First post and I have a problem: Mits WD57831

Hello everyone this is my first post and sorry for it to be one asking for help
My name is Dan and me and the wife plunked down some serious coin for our Mitsubishi WD57831 about a year and a half ago. We initially bought a previous Mitsubishi TV but the fan noise was unbearable so we took it back to the dealer and shelled out a few more bills and god the Diamond line version from 2007.

Within 3 months a lamp went out. Tech came out and replaced the bulb and heat sensors. 6 months later tv goes out again and we get a new bulb. 6 months later TV starts going out again randomly at ever decreasing intervals.

I'm sitting here tonight and it has begun shutting itself off about every half hour. I know we are at the end here.

I called the dealer when it started happening and found that we are out of our warranty but they think something is wrong so we get file a claim with Mitsubishi. The tech calls me a month ago and tells me to get the trouble code when the TV shuts off. I oblige and I get a code "34", which he tells me is either a bulb or the light engine. The dealer calls a couple days later and tells me they are trying to get a new light engine but Mitsubishi isn't making it easy.

I get a call from the dealer a couple weeks ago who tells me that Mitsubishi thinks it's the ballast and they are sending a replacement. I continue to wait for them to send the part while my TV is getting increasingly unreliable (now that's a statement; a TV that was never reliable is now even less so).

Basically the point of the story is, does anyone know what the "34" trouble code is? Is it what they told me? Has anyone had any similar problems that they fixed? I did a search but couldn't find anything similar.

We are actually going to buy a new LCD or Plasma tv either way. I don't like unreliable products so I'm going to fix it (hopefully) and then take a huge hit and sell it.

Any advice or insight would be great.

Thanks!

Dan

So are there new lamps that are out that don't fail as often? Something that lasts more than 6 months? Or is it simply a case of "the lamps that fit this tv are old style and fail often"? I'll have to change the power up mode as well, its been on quick start since we bought it. This is the most high maintenance TV i've ever owned. What a pain.

Also, would the way it is shutting off give a clue to whats going on? Basically we never get any warnings, it just shuts off and the red light comes on. Our first lamp experience, the TV posted a warning saying the TV was going to shut off. These recent episodes the TV is just shutting off. On one night last weekend the TV's fan started revving up every few seconds as if it were trying to cool off something and then it would shut off. Last night it simply just shut off without warning twice.

Any ideas?

OK, I changed the power up option and hopefully the ballast will correct the shutoff. I'll probably order a new lamp as well just to be safe. Actually I'll try and get Mits to give me one. They've been pretty good thus far. Thanks for the replies!

Well I just spoke to Mitsubishi because the parts are taking so long. They seem to have cleared up the confusion and it should ship out Monday. They are also convinced that my current lamp is one of the old style and are shipping me a new one next week, free of charge. The TV is out of warranty so I'm really happy...I didn't expect this kind of service from them.