Samsung Dead Lamp, Black Screen, or Intermittent

[fixyourdlpblog]

2008.08.06 23:30, Steve V said

I have a Samsung 50″ DLP HDTV - Purchased from Ultimate Electronics 10/2003 - What a pile of crap this TV is. Within a few months the color wheel started whining, then 3 flashing lights on the front panel. Could only be reset by unpluging. Warranty tech said the color engine and “main frame” had to be replaced. 3 weeks down time.

failure #2 9/2004 same problem as above. Tech didn’t even bother to come out, said it sounds like the same problem as the first time, ordered the same parts. Only took two months to get it repaired WooHoo!

failure #3 9/2006 - intermittent probelm: without warning the picture would “bounce” or “jump” then the TV would fail. 3 flashing lights again. Now Warrantec was handling the warranty. TV picked up 9/11/06, returned 12/6/06 just a week shy of 3 months this time!! Repair co, stated they recommened replacing the TV called it a Lemon. but warrantec rejected that (of course), replaced analog board and few other things.

Failure #4 worked fine up until last week Aug 1st 2008. Picture distorts and jumps without much warning, alomost like last failure #3, has a slight cropping of the picture at lower left side of screen. Fails 3 flashing lights again. Scheduled for pick up tomorrow.

Warranty runs out in Oct. 2008 just over two months from now, probably before I get the TV back again.

Been down for repairs/in the shop for nearly 6 months within the last 5 years. I’m sure I have little to no recourse with Samsung, but I’ll write a letter to them anyway.

Next one won’t be a DLP, or anything by Samsung. I have LCD’s and Plasmas in other rooms, albeit not 5 years old, but in 2 and 3 years of use, not one issue what so ever.

Anyone else having simular problem with DLP’s? They are garbage as far as I’m concerned. But in 03′ the prices for 50″ plasma or LCD were quite bit more that the DLP.

Anyway, this is one worn out warranty. They’ll be glad when Oct passes.

[fixyourdlpblog]

steve
Submitted on 2009/02/16 at 7:45pm

I have a Samsung model #hl-p4674w. it turns on with the lamp indicator blinking, audio but no image.. reboots after about 30 seconds and does that 3 times. after the third time. i have all the lights blinking indicating i have a bum lamp. im just wondering to be sure if its a lamp problem. any info would be great.

[fixyourdlpblog]

dave
Submitted on 2009/02/14 at 7:20pm

I have a 42 inch dlp and it wont power up.

3 blinking lights

1- green lamp
1 green timer
1 red temp

any answers as what to do

[BYO]

[fixyourdlpblog]

Bruce
Submitted on 2009/01/27 at 6:35pm

I have just found this site and was hoping to get some help. I have a HLN5065W it is 5 yrs old. Recently the picture will start to flicker and jump around after the tv has been on for about 10 mins. Shortly after this begins to happen the set will shut off with all three lights flashing. Picture quality is still great until the flickering begins. I am leary to replace the lamp which is the original just to find out that it is something else. Don’t want it to become a money pit. Any ideas or solutions would be appreciated.

[LMP]

Sorry to hear you got lemon, but don't give up just yet. IF you happened to use any major credit card for the purchase, most double or extend the warranty on the purchase, with the exception of computers. Aslo, you should argue firmly that the time it was in repair waiting for parts should toll the warranty period, like, if you don't have the tv and/or it wasn't operating then that original warranty should be held or extended for that time [like a vacation hold on a gym or something]. otherwise they can just keep it in repair until your warranty runs. ANYWAY, my point is that if you used a CC then you may still have warranty, and it is not that complicated to use. I had to do it 2x in the past with a camera and a mosquito machine and visa was great about it, so check that out.

[ovadoggvo]

Bruce,
Unfortunately, your first diagnosis is a new lamp. It would be tough to diagnose your TV set without a new lamp. Once you have a new lamp, we can procede with the diagnosis of your color wheel, digital board, and DMD board.

