History:

Bought TV on 3/7/07

8/11/08- I get the blown bulb error. Sure enough, it is so I get a replacement

Fast forward to Tuesday last week- error light for blown bulb goes again. I get the new bulb on Monday (reported problem last wednesday, no shipping on thurs/fri) and I pull the bulb out and it's not blown, but I swap it anyway. I get it the new one in, close the door, screw it on, and now I got the blinking red light for fan not working...

I check out this manual:

can't link- first post (been a lurker since March of 07)- it's this, but w/ www
toshiba.ca/web/pdf/5056HM66_EN.p.pdf

and it says it's a fan issue, and to unplug tv and plug back in again. I did so, and it worked. Then it was watched and then turned off. Couple hours later I come back and fan issue again. This time I unplug and plug back in and nothing... So I unplug and play a couple rounds of COD4 on my pc and then come back to plug the tv in and it works again

Yesterday when i got home from work I turned the tv on and it worked, sweet

Today I come home and I turn it on, fan light again. Unplug, plug in... nothing...

Any ideas?

Right now i've unplugged the tv and will come back to it later as i'm bout to leave for a lil bit so i'll update this thread when I get back

Cliff's notes:
Blinking red light, fan error, omgzwtfbbq help plz?

You can get better lamp life on your Tv if you set lamp mode to low power. The fan error means one (or more) of the several fans is having a problem. Someone will have to figure out which one(s) and replace it.

Is that something I could have a friend with good technical knowledge and soldering skills, but not specifically to this tv take a stab at it, or is this some professionals only type stuff?

ALso, if I ever get the picture to come back on, how to I set the lamp mode? Do you mean the day/night setting or is there something specific?

No soldering required, but light engine needs to be pulled out and fans inspected. Suggest start with replacing the most common failures- DMD Fan ($50), and then if you still get the error replace the lamp fan ($75). But there are also two other fans that can be possibilities. Parts can be found at andrewselectronics.com

Look in user manual for lamp power mode.

No soldering required, but light engine needs to be pulled out and fans inspected. Suggest start with replacing the most common failures- DMD Fan ($50), and then if you still get the error replace the lamp fan ($75). But there are also two other fans that can be possibilities. Parts can be found at andrewselectronics.com

Look in user manual for lamp power mode.

Dumb question, but light engine = the light in it's case that comes out of the back, or is the light engine something else?

That is just the lamp. Light engine is the whole assembly dmd, color wheel, ballast, lamp, lens assembly, fans...

has any one found the one reason why the lamps goes bad in the toshiba 50hm66 . i had one lamp which was the original last over a year then just in six months i have changed out 3 replacements . what can be the problem ?

Three in six months? I would replace the ballast. Also very important to set lamp to low power and quick restart off.

does anyone know what the dmd engine temps should be, I have one reading 33/34 and the other climbing into the 50 range