Optoma HD 72 Bulb just went... I Think... - Page 2

Now it's happening in High Altitude mode as well. This is ridiculous, all of us having this problem. So I'm going to have to send it in AGAIN? In my 18 years of being into HT I've never had to send piece of equipment back, now this is the second problem in a year for the HD72.

My HD72 bulb failed last week at just over 600 hours. I returned the projector for a refund after reading all the problems people are having, and bought an HD7100. Now I see it has the same problems... I hope I'm one of the lucky ones, or this projector is going back too and I'll buy another brand.

So what happened? Did you get yours back? Is it working again?

I had the EXACT same issue happen with mine. When I called them they appeared to know about the problem and said they could fix it - so I sent it in Friday.

I understand your desire to place blame on Optoma for this situation, but it is really an industry wide issue, not just Optoma. Most lamps manufactured for these projectors (all brands) is done by a company known as Ushio.

Ushio commands a very high cost for these specialty lamps. It is not a part manufactured by ANY of the projector manufacturers.

The day may come in the near future when your projector is using LEDs for the light source, which would decrease heat, reduce needs for loud fans, save energy and last for 50,000 - 60,000 hours before needing to be replaced. Of course, by that time, you will be purchasing a new projector.

Back to the issue, though. I've worked for several projector manufacturers and lamps have always been an issue. I understand your frustration, but I wouldn't slam Optoma over it because they really have no control over manufacturing for these lamps.

I'm not sure who you are responding to - but in my case - the lamp works fine. The lamp simply shuts off after 30 seconds.

In fact - OPTOMA technical support said I could put in a different bulb (because I have a spare) but it wouldn't make any difference. They knew about the problem and can fix it. I'm hoping they know what they are talking about.

Add me to the list. I had the same problem with my HD72. I had it mounted on the ceiling and it shut off after 30 sec. I knew it was not the bulb. It would run fine right-side-up, but as soon as I inverted it, it would shut off after 30 sec. I decided to let it run right-side-up for a while. That fixed it, and I've had it mounted on the ceiling ever since. Probably less than 2 months ago.

Glad to hear I'm not alone on this.

By the way, my remote sensor (the ones on the unit) quit working consistently over a year ago. Anyone else have this problem? I've decided it's a circuitry issue, as it gets worse as it warms up. No simple answer.

M.

Wow! Interesting stuff. I called Optoma they said my unit is now fixed. I wonder if they simply ran it right side up for a bit to fix it!

My remote sensor works perfect. I use a Harmony remote to control it - very happy with the PJ and so far with Optoma support during RMA.

I am glad i checked the forum since I have been experiencing the same problem. I emailed Optoma and a rep called me on the same day. I filled out the RMA request and faxed it to optoma. They immediatly emailed me a RMA number. Customer service seems good so far. I did not get to talk to the rep when he called. Will see how it goes when I send it in.

OPTOMA repaired mine but they didn't notify me of a tracking number - so I missed the DHL delivery.

They got it on Monday and sent it back Thursday. Pretty good.

I should hopefully get it on Monday but with signature required ... you never know

It will probably take mine a bit longer since Iam shipping from PA. How did you box it. Iwill probabaly put the original box in another with packing.

That is exactly how I packed mine.

I got mine yesterday and the repair order said they changed out one part and during QA found the bulb was not functioning properly but the bulb was not covered under warranty.

I was extremely worried about this but when I fired it up the bulb was working as I remember. Watching closely I was able to notice the bulb issue but the bulb has been like this since day one. I thought it was DLP actifacting but I guess not. I'm going to call them but I doubt at this point they will do anything for me.

Fortnately during normal viewing it is very difficult to notice - watching a test pattern you can see it happen. Basically around the edges of the screen the bulb very slightly dims and then rebrightens.

This problem happened to me today. I tried turning it right-side up, and I tried turning it to high-altitude mode, but nothing worked. I called and left a message at Optoma. Does anyone know how much this will cost to get it fixed? Thanks.

This has been happening to me for a while. Changing the Bright Mode off seemed to work for a while, but now it just wont work. I have an e-mail into Optoma support. Of course, this has to happen when I take time off with my wife to relax and watch Prison Break season 2 on a marathon. Sigh.


Shane

I just realized that these projectors have two-year warranties, don't they? So we should all still be covered, right?

Projector central says 2 years. Some of the places you can buy it (like Overstock where I got mine) says 1 year. Projector central is probably correct.

I posted in the main HD72 thread. Mine is doing this same thing

Well I guess I'm joining the club. My HD72 stated acting up a couple of months ago. I was running the lamp in high mode and turning that off worked until last week. I contacted Optoma Canada and will be sending the unit in tomorrow when I get the RMA number.

When I spoke to their representative and described the symptom there was no hesitation, no "try removing the lamp and reseating it" just fax in the documentation and we'll issue an RMA. I got the impression that they've heard of this issue before. This was before I stumbled onto this thread which explains a lot.

My previous projector was an Infocus X1 and my first lamp lasted over 3800 hours and even then it was still working, just dull and lacked contrast.