[Eddie]

[mbilak]

If anyone can help..
I have a 5065 that has the same
'flashes lamp" reboots 3 times and then displays the 3 leds.
So far I have eliminated the Lamp, the ballast and the color wheel is spinning (although it does make some noise). I'm guessing there is some interlocks to keep the ballast from firing, the 2 fans, what looks like a thermal sensor ontop of the lamp housing, color wheel and door switch.
On the ballast there is a cable containing 5 wires and connect to some optocouplers.
Does anyone have the schematic for this connector? I'm thinking this is where the interlocks come into play.
If I force the ballast on I can check the color wheel and digital board (light engine) with video input.
Any input would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks

[ovadoggvo]

mbilak,
I believe your color wheel may be at fault, if not, the temperature sensor is definately another option. If you want to FORCE ON your ballast, I will show you how... BE VERY CAREFUL. I DO NOT RECOMMEND this procedure unless it is your last resort as it may damage your ballast or your power supply if done improperly.

The information I am about to post here is to help Samsung repair technicians in testing ballasts and other components related to the ballast.

Before you do this, test for voltage going to the ballast... it should read 320V-380V depending on your Samsung model number (check photos for test point). Anything below 280V means you have a bad power supply or an issue with the initiation of the powering up process.

Please look at the picture below... You can force on your ballst by "shorting" the middle transistors bottom two pins as directed by the red arrow. I recommend soldering the two points in order to prevent damage to your ballast and/or power supply.

ballast-mod2-resize.jpg (21.48 KiB) Viewed 102803 times

I take no responsibility for any damage caused to your TV's components or you for misuse of this information. Obviously I took this photo from Discount-Merchant.com and modified it. They will take no responsibility for any damage to your TV using this procedure either.

[mbilak]

ovadoggvo,
Thanks for the info... I am going to look at the color wheel tonight, (I was able to bring my scope from work home). I believe I should see 3.5V 240Hz on pin 2 (see Attach). If thats not it, then it will be an over size paper weight.

Thanks

[mbilak]

ovadoggvo,
I checked it out and I did not get the 3.5v 340hz. Now I'm just trying to find a colorwheel for the HLS5065w
complete with the housing. DM is out of stock and so is The Part Store. They said maybe sometime at the end of April.... :roll: o well.. Thanks goodness for the internet
Thanks

[ovadoggvo]

mbilak,
Ouch.. That's a long time to wait. I like the photos and graph you posted. Nicely done!

D-M seems to have 240+ of the bare wheel in stock... Wow, that's $20,000 worth of just 1 part.. Too bad they don't have any with the housing.

[admills]

Hello all and thanks for all the helpful info you guys post to help the less fortunate who can't run out and get the TV we really want!
I had just a quick question on the ballast if you do short the pins to force it on and the lamp does fire and the voltage to the ballast is correct I presume that signifies a bad ballast right?

[zagloba]

Okay, I checked voltage at the points that ovadoggvo showed in his photo and get nothing. I have already installed a new lamp and replaced the ballast. Still getting the flashing lamp light for three cycles. I do have sound, just no pic. I also do not hear any clicking sound as if the ballast were trying to fire the lamp. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[warreagle]

Greetings:

Daughter was watching tv, it shut off unexpectedly...now, no pic or audio. It tries to light up three times, then the three LEDs on the front begin to flash. Set is about three years old.

I have no access to a multimeter, so I cannot really check voltages. My issue sounds about the same as the rest here. I do see "fire" from the ballast when I hold the case safety switch and try to power on...however, when my bulb assy is inserted and I try to turn the dlp on, the bulb lights very dimly, flickers, then goes off -almost like a flourescent bulb. I am assuming that it is supposed to do that (since it does have a ballast, like a flourescent lamp).

