Tech Talk
Submitting a Ticket for Panel Evaluation
Jorge Tavora
Product Support Manager/Tech Support Hotline/NAHQ Triage
If you have issues with a panel, such as video distortion, lines, dots, scratches, physical damage etc., and want Product
Support to evaluate the panel before ordering a replacement panel, do not call Tech Support. Instead, follow the steps
below.
1. Take pictures of the panel: front, back, sides, and a close-up.
a. Ask the customer to take the pictures and email them to you if possible to avoid a truck roll.
2. Attach the pictures to the ticket.
3. Change the ticket STATUS to “Pending” and the REASON to “Panel Evaluation Needed”.
Ticket Screenshot
Product Support will evaluate the panel and make a determination. We will then send the ticket back to you with the
pending reason “Ticket has been updated, ASC to review”. Check the INQUIRY notes for instructions.
Page 6
Volume 5, Issue 9 Consumer Electronics Newsletter
Samsung Tech Talk
TV Connection Panels: Part 1
Jeff Brutman
Senior Staff, Publications
The connection panels on present day TVs can be very confusing to unsophisticated customers, sometimes causing
them to misconnect one or more external devices. In turn, misconnected Blu-ray players, home theaters, set-top-boxes,
and the like can sometimes mimic serious problems with the TV.
In the next few issues of Tech Talk—to help you resolve these connection issues—we’ll take a look at the connections
you can find on current TVs. In this issue, we’ll look at two digital connection methods and the correct ways to make
these connections. In the next installment, we’ll discuss two analog connections methods. In the final installment, we’ll
look at the other kinds of connections you can find on most TV connection panels. We start with HDMI connections.
HDMI Connections
HDMI connections carry uncompressed digital video and audio signals between external devices and a TV and generally provide the highest quality picture. Because an HDMI cable carries both video and audio, you only need a single HDMI cable to connect a TV to an external
device. HDMI connections are available on all current Samsung TVs and most current Blu-ray
players, DVD players, set-top-boxes, and digital video recorders. Most current Samsung TVs
have more than one HDMI connection. If a customer complains that their TV is not displaying
the picture from a Blu-ray or DVD player connected by HDMI, you may be able to resolve the
problem quickly by using the TV’s remote to change the Source to the correct HDMI connection.
On some Samsung TVs, customers can also use an HDMI cable or a DVI to HDMI cable to
connect their TV to a PC. If a customer uses a DVI to HDMI cable, the customer must connect
the cable to the HDMI jack designated for DVI input. For both kinds of cable, the customer
must also connect a separate audio cable from the PC’s audio out to the TV’s PC audio in.
DVI Connections
DVI cables, like HDMI cables, carry uncompressed digital video signals between external devices and a TV. While the picture quality provided by DVI cables is the same as HDMI cables,
DVI cables do not carry audio. To get audio from a DVI source, a customer must also connect
separate audio cables. Most current Samsung TVs do not have a DVI connection that accepts
TV video input (from, for example, a Blu-ray player). For external devices with a DVI output,
customers must use a DVI to HDMI cable or a DVI to HDMI adapter and connect from the DVI
Out on the device to the HDMI In jack on the TV designated for DVI input. The customer must
also use separate audio cables and connect the audio out on the device to the correct audio in
jacks on the TV.
Some Samsung TVs have a DVI computer video input. To connect, customers must attach a
DVI cable to the computer’s DVI out jack and to the TV’s DVI computer video input jack. They
must also connect an audio cable from the computer’s audio out jack to the TV’s PC audio in jack. Without the audio
connection, they will have no sound.
In the next issue: Component and Composite (A/V) analog connections.
Page 7
Volume 5, Issue 9 Consumer Electronics Newsletter
Samsung Tech Talk
GSPN Warranty Claims Training is Here!
Jet Nyamwange
Warranty Department
To enhance your user experience on GSPN, the Samsung Warranty Department will be hosting a detailed GSPN training that focuses specifically on the Warranty Claims functions of GSPN (i.e. Closing service tickets, filing warranty claims
for payment, etc.). To attend the training, please copy or save the appropriate link below for the training you would like
to attend, and then access the link at least 5 minutes before the training start time.
Trainer
Date
Time
Link
August 30,
2011
3:00 PM
EST
https://samsung.webex.com/samsung/j.php?
Jet Nyamwange
ED=164493607&UID=1273516542&PW=NNmQ3NWFiNG
Y1&RT=MiMxMQ%3D%3D
Jet Nyamwange
September 13,
2011
3:00 PM
EST
https://samsung.webex.com/samsung/j.php?
ED=164494772&UID=1273520067&PW=NY2NkYTFkNTcz
&RT=MiMxMQ%3D%3D
Jet Nyamwange
September 20,
2011
3:00 PM
EST
https://samsung.webex.com/samsung/j.php?
ED=164495302&UID=1273522252&PW=NYWY1ZmI1ODc
5&RT=MiMxMQ%3D%3D
To join the online meeting:
1. Go to the link provided above.
2. If requested, enter your name and email address.
3. If a password is required, enter the meeting password: warranty.
4. Click "Join".
Also, you must join the Audio portion
To join the audio portion:
Phone # 1-866-398-2885 Code# 608949
Page 8
Volume 5, Issue 9 Consumer Electronics Newsletter
Samsung Tech Talk
Billing Your Stock Repair Warranty Claim
Jet Nyamwange
Warranty Department
Stock Repair (SR) claims are repairs you are performing for Dealers / Retailers. Such repairs must be billed as Service
Type SR ONLY, not In Home (IH) or Carry In (CI). All repairs billed incorrectly will be updated to the correct service type
and chargebacks will be performed for those missed.
When billing your SR claim, select the correct service type:

SR – For all store owned products.

SI – Floor display models only, (These must be authorized by an RSE for you to receive SI rates.)
Any claims with the following Repair Codes are the Dealer’s / Retailer’s responsibility, therefore, they will be rejected:

No Defect found (NPFD, NPRB),

Cleaning (CLEA, CLEN),

Customer Education (CUST)

Cosmetic Repairs
How to Determine the Warranty Term for SR:

Stock Repair Warranty Term is two years from the Date of Manufacture (DOM).*
* NO Date of Purchase required.

ONLY two repairs, including parts ONLY claims, are allowed in the two year term.
This means that all SR products are ONLY eligible for two repairs (including parts ONLY claims) within the two year period.
How Do You Determine Production Year and Month?
(This is very beneficial for ASCs that do Dealer /Retailer Stock Repairs.)
The production year is represented by the letter that precedes the last 6 digits of the serial number starting from the right,
excluding the check digit.
Page 9
Volume 5, Issue 9 Consumer Electronics Newsletter
Samsung Tech Talk
Billing Your Stock Repair Warranty Claim
continued
If the serial number is 15 digits in length, you can determine the production date by looking at the 8th and 9th digits of
the serial number. For example:
If the serial number is 11 digits in length, you can determine the production date by looking at the 4th and 5th digits of
the serial number. For example:
All Serial Numbers MUST end with a letter. This is known as a Check Digit. For example:
Serial Number Guide

Production year is always a letter.

Production month is a single digit with the exception of October, November, and December which are A, B, and
C respectively.
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Volume 5, Issue 9 Consumer Electronics Newsletter
Billing Your Stock Repair Warranty Claim
continued
How to Check the Number of Stock Repairs Already Performed on a Unit in GSPN
1. On the GSPN main log in page, click Multi Serial Check.
2. Enter the model and serial number, and then click Search.
3. The system will validate and display the number of stock repairs done.

If a product is within 2 years of the DOM, then the unit has one more repair left.