I've read about problems like this with other projectors over the years and in some cases the culprit was the power supply/ballast not providing the proper voltage to the lamp. I hope Optoma fixes the problem without resorting to blaming the lamp for the problem as I really don't think it is the lamp. It is an easy fall guy since it has a limited warranty and the manufacturer can recoup some costs, even make a profit, as opposed to the power supply where they would have to cover the cost for the full 2 years.

I shipped my HD72, it arrived last Thursday 10/25. I called today for status (the RMA status webpage seems to be broken), they said it got into the repair place on Monday, no details yet.

I have been nursing my HD72 with this problem for over 6 months now. It started at about 1200 hrs and I baby'ed it up to 1773 before not being able to fix it.

However, I too have this symtom of the old bulb working "right-side up" and not "up-side down" .... what the f%^#$K ????

Why would this happen? I'm an engineer and I stumped .. okay granted a software and EE, but still.

The good news is that the new bulb (saved it from promo two years ago when I purchased it) work great.

MDL: How long did you have to run yours right-side up for it stay on again up-side down???

I got my HD72 back today.

Says:

1. Auto shut-down during operatin Part number (blank) Part description: needs new lamp

2. Function OK but need to implem Part number: 75.83J01G002 Part Description: ASSY OSRAM LAMPDRIVER 230W(435

The letter that came with it says they completed repairs and testing, and that the unit has tested within normal operating parameters except for the lamp module. "Lamps are not covered items under warranty and the repairs did not impact lamp operation".

So basically they are saying, there was something wrong, we fixed it, but coincidentally you need a new lamp and the broken part has nothing to do with you needing a new lamp.

Riiiiight.

I haven't tested it out yet as I had to go to work. Will test tonight.

Well, like the rest of you, I have the same unit that exhibits the same behavior. Like some of you, thanks to your tips, I was able to get and 100 hours on a bulb that had 900 or so.

I can't speak for the rest of you on this, but I got hopeful man. I really hoped that reseting the lamp hours and reseting my customizations would allow me to get the rest of the expected life out of the bulb. But low and behold after an additional 100 hrs that was it. I get the same 1 to 2 minutes of great picture and then off. What the hell.

(Excuse me while I rant)
I tend to be cool, calm, and calculating. I will troubleshoot something to death until I can fix it. But as someone who works with electronics daily, I am noticing something that is disturbing.

It used to be that when you bought something, especially expensive, it not only worked out of the box, but it for worked, trouble free for years! Is it just me?

I assemble and install simulators that use off the shelf electronics; displays, computer parts, projectors, speakers, etc. There has been a disturbing trend, especially, the last 5 years or so. Now, instead of hardware, software, firmware issues being a rarity, it is now common place. Its way too common. Power supplies that fail on monitors, Bluetooth keyboards and mice that constantly lose connection, projectors that won't release initial settings, HDTVs that have main boards that blow, bulbs that last only half as long as they are supposed too. Burned in pixels. It is ok to ship and not warranty burned in pixels! You have to stare at that damn white or green pixel during dark scenes on tv, movies and games. Amps that blow fuses when there is hardly a load on them.

IS IT JUST ME?

It is bad enough that we have to go through this crap with computers. Microsoft started all this with having to wait until the next service pack. The component makers with their firmware upgrades.

I have had just about enough of this with every other piece of electronics. It seems to be the new standard. Release, ship, and sell components that only halfway work today, then we'll repair and make them right somewhere down the road. What the Hell?

I don't know if AVSForum will allow me to create a gripe posting thread, dedicated to venting, but I think I will try it.

This has to stop! I have had to have my HDTV repaired 3 times. I have had to have subwoofer amps repaired twice. LEDs on my AV receiver randomly flicker. My Pioneer Elite Dvd player drops out on its HDMI connection and the website doesn't even acknowledge the model #'s existence. They just put out another model number to cover its tracks. Some of the digits on my Monster Cable's Voltage regulator don't light up anymore. What the ???????? I used to love electronics. I can't stop surfing the web looking for the next big thing. Better yet I can't wait until the hardware goes up for sale so that I can have it! But I have had just about enough.

Well, I got my 72 back up, and it seems to be working fine. Bulb seems fine. I'm not going to replace it unless it starts acting up.

No it's not just you. I received a call from Optoma about my projector and guess what... no prizes; yep they claim it was the lamp. When I questioned them on it they indicated that the technicians are very knowledgeable and if they say it's the lamp, then it's the lamp. I explained that it seems that this particular issue seems quite common and that they may have either a bad batch of lamps or their power supply design is suspect - no comment. I sucked it up and authorized the lamp replacement.

I understand that the lamp has a limited warranty and that, at around 1000 hours the warranty is over. Other products have similar warranty restrictions, tire on cars, batteries on, well just about everything and so on. My problem with this particular issue is that so many people have had the exact same symptom. This, to me, sound like an endemic problem that Optoma should look into and either extend the warranty for this repeatable problem (say, to2500hrs guaranteed) or offer a prorated replacement at the very least. For instance if your lamp has this common issue and there's 1000 hours on it and it's meant to last 3000 hours, you pay only 1/3 the cost of the replacement - lamp cost $360, you pay $120.