Would it be safe to also assume (in my case, and since the only thing apparently not happening with my dlp is the lamp properly lighting) that I need a bulb replacement? I will replace i with the exact brand (Philips), because I have also d/l'ed a service manual for this set...noticed there is a OSD switch to let the set circuitry know which of the three most popular bulbs you have in the set. (I'm not sure if I'll be able to get into the menu if the wrong bulb is in that setting, so better safe than sorry)

Besides, from all I've read, the Philips bulb is recommended above the others.

Anyone care to verify or refute my reasoning...preferrably BEFORE I go order a new bulb?

Manuals can be purchased for $7.99 in .pdf form (for immediate d/l) here: They take credit cards or Paypal.

[troubledDLP]

I have had this set for 3 years with the aforementioned affliction starting almost 9 months ago. The typical symptoms are the screen goes black, the LED lights on the front blink (lamp, timer); there is no control using the remote. The only way to return to normal is using the remote to "power off", wait a minute and power on. Sometimes the "blackouts" occur once in awhile and sometimes alot more frequently. The service technician's trying to repair the problem have replaced the lamp, replaced the ballast, cleaned the insides of dust & dirt, if any and lastly replaced the DMD module. Since the last repair, the set behaved well for about 2 months but now the same symptoms have returned. The last technician will replace the DMD module again but I am doubtful about the result.

Any ideas or similar behavior on the Samsung DLP units ?? Any fixes that have worked ?? Although Sam's say they will replace the set (it is not made anymore) if it cannot be fixed or refund my money. I am dubious that the last alternative will ever happen so fixing the problem is my only practical solution. Thanks in advance for your answers.

If it helps, the model # is: HLS6167WX/XAA

[Eddie]

Sounds like you got a bad unit from the get go.

The problem was probably the light engine all along, and using a service center to replace parts is like taking your chances at the junk yard. Unless they're using new, OEM parts, I don't see how you could have ended up in this mess. Not saying all techs are bad, because we've got some great techs on this site, but there are those companies out there that will try and save a few bucks by buying junk or salvaging parts. In the end, the customer or warranty company pays for it.

The only reason these TVs fail in this catastrophic nature is when TV repair techs intervene and try to fix it by pulling out and replacing parts to see if that fixes the problem!

So if you can, I'd go with a full 100% refund. Don't settle for a refurbished television, or similar unit. If they insist on fixing the television or won't give you a refund, then make sure you can find the right parts for your TV because light engines aren't the cheapest or easiest things to find. Don't get any of that salvaged crap and get a warranty on the repair! Definitely sounds like a light engine to me, but I could be wrong. I'm sure if any other techs out there are reading, they'll chime in.

[troubledDLP]

Thanks Eddie. Is the "Light Wheel" the same part as the "Light Engine" ?? I will definitely mention the "Light Engine" to the technician who has been on the case for last three repairs.

[ovadoggvo]

warreagle,
The problem sounds like your lamp. I would definitely replace it with a Philips brand bulb. People that don't do their research about the different lamp manufacturers and the knock-offs that are in the market end up buying a bad quality lamp, and replacing it within a few months. At times, the people that buy these low-quality bulbs also begin to replace other parts such as color wheels or ballasts just because they can't believe that their generic light bulb is bad. This causes mayhem all over the internet!

Do your research here:
http://www.lampresearch.com/

Buy from a reputable Philips dealer. Biggest PHILIPS dealer in the WORLD (Confirmed by Philips themselves) and my favorite is by far:
http://www.Discount-Merchant.com

Also available directly through Samsung (but be careful! Samsung themselves have gone cheap and at times send out OSRAM/Generic brand!)

[WillGolfForFood]

Please help, I'm becoming very frustrated with my Sammy...

Last weekend my picture began to freeze, then click to a black screen(yes audible click when going to black), then return to normal all within a few seconds. The frequency of this problem quickly increased and the night before the Super Bowl the black screen came to stay. At this point neither the remote or buttons on the tv would respond, and the only way to shut down the tv was to unplug it from the wall. After letting the unit rest overnight, the situation remained unchained when powered it up in the morning. As I have already replaced one bulb since owning the unit and only have 2700 hours on it I was somewhat skeptical that my bulb was bad.