If a product is more than 2 years from the DOM, then it’s considered out of warranty.
Page 11
Samsung Tech Talk
Volume 5, Issue 9 Consumer Electronics Newsletter
Samsung Tech Talk
2011 RTC TV Training
Samsung Training 2011
Being held at one of our four Regional Training Centers!
Attend in-depth, hands-on training at one of our RTCs (Regional Training
Centers).
You can reserve your seat for training by emailing
training@sea.samsung.com.
You can always obtain the most up to date training schedule by sending
an email to training@sea.samsung.com.
Additionally, TV training is available on-demand 24/7 at
https://my.plus1solutions.net/clientPortals/samsung/
Training Schedule:
Date
City
Comments
September 13-15, 2011
Bensenville, IL
FE/ASC Training
September 13-15, 2011
Austell, GA
FE/ASC Training
September 20-22, 2011
Little Ferry, NJ
FE/ASC Training
September 20-22, 2011
Rancho Dominquez,
CA
FE/ASC Training
October 11-14, 2011
Bensenville, IL
FE/ASC Training
October 11-14, 2011
Austell, GA
FE/ASC Training
October 18-20, 2011
Little Ferry, NJ
FE/ASC Training
October 18-20, 2011
Rancho Dominquez,
CA
FE/ASC Training
*In addition, we’ll be holding TV training for NESDA members at NESDA Ohio (Clarion Inn and Conference Center, 240 East Hines Hill Road Hudson, Ohio) on Thursday, September 15.
Page 12
Volume 5, Issue 9 Consumer Electronics Newsletter
Samsung Tech Talk
Delivery and Installation in Korea: A Commitment to Excellence
Charles Russo
Assistant Manager, Technical Training
Recently, TJ Kim, Juan Morales, and I had the opportunity to spend five days at the Samsung Logistics Academy and
the Logitech warehouse (a Samsung subsidiary) in Korea. We also had the opportunity to participate in Installation Ride
Alongs in the Suwon area of Korea. From what we saw, I can report that the level of professionalism displayed during
the delivery and installation of Samsung’s HA and CE products in Korea was incredible to witness.
Logitech is responsible for warehousing, delivering, and installing almost all Samsung products sold in Korea. A customer in Korea would typically purchase their Samsung product in either a Samsung affiliated or independent store, with
the purchase including both delivery and installation. The merchandise would then be delivered to the customer’s home,
in most cases, the very next day. The merchandise eligible for delivery and installation includes products of all types and
sizes, except cell phones.
The Logistics Academy is responsible for all installer training. Individuals who attend are provided with approximately 51
hours of extensive training and are even housed for the training period in Academy facilities.
The training begins with the CS (Customer Service) group explaining the importance of customer relations, attitude, and
appearance with the objective of bettering each installer’s entire presentation to the customer.
The trainees are then led through extensive Samsung Home Appliance and TV training. The HA training includes training on refrigerators, washers, and popular stand alone air conditioning units requiring power, water, and drainage lines.
Interestingly, dryers and dishwashers are a rarity in Korea since most customers prefer to hang dry their clothes and
wash their dishes by hand.
The TV training includes a study of LCD, LED, and Plasma Technologies and a complete examination of all input
sources and functions. The training rooms are equipped with the latest satellite, cable, and off-air simulations as well as
various network connections and systems. Various types of wall mounts and wall conditions are simulated with plenty of
hands on training and testing.
The installers graduate as full fledged Customer Satisfaction Managers (CSMs) with a thorough knowledge of both HA
and CE products and the intricacies of the most complex installations. They are provided with all the tools necessary to
perform their tasks.
The Logitech Warehouse was equally impressive. There were little or no signs of damage to any product. Boxing and
stacking was carefully performed in a clean working environment. Each delivery truck was routinely inspected for proper
packing and cleanliness both inside and out.
Product was handled carefully and professionally from warehouse through transportation, delivery, and installation. The
final step, Customer Education, often lasted more than 20 minutes, and assured customer satisfaction, understanding,
and loyalty. We were suitably impressed.
Many thanks to the kind and excellent staff and trainers headed up by Kyungmo “Joseph” Park, Senior Manager, Human
Resource Team, and to TJ Kim for guiding us throughout the week.
For some pictures from our trip, see the next few pages.
Page 13
Volume 5, Issue 9 Consumer Electronics Newsletter
Samsung Tech Talk
Delivery and Installation in Korea: A Commitment to Excellence
continued
Mr. Kyungmo Park and Mr. TJ Kim in front of
Samsung Logistics Academy, Suwon, Korea
Mr. Song Young Sam, Trainer for Washers
An LCD TV training display
Page 14
One of the fully equipped TV Training Rooms
A washing machine training display
The HA simulated home training room
Volume 5, Issue 9 Consumer Electronics Newsletter
Samsung Tech Talk
Delivery and Installation in Korea: A Commitment to Excellence
continued
.
A Logitech delivery in the Suwon area
CSMs unloading a Samsung refrigerator
A CSM prepares a wall mount for a Samsung TV
Page 15
CSMs unloading a Samsung washer
CSMs installing a Samsung refrigerator
The CSM providing full customer education
Volume 5, Issue 9 Consumer Electronics Newsletter
Samsung Tech Talk
Delivery and Installation in Korea: A Commitment to Excellence
continued
.
The model Smart CSM
Samsung Electronics America
85 Challenger Road
Ridgefield Park, NJ 07660
Phone: 201-229-4251
The information in this bulletin is published for experienced repair technicians
only and is not intended for use by the public. It does not contain warnings to
advise non-technical individuals of possible dangers in attempting to service a
product. Only experienced professional technicians should repair products
powered by electricity. Any attempt to service or repair the product or products
dealt with in this information by anyone else could result in serious injury or
death. Information provided in this bulletin is subject to change or update without notice.
Page 16
Volume 5, Issue 9 Consumer Electronics Newsletter
Samsung Tech Talk
Field Engineer TV Repair Success Story
We received the thank you letter below from a customer of HSN’s FE Minsuk Kwon. Samsung would like to thank Minsuk Kwon and all of our FEs who perform outstanding service which goes above and beyond the customer’s expectation.
To whom it may concern,
I would just like to express the overwhelmingly positive experience I had with Samsung's support service. I'm sure you
receive many complaints, so I'm hoping this will shed light on your amazing company. I've had my Samsung TV for over
3 years, and just the other day it began tuning on and off, over and over. I called your support line who took my information and told me that I would be contacted by my area's tech service, but also gave me the number to contact them myself if I chose. I called them myself immediately and within 2 hours, a tech was in my home and repaired my
TV....AMAZING!!

I didn't have to take it to a shop...

I didn't have to leave it and wait 3 weeks...

Most importantly, I didn't get the run around.
I happen to be in a profession where I'm in contact with MANY people on a regular basis. You can believe I will be singing praises about Samsung products and the service that stands behind them.
I guess in this day and age, we're more likely to have a somewhat negative experience when dealing with something that
is out of warranty...I myself expected the worst, but was pleasantly surprised (to say the least) at the level of service I
received from all who resolved my issue.
A loyal Samsung customer for life,
Jason from New Rochelle NY
Page 17