Has anyone had the problem with their AE700 where you turn it on then it just starts to power off, then back on then off again. Now it seems to be off for good. This projector has been working perfectly for about 1 year and 4 months and nothing has changed in the setup.

Thanks in advance for any insight you can provide!

Failed lamps or fans will create this kind of behaviour. Were you getting any failure signs prior to this?

ted

Hi Ted,
The projector wasnt doing anything funky before. My first thought was that it had to be the projector since it was powering off then on again. I guess I should go with the easiest solution first and try a new bulb before sending it back to panasonic.

If I pull the bulb out can I tell if it has gone bad somehow?

I have the same problem. About 16 months old with a little over 1000hrs. I never saw the lamp light come on, and I don't want to buy another lamp if that is not the problem. Have you figured it out yet? Thanks-

My AE700 just started doing the on/off thing. Is it for sure the bulb or the power supply as mentioned? Any way to tell the difference easily?

thx!

I had what appears to be the same problem. After running for several minutes, mine would shut down completely as if the power had been cut off. After waiting several more minutes I could get it to power back up, but it would shut down again moments later.

Turned out to be the power supply. Sent it in for repair under warranty about 3 months ago and have not had any problems since. Still on the original bulb (about 750 hours).

I had the same issue, and it too was a bad power module.

Mine was covered under warranty.

had the same problem and took it to Panasonic and they said it was cause circut problem I think same problem cgengler is talking about when he said power module, mine was under warrenty to thank god...

I had the same thing happen to mine today.it was fine last night. Took it into the shop and said it could 2 weeks. The crappy thing is my warrenty expired in January. Anybody have any idea how much this might cost?

Get this, my warranty had TWO DAYS left when it died!!! Talk about lucky! I shipped it off today to the national repair center in Kansas to be fixed under warranty.

I am curious what this would/will cost to replace the power supply if that's what it is.... if it only lasts one year, it's going to suck replacing it next time/year. I wonder if is a DIY job? Would just need the power supply part number...

ave-

I had the same thing happen to mine today.it was fine last night. Took it into the shop and said it could 2 weeks. The crappy thing is my warrenty expired in January. Anybody have any idea how much this might cost?


I had the same peoblem and they said it was the power supply and something else I dn't remember off hand. Anyways mine was out of warranty and is going to cost me about 400 to get fixed. I don't think I am ever going to buy a projector without a two or three year warranty again.

As bad as $400 seems, the extended warranty was $300 for 3years. Not a whole lot to save :(

Misery loves company and i`m in misery right now.

My projector just started doing the same thing Monday Night, and with the Stanley Cup Playoffs taking place, and my 34" HDTV in the shop as well, life could be better right now :(

My luck with Electronics sucks lately...Anyways, based on what you guys are describing, i assume my problem is power supply related and not the bulb, as when it fires up the first time i can see an image for about 15 seconds before it shuts off, and i would think if the bulb was bad, i wouldn't see anything?

My projector is out of warranty, but as it turns out i have an authorized Panny service center only 8 miles from me, so at least i can save on shipping cost, and hopefully get it back sooner, but the guy told me probably couple weeks range for turn around, which sucks major A**, so much so that i may just buy a Z4, get the 700u back fixed and sell it.

As bad as $400 seems, the extended warranty was $300 for 3years. Not a whole lot to save :(


Fortunately, my power supply issue was within the warranty (just expired a couple of weeks ago). What concerns me the most is that if you spend $400 dollars on a repair such as the power supply, you can easily end up having to spend another $350 or so within a short timeframe if your bulb blows out.

I still don't fully understand why every repair/replacement issue on the projector is about 5 to 10 times more expensive than what I would have anticipated.

I have always avoided extended warranties in the past, but I will definitely consider one on my next projector purchase, especially if I can find one that covers the bulb as well.

i had the same problem with mine. took it in just before the warranty expired. i also had the blue lcd block failing at the same time. thank god that happened when it did.

i've heard of several 700 owners now who've experienced the same power problem.

Power supply going out seems to be a common problem being posted by owners if you look at official thread as well. I had the same issue happen with service center horror story that goes like this:

My ae700 went out about three months ago and took it to local Panasonic service center VSS in Laguna Hills who said would charge $150 just to take a look at projector problem but would apply this charge towards fixing the projector. Well, after a month I called to follow up and they said they were waiting for ballast to come from Panasonic middle of March. 2 weeks later, again I had to follow up on my initiative and they said they got the ballast but the PBS fan is out and waiting for the fan part from Panasonic. 4 weeks later I had to follow up again and service center said yes the projector is ready to pick up and bill would be $450. Wow, this is expensive. Asked if this includes bulb and they said NO. Day later, as I was going to get my projector, technician calls (which is last Friday) tells me the lights are now powering up properly and the faulty item is power supply and told me that my cost now is $560. These guys are imcopetent and told them off that I will take it to Panasonic service center in LA who knows what their doing - hopefully. I told VSS I will pick up the projector tomorrow as is and pay the $150 to get my projector back from service center as obviously I am getting royally screwed. Probably the only thing wrong is power supply and P module I got a quote from Panasonic only costs $109. The projector is out of warranty so what the heck, I can repair it myself as I have the service manual and it's not rocket science to replace it. The fan if I need it is $20 from Panasonic but the Ballast B-Module is $200. Hopefully, the problem is just power supply as many onwer's are posting because the symtom is exactly the same as everyone is describing.

Moral of the story, if your unit is out of warranty and you have the same symtom as descirbed, it's most likely the power supply and you can replace it yourself without getting screwed by service center. I don't mind the $150 learning experience but I do mind the 3 months of wasted time.

For you guys losing one of the color LCD's, make sure it's not just a cracked connector mount on the back of the projector. I have these monster cables which take an ungodly amount of force to insert and this has caused the composite mounts to crack on the PC board, causing one or more of the colors to stop working. If I just wiggle and fidget with it for a while the contacts reconnect and the colors come back. I have not taken it part yet to resolder the joints, I don't know how involved that is. Might save someone a repair bill...

