I never purchase Extended Warranties. If this TV goes out of service, it will be the last RPTV I ever owned.

Panasonic offered to give us a discount on another TV, the amount of discount determined by the model we want. This is definitely better than nothing. The CS rep. was pointing us to the LIFI sets, but I think we are done with RPTV technology. Depending on how good of a deal we get, we will likely move on to plasma, of which Panny is highly rated.

The Panny 50" 1080p Plasma TV was just rated by CR as best TV EVER :D

I've been pouring over the relevant threads on the Plasma forums and can't decide between the CR "Best" TV and its slightly cheaper cousin with anti-glare. Guess we'll see what price they throw us and make the decision on that. This amount of research is giving me grad school flashbacks.

:) Speaking of more updates, I just got the replacement. It is the 50" LIFI set. At 3PM, I got the call that they were coming to deliver a TV at 5PM they came and set it up and took the old TV. It's much smaller than the other set since it doesn't have the side speakers. To recap, sent in the paper work to the settlement group on 9-10-07, called today (10/4/07) to check on status, they had submitted the paperwork to Panasonic on 9/21/07, and now I got the replacement TV (10/4/07).

Thanks a bunch for everyone who helped me learn more about the class action settlement. Now I will be looking into getting warranties for the replacement.

:) Speaking of more updates, I just got the replacement. It is the 50" LIFI set. At 3PM, I got the call that they were coming to deliver a TV at 5PM they came and set it up and took the old TV. It's much smaller than the other set since it doesn't have the side speakers. To recap, sent in the paper work to the settlement group on 9-10-07, called today (10/4/07) to check on status, they had submitted the paperwork to Panasonic on 9/21/07, and now I got the replacement TV (10/4/07).

Thanks a bunch for everyone who helped me learn more about the class action settlement. Now I will be looking into getting warranties for the replacement.

Nice - let us know how you like the new set. More importantly, please give us the model number!

Nice - let us know how you like the new set. More importantly, please give us the model number!

I'll try to find the model number when I get back to it this weekend. I hope it isn't the 720P set. :)

Wow, I'm really down on the LIFI set after reading the review from CNet (http://www.cnet.com/projection-tvs/panasonic-pt-61lcz70/4505-6484_7-32306511.html?tag=prod.txt.1) that was just posted. :(

Still have questions about the rebate - I don't suppose anyone who got one could scan it and blank out the personal info? I really want to SEE it before I make my decision on this whole thing, and time is running out!

I'll try to find the model number when I get back to it this weekend. I hope it isn't the 720P set. :)

It's a PT-50LCX70. 720P set. Read off the barcode on the TV. :mad: Looks like the last Panasonic TV I ever purchase or own.

It's a PT-50LCX70. 720P set. Read off the barcode on the TV. :mad: Looks like the last Panasonic TV I ever purchase or own.

Wow - the lost TV is real. As I said in an earlier post, this TV was announced originally, then quickly disappeared from the production list. I guess they did make a few of them though, as you're the second person to get one out of the settlement. The really funny part is, when you check Panny's support site, this tv doesn't exist.

I guess that settles it - I'm keeping my PT-50LC13 and getting the rebate check - then I'll hold out for a year until I can pick up a 50"+ 1080p Plasma for just over $1500.

It's a PT-50LCX70. 720P set. Read off the barcode on the TV. :mad: Looks like the last Panasonic TV I ever purchase or own.

Clearly wouldn't be my first choice but on the bright side you did get a brand new free 50" LCD 720p TV to replace your old troubled 50" LCD 720p TV.

From what I've seen now 2 people got a 720p LIFI and one person got a 1080p LIFI. (wonder how the 1080p slipped through the cracks if more 720p's are available.)

Too bad there is no way of knowing what you'll get before hand to make a more informed decision.

I've had the 56" DLP for a couple of months now and I'm very pleased with the set, but at times I wonder if I should have kept the old and taken the rebate.

Wow, I'm really down on the LIFI set after reading the review from CNet (http://www.cnet.com/projection-tvs/panasonic-pt-61lcz70/4505-6484_7-32306511.html?tag=prod.txt.1) that was just posted. :(

Not a great review at all. We'll have to see what everyday users think of it.

I guess the Jury is still out on the LIFI technology.

We bought our PT-50LC13 in 11/03. First bulb went out 7/04; second
6/05; third 01/06; fourth on 6/07. We then found out about the
settlement and just filed two weeks ago. We were looking forward to
our problems being over but then it happened again two nights ago. You
would think the word exasperated would convey how we're feeling here
but we're long beyond that now. I've read much about the possible
replacement television possibilities -- 720 or 1080 LIFI's, the 56"
LDX -- all of which are fine with us. Just get something in here that
works and that we're not gonna have to keep getting repaired. This is
not what we were anticipating when we leaped into the HD pool. I hope
this nightmare is close to being over.

Just my two cents...

Wow - the lost TV is real. As I said in an earlier post, this TV was announced originally, then quickly disappeared from the production list. I guess they did make a few of them though, as you're the second person to get one out of the settlement. The really funny part is, when you check Panny's support site, this tv doesn't exist.

I guess that settles it - I'm keeping my PT-50LC13 and getting the rebate check - then I'll hold out for a year until I can pick up a 50"+ 1080p Plasma for just over $1500.
It's not really a lost TV. It seems they sell this 720P version up in Canadian Costcos.

http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=61382

First Impressions:
TV looks great with the stand and matches all the black components. The width and height of the TV are much smaller and lower so it looks smaller when compared to the previous TV. It took around 15s for the TV to start up and show a picture.

Picture:
Picked up some OTA channels and watched some football over the weekend and it looked great with no blurring. Still have to find the correct configurations but I first took it off Vivid (which makes everything look awful) and set it to Cinema, the AI picture & color management do little tricks to enchance the picture such as brightening/darkening the screen to match what you are watching. I set those to OFF. SD looks decent much better than the old TV. My TV is set behind a large pane glass window and it used to have bad contrast during the day time, not so much with this TV.

Hooked up a PS3 to the HDMI and it detected the signal as 1080P. Watched a Bluray of POTC COTBP and it looked detailed. I have nothing to compare it too. I was impressed that you could see all the little details.

Hooked up a PC thru the PC INPUTs and it was only able to display a resolution of 1024.

Audio
I don't have a speaker system so I used the Audio. It is inconsistent between digital channels. On some channels, you can hear the voices loud and clear while in other it's muted quite a bit. This probably has to do with the VIVA 3D setting which I turned off but that hasn't helped.

Hope that helps.

We bought our PT-50LC13 in 11/03. First bulb went out 7/04; second
6/05; third 01/06; fourth on 6/07. We then found out about the
settlement and just filed two weeks ago. We were looking forward to
our problems being over but then it happened again two nights ago. You
would think the word exasperated would convey how we're feeling here
but we're long beyond that now. I've read much about the possible
replacement television possibilities -- 720 or 1080 LIFI's, the 56"
LDX -- all of which are fine with us. Just get something in here that
works and that we're not gonna have to keep getting repaired. This is
not what we were anticipating when we leaped into the HD pool. I hope
this nightmare is close to being over.

Just my two cents...

Good luck on getting your replacement. They were really professional in moving out the TV and replacing the new one. The installers actually finished within 20 minutes but had to wait another 10-20 minutes for the TV to scan through for analog/digital channels. Just be sure to take out any rechargeable batteries in the remote if there are any because that was the first thing they took back.

One thing I will miss is the Picture in picture or the Side by side picture or the freeze frame of the old TV.

Any guess as to how soon we could be seeing the new tv? I forgot to mention in my post about where we got this set. It's from BB and we purchased their 4 year service plan which covered the bulb replacements and installations. Very professional shop/employees that handled it. I wonder if they'll be the ones who will be bringing over our new set?

More likely the independent repair shops that is authorized Panny serivicer. The big guys probably asking for too much money or don't want to deal with the trouble.

At least that is my experience. I bought and serviced by Curcuit City. But my local repair shop delivered my TV. My whole process took about 3 months.

