I just had a reputable repairman out to check mine out. It was doing the same thing and giving eight blinks. He showed me where all three tubes were dying and that one indication was that I had already pushed the brightness up as high as it would go and the picture was still dim. He pronounced it not worth repairing.

To fix the TV with different flashes and shutting off after a few minutes or very quickly is a very easy problem to repair it virtually will cost you zero dollars we have to do is take the two screws off the front cover that's on the bottom far corners. After you've done that removed the black cover which I believe has four screws what it's done that you'll see the very front six Philip screws together they are to just eject colors. At this point you'll have to just a three bottom ones to get the desired color and not shoot so much power to your lights. Once you've adjusted that and played with a little bit your TV will not shut off anymore. Sometimes you have to keep trying to three bottom jets until you get the right setting. It can take up to 20 minutes. When I did this with my TV I've not had a problem since. Save me a lot of money and I was going to throw it out. Good luck

Hi! I am having the same problem with the 8 blinks from the timer/standby light. Did you ever resolve your problem with it and if you did, how? Desperately trying to fix it but for a single mom, quite a task.

Save your solder......you need a new green power tube. Had the same problem. A lot of people do on this TV from what I've read. Set turns itself off within about ten to fifteen minutes...and eventually just turns on, then off again as the problem gets worse. Depending upon where you live will determine how much it's going to cost you to have it fixed. Most people who have posted complaints say it cost them around $1,500 to get it repaired. I only paid $450 for the repair and it works fine. Problem is, I have no way of knowing if the guy I used took the part out of another TV, or got it from the factory. Forget about asking SONY for help. All of their guarentee's are simply words on a piece of paper. They couldn't care less. If you have an extra couple of grand to fork out for a new Panasonic (which I bought...but kept the old SONY so I can hide in the back room and watch stuff my wife doesn't like, and I don't get stuck having to watch QVC, etc.) I'd recommend the Panasonic from QVC....no tax, about 1/3 less than if you buy it in a store..........you just have to wait about three weeks for it to arrive, and you have to put the stand together...a little time consuming but saved about $500 by doing it myself and taking the TV offer. Or...search around and find a guy like I did who will fix it for you for about $450 and take your chances that it will last a couple of years longer. Whatever you do, don't open the back, and monkey around with that thing. That's really high voltage stored up in those capacitors, and it can cook you in the blink of any eye, if you don't know what you're doing.

Hi, were you able to find a solution for the your tv repair and what was it? I am having a same problem. thanks! Arv