The list just keeps growing, eh? Two months out of warranty and my AE700's power supply failed. The next day it worked for one movie, albeit with a very dim picture so there goes the lamp too. Incidentally, (or not? can't help thinking it's a conspiracy) the lamp timer was at exactly 800 hours when the trouble began. This double-whammy has put me off Panasonic for good. I'll never buy or recommend them again.

Hey guys, I actually work at Heartland, the national service center. I replace these power supplies all the time. And yes, when the 700 does a cycle of powering on and off, it is indeed the power supply that has failed... not the ballast. If you are having trouble with this issue, send your 700 to us.. don't trust a local service center. We keep a large inventory of parts in stock, and our turn time is usually a week or less. We are located in Leawood, Kansas

MrFent, you guys fixed my 700's powersupply, works great, quick turn around, thanks! Still doesn't make me any happier about the premature failure, are the replacement power supplies upgraded in anyway? Or can we expect them to fail again in 6-12 months?

MrFent, you guys fixed my 700's powersupply, works great, quick turn around, thanks! Still doesn't make me any happier about the premature failure, are the replacement power supplies upgraded in anyway? Or can we expect them to fail again in 6-12 months?

we have no way of knowing if they are upgraded or not, we just order them from Japan and they send them to us. When you think about it though, the ratio of 700's we receive for that problem is very small compared to the number of working 700's that are in homes all over America. So this isn't some sort of design flaw in which we know we are going to have to replace every single power supply in every single 700 out there. So hopefully your new power supply will still be kicking hard in 6-12 months or more, but keep in mind nothing is designed to last forever :)

Mr Fent. I am in Quebec City, Canada
My PT is for a long time (40days) to a Panasonic Sercice Center exactly for the same problem describeb in this forum. I give to the repairman the link of many forums, including this forum, talking about Power Supply Problems Issues. The Sv. cnter technical peoples called Pana ingeeners and they reject the Power supply theory and tells svc. center this is a ballast problem. I have to wait again because ballast is in back-order. I doubt this will solve the problem when they will receive the new one and replace in the PT700. One month ago I was able to contact Pana USA by email and they gived me some help but as soon they realized i am in Canada ther refer me to Pana Canada who tells me (final answer) there is no Known Power supply problems with PT700. Panasonic have no trouble historics and, as I am concern, Pana Canada and Pana USA do not collaborate togetrer.

Replacing ballast is a fix i could do myself, I am technician but not specialized in that kind of stuff. But the problem is if I order a ballast by myself and replace by myself they will not refound the ballast if it dont solve the problem. The svc. center do not have this problem because the have arrangement to send back the ballast to Pana. Finally I do not have any other choice, accepting the estimate of the svc. center, 450$, to replace the ballast. They tells estimate is not guarantee, that mean if it dont work i do not have to pay... but it don't give me my PT700. As I could see, there is at least one credible man on that earth aware of the problem. Is there any way to put Service Center in contact with peoples who experienced this trouble? Maybe you??

nothing is designed to last forever :)

But is it too much to ask that Panasonic design something to last more than 800 hours?

But is it too much to ask that Panasonic design something to last more than 800 hours?

Hey I'm with you guys. But we get units in that have well over 2000 hours whose power supplies have never failed. There's really no way to predict when something is going to go wrong.

Mr Fent. I am in Quebec City, Canada
My PT is for a long time (40days) to a Panasonic Sercice Center exactly for the same problem describeb in this forum. I give to the repairman the link of many forums, including this forum, talking about Power Supply Problems Issues. The Sv. cnter technical peoples called Pana ingeeners and they reject the Power supply theory and tells svc. center this is a ballast problem. I have to wait again because ballast is in back-order. I doubt this will solve the problem when they will receive the new one and replace in the PT700. One month ago I was able to contact Pana USA by email and they gived me some help but as soon they realized i am in Canada ther refer me to Pana Canada who tells me (final answer) there is no Known Power supply problems with PT700. Panasonic have no trouble historics and, as I am concern, Pana Canada and Pana USA do not collaborate togetrer.

Replacing ballast is a fix i could do myself, I am technician but not specialized in that kind of stuff. But the problem is if I order a ballast by myself and replace by myself they will not refound the ballast if it dont solve the problem. The svc. center do not have this problem because the have arrangement to send back the ballast to Pana. Finally I do not have any other choice, accepting the estimate of the svc. center, 450$, to replace the ballast. They tells estimate is not guarantee, that mean if it dont work i do not have to pay... but it don't give me my PT700. As I could see, there is at least one credible man on that earth aware of the problem. Is there any way to put Service Center in contact with peoples who experienced this trouble? Maybe you??


Does this service center have any power supplies in stock? If so have them install a new one real quick to test it. It should be fixed. I'm not really sure if there's anything I can say to your service center. I don't work for Panasonic, I just work for their USA national service center.

MrFrent.
I am sorry if you consider our opinion as a personnal attack. I think this is not intensional. As I am concern I really appreciate your help and glad to exchange with a guy aware of the problem. I also agree with you when you say there is a lot of units working well for more than 2000 hours.

I live in Quebec City and it is probably a part of the problem. There is not a lot of PT700 in Quebec CT and the Panasonic service center who have my projector is an authorized dealer having no parts in stock.

Now I just let you know why i am so frustrated!!!?*(&?%%/")((

1- The projector is at the dealer for more than 40 days without finding the problem.
2- I am electronic technician and Last month I finally contact USA Panasonic Cust. Service and they stop assist me as soon as they realized I was Canadian. They only tell (no refer) to contact my nearest Panasonic Can. service center (do you know the nearest is 200miles away) great joke... do you agree.
3-I called Canadian service center (the one 200miles away) telling I am technicianand they refuse to help me saying '' locate the nearest Aut, dealer and ask them to take a look''. I FEEL LIKE A MECHANIC WHO COULD NOT FIX IS OWN CAR.
4-In Quebec CT there is only Aut. Dealers, having no replacement parts. They order from Panasonic and it takes 1 to 4 week each times.
5- Despite the fact I gived link to many forums regarding on/off problem w PT700, the Aut dealer called Panasonic Engeneer and they tells to replace the ballast. I am still waiting for Service Center replace that... ballast and I have doubts it will solve the problem.
6- They refuse to assumate their diagnostic by refusing to ship the ballast to me and fix myself pretending that they will be no refound if it do not solve the problem. I don't have any other choice to ask Dealer to fix the projector just because Panasonic accept to make arrangement with. I doubt I will probably have to fight with the excessive 450$ they want to charge just for the ballast and suspect they will tell me that finally the power supply and the ballast was defect and charge me more$$. (Am I too suspicious)
7- I don't have any idea when my projector will be fixed.

