How's your GWII doing - Page 3

My 50" GWII lived thru 2 rapid electrical power failures 2 nights ago. This first happened after the set was on for a couple of hours. The power came back on after about a minute, the set powered up on its own for about 30 secs and then the electricity failed again for about an hour.

I expected the worst from the TV and my computer but all seems well 2 days later. A good argument to get a couple of UPS units.

It looks like I now have 2346 hours? Here's what the service menu looks like:

OPTION-E 0 0
LAMP TIME
TEMP 28DEG 02346

I'm assuming the '02346' is the # of hours. Since the lamp was replaced three days ago, I guess the lamp went out with just over 2300 hours.


exLabDriver, I have mine on a UPS. So far I've had one power outage and the TV kept going. Also, the UPS kicks in maybe two times a month (I hear it beep) which I can only guess that there is a slight drop in voltage. Anyway, I feel better knowing the power surges aren't getting to the TV

With just 2300 hours it should have been replaced under warranty. I'm glad they did. That's sucks that it blew so soon.

When you first fired the TV up when it was new. How long did you leave it on? There has been speculation that the bulb needs or should be broken in to insure long life by leaving the set turned on for quite a few hours the first time it's turned on.

I myself followd this line and left the set on for more than 36 hours before turning it off. I'm up to around 5400 hours now.

I'm going to keep track of what people have done to see if there is any unscientifc proof to the break in of the bulb.

Put me down for helping prove this theory. I wasn't aware of the myth, but I think I am a believer I don't remember how long I had it on the first time, but I'm sure I didn't leave it on more than a couple hours.

You think it's too late for the new bulb? Again, I probably only left the TV on for a couple hours after the bulb was replaced.

umm.. aren't "major" equipment supposed to be broken in first as a general rule..?

computers, mp3 players.. even headphones (although it's more to enhance sound quality for the 'phones)... tv's!

i know i have a personal rule.. whenever i get something major tv/dvd/computer.. i leave it running 24 hours straight..

if it performs without a hitch for 24-48 hours.. it's a workhorse if it fails.. dud

throughout everything ib uy i've thankfully encountered this only once (my mp3 player) which died within 2 days thankfully no tv/computer/dvd player/receive/etc has given me problems.. it kinda makes me wonder why i'm buying a gwiii knowing it's a dud

i seriously, seriously, do not know what's wrong with me.. why buy something with such a history of failure i do not know..

FYI,
My 6 months old set with 1700 hours on it blew a bulb just before Christmas and it took 5 1/2 weeks to have it replaced under warranty. I have ordered another bulb ($200.00 plus delivery charge) to have on hand for the next time the bulb goes and so far it hasn't been delivered and the order is now 3 weeks old.

Did you turn it off and on again in less than 30 minutes very often? I believe bulb life is more a function of how often it is started and if it was allowed to cool off properly.

I've had the 42" GWIII for three months (Nov. '03 build date). No problems with it at all. I have a few dead pixels that are invisible unless I smash my grill up to the screen in a dark room. My fingers are definitely crossed, however.

This is a GWII thread.

UMR, I couldn't tell you how often I've only had the TV on for 30 minutes or less, but it can't be too many. We turn it on when we wake (it stays on until we leave for work, about 90 minutes) and when we get home from work until we go to bed (about 6 hours). Sure, we turn it on/off at dinner time (sometimes) or on the weekend when we leave the house, but I can't imagine we are any harder it than other self respecting TV junkies.

I do believe the original bulb was sub-standard in some way. Both my wife and I know that the picture was never as bright as it is now with the new bulb. e.g. We can play HALO with the blinds open during the day now lying on the floor (non-optimal viewing angle). Before new the bulb, HALO was only playable in darkened room while seated on the sofa. Both senarios are with Vivid picture mode.

BTW, thanks for all the great info. I wouldn't have bought this unit if I hadn't seen some of your posts. especially your list of pros and cons

UMR, forgot about your second point. I have the TV plugged into a UPS, so I never have a situation where the power is lost before the fan stops cooling.

It is not just the fan. Starting the bulb is apparently stressful. I do not turn mine off if I will be watching it again within 30 minutes. This avoids restarting it while it still could be hot.

UMR,
I have to admit the GWII despite being only 6 months old when the bulb blew, it was turned on and off very often because of the number of people in my house who would come & go. They have been advised to leave the set on if they think anyone would be turning the set back on in the next 30 minutes.

Hmm, 30 minute shutdown, reminds me of working with Windows NT Server I know our household will never be disciplined enough, so I'm going to see if my remote (Sony RM-AV3000) has a 30 minute delay that I can program into my OFF macro. Thanks again.

I have read reports of people getting 8000+ hours on the original version of these TV's. Read about it here.

http://www.thebigpicturedvd.com/dcfo...ID26/958.shtml

Yeah, I love how most everyone forgets that the Grand Wega series started life in the late 90s as the KL-W9000. There are members in this forum stating similar experiences. I just did a search using the value "KL-W9000" and the first hit is from a member claiming 7 years of faithful service on the original bulb.

