Samsung DLP Reliability

I've seen a number of complaints on the earlier Samsung units having higher color wheel failure rates. Of course with any forum, you are going to hear more bad then good about any brand/model of TV. By the way, this question would be better off in the rear projection forum, this section is not for displays.

I purchased my HLN437 in Sept 2003. My wife stays at home and this is our main unit so I estimate it is on for as much as 10 hours a day. The only problem I had was a noisy color wheel which was promptly replaced on warranty. I have not had another problem and just today ordered a new lamp since I estimate I am over 7000 hours on the original.

I love my samsung lcd rear projection... it is amazing... I've had no problems with color wheels, lamps, or anything else but I've only had it about a year and I only run it maybe 10 hours a week... I've got my HTPC hooked up via DVI and then my ATI HDTV tuner runs the on air HDTV picture and tonight is the first time I tried the tuner and it looks awesome....

I have had my hlp5063w a little over a year now with no problems to report. The set is on 60 -70 hours/week at least (10+ hours on football Sundays). I have been very impressed with the picture quality and reliability thus far.

I have had my HLP-4674 for over a year with no problems, and a great picture.

Ditto for my HLP-5063. I've had it a little over a year, have 2000+ hours on it and have had no problems (other than the occasional screen smudges when cold, not a big deal IMO). I love this set.

My 4663 has recently started a random shutoff problem, if I can get that fixed, I will be happy, the picture and performance are great.

No problem, just letting you know so you can get better service to your question. It looks like someone went ahead and moved this one for you.

I've had a HLP5063 for 1.5 years and have had no problems. It's been ISF calibrated and has excellent picture quality. I also have an extended warranty that covers the lamp. At the rate I'm going, I'll probably never use it.

If Samsung has had a higher than average micro chip display repair rate they have also been much better than average about taking care of customer problems. My take is that they are about average in their category of RPTV sets.

I've had my HLR5067W for about a month with no problems. I also have the 3 year extended warranty ($199) for up to 3 lamp replacements. Been very happy with the TV so far.

--The Dan

I have had my HLN671 since Aug 03 and I've had no problems.
Only complaint I'd have is a semi noisy fan. It's only noticable if you have no audio on.

I have had a Samsung HLN507W since December 2003, and have had no problems except a sometimes noisy color wheel...But about a month ago the picture went out (I wasn't around when it happened) and I am still waiting for the set to be repaired properly. I have an extended warrenty, so I am trying not to care because it shouldn't cost me anything, but over the past month, the power supply, and DMD board have been replaced, and still no go. You'd think that since the color wheel is not spinning up, it would be replaced, considering the model I have, but now, I get to have the entire light engine replaced. I hope it gets fixed soon, but on the other hand, I hope it can't be fixed and I get it replaced. I bet Circuit City is just waiting for my warranty to end, and then they will probably say I am no longer covered. Good thing I am going to be gone for the next week, and will have to wait almost two weeks for the technician to come back.

Well, enough with my rant. I have been happy with the TV, and considering all the stories I have read here about bulbs dying weeks after purchase, I feel I have been lucky, but no longer, I guess.

Andy

Bought my Sammy DLP in August, 2003, and have had no problems. Two friends of mine also bought one (in 2002 and in August 2003), and also have had no problems.

Oh gee... you can't get a much more reliable source than alt.tv.tech.hdtv!

Cut the speculation guys. Come up with some numbers from a reputable source please.

We bought our HLM507W in the original Samsung DLP PB from TVA.

We received our set on 12/1/02. The set has been great, no problems whatsoever.

I have not been in the SM lately, but I'd say our set has about 1400 hours on it.

This is my first post and I may be on the wrong thread. However.
I have an HLP507W, purchased in July 2004. about a week after it was installed, the lamp had to be replaced. (No cost) The Tech that installed it brought up a screen that showed the hours on the lamp.
Can't figure out how to access that screen.
Can anyone tell me how?

Thank you,

You must have a HLP5063 (2004 model) or a HLN507 (2003 model).