That all for today, Goodnight I am gone

What version of the 700 do you have? Is it a 700U? 700E? I only know of those two. THe 700U is the US version, and the 700E is the European version, and the main noticable difference is that the 700E has a SCART connection on the back. I don't know if there's a Canadian version out there or not. We mostly service 700U's. but every now and then someone will send us a 700E. Of course we can't fix this in warranty, but sometimes the customer will go ahead and pay us for out of warranty service, and we will fix his 700E as well. Both models use the same power supply. The reason I'm asking is if you have one of these two models, and want to pay for the shipping, give Heartland a call and see if you can send it to us. Tell them you know there will be out of warranty charges since you live in Canada. I THINK the power supply costs like $70-80 and our service fee is anywhere from $130-150. There are no guarantees. Keep it in mind. Check out Heartland at http://www.heartlandsi.com/

MrFent,

Thanks for the link. This is a 700U

As per specified the projector at the Dealer for 40 days and having no other solutions (at this specific moment), I gived autorisation to proceed in ballast replacement. Eventually If replacing the ballast not solve the problem i will fight for the 450$ charge and I will try to contact Heartland or other Panasonic parts supplyer and probably order the power supply and fix myself.

Could you comment the 450$ for a Ballast (part and 1 1/2h manwork)? It seems to me excessive!

MrFent,

Could you comment the 450$ for a Ballast (part and 1 1/2h manwork)? It seems to me excessive!


I'd have to check to see what we charge, I don't think it's anywhere near that much.

Hey guys, I actually work at Heartland, the national service center. I replace these power supplies all the time. And yes, when the 700 does a cycle of powering on and off, it is indeed the power supply that has failed... not the ballast. If you are having trouble with this issue, send your 700 to us.. don't trust a local service center. We keep a large inventory of parts in stock, and our turn time is usually a week or less. We are located in Leawood, Kansas

Heartland fixed my 700 4 months ago. It has been perfect ever sense. They have great service.

Fent sound like you may have fixed my 700.

Hi everybody, This is a very technical and fearsome POST ahahah

I email some suppliers and receive quotes for Ballast and Power supply module only. I emailed Heartland without success... no answer. But I received a gift, complete service manual for 700U/700E. I do not want to put MrFent in the ****, (in case of Heartland audit this forum) MrFent is not the source.

The power supply diagram block is in fact 4 modules.
K-P.C. Board is the module with the fuses and switch on the back of the proj.
P-Module is a switching power supply (cost around 100$USD)
B-Module is the ballast (cost around 225$USD)
Q-Module is the controller mounted on the B module (someones call it microcontroller)

When logain2000 say "cost me about 400 to get fixed.", it is probably the B-Module who have been replaced. After looking to the schematic it make sens deffective B-Module cause the on off on off.

Confusing ==Is B-module can be called Ballast by some and Power supply by others??!!

MrFent , if you want continue helping us, I have another question. Just to don't get the wrong term before ordering part, is the power supply you are talking about is the P or B module?

Thanks a butch

Heartland fixed my 700 4 months ago. It has been perfect ever sense. They have great service.

Fent sound like you may have fixed my 700.

I may have, there's only a small number of people who work on projectors.

Hi everybody, This is a very technical and fearsome POST ahahah

MrFent , if you want continue helping us, I have another question. Just to don't get the wrong term before ordering part, is the power supply you are talking about is the P or B module?

Thanks a butch

P=power supply, B=ballast :)

Hi everybody, This is a very technical and fearsome POST ahahah

I email some suppliers and receive quotes for Ballast and Power supply module only. I emailed Heartland without success... no answer.

I'm not sure why you go no response from Heartland whatsoever, but if they HAD responded, they would have told you that they don't give out information like that on parts. Since Heartland is a service center, they do the service. I think the only actual parts that they sell as a whole are the lamps.

can someone post the exact amount that they charge for replacing power supply? I'm not in a rush to replace mine as it turns on after cycling like 5 times. has anyone done it themselves?

Hi sethotterstad,

I did not for the instance but I probably will do in a near day.

My projector is always at the service center. I called them this morning, they answered me replacing the ballast have not fixed the broblem yet... and now it couldn't be worst, the projector refuse to start. They have to call me back again to inform me what next and I will take a decision... trust this forum and fix myself or not. Anayway, I sent my proj more than 1 month ago to a service center hoping they should be able to fix but they don't. Adding to it, I find regrettable the lack of communication Pana have with other service center who have experimented this problem. Together we will find the answer... HUMM. Read my prec. posts for story and parts, I have real quotes this is not a joke but no way to refund if it do not work. I will let you know the results if I fix myself but it could be long because I didn't picked back my projector and following and depending on my decision it could take 2 to 4 weeks for parts delivery.

PS Trust in me and don't call Panasonic to have parts or speek with a tech, the only thing they say is "send it to a sec.center."

Sorry MrFent, I appreciate your help but sadly, my opinion going low, cheap, poor towards Pana. due to a lot of collaterals or chain effects.

MrFent,

What about thermal sensor TH101. TH is abv for Polyswitch man. by Raychem it is a ressettable device. It is situated just where the power supply is feed. My theory is: The internal temp in the projector is relatively low when you power it up for the first time. The proj can work perfectly for a couple of hours. Following, now put the proj in standby mode, I mean just shutting down the lamp without closing power switch on back, the internal temperature is maintained relatively high because the power supply stay powered and emit heat. Then now, powering up the projector makes the internal temperature increase faster (depending also the temp in the room). If it is defect, the power could be shut off before the limit temp is obtain because this temp sensor is pre-heated.

