I own an HLN 507W that I bought after release and I heard about the problems with lipsync ect I called Samsung and they sent new analog and digital boards to a service company locally that replaced them at no charge(Samsung). Not knowing at the time, I think it made the set a W-1.

And what was posted about them being easy to replace is correct. The guy took about 30 minutes total. But then again he did it before and knew what he was doing. When he first arrived and checked out the info of the set, his coment was "Woah, you have alot of hours on this set in less than a years time". I was concerned.

But I've never had a problem. I've replaced 1 lamp and still can't believe this 2nd one hasn't gone out yet. But the only source I used into the DVI is a PC including(recently) my MacBook Pro.

But I just purchased a PS3 which is 1080P for games and Blu Ray playback. I ordered an HDMi to DVI ADAPTER(not cord) from monoprice to connect it to the DVI on my set. Is that going to cause problems? I plan to stream 720P/1080i HD video from my MBP via PS3 to the set as well.

And I was thinking of getting a monoprice HDMi switchbox to use the HDMi out a SA 4250HDC as well.

But your posts have me a bit worried.


I'd like to know more about these new video boards that are available. How is it that they're better? Can you just replace the digital board, or do the digital and analog boards go together?


Much thanks for any suggestions, help.

Can anyone help me with this? My order from monoprice should be here anytime.

I've been skeptical of HDMI-to-DVI adapters as there were many early problems with them. I prefer the HDMI-to-DVI cords, but I can't claim to know for sure that they are better.

I've never had a 1080p input, Blu Ray DVD, or HD-DVD device hooked to my Sammy, so I don't know if there are potential problems. Based on earlier posts, there might be. Proceed with caution and proceed at your own risk.

OTOH, I've hooked up 3 different Dish STBs, an LG HD tuner, and 2 different up-scaling DVD players to the DVI input on my Sammy HLN507W without any significant problems.

I've been skeptical of HDMI-to-DVI adapters as there were many early problems with them. I prefer the HDMI-to-DVI cords, but I can't claim to know for sure that they are better.

I've never had a 1080p input, Blu Ray DVD, or HD-DVD device hooked to my Sammy, so I don't know if there are potential problems. Based on earlier posts, there might be. Proceed with caution and proceed at your own risk.

OTOH, I've hooked up 3 different Dish STBs, an LG HD tuner, and 2 different up-scaling DVD players to the DVI input on my Sammy HLN507W without any significant problems.

Thanks for replying because I am a bit concerned. Then again, when the PS3 was released when there wern't many 1080P sets available(more $). When I hook up my MacBook Pro to the DVI on the sammy the MBP knows exactly what it's connected to on it's details. So I'm wondering if there's something in the PS3 knowing the ability of the set it's connected to and adjusts the output to say, 720P. Or, what would be nice is to set the PS3 output to 720P as a constant output.

The adapter's from monoprice and has a 5 * rating from hundreds of people. I would've ordered a cord had I known.

More comments please.

And what I was first going to ask before all of this. What's the best way to calibrate a HLN 507W-1?

If it's a DVD, I've never used one and don't know how they work. A cable guy was out once and went in and set things up that helped alot. But I'd like to do it myself.

Thanks

And what I was first going to ask before all of this. What's the best way to calibrate a HLN 507W-1?

If it's a DVD, I've never used one and don't know how they work. A cable guy was out once and went in and set things up that helped alot. But I'd like to do it myself.

Thanks

Home calibration is described in this post on AVS:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=5120358&&#post5120358

My adventures in trying this method are documented in posts on that thread starting here:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=244193&page=57

Other than needing a calibration DVD of some sort (AVIA or DVE or other), the tough part in the beginning is deciding whether or not to mess with the gamma setting. There are lots of opinions on this and it somewhat boils down to personal preference.

I chose to stay with the factory gamma setting of 4 because I was pleased with my PQ from the factory before I had a whole new light engine assembly installed, which made all the other settings out of kilter. I also think the whole process is more straightforward if one doesn't start adding the additional variable of gamma to mix. I did try a couple of the "recommended" gamma settings, but was not pleased with the results. I think those that prefer the Gamma 0 or 1 are trying to optimize a home theatre in a very dark room. OTOH, my Sammy is for all day viewing and sits in a family room with lots of natural lighting in the daytime.

Be aware that this is a very time consuming process, so don't expect to slip in the DVD and be done in an hour. Also, although I have perfect color vision, I found my eyes playing tricks on me after looking at the gray scale for a long period of time. If you have someone else in your household with good color vision, have them check your gray scale AFTER you think you have it at optimum. Otherwise, you may find that the gray scale you set doesn't look quite the same the next day after your eyes have had time to re-adjust.

Home calibration is described in this post on AVS:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=5120358&&#post5120358

My adventures in trying this method are documented in posts on that thread starting here:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=244193&page=57

Other than needing a calibration DVD of some sort (AVIA or DVE or other), the tough part in the beginning is deciding whether or not to mess with the gamma setting. There are lots of opinions on this and it somewhat boils down to personal preference.

I chose to stay with the factory gamma setting of 4 because I was pleased with my PQ from the factory before I had a whole new light engine assembly installed, which made all the other settings out of kilter. I also think the whole process is more straightforward if one doesn't start adding the additional variable of gamma to mix. I did try a couple of the "recommended" gamma settings, but was not pleased with the results. I think those that prefer the Gamma 0 or 1 are trying to optimize a home theatre in a very dark room. OTOH, my Sammy is for all day viewing and sits in a family room with lots of natural lighting in the daytime.

Be aware that this is a very time consuming process, so don't expect to slip in the DVD and be done in an hour. Also, although I have perfect color vision, I found my eyes playing tricks on me after looking at the gray scale for a long period of time. If you have someone else in your household with good color vision, have them check your gray scale AFTER you think you have it at optimum. Otherwise, you may find that the gray scale you set doesn't look quite the same the next day after your eyes have had time to re-adjust.

So you wouldn't adjust anything without a calibration DVD? And I've never read how that DVD player using it should be connected, DVI? I'm not exactly sure how it works, so do you want to connect the DVD player to each input to set up?

When the lamp is replaced, do the settings get reset to factory? If not sure, it's ok. I'm currious. Because when th ecable guy did it he just went in and switched the settings(took about 10 minutes) around and it looked incredible. It doesn't look as good now for some reason.

So you wouldn't adjust anything without a calibration DVD? And I've never read how that DVD player using it should be connected, DVI? I'm not exactly sure how it works, so do you want to connect the DVD player to each input to set up?

When the lamp is replaced, do the settings get reset to factory? If not sure, it's ok. I'm currious. Because when th ecable guy did it he just went in and switched the settings(took about 10 minutes) around and it looked incredible. It doesn't look as good now for some reason.

You need the calibration DVD for the gray scale, brightness bars, and contrast bars. You need to calibrate for each type of input you plan to use (i.e., DVI, Component, etc.), so the DVD player with the calibration disk needs to be connected to each of those inputs for the calibration.

Changing the lamp doesn't change any Service Menu (SM) settings, but it does affect your PQ because of the greater brightness of a new lamp. As lamps age, the PQ degrades. Also, DLPs have problems with dust on the mirrors. That isn't a cleaning job for the unknowing. The dust really cuts down on contrast and fads colors. Finally, anytime you change something in the SM like the lamp hours, I'm pretty sure you lose an Custom Settings in the User Menu.

