Samsung DLP - 3 Blinking Lights Problem - Page 9

To enter the service menu click here.

htwaits, thanks for the link!

You're welcome.

I've had my 437 for 6 month's now and if i turn the set off and turn it right back on you can hear the color wheel turning and the set trying to start 3 or 4 times then I get the 3 blinking lights. If I pull the power cord out wait a minute, the set comes back when I power up.

also I get a loud crack sound occasionaly from the set and right in the center of the screen when the set has no picture on it or a dark scene is on the screen I see a grey reflection circle. It is under warranty so I think I will return it.

On a positive note, the HDTV looks great and video games from my pc are ausome.

Mr. Blumpkin,

I had a similar problem... 3 restarts, then 3 blinking lights. After a week or so of this behavior, the bulb died. If you get a chance, you should check how many hours you have on it (via the service menu). Then I would call Samsung and get the replacement bulb ordered. It took a while for mine to come in... but I think that was a 61" issue, apparently they had plenty of bulbs for 50", etc.

-John

I had the high-pitched whine coming from my color wheel and had the optical engine replaced. With the new engine I have the blinking lights problem. I called the service guys again and they are going to replace the optical engine again (all under warranty). Seemed drastic, but as long as it's fixed...

Wow I just saw this. Sorry so late.

My problem was recurring until I figured it out.

I think there is a short somewhere.

When I push in a component cable the TV shorts out. Then a single green lamp light blinks.

With 1 set of component cables plugged in, either component 2 or 3, my HLN61 would not start. Again, just a single green lamp light blinking.

Try turning on the TV with no component cables.

If that dosn't work I would power up the tv, press in the red component cable then pull it out a couple of times.

I don't know if this is wise advise but since I had no real warranty I didn't have much to lose.

Good luck!

Experienced the 3 blinking light problem on HLN507 2 month old TV. Set was picked up by an authorized Samsung repair center who seemed like they had little experience with this set. After set pickup, I called Samsung to discuss the problem and see if there was a "high-odds" fix. Was told that, yes, it would be corrected by replacing the engine assembly which included the bulb. They called the repair shop and told them that the parts would arrive the next day along with detailed instructions of how to perform the replacement. I got 3 calls from Samsung following up on the progress. True to their word, parts were flow in overnight arrive next business day and set returned day after. Have to give Samsung a lot of credit. No hastle on this transaction and lots of customer support. Their support and followup is as brilliant as the picture on the set.

Does anyone know if replacing the engine gives you new firmware? I would guess no, but thought I'd check since the repair guy is on his way out now.

Right. No.

I feel like there is a noticebale "green push" with the new engine that wasn't there before. Why would that be? Isn't the calibration linked to the fw, not the engine? Or is it all inter-related?

That's really too bad, since your PQ is now screwed up. All the repairman had to do to correct the noise from the color wheel was replace the color wheel assembly. That part costs $102, vs. over a thousand for the whole light engine.

Two days ago the authorized Samsung repairman was out for the second time in a month. If you've been following above, the first was to fix the color wheel's high pitched noise. They accomplished this by replacing the entire optical engine. Shortly after this I started having trouble turning the unit on and often would get the dreaded three blinking lights. So back the repairman came, this time to replace the optical engina again AND the power supply. We tested it. Turning the set on and off several times. Success! No high pitched whine and the set seemed to be turning on and off normally. Well, twenty four hours later, I'm back to the same problem. The set doesn't want to turn on normally and I often end up with the three blinking lights. I have had two power supplies and three optical engines in this thing and still I have this problem. Am I just unlucky? Is there another issue that could be causing this that the repairman doesn't seem to realize? Any help is much appreciated.

Well the repairman is contacting Samsung to see what they want to do next, but he thinks they will want to try another power supply, bringing the tally to:

- 3 Optical engines
- 3 Power supplies

If their next attempt doesn't work I would want to talk to Samsung myself. If it does work I would want to talk to them about extending the warranty from the date of the first "good" repair.

Excellent point about extending the warranty. Thanks!

They have already spent more on your set than you have so I assume they want to make you into a happy customer. I'd be surprised if they weren't responsive to that suggestion. If the first level doesn't have the power move up the "food chain". Good luck.

It's in the repairman's interest to keep replacing things in your set. It's in Samsung's interest to stop the bleeding.

As for extending the warranty, please tell me how that goes.

But a warranty extension would be of no consequnce in my case, although my set was replaced with a newer model (an HLN507, wonderful service from Samsung!) 'cause I bought the extended warranty (Repairmaster) offered by TV Authority.

The way the Repairmaster warranty works is that it covers years 2 through 5, overlapping any 3-month extension granted by Samsung. For three months I could've used either warranty, I suppose, but I chose to use Samsung's.

Well, I just voted "yes" on the three blinking lights syndrome poll & it
looks like I'm one of many...