As Foxbat121 pointed out it was a local authorized Panasonic retailer that did my installation. For me it took about little over a month to get the TV after submitting the forms.

I submitted my forms on August 7th. Still no word

I was very surprised that I got a return phone call because I had tried once before with no luck. Here is the email address I used:

TVLampSettlement@gardencitygroup.com

If your claim is missing anything they will let you know. Good luck.

I'm leaning towards the rebate rather than risk getting a 50" 720p LiFi. I've already had four failures and the set has been sitting idle with a bad bulb. Will Panny pay for a new lamp under the "extended warranty" since I intend on keeping it? I'd like to hold onto the rebate for a year to see what $1500 buys then.

I'm leaning towards the rebate rather than risk getting a 50" 720p LiFi. I've already had four failures and the set has been sitting idle with a bad bulb. Will Panny pay for a new lamp under the "extended warranty" since I intend on keeping it? I'd like to hold onto the rebate for a year to see what $1500 buys then.

I think they will if you call them before you submit your claim. Afterwards, I think it's all yours with no warranty.

My PT-50LC13 is no more having been hauled away by the gentlemen who left a TH-50PZ700U plasma in its place. At least I dusted it off one last time.

We were able to buy the new set from CC for less than Panasonic's proposed "discount".

My PT-50LC13 is no more having been hauled away by the gentlemen who left a TH-50PZ700U plasma in its place. At least I dusted it off one last time.

We were able to buy the new set from CC for less than Panasonic's proposed "discount".

Please explain! So you got nothing from Panasonic? Why did they haul off your old set?

I got the 50 inch 77u? with anti glare, 720p and its an amazing set. I have an older panasonic 50 without the anti glare and the diff is night and day. At least during the day :) I found it for 1574 shipped, and sold my old one for $700. :D

Please explain! So you got nothing from Panasonic? Why did they haul off your old set?

We were not part of the class action lawsuit. This was an issue with what the local Panasonic repair shop deemed a "faulty" light engine. Panasonic offered us a reduced price on another set, so we got prices on the 700U and 77U plasmas. As it turned out, CC had the 700U on sale and the price was below Panasonic's reduced price, so we purchased it directly from them. CC hauled away the old set and stand at our request since we weren't going to pay $1,400 for the light engine repair.

BTW, the 700U was wall mounted Wednesday. PQ is phenomenal! Even my wife said we need to get a BR or HD unit next.

Just wanted to post that we just got our replacement set, it is the 50" LIFI unit, PT-50LCX70. Called Panasonic in August to get copies of paperwork for previous warranty repairs (2 bulbs replaced for free), plus one replacement bulb I bought myself. Sent in the claim paperwork on Sept. 10, received the set on October 9. The new set was delivered by a local Panasonic service outfit, not any of the bigbox stores or electronics chains.

I originally just reran cables from my existing components to the new set, including composite video set from my HD cable box. Since this unit has 2 HDMI ports (vs. the PT-50LC13's single DVI-X port), and the HD box and my DVD player both have HDMI ports, I ran out to Fry's and bought 2 HDMI cables ($20 each - passed on the Monster cables at $149 each!). I could not believe the difference in quality over the old composite cables! Especially on HD channels! My wife and I were watching an NFL game at the time, and changing over to the HDMI cable made the picture just POP!

Is this unit really just 720p? I'm currently watching it in 1080i, and I thought I read somewhere that it is 1080p-capable.

Someone asked how much the lamp costs to replace, I think I read $635 on a spare parts list on the Panasonic web site.

Thanks again to all the posters on this thread, it really helped me in navigating this class action suit claim process.

We were not part of the class action lawsuit. This was an issue with what the local Panasonic repair shop deemed a "faulty" light engine. Panasonic offered us a reduced price on another set, so we got prices on the 700U and 77U plasmas. As it turned out, CC had the 700U on sale and the price was below Panasonic's reduced price, so we purchased it directly from them. CC hauled away the old set and stand at our request since we weren't going to pay $1,400 for the light engine repair.

BTW, the 700U was wall mounted Wednesday. PQ is phenomenal! Even my wife said we need to get a BR or HD unit next.

That's interesting. Panasonic and my local ext. warranty company just authorized a light engine replacement for mine. As it doesn't appear that bulb no.3 is going to blow, I had the replacement performed. Stuck red pixel clusters are gone, though there is a green dust blob visible only on black screen. Still, a much better viewing experience now.

If bulb no. 3 goes, I'm not sure if I would chose the plasma/rebate or new DLP. I'm really spooked on bulb-based tvs.

Acura, I used to live in suburban Baltimore or what we called the "Paris" of AA Co., Glen Burnie! I miss being able to take the light rail downtown to Camden Yards/Ravens Stadium or driving into Fell's Point.

Our 3 yr. extended warranty expired in June so that was a no go. We were on bulb #2 having had the first replaced gratis by Panasonic. I hear you on the bulb based sets. We are very happy with the 700U plasma, just unhappy about spending another 3 large on TV et. al in less than four years.

Just wanted to post that we just got our replacement set, it is the 50" LIFI unit, PT-50LCX70. Called Panasonic in August to get copies of paperwork for previous warranty repairs (2 bulbs replaced for free), plus one replacement bulb I bought myself. Sent in the claim paperwork on Sept. 10, received the set on October 9. The new set was delivered by a local Panasonic service outfit, not any of the bigbox stores or electronics chains.

I originally just reran cables from my existing components to the new set, including composite video set from my HD cable box. Since this unit has 2 HDMI ports (vs. the PT-50LC13's single DVI-X port), and the HD box and my DVD player both have HDMI ports, I ran out to Fry's and bought 2 HDMI cables ($20 each - passed on the Monster cables at $149 each!). I could not believe the difference in quality over the old composite cables! Especially on HD channels! My wife and I were watching an NFL game at the time, and changing over to the HDMI cable made the picture just POP!

Is this unit really just 720p? I'm currently watching it in 1080i, and I thought I read somewhere that it is 1080p-capable.

Someone asked how much the lamp costs to replace, I think I read $635 on a spare parts list on the Panasonic web site.

Thanks again to all the posters on this thread, it really helped me in navigating this class action suit claim process.

It actually has 3 HDMI inputs. 2 in the back one in the front. I've outputted a 1080P input from a PS3 and it says that in the info bar but I know it probably isn't true 1080P, it's also pretty hard to discern the resolutions so I'll just pretend it's 1080P. Congrats on receiving your new set.

Acura, I used to live in suburban Baltimore or what we called the "Paris" of AA Co., Glen Burnie! I miss being able to take the light rail downtown to Camden Yards/Ravens Stadium or driving into Fell's Point.

Our 3 yr. extended warranty expired in June so that was a no go. We were on bulb #2 having had the first replaced gratis by Panasonic. I hear you on the bulb based sets. We are very happy with the 700U plasma, just unhappy about spending another 3 large on TV et. al in less than four years.

You should be good to go now. I rarely hear about anyone having problems with plasmas.

(I'm up near Reisterstown ... used to hang out with friends in GB years ago.)

OK I have a problem. I have the pt50lc13. I had my 3rd lamp failure today since april 2004. Well, I called panasonic's lamp replacement warranty dept and to get a new lamp and they told me they dont replace lamps past the 2nd failure and referred me to the tvlampsettlement. First, the tvlampsettlement requires 3 proofs of failure. They have only sent me 2 replacement bulbs? I only have 2 packing slips. do i buy a 3rd and use that as proof? Second of all, I would have rather not had this freaking class action suit b/c when I called in today to get my replacement bulb I would have gotten one if it were not for this lawsuit! I'm perfectly happy with my tv....I love it although the bulb fails like once a year. So, anyways, how do I get this 3rd proof of failure so I can just signup for refunds with the settlement for bulb replacements from now on.

OK I have a problem. I have the pt50lc13. I had my 3rd lamp failure today since april 2004. Well, I called panasonic's lamp replacement warranty dept and to get a new lamp and they told me they dont replace lamps past the 2nd failure and referred me to the tvlampsettlement. First, the tvlampsettlement requires 3 proofs of failure. They have only sent me 2 replacement bulbs? I only have 2 packing slips. do i buy a 3rd and use that as proof? Second of all, I would have rather not had this freaking class action suit b/c when I called in today to get my replacement bulb I would have gotten one if it were not for this lawsuit! I'm perfectly happy with my tv....I love it although the bulb fails like once a year. So, anyways, how do I get this 3rd proof of failure so I can just signup for refunds with the settlement for bulb replacements from now on.

