Googling for ~ electronics Philips OR magnavox site:gardenweb.com ~ now gives 447 ghits. Yesterday it was 460 plus. Go figure.

PW...You are God! Held down the up and down vol button on my Magnavox and bingo..problem went away...many thanks..JPM1

Could be a sticking power switching relay. I have seen this symptom in several other brands of sets, but I don't recall seeing it in a panasonic. That would be the first thing that I would check. A simple test for this is as follows; remove the back of the set, locate the relay, turn the set on, then back off. Tap the relay sharply with the handle of a screwdriver. It may take a couple of taps. If the picture goes off, the relay was sticking. Good luck, pw

It is possible that your setting (low to mid 60's) is causing the coil to freeze, and shutting down on safety. This could explain why the unit needs to 'rest' for 40 minutes, in order for the ice to melt. Leaving your window open at night allows the night time humidity to infiltrate your apt. Leaving the a/c off all day allows the heat to build up. Both heat and humidity put a burden on your a/c which has to be satisfied before you feel comfortable. Being that your apt is 550 sq ft, the unit could be oversized which will result in frequent short cycling (less humidity removal). Try minimizing opening of your windows at night (unless outside humidity is low) and leaving your a/c on while away, although at a higher setting. You need to experiment. V