Lamp hours are stored in the Service Menu. For the HLP5063 select "10. options" from the first page. "Lamp Life" shows the number of hours the lamp has been on.

Caution!


New information for HLR owners.



Can one idiot protect other idiots?

Here are the "enter-SM" instructions for the HLN sets. They are the same for a HLP set but the contents of the SM and navigation keys are different. I haven't checked all the navigation instructions myself.

Find Samsung Firmware Version:

The firmware version installed on any set is recorded on the first page of the SM. There is a long ID number at the bottom of the page. The last three digits (HLN) or last four digits (HLP) are the firmware version of your set.

Remember that in any dealing with Samsung you are not supposed to know your firmware version.

Record your User Settings for "Picture" before you enter the SM. The HLP sets will revert to factory defaults for the UM when you exit the SM.

Instructions for accessing the Samsung Service Menu:

Anyone using these suggestions should know that the only change I have ever made to the SM is changing GAMMA from the default value to zero. I have never "messed around" in the SM. Remember that there is no reset function. If you see something that looks like one don't use it.

I can recommend, without any reservations, recording all original SM settings before making additional changes.

****** Thanks to LCH. 09/02/2003 ******

Turn Melody off in the user menu (allows entering the Service Menu from power On state without using a lamp cycle).

With the set ON, press Power-Mute-1-8-2-Power in quick succession.
(If the set is already off, just do Mute-1-8-2-Power )

The service menu should appear for the input you were viewing before keying the above sequence. Be sure to give the set enough time to complete the process(30-60 seconds).

While in the service menu, you can change inputs with the TV/Video button to view the SM for other modes.

Use the CH up, CH down & select keys to navigate the Service Menu. Press MENU to return to the main Service Menu after viewing individual functions.

Later, you will use the VOL(+) & VOL(-) keys to change the SM values.

" ... when you access the SM on the HLPxx63 (probably all HLP models), the directional arrows around the "Enter" button control navigation, not the volume and channel buttons ..." MacGyver1970.

To Exit the SM, power off. Leave it off for several(30) seconds. (until all cooling activity is complete)

Example steps to change GAMMA on a HLP5063 with firmware version 1011 and a build date of May 2004:

The SM main menu looks like this.

1. DDP1011 (The GAMMA setting is here.)
2. GM1601
3. DNIe
4. FLI2310
5. CXA2171
6. Vsp9437
7. Upd 64083
8. CCA
9. SP Actuator
10. OPTION (The tally of hours of lamp operation is in this menu.)

Ver: T_ATLNUS_1011 (this is the firmware version)

First record user menu entries for "picture" and enter SM.

Steps from the main SM.

1. Select DDP1011 using the directional arrow keys -- up and down.
2. Enter DDP1011. I used the right arrow key but maybe the "enter" key will work too.
3. Select GAMMA using the up or down arrow key.
4. I entered GAMMA using the right arrow key, but the "enter" key may also work.
5. I used the right and left arrow keys to change the value of GAMMA.
6. I used the up arrow key to return to the DDP1011 menu. Again, the "enter" key or "menu" key might do the same thing.
7. I returned to the main SM with the "menu" key.
8. Power off and wait for a full shut down to save entries that you have changed in the SM.

9. Power on after about 30 seconds and enter your user menu picture settings.

This change to GAMMA makes "some" owners happy. I feel that after setting GAMMA to zero and setting brightness with the DVE DVD that the details in dark scenes were improved. To really get the most out of our set I am getting an ISF calibration done by SethS.

As of 12/14/2004:
Mode = Cinema
contrast = 90
brightness = 45
sharpness = 0
color = 48
Digital NR = OFF
DNIe = OFF

Enjoy.

Edit: My question was answered somewhere above.

I have lost the picture twice already on My HLR5688. I will never buy another Samsung again!