Call a local TV repair shop, have them do a home visit, have them diagnose it, and write up a receipt, use that as proof, don't buy a bulb, store the TV, go to Sam's club buy a TV, when you get the settlement TV return the Sam's club TV, only if you're not 100% satisfied with it.

You don't need 3rd proof. Says so in the claim form. If Panasonic doesn't trust you, they will send some one out to check it out. In most case, they don't care because it costs $ for send someone to check it out. By any means, a new replacement TV will give you better PQ than 50LC13 regardless which one you get in addition to not having to buy a new lamp every year. In addition, if you blowed 3 lamps already, you probably need a ballast as well pretty soon which is not covered by any one and cost more than a lamp. Act fast, your deadline is Nov. 30, 2007.

Has anyone ever worked out why the lamps die so easy? I have a LG 71 Inch LCos tv and I tested the temp the other day by fitting probes inside the TV in different areas. What I noticed is if the TV is closer than 6 inches from a wall the inside temp of the lamp area and the quad duct where the Engine lives temperature varies up and down by 6 to 8 Deg celsius every 2 to 5 minutes.
Remove the TV from the wall say 8 to 10 inches and the Temp stays CONSTANT!! work that out guys! Now this problem could kill a lamp/engine driven TV.

ok 1 guys says to call a repair shop to get the 3rd repait another says i dont need 3 proofs. which is it??

As I said in my earlier post, I've had 3 lamp failures and Panasonic won't replace lamps more than twice for free. Now, I decided just to purchase a new lamp. The lamp parts department told me that purchased lamps come with a 1yr warranty. So, if my purchased lamp fails say in 7 months will Panasonic replace my purchased lamp for free or will they still refer me to the tv lamp settlement? Or do they treat purchased lamps with 1yr warranties differently?

Thanks for any feedback.

As I said in my earlier post, I've had 3 lamp failures and Panasonic won't replace lamps more than twice for free. Now, I decided just to purchase a new lamp. The lamp parts department told me that purchased lamps come with a 1yr warranty. So, if my purchased lamp fails say in 7 months will Panasonic replace my purchased lamp for free or will they still refer me to the tv lamp settlement? Or do they treat purchased lamps with 1yr warranties differently?

Thanks for any feedback.

Read the settlement. They will give you a $1000 credit towards a new TV and let you keep the old one if you love it so much.

As I said in my earlier post, I've had 3 lamp failures and Panasonic won't replace lamps more than twice for free. Now, I decided just to purchase a new lamp. The lamp parts department told me that purchased lamps come with a 1yr warranty. So, if my purchased lamp fails say in 7 months will Panasonic replace my purchased lamp for free or will they still refer me to the tv lamp settlement? Or do they treat purchased lamps with 1yr warranties differently?

Thanks for any feedback.

I'm fairly certain if you buy the replacement lamp, then submit your receipts for lamps for reimbursement, as indicated in the settlement, they'll pay for your replacement lamps. The one year warranty on the replacement bulb is on the bulb - regardless of which set it is used in.

Funny to find this thread on page 1, I started it back in 2004!

Anyway.. My 3rd bulb went last night in the first inning of the world series! Now to decide what to do. It seems people getting replacement sets are getting different versions DLP/LCD/720p/1080p/56"/50".

Since I only have slips for 2 replacements (this being my 3rd failure). Is it going to take them extra time to inspect mine before they send out a new set?

If I go the rebate route, can I buy a new set today and apply the rebate even if it was purchased before I sent in my claim?

Funny to find this thread on page 1, I started it back in 2004!

Anyway.. My 3rd bulb went last night in the first inning of the world series! Now to decide what to do. It seems people getting replacement sets are getting different versions DLP/LCD/720p/1080p/56"/50".

Since I only have slips for 2 replacements (this being my 3rd failure). Is it going to take them extra time to inspect mine before they send out a new set?

If I go the rebate route, can I buy a new set today and apply the rebate even if it was purchased before I sent in my claim?

Last answer first - NO! Don't do it. Someone posted on here earlier that they did that, and got ZERO love from Panny or the settlement group.

Call Panny service and see what they say - I believe the settlement language indicates that they will come out and inspect the set, but you're running out of time. Since all you need to do is supply replacement receipts, you may consider getting a replacement bulb out of pocket, then submitting the receipt for reimbursement ( I believe that would work, but please examine the language in the settlement to confirm.)

Most recently, people have been receiving a 50" LIFI version @720p. Not very good reviews IMHO. Also suspect as the Panny US site denies the existence of this model.

Me personally, I'm going for the rebate. I've got a new bulb now, and a CC extended warranty through Nov '08. I'll be buying a 1080p plasma next year - whichever model just breaks the $1500 price point (assume it'll be the 50-56" 1080p model, as you can find the 50" 1080p now for ~$2300.)

ok 1 guys says to call a repair shop to get the 3rd repait another says i dont need 3 proofs. which is it??

What I said is my own experience. You can also read the settlement claim form yourself. And although I got my replacement TV for almost a month now, I've yet to receive any reimbusment of my previous lamp purchase. I don't remember see anyone posted that they got their lamp reimbusment either.

You don't need to have 3rd written proof of failure because your failed lamp it the proof. Panasonic has the option to inspect your TV in this case. I got my replacement this way and Panasonic never bother to inspect my TV. The only downside is be prepared to live with your dead TV for 3 months.

Has anyone ever worked out why the lamps die so easy? I have a LG 71 Inch LCos tv and I tested the temp the other day by fitting probes inside the TV in different areas. What I noticed is if the TV is closer than 6 inches from a wall the inside temp of the lamp area and the quad duct where the Engine lives temperature varies up and down by 6 to 8 Deg celsius every 2 to 5 minutes.
Remove the TV from the wall say 8 to 10 inches and the Temp stays CONSTANT!! work that out guys! Now this problem could kill a lamp/engine driven TV.


It's a design flaw, or rather couple design flaws. First, the ballast injected too much juice to the lamp to fire it up. Secondly, if the TV was off and the lamp isn't completely cooled down (need more than 30 minutes), a full power ignition from ballast is fatal.

The replacement DLP I got behaves very differently. Whenever you turn on the TV, the lamp brightness is increased graduately. It take a minute or two to reach full brightness. On my 50LC13, it took almost no time for lamp to reach full brightness after ignition.

ok that didnt answer my question. when i purchase bulbs from now on for 284 bucks for this tv.....and it comes with a 1yr warranty.......will they replace the purchased bulbs under warranty or not at all after 2 failures?

one more question..

My first failure, the lamp was replaced by an authorized repair service (Panasonic sent me to them). I have the invoice for that which I'll send in.

The 2nd failure, the lamp was replaced through the lamp replacement program. Where I called Panasonic, opened a case, they sent me a new lamp, then I sent the busted one back to them. The only documentation I have for this is the packing document that came with the new lamp. It lists the case number/date etc.. Is that good enough to prove the 2nd failure?

For the 3rd failure, I have nothing but a busted lamp for proof, so I'm just checking off Item 6 in the settlement document to have them inspect it.

one more question..

My first failure, the lamp was replaced by an authorized repair service (Panasonic sent me to them). I have the invoice for that which I'll send in.

The 2nd failure, the lamp was replaced through the lamp replacement program. Where I called Panasonic, opened a case, they sent me a new lamp, then I sent the busted one back to them. The only documentation I have for this is the packing document that came with the new lamp. It lists the case number/date etc.. Is that good enough to prove the 2nd failure?

For the 3rd failure, I have nothing but a busted lamp for proof, so I'm just checking off Item 6 in the settlement document to have them inspect it.

Sounds right to me, I did the same thing 10 days ago. No word yet.

ok that didnt answer my question. when i purchase bulbs from now on for 284 bucks for this tv.....and it comes with a 1yr warranty.......will they replace the purchased bulbs under warranty or not at all after 2 failures?

