*Official* Optoma HD20 Thread - Page 126

Is there a sleep timer option on the HD20? I get annoyed when I fall asleep and wake up 5 hours later to find out that the projector is still on.

Unfortunately the HD20 only has an option to turn off the projector if there is no source detected. So if it is playing a movie and the movie is over and it's just at the menu or repeating, it will not shutdown.

Howdy - first post here but I just wanted to chime in with my experience since all the Google searching in the world didn't yield my exact set of symptoms. Hoping to throw enough keywords into this message to help another fella out someday .

My Optoma HD20 was purchased in November 2009, used fairly sparingly, but incrediably loved all the while. About 700 hours in last November, my Optoma HD20 started buzzing loudly at startup. The buzz sound would go away after five minutes, like it was warming up or something (LOL). It acted that way for about 50 hours before it died. So if you have that buzzing sound and you're planning a big party with everyone coming over to watch the game, just know you might only have 50 hours left. The other symptom was an occassional brightness change, not really a color change at all.

Anyway, last weekend I watched the Ravens win the Super Bowl with my immediate family - no party or anything. My wife turned the unit off that night while I was upstairs and it turns out that was the last time it would run. Ironic given the power outage in the Superdome and all.

She's sure it didn't act weird when powering down. No popping or anything. Since that night,, attempts at troubleshooting have all resulted in the indicator lights showing "bad lamp" according to the manual. I didn't think the lamp was bad so I was hoping to simply remove the bulb and put it back in, maybe tricking it somehow to think a new lamp was installed. Long shot, I know. When I got inside the bulb housing, I was surprised to see how dusty it was so that inspired me to open the whole thing up and clean it out.

To open it up, I used a combinatoin of lostsole1976 mesage instructions and a nice YouTube video by capnincredible. Marked the plastic tabs with blue tape, thought I would crack the code and undo the tabs in the correct order to prevent breaking them and become famous in this forum. That failed and I broke one or two . Looks like the three screws underneath will have to serve to thold the whole thing together when I get it back togehter someday. I don't care about the minor cosmetic problem, so I'm confident in the three screws with my overhead arrangement.

As of tonight (when I dissassembled it), it's clear that I have a warped color wheel and that was making the buzzing. I spun the wheel with my finger, as if I was going to clean it with the Q-tip, and that's where you can feel it rubbing at one point. There's actually a crack radiating perfectly straight out too, which almost looks factory built. but that's unlikely, right?

Anyway, it seems clear the next step is a thorough cleaning and a DIY color wheel replacement using an Official Optoma part. Hopefully they've gotten better in the last three years. Maybe I just got unlucky? I loved the unit, realize all brands are sensitive in general, but I'm a bit perturbed how 4,000 hours of lamp life is woth squat if the othre parts wear away. Not to mention, no authorized service centers anywhere throughout the country.

Any other theories out there? Feels strange that the wheel which was previousoy buzzing but working, just stopped working entirely without any apparent change in condition. Maybe the warp finally got bad enough? Maybe that crack is new? Maybe my wheel is bad AND the lamp is bad (seems in tact visually).

I've ramblied on long enough. Thanks for everyone's input on this forum. - Perry

Any one had an issue with there unit going out of focus over time.. I have mine in my basement and it's mounted to the ceiling below my kitchen. There isn't any padding to keep vibration down. If some one is up stairs walking heavy it shakes the projector. I'm thinking that this is causing the focus ring to move some this is the only thing I can think. Any one else have this issue ? thanks.

The color wheel is made of separate colored glass. So it's not cracked. You are simply seeing where the adjacent colors touch on the assembled wheel. It sounds like a manufacturing defect from the start and that it got bad enough over time to cause an issue.

I have only had two Optoma projectors. I had the HD70 (720p) for 3 years. And then the HD20 came out and I got rid of the HD70 and have now had the HD20 for 3 years. I haven't had any issues with either my HD70 or HD20 units. That is just my random experience. Both ceiling mounted the whole time. Not sure that matters. Though the color wheel seems to be a common issue on the HD20 over time based on YouTube videos and thread comments. So that is sounding like a weakness of the HD20 part design/build. A few people have had motherboard issues that required sending the unit in for repair.

Wish I had some actual advice or suggestions for you at this point.