Did the ecable guy go into the SM or did he just set up a Custom Setup in the User Menu? The User Menu only takes a few minutes and can be done well with the THX tune-up sequence included on many DVDs (e.g., Star Wars 4 - 6). The only way to do the SM calibration in ten minutes, without a calibration DVD, is to have a set of SM settings that you know work well in most cases. The problem with this is that the same settings won't work for every Samsung HLN DLP configuration because of differences in the components and firmware. I never had a problem with the factory settings until I had the whole light engine assembly replaced. That caused all of my dark scene shadows to turn purple and required SM calibration to correct. Calibration settings in the SM are reflected in the settings for Dynamic in the User Menu and any Custom settings in the User Menu are lost.

You need the calibration DVD for the gray scale, brightness bars, and contrast bars. You need to calibrate for each type of input you plan to use (i.e., DVI, Component, etc.), so the DVD player with the calibration disk needs to be connected to each of those inputs for the calibration.

Changing the lamp doesn't change any Service Menu (SM) settings, but it does affect your PQ because of the greater brightness of a new lamp. As lamps age, the PQ degrades. Also, DLPs have problems with dust on the mirrors. That isn't a cleaning job for the unknowing. The dust really cuts down on contrast and fads colors. Finally, anytime you change something in the SM like the lamp hours, I'm pretty sure you lose an Custom Settings in the User Menu.

Did the ecable guy go into the SM or did he just set up a Custom Setup in the User Menu? The User Menu only takes a few minutes and can be done well with the THX tune-up sequence included on many DVDs (e.g., Star Wars 4 - 6). The only way to do the SM calibration in ten minutes, without a calibration DVD, is to have a set of SM settings that you know work well in most cases. The problem with this is that the same settings won't work for every Samsung HLN DLP configuration because of differences in the components and firmware. I never had a problem with the factory settings until I had the whole light engine assembly replaced. That caused all of my dark scene shadows to turn purple and required SM calibration to correct. Calibration settings in the SM are reflected in the settings for Dynamic in the User Menu and any Custom settings in the User Menu are lost.

Maybe he did a custom setup in the UM. Like the calibration DVD, does the THX calibration need to be done on each input? I'd like to try this, but maybe wait until after I change the lamp.

Is there a way to clean those mirrors yourself, compressed air? If not, a service call and cleaning? I bet that would make a difference. And this lamp has alot of hours on it so I'm guessing that that's also contributing to the noticible lower PQ.

Thanks again!

Maybe he did a custom setup in the UM. Like the calibration DVD, does the THX calibration need to be done on each input? I'd like to try this, but maybe wait until after I change the lamp.

Is there a way to clean those mirrors yourself, compressed air? If not, a service call and cleaning? I bet that would make a difference. And this lamp has alot of hours on it so I'm guessing that that's also contributing to the noticible lower PQ.

Thanks again!

Custom setups in the User Menu are unique to the input. Therefore, you need to do it for each "type" of input that you use. That is, one Custom for DVI, one Custom for component, one custom for S-Video, one custom for Video, and one Custom for Antenna. Now if your HLN507 has Component 1 marked as 480i/480p and Component 2 & 3 marked as 720p, then their are Custom setups available for both.

I'd change the lamp first and see how things look. I've never tried to clean the mirrors, so I can't offer you any advice except to say that I wouldn't try it without reading the Service Manual first. Service Manuals can be purchased on-line for something like $28.

My HLN507w seems to have finally hit the dust. After scanning this forum it seems as though I have a bad DMD board, or maybe a bad color wheel, or maybe any other of the bad 3,000 parts in the HLN's.

Here's my problem: TV was working fine, then all the sudden the screen started to flicker...it hardly flickered at all but progressively got worse. Eventually the whole screen turns a white color but you can still see the video and hear the audio fine. The colors are just not their natural colors, they are white or black...almost like a negative image.

Originally I thought my bulb was going bad, so I ordered one and replaced it. Turned my DLP on and success! Or so I thought, but then after about 30 minutes the same problem started again. Now whenever my TVs off and I turn it on, it works great for about 15-30 minutes before the problem starts back up.

Would the color wheel even have an effect on the problem I am having (I do hear a fan noise in the back of my TV, although its not extremely loud or a screaming sound, its definitely loud enough to notice.)

I could use some help diagnosing the problem. Right now I plan on buying a color wheel and installing it myself, seein as 1. its the cheapest part, 2. it seems to be a defected part, 3. I do hear a fan type noise coming from the back of my tv. I'm just worried that I'll put $100 into a color wheel (after I just paid 100 for a new bulb) and have that not fix the problem, then buy a new DMD board and have that not fix the problem. Like someone else said I really dont want to be nickel and dimed by this TV. So should I attempt to fix it or just throw it in the dumpster and move on.

My HLN507w seems to have finally hit the dust. After scanning this forum it seems as though I have a bad DMD board, or maybe a bad color wheel, or maybe any other of the bad 3,000 parts in the HLN's.

Here's my problem: TV was working fine, then all the sudden the screen started to flicker...it hardly flickered at all but progressively got worse. Eventually the whole screen turns a white color but you can still see the video and hear the audio fine. The colors are just not their natural colors, they are white or black...almost like a negative image.

Originally I thought my bulb was going bad, so I ordered one and replaced it. Turned my DLP on and success! Or so I thought, but then after about 30 minutes the same problem started again. Now whenever my TVs off and I turn it on, it works great for about 15-30 minutes before the problem starts back up.

Would the color wheel even have an effect on the problem I am having (I do hear a fan noise in the back of my TV, although its not extremely loud or a screaming sound, its definitely loud enough to notice.)

I could use some help diagnosing the problem. Right now I plan on buying a color wheel and installing it myself, seein as 1. its the cheapest part, 2. it seems to be a defected part, 3. I do hear a fan type noise coming from the back of my tv. I'm just worried that I'll put $100 into a color wheel (after I just paid 100 for a new bulb) and have that not fix the problem, then buy a new DMD board and have that not fix the problem. Like someone else said I really dont want to be nickel and dimed by this TV. So should I attempt to fix it or just throw it in the dumpster and move on.
The fact that it works when you first turn it on leads me to believe something may be overheating. If you are able, open the set up and examine the logic boards for a build up of dust on the chips or other components. Sometimes a blast of compressed air is all that's needed to clear out a thick layer of dust (which acts like a nice warm blanket) to cure overheating problems.

The fact that it works when you first turn it on leads me to believe something may be overheating. If you are able, open the set up and examine the logic boards for a build up of dust on the chips or other components. Sometimes a blast of compressed air is all that's needed to clear out a thick layer of dust (which acts like a nice warm blanket) to cure overheating problems.

I was thinkin the same thing, that perhaps its a heat problem. The back of the TV does seem very hot.

I also noticed that when the "flickering" starts and the image turns whitish, there's a strange type noise (kind of sounds like a computer harddrive thats loud and is loading or a bird chirping)...when the flickering stops and the TV image returns to normal and the noise stops as well.

picture of the screen while its flickering...http://s433.photobucket.com/albums/qq60/Seanponders/?action=view&current=DSC_0502.jpg

I was thinkin the same thing, that perhaps its a heat problem. The back of the TV does seem very hot.