All this FUD people are trying to create about LCD is unfounded. The GWIIs are the 3rd iteration of that original design, and I think they're going to last.



Ron

What are the steps to get ino the GWII Service Menu?

It's somewhere in here.

Ok- still trolling for a reply on my loud GWII- electro-static hum from rear right panel of set. It is not the fan itself, but audible from time set comes on until few seconds after I turn it off. (The fan stops a few moments later.) This condition has developed over past few months (on 9 month old set).

Ideas? -I am still waiting from Sony on reply.

Also, I continue to have loud cracks from plastic (expansion/contraction?)... both when set is on and off - at random times...

Can anyone identify?


Thanks.

This is common I would not worry about it.

I have just over 1500 hrs on my GWWII. I have done all of UMR's tweaks except the color filter (waiting on delivery) and some of my own. This set can be fantastic if you are willing to spend some late nights with the wife and kids sound asleep learning the service menu and the associated tweaks. No problems.

My 42" just developed a small green patch in the center, again only visible on completely dark screens. I'l calling for service.

-Chad

Got my 60" before SuperBowl 37 last year. Had been looking at big screen HDTV's for 3 years. Weekend sale at Now AV sealed the deal with 2 years same as cash, 5 year warranty and 2 lamp replacements. Just downloaded the tweaks. May pay video tech I know to do this and check with DVE. He has some instrument for measuring/testing fixed pixel displays. No noticeable pixels bad or stuck. Do hear the "cracks or pops" of the case work while set is on for more than 30 minutes. Newbies are awed. I want bigger but I guess will wait out the warranty and technology for a while. Just finished Matrix Reload on Pioneer 563a and was very impressed. Not as impressed with picture from T3 on same player last night. Will check against Marantz DV8400. DVI from this machine did not look as good as component. Colorimitry(sp) way off. Glad to hear i made the right decision on this purchase. I think the Sammy DLP's look better but I saw the rainbow on a DLP projector and at the time (Dec 03), Sammy 50 was biggest available in my local and salesman wouldn't even demo the set, they were afraid of it, 9000 rpm color wheel (?) As an engineer, I make it a rule not to be around anything spinning faster than 1800rpm. First 60" tv of any sort that would go up my stairs and make the turn to my HT room. Cheers.

I've had my new 60xbr800 for a couple weeks now and am very pleased with it. My instant reactions:

- The "dirty little secret" of HDTVs is that bad signals look REALLY bad when blown-up on a great TV like this one!
- HDTV (in my case a Hughes HTL-HD grabbing OTA signals) is spectacular
- As an aside, the Sony's VHF tuner is wildly better than the Hughes; maybe a problem w/my HTL-HD?
- Settings make a big difference--I've only made the User tweaks so far but their impact is dramatic
- Don't understand those who dislike the low-reflectivity screen. Looks great to me/does the job well
- I had to look real hard for bad pixels (i.e. from a few inches away). When I found one finally I decided not to look for any more! I can see no flaws from my seating position (about 11 feet)
- It was interesting to watch the Super Bowl and be able to see every flaw in every camera they used; this set is relentless in "showing the source"

Maybe "pleased" was the wrong word. I'm thrilled with the SET, but it does so well that I'm increasingly critical of flaws in the image-delivery chain.

Last night a lightning storm came thru, and I stupidly pulled the Sony's power cord immediately after powering down. Realizing my mistake I turned it on-and-off again to get the fan to run for normal cool-down. Does anyone know/have an opinion on whether the proximity of the lamp to the LCD panels is such that the lamp would destroy the LCDs?

I saw an expensive LCD projector quickly ruined a few yrs ago by someone pulling the plug on it before the lamp had cooled...

Have enjoyed this and umr's tweak threads; posting mostly to "bump" it and to say "I love that I've joined the club"!

After earlier reporting here my total satisfaction with my 15-month old GWII, a series of green blobs have just cropped up (some have called them crop circles) in the screen. Major culprit seems to be dust on LCD panels. Here are some threads reporting similar GWII/III issues:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...hreadid=346599

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...hreadid=350368

For me they appear as a trail of overlapping quarter-sized green circles spanning about four inches. Will be utilizing my extended warranty -- thank goodness I have it.

I've had my 60" since last Feb. Bought it from CC with 2yr Warr. Since Jan 12 the TV has problems turning on. At times it hasn't come back on for 3 days. Red light will blink for about 100 times and then go to lamp light which will blink some more and then all turns off. Called CC and their local service people say that the bulb is going, so they ordered one,but it's on backorder. Last night it would not turn on, but did this morning. I have no idea how many hours it has. Is that what happens when the bulb is going or are they barking up the wrong tree?

Just found some info, so I checked the lamp hours. I have 2871 hours.

Must take forever to get anywhere if you never rev your car's engine past 1800 rpm. Hope that at least you stay out of the left lane......

I was afraid someone would say that. The service tech said that if the lamp light goes on at all, it's the bulb. I have a feeling he doesn't know this TV. Well still waiting for the bulb. The backorder date has come and gone.