Sounds right to me. I don't have this issue as I don't have a 2nd floor. But the HD20 does have very loose optics. My previous PJ, the Optoma HD70 was in a house with the living room above it and if I was watching a movie with the kids upstairs in the living room, the picture would shake occasionally. But the HD70 had a much firmer optic setup. BUT, the vibration was enough that I did re-focus the unit probably 3-4 times a year. Yet the ultra loose optics on the HD20 in my single story home never shakes and I haven't had to refocus it in 3 years. Other than if I was messing with the screen, etc, of course.

So I could easily see the HD20 getting out of sharp focus with vibrations. Perhaps you can use a small strip of tape to hold it in place?

My ND2 filter is on its way - comparison photos with it on and off to follow.

Not trying to detract from anyone's enthusiasm. But as a photographer I can tell you it is pointless to take a picture of a PJ image cast with and without an ND filter. Of any number. A Neutral Density filter is simply a filter that reduces light intensity without affecting color. Sure there are probably quality differences that may have some ultra slight color shifts.

But the point is, that if you take a photo of a projector with and without an ND filter. If you have the camera an full manual so the exposure is the same between photos, the image will simply look slightly darker with the ND2 filter vs without it. At best it may give the appearance of more highlight detail in the photo, that may not really exist. And if you have the camera on full auto, it will simply compensate for the darker HD2 picture. Either way, it will not capture the perceived image that you see in person.

Example, just tossing out numbers that are not tested. Let's say you have 1000 lumens of white light hitting the screen in pure white areas of the picture. And so you probably have like 50 lumens from the darkest blacks. So the ND2 filter drops 50% of the light. So technically the brightess should be 500 lumens and the darkest 25 lumens. This will make your blacks looks darker. But technically the whole picture is darker. On a white screen in a pitch black room, your eyes will compensate for the lower brightness and the image may look better to you. The overall contrast doesn't really change.

I am pretty sure I didn't take photos of my use of an ND2 filter on my HD20. I did however, post my experience with the filter. I have since removed it. I may put it back on to give it another chance. But for a majority of my watching and game playing, I prefer the image on my white screen without the ND2 filter. I just wish the HD20 had better contrast.

Not saying that you shouldn't post photos. I just want to preface this task with these comments on ND filters so that people realize that any photos you post are sadly not a good indication of the experience they may perceive. Luckily an ND2 filter for DIY use with the HD20 is cheap enough that anyone thinking it may help, should simply buy and try it themselves.

For the record I have a really nice camera, a tripod, know how to use manual settings, and fully understand what an ND filter is and how it works. It is usually used on a camera to reduce the light coming into the lens without changing any colors. It is also used when you can't make the aperture any smaller or shutter speed faster. Also used for shallow DOF as you can increase the aperture without letting in more light. Either way, you're right there is no good reason to show it side by side with and without it on the projector. The contrast will not be changed, just the light output.

I am sure you have a great camera and are a great photographer. Hopefully it didn't sound like I was questioning your equipment and skills.

I love my D300 and I am currently working on using my Raspberry Pi to photograph droplets, if you have seen that article.

http://www.raspberrypi.org/archives/2986 - Here is that link. I have the cable and solenoid. And it's all setup. But I want to use solid state relays or opto-isulator to keep the Pi and D300 electrically separate. I know this author has them electrically connected successfully, but I would rather not.

Hi all
My problem: After change lamp, optoma hd20 five green light blinking and light red lamp(standby), fan and color whell not work(no noise), remote control work if push on button projector responds.
Fix in my case: Button between the bolt holes in the lamp compartment. If this button is not pressed or loose lid pressed (my case) projector flashes five times green led and red lamp lights(standby)

P.S. Sorry for my bad english, i`m from Russia.
Edited by Cookis - 2/25/13 at 2:48am

After lots of reading and trying to find a replacement for my HD1000U, I purchased one of this for ~$700. I'm not into 3D and the throw range is perfect for my setup. I wanted the Benq 1070 (for when I get curious about 3D) but the throw is too short.

Just wanted to post the conclusion to the color wheel problem I wrote about in message 3753.

The color wheel arrived about nine days after I called Optoma customer service (888-942-2929). It was delivered Fed Ex and cost $101 (89 +12 S&H). It was a little annoying that signature was required and that cost me a day but the FedEx partnership with Kinkos made it easy enough to pick up there.

Replacing the color wheel was a little nerve wracking but if you just go slow most folks can do it themselves. I air-blew the whole thing out while I was in there (before putting the new wheel in), put it back together and got quite the thrill when it started up and worked just fine. I was worried about a wrong diagnosis or breaking it worse in the course of fixing it. But for now, it's like new again.

The first color wheel lasted exactly 721 hours so we'll see how this one goes.

Hi all,

I had a problem this weekend with my HD20, and wanted to see if anyone else had experienced anything like this.

I suddenly found that the resolution that displays on the lower right when the source changes, instead of saying "1080p" like normal, was now showing "1900x1080" (or something close). After a lot of searching I found that my receiver was detecting the display as DVI, not HDMI, and there were no supported resolutions listed.

I eventually found a workaround by switching to HDMI 2 as the input on the projector. As soon as I did that, all was right with the world. But I did check back to HDMI 1, and the problem persists there.

This is not a big deal for me, as I only use one input on the projector. However, I am concerned that if there was some failure in the first input, that it might happen to the second also. Have any of you experienced any similar issues with the HDMI inputs on this projector? If so, do you know what the cause of it was?

Thanks,
Chris

First I have seen this mentioned. I haven't seen the issue myself with my receiver. Have you done any testing with HDMI 1? Such as, what is your power on order? I always power on the HD20 first, then the receiver, and then my source(s). Only because in the past with my HD70 and PS3, the video would be black sometimes if I turned on the PS3 and receiver before the HD70 was on.

I haven't seen any issues with power on order with my HD20 and different receiver. So it might have been my other receiver and/or the HD70. But I was wondering if power on order made any difference for your setup when using HDMI 2. Then again, it doesn't really matter, since it seems to work just fine on HDMI 2. But I was just thinking out loud.

Thanks Xenon. I always use the same power on order, pj-receiver-source like you mentioned. I will say that the problem seemed to begin a couple days back when I played a Wii game on my Wii U. That caused the resolution to reset, like it always does when the source changes. When the Wii compatibility mode started up, it showed the weird resolution. I thought it would go back to normal once I was using a 1080p source like my Ps3, but it never did. I don't know if that somehow caused the issue, but that is when it began. Power on order, resetting the receiver or the projector, none of it made the receiver detect the display properly after that. Oh well, using the other input is a fine workaround. I just hope it doesn't happen again!

Hi all

I am bedating getting the HD20 or the BenQ W1100 any thoughts on your experiences with the HD20? I am reading the Audible Noise level is 34dB which is pretty loud compared to the BenQ's 28dB . I have the HD66 mounted directly above my couch (no alternative) and its distracting when watching movies at night since i have to keep the volume lower.

34 db is the high lamp mode and high altitude mode. I run mine at the default "normal" mode. Which is only 28db and I have no issues with the fan sound. My PS3 fan is much louder and I don't even have the original PS3. My xbox is also louder.

But I do see the BenQ W1100 is 27 db max, and 22 db in eco mode.

Though in general the HD20 is significantly cheaper. So unless you have a really good price to buy it or think the cost is worth it, the HD20 wins on value still. But value is in the eye of the beholder when the price is some what close. As I have not seen the W1100 in action, I don't know if the cost is worth it depending on the price difference you have found. I bought my HD20 for $850 new from Costco 3 years ago.

perform upgrade recently, and I'm surprised by the high quality picture by using an anamorphic lens DIY. before I had the HD70 model, brightness and quality was not satisfactory, I have a 120-inch screen. this famous projector HD 20, what I expected to have, taken into account that I have always had 35mm film projectors, and 16mm.

Hey guys I'm looking for a new mount as the visual apex one I recieved is a mess. Does anyone have a simple cheap mount they can recommend. I would be hanging from a flat ceiling. This thread has 126 pages as of now and i did a quick search but way to many post. Thanks

http://www.ebay.com/itm/V7-PM1U40-Universal-Projector-Ceiling-Mount-Black-Up-o-40-lbs-/281041409710?pt=US_Projector_Mounts_Stands&hash=item416f5f96ae

I have the same one, got it from Amazon but no longer available. It is tricky to get aimed with the ball mount, but it is the lowest profile mount I could find for the price. It gets your projector 4" from the ceiling. The universal mount is tricky, but possible.

Having issues with my unit lossing focus. I thought it was from people around upstairs making the focus turn a little. But I taped the focus and the zoom with painters tape. it's still going out of focus. I have a warenty on it just hate to have to be with out it for like 2 week sine it's through bestbuy. Any idea's thanks.

If your HD20 has the same loose optics as mine, then tape will do you no good and vibrations will make it out of focus. You can test this by leaving the tape on and instead of trying to turn the ring, simply try to shift the right left/right/up/down. If it is loose, you will see the image on the screen move about an inch in any direction. If this is the case, the focus will change over time if you have it on a ceiling with people above it. I haven't seen a fix for this.

But if you have very tight optics and trying to shift it around doesn't cause any image movement, then I would have expected the tape on the ring to solve the issue for you.

Wish I had a solution or something else to try.

Thanks I'll check that out

Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk 2

I picked up a used HD20 a couple months ago. I was able to get a great deal on it because the HDMI 1 input does not work. I was a little hesitant, but I was able to sell my old Epson 720p projector for more than I paid for the HD20, so even if it dies a bit down the road, I'm already ahead dollar-wise.

Anyway, like I said, I get No Signal when I use HDM1, but HDMI2 works perfectly. Perhaps they have used a substandard input board to keep the price of the HD20 down?

Hello everyone, I've owned my HD20 for about 14 months, put about 1000 hours on it. It works great with my Da-Lite high contrast cinema vision screen. However, major caveat: ever since it was new, it's had horizontal lines across the screen, only noticable in bright areas. It drives me crazy! I've taken the color wheel off and cleaned it, cleaned the mirrors underneath the lens housing, and disassembled and reassembled the lens itself and cleaned all the glass there! The lines are still there!!! Honestly, they look like a fingerprint across the whole screen. Faint, mind you, but still there. There was some streaking on the color wheel, but that wouldn't produce distinct lines on the image would it? If I thought that would fix it, I'd buy a new color wheel.

If anyone has an idea or two, let me know! Thanks!

The color wheel is spinning of course and can not create lines. It simply colors the light. And even if there was a scratch or other defect to the wheel segments, the spinning would cause rings or other curved distortions. But even those would not be in any focus and likely would be undetectable unless there was severe damage to the wheel.

You mentioned you can detect them in bright areas. So display an all white image. If you can go up to the screen and see them affecting rows of pixels, my guess is that the issue is with the DMD chip. Which there is nothing you can do. The DMD would most likely have to be replaced. Given that it's the main part of a DLP projector, you would want this covered under warranty. If you bought from Costco, it has a 2 yr warranty, so you are good. Otherwise you most likely only have a 1 year warranty.

Most companies, including Optoma, will likely not give estimates based on your own diagnostics. While they may do the diag for free, I am sure the shipping will not be free.

BUT, as I don't have the same screen. I wonder if it's possibly an inherent issue with the HD20 in general and that the high contrast screen combined with your settings is causing the lines to be detectable when for others it is not. Meaning that maybe there is no fix because all HD20's may this this. If that is the case, then sending it in for service will by futile.

Though you didn't say it was hard to detect, so it sounds more likely to be a real defect of your specific DMD chip that could be fixed by DMD replacement. It's also possible that it's video processing related. Not sure what part of the processing. Does it occur on other inputs? Or if you just have the menu open and choose a test pattern to take the source out of the equation, do you notice the lines there?

Issue with my Optoma HD20.

It works great with my Xbox360 and Onkyo receiver, however when I hook up an (older) LG BD370, I get horizontal lines and the connection seems to come and go. Video and audio plays until the connection is lost, then it comes back. The player works fine on another LCD, so I'm thinking it's a HDCP compatibility issue.

My HD20's firmware version is C04, so my question is what kind of BluRay players do others have connected to their HD20 with FW C04 that are working fine?

Thanks!
Matt

Different displays have different HDMI/HDCP signal sensitivities. And the HD20 appears to be less sensitive than others. So it requires a pretty good signal getting to it's HDMI ports. Recently some HD20 owners have had issues with HDMI port 1 and had success moving to port 2. Have you tried HDMI port 2 yet?

If that doesn't help, you should test with a quality short HDMI cable. Like 6 ft and see if the issue is still there. My guess is that it's a signal strength issue. If the short cable works fine with your LG BD370, you can see if a thicker gauge long HDMI cable solves the issue for you. Also, is this LG player going through the Onkyo receiver? If so, try bypassing it. First with the existing HDMI cable going to the HD20, and then if it still has the lines, the short cable directly to the LG player. That way to you work your way down to where the problem lies.

I currently use my PS3 through my Onkyo receiver to my HD20 HDMI port 1, with no issues.