Derek Whitfield
Derek Whitfield is the setup & repair editor at Tech Junctions. He's the byline on every "how to mount", "how to connect", "won't turn on", and "no signal" article on the site, because he does this work for real - fourteen years installing residential A/V equipment across the US Mid-Atlantic, certified by the International Society of Certified Electronics Technicians (ISCET), and currently maintaining an active residential-installation business that gives him a steady stream of real customer problems to test his troubleshooting steps against. When a power board fails on a Samsung TV, Derek's article describes the actual fix he'd run, including the multimeter test he'd do before recommending a $200 part. He owns the HDMI/ARC/eARC pillar because cable confusion is the single most common reason readers email a corrections request. He lives in the US Mid-Atlantic.
Published work
Articles by Derek Whitfield
Setup, Mounting & PlacementLearn how to determine TV mount height with a seated eye-level formula and a free calculator, plus worked examples by TV size. No guesswork, no neck strain.
Setup, Mounting & PlacementGet the exact TV height from floor in cm for every size (43–85"): floor-to-center + bottom-edge, in cm and inches, on seated eye level.
Setup, Mounting & PlacementFind your TV viewing distance: sit ~1.2–2x the screen diagonal (THX 40° / SMPTE 30°), with a two-way size chart, how to measure, plus 4K and gaming tips.
TroubleshootingCompare real 2026 costs for a broken Samsung TV screen across 7 brands, why a panel nearly equals a new TV, and your cheaper options.
TroubleshootingCompare cracked TV screen repair cost by size and damage in 2026, plus the break-even math vs new-TV prices and when fixing actually beats replacing.
TroubleshootingSee if a cracked TV screen is worth fixing: repair-vs-replace-vs-salvage verdict, real cost math, and the 3 steps to take first.
TroubleshootingCompare TV repair costs by problem, learn the 30–40% repair-vs-replace rule, and see which fixes are DIY, pro-only, or a write-off in 2026.
Setup, Mounting & PlacementTV mounting height calculator: get your exact floor-to-center and bottom-edge numbers from your seated eye level, screen size and mount type. Free.
TroubleshootingSee what LED LCD TV repair really costs by fault (backlight, T-Con, power board), plus which fixes you can safely DIY for under $50.
Setup, Mounting & PlacementCompare exact TV width and height by screen size in this TV size chart (32-100 in, in + cm), plus the 16:9 math and a fit check.
TroubleshootingChange your Samsung TV DNS settings the right way: exact menu path by model year, the best DNS by goal, how to revert, and what to do if it doesn't help.
TroubleshootingFix a Samsung TV not connecting to Wi-Fi with 3 tested fixes, then match your exact symptom (error 107, no internet, 2.4GHz) to the real cause.
TroubleshootingRun the built-in Picture Test to tell if a horizontal line on Samsung TV is a quick cable fix or a failing panel, plus repair-vs-replace cost math.
Setup, Mounting & PlacementYes - a heat shield for TV above fireplace works if you choose right. Compare 5 tested picks, a DIY deflector build, and the temps that fry a TV.
Setup, Mounting & PlacementLeave a 4-12 inch gap between console top and TV bottom. How high to mount TV above console depends on size, get the exact gap by TV size.