It started having the problem very seldom (once weekly) in April
but got more frequent in early May. Called Samsung & got the number
for a local authorized repair shop. The technician tells me since it's an
intermittent problem he'll have to bring it to the shop. A week later I drop
by the shop & I'm told the tech (there are a few) is not present & that
he would call me in the next couple of days.

By the second week (no call from tech yet) I call & I'm told tech is not
present again. Girl can't tell me the status w/ tv either. Next day I drop
by shop & tech tells me tv is being tested (turned on) for a couple of days
make sure it's working fine. After notifying him the problem was starting it,
he turns it off for a minute & turns it back on no problem. I inquired about
what was the problem & he tells me "there were some internal
adjustments made" & something about a voltage or power regulator.

I'll know in the next few weeks if it was fixed correctly & STARTING UP
LIKE A $3.5K TV SHOULD. What I already know is where not to take it
if it isn't. I'll post results.

Thank you very much!! But the problem still exist!The TV has nothing connected,but the green lamp light blinking,nothing displayed!!

HLN5065 returned today from shop. Driver + helper hook it up.
It starts up no problem. Fine. After they leave I change the electric plug
from wall to UPS. Fails to start & the three lights come on.... change back
to wall outlet & it fails too. Also notice minute scratch I missed when
it was delivered. Mad as hell now. Called Samsung twice (after 6PM)
& phone person insisted in transferring call to original rep that handled my
service call, but, he's gone for the day.

Needless to say, the dlp is not leaving the house again. Gone for 2 weeks
+ 4 days & it's working exactly the same. Service tech will have to drive
next time; one that's experienced too. Will keep reporting.

I used two different service shops, and they both made the 20-mile trek to my house, every time.

I must vote YES on the 3 blinking lights as well. Have had HLN437W 18 days and it started 9 days ago. Had service tech out today. He's had no knowledge of the set. Said he would have to contact Samsung about the unit and order parts etc. could be 2-3 weeks. Since it is still under a 30 day return from Circuit City its going back. Not sure if I will take a same unit replacement since store offered 3 other units they would replace it with, two of which are having same problems through other threads I've read here, A Sony unit & a Panasonic Unit. They also would use a Samsung HLP4663W unit. I am not sure if any of the 3 would be worth the chance and if it wouldn't be better to go back to a CRT TV.

Here's the latest. Called Samsung to see if they could set me up
w/ another shop, the rep says "give them another chance". I call the shop
to set a HOME repair appointment. Begrudgingly they accept after I said
"Ok, I'll call Samsung & have them send somebody else if you can't".

Then they failed to show up...

Called to see what happened & girl says "sorry I forgot to input it into
the system". Called Samsung again. Rep is not happy with the
service either so she puts me on hold & calls up the shop. Later I'm told
Samsung will ship a part (called "DMD" ?) to shop & shop will set
appointment. Tech shows up this time. Replaces part, aligns picture &
leaves. Fairly friendly guy as well but...

Later that day while flipping channels I change the aspect to 4:3 mode.
I comment to my wife the side edges of the picture looked a little bent;
like wide on top & bottom and narrower in the middle. I get a ruler &
sure enough; it's almost 2/16th's of an inch narrower in the middle. Also,
when watching CNBC I noticed a slight incline to the left. I switch to
ZOOM 1 & yes...the ticker is dipping a full 2/16th's by the time it's leaving
on the left edge. Again, that was in Zoom 1 mode.

Now I'm considering either having the shop try aligning it again... or
bring an ISF tech & having it calibrated as well. Anyone have an idea
how much that would cost me???

PS. Can't complain about Samsung customer service. They have been
very helpful & always courteous but it seems to me like waiting for all this
new hdtv technology to get the bugs out would have been a much
better choice.

I believe all Sammy DLPs have this problem; at least the two I have had (a HLM507W and a HLN507W) have had the problem -- both to the same degree as you describe. I've commented on it elsewhere, where I called it "pincushion distortion."

well, i got my 50" sammy last week and yes, i've had this blinking light problem 4-5 times now. after it happened tonight i decided to search online to see if others have the problem. goddamn, i guess so... onto customer support tomorrow. god this sucks. you would think for a $3500 tv it would at least come on less than a week after you have bought it.

Purchased the 43" from Circuit City in May. 2 weeks later the 3 blinky lights started. Samsung came out and replaced the board - did nothing. CC swaped out for another TV - did nothing. At this point I am returning the TV and going to Tweeter. They [Tweeter] claim this has been fixed with the new HLN467W model. Has anyone tried the 46" and experienced this issue?

I have the HLN617 and just started experiencing this problem yesterday. This is very upsetting but so far Samsung seems willing to help.

Samsung (Steve Panosian) also officially acknowledged it as a design issue that they hadn't solved long ago. You'd think they would have figured it out by now though.

I've gotten used to both this and the rainbows. When I say "used" to them, I don't mean I just put up with it, I actually don't notice either as much any more.