I think projector manufacturers should make a better effort to stand behind their products, especially with a fundamental component like a lamp. It's not an accessory or a piece of bling, no lamp, no projector. We have to demand better from all manufacturers. This is not just Optoma.

Well, I got my projector back. 7 day turn around. I am impressed. Hooked it up and it stayed on for 5 hours before I had to go to bed last night. They replaced part number 75.83J01G001B, the lamp driver. I guess that it wasn't "just me." I also believe that I lucked out with a good tech. Being a tech that has to identify and make repairs myself, you see good ones and bad ones (techs).

By the way, they repaired and shipped it without informing me. The DHL driver made two attempts before I found out. I only found out because I emailed Tech Support for an update. They said that it had shipped 3 days earlier. Tech Support response by the way was EXCELLENT! If there is one thing I have learned in this industry, it is that they can all make good products and bad products. However, the difference is in how well they support their products. I will purchase another Optoma based on that alone! Two year warranty? I wonder if COSTCO had anything to do with that.

Thank goodness. That is how one wants to end a work week. Oh, and start a week of vacation.

As you could probably tell from my rant before, I had several pieces of my personal electronics, like my HDTV and A/V receiver, a computer hard drive all die inside of a week. Then the electronics were defective in batches at work. I was in my personal twilight zone. Oh an to add to it I had my V6 fall apart and it had to be replaced. The projector was the straw. The funny thing is that everything was bad inside of a week. Now, I got my vehicle back with a new engine, the projector, a new HDTV will arrive by Thanksgiving, and a new AV receiver; all in just over a week. Du du du du Du du du du

Thanks for letting me vent.

My HD72 also had the "lamp off after 30 seconds" problem, and I sent it in for warranty service back in August. They replaced the the lamp driver chip and the projector worked fine again... for THREE MONTHS. It is now exhibiting the same problem for a second time, after warranty "repair". Having read similar stories on this thread, I am convinced it's a design issue that Optoma would like to keep quiet. However, they continue to sell this model. Selling merchandise which is known to be defective is called fraud, and can be the basis of a lawsuit. I'm seriously aggrieved by the SECOND failure of my projector in three months and am forced cancel my Thanksgiving party at the last minute, since there will be no way to view the parade or football games at my house.
I am looking to collect the names of enough people who have this problem to pursue a class-action lawsuit. If you have experienced similar problems with your HD72, please send me your story and contact info: shamme -at- gmail

Just to point out manufacturing costs on projector bulbs are less that $100
(I suspect them to be in the 50-75$ range as I could purchase from a retailer in HK for 100$ delivered until very recently)
The markup on bulbs is enormous (often 400+%!

My projector had the same issue as all of yours. It would turn on for about 30 seconds or so with a nice bright picture, then with no warning it would be completely black. The fan and everything on the projector is working fine and there was no lamp failure indicator or anything. The lamp only has 565 hours on it. I got an RMA number from Optoma Canada and sent it in. 2 weeks later I get an e-mail saying the repair cost is a new lamp for 455+GST and shipping. I was aware of this thread and the fact many other people were having the same problem and it wasn't the lamp. I just sent Optoma Canada the following e-mail:

Hello Niclette,

Please read the information in this link I am sending. Many people have had the same issue with this projector and the lamp was not the problem. There is another issue with this projector, which is possibly the lamp driver needs to be replaced or something else. Please read this and forward the info to your techs as well in case they are not familiar with it. I am not going to pay 500$ for a lamp for a projector when it is just going to break down again in 500-600 hours. If you need to escalate this to your supervisor then please do so. There is definitely a problem with this projector and Optoma is trying to hide it by claiming lamp failures on all of these but that is not the case. It is an issue with the projector itself. Please read and forward this link to your techs and your supervisor to make sure that Optoma is proactively dealing with this problem. There is some talk of a class action lawsuit due to Optoma not admitting the problem and continuing to sell a faulty product. Please contact me once the real issue with the projector is diagnosed or a decision has been made regarding these projectors.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...t=hd72+problem


regards,

I'll keep everyone posted with what they have to say and if if everyone else who is affected can do the same that would be appreciated. Hopefully there is strength in numbers and they will be forced to finally admit the problem and deal with this issue.

I too had the same problem, sent it in, was told it was the lamp.I argued with the tech and cited this thread, he swore it was just the lamp... I asked for a supervisor and finally was told they would indeed replace the lamp free of charge....This all took about two weeks to turn around. The unit work well for about a month until I tried to fire it up for the kids and their friends last night after thanksgiving dinner. I now have the exact same problem again and optoma is off for the long weekend... The workorder had the same lampdriver repair listed... What, if any recourse do we have? They "say" they replaced the lamp, they never admitted that there was a problem, only that they were trying to be nice by replacing the lamp...

I've got the lamp problem this Thur when I was trying to watch the Dal/NYJ game. I have less than 750 hours on the lamp and have been operating in the power save mode since the very beginning.