Black and white picture

[redbanks2]

I have been checking out this forum for months, knowing that my DLP was going to start acting up...
My P5063W has been randomly shutting itself off from a cold start for the past month or so, sometimes requiring 4-5 times of turning it back on before it would stay on for the evening. Some days it would act normal with one push of the "on" button.
Last night, it decided to go to a black and white picture with a louder than normal "hum" from the inside. No flashing front lights.
The set is almost 6 years old and original!
I'm sure the lamp is due, but what about the color wheel?
Any help would be, well, helpful!

[rougeleader]

Hi, Welcome!

usually loud humming noises and color trouble are dead give a ways for color wheel issues!

i would suggest taking of the back cover and checking for pieces of a broken color wheel!

[redbanks2]

I took the back covers off last night. The bulb looks okay, not blackened...the filament looks fine. I did not see any broken color wheel parts or anything extra except for dust, which I vacuumed.
The humming noise is not bad, just there...
Excuse the following silly question, but if the color wheel is bad, does the picture become black and white?

[Mski35]

Black and white pictures are most definitely a color wheel problem. I have the exact same issue and didn't see the broken pieces until I got the color wheel out. Another tell tale sign is after you remove the bulb if you don't see any color in the little window your color wheel is shattered.

[redbanks2]

Yep! My color wheel was shattered. Had to vacuum out the pieces. The new one got here today and after a little over an hour later, it works!
I think the color calibration is good enough for me...
Thanks to this forum and other sites for the help. Saved a few bucks.