After Nov. 30, 2007, the settlement terms expires. Whatever Panasonic does normally will be in place.

ok, well...i'm gonna fill out the settlement form just in case. does anyone know the model number of the replacment tv, and will it come with a tv stand? i paid 200 bucks for this stand that comes with the pt50lc13. and also will we get to keep our tv's or do we have to give them up in exchange for the new tv?

I need an old burned out lamp or jus the bulb that can ship back to Panasonic ? I will pay for shipping and some extra $ for your time to ship it. I accidentally drop my old lamp down the stair and smashed the bulb. I got my 2nd lamp replacement from Panasonic and need to send back my burned lamp otherwise they will charge be full price. Thanks.

oh forgot to ask when the panasonic rep comes out to inspect the 3rd failure can u just show him the failed lamp or do you have to have it in the tv for them to inspect. i bought a replacement bulb and am storing the burnt out bulb for that

ok, well...i'm gonna fill out the settlement form just in case. does anyone know the model number of the replacment tv, and will it come with a tv stand? i paid 200 bucks for this stand that comes with the pt50lc13. and also will we get to keep our tv's or do we have to give them up in exchange for the new tv?

New bulbs you buy on your own come with their own warranty - regardless of the set you put them in.

No stand is given in the settlement.

If you select the replacement tv, they take away your old one. You can't keep it.

And although I got my replacement TV for almost a month now, I've yet to receive any reimbusment of my previous lamp purchase. I don't remember see anyone posted that they got their lamp reimbusment either.

Surprise! Just got my lamp reimbursement check in the mail today.

Keep us updated JT. I think 3 weeks is outrageous. Panasonic needs to get its act together.

Will


Got rebate check today. Certified mail. I have to give Panasonic credit. They stepped up and did the right thing. I received my rebate check for lamp bulb and TV.:D

JT

PS I love my new plasma. Total cash out $300. not bad:)

They stepped up and did the right thing.

Only after a class action law sue.
Glad you got your money back.

Only after a class action law sue.
Glad you got your money back.

Yeah, but it is first class actioin law suit that I got more than a $1 bill. Last one, Progressive Insurance, I got something around $0.47 IIRC.

Yeah, but it is first class actioin law suit that I got more than a $1 bill. Last one, Progressive Insurance, I got something around $0.47 IIRC.

I agree wholeheartedly. My friends and family are amazed by the fact that I got a brand new 56" DLP in exchange for a four-year-old 50" LCD for FREE.

Only after a class action law sue.
Glad you got your money back.

Panasonic could of put up a really strong fight and delayed the action on this. We could have been waiting years. I had use of a TV for 4 years and now have a much better TV with little money out of pocket:D What have other companies done for premature lamp bulb failures? I don't want to get into a pissing contest,but IMHO they came through.

Jim

Panasonic could of put up a really strong fight and delayed the action on this. We could have been waiting years. I had use of a TV for 4 years and now have a much better TV with little money out of pocket:D What have other companies done for premature lamp bulb failures? I don't want to get into a pissing contest,but IMHO they came through.

Jim
My point is they were sued.... Yeah they could have put up a stronger defense, bottom line is they would still have lost, and they're name would be worse off, they're doing exactly what the courts ordered.

As far as what other companies have done? Well apparently they've not been sued or they don't have as big a problem as Panasonic has with this set, to warrant a law suit.

Sorry I don't have a warm feeling for Panasonic, and about the whole thing, because chances are that mine will blow another bulb, but that may be after the dead line.

Can anyone recommend a good place to get a replacement bulb? Had my first failure of a bulb on my TV, after 3-4 years. This is the second issue with it, 1st time stuck pixels and they replaced a bunch of components, so I'm not sure if I can get reimbursed based on the terms of the settlement - hence I'm looking for a cheaper but rep. place to get a bulb.

Sounds like a few of you have experience in buying some bulbs ; )

Thanks,

Jeff

Can anyone recommend a good place to get a replacement bulb? Had my first failure of a bulb on my TV, after 3-4 years. This is the second issue with it, 1st time stuck pixels and they replaced a bunch of components, so I'm not sure if I can get reimbursed based on the terms of the settlement - hence I'm looking for a cheaper but rep. place to get a bulb.

Sounds like a few of you have experience in buying some bulbs ; )



Just do an E-bay search for TY-LA1000. There are a bunch of listings for the bulb with and without the housing. I imagine it would take a little DIY skill to take the housing apart to replace just the bulb, but I doubt it would be very difficult.

That is exactly what mine looked like...sitting watching TV and bulb blew/popped. Glass poeces inside the bulb. I bought replacement on line and put in today...but I cannot reset the hour meter...anybody know how to do that? I could get to the 1/3 service mode and see what the hours were on it but I could not reset it. I tried following the instructions for reseting that came with the new lamp but nothing happened.

By the way third lamp one since about 9/27/05. First one was considered under warranty, A local TV guy replaced it for me and he dealt with Panasonic...but he did not reset the meter...so I was showing like 100027 hours for 2 bulbs! 5K per bulb more or less!

First question. Has anyone here that filed for the rebate or replacement TV actually had a repair/service tech from panasonic come out to inspect your TV for proof of 3rd failure or is just that talk?

Second question. Does anyone know if local panasonic repair/tech shops sell replacment bulbs?

I got a rebate check. Panasonic did not inspect the TV.Still sitting in the LR waiting for me to find a cheap bulb so I can sell it.

Jim

I bought a Panny PT-52lcx16 14 months ago. Bulb blew last wed. the 24th. 4400 hrs. I called Panasonic and they sent me a replacement. I got the replacement on this wed. the 31st. It was the wrong lamp. I sent it back. Panasonic says my lamp is back ordered until Nov. 15th. Looks like I will be without a tv for almost a month. I am not very happy with Panasonic. I wonder if this tv will have it's own class action suit? I thought these bulbs were supposed to last 10000 hours?

I was at Circuit City yesterday, and there were no rear projection Panasonic TV's at all, in fact there were very few of any brand, the future is direct view LCD and plasmas, the bulb thing will be short lived, me thinks.

Hi folks,
looks like i missed the train. my PT-50LC13, bought in 2004 blew the bulb in january 2006 and since has been lieing in a spare room. i heard about the faulty line of bulbs recently and called panasonic where a catty young man informed me that i had to have reported the first bulb loss before may 2007 and that it was too late for me. no replacement, no warranty, panasonic just washes its hands off me for something thats faulty? this tv set cost us $3000.

is there a way to get around this? if i buy a replacement bulb and that blows up before november 2007, do i qualify for a lamp reimbursement? does that even make sense? can i talk to panasonic about this?

thank you!

You can find the terms of the settlement here:
http://www.tvlampsettlement.com/

The catty young man is probably correct. They have to set limits and dates for these things, and unfortunately it appears you missed your chance.

Mailed my claim on 10/26. Sent an e-mail today to check the status. With November 30th approaching, I wanted to be sure all my paperwork was in order and accepted. They responded a few hours later:

Thank you for your email.

We have completed the review process of your claim and have deemed you eligible for the replacement TV option under the 'Multiple Failure Remedy'. On 11/05/07, a replacement TV request was sent to Panasonic. Within the upcoming weeks, you should be contacted by Panasonic to coordinate a delivery date and time for the replacement TV. Please be advised that Panasonic has up to 30 days, from the above date, to provide you with a replacement TV.

Your patience is appreciated while you continue to wait for direct contact from Panasonic.


Sincerely,

tvlampsettlement@gardencitygroup.com

Now to wait and see what replacement model they send.

Hi All, I've been reading the site to remind myself of all the heartache I've gone through in the past 3 years. I guess I'm one of the lucky ones, I got my replacement PT-50LCX70 yesterday. BTW, how long does it take to get the check for the lamp replacement?
720P doesn't bother me, probably superior or equal to 1080i.
If the contrast or picture bothers you, I got some custom settings from a self described Geek off the internet. Here they are:
Lamp +20
Picture +18
Brightness +5
Color -2
Tint +1
Sharpness +10
Color Temp normal
Color Mgmt on
Al Picture on

Pro Setting
Al Brightness mid
Black Extension +5
W/B high R 0
W/B high B 0
W/B low R 0
W/B low B 0
Video NR off
Block NR off
Mosquito NR off
3:2 Pulldown on

If you don't like them you can always reset. I haven't tried it yet but I will.