I also noticed that when the "flickering" starts and the image turns whitish, there's a strange type noise (kind of sounds like a computer harddrive thats loud and is loading or a bird chirping)...when the flickering stops and the TV image returns to normal and the noise stops as well.

picture of the screen while its flickering...http://s433.photobucket.com/albums/qq60/Seanponders/?action=view&current=DSC_0502.jpg

At first I thought you were experiencing the classic "freeze/melt" problem with the HLN DLP. But, upon closer reading, you say that despite the negative (B&W?) image, you still see active video, which I assume means motion on the screen.

"Freeze/melt", as the name implies, leaves the screen frozen. The TV can be turned off and re-started and it will work fine again for a while until it hits "freeze/melt" again. Pretty soon you can't go 10 minutes without freeze/melt and needing to restart. This problem is strictly a video board and DMD board replacement issue and is expensive to fix and the fix is not for the consumer unless you replace the whole light engine assembly. The light engine assembly is a simple unplug and slide out process, but it a whole light engine assembly, which includes a new lamp, ballast, color wheel and more, is very expensive.

However, now that you noted the noise issue, clearly the color wheel is involved in the problem. Try blowing out the dust first, carefully. If that doesn't fix it (i.e., the noise is still there as well as the video problem), then the color wheel is next. Replacing the color wheel will end the noise issue (95% confident of that), but it may or may not fix the video issue. Color wheel replacement is one of the least expensive fixes for your Sammy and there are instructions on line for how the savvy user can do the job.

UPDATE:

thanks for your help CEP

First I used a can of decompressed air to clean out the dust. Then I used a color wheel replacement guide I found online, pulled out the "light engine". I removed the color wheel from its location but left the wires connected , then I placed it away from the other parts so it was out of the way (used a screw to screw it into a hole that was in the color wheels housing unit so it was secure, very MacGyver like i know). Anyways, my point for doing this was to test out the picture and see if it would still give me the negative image flicker with the color wheel removed. So far so good, I've been playing dvds for the past 5 hours and the picture has been perfect (in black and white since the color wheel is removed) without any flickering. It looks like I dodged the DMD board bullet and I only have to replace the color wheel...for now. I also noticed that with the color wheel removed from its housing just how loud it actually is...

Do you have a suggestion as to where I can purchase a new color wheel and housing for my HLN507w?

heres a link of one I found, I'm not sure if it comes with the housing though?
http://www.partstore.com/Part/Samsung/Samsung/BP9600250B/New.aspx?ModelMfgName=Samsung&ModelBrandName=Samsung&ModelNumber=HLN507W

Seaponders,

I have HLN507W1. You need to be extremely careful which color wheel you order. There are two versions with different housing, BP96-00250A and BP96-00250B.

http://www.partstore.com/Part/Samsung/Samsung/BP9600250B/New.aspx

http://www.partstore.com/Part/Samsung/Samsung/BP9600250A/New.aspx

It is probably best to pull out the color wheel first before you buy.

You guys are all brave. I got instructions to take out the color wheel and decided the time, effort and risk were beyond my nerves and schedule. I shopped around and found a couple of places in Houston that would do it for 80 labor. Most places wanted 200-400 for labor. My father-in-law's color wheel went out one month after mine did. He paid almost 500 to replace. He lives in Alabama and unlike Houston, there weren't a lot of choices of service providers. And he spent a lot of time shopping around as well.

Seaponders,

I have HLN507W1. You need to be extremely careful which color wheel you order. There are two versions with different housing, BP96-00250A and BP96-00250B.

http://www.partstore.com/Part/Samsung/Samsung/BP9600250B/New.aspx

http://www.partstore.com/Part/Samsung/Samsung/BP9600250A/New.aspx

It is probably best to pull out the color wheel first before you buy.

You guys are all brave. I got instructions to take out the color wheel and decided the time, effort and risk were beyond my nerves and schedule. I shopped around and found a couple of places in Houston that would do it for 80 labor. Most places wanted 200-400 for labor. My father-in-law's color wheel went out one month after mine did. He paid almost 500 to replace. He lives in Alabama and unlike Houston, there weren't a lot of choices of service providers. And he spent a lot of time shopping around as well.


Thanks Pedro,

My color wheel resembles BP96-00250A, I can tell because of the white/blue wire coming from it. I'm just curious if the housing comes with the color wheel from the link you sent me?

In regards to the DIY repair, it honestly wasn't bad at all. everything pretty much just slides out, its basically just like taking apart a computer. It took me an hour to take out the color wheel, and I was going pretty slow and trying to be as careful as I possibly could be.

Update: brief recap. My DVI-D HLN567W will not work at all with my Sony BDP-S350, and will not maintain a handshake with my DirecTV DVR nor my Onkyo TX-SX606 AVR. It works fine with my Toshiba HD-A3 (which I've had for over a year and was the reason I felt technology-safe and plunked down for the other three boxes). Tried a monster cable on advice...no-go. Tried a DVI-HDMI cable with ferrite cores built in on advice...also a no-go. Gave up and called Samsung. They initially told me a firmware update was coming out the very next day (after 5 years...what a coincidence). So, I waited patiently for the FW.

After 3 weeks, I called Samsung back, asking where the FW update was...they basically told me "what firmware update...there's been no update released nor will there be". I explained in not-so-subtle terms that their promise of an update convinced me to not return the boxes...and missed the window for free returns. They've bounced me around a few offices, including a Tier II tech who confirmed that my unit has HDCP and was designed (and marketed) to be compatible with HDMI. The last gal, in what appeared to be an attempt to try to get me a gratis service call, asked me to send them a copy of my receipt.

When I pulled out the receipt, I realized that I had bought a 5 yr warranty with the set...it had 15 days remaining! Tweeter had gone under but I found a warranty company phone number and miraculously enough I got a hold of them and they sent a tech out yesterday. Unfortunately, he asked me a bunch of stupid questions ("You know this is a 720p set, right?") and then said he'd have to order the part. AARRGGHH...I explained everything to them before and the trouble shooting I had done...they should have had the parts with them. Now I have to wait another week. By the time this drags out I'll miss all the Super Bowl TV sales.

Samsung seemed to be sympathetic, and are saying all the right things...but I doubt I'll get anything out of them. Should the service call not fix the problem, I'm at a loss what to do. Can't afford a new TV right now, and the cable jungle required to get best possible compromise of picture and sound from 3 HD sources is unbelievable.

A firmware update should take care of you. My HLN567W has the last released firmware and my Sony S550 blue-ray player works perfect with a HDMI > DVI cable. I ended up buying an Oppo electronic HDMI 3 in and 1 out switch and no issue with HDCP hand shake. I tried several other switches and this was the only one that worked.

Good luck with your warrenty repair.

A firmware update should take care of you. My HLN567W has the last released firmware and my Sony S550 blue-ray player works perfect with a HDMI > DVI cable. I ended up buying an Oppo electronic HDMI 3 in and 1 out switch and no issue with HDCP hand shake. I tried several other switches and this was the only one that worked.

