MaxDecibel
05-02-08, 04:11 PM
I have a Samsung HLM507W which was built in May of 2002.
I started having major problems with it in September of last year. It's been sitting in my basement ever since and I have been attempting to fix it when I have time.
Back in September, I was watching the TV and went to change inputs. Right when I changed the input, the TV "froze up" with a black screen (lamp was still on) and wouldn't respond to the remote or power switch on the unit. I had to unplug it to turn it off.
After waiting a while and plugging it back in, the lamp would no longer start. The lamp was only two months old at the time so I figured it wasn't bad yet. I also had the old lamp which still had some life left in it and it would not start either.
Later on, I got it to fire up a few times and it would work fine for a while, but I could usually get it to "crash" again when I changed inputs. Once that happened, the ballast, lamp and color wheel would no longer start when the TV was turned on. I figured the main digital board might be bad, so I ordered one of those.
After installing the new digital board, the TV worked perfectly for half a day, then started doing the same crap again with the same exact symptoms: Turn on the TV. Ballast, lamp and color wheel do not start (all is quiet). The TV does it's three "attempts" to start-up and then I get the three blinking lights in the front.
After fiddling with it some more, I discovered an interesting thing. There is a thick cable that connects the main digital board to the DMD board right behind it. If I unplug this cable from the DMD board and plug it back in, I can get the TV to start up right away, the first time every time. It will also work fine while it is on, but after shutting it off and trying it the next day, it will not start. However, just unplugging this cable and plugging it back in "fixes" it for a while. This seems to prove that the ballast, lamp and color wheel are indeed fine. I also tried pushing, pulling and wiggling this cable, thinking the cable or connector might be bad, but that didn't work either. I also tried leaving it unplugged for a few days, but it still wouldn't start after plugging it back in.
I tried cleaning the contacts on the cable as well as on the DMD board and digital board. This did nothing. Only unplugging the cable briefly will work.
Does anyone have an idea as to what is wrong with this TV? Why does unplugging the cable briefly fix the problem for a while?
I'd like to fix this thing and make it reliable again, but calling service is too costly since the TV is too old to be worth it. I would really hate to throw it in the trash since it cost me $4,000 when it was new.
I feel like I'm so close to fixing this thing, but just need a little help.
I started having major problems with it in September of last year. It's been sitting in my basement ever since and I have been attempting to fix it when I have time.
Back in September, I was watching the TV and went to change inputs. Right when I changed the input, the TV "froze up" with a black screen (lamp was still on) and wouldn't respond to the remote or power switch on the unit. I had to unplug it to turn it off.
After waiting a while and plugging it back in, the lamp would no longer start. The lamp was only two months old at the time so I figured it wasn't bad yet. I also had the old lamp which still had some life left in it and it would not start either.
Later on, I got it to fire up a few times and it would work fine for a while, but I could usually get it to "crash" again when I changed inputs. Once that happened, the ballast, lamp and color wheel would no longer start when the TV was turned on. I figured the main digital board might be bad, so I ordered one of those.
After installing the new digital board, the TV worked perfectly for half a day, then started doing the same crap again with the same exact symptoms: Turn on the TV. Ballast, lamp and color wheel do not start (all is quiet). The TV does it's three "attempts" to start-up and then I get the three blinking lights in the front.
After fiddling with it some more, I discovered an interesting thing. There is a thick cable that connects the main digital board to the DMD board right behind it. If I unplug this cable from the DMD board and plug it back in, I can get the TV to start up right away, the first time every time. It will also work fine while it is on, but after shutting it off and trying it the next day, it will not start. However, just unplugging this cable and plugging it back in "fixes" it for a while. This seems to prove that the ballast, lamp and color wheel are indeed fine. I also tried pushing, pulling and wiggling this cable, thinking the cable or connector might be bad, but that didn't work either. I also tried leaving it unplugged for a few days, but it still wouldn't start after plugging it back in.
I tried cleaning the contacts on the cable as well as on the DMD board and digital board. This did nothing. Only unplugging the cable briefly will work.
Does anyone have an idea as to what is wrong with this TV? Why does unplugging the cable briefly fix the problem for a while?
I'd like to fix this thing and make it reliable again, but calling service is too costly since the TV is too old to be worth it. I would really hate to throw it in the trash since it cost me $4,000 when it was new.
I feel like I'm so close to fixing this thing, but just need a little help.