[Gary Lightfoot]

Having just put my DLS8 into my (almost) completed loft, I noticed some evenly spaced horizontal lines (12 or so)that were apparent on the projected image. They were there no matter what source I used.


Phoned Davis UK today and explained the problem - first conclusion was the cable (not the ribbon) attached to the DMD was defective - new chip assembly required, at a cost of £1303.50 (1825 US$)!!!


I felt pretty bummed about that because the projector has only done 72 hours over the past 15months, and is now 3 months out of warranty.


I've only just ceiling mounted the projector in my converted loft, so that got me thinking. Neither my g/f or myself had noticed these lines before, so maybe the fault had occured because it was upside down. Placing the projector back on a table still produces the lines on the now upside down picture. However, flipping the image back to rightside up removes the lines!


I can duplicate and remove the fault just by flipping the image.


I had put a posting here recently, and one reply (Simonthepieman) did say that he'd had a similar fault, and sent it away under warranty. It came back repaired and with new software.


Sounds very much like it needs new software to me. Anyone else agree?


The revision number is: E/LV4/0/332.


What's the latest? Is it 'C'?


I'm also now have another concern that I will not mention until I'm certain, but it is a little worrying right now.


Any comment welcome.


TIA


Gary.

 

[pcostanz]

Gary, I feel for you man. I had a nightmare situation when I first bought my DLS8 about 15 months ago also. The first one I got had a black horizontal line across the middle that was about 5% of the total height. I freaked and called the store I got it from. They were out of stock, but I could send it in for warranty repair, which I did. I got it back 2 weeks later and it worked fine for 5 minutes then the black bar appeared again. It turned out that it was a loose or defective cable connected to the DMD. The DAVIS tech said it was an easy fix for him, but that because of where the DMD was located it was very difficult for an end user to attempt to fix, not to mention the warranty issue. I sent it to davis and demanded a new unit, which they sent me once stock arrived. Anyway, if you are seeing these bars as black/pictureless horizontal spaces across the screen, it sounds like the same issue. If it is, it's sounds like highway robbery to fix at 1800.00, you could get another projector for a little more. To bad the mechanical schematics are not available. Maybe the service manual and parts would be cheaper to purchase, if you could get them.


BTW, if the problem sounds the same as what I experienced, it's not the software, unfortunately. I am also running revision E.


Good luck!



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-Peter


[This message has been edited by pcostanz (edited 08-14-2001).]

 

[Gary Lightfoot]

Hi Pete,


Not sure if the fault is the same, but there are similarities.


The 12 or so lines are evenly spaced, and the image is perfect apart from that.


The lines are only there if I use the menu option to rotate the image upside down.


I would have thought that if it was a dodgy connector, the lines would always be there.


Seems odd...


Gonna call the repair guy again tommorrow and see if he has anything else to say..


Cheers.


Gary.

 

[mflaster]

I had almost the exact same thing happen to me. See this post .


Unfortunately, I believe it *is* a hardware problem, albeit an intermittant one.


Mike



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Join the NYC-area HT club! Send me e-mail!

 

[cutman0122]

I have to agree with you Gary, this definitely sounds software based! If it was hardware, it would be there all the time. Even it it were an intermittent hardware problem, I would think you would have seen it by now atleast once in both inverted and non inverted picture image. To further isolate, you could try displaying the image inverted and noninverted with the projector right side up, and upside down. If it only shows up when the projector is in a particular orientation, then it could be hardware. If it's there no matter the orientation, it's probably softawre!


[This message has been edited by cutman0122 (edited 08-15-2001).]

 

[Gary Lightfoot]

Hi Cutman,


yup, that was my next move - stick it back on the ceiling and see if an upside down image has lines or not.


I spoke with the service guy who quoted for a new DMD, and he had to agree with me that it isn't a hardware fault. He's yet to give me a quote on a software upgrade, but neither of us were sure what the latest version is. I've seen 'K' on Davis website, but I think someone found a hidden update - 'C' or something. Guess I'll have make a new post... http://www.avsforum.com/ubb/smile.gif


At least now things aren't looking so expensive. http://www.avsforum.com/ubb/biggrin.gif


Gary

 

[mflaster]

Well, I hope you're right, but if it's a software problem, why isn't it a well known problem for others using your software revision?


You could just try *any* other software revision, and if you still have the problem, then I'd say it's clear that it's hardware.


Mike



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[Gary Lightfoot]

I know what you're saying Mike, but I get a perfect picture when the image is oriented one way, and a lined one when it is inverted. That shows that the DMD is fully functional.