With the guidance of other posts, prior to ordering a replacement I vacuumed out the back, verified that all fans are running, and checked that the color wheel was spinning. I want to note that during this investigation my lamp was actually illuminated, but I was not sure whether a bulb will light but just not be bright enough to display picture? Anyway, after verifying that all seemed well in back I ordered up a replacement and watched the Super Bowl on a tiny 27" CRT that I have for just such an emergency (I strongly suggest everyone has a spare bulb laying around for when Murphy's Law strikes right before the big game!).

The bulb arrived from discount-merchant and I quickly performed the swap. With great excitement, the tv fired up on the first try and my picture had been restored.......for all of 15 minutes. Just as I was removing the backup tv from the living room my picture froze, then the black screen of death returned, and has not gone away. The Samsung helplessline lived up to their name but I had to at least give it a try. So here I am hoping to find out what has gone wrong.

Current Situation (in order of occurrence)
-Plug in tv
-Strong click (from the ballast I assume)
-Spinning sound begins (color wheel)
-Green "LAMP" light blinking
-The startup chime plays (du-du-du-du)
-Lamp turns on
-Blinking "LAMP" light goes away
-No Picture (white glow from bulb can be seen)
-Remote and tv buttons are nonresponsive (although the reader on the front recognizes remote is sending)
-Only power down method is the wall plug

Hopefully I've documented sufficiently for a proper diagnosis, any ideas?

[ovadoggvo]

warreagle,
The first step is to buy a lamp. You really can't test or diagnose your TV without having a TESTED WORKING lamp! In either case, the lamp will come in handy as it is a consumable part of the TV. It needs replaceing every 2-3 years IF you buy a PHILIPS Brand lamp from an AUTHORIZED philips dealer! Be careful of knock-offs and generic brands such as DNGO, OSRAM, etc. These poor quality lamps will not have the same efficiency and stability as Philips manufactured light bulbs and inconsistency is the number one cause of intermitent issues that may cost you hundreds of dollars in un-needed parts!

If the lamp doesn't solve your problem, I recommend following this post and going through the boot sequence I posted here:
viewtopic.php?f=10&t=19

Let us know how it goes!

[ovadoggvo]

WillGolfForFood,
Ok.. This is a very common problem with these TV sets. Here is one of 2 possibilities:

1 - DMD Board (my first guess) - Best thing to do is buy a complete light engine from D-M since they don't seem to have the bare DMD board in stock:

http://www.discount-merchant.com/Search ... 67W+engine

This engine includes: Color Wheel (in some cases), Light Tunnel (notorious for collapsing and can come in handy), DMD Board (this is what I think you need), AND optical block. For $280, you can't lose! Samsung want's $900+ for the same part.

2 - Digital Board (my second guess) - Again D-M would be my first choice... $144 vs PartStore or Samsung's $460!

http://www.discount-merchant.com/Search ... 7W+digital

The digital board is responsible for digital menu functions of the TV and VIDEO DECODING using DNIe chip. For more information visit this post:
viewtopic.php?f=10&t=19

I have posted a boot sequence for these samsung TV's to give everyone a better idea on how they work.

To be very honest with you, #1 problem on your HLR series TV is the DMD Board, but I like to give multiple possiblities in order to releive myself from being responsible for mis-diagnosing your TV without actually getting my hands on the TV set.

[ovadoggvo]

troubleDLP,
By light wheel you mean Color Wheel... The color wheel is a part that mounts onto the light engine.. Here is what a DLP Television Light Engine includes:

Color Wheel (Sometimes may not come with this)
DMD Board (Digital Micromirrored Device Board, or the board that has the Texas Instrument DMD Chip on it)
Optical Block (This includes: Light Tunnel and Output Lens, mirrors, etc)

If your TV is failing to respond to push-button menus on the TV set and it may turn on when you plug it in instead of going into standby, then your DIGITAL BOARD (not part of the light engine) is failing. Please refer to this post:

viewtopic.php?f=10&t=19

I'm affraid that the post may exactly describe the type of mis-diagnosis that the technician that came to your house may have made! I would let the technician READ that post as well. ;)

[WillGolfForFood]

Thanks for the quick reply, I think we're on the same page....from all the posts I read here I thought I could narrow it down to either the DMD or the Digital Board, but wasn't sure which one would be the primary cause for my symptoms.....and whats really been puzzling me is how I replaced the bulb and the tv worked...albeit for 15 minutes...but I had touched nothing else but the lamp housing...very curious.