The new power supply is revB. Original model is ETXMM519MBG sub by ETXMM519MBGB.
Maybe the revB is not heating and cannot trig a deffective or bortherline thermal sensor.

If it is, it mean only the sensor is in cause. A max cost of 10$.

MrFent,

What about thermal sensor TH101. TH is abv for Polyswitch man. by Raychem it is a ressettable device. It is situated just where the power supply is feed. My theory is: The internal temp in the projector is relatively low when you power it up for the first time. The proj can work perfectly for a couple of hours. Following, now put the proj in standby mode, I mean just shutting down the lamp without closing power switch on back, the internal temperature is maintained relatively high because the power supply stay powered and emit heat. Then now, powering up the projector makes the internal temperature increase faster (depending also the temp in the room). If it is defect, the power could be shut off before the limit temp is obtain because this temp sensor is pre-heated.

The new power supply is revB. Original model is ETXMM519MBG sub by ETXMM519MBGB.
Maybe the revB is not heating and cannot trig a deffective or bortherline thermal sensor.

If it is, it mean only the sensor is in cause. A max cost of 10$.

I've never seen a temp sensor go bad.

I just submit that because when I simulate troubles to my access control students, I place a bad polyswitch. TH101. And it cause the same problem. I have to specify TH101 is mounted on module P, and there is no schematic for this module in the service manual.

Hy everybody

AUG 19, 2006

Here is just a little survey done with 9 members who posted in that thread.
All these members had on/off problems with AE700. Under the frustration most think about clearing it, and as you can see two of us are so frustrated and finally clear the PT-AE700.

Member-How mutch it cost--For how long-- Satisfied---Comments
1............. ---------------- ... ----------- ... -no----- .... Not fixed yet, too long to fix, ordering Sanyo S4
2............. ---------------- ... ----------- ... --------- .... Waiting to fix
3............. 400 USD ------- ... 4 months -- ... yes ----- .... Tuff 400
4............. under warranty - ... 3 months -- ... yes ----- ....
5............. under warranty - ... 8 months -- ... yes ----- ....
6............. under warranty - ... 1 year ----- ... yes ----- ....
7............. under warranty - ... 1 year ----- ... no ----- .... Sold
8............. 110 USD ------- ... 4 months --- ... yes ---- ... Fixed himself
9............. 260 CND ------- ... 10 days ----- ... yes ----- ... Fixed by local dealer

Thanks to every members

I just skimmed through this thread because my Dad has a 700U and it just started turning on and off during the game tonight. His is no longer under warranty and he doesn't want to spend a fortune or the time having it serviced.

So, how or where can he get his hands on a service manual and power supply? Or if anyone has serviced the projector themselves would you mind posting a walkthrough. Thanks in advance.

Some threads are saying that this might be the bulb. I am confused.

Pointous: What is the status on yours now. Is it fixed?

Also, which service dealer did you deal with. I am based in Montreal.

Thanks

My bulb went out at 720 hours. At 750 hours, the power started shutting off. Now I can't even get it to power on anymore. Fortunately I have it under my Visa card warranty (which I just extended to 5 years). I'll be calling Panasonic for service information...and will be sure NOT to recommend Panasonic projectors to anyone again.

Hi everyone, this is my first post. My AE700E died with the same power on / power off problem. This thread is great however I cannot figure out exactly if it says that the failed module is the power supply or balast ?? Also can anybody from Australia tell me where should I order this part from ?

Does anybody know where to order projector parts such as this AE700 power module in Australia?

HI, Merry Xmast time to all of you.

I was not posting for a long time but i just want to give some news on the PT700 power supply fixed august 06.

It is working fine. Lamp is now over 1200h.

Just wanted to give a big shout out to all of you guys. My AE700E started going on and off, then just wouldn't start again. Seemed like it had to do with the heat, as if it was rested for a whole nite, it would typically turn on, but then off again after a few minutes. The device is about 2 years old and therefore out of warranty. After some research I hit this thread and it sounded like the same symptoms. The problem had to be P-module indeed. After some quick calculations as to how much it would cost to bring the projo to a shop here in Switzerland, I decided to give it a go and replace the module myself, convinced that it was the issue. I bought the service manual for the AE700 online for 7$, and took it apart, to see if the repair was doable (I am no techie). I managed to get all the way down to the P-module, cleaning all the parts from the dust that had accumulated, took a look at the module, nothing seemed off, then put the projo back together. Same issue, on and off. I knew then that the repair was doable. It is relatively easy actually if you have the service manual and the proper tools. I ordered the part for 130 off the internet, had it forwarded to Switzerland by a friend (parts as deliverable only in the States). Took the projo apart again, replaced the P-module, put it back together, tadaaaaaa. Works like a charm again. So, if your AE700 goes on and off, it is most likely the P-module. Repair yourself for less than 150$, you need:

-No particular technical skills
-Some guts and a bit of patience (taking apart and back together takes about 1h30)
-A replacement P-module
-A service manual
-A screwdriver (X), preferably magnetized, as some of the screws are dificult to remove without losing them in the machine

Given that the part number for the P-module has changed from the original, I say panasonic knows about the problem, but refuses to consider it a design flaw, which is bullshit.

Merci beaucoup for the information. If I hadn't extended the warranty on mine to 5 years, I would consider doing the repair myself. Hopefully the P-module won't need to be swapped out a second time!

Mine just broke also, and I'm pretty sure its the same problem so many have reported (bad power module). Based on searching all the forums, I think its best that I replace it myself.

Only problem is that I can't find a copy of the service manual. Can someone post a working link if there is one? Or PM me? I found a broken link to it, and that's all.

I ordered the part directly from Panasonic:
ETXMM519MBGB
http://www.pasc.panasonic.com/epartr/PartsList.asp

I saw other sites that sell it, but it was the same price so I figured I would buy directly from Panasonic.

I just replaced my p module, it turns out to be a pretty easy job. The projector was back up and running great yesterday. I was so happy. Then just one day later, the thing is broken again (same thing it was doing before, power on -> then off -> lamp LED blinks red, no illumination). I know it must be the p-module, because it did the same thing before, I bought a new one, installed it, and it worked fine for a day. Has anyone else ever seen this repair fail again like this? Do you think there is something else defective that is somehow killing the p-module?

