No audio or video timer light flashes 9 times

It was sudden and unexpected but while watching my TV the screen shrunk and lost convergence. It then bowed out on the left and right sides and shut off. This all happened in about 5 to 10 seconds. I attempted to power it back on with the remote and it came on for about 5 seconds and then off. Since then I cannot get it to come on at all, I can hear the power come to the audio amp but not picture or sound. What typically happens when powered on is the timer light will flash 9 times and then go off. Sometimes it will just come on solid. I have opened it up and looked for anything obvious (burnt wires boards etc.) and none is found also there is no indication of fried components by smell. In fact it is very clean back there. I have been given a possible problem that my convergence chips have failed but it is a big guess from my discription. So I am looking for other guesses and possible solutions short of take it a service center as the closest one is 67 miles away and will not pick up. I purchased the service manual for this unit and attempted to key in the service code in the hopes something might happen. I can see the TV responds to the remote inputs without problem but of course I get no audio or video. It has been over 25 years sinced I messed around in the back of a television so I am definitely out of practice, however I am not afraid to do a little soldering or testing given some places to start. Thanks