Can anyone pinpoint this problem or does anyone know this problem?

When i turn on the tv, it turns on for about 25-30 seconds and then it automaticly shuts itself off and the power buttin constantly blinks red and all the fans run nonstop. The temp light or the lamp light is not lit up or blinking, only the power button is blinking red. I assume the lamp bulb is fine because it does turn on for that 30 seconds. I also assume that the lamp itself is not overheating but some kind of sensor assumes it's overheating thus shutting off the tv by itself but the temp light never comes on.

Anyone else have this experience and can offer any advice?

Thanks in advance!

anyone has any advice for my problem on what it could be or anyone experience the same thing i am?

anyone has any advice for my problem on what it could be or anyone experience the same thing i am?

I think your lamp bulb just bit the dust:eek:

JT

the tv actually still turns on though for like the first 30 seconds. I would assume it is not the bulb if i can still see a picture.

the tv actually still turns on though for like the first 30 seconds. I would assume it is not the bulb if i can still see a picture.


That's good news and bad news. Good news is that your ballast is fine. Bad news is your bulb is done. You need a new bulb. From my experience, old generation bulbs tend to shatter when they are broken. New generation bulbs tend to force TV shut down after 20 to 30 seconds.

Yes, there is a sensor inside the TV just above the lamp box to monitor if the lamp output any light. If not, it will turn off TV automatically.

He says he can still see a picture - meaning the bulb is providing light output for 30 seconds. Right?

Pull the bulb and look at it - it takes like 10 seconds to do so. Then you can rule it out if it's not broken.

Foxbat121, why do you say the ballast is fine? What indicates a dead ballast? I only ever blew bulbs, not the ballast.

He says he can still see a picture - meaning the bulb is providing light output for 30 seconds. Right?

Pull the bulb and look at it - it takes like 10 seconds to do so. Then you can rule it out if it's not broken.



My last two lamps behave like this when they died and you can't tell if it's broken or not no matter how many times you pull it out :)



Foxbat121, why do you say the ballast is fine? What indicates a dead ballast? I only ever blew bulbs, not the ballast.

I blew one ballast ($$) and three bulbs. Ballast is only activated for a short period during initial lamp ignition time. If your lamp fires up in a few quick seconds, your ballast is fine.

My last two lamps behave like this when they died and you can't tell if it's broken or not no matter how many times you pull it out :)

I blew one ballast ($$) and three bulbs. Ballast is only activated for a short period during initial lamp ignition time. If your lamp fires up in a few quick seconds, your ballast is fine.

Ahh, okay - that makes sense then. My bulbs died extremely violent deaths - the filament/glass bit exploded into a million bits inside the lens housing.

Ahh, okay - that makes sense then. My bulbs died extremely violent deaths - the filament/glass bit exploded into a million bits inside the lens housing.

That's how my first one died. However, the newer ones do not implod like that.

thanks for the responses, i took the bulb out and it appears to be fine with no shattering of any sort but from what Fox claims, it doesn't necesarily have to shatter to be a dead bulb right? For the 30 seconds or so when it turns on, the bulb does light up very bright but it will then shut itself off. So can we conclude that the ballast is fine and the bulb is dead?

Well, no one can give you definitive answer for this. You just have to suck it up and buy a new bulb to try it out yourself.

can someone point me towards a place to buy a replacement lamp? Someone who has purchased a lamp bulb from a certain place that has a good price and reputation? I tried googling this and found a few places but uncertain of their reputation as a seller. Also i see people selling just the lamp bulb or the whole lamp assemble. Is it ok to just buy the lamp bulb?

Thanks again

If you bought only lamp bulb, you need to do some work by yourself to replace it inside the lamp assembly. Last time I looked at the assembly, it didn't seem to be an easy job.

Got my PT-50LCX70 today. 20 Days after I mailed in my claim form. The delivery guy didn't even verify my 3rd lamp was bad.

So do any of these replacement sets do split screen viewing, how do the features match up to the PT50LC13.

So do any of these replacement sets do split screen viewing, how do the features match up to the PT50LC13.

I can't speak for the LiFi set everyone seems to be getting, but I got my 56" DLP over the summer, and I love it. Don't use the split-screen PIP much, but it does have it. HDMI input, too. There's a user forum around here somewhere, but it's been pretty quiet (guess we're all busy enjoying our new sets).

Hi All, I've been reading the site to remind myself of all the heartache I've gone through in the past 3 years. I guess I'm one of the lucky ones, I got my replacement PT-50LCX70 yesterday. BTW, how long does it take to get the check for the lamp replacement?
720P doesn't bother me, probably superior or equal to 1080i.
If the contrast or picture bothers you, I got some custom settings from a self described Geek off the internet. Here they are:
Lamp +20
Picture +18
Brightness +5
Color -2
Tint +1
Sharpness +10
Color Temp normal
Color Mgmt on
Al Picture on

Pro Setting
Al Brightness mid
Black Extension +5
W/B high R 0
W/B high B 0
W/B low R 0
W/B low B 0
Video NR off
Block NR off
Mosquito NR off
3:2 Pulldown on

If you don't like them you can always reset. I haven't tried it yet but I will.

Okay, I received my replacement set one week ago -- 50" LCX70 LIFI -- and after using the calibration settings posted here earlier the set looks great. But I have to admit being pretty PO'd and confused when the delivery guys showed up with it after being told by three different Panny reps that I would be getting the 56" DLP. The delivery guys could only say that Panasonic sent them this TV to deliver to me and no other info was given. I then called Panasonic HQ and left message and was told I would receive call back. The next day I received a call saying that the 56" DLP inventory was gone and that this 50" was what was now being sent out as the replacement set.

I'm glad I didn't tell the delivery guys to take it back because now it sounds as though Panasonic just wants to finish this matter and put it far behind them. It's not a bad set, but just not what I was expecting. Luckily I'm feeding it a strong signal so the picture looks exceptional. As compared to a 1080p? I've never seen one in action, but from what I've read the difference isn't so great that I am going to lose any sleep over it.

Okay, I received my replacement set one week ago -- 50" LCX70 LIFI -- and after using the calibration settings posted here earlier the set looks great. But I have to admit being pretty PO'd and confused when the delivery guys showed up with it after being told by three different Panny reps that I would be getting the 56" DLP. The delivery guys could only say that Panasonic sent them this TV to deliver to me and no other info was given. I then called Panasonic HQ and left message and was told I would receive call back. The next day I received a call saying that the 56" DLP inventory was gone and that this 50" was what was now being sent out as the replacement set.

I'm glad I didn't tell the delivery guys to take it back because now it sounds as though Panasonic just wants to finish this matter and put it far behind them. It's not a bad set, but just not what I was expecting. Luckily I'm feeding it a strong signal so the picture looks exceptional. As compared to a 1080p? I've never seen one in action, but from what I've read the difference isn't so great that I am going to lose any sleep over it.How would you compare the PQ with the PT-50LC13, is it better or worse, and the features how do they compare. did the old TV do anything this one cant?

Thanks

can anyone tell me where you buy a replacement lamp for my set? Should i only buy the lamp bulb itself or the whole housing set? Is it difficult to replace if i only buy the lamp bulb and use my existing housing?

I think the PQ is more color rich and detailed on the new set. When I first got the LC13 four years ago there wasn't nearly the availability of HD sources like there is now. Before my final bulb blew out I only had a few weeks of real HD viewing and it looked great, but I think this new model shows a broader spectrum of color and detail.

There's no PIP or screen split. What I really like about this though is that you don't have to press the TV input key multiple times to get to your other components like the VCR and DVD. When you press button the TV/Video button a drop down menu appears and you can then arrow down to what you want. You can either hit enter or leave it there and it will go automatically to your chosen component.