I had previously posted about the trouble I have been having regarding the repairs to my TV. The technician finally came back, around December 16th, and replaced the entire light engine-lenses, color wheel, bulb, all on one board. I tried nicely to ask him if there is any type of bulb life counter which needs to be reset since a new bulb was put in, and he told me that he didn't think that TV has that feature (it does). Well, I reset the timer myself, and everything was working fine for a while, but now it seems that the color wheel is still not spinning up properly, and I will get the three blinking lights on the front. Of course sometimes the TV turns on just fine. I am in the process of trying to get the whole thing replaced because most major parts have already been replaced, and I don't want to wait weeks for more parts to come in. I'm sure I will get the run around and hear all about defective parts, and how these new parts will work how they are supposed to. Well, hopefully I can get a new TV out of Circuit City, but now I am wondering if I should try a different manufacturer, or even a different technology, like LCD projection.

Andy

Got my HLM507W from the TVA powerbuy in 1/2003. After one year, the bulb started going out. Since it was still under warrenty (15 months), the tech replaced the entire engine instead of just the bulb, there was a defect with the balast. So far, the tv has been fine, but once in a while, I can hear the color wheel make a little bit of extra noise.

My Samsung 6768 Died at about the 40 day mark. I have had a hard time getting any response from Samsung and it is still at the repair shop for which it has been since the 8th of Dec. It broke in November.

Thank you very much forthe infomation. I must have the HLN507W, 2003 version.
I was able to access the sm, but mine is a bit different. It looks like:

1. DDP1011 (The GAMMA setting is here.)
2. GM1601
3. DNIe
4. FLI2310
5. CXA2171
6. Vsp9437
7. Upd 64083
8. CCA
9. OPTION (The tally of hours of lamp operation is in this menu.)

Ver: T_DLPGVEO1_1-17

My lamp hours are 5860.
I guess that's a lot?
We have it on just about all the time.

Thanks again!
How long should a lamp last?

You are nearing the end. Samsung started out rating them for 8.000 hours but I think they pulled back to 5,000 for later models. Having the set on for long periods of time will get you better longevity than shorter sessions. The on-off cycle is hard on the lamp.

Own an HLP5063W maybe a Canadian model. About a year old. Happy with the picture, but wanted others to know about 2 things. If you buy a dlp tv and it has what appears to be stains in the surface of the screen, then it has been stored in a warehouse that was not heated. I bought mine and these stains were visible when playing a very bright dvd like Antz, where the greens and blues are very vivid. Took first one back and second one was the same. E-mailed Samsung, they looked into it and told me what the problem was and gave me the shop in town for warranty work and they replaced the screen. No problem. However, every once in a while, when I turn it on, I get either a red or a green hued color over the picture. I turn it off and wait 10-20 seconds or so and turn it back on and it is fine. Has anyone else had this happen to them? If so, what is the problem?

Its impossible for the picture to stain on a dlp. The hue is possible though, I do not see what the problem is.

I have the hue problem (red only) with mine as well. I have no idea what it is though. I've been able to live with it so far. However, lately, I have another problem: when I turn the set on there is no picture. The green "Lamp" light keeps flashing and I can't do anything, not even turn the set off. I have to unplug it from the wall, plug it back in, turn it on again and then it works OK. I am also getting a constant noise from the back of the unit, like a buzz. This noise is on all the time, even when the unit is off and it's starting to become really annoying.

I am thinking of replacing this unit (HLP5063) with one that Costco started to carry, HLR5662. However, I can't find anyinformation on the 62 series. Does anyone know about this series? Costco lists the contrast as 1500:1. Does this mean that the HD2+ chip (which most people say is the best one) is used in these sets? Any info would be appreciated.

I bought my HLM507 in November '02 on the original TVA Powerbuy. I had a noisy color wheel replaced under warranty but have had no problems since then. I am on my 2nd lamp. The first lamp had over 7000 hours on it & never did fail. I just replaced it because it probably wouldn't last much longer & was starting to dim slightly. We have really enjoyed this TV & I wouldn't hesitate to buy a Samsung DLP in the future.