Now I'm more confused than ever...Samsung and the technician both said there have been no firmware updates for this unit. Are we talking the same model here? Was yours updated after purchase or was it shipped with a later version? If updated, how (physically, like what port etc...). If shipped with the latest, when did you buy yours?

What kind of Oppo switcher do you have (I want to Google it)? Do you feed all your devices into the 3-1 and from there to the TV? I have a receiver that's supposed to do that but it doesn't work with the TV either. What do you do for sound?

Now I'm more confused than ever...Samsung and the technician both said there have been no firmware updates for this unit. Are we talking the same model here? Was yours updated after purchase or was it shipped with a later version? If updated, how (physically, like what port etc...). If shipped with the latest, when did you buy yours?

What kind of Oppo switcher do you have (I want to Google it)? Do you feed all your devices into the 3-1 and from there to the TV? I have a receiver that's supposed to do that but it doesn't work with the TV either. What do you do for sound?

Yes, there were firmware updates but, nothing has been released for several years. Mine was updated about a year after I bought the tv when the system board was replaced under warrenty to correct picture issues. My set shows to be version T-B3K6101-321 dated May 28, 2004 which in laymans terms is version 3.21

The Oppo unit is the HM-31 (http://www.oppodigital.com/hm31/) and it works with my Sony BDP-S550 and with my Motorola HD receiver with DVR supplied by Verizon FIOS. For sound I use both the analog L/R to connect to the TV and use the digital optical connection to my Yamaha A/V receiver. I also use the onboard decoder in my S550 to decode HD-True audo and DTS-Master to pass via analog outputs to my Yamaha RX-V3000 reciever.

Now I'm more confused than ever...Samsung and the technician both said there have been no firmware updates for this unit. Are we talking the same model here? Was yours updated after purchase or was it shipped with a later version? If updated, how (physically, like what port etc...). If shipped with the latest, when did you buy yours?

What kind of Oppo switcher do you have (I want to Google it)? Do you feed all your devices into the 3-1 and from there to the TV? I have a receiver that's supposed to do that but it doesn't work with the TV either. What do you do for sound?

The firmware is in the video board. AFAIK, there never was any external firmware that was consumer loadable on a Samsung HLN DLP. Newer video boards contain newer firmware. The video board is the board that has the DVI connector on it that you plug into on the back of the set.

Which begs the question, just what part did your technician put on order for your Sammy DLP? If it was a video board, then you will probably get a firmware upgrade in the process.

I have an old HLN617 in my study and I tried to used a Toshiba HD XA2 that I set up to output 720p (component) to upconvert DVDs and it downcorverts everytime to 480p. A message says that the material can be played only at 480p. On the other hand I get 720p fine through a Sony HDTV box. Does anyone knows what's going on? I have no problem outputting 720p with a Momitsu DVD player.

Most DVD players will only upconvert via a DVI or HDMI connection, but I'm admittedly not familiar with the XA2. How does your Momitsu do it?

I have an old HLN617 in my study and I tried to used a Toshiba HD XA2 that I set up to output 720p (component) to upconvert DVDs and it downcorverts everytime to 480p. A message says that the material can be played only at 480p. On the other hand I get 720p fine through a Sony HDTV box. Does anyone knows what's going on? I have no problem outputting 720p with a Momitsu DVD player.
Are you using Component input number 2 or 3, because Component input 1 will only do 480i/480p?

Because of copy protection the upconversion only works if the output is from the HDMI port of the Toshiba. If you want the upconversion you need a HDMI to DVI cable and possibly an HDMI switcher if you already use the DVI port. (The upconversion needs the HDCP handshake tthat the Samsung DVI port is capable of.)

Thanks a lot guys. I had not touched my HLN set up in 5 years. The Momitsu was the first 720p DVD player with a DVI output...

I absent mindedly tried to connect the XA2 and a BDP1200 blu-ray to component 2 on the Samsung, both units retired from my front projection set up, and it downconverts the signal to 480p. Only component 1 seems to pass 720p. DVI and PC of course do pass 720p. I need a HDMI to DVI connector........

By the way I always thought that Samsung HLN series was their best. Any thoughts on that? My unit has been working flawlessly and I am very happy with 720p on a 61"/ screen. I don't feel like upgrading to a 1080p flat screen unless I would use it with a computer. This rear projector still looks great, too.

The firmware is in the video board. AFAIK, there never was any external firmware that was consumer loadable on a Samsung HLN DLP. Newer video boards contain newer firmware. The video board is the board that has the DVI connector on it that you plug into on the back of the set.

Which begs the question, just what part did your technician put on order for your Sammy DLP? If it was a video board, then you will probably get a firmware upgrade in the process.

I had suspected that very thing...FW updates were imbedded in the boards. The shop ordered both the video board and the analog board. Hopefully Saturday we'll see if it fixes the problem.

How do I determine the current FW?

By the way I always thought that Samsung HLN series was their best. Any thoughts on that? My unit has been working flawlessly and I am very happy with 720p on a 61"/ screen. I don't feel like upgrading to a 1080p flat screen unless I would use it with a computer. This rear projector still looks great, too.

I certainly liked my HLN, but the 61A750 ain't bad. Much brighter and more contrast. And the deals going on with the LED set are hard to pass up.

I had suspected that very thing...FW updates were imbedded in the boards. The shop ordered both the video board and the analog board. Hopefully Saturday we'll see if it fixes the problem.

How do I determine the current FW?

It should be on a sticker on the board and if not once it's installed before turning the tv set on press this key sequence on the samsung remote to bring up the service menu, firmware date and version will be shown at the bottom of the screen (last 3 digits). To escape just turn the set off.
Mute 1 8 2 Power

It should be on a sticker on the board and if not once it's installed before turning the tv set on press this key sequence on the samsung remote to bring up the service menu, firmware date and version will be shown at the bottom of the screen (last 3 digits). To escape just turn the set off.
Mute 1 8 2 Power

Never knew that combo...cool, thanks!

By the way I always thought that Samsung HLN series was their best. Any thoughts on that? My unit has been working flawlessly and I am very happy with 720p on a 61"/ screen. I don't feel like upgrading to a 1080p flat screen unless I would use it with a computer. This rear projector still looks great, too.

Within the limitations of 720p and poor black levels, the HLNs are definitely one of the best RP HDTVs ever made when they are working properly. Blacks are definitely the major limitation of the HLNs, but I think that is more than made up for by their vivid color saturation and extremely wide effective viewing angle. Their other issue is reliability. There are several chronic problems with the HLNs, some of which have never been remedied even with major overhauls. If your HLN is working well, you have a very good HDTV.

I've made it a point each year since I purchased my HLN in 2003 to check out the RP HDTVs from Samsung and Sony. While they may have figured out how to improve reliability and they now claim 1080p resolution, I haven't seen one yet I trade for my HLN. My biggest gripe with the current Samsung DLPs is viewing angle. The color wheel ones have a better viewing angle than the LED ones do, but still not as good as the HLNs. On top of that, the LED DLPs lack the vivid color saturation and color contrast of the color wheel units. Bottom line for me is my HLN won't be replaced by another DLP, but with an LCD HDTV (yeah, I know that I'll take a hit on viewing angle with an LCD also) at the end of this year. Would have replaced it last Christmas, but my wife likes the looks of the HLN so much since we had a major rebuild under warranty last summer, that we delayed the upgrade for another year.