I have never abused this projector at all, and only used it for a few hours yesterday with no problems, then it would not start up tonight. I am really upset because its out of warrantee and I just spent hundreds of dollars for a new bulb and a new p-module. I guess I'll try to see if panasonic will replace the p-module they just sent me free of charge but who knows if they will go for that and even then why should I expect a different result? I REALLY don't want to spend hundreds more on this thing by sending it to a repair center that is probably only going to do the same thing I just did.

I really think panasonic should acknowledge this defect (afterall they have a new part number for this p-module, so something changed on it). After this negative experience I doubt I will ever buy another one of their products not to mention the bad publicity they will get from me.

UPDATE: Panasonic is replacing the p-module they sent me last week. I will give this one more try. Still not sure what I'll do if it doesn't work - I'd hate to scrap this thing and I'd hate to pay some repair center on top of what I've already put into this for a projector that is now 3 models out of date. It was a fantastic projector when it worked...

Hi TraderGordo
I hope the new P-module will solve your prblm but did You tell "lamp LED blinks red". If it is... this is not exactly the same problem described in this thread. Problem description is --Do your PT 700 going off and back on by itself (without touching anything)--
If the lamp LED blinks could be different. Without spending more money, check if all fan running properly because each cooling stage have sensors who caused proj to shutdown. Be shure to clean the filter and remove dust on the fan. Finally, it could be the Ballast but I never heard it happened. If you need more help send me priv. message again.

Hi TraderGordo
I hope the new P-module will solve your prblm but did You tell "lamp LED blinks red". If it is... this is not exactly the same problem described in this thread. Problem description is --Do your PT 700 going off and back on by itself (without touching anything)--
If the lamp LED blinks could be different. Without spending more money, check if all fan running properly because each cooling stage have sensors who caused proj to shutdown. Be shure to clean the filter and remove dust on the fan. Finally, it could be the Ballast but I never heard it happened. If you need more help send me priv. message again.

Well I read all the posts from various threads and various different websites, and it seemed like SOME people had the blinking lamp LED and others didn't, but the p-module replacement seemed to fix the issue for both. I'll clean the fans and whatnot this time. But the blinking lamp LED according to the manual means that something is wrong with the circuit? I don't know, I'll give everything a good cleaning. Still not sure why it would have worked fine for one day with the replacement p-module if that wasn't the issue...

Update - got a replacement p-module from Panasonic today, installed the new board. I still couldn't see (or smell) anything wrong with the one I was replacing. But this time I put the new bulb in at the same time (even though the old bulb has not actually died). My theory (guess) is that maybe the old bulb is somehow destroying the p-module (no idea how that could happen though). At any rate, just like last time, projector is working great again right now, I'm using it as I type, picture is great, everything normal. But it worked fine for a day last time. I'm almost afraid to turn it off...

I did look around inside the projector, tested the fans, but there were no problems and they weren't dirty, actually the entire inside of the projector seemed remarkably clean. Air filter was replaced with a new one the last time I swapped out the p-module.

p.s. Panasonic told me they would send the repacement to me via 2 day delivery along with postage to return the bad part. But they actually only sent the return label without sending the part, along with a perplexing letter that said if I didn't return the old part within 14 days my credit card would be charged. I called to ask them why they didn't send the part they said they would send, and why would they charge me for a part they didn't send if I didn't return the old one? Customer service guy was pretty clueless but said they wanted to test the old part before sending another one (OK - I'm fine with that, just tell me that from the beginning and not after the fact, and don't send a letter telling me you will charge me for something you haven't sent). Anyway, I returned the old part, but the pre-paid postage was apparently for super slow ground freight across the country. Eventually they got it, and then after a few days of testing (apparently) overnight FedEx'ed the new one to me. Wacky, wacky company.

UPDATE AGAIN: This time it worked for 2 days before dying. Ugh. I've pretty much had it, but I guess I'll try the repair center.

I've had the AE700 for about two years as best I recall. After a few months the picture seemed dimmer, so I decided to buy another bulb directly from Japan. I installed that and everything worked fine until yesterday when the PJ began the on-off cycling. Because it sits on a high shelf behind the back wall of my HT (in a utility space), I didn't check to see what the LED was doing.

I decided to have a look at the bulb, but wasn't able to examine the innards very closely. The lamp time showed only 84 hours on this bulb, but I decided to install the original bulb again to see what happens (I found a note I had made stating this bulb had 325 hours running time).

Thus far I have run only a short test (maybe ten minutes), but no more on-off action during that time.

I am confused about the underlying cause of the on-off cycling. Is it really a faulty lamp, or the p-module so many have had to replace? My inclination if the problem recurs is to grab one of those bargain priced Sharp XV-Z12000 IIs and take my loss on the Panasonic.

Well from the best I can gather - if you have the red "lamp" LED blinking, your problem is both the p-module AND something else (which is still a mystery to me) - I don't really know for sure. I think some people replaced both the balast and p-module to solve the problem. If you just have the power on/off problem, I THINK there's a good chance you can fix it with just the p-module replacement. The problem you had with early bulb dimming is something else entirely (probably a bad bulb?).

If you (or anyone else reading this) are ever planning to just throw out your ae700 please send it to me for spare parts! I'm kind of determined to keep mine alive against my better judgement. Maybe because it was my first projector and I used to be extremely happy with it and I'm holding on for nostalgia :) I've gotten very good at opening this thing up and removing any part in record time, heheh.


I've had the AE700 for about two years as best I recall. After a few months the picture seemed dimmer, so I decided to buy another bulb directly from Japan. I installed that and everything worked fine until yesterday when the PJ began the on-off cycling. Because it sits on a high shelf behind the back wall of my HT (in a utility space), I didn't check to see what the LED was doing.

I decided to have a look at the bulb, but wasn't able to examine the innards very closely. The lamp time showed only 84 hours on this bulb, but I decided to install the original bulb again to see what happens (I found a note I had made stating this bulb had 325 hours running time).

Thus far I have run only a short test (maybe ten minutes), but no more on-off action during that time.