An addition to the symptom that might help confirm your diagnosis....I removed the back panel once again and taped down the interlock to observe the goings on....when all components settle down after startup I hear clicks from the left side of the set (while looking at the back) in the area of the board behind the various video inputs. (DMB board?) There is no consistency to the timing of the clicks, sometimes fairly close together (several seconds), while other times much longer. Does this tilt the probability more towards the DMD board?

If so, it looks like another order to DM.....but if it works I'll then have a spare bulb, color wheel, and light tunnel...I'll be set for a while!!!

[WillGolfForFood]

Great info on the boot sequence, but to tell you the truth its somewhat confused me.

Here is my interpretation of the boot sequence info in relation to my symptoms:

1. If the color wheel, ballast, lamp are all good but there is no picture, the DMD is bad.
2. "TV Won't Turn off or is non-responsive to buttons or remote - MOST LIKELY bad Digital Board"

Since I have both symptoms (no picture and no menu or remote functions) I seem to relate to both a bad DMD and Digital board don't I? (but how could both fail simultaneously?)

[troubledDLP]

Thank you for your reply. Yes, I meant Color Wheel not Color Light. I'll pass your response to the technician.

[dtreder]

My 42" Samsung DLP (3 1/2 yrs old) shut off a couple days ago, with the accompanying "three blinking lights." Waited a bit (un-plugged/re-plugged), turned it back on - the lamp actually comes on for 20-30 secs, but no picture, and then shuts off, and the three lights start blinking.

Spent some time searching on the web, and seems it is probably the lamp (though several places indicated that the picture would begin to deteriorate over time before it went out - my picture was fine) ...replacing the lamp looks like something I could do (also went through the replacement steps for the ballast, and that looks out of my league)

Anyway, I'm torn between getting & replacing the lamp, or taking it to a repair shop to have them properly diagnose the problem (understanding I'll pay more if it's the lamp, but possibly avoiding 'throwing good money after bad' if it's something more)

Understanding this doesn't lend itself to a definitive answer, would appreciate any thoughts someone might offer.
Thanks,
Dave

[ovadoggvo]

WillGolfForFood,
In your situation, it seems like DMD board is most likely at fault. If you are getting illumination on the screen but the screen is "blacked out" then DMD would be my first guess.

Let us know how it goes!

[Eddie]

Dave, you're right. There's no definitive answer if you can't diagnose the problem yourself, but the lamp is usually the first thing to go out and the first thing people tend to replace. So do you take it to a repair shop or replace the lamp. Let's weigh the options and ask yourself a few questions before going with a repair center or replacing the lamp though:

First, are you sure it could be the lamp? Chances are it is, but if you've already replaced it once this year, it's highly unlikely that it can be the lamp again so soon. On the flip side, if you've had that lamp in there since 2006, then it's a very good chance that the lamp is going out on you, and you'll need a new one anyway, and in which case, I recommend Discount-Merchant.com for their great lamp prices and customer service (/plug) ... but you've also got to consider that if your set is fairly old (old in tech standards), you might have other issues associated with the TV.

The most comment problems in the lamp/ballast/color wheel system are, you've guessed it, the lamp, the ballast and the color wheel. Pretty easy to replace and diagnose if you know what to listen for or look for.

We cover this time and time again so let's make this post epic... and a sticky so you can help other owners with this very decision (I'm sure many people have this problem).