CEB - in my case, I think the off-angle viewing with the LED set is better than my HLN. I have a family room that's a few steps lower than the kitchen, so my case is unique. I still have calibration to perform (once I get a BD player) but I don't think it will make the angle worse. Certainly, I'm comparing a new set to one with probably 5K hours on the lamp, but that's another thing I don't have to deal with. Black detail is better, and it seems to me that there's a wider contrast range than was available with the HLN. YMMV

CEB - in my case, I think the off-angle viewing with the LED set is better than my HLN. I have a family room that's a few steps lower than the kitchen, so my case is unique. I still have calibration to perform (once I get a BD player) but I don't think it will make the angle worse. Certainly, I'm comparing a new set to one with probably 5K hours on the lamp, but that's another thing I don't have to deal with. Black detail is better, and it seems to me that there's a wider contrast range than was available with the HLN. YMMV

I think there is a trade-off between contrast ratio and color saturation. While the new LED Samsung DLP have manufacturer specified contrast ratios that are numerically higher than the HLN DLPs, they just don't have the color saturation and vividness of the HLNs or the current color wheel DLPs for that matter. I viewed the LED and current color wheel DLPs side-by-side at numerous stores (seems most stores displayed one of each side-by-side with the same video source) and every time the color wheel DLP had the better PQ because of a brighter picture, more vivid color, and better color saturation.

As far as viewing angle, if your situation is vertical viewing angle, then the HLNs were no great shakes and you are probably much better off with the newer DLP. The vertical viewing angle on the HLNs is very limited. However, with horizontal viewing angle, the HLNs are clearly superior to any of the current DLPs, LED or color wheel. In the stores I check effective horizontal viewing angle by taking side steps from about 6 feet in front of the screen until there is an obvious shift in color and/or contrast. The current DLPs don't really do much better in my test than do current LCD HDTVs. With the HLNs I'm out of the room before the color or contrast shift.

Well, the repair dude just left. He swapped out both the digatl and the analog card on my HLN567W and...IT WORKS! The DVI-D port works with my HDMI devices now. No more cord jungle, no more disabling the BluRay HDMI input on my AVR to force it to grab the component video signal and reengaging to catch the audio. Now I can upconvert content-protected DVDs.

Ahhhh, life is better now.

[QUOTE=CEB II;15626276]... Blacks are definitely the major limitation of the HLNs, but I think that is more than made up for by their vivid color saturation and extremely wide effective viewing angle. Their other issue is reliability. There are several chronic problems with the HLNs, some of which have never been remedied even with major overhauls. If your HLN is working well, you have a very good HDTV...
[QUOTE]


Mine has been working very well. Switching gear had a major impact on black level, HDTV tuner, DVD player.. Anyway I feel that the HLN series is Samsumg masterpiece. In my case I was most impressed by JVC RPTVs, color saturation and extreme vividness of the picture which didn't seemed to be projected but more like an LCD flat screen.

Well, the repair dude just left. He swapped out both the digatl and the analog card on my HLN567W and...IT WORKS! The DVI-D port works with my HDMI devices now. No more cord jungle, no more disabling the BluRay HDMI input on my AVR to force it to grab the component video signal and reengaging to catch the audio. Now I can upconvert content-protected DVDs.

Ahhhh, life is better now.

Was this work done under an extended warranty? Do you know the part numbers and/or the cost of the repair? How long did the repair take?

Well, the repair dude just left. He swapped out both the digatl and the analog card on my HLN567W and...IT WORKS! The DVI-D port works with my HDMI devices now. No more cord jungle, no more disabling the BluRay HDMI input on my AVR to force it to grab the component video signal and reengaging to catch the audio. Now I can upconvert content-protected DVDs.

Ahhhh, life is better now.

Out of curiosity what firmware version are you at now?

My HLN507W service menu shows over 15000 hours of lamp usage. Is this an indication that the lamp will soon need replacement? What is the max on these?

I have a Samsung HLN4365W which is about 5 years old. I had the original color wheel replaced while still under warranty and now I am getting a sound that I want to be sure is the color wheel. It has only happened twice in the last couple of weeks but my experience is that once it starts, it does not go away.

When I turn on the set the sound is very loud - reminds me of a dremel tool on metal - and the tv will not turn off with the remote or power button. I unplug it and the noise quits and everything is fine. I remember when the tech replaced the 1st color wheel he said something about them not having bearings like the original which is why I am questioning if it is the wheel. Before the sound was gradual and got worse but this time it is screaming right off the bat.

I have seen many DIY sites on how to replace the wheel which I am willing to do to save $$$ but would appreciate if anyone else has heard this noise and knows it is the color wheel. Thanks.

Out of curiosity what firmware version are you at now?

No Idea...I'll have to look tomorrow.

Was this work done under an extended warranty? Do you know the part numbers and/or the cost of the repair? How long did the repair take?

I bought an extended warranty with the TV. Don't know why, I never buy these things, but 5 yrs ago this was one expensive unit and I guess I wanted protection. Regardless, I was talking to Samsung and they sounded like they were almost to be talked into a free service call when they asked me to fax them a copy of my receipt. I dug it out and discovered I had 15 days left on the warranty. Was a bit hard to track down...it was purchased at Tweeter who went under last fall. But they agreed to support with no hassle. They came first time with no parts which was aggravating because I told them exactly what was wrong. Second trip (both on consecutive Saturdays) took them about an hour to replace both the digital and analog boards. Not sure which was bad, but it works now.

My HLN507W service menu shows over 15000 hours of lamp usage. Is this an indication that the lamp will soon need replacement? What is the max on these?

You are well past the expected maximum hours. The original lamps were supposed to go 8K to 10K hours. The current lamps (they are of a higher wattage) are supposed to have a life expectancy of 6K to 8K hours. I'd say you should replace your lamp now. You probably don't realize the loss in PQ, especially color saturation, that you've experienced since it is so gradual. These lamps take a long time to go black, but at their life expectancy they start to affect contrast, brightness, and color.

I have a Samsung HLN4365W which is about 5 years old. I had the original color wheel replaced while still under warranty and now I am getting a sound that I want to be sure is the color wheel. It has only happened twice in the last couple of weeks but my experience is that once it starts, it does not go away.

When I turn on the set the sound is very loud - reminds me of a dremel tool on metal - and the tv will not turn off with the remote or power button. I unplug it and the noise quits and everything is fine. I remember when the tech replaced the 1st color wheel he said something about them not having bearings like the original which is why I am questioning if it is the wheel. Before the sound was gradual and got worse but this time it is screaming right off the bat.

I have seen many DIY sites on how to replace the wheel which I am willing to do to save $$$ but would appreciate if anyone else has heard this noise and knows it is the color wheel. Thanks.

The fact that your Sammy won't turn off with the power button or remote is troubling. If it would turn off with those and the noise stopped, then it would most likely be the color wheel. If the noise continues (during normal power down power continues to the fan for final cool down), it is likely a fan going bad. However neither of those failing devices should affect your ability to turn off your Sammy. You may have bigger problems as well as either a failing fan or color wheel. Unfortunately, if you can't do a normal power down, you can't be sure whether the noise is the color wheel or the fan.