I am confused about the underlying cause of the on-off cycling. Is it really a faulty lamp, or the p-module so many have had to replace? My inclination if the problem recurs is to grab one of those bargain priced Sharp XV-Z12000 IIs and take my loss on the Panasonic.

Interesting thread.

Because, my AE900 is having the exact same problem.

The twist is - if I pop the bulb out and put it back, it works - for a day. I've to do the same routine the next day - I've done that 3 days now. Just found out from panny, the projector is out of warranty (somehow thought it was 3 years warrnty, not 1 year). The service company they transferred to wants some $130 just to take a look at it - apart from the shipping. Considering that the projector is going for $800 on e-bay not sure, a repair is worth it.

Anyone knows of a local (Seattle) repair place ?

I believe you can find all of their repair centers via their website - but based on what I've read, you are probably better of sending it to Heartland Services (which is probably the place they recommended anyway, because its the place they recommended to me, and I just mailed mine off to them this week). Supposedly they really know what they are doing and have quick (5 day) turn around times.

Some people that went to local repair places said their projector was gone for a month or more, they didn't know how to fix it, replaced parts that didn't need replacing, charged a lot more than expected, or even returned the projector without fixing it.

If the projector is going for $800, and the repair costs anywhere from $200-$400 then its probably worth it. You could also probably sell it "as is" with problem described on eBay, and probably get a few hundred for it I suppose. Either way, a new projector is going to cost you a heck of a lot more than fixing your old one.




Interesting thread.

Because, my AE900 is having the exact same problem.

The twist is - if I pop the bulb out and put it back, it works - for a day. I've to do the same routine the next day - I've done that 3 days now. Just found out from panny, the projector is out of warranty (somehow thought it was 3 years warrnty, not 1 year). The service company they transferred to wants some $130 just to take a look at it - apart from the shipping. Considering that the projector is going for $800 on e-bay not sure, a repair is worth it.

Anyone knows of a local (Seattle) repair place ?

If the projector is going for $800, and the repair costs anywhere from $200-$400 then its probably worth it. You could also probably sell it "as is" with problem described on eBay, and probably get a few hundred for it I suppose. Either way, a new projector is going to cost you a heck of a lot more than fixing your old one.

Well, anyway I was looking to buy a 1080p projector ... and this (1 1/2 years) is the longest I've had a projector - I usually sell off within warranty period. Even my wife was asking how come we haven't got a new projector lately ... :D

Anyway, I need to check whether it is better to get the projector repaired and sell it or sell it as is.

Towards that end, how much does it cost to get the projector repaired - if it is only the power supply that would be replaced ? There was some talk of possibly doing it as a DIY - in that case how difficult is the replacement and how much does the part cost ?

I think that info is in this thread, but this was for the ae700, don't know about the 900. For 700, the part costs about $100+shipping+tax and its pretty easy to swap out yourself. I don't know what the repair center will charge ($130 to look at it, and another $100 for the part? I should know soon).


Well, anyway I was looking to buy a 1080p projector ... and this (1 1/2 years) is the longest I've had a projector - I usually sell off within warranty period. Even my wife was asking how come we haven't got a new projector lately ... :D

Anyway, I need to check whether it is better to get the projector repaired and sell it or sell it as is.

Towards that end, how much does it cost to get the projector repaired - if it is only the power supply that would be replaced ? There was some talk of possibly doing it as a DIY - in that case how difficult is the replacement and how much does the part cost ?

I think that info is in this thread, but this was for the ae700, don't know about the 900. For 700, the part costs about $100+shipping+tax and its pretty easy to swap out yourself. I don't know what the repair center will charge ($130 to look at it, and another $100 for the part? I should know soon).

Heartland Services charged me a total of $274.10 for diagnosis of the problem, replacing the bad part and shipping it back. Fortunately I had paid for my projector with my Visa card and all of this was reimbursed under their free extended warranty policy. :)

Heartland Services charged me a total of $274.10 for diagnosis of the problem, replacing the bad part and shipping it back. Fortunately I had paid for my projector with my Visa card and all of this was reimbursed under their free extended warranty policy. :)

This is exactly what I'm thinking too. I used Amex and apparently they extend warranty by a year. I'll call and check that out ...

Hopefully this is my final update. Hartland shipped the projector back, total cost was $280. They said they replaced the p-module (which I did myself, twice, both times the projector failed again very soon thereafter so I'm pretty sure there is something else that's wrong). Hopefully I won't have to ship it back to them in a day or two. At least their work is warranteed for 30 days, but I still don't want to be out of a projector and paying for shipping when I already told them I replaced the p-module twice. I'm hoping they replaced something else that was also bad :)

EDIT: When I got home and actually opened up the box, there was a note in there saying they replaced a fan. Its good that they replaced something that I didn't. So assuming this works fine again now, I guess its safe to say that a bad fan can also cause power off and blinking red lamp LED indicator light. No idea exactly what the relationship is to the p-module or if the bad fan can somehow blow out the p-module. Note did not actually say that they even replaced the p-module (the note was totally different from what the person who called to get payment authorization told me). They also upgraded the firmware which was nice of them.

I've had the AE700 for about two years as best I recall. After a few months the picture seemed dimmer, so I decided to buy another bulb directly from Japan. I installed that and everything worked fine until yesterday when the PJ began the on-off cycling. Because it sits on a high shelf behind the back wall of my HT (in a utility space), I didn't check to see what the LED was doing.

I decided to have a look at the bulb, but wasn't able to examine the innards very closely. The lamp time showed only 84 hours on this bulb, but I decided to install the original bulb again to see what happens (I found a note I had made stating this bulb had 325 hours running time).

Thus far I have run only a short test (maybe ten minutes), but no more on-off action during that time.



The PJ has been run about 15 hours since going back to the original bulb, and has performed normally. So there must be a flaw in the other bulb. Looks like the on-off-on etc. behavior can be caused by something besides a faulty power supply or ballast.

Well Heartland's fix lasted about as long as my own fix (2 days). Ugh, I'm getting tired of this. I guess they didn't test it very well. Panasonic says I have to let them try to fix it again before they will "discuss" other options. I'm so sick of this company right now I'll never buy another one of their projectors, even their repair center can't seem to fix this thing. When you include the initial price + a bulb + the repair cost, I've got close to $3,000 in this paperweight that only lasted a couple years.

