Optoma HD 72 Bulb just went... I Think... - Page 7

Optoma Canada's customer service is a joke. After fighting with them for weeks that it was not a lamp issue but something else they finally agreed to sell me a lamp for a discounted price of 290$. I got the projector a couple weeks ago or so and after putting less than 100 hours on it the same thing is happening again. No way they can tell me the lamp is burnt out after 100 hours. Anyways, still fighting with them and will never buy anything from Optoma again.

i got the same treatment with optoma Canada. They make it sound as I am trying to rip them off. I told them I don't want to buy a new bulb if it is going to burn out right after 90 days. Well I have filed a complaint with BBB Ontario, not sure if that will do anything.

Hey projo_guy let me know what they do when you call them about the bulb burning out again. Maybe the guys dealing with optoma canada can exchange info. Also which guy did you talk too. I keep getting this Niz guy and another guy that has broken english. I want to talk to the top guy what would his position be called?

It too bad Optoma has bad service because when there product is working it seem good.
But think I will try Panasonic next.

here is another forum with people with the same problem.
http://www.***************.com/forum...cfm?which=9396

One guys says the contact on the bulb goes loose from the heat after awhile. I wonder if you tighten it up if it would fix this problem

Maybe you guys that haven't given up yet (like me) should print out this thread and snail mail it to Optoma HQ. You might get some better results if you take your issues to corporate??

I thought about doing it myself but since I've given up on them and sold the damn thing I don't want to waste the stamp and paper!

There has to be a resolution.
I agree with gargoyle999 as far as making this thread known to Optoma.
There's too many of us having this issue. I think we are the 1%.
My PJ is still running fine after 7 hours since it's return. However, the future doesn't look bright.

jib

Agreed. If anybody knows the name of the head honcho at Optoma HQ (or Optoma Canada, for me), post it here.

At the very least, register a complaint with the Better Business Bureau in your area. I just did. If every one of us who's had this issue did this, perhaps Optoma HQ might take notice.

i filed with the BBB 2 weeks ago.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=979469

I already started one... I will bump it to the top..

Well I finally got mine back Wednesday. Good as new, no dust blobs and a brand new bulb. I read someone had noticed their lamp counter was counting 1 for every 2 hours of use so I've been keeping an eye on mine since I got it back with 0 hours showing. The first night we watched a 2 hour movie. Afterward the lamp counter only read 1 hour (no big deal I thought it was probably just under 2 hours). Last night I played Wii on it for over 2 hours. When I was done I checked the counter - still only read 2 hours (~2 hrs + >2 hrs = at least 4 hours). I'm definitely thinking there's an issue with the lamp counter which would explain how I only had 650 hours on it in a year. If that turns out to be the case I suppose I wouldn't have much to complain about getting 1300 hours out of the first bulb assuming I get another 1300 out of the second free bulb.

At any rate if anyone is interested the manager of the Optoma US tech support department (the guy you probably have to talk into giving you a new bulb without paying) is:

Warren x 3852

Hope this is useful to someone.

While I am sure Warren will not be happy that just got posted, I appreciate it!

Apparently Optomas online warranty status check is broken (according to the lady on the phone) and she promised to email me with an update on my warranty process as the report she had just was blank. No word from her yet and that was on Thurs.

When I get mine back (assuming they fix the problem and not tell me it's a bad bulb) I will check the bulb timer thing... to be honest the hours did seem kind of low to me but at the same time I can't say they felt like half what they should be...

I talked to Optoma parts on Friday and found out my customer service guy (Mike B) took my form for the discounted bulb but the order never got officially placed.

A nice lady at parts - Alma G. - needed another form. I faxed that in. She said they have bulbs back in and promised to get me a bulb out of this shipment since I had been waiting a month and my order never got placed.

I hope this was just a bad run of bulbs, and the new ones are better.

Hey guys, here is my story.

The first bulb went dark after power up at around 980hrs. Thought it was strange that it would power up then shut off after about a minute. Pulled the bulb and checked the contacts, all seemed good. Reseated the bulb but no change. Decided to use the free spare and it worked flawlessly for another 850hrs (untill two days ago) then the same thing as the first bulb. Assuming the bulb was bad I starting pulling the lamp assembly apart. I did find something interesting. There is two silicone rubber boots where the wires attach to the lamp, one on the reflector, one at the back top of the ceramic base. I pulled these boots back to see what it looked like under there and to my suprise the wire pretty much fell off. On the bulb side is small male blade terminals and on the wires are female blade terminals. Both of these connections were very loose and could slip on and off with minimal effort. I thought a-ha found the issue. I tightend the female terminals by lightly squeesing them with needle nose pliers, worked the terminals back on and tested. Well it did not fix the issue with the bulb. After checking both bulbs they both had the same loose terminal issue. It may be possible that these loose connections are causing premature bulb failure.