Out of curiosity what firmware version are you at now?

All kinds of strange stuff there (I may have changed something by accident).

It said T-B3K6101-309

Does that mean anything to anyone?

How do I get lamp life? Had the TV for 5 yrs without changing it, figure I gotta be close.

You are well past the expected maximum hours. The original lamps were supposed to go 8K to 10K hours. The current lamps (they are of a higher wattage) are supposed to have a life expectancy of 6K to 8K hours. I'd say you should replace your lamp now. You probably don't realize the loss in PQ, especially color saturation, that you've experienced since it is so gradual. These lamps take a long time to go black, but at their life expectancy they start to affect contrast, brightness, and color.

The exact number is 15643. Now I am not sure whether I would replace the lamp or not. The wheel also has a sound that we've just got used to as it is not too loud. If I do decide to make the change, would it be the lamp light engine and the wheel together or would just the lamp replacement suffice?

All kinds of strange stuff there (I may have changed something by accident).

It said T-B3K6101-309

Does that mean anything to anyone?

How do I get lamp life? Had the TV for 5 yrs without changing it, figure I gotta be close.

Your Firmware version is 309. Thats good it means you didn't get an old inventory board with old firmware.

You need to Be Very Careful in the Service Menu because any changes take effect immediately. There is Not an Exit Without Saving Changes.

To check the hours on your bulb, with the TV set turned off;

Mute 1 8 2 Power with the Samsung Remote.
Use the channel down arrow button on the remote to go down to 8. Options
Push the Center Button between the Channel and Volume keys to Enter that section.
On the screen that comes up look at Lamp Life (shown in hours)
Now just power off the set with the power button and wait 30 seconds before turning the set back on.

The exact number is 15643. Now I am not sure whether I would replace the lamp or not. The wheel also has a sound that we've just got used to as it is not too loud. If I do decide to make the change, would it be the lamp light engine and the wheel together or would just the lamp replacement suffice?

The lamp is an easy replacement that can be made by removing the door on the side. Replacing the entire engine (which includes the wheel) requires a much more extensive intrusion into the set.

The exact number is 15643. Now I am not sure whether I would replace the lamp or not. The wheel also has a sound that we've just got used to as it is not too loud. If I do decide to make the change, would it be the lamp light engine and the wheel together or would just the lamp replacement suffice?

Lamps are a $150 item that is very easy to replace. Instructions for replacement are in your owner's manual.

Are you sure the noise is the color wheel? If the noise stops when you first turn off the Sammy, then it may be the color wheel. If the noise doesn't stop, it is the fan and, unless it is really howling, just live with it.

If there really is a color wheel problem, then that is another under $200 item that can be replaced by the owner using instructions posted on the internet by independent sources. A light engine OTOH, is a $1K item. It is a pretty straightforward replacement (screws, plugs, slide in, slide out), but for that kind of money you can get a new 1080p Sammy DLP.

Your Firmware version is 309. Thats good it means you didn't get an old inventory board with old firmware.

You need to Be Very Careful in the Service Menu because any changes take effect immediately. There is Not an Exit Without Saving Changes.

To check the hours on your bulb, with the TV set turned off;

Mute 1 8 2 Power with the Samsung Remote.
Use the channel down arrow button on the remote to go down to 8. Options
Push the Center Button between the Channel and Volume keys to Enter that section.
On the screen that comes up look at Lamp Life (shown in hours)
Now just power off the set with the power button and wait 30 seconds before turning the set back on.Thanks!

OK, I've probably screwed up big time! Replaced the lamp fan in my HLN507W last Sunday PM because the fan was making a rather annoying sputtering noise. Got that done and the new fan is working well.

NOW THE BAD NEWS! Not surprisingly the internals of the Sammy were very dusty, so I used a 3M Compressed Gas Duster (compressed gas can for cleaning home office equipment). I tried to be careful in doing this and in working on the fan, even though I had the light engine module over half way out of the Sammy. Now that I'm up and running again, I HAVE A PATCH OF LIGHTER COLORED SCREEN near the center of the screen WHEN THE SCREEN IS BLACK. It doesn't affect most viewing, but it is noticeable in scenes where that portion of the picture is very dark or black. The patch of lighter area is only visible with a video input to the Sammy (e.g., Dish ViP211 HD receiver or LG LST4200a or DVD player) and only when that video input has a very dark or black video output in the area of my "lighter colored patch". SO WHAT HAVE I DONE? IS THERE A FIX?

Any help on this would be appreciated.

Bump!

Bump!

I was wondering if you can connect an HDMI source (w/HDCP enabled) to the VGA port using HDfury. The DVI port is already in use.

Here is the product:

http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=101&cp_id=10114&cs_id=1011402&p_id=4559&seq=1&format=2

Does anyone know of a reliable HDMI switch that will work with an HLN series set (I have an HLN507W)?

I bought a Monoprice "4X1 Enhanced 1.3b Certified HDMI Switch with built-in Equalizer and Remote (REV.3.0)" and I only have ONE device that it works with... a DirecTV HD DVR. My HD-DVD player (Toshiba HD-A3) or new Playstation 3 seem to work.

Over in the http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=979386 thread on this device, reviews are mixed, but most everyone seems to be able to get it to work with a PS3 and most with HD-DVD players. So I figure it must be that the TV (with DVI input) isn't behaving or that the combination somehow doesn't work.

I just want an HDMI switch that works... how hard is that? Does anyone know of one that I should try?

Thanks,
Steve

Oppo has an HDMI switch that many people like. I haven't used it but they have a 30-day return policy so you can try it.

Ok so my dlp tv screen is flashing white about 10-20mins after i turn it on, then it shuts off ,and then i get the 3 blinking lights. Does anyone know whats happening? I know its not the bulb,i have 2 working ones. I've put in a new color wheel about a year ago. HELP PLZ!!!!!!!!!!!!:confused:

If I had to guess, based on my experience and my fading memory, it sounds like your Board is shot.

If I had to guess, based on my experience and my fading memory, it sounds like your Board is shot.
hey thanks for your reply, but what board are you talking about?

I knew you'd ask me that. I want to say it was called the Digital Board, or something like that -- the way it was explained to me, It was kind of like the motherboard to the whole set. I'll check and see if I've got something written down somewhere.

Well, I guess I need to change my member name. Check out my tale of woe:

I bought my HLM507W in April 2003. I bought the extended warranty, which expired in April 2006. While the unit was covered under the extended warranty, I had to replace the color wheel. Cost, if not under warranty, +/- $500.

Then, after the warranty expired, the lamp went out. Okay, no room to gripe there -- it had 8192 hours on it. So, I replaced the lamp. Cost, including S&H, $250. Since it was out of warranty, I paid that.

That was in June of 2006. Almost immeditely after replacing the bulb, the picture went absolutely crazy -- frezing, rolling, scrambling -- the exact symptom of DMD failure. It only got worse.

Then, to top it off, the lamp, the new lamp, with 708 hours on it, failed. So, as of this minute, I am looking at a $750 DMD board and a $250 lamp, and the labor to install the DMD. Bottom line, this is a likely $15000-$2000 repair, including the lamp. Add that to the earlier lamp I bought and the replacement of the color wheel, and I have more in repairs to this 78 pund paperweight than the set cost new.