Second, when you state that "the picture is fine" don't be fooled. It could definitely be the lamp. If that lamp is getting dimmer and dimmer over time, there's no way you'll be able to tell unless you've got robotic eyes! If it does turn out to be the lamp, you'll be amazed at the newer Philips lamps because it'll look much more brighter. The lamp will also not cost you more in the long run. A good lamp should last you 3 years. Philips always says 2-3 because they want to be safe in their range, but it's not uncommon for people to have their lamps in their televisions for 4-5 years!

Third, the benefit of replacing your lamp is way cheaper in diagnosing your television woes than calling a repair tech or taking it to a shop. Consider the cost of a new lamp is about $110 bucks, more or less depending on where you get it from. From DM should only be about $115 total with shipping (unless you live in California and are subject to the ridiculously high sales tax here). The lamp will get there in 2-3 days, more or less. Put that lamp in there and if it works, GREAT. You've solved your problem. If it doesn't, well you know it's not the lamp and it could be a few other things like the ballast or color wheel (and you needed that lamp anyway, so you won't have to worry about that anymore!)

Now going with a repair tech is going to be a lot more expensive: Lets say you've decided to take your TV there. He charges you $50 bucks, or $60 bucks to diagnose your TV. He says you need a lamp. There, now you'll pay retail from a repair tech who will charge you $150 for the lamp, $50 for the diagnosis, and maybe 1/2 hour of repair time to put the lamp in! You're already looking at $200+!!!

What if a repair tech comes out? It's usually anywhere from $80-100 and they'll put the cost toward repair. Seems reasonable until it's the lamp, and you're spending $$150 bucks again for the lamp!

--and what happens if it isn't the lamp? You'll need to replace your ballast or color wheel, and those repairs can get dicey if you don't know what you're doing and really expensive if it's done by a repair shop.

My ultimate recommendation is for you to double check EVERYTHING in your TV. Listen for sounds, smell to see if anything smells burned. Make sure the TV isn't overheating by bring it away from a wall. Shoot some compressed air to make sure all the dust gets out of there (do this in a nice open area of course).

The lamp comes on for a period of 20-30 seconds can just mean that the lamp is going out, or the ballast is too weak to fire that lamp and keep it on. The first step is definitely checking that lamp. I'd also replace with the case too if you're not sure how to swap it out. It can be cumbersome and paying 10 bucks more for an enclosure can be worth it.

And a bit of advice if you're going to a repair tech is asking them where they get their parts. Make sure the lamp is a current OEM Philips lamp. You don't want one of those generic or knock off lamps. Some techs will pay $40-50 bucks for a cheap lamp and charge you retail OEM prices! BUYER BEWARE!

Please keep posting your updates here so we can check on your progress!

Thanks!

[WillGolfForFood]

Ok, I've got a new light engine on order from discount-merchant and I'm crossing my fingers that the new DMD board will fix the problem! While I wait for FedEx to deliver I'd like to pass along a lesson learned I stumbled across while placing my order. I found no less than three (maybe it was even four) different code numbers for DMD boards that had known compatibility with my HLR5667W. Therefore, screwdriver in hand I went hunting for my DMD code number and ordered accordingly (ended up being a BP41-00119E). Lesson learned: make sure you look at the actual part number on your unit rather than relying on known compatibility to your model number.

I'll report back and let y'all know how it goes....

[insaneoctane]

Great thread, I'm in a similar boat as most, but with a twist...
My HL-S6767W has been working like a champ for 2/3 years...until last week.
Screen started to occassionally go black for just a second or two, but came back.
Then last week I smelled something had "burnt" (didn't know what it was at the time) but traced it back to the TV and realized it had turned itself off and was blinking all 3 LEDs. Tried to turn it back on, it came on (with picture) stayed on for about 10 seconds and turned itself off again, all 3 LEDs blinking.

OK, 3 LED (according to owners manual) means lamp. Even though I just saw a picture come on, it's the original lamp with plenty of hours on it, must be the lamp.