I've sent my 900 to Hartland. I'll know in a couple (?) of weeks how well it works ...

Got the projector back from Heartland last week (again). This time the included paperwork says they replaced the ballast and the p-module (4th time the p-module has been replaced by the way). So in total the balast, a p-module, and a fan have been replaced. They didn't charge me anything this time, and they even paid for shipping both ways so I'm pretty happy about that. I've now been using the projector without any problems for 5 days which is a longer than it ever lasted after prior repairs, so I think its really fixed this time.

Just wanted to give an update for the possible benefit of future people needing repairs - I guess if you have the blinking red lamp LED and you are going to repair it yourself, you might as well replace the ballast and p-module at the same time. If you have the power on-off problem without the blinking red lamp LED you can probably get away with only replacing the p-module. Either way, Panasonic was pretty good about it, they gave me a refund for the p-module I ordered from them and returned when it did not fix my problem so it wasn't a big loss to try to fix it myself.




Well Heartland's fix lasted about as long as my own fix (2 days). Ugh, I'm getting tired of this. I guess they didn't test it very well. Panasonic says I have to let them try to fix it again before they will "discuss" other options. I'm so sick of this company right now I'll never buy another one of their projectors, even their repair center can't seem to fix this thing. When you include the initial price + a bulb + the repair cost, I've got close to $3,000 in this paperweight that only lasted a couple years.

If you have the power on-off problem without the blinking red lamp LED you can probably get away with only replacing the p-module.

It is not 100% sure but following a survey, it work for at least 10 of us.

The power supply diagram block is in fact 4 modules.
K-P.C. Board is the module with the fuses and switch on the back of the proj.
P-Module is a switching power supply (cost around 100$USD)
B-Module is the ballast (cost around 225$USD)
Q-Module is the controller mounted on the B module (someones call it microcontroller)

Took the projo apart again, replaced the P-module, put it back together, Works like a charm again. So, if your AE700 goes on and off, it is most likely the P-module. Repair yourself for less than 150$, you need:


-No particular technical skills
-Some guts and a bit of patience (taking apart and back together takes about 1h30)
-A replacement P-module revB. Original model was ETXMM519MBG sub by RevB ETXMM519MBGB.
-A service manual (recommended)
-A screwdriver (X), preferably magnetized, some of the screws are difficult to remove without losing them in the machine

Take a moment to clean, remove dust, check fans. Be careful to do not move dust on the LCD's panels. Do not touch the bulb. Do not try to adjust LCD (they are setted offset and it is normal). Be careful to residual current on the ballast. Be careful with static.

Good luck.

I only have 277 hours on mine (HT has been in construction off and on) and it just shut off during a movie one night. It then cycled on and off. I had friends over so didn't check the light.

Now when I try to fire it up it runs for a few minutes (or seconds) and then shuts off with the on light flashing. It then cycles on and off with different fan speeds and sometimes lights the bulb and sometimes not. This sounds like the same problem.

I downloaded the service manual at

http://www.eserviceinfo.com/download.php?fileid=25268

(you have to download WinRAR to use the file)

but was wondering if the power supply part is the one mentioned in this thread?

ETXMM519MBGB

On Panasonic's website it calls it a Power Supply PC Board for $101.98?

thanks for the help

1200 Hours on my Panny 700U. My Panny started the drill ON-OFF :mad: . Changed the P-module myself :D and it is working now. Lets see how long it will work :confused:.

fta: mine just started too: Does this sound like your issue?

Mine does not ever stay on long enough to watch something (at most 2 or 3 minutes, and that's after a long cool down). I will occassionally get a red light, though not all the time, sometimes it does show green. and real rarely it will show the red light blinking as I try to coax it into working. Does this sound like your issue too?

Anyone else have any thoughts?

fta: mine just started too: Does this sound like your issue?

Mine does not ever stay on long enough to watch something (at most 2 or 3 minutes, and that's after a long cool down). I will occassionally get a red light, though not all the time, sometimes it does show green. and real rarely it will show the red light blinking as I try to coax it into working. Does this sound like your issue too?

Anyone else have any thoughts?
Yeah that's about what mine did. The part is relatively cheap and the repair is pretty easy.

I'd like to say thanks for this thread and the link to the service manual.
It helped me diagnose and fix my AE700E myself :)
Although the Panasonic service charged me about 130 Euro with shipping for the P-Module :(
Guess I still saved some cash and time this way ...

To me the issue appeared to be tempreture related. At first I could get the PJ to stay on as soon as it heated up. So before ordering the replacement part I tried to re-solder all non-SMD connections, didn't help though.

The PJ was at something around 4700 h runtime when this happend.
Good luck to everyone else coming across this issue.

Raphael

But, if they gave you a "TXANP02VJY7 B MODULE / BALLAST UNIT 198.62" for free than your troubles should be soothed. I'd like to say thanks for everyones input.

Jon8Christine, i seem to have the exact issue you have. When it first started happening the red lamp/fan lights were really dimm and kind of flashing, then i unplugged it and it would come on for 5 seconds then power off, sometimes the fan would just sit there and cool down for about 10 seconds. I ordered the P Module/ Power Board. I will post my response. I will also replace the fan while i'm in there. Part is back ordered till first weed in January at Panasonic $150.00.
I'll let you guys know and please post your resolutions, or PM me.

Thanks

So, i decided to buy the p supply board from panny 115$, i opened my prjector in about 30 minutes and had the p board back in, and it fired right up.
If any of you are having this issue i would try the p board and if it's not the issue return it and sell your panny for parts, they are going on ebay for around 600 dollars, it's not worth the repair the way current prices are going in the market today. over 4 years, 1600 hours and running strong. Good luck all and feel free to PM me for help.