I called Samsung, and they laughed. They said that I should expect these problems because the TV is "old and out of warranty."

Unbelievable. The reason I did not buy Plasma in April of 2003 was because everyone said you wouldnt get 5 years out of one. I couldnt get 3.5 years out of a DLP! When I asked tech support why I should ever buy a new Samsung or recommend one to my friends, she laughed and told me she wouldnt own one either, based on my experience.

So, even though this board is technically about the HLN series, I know that potential Samusng DLp buyers check this board, and I would like to warn everyone -- be careful of DLP and avoid Samsung like the plague. Their product is crap, and their customer support is non existent.

Oh, BTW, I take delivery of my new Sony this Thursday. KDS-50A2000, with a 5 year service agreement for the grand total of $2500 after rebate. I will never ever own a Samsung product of any kind again, and I am making it my duty to my friends and everyone else to warn about Samsungs shoddy products and terrible customer support practices.
I hope I've done this right -- but this is my earlier post describing my adventure with the DMD board.

I knew you'd ask me that. I want to say it was called the Digital Board, or something like that -- the way it was explained to me, It was kind of like the motherboard to the whole set. I'll check and see if I've got something written down somewhere.
hey thanks again, it kinda sounds like my color wheel,I can hear a high pitch sound when the screen flashes, but I don't know.

I hope I've done this right -- but this is my earlier post describing my adventure with the DMD board.

Given the state of the technology and all the moving parts in a RP HDTV, I chose the 5-year warranty when I bought an HLN507W in July 2003. That warranty paid to have the guts of that HLN replaced twice, some items 3 or 4 times. The only thing I paid for was a couple of new lamps after many times the hours expected on any of them. Even with all of that, I still ended up having to personally replace the main cooling fan on a brand new light engine assembly after less than a year of use. That exercise has led to other issues and I finally decided to retire the HLN to the basement and buy a new 52" LCD. However, I think I got my money's worth out of the warranty, if not the $3,600 Samsung HLN.

OTOH, I think it is the technology and not Samsung. Those HLM and HLNs were cutting edge at the time and at least they provided outstanding HDTV when they were working correctly, unlike the RP HDTVs sold by Sony at the same time. Those dogs never worked right or provided quality HDTV viewing from day one and no amount of warranty work made them any better. That's why Sony quickly got out of the RP-HDTV business. They didn't want to pay the royalty for DLP and they couldn't make their RP-LCD-HDTV work right.

Overall, I think Samsung is one of the better electronics manufacturers and I've purchased other electronics, including an LCD HDTV from them. The replacement for the HLN however is a 52" Sony LCD, not because I like Sony better, but because Samsung doesn't offer a high-end LCD HDTV without a shaving-mirror quality screen. We got spoiled by the matte screen of the HLN and will likely never go back to a glass/glossy TV screen again.

This is harder than I thought. The HLN was my first HDTV and doing research on it is how I found AVS Forum and this thread. I sold the set back in Feb after we updated our basement and could go to a different style. But I still have remained a subscriber to the thread. Though the post are few and far between I find it difficult to cut the thread. I'm sure a great deal of it has to deal with the loss of Arun - and the support we seemed to provide to his family in dealing with that. It is kind of like deleting the contact information out of your contact list of a relative, friend, colleague that has died. It is like it is the final step.

I'll probably stick around a bit longer but I think I'll be unsubscribing soon. Thank you to all who have contributed. I found your insight so helpful with that first purchase and the adjustments that came down the road.

- Zebras23

Hey everyone-

Just wondering what peoples thought on this were. I've had my 46" Samsung DLP for 5 years (since July 2004). It's worked great, but recently had troubles. It turn on-off-on-off-on-off with blinking lights. Tried the lamp (carefullly seating it) with no joy. Now I get a picture for a split second and it turns off again.

It looks like it will cost me about $400 to fix if it's not the DMD board. Looks like I can get a 50" plasma for about $1600. Anyone have any opinion on whether it would be worth fixing, or should I just get a new TV? I guess the main thing I'm looking for is lifetime...if something else similar to this is likely to happen in the next 2-3 years, I don't want to pay to fix it. If I can get another 5 years out of it, I might stick with it. Anyone have any thoughts on the smart way to go?

Thanks-
cbaggerm

Hey everyone-

Just wondering what peoples thought on this were. I've had my 46" Samsung DLP for 5 years (since July 2004). It's worked great, but recently had troubles. It turn on-off-on-off-on-off with blinking lights. Tried the lamp (carefullly seating it) with no joy. Now I get a picture for a split second and it turns off again.

It looks like it will cost me about $400 to fix if it's not the DMD board. Looks like I can get a 50" plasma for about $1600. Anyone have any opinion on whether it would be worth fixing, or should I just get a new TV? I guess the main thing I'm looking for is lifetime...if something else similar to this is likely to happen in the next 2-3 years, I don't want to pay to fix it. If I can get another 5 years out of it, I might stick with it. Anyone have any thoughts on the smart way to go?

Thanks-
cbaggerm

Given my 6 year history with a 50" HLN, I'd say the odds of you getting 5 more years out of your DLP after a $400 repair are slim and none. There are far too many things that go wrong with these sets. Unless your set gets very light usage (i.e., 2,000/year), I'm pretty sure something else will fail on your set in the next couple of years. That said, fix it and use it as a secondary TV until it dies its final death.

I turned on my HLN617W over the weekend and I was presented with a nice greyish rectangular checkerboard pattern. I power cycled the set a few times and eventually got a picture to display. Over the next two days each time I would turn it on I would get the exact same thing. However on each subsequent attempt I have been unable to get any picture to show up.

The bulb is maybe a year old, with normal usage on it for its age. Does it look like I am looking at an expensive fix. I love the set, but I have a bad feeling it might be time to get a new one.

I've been lucky with my HLN507W. I bought it as an open box item back in May 2003, and it's still running with zero issues to date. It only has around 2,000 hours on it, and it's still on the first bulb.

I've been wishing it would kick the bucket so I could justify a replacement :)

I've been lucky with my HLN507W. I bought it as an open box item back in May 2003, and it's still running with zero issues to date. It only has around 2,000 hours on it, and it's still on the first bulb.

I've been wishing it would kick the bucket so I could justify a replacement :)

2,000 hours in 6 years? Good grief! We put over 5,000 hours/year on our HLN507W.

I basically can't find a place to fix my color wheel on my HLN567W that sounds reliable. All the TV repair places that I call just haven't done it before, and want to charge $200 just for the visit, and they don't guarantee it's going to work or put a limit on how much labor they are going to charge me to do the job.

I have the correct color wheel replacement part, and I have done most of the opening up of the back panel as shown in the jangro website (jangro/electronics/samsung-dlp-replace-color-wheel) but I don't want to do the last few steps by myself.

I'm willing to pay someone $200 if they come over and do the job, and we turn on the TV and it works. I live in San Ramon, CA and work (can bring the TV to) Santa Clara or somewhere nearby, so basically anywhere in the Bay Area is do-able.

If you are interested or know someone or have some suggestions, please let me know, thanks.