The remote control has the standard Recall, Rapid Tune, Favorite and Aspect Ratio keys and some others I have not explored because I haven't needed to yet since I use a universal different remote for all of my equipment.

So far my impression is that it is a good television. Hopefully the bulb will last as long as they claim it will. There is a 5-year warranty on it. One-year for everything else according to the Panasonic rep I spoke with.

Here’s my story:
After following this saga for the past year, I finally had my third bulb blow and was excited about getting a replacement set. My claim was received by the settlement group on 10/1, processed and sent to Panasonic on 10/10. They told me Panasonic had until 11/29 to get me the new set.

I was expecting the 1080p 56” DLP but as I continued to follow this thread it became fairly clear that I would end up getting the 720p LIFI PT-50LCX70. I started looking at specs for that model and it dawned on me that this set doesn’t have split or pip feature. :eek: I was dumbfounded. Who doesn’t make tv’s with pip/split screen nowadays. So basically I’d be getting a set with the same resolution and screen size, but with fewer features. Definitely a downgrade for me since the split screen is my favorite feature used almost every day. The wife will be watching her show with sound on one side and I’ll be watching sports on the other side.

Because of this, I immediately wanted to change to the rebate certificate remedy, but I feared it was too late. I called the settlement company and they told me to contact Panny since it was now in their hands. I talked to a rep at Panny who said that the claim had already been processed and nothing could be done and that I needed to talk to the settlement group. I asked for his manager and eventually convinced him that if the replacement hadn’t shipped yet there was no reason he couldn’t cancel it. He finally agreed and said he needed to check with the warehouse and would call me back the next day. I was a bit skeptical but I got everything documented and got a case number. Lo and behold, I got a call the next morning by the same guy and he confirmed that the tv hadn’t shipped and that he had cancelled the order. (By the way at no time was he able to tell me which model was slated to be shipped.) I then called the settlement group to change the remedy to the rebate certificate. They needed the request in writing (which I faxed to them) and they had to contact Panny to confirm that no tv had shipped. As of 11/19, they had everything confirmed and said that they would be sending me the certificate by 11/29.

This means that I’ll have to spend at least $500 on a new tv (cert is $1000 good towards a tv costing $1500 or more) but at least I’ll get the features that I want. And I get to keep the old set, which is not a bad trade-off. The certificate is good for one year and there are no restrictions on where i buy from as long as I have a receipt showing model and purchase price.

I want to send out special thanks to everyone who posted on this thread as it has helped me immensely in resolving my tv issue. By the way the people at the settlement group in Seattle are very forthright and helpful. Their direct number is 888-404-8013. You’ll get a live operator; ask for the Panasonic TV Settlement rep. I dealt with Marge and Sam. Good luck to all.

I am curious if any one has looked into the new Panasonic 50" Plasma tv TH-50PZ750U? I too am considering changing from the replacement TV option to the rebate option and was looking at the above mentioned TV as the one to purchase (best price I have seen so far is $2300).

Attn: Procrastinators

Today is the last day to submit your claim! Don't forget to claim any lamps you you paid for out of pocket.

I just found this thread today and have had 3 bulb failures (though Best Buy warrenty covered them) - Im out of warrenty now and cant afford the bulbs so hopefully they'll get me the claim form soon - lame how they wont allow you to download the form off the internet!

jukester - thx for the phone # to Sam - he was awesome - Ive got limited time to get mine done and he is helping me out - I might be SOL as I have only had 2 bulb failures in 4 years, but Panasonic will come out and check my set to make sure.......Id like to get the rebate and not the 720p set.

So there is no 'new' bulb that lasts longer in these sets?

Sam was very helpful and allowed me to fax my information in - I hope Panasonic shows a bit of mercy and gives me the rebate with *only* 2 incidents.

I was just informed that i will be receiving my set tomorrow. I had a PT-60lc13. I will be receiving a PT-61DLX76. I chose LCD 4 years ago because i saw rainbows on the DLP. I will be peeved if this is the case with my new set. I am happy to get a 1080p though. HDMI is also a welcome upgrade.

I haven't noticed any rainbows on my PT-56DLX76, only a glorious picture and deep blacks. :)

The pos failed! My PT-50LC13 took a dump, its 14 days after the deadline (not that it would have been covered) looks like the light engine, I have vertical bars across the screen, and strange red lines, from what I'm reading around here its the light engine, the same one replaced by CC early this year.
The extended 4 year warranty purchased at CC ran out 9/21/07.

I wasn't expecting a new TV for the holidays:mad: at least I'll be rid of this lousy pos, not a good time for it, it will be the last Panasonic ever for me.

Not sure if I will go with another RPTV, maybe I can salvage the stand....

The pos failed! My PT-50LC13 took a dump, its 14 days after the deadline (not that it would have been covered) looks like the light engine, I have vertical bars across the screen, and strange red lines, from what I'm reading around here its the light engine, the same one replaced by CC early this year.
The extended 4 year warranty purchased at CC ran out 9/21/07.

I wasn't expecting a new TV for the holidays:mad: at least I'll be rid of this lousy pos, not a good time for it, it will be the last Panasonic ever for me.

Not sure if I will go with another RPTV, maybe I can salvage the stand....

Wouldn't the replacement part be warranted for some period of time? Say a year?

Oh, and BTW, did anyone see the firesale at BB on the PT-56LCZ70? 56" 1080p LIFI set for $999... makes you glad you took the replacement set after paying almost $3000 a few years ago eh? :mad:

Wouldn't the replacement part be warranted for some period of time? Say a year?


Its worth asking, I will call CC. With my luck they will say 90 days.
I think this was a salvaged part.

I got my 50" LIFI 720p Set, and the reimbursement check.

Thank You Aragachi

I got my $1000 rebate check today - THX everyone for posting this - I found it on the last day!!!! Now trying to figure out if the 61" PT-61LCZ70 is a good set - its on sale for under $1500 so I need to find a place to sell it to me for $1501 ;)

Got my rebate yesterday. My pt-50lc13 is still going strong on its 5th bulb, and my CC extended warranty expires Nov '08. I'll be dumping this puppy and picking up a $1501 1080p Plasma set in Dec '08 ;)

I elected to receive the $1k rebate check and just received my rebate certificate yesterday. It says "$1000 rebate for the purchase of a panasonic television set with a retail price of at least $1500." Does anyone know the specifics of what they mean by a retail price of at least $1500? I'm wondering if the tv has to be $1500+ before or after taxes or if you can buy a tv with a msrp of 1550 which is on sale for $1299. If anyone could clarify, it would be much appreciated.

I elected to receive the $1k rebate check and just received my rebate certificate yesterday. It says "$1000 rebate for the purchase of a panasonic television set with a retail price of at least $1500." Does anyone know the specifics of what they mean by a retail price of at least $1500? I'm wondering if the tv has to be $1500+ before or after taxes or if you can buy a tv with a msrp of 1550 which is on sale for $1299. If anyone could clarify, it would be much appreciated.

Well you can trust the yahoos on this message board (no offense) with your 1000 bucks or you can call the claim admin.

Well you can trust the yahoos on this message board (no offense) with your 1000 bucks or you can call the claim admin.

Ha, yeah I'm with you. I just received it yesterday and obviously their claims dept isn't taking calls over the weekend. Just wondering if anyone had a chance to ask them yet. Thinking about getting the 42" 1080p plasma which circuit city has for 1551 out the door but didnt know if that qualifies since it's under 1500 before taxes, etc.

We received our replacement PT-50LCX70 on Xmas eve. Hopefully this saga is behind us.It seems to have good color etc. Manual refers to 1080. So I am confused as to why the posts say its a 720? We have comcast cable with a hidef box so have it hooked up via an HDMI cable & optical to a denon receiver for audio. I assume that we ignore most of the settings & options in the manual since it comes in via cable right? Anyone know what these sets are worth? We paid 3 grand for the other in Dec 03. I assume if we do have any warranty problems on the new one our proof is the delivery slip right?

Lastly we have an extra PT-50LC13 bulb used from March till Dec. that we'd like to see if anyone is interested.