Another interesting thing I found was with the bulb counter as someone else had mentioned. The first bulb had 980hrs when it quit and the second 850hrs but when I calculated my average use time over the course of a year I get around 3100 hrs (used everyday as primary display,one power cycle per day). The first bulb went at the 1 year mark, the second at 11months. The bulbs actual on time is close to its rated life in eco mode. But even if the counter only counts 1hr for every two that its on the numbers still don't add up, 1960hrs just isn't close to my calculated on time for the first bulb, which was 3180hrs.


Kevin

Well guys after a month of back and forth with optoma canada, They decided to send me a brand new projector as a replacement with no warranty. That was fine because the warranty on the old one was almost up. I just hope it works long enough to sell with the house. Not sure what projector I should try next....any ideas.

I'm happy with the Epson Home 1080UB that I got after I said bye-bye to Optoma.

I still have no bulb. Optoma's tech support company screwed up my order, so it was backordered. I got sick of phone calls and faxes so I cancelled and ordered from mwave (who is now also backordered). But at least I can see my order status with mwave.

Hmm - interesting about the bulb counter being off potentially. This would mean I am approaching 3000 hours on my first bulb.

DO NOT BUY OPTOMA!!! I am a service tech and needed a simple part for an Optoma HDTV (DLP HD65), first I tried the internet route, no response to the service request, then I called the 888 number just to be forwarded to a company called TSC (no website), waited 55 minutes on hold!!!! Finally a lady came on the line and when I asked about the Color wheel I needed was told that I could not order without the part number and only one person could give it to me and guess what, he was not there!!!! Ok, now I am getting pieved, 2 days later I finally got to this "parts" guy just to be told that they will NOT sell the simple part I need, that I have to buy the WHOLE optical engine for a cost of $700+ USD. Now I have an unhappy customer + 2 wasted hours of my time, thus can not reccomend Optoma to anyone. This is a very sad and poorly run company that does not care about their customers.

Beware, do not buy any Optoma product or you will be sorry.
Jmayes

Boxlight, Sony and Sanyo all sell parts at reasionable cost

Good luck,
JM

FYI: That's the same answer that Infocus was telling people about their X1s with the buzzing color wheel - you would have to buy the whole optical engine as it is considered one part.

Yes, Scratch infocus from the buy list too, they won't well parts either. However Boxlight and Eiki has rebranded much of their stuff and they will sell parts so find the Boxlight and/or Eiki equiv. and go that route if someone already has an Infocus.

JM

All I have to say is, so sorry to read about the collective problems you have had but thank you for posting it. A particular big box store has these on clearance with a 200 dollar rebate bringing it to 799 -- as tempted as I am to get it, I don't think I can handle this kind of heartache for a first projector. I'll keep searching, good luck all.

After I had to contact them for any kind of information on my RMA, I get a promised follow up... two weeks later nothing so I check again, they say needs new bulb.

I email pointing to this thread and explaining why I think it's not a new bulb that's needed (same symptoms, lamp LED is still green, not flashing red) and asked that they rexamine the issue, the response was:

"We will let the tech know you refused the new bulb and will send your unit back to you". (paraphrased).

I am pissed...

I was on the Optoma website 'cause even though I sold my HD72 I'm still so mad I took a $1000 loss I am still condsidering printing out this thread and sending to Optoma HQ with a letter telling them how much I think they suck just to make me feel better! So was looking for the address.

Anyway...on the Optoma home page under What's New they have a link to a survey you can take about dealing with Optoma. I suggest you all take it, I had fun telling them why I will never buy Optoma again and that I am doing what I can to tell others to stay away!

i just got the hd65 as my first projector not long ago. Are all optomas having this problem or just the 72? I hope mine lasts I hate to start out bad...

My HD73 is doing the exact same thing as everyone is reporting for the 72's. It just goes black after about 30 seconds. No screen warning, no indicator light. I just sent it in today. From the gist of this tread I'm not holding out much hope of actually having it repaired. It had less than 600 hrs. on the lamp.

reset your lamp it works

bugmenot55 : how can I do this if my screen goes dark in 3 secondes ?? thanks.

WELL I have been looking at getting an Optoma projector and now will be passing on getting one.I have an aquantaince who is looking to get one also--plus he sells and installs hometheatre gear so Optoma have just lost quite a few sales

I have to say, I've had mine for almost a year and have had No problems or issues yet. I would even go as far to say...I love my HD72! Has a little over 1000 hrs (according to the timer). But if it does go out in the next few months, I think I can swing it to my wife that I need a new one...I just got blu-ray and have been thinking about upgrading w/in the year to 1080p anyways. Good luck to all having issues.