I have an HLM437W that has stopped working. It tries to start, the color wheel spins, but then slows and tries again -- over and over to no avail. No picture; just a black screen. The center light is blinking. I assumed that it was the light bulb, but when I pulled it out to look, the filament wire was still intact and there was no discoloration on the bulb. Don't dead DLP light bulbs look like any other dead bulb? If not, how can I tell? If it isn't the bulb, does this sound like the motherboard issue is the other likely problem? Thanks in advance for help.

I basically can't find a place to fix my color wheel on my HLN567W that sounds reliable. All the TV repair places that I call just haven't done it before, and want to charge $200 just for the visit, and they don't guarantee it's going to work or put a limit on how much labor they are going to charge me to do the job.

I have the correct color wheel replacement part, and I have done most of the opening up of the back panel as shown in the jangro website (jangro/electronics/samsung-dlp-replace-color-wheel) but I don't want to do the last few steps by myself.

I'm willing to pay someone $200 if they come over and do the job, and we turn on the TV and it works. I live in San Ramon, CA and work (can bring the TV to) Santa Clara or somewhere nearby, so basically anywhere in the Bay Area is do-able.

If you are interested or know someone or have some suggestions, please let me know, thanks.

Have you done a search with Samsung or just a Google to see who are the Authorized Samsung TV Repair facilities in your area? That should give you a short list to call and see if their techs have DLP repair experience. I know that there are at least a couple of such places in Metro Denver and the one that did a fix under warranty last year on my HLN had several techs with Samsung DLP repair experience.

I have an HLM437W that has stopped working. It tries to start, the color wheel spins, but then slows and tries again -- over and over to no avail. No picture; just a black screen. The center light is blinking. I assumed that it was the light bulb, but when I pulled it out to look, the filament wire was still intact and there was no discoloration on the bulb. Don't dead DLP light bulbs look like any other dead bulb? If not, how can I tell? If it isn't the bulb, does this sound like the motherboard issue is the other likely problem? Thanks in advance for help.I've had that symptom a couple of times this year on my HLN437W, and cured it both times by unplugging the set, leaving it off for 12-24 hours, then plugging it back in. An overnight rest was all it seemed to need.

My set it almost six years old now, and still on its (almost) original bulb. I say "almost" because I had the light engine replaced under warranty during the summer of 2004, when the set was about nine months old. But I've never replaced anything since then, so that bulb has been working for more than five years - a bit over 6500 hours. I've got a spare here for when it eventually does fail, but I'm not convinced that the problem above is a bulb problem. Time will tell, I guess.

I know that six years is nearly forever when it comes to tv technology, but after replacing the bulb in my HLN567W, I am still quite happy with the picture and performance of my set. Some glitchy performance problems seem to have been cleared up, such as prolonged startup cycles. Given the age of these sets, it is to be expected that the posts to this thread would start to diminish, or on the other hand, be concerned with problems. I did give some thought to whether it might be better to apply the cost of the bulb to the acquisition of a new set given the new features and drop in prices. In the end however I think I did the right thing for me by replacing the bulb.
I am curious to know how many are still hanging in there with there now nearly six or more year old sets.

I am still really happy with my set. When the bulb goes I will certainly replace it. New 56" sets still cost a lot more than just a bulb.

I replaced my bulb last week and at the time it had 7200 hours on it. I realized at the time I replaced it that it was getting up there in terms of use. The set had gotten glitchy and I wasn't entirely certain that the problems it was having were bulb related. As it turns out, it seems that it was the correct decision to replace the bulb. If the problem had not resolved with a new bulb, I could have been looking at a $500 plus repair which to me would not have been worth it. The new sets have multiple hdmi inputs, 1080p, cable card technology (maybe), and digital tuners among other things. They also have warranties. I too am very happy with my set!!!

My HLN617w is still going strong. I am on my second buld which was replaced when I had the color wheel replaced under an extended warranty. Picture is still great at 720p.

I bought a brand new, still in the box Samsung 72a650 last month. Total cost delivered for it and the samsung stand was $2098. I can't think of a better bargain for a big screen (72"). Just a 65" lcd would be $3K. And, for those who say that these sets have too many problems to be worth considering, well, i bought a three year warranty, so I have 4 years of guaranteed use out of the set. By the time, the warranty is over, they should have fancy new oled sets out.
When it comes to consumer appliances these days, keep in mind that you don't really own them, you are renting them. The extended warranty increases your lease. If you only have the one year warranty, at 13 months, the set can break down and the cost of repairing it can exceed the cost of getting a new one.

I bought a brand new, still in the box Samsung 72a650 last month. Total cost delivered for it and the samsung stand was $2098. I can't think of a better bargain for a big screen (72"). Just a 65" lcd would be $3K. And, for those who say that these sets have too many problems to be worth considering, well, i bought a three year warranty, so I have 4 years of guaranteed use out of the set. By the time, the warranty is over, they should have fancy new oled sets out.
When it comes to consumer appliances these days, keep in mind that you don't really own them, you are renting them. The extended warranty increases your lease. If you only have the one year warranty, at 13 months, the set can break down and the cost of repairing it can exceed the cost of getting a new one.

The only problem is settling for another 3 or 4 years of less than state-of-art HD PQ. I retired my HLN507W to the basement and bought a 52" (more than big enough for my family room viewing) Sony Z5100 for our primary HDTV. Night and day difference in PQ, especially in "black" levels. I looked at the last of the Sammy DLP line a couple of years ago when they were new and side-by-side with the LCDs available even then, they paled in PQ comparison and viewing angle. If you need a 72" HDTV for some reason, then the out-going DLPs are probably a good choice at this time as plasmas that large still cost a bundle. But, if you want the best HDTV PQ for the dollar, the current line of LCDs and plasmas can't be beat.

The only problem is settling for another 3 or 4 years of less than state-of-art HD PQ. I retired my HLN507W to the basement and bought a 52" (more than big enough for my family room viewing) Sony Z5100 for our primary HDTV. Night and day difference in PQ, especially in "black" levels. I looked at the last of the Sammy DLP line a couple of years ago when they were new and side-by-side with the LCDs available even then, they paled in PQ comparison and viewing angle. If you need a 72" HDTV for some reason, then the out-going DLPs are probably a good choice at this time as plasmas that large still cost a bundle. But, if you want the best HDTV PQ for the dollar, the current line of LCDs and plasmas can't be beat.

State of the art HD pq? That can be subjective. The Sony 65" CRT RPTV that my Samsung replaced had better blacks, but Samsung is superior in every other area (including viewing angle).And, I needed a 72" set for a very good reason- I want a big picture! Originally, I wanted something 65" (didn't want to take a step down and get smaller than what I was used to) and to my dismay, found out that most HD sets are small.They can make all kinds of claims of pq stuff (1080p, 240hz, etc) but if the set is small, I doubt anyone will notice it.There are lot of 40-50" sets, but few above 60". And when you get above 60" LCD and plasma take a big jump in price. So, my choices for around $2k were an old Samsung or a new Mitsu 73" DLP. I figured that DLP is a mature, if not dead tech that should work out for me for the next four years. By then, they should have oled sets with the bugs worked out. With my calibration disc, the Samsung's color was very easy to dial in, the geometry is perfect as well.