This was on a web site about the TV.
The LCZ70 series is a step up and also uses the LIFI technology. It consists of three models--the 50-inch PT-50LCZ70, the 56-inch PT-56LCZ70 and the 61-inch PT-61LCZ70--all of which feature glossy black styling. They're also all 1080p TVs,

We received our replacement PT-50LCX70 on Xmas eve. Hopefully this saga is behind us.It seems to have good color etc. Manual refers to 1080. So I am confused as to why the posts say its a 720? We have comcast cable with a hidef box so have it hooked up via an HDMI cable & optical to a denon receiver for audio. I assume that we ignore most of the settings & options in the manual since it comes in via cable right? Anyone know what these sets are worth? We paid 3 grand for the other in Dec 03. I assume if we do have any warranty problems on the new one our proof is the delivery slip right?

Lastly we have an extra PT-50LC13 bulb used from March till Dec. that we'd like to see if anyone is interested.

This was on a web site about the TV.
The LCZ70 series is a step up and also uses the LIFI technology. It consists of three models--the 50-inch PT-50LCZ70, the 56-inch PT-56LCZ70 and the 61-inch PT-61LCZ70--all of which feature glossy black styling. They're also all 1080p TVs,

The tv you received is a 720p model - it's part of the LCX series, not LCZ. It has a native resolution of 1280x720 - you can feed it a 1080 signal, but it will scale it to 720p.

The model you received, PT-50LCX70, doesn't officially exist - you won't find it mentioned on Panasonic's website except in one place - it was first mentioned in the first announcement Panasonic made about the LIFI sets. They never officially put it into production, but somehow, they must've made an initial run of them, as that's what they're handing out to settlement recipients.

It's good to hear you like the picture quality on it, but I fear you have a bit of a nightmare ahead of you when you need service on this set, if only because the model number is not in the system anywhere.

The pos failed! My PT-50LC13 took a dump, its 14 days after the deadline (not that it would have been covered) looks like the light engine, I have vertical bars across the screen, and strange red lines, from what I'm reading around here its the light engine, the same one replaced by CC early this year.
The extended 4 year warranty purchased at CC ran out 9/21/07.

I wasn't expecting a new TV for the holidays:mad: at least I'll be rid of this lousy pos, not a good time for it, it will be the last Panasonic ever for me.

Not sure if I will go with another RPTV, maybe I can salvage the stand....

Update on an old post.

CC told me to pound sand on the expired warranty. So I went to CC (yes they had the lowest local price) and purchased a new Sony KDS-60A3000 back on 12/17/07 love it, it fit the old stand, it was 1/2 the panasonics price new. I sat the panasonic in the garage not wanting to dump it, maybe its all the money I spent on it, that makes me keep it as a reminder to a failed warranty.

Today I had to try it one last time, after replacing the cord my lab chewed off, I turn it on and no vertical bars? its been sitting unplugged two weeks. Now I don't know if I should take it to a repair guy, maybe it can be salvaged.

Maybe I can hang it over the SXRD as a monitor, some how I think these bars will be back but, perhaps its not the light engine maybe some color control board that wont cost an arm and leg. The saga continues.

Update on an old post.

CC told me to pound sand on the expired warranty. So I went to CC (yes they had the lowest local price) and purchased a new Sony KDS-60A3000 back on 12/17/07 love it, it fit the old stand, it was 1/2 the panasonics price new. I sat the panasonic in the garage not wanting to dump it, maybe its all the money I spent on it, that makes me keep it as a reminder to a failed warranty.

Today I had to try it one last time, after replacing the cord my lab chewed off, I turn it on and no vertical bars? its been sitting unplugged two weeks. Now I don't know if I should take it to a repair guy, maybe it can be salvaged.

Maybe I can hang it over the SXRD as a monitor, some how I think these bars will be back but, perhaps its not the light engine maybe some color control board that wont cost an arm and leg. The saga continues.

Put it on a skateboard and let it roll down the driveway, then shut the garage door, have a twinkie and go to bed.

I recieved the class action lawsuit form many moons ago and ignored it. Silly me. Now I'm not sure what I missed out on. I purchased my PT-50LC13 on 04/03/04 and my third lamp replaced on 11/15/05. My fourth lamp was replaced 12/22/07 and burned out the next day. I just plugged in a fifth lamp today and we'll see. All lamps covered under BestBuy extended warranty, expiring on 04/03/08. I clicked on the class action link, but the deadline had expired and no info was available there. I wasn't sure what I was entitled to, but it seems moot now. :(

Short of paying BestBuy for an additional 3 year warranty extension at $398.88, what are my options at this point?

I recieved the class action lawsuit form many moons ago and ignored it. Silly me. Now I'm not sure what I missed out on. I purchased my PT-50LC13 on 04/03/04 and my third lamp replaced on 11/15/05. My fourth lamp was replaced 12/22/07 and burned out the next day. I just plugged in a fifth lamp today and we'll see. All lamps covered under BestBuy extended warranty, expiring on 04/03/08. I clicked on the class action link, but the deadline had expired and no info was available there. I wasn't sure what I was entitled to, but it seems moot now. :(

Short of paying BestBuy for an additional 3 year warranty extension at $398.88, what are my options at this point?


With the last Bulb replacement BestBuy did for me the repair guy told me that new warrenties will cover 1 bulb during the life of coverage, not unlimited like before so before you extend it I would double check that as $300 would cover 1 bulb replacement.

The $1000 claim form indicates that the set must cost over $1500 not including taxes/shipping/warrenty/tip/etc......

I recieved the class action lawsuit form many moons ago and ignored it. Silly me. Now I'm not sure what I missed out on. I purchased my PT-50LC13 on 04/03/04 and my third lamp replaced on 11/15/05. My fourth lamp was replaced 12/22/07 and burned out the next day. I just plugged in a fifth lamp today and we'll see. All lamps covered under BestBuy extended warranty, expiring on 04/03/08. I clicked on the class action link, but the deadline had expired and no info was available there. I wasn't sure what I was entitled to, but it seems moot now. :(

Short of paying BestBuy for an additional 3 year warranty extension at $398.88, what are my options at this point?

Sorry to say, but that train has left the station. I still have my PT-50LC13, on my 4th bulb, under CC ext warranty through Dec 08. Difference is, I now also have a $1000 rebate certificate towards a >$1500 Panny TV :D

Options are: Skateboard idea above, 'Office Space copier'-like destruction, continue to pay for bulbs, or make Best Buy give you a different set, claiming the one you have is a lemon ;)

BTW, I'm fairly certain Panny provides a 1-year warranty on the bulb, so you'd only have to outlay ~$300/year for bulbs...

I just confirmed on the phone with a BestBuy rep that if I renew thier Performace Service Plan, it will only cover only 1 lamp replacement per PSP from then on. If I had known at that time that BB would change thier PSP policy when it came time to renew, I probably would not have bought the Panny to begin with. :mad:

Are there any hardware mods that allow the use of cheap Home Depot halogen bulbs instead? :confused:

I just confirmed on the phone with a BestBuy rep that if I renew thier Performace Service Plan, it will only cover only 1 lamp replacement per PSP from then on. If I had known at that time that BB would change thier PSP policy when it came time to renew, I probably would not have bought the Panny to begin with. :mad:

Are there any hardware mods that allow the use of cheap Home Depot halogen bulbs instead? :confused:

I just called (888)Bestbuy to verify what I was told earlier and I was told by a PSP supervisor that if the PSP was purchased with the Panny before a specific cut off date (sometime in 2006, I forget when) those people will retain the terms of the original contract, included unlimited lamp replacement. In my case, I'm covered.

Their phone bank reps need better training, for sure. :confused:

Moral of the story:
1. Talk to a PSP supervisor to verify if you actually qualify for unlimited lamp replacement under the original PSP when you renew.

2. Make sure they place a note of it on your PSP record with the supervisors name and his/her identification number regarding unlimited lamp replacement on your PSP recorded before you renew.

