[Big Hock]

Ok I have had my AE100 since april 27 and have only had it mounted on my ceiling I have logged 87 hours on econo mode. the problem is this, Todaywhile watching a movie the lamp shut off and the red light for lamp started blinking...I read my manual and figured the lamp might be hot or something so I shut it down for about 4 hours and just turned it on now. Ok now my screen is darker and it flickers about every 5 seconds. I guess what I am asking is has someone shipped theirs back to japan and what course did you go through to do that. who do I contact etc.

I hope this wasnt a 1400+ mistake my wife will kill me over.


-Gene, Scarred in Colorado Springs

 

[elgaic]

Didn't someone here write about changing fan speed for different altitudes throught the service menu?

 

[eujin]

I am but a humble pj newbie, but it sounds like the "red led of death" to me. I've come across a number of posts about this and it's made me very nervous about taking the plunge. However, I've also read that people have been able to send it back to Japan for a replacement. Good luck--we're all rooting for you!

 

[Big Hock]

Well I guess I'm going to have to ship it back to japan. My wife is perty pissed off let me tell you. especially since it will cost arround 100-200 bucks for round trip on this unit. After reading all the posts on the ae100 before I bought it I figured I couldnt go wrong... I will now show you my email back from price japan and ask if anyone has shipped theirs back how long did it take you to get your unit back from japan in working order? Another thing Im mulling on my 1400 dollar experience is how long will it hold up when I get it back? Maybe I put about 80 hrs on it again and it does the same thing. Just something for the rest of you getting ready to take the 1400+ plunge.It may need warranty repair.

From **********:


If you send it to us for warranty repair, please send it to the following

address.

Item's round trip cost($100-200) will be your burden, as written on our site:
www.***************/ourpolicy.htm

I ask you to clearly write on invoice that your AE100 go home for warranty

repair.

Our shipping address is as follows;


********** Co. Ltd.

#605, Ushigomedai Mansion,

Yakuoji-cho, Shinjuku-Ku, Tokyo 162-0063, Japan

tel. +81-90-2315-4580

Thanks.


Kaneda
www.***************

 

[mtm900]

I am still waiting on mine it has been in Japan since April10th.

 

[Big Hock]

I wonder if I would be better off taking it to a panasonic repair center and Just paying to have it fixed. I know the warrenty doesnt apply here in the us but I'm going to wind up spending about 200 bucks for shipping maybe I just apply that to getting it fixed here? any ideas?


mtm900...what was wrong with your ae100?

 

[mtm900]

Mine had the "led of death" problem. Mine would come back on for about 2 minutes and then the projector bulb would shut off and the lamp light would begin to flash again. It also became dimmer before this problem started.


If you do a search for "ae100 owners with problems" you will find the thread that I started.

 

[President Bozo]

Guys,


Please read my other post below which suggests perhaps we could all write up a consolidated inquiry back to the JP vendor and/or Panasonic. Perhaps this is a known issue that they already know root cause to but that we (consumers) don't know the status of...

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...32#post1058532

 

[CrimsonAle]

For everyone who has experienced the "LED of death" problem with the AE100, were you using a step down transformer? Is it possible that the higher US voltage is damaging the heat sensor? Just a thought...


On that same note, has anyone using a step down transformer experienced any problems with this projector?


I just ordered one of these from **********, and I'm not plugging the darn thing in until I get a transformer.


///CA

 

[David James]

Big Hock:

I'm really sorry to hear about the problem. I wish I knew if the problem was a factory defect or usage related, but at this point I don't believe anyone with this problem has had one fixed yet. Were you running your fan on high? Did you check your temp. readings regularly, if so what were they?


Prior to buying, I checked, via a friend, with a manager of a Soundtrack in Fort Collins about buying an extended warrentee for the AE100. He said they would sell one, but I never followed up with them. You may want to check with a Soundtrack in your area.

 

[AngryofMayfair]

I have a 711XU with the exact same red led of death problem. After less than 200hrs use. Somehow I am feeling very sceptical about Panasonics 4000hrs lamp life claims - my 711 has never been out of the room in it's 10 weeks of use and most of that time it has been ceiling mounted so there is no way the PJ has been mistreated.

One thing to make sure you do - CLEAN THE FILTER EVERY 100 hrs. You would be suprised how quickly 100 hrs can come around and how dirty they can get in that time.

The manual clearly states that the filter must be cleaned evry 100hrs and now I beleive it!

Some PJ's even have a filter timer so it is important!

Also you might be suprised at how much hotter it is up on the ceiling than down below on the couch. Make sure that the thing is not cooking up there...

So, those are things to look out for - I did check them and still had lamp problems....

I think there are some major issues here that Panasonic should be looking at. They should be pro-active about a fix before they start to get a lot of upset customers knocking on their door.

 

[HB111]

Mine was sent back last week.


Before I sent it back I called Panasonic USA.

They seemed to recognize the Model # and gave the impression that when they recieve the schematics/authorization from Panasonic that they would repair under warranty. Not a 100% committment though.


Since my AE100 failed I have read about not moving the projector while