Bought a new phillips lamp and shell and installed it. Turned it on and it began blinking LAMP, then did the startup beeps, and I waited for the picture....long time, still blinking...hear what I think is the color wheel, still blinking LAMP...no picture (before last week the set would have been running by now) and it reboot ITSELF, startup beeps again, LAMP flashing, colorwheel synch sound and finally picture! For maybe 30 seconds, then just like before I replaced the bulb- Black picture for about 5-10 seconds (still have audio) and then turns itself off with 3 LED blinking. Hmmmm. Just for giggles try again- same thing: long double-boot, finally picture (new bulb must still work, color wheel must work), but it only lasts 10 seconds or so, then black screen and finally off with 3 LEDs.

So any guesses to what component went south (and must have smelled)? I'm guessing I now have 2 good lamps (one old and one brand new). I think the color wheel has to be working because color looks ok before it shuts itself down?? I'm thinking of calling a tech, but I'm afraid of the $$$

[WillGolfForFood]

Ok, here is my update...

I got the new light engine today (after some delay, but that is another story). I made the swap of just the DMD board, buttoned everything up and ......well...nothing. When I plugged the unit in the green lamp flashed a few times, startup chime played, color wheel spun, lamp came on but still no picture. The remote still did not function as I attempted to toggle through the source button and as I left the power on for a while I actually saw one red pixel and one green pixel pop up, and a couple times some white lines flashed up on the screen. The unit remained on for 10-15min when all of a sudden it shut itself down and the red standby/temp light remained lit. As I cycled through this process several times, the duration before unplanned shutdown decreased and now the unit will only remain on for 1-2 minutes before shutdown.

Here is the current cycle in list form:

Power On
Green Lamp Light Flashing
Ballast Click
Color Wheel Spin Sound
Lamp On
Green Lamp stops flashing
Dark thundercloud like picture
Unit Powers Down after one minute

The primary difference from preDMD board replacement is that the unit powers itself down after a short duration. Previously I would have to unplug the unit from the wall.

I plan to take off the back again and check out the goings on first hand (I was very optimistic that the DMD swap would work I put the cover on before testing). Perhaps I should have replaced the entire light engine rather than just the DMD board? ...Or maybe I just got a bad replacement lamp at the beginning (as a reminder after I replaced the bulb after the initial problem the tv worked perfectly for 15 min then froze...this was after not working at all prior to bulb replacement?) Needless to say I'm very very confused and frustrated about now...

[WillGolfForFood]

Update on my update....took the back off, all was functioning as it has been. Even though the most likely diagnosis was the DMD board, I pulled out the entire light engine and replaced all the components (rather than just the DMD board). Side note: Once you slide that guy out its quite simple to make the change, just a few screws and a couple plugs...nothing like getting at the digital board side...talk about a rats nest of wires over there...good thing they are all unique so you don't have to worry about marking which wire goes where!! Anyway, with the complete light engine replacement I got no change at all....same old black screen with shutdown after a minute or so....guess that points the finger directly at the digital board.

[ChubbsTech]

Hello WillGolfForFood
Let see if I can help you out. First try and hook up a DVD player or another external component (computer, playstatio, vcr, blue ray, etc.) and see if you can get a picture going. The reason is that these components especially the computer, by pass the dmd board in some ways, if you get the same thing then its very probable that it might be the digital board instead of the DMD. Also make double sure that all the connectors on the light engine are installed correctly.
Tell me want happens next.

[WillGolfForFood]

I cannot even get the onscreen menu to pop up let alone a feed from the various sources. Both the remote and onset buttons are disabled(nonresponsive) after the unit is turned on. These buttons work for initial power up, but thereafter nothing. The unit does confirm that its receiving a signal from the remote via green light acknowledgement, but no response from the set.

I believe I read in one of these posts that the on screen menu is controlled by the digital board?

[lv2skor]

Friends - I have replaced my lamp AND my ballast. My color wheel is spinning. I do not hear the ballast striking up at all, before or after I replaced it. What else can it be?