If it was a DMD fault, surely the lines would always be there - regardless of the image orientation?


Your problem was a line going from top to bottom. Mine is a set of lines from left to right, and I can remove them by flipping the image via the remote. My software may be faulty. Don't know yet...


Someone on another thread said their DL450 had the same prob, and came back fixed and with a different software revision. That doesn't mean the hardware wasn't replaced though.


If there's a pcb that does the invert mapping of the DMD, then that could be at fault, but as we don't know how it works, I can't say.


If it is hardware, I'll just keep the pj on a table instead of the ceiling, and watch a perfect picture that way. There's no way I'm paying $1800 for a fix on somethong with less than 75 hours on it, and only 15 months old. I could probably sell it as a table top only pj and buy a new one that would overall only cost me the price of a repair. I'd then have a new DLS8 and 2 years warranty. http://www.avsforum.com/ubb/smile.gif


Gary.

 

[mflaster]

Quote:

Originally posted by Gary Lightfoot: If it was a DMD fault, surely the lines would always be there - regardless of the image orientation?

I agree with you that it's not the DMD. What has been speculated is the cable going to the DMD. There are apparently tons of tiny wires. In my case, there was probably I think someone called it a dry contact? Kind of a tiny break. When it heated up, the metal expanded enough to make contact. My understanding is that you have these things for both vertical and horizontal, at least that's what I remember. So even though mine was vertical, and yours is horizontal, it seems like it could be the same thing. I know yours comes on and off with just a remote push - can't think of a physical explanation for that. But I can't think of a software one either. And the physical characteristics remind me of my problem.


Anyway, I'm just being gloomy, I'm not providing any useful advice, don't mind me. I hope it's just a minor software thing.


Mike





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Join the NYC-area HT club! Send me e-mail!

 

[Gary Lightfoot]

Mike said:


"Anyway, I'm just being gloomy, I'm not providing any useful advice, don't mind me. I hope it's just a minor software thing."


That's OK Mike - it does help to be reminded of the negatives so that if it is the case, it's not totaly unexpected, and a total shock! http://www.avsforum.com/ubb/smile.gif


I'm assuming that the software maps the DMD, so telling it what info from the input should go to what mirror. It seems to map perfectly in normal orientation, but makes errors (the lines)for inverted orientation.


I'm hoping it's not two different boards in the pj, and one is faulty. Hmmm maybe if that is the case, they could be swapped, so the good one does the inverted image??


Now I'm getting carried away... http://www.avsforum.com/ubb/smile.gif


Gary.

 

[simonthepieman uk]

Dear Gary

i purchased an early davis dl 450 which i returned twice

once in the first 12 months via the uk distributor (changed

at least 3 times now) anyway on both occasions it went back

to norway.

1.first problem was your hoziontal lines mine were visable

all the time and mostly blue/pink.Having check my records

the unit came back repaired with the same software revision

as yours E/etc,etc, at the same time they also updated my

pj to the 16:9 spec.(this was not avaliable originally)

2.Second problem april this year my pj was unable to either

automatically or manually swap from a PAL TO NTSC OR BACK

so using s-video from my multi region pioneer dvd all i got

was a fuzzy screen probally some where between NTSC & PAL

i was unable to do anything to make it work.

So i contacted the uk distributor again (different to first occasion)they said i had to go through a dealer,luckily i

was about to purchase a stewart screen from a davis dealer

so they sent it back for me.It went back to norway davis

said they knew what the prob was,it returned this 2nd time

working perfectly with revison software"C" (no other numbers

orr letters)just "C"

i would also say the picture is much better but this is

not fair as previously i projected on to a white painted

wall,now of course i use my 1.3.Gain stewart.

i was only charged the dealers uk postage/admin of £30

even though 2nd time was over 2 years old, as davis wanted

to sort problem.

So this projector has been painful but i think is a great

picture compared to lcd, i just hope it doesn't go wrong

again,especially now davis has been sold to dreamvision.


Has anyone made a DIY hushbox for the davis if so dimensions

etc,please

Gary if you wish to ring me my daytime uk phone number

is 01484 558500

 

[Gary Lightfoot]

Thanks for the info Simon. http://www.avsforum.com/ubb/smile.gif


I spoke to Davis UKs new repair people again today, and they're going to do a software upgrade to version C for me on Tuesday.


Handling charge of £32.50 seems fair, and he's checking the serial number for me beacause I should have a 2 years manufacturers warranty. As it's only 15months old since I bought it, I should have 9 months remaining.


If not I'm off to the trading standards. http://www.avsforum.com/ubb/biggrin.gif


I'll let you know how it all goes..