Last thursday my ae700 started cycling on and off, and eventually would not turn on at all. It's about 3 years old and has ~950 hours on the bulb. I phoned Panasonic who told me to take it in to Professional Electronics (their main repair facilility). Brought it in on Monday, and received a call on Thursday saying they had fixed the problem by repairing a couple of capacitors. They also cleaned the fans and did a mechanical realignment of the p-supply. Total cost for the repair was $ 202.00, I'll post how it went when I get my pj home tonight...so far I'm very pleased with the service.

Just an update on my repair, The pj seems to be running better than ever. I just wish the repair shop would've upgraded my 1.3 firmware. They tell me that it's not necessary, they don't seem to be aware of 1.7-and that the hdmi flashes I was seeing were also due to the powersupply. When my 35' hdmi cable from Blue Jeans arrives I'l be able to settle that question....

Hi guys.

I have verified that it is the MC201 (in the servicemanual it´s called MC202) that is the problem. Anybody of you who knows what kind of component this is. I can read MR20T14D28M on the side but I cant find it online. How do I know that this is whats wrong?.
Well I measured the voltage from Pin 11 in A6 and that was only 1.8V when it should be 3,4V. I then took out an icecube from the fridge and cooled the MR201 (MR202) down. Voila!!!!!!! 3.4 Volts and the Power On lamp is lighting up. This stay lit as long as I keep the icecube on the MR201 (MR202). When I remove the icecube i takes about a minute or two before the Power ON lamp goes out.
So my P-module is whats wrong but wouldnt it be nice to get ahold of that component and fix the p-module are selfs?

If any of you know where this component could bee atained from please send me a PM.

P_tre

Please forgive my english since I am Swedish.

Its great that you discovered this, but I have no idea what that part is. If we can find out what it is, it would probably make picking up dead units secondhand very worthwhile. Also note that there may be more than one of these or something similar? In my case, after the p-module replacement, it worked fine for 1-3 days, then failed again until they replaced both the p-module and ballast at the same time.

Resistor networks ?? www.vishay.com

not sure if anyone still has there ae700 but mine just stopped working. i turned it on the picture came on for 10 seconds then the whole pj went dead. no standby light or anything. i unplugged it waited a day and tried again. still no standby light. then last night i try again. no standby light , but this time i pushed the power on button anyway. the standby light went orange, the fan started softly, but no picture. then it went back to being completely dead, no lights or anything. i have downloaded the service manual but am not sure if it's the power supply or balast or something completely different. maybe an internal fuse. i given the cost of fixing it now could be the cost of a second hand one, (were there any , they seem to have dryed up to) i dont want to spend all this money and still have a non working pj. has anyone else had issues similar to mine?

Mine is still sitting un-fixed..It was diagnosed by an authorized Panny service Center which was only a few miles from my House, but I just checked and they are no longer on the Panasonic website as an authorized place anymore.

Chances are they just took my $100.00, as they diagnosed it as the Lamp being faulty, but unless they had another Lamp on hand to actually verify, (which something tells me they didnt) it was probably mis-diagnosed.

I dont feel like farting around with it and spending money to experiment as to the exact problem, and spending $300.00 on a Lamp I amy not even need doesnt thrill me...If anyone needs a parts projector or wants to take a chance, let me know.

I've got an extra lamp I could test out on your projector, but I would be shocked if that fixed your problem so you'd just waste money on shipping. If its the p-module and/or ballast, which it probably is, it isn't really worth the expense of fixing, because your blue polarizer will die soon thereafter :) This projector model is disposable in my opinion, sad to say since I spent so much money on it meanwhile my first generation rear projection HDTV is still kicking butt and looking great after 9 years. I'll buy another projector eventually, but next time I'll try to find one that is a little more durable if it's even possible to determine that... In the meantime I'm still using my repaired, limping, blue polarizer dying, ae700. Trying to get the most out of it before drop kicking into landfill.

I might be interested in your spare Lamp..Was looking to get one with high hours from someone, just so I can verify it IS the Lamp before buying a new one.

My 900u has been a great Projector..< I probably shouldnt say that, cause you know what will happen next.

Just to add my experience to this thread. I too had a AE700u that started doing the power on/off trick. At first, the standby light would illuminate and then get very dim. The projector would start up but usually wouldn't make it to powering on the light. I got online and found this thread among others and decided to try the repair myself. I had an extended warranty, but a good friend had a very similar problem with the same projector and the warranty company (GE) had his projector in limbo for 6 months. I figured if the $113 for the part fixed the issue it was well worth the gain in time.

I ordered the part from Panasonic and installed it tonight. So far so good. The repair isn't necessarily "hard", but there is a particular order you need to follow to get to the P-module. I didn't download the service manual, I just figured I'd open it up and see what I got. It took about an hour to do everything. As another member mentioned, a magnetic screwdriver is invaluable when doing this. I'll let everyone know if the repair doesn't last, but so far so good.

Guess I'll stick with this projector for a little while longer after all.

Hi guys.

I have verified that it is the MC201 (in the servicemanual it´s called MC202) that is the problem. Anybody of you who knows what kind of component this is. I can read MR20T14D28M on the side but I cant find it online. How do I know that this is whats wrong?.
Well I measured the voltage from Pin 11 in A6 and that was only 1.8V when it should be 3,4V. I then took out an icecube from the fridge and cooled the MR201 (MR202) down. Voila!!!!!!! 3.4 Volts and the Power On lamp is lighting up. This stay lit as long as I keep the icecube on the MR201 (MR202). When I remove the icecube i takes about a minute or two before the Power ON lamp goes out.
So my P-module is whats wrong but wouldnt it be nice to get ahold of that component and fix the p-module are selfs?

If any of you know where this component could bee atained from please send me a PM.

P_tre

Please forgive my english since I am Swedish.

Many thanks P_tre, using your information I made an artificial heatsink by supergluing a pound coin to one side of MR201 and 50 pence coin to the other side (I am sure any heavy coins wound be suitable). Projector has been running fine ever since. As a disclaimer I am not suggesting this as a permanent fix (there may even be a risk of fire) but it will keep my projector running until I can get a new board here in the UK. If anyone knows of a supplier of powerboards that will ship to the UK I would be most thankful.

I also fixed my PT-AE700U a couple weeks ago. I bought the power supply module directly from Panasonic and installed it myself without the aid of the manual. It has been working fine ever since.