What sucks is that that the supervisor was unable or unwilling to send me a written confirmation of unlimited lamp replacement entitlement. That's a blemish of BestBuy and I would never buy another high expense item from them again on that alone. :(

All things being equal, I like the Panny and, in my case, the $398.888 for a 3 year renewal is cheap insurance if anything really expensive goes wrong. :)

I am curious if anyone else has had a problem getting a status update on an approved claim. I was told that my claim was accepted by Panasonic on 11/20 and that Panasonic had 30 days to deliver my replacement TV. That date (12/20) has come and gone and I can not get a straight answer from the claims administrator on what the status of my claim is. If anyone else is having this roblem, I suree would like to know or if anyone has any suggestions, I am open to them!

I'm interested in replacing the lamp in the TY-LA1000 projector housing so that I can save a few bucks so that I may have a spare lamp on hand. Although no mention of a replacement procedure was provided, I found a source for a replacement lamp for $135 at:
http://www.bluestar-online.com/TY_LA1000_Panasonic_Replacement_DLP_Lamp_p/ty-la1000.htm?gclid=CN-QjdmJ25ACFRFaQAodLGweIw

Does anyone here have instructions or can describe the procedure to disassemble a TY-LA1000 lamp housing and so that I may swap in a fresh lamp?

That's good news and bad news. Good news is that your ballast is fine. Bad news is your bulb is done. You need a new bulb. From my experience, old generation bulbs tend to shatter when they are broken. New generation bulbs tend to force TV shut down after 20 to 30 seconds.

Yes, there is a sensor inside the TV just above the lamp box to monitor if the lamp output any light. If not, it will turn off TV automatically.

Sadly, my PT-50LC13 started exhibiting these symptoms last night.:( I would be willing to spend the ~$135 to replace the bulb in the existing housing if it wasn't too difficult to do. Anybody have any advice on the level of difficulty?

Sadly, my PT-50LC13 started exhibiting these symptoms last night.:( I would be willing to spend the ~$135 to replace the bulb in the existing housing if it wasn't too difficult to do. Anybody have any advice on the level of difficulty?

I did a quick search of the avsforum.com

Look here:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showpost.php?p=12264917&postcount=298

and here:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=771075010221380966

Nice find on the video bobg!

Thanks for the great advice, bobg3723. I can see I will have to refine my search skills.

Ive seen a few folks post the amount of hours between bulb failures on these Panasonic sets - the last time my bulb blew I asked the Best Buy tech if he could tell me how many hours were on the lamp - he told me that he didnt think these sets indicated hours on the lamp - he only knew where to go to 'reset' the counter, but it didnt show hours - Anyone know the sequence to show lamp hours? Just curious where I am at - replacing the bulb for $135 doesnt look like a bad option for another 2 years of service ;)

I got lucky finding that info. I didn't find anything through my search engine, but on a whim searched the threads on the avsforum forums and bingo.:D

Anywho, I should be getting the lamp by snailmail mid week. I'll cobble up myself one as a spare and chuck it in the old panny and give it a whirl. One thing I did notice was that when I plugged in my replacement from BestBuy a few days ago, the suble shades of black look a little bit better. I guess as these lamps age, thier luminosity dims and the darker shades loose their gradations.

Ive seen a few folks post the amount of hours between bulb failures on these Panasonic sets - the last time my bulb blew I asked the Best Buy tech if he could tell me how many hours were on the lamp - he told me that he didnt think these sets indicated hours on the lamp - he only knew where to go to 'reset' the counter, but it didnt show hours - Anyone know the sequence to show lamp hours? Just curious where I am at - replacing the bulb for $135 doesnt look like a bad option for another 2 years of service ;)

A quick look through my original owner's manual (PT-50LC13/PT-60LC13) circa April '04 didn't provide any function for OSD of lamp hours of usage. It mentions an OSD warning that the lamp needs replacing and the meter needs to be reset. It didn't even give a procedure for resetting the meter or replacing the lamp. :eek:

The manufacturer/aftermarket replacement lamp/projector packaging DOES come wth a pamphlet with the procedure for lamp replacement and resetting the lamp timer, but says nothing about displaying lamp hours. :confused:

Perhaps someone else here can answer that one and give thier Panny model number and build date.

Ive seen a few folks post the amount of hours between bulb failures on these Panasonic sets - the last time my bulb blew I asked the Best Buy tech if he could tell me how many hours were on the lamp - he told me that he didnt think these sets indicated hours on the lamp - he only knew where to go to 'reset' the counter, but it didnt show hours - Anyone know the sequence to show lamp hours? Just curious where I am at - replacing the bulb for $135 doesnt look like a bad option for another 2 years of service ;)

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=353230&highlight=panasonic+class+action

Right here in this thread 1st post.

Jim

Now my LIFI nightmare begins (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=12828050#post12828050)... I swear I'll never buy another Panasonic product!

This is an odd question I know. But I ordered a lamp for my pt50lc13 for a spare in case the lamp i'm using now fails. I always like to have a spare on hand b/c I hate waiting for them to send me one. Well I got my spare today took it out of the box and tested it and it worked fine but for the life of me I cant remember how to pack it back. Does anyone remember if the lamp if placed in the box with the bulb part face down or face up?

Thanks

Nice find on the video bobg!

Saved that puppy, as bulb #3 never did blow for me, got a new Light Engine under warranty, and though 1080p sets are tempting, I'll stick with this one for a while.

I HATE BEST BUY SERVICE!!!!


I missed the Panasonic suit due to the company BB contracts to do home service lost their computer and back up and I only had copies of 2/5 replacements they serviced. I was never given any paperwork and I had to hound them to get the 2 I have.
I called Best Buy service about getting them to replace an obvious lemon of a set on their No Lemon policy. The bank CSR just kept repeating the bulbs are not covered and that she only showed 2 calls from myself. I got a supervisor and she said she only had 3 calls, the 2 during the first year were not recorded obviously. After being on the phone for over an hour all I got is pissed! This frustrates me so bad that I have a set that has had 5 bulb replacements and would have been replaced by Panasonic had the service company (I did not choose) provided me with documentation, either at the time of service or when I called them, but due to their incompetence (their storage computer crashed w/o a back up) I am out a tv, and the no lemon extended policy I bought is not worth the paper it is thermally printed on.

Hi,

Anyone here still have thier Panasonic RPTV and want to sell a light engine part from thier TV? I am in need of a Polarizer for the Blue LCD.

Duane duanetr@sbcglobal.net

Update: I received a new blue polarizer unit from Panasonic. I installed it
and it fixed my problem!!!!

My $1000 rebate form from the settlement group expires in just over 3 weeks, and I find myself reluctantly in the market for a new Panny plasma - I refuse to let them keep that money!

Anyways, was wondering if anyone has had luck getting the money back from the settlement group, how long it took, and what you supplied as proof of purchase (did you have to provide anything like a upc from the box?)

Thanks!

I have now had the new PT50LCX70 for almost a year. We knew right away that it was not as nice as the old picture, not to mention it is black and everything else is silver! It is now taking longer and longer to turn on. Has anyone attempted to return this set to Panasonic and get the $1000 rebate check?

My lamp finally went out and I replaced with new lamp, that I installed into the old casing.

Final totals on lamp: 14552 hours!
LOP: 3324

A friend of mine has a PT-50lc14 with a "Lamp needs to be replaced and counter reset' Where is the best place to get a lamp and is the counter easily reset?

Thanks in advance

I've used this guy and have been very satisfied - http://www.bulbsolutions.com/ - as far as resetting try -

With the TV powered off (make sure it's off for a few minutes before trying this, or you'll wait for the customary cooldown period before anything happens if you turn the set off and try this stuff immediately), press and hold both the "VOLUME Down" button on the TV itself and the TV/VIDEO key on the remote control simultaneously for about 7 seconds. The TV will be turned on and it will have a screen of status data atop an active TV channel. To get out of this mode TURN OFF your TV.

To reset try when the above screen is on the TV joggle to hours and hold down the Play (split) button on the remote and hold it down while it resets the counter back to zero.

Good Luck

Hello Folks,
Where do I find the info regarding the class action lawsuit associated with the PT-50LC13? I've replaced 4 bulbs since and wish I had hurd of this earlier...