Optoma HD66 - First 3D home theatre/gaming projector - Page 45

Will this item work instead of 3DXL convertor box (for 3D)? I am planning to use PS3 to play 3D
http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-2D-to-3D-Converter-for-DLP-porjector-Shutter-glasses-3D-Converter-Box-/271107482811

Finally got the chip in (slow plane from China). :-) It came with the thermal 'tape' but i opted for using the Arctic Silver 5. Initially with my unit, it didn't make full contact (you can tell when you pull it off... if it sticks to the controller board, then it's good. Mine didn't.). So I put a little more on and this time it was enough. Put it back together and it has been working fine for 3 days. Hopefully that will continue. No more dots ! :-)

Really, it wasn't hard. if you like to tinker with electronics, it's just a matter of unscrewing, unplugging, and putting it all back together. (And being careful not to break the color wheel). I can take one apart in less than 15 minutes now. Put back together in 15 too. :-)

Finally got the chip in (slow plane from China). :-) It came with the thermal 'tape' but i opted for using the Arctic Silver 5. Initially with my unit, it didn't make full contact (you can tell when you pull it off... if it sticks to the controller board, then it's good. Mine didn't.). So I put a little more on and this time it was enough. Put it back together and it has been working fine for 3 days. Hopefully that will continue. No more dots ! :-)

Really, it wasn't hard. if you like to tinker with electronics, it's just a matter of unscrewing, unplugging, and putting it all back together. (And being careful not to break the color wheel). I can take one apart in less than 15 minutes now. Put back together in 15 too. :-)

I see some folks replacing thermal pad and some folks replacing DMD chip. How do you determine what is needed?

I'm looking to get one of these myself are the ones being sold now on amazon affected by this same defect or have they released another revision of this projector?

BUMP I'm guessing the same still applies to all newer revisions of this projector?

My HD66 started exhibiting the dead pixel issue two weeks ago. As others have mentioned, it got progressively worse. I purchased the projector in August 2010. Obviously well out of warranty, but I figured I would give Optoma a call about it anyways. I was told by the customer service rep that Optoma now is authorized to replace the DMD chip for free even if out of warranty. Apparently they are trying to rectify the situation. I sent it off today and will let you know what I get back.

My bulb is currently at 1700hours. Is it just my imagination or is it time to replace it? The picture is quite dim.

Same doubt here.

Also, if I buy it new, should I change the thermal pad for the Arctic asap just in case? Thanks.

First of all, thank you guys for info about DMD chip problem. I've disassembled my Optoma HD66, and as I expected after your comments, original thermal paste was a garbage. My projector is 3 years old with around 400h. I replaced paste with Arctic Silver, but I had to replace rubber washer (under a aluminum cooler) with piece of cardboard - washer was too thick and arctic paste could not reach surface of chip. So far, my projector works without any dead pixel. Thru case vents I could check cooler temperature, and it's around 30 C (room temperature - 20 C).

Apparently there is a 3 year window to repair these units. I purchased my unit on January 12, 2010. That puts my unit well out of the window but I explained my situation, that the unit was bad for several months, that I registered my unit through their site and should have been notified that there was a production issue and that they should go beyond the call of duty here to make me a satisfied customer. After a brief conversation with the manager I was approved for an RMA. Even though I already purchased a replacement projector (BenQ W1080ST) I am very pleased with Optoma and the end result! I will be sending my unit out ASAP and will update as soon as I get the unit back.

Brian

I have a situation and looking for help or advice.

I own an hd66 and it was working good, had it for a bit over 2 years until it died on me. apparently the power source and mainboard went bad so I was referred to Spectronix, www.justrepairs.com, to get it fixed. Shipped the unit to them, took them damn near two months to repair it. Got the projector back in time for Christmas because I brought my daughter a Wii U and wanted the projector back so she can have fun with it plus some 3d movies, now everything is back in working order.........except the HDMI port.... You know I was pissed. so I called Spectronix back, explained what happened, they took the unit back and offered to get it working since I had their 90 day warranty and from January to this day, my unit just been sitting there, im calling every week, checking the status to see whats going on, they claim they have to order a part, some sort of HDMI decoder chip, from overseas to fix my HDMI issue because it was not picking up any signal, but from January to the middle of this month and when i sent the unit back the first time, that too was a two month process?, Fed up, i just asked them to send my unit back and refund my money. My refund came before the unit because they almost lost it and I found a gt720 short throw projector on ebay for 140 bucks that just needed a DMD chip due to dead pixels. So I brought that and a new lamp because no telling whats the life on the current lamp and its a good thing because it came without a lamp but the unit works, powers up and recognizes a HDMI signal but got a few pixels but here is the kicker, my hd66 returns also and spectronix refunded me my money for parts and labor, assuming they were going to send my project back in the condition when i first sent it, bad parts and all, but to my surprise, they left the replacement parts inside so basically I got a semi refurbed hd66 thats working but no HDMI and my money back which went towards the ebay purchase.

What should I do? is there a way to restore my HDMI in my hd66 or can I take the DMD chip from my hd66 and swap it into the gt720? To be honest, I want to keep both because the gt720 I can use for family outdoor events or outdoor fun with the kids when we camp in our backyard and it will suck to have everything from HDMI to component/vga on the hd66 and I dont think ill get the full advantage of 3d from that either?

Need your help and advice guys.

I know this was a long read but thanks in advance.
-Thomas.

I posted an issue in the pioneer 1022 forum but I have come to the conclusion the issue lies somewhere with the hd66 or in between the two devices. I am using a 40ft Redmere high hdmi to connect my AVR to hd66. I keep getting no source found when trying to access my cable/sat signal. I cannot get any video inputed from my cable box via composite cable to output through my pioneer1022 to my projector via hdmi. I have went though every setting imaginable so I must be missing something. If I hook to hdmi from the receiver to a tv I get a signal and its up-converted. Any help or direction is greatly appreciated. I changed the upconvert to off but still nothing. I walked away for a few minutes and surprising it was playing then I switched the up-convert to a different setting and now still cant get anything. My pioneer 1022 menus screen projects just fine. I just can't get the original analog video out of my receiver to hd66. My PS3(hdmi) plays fine through the AVR to the hd66. I ran the video out of the receiver with a composite and I get a picture on the hd66, says "ndts" found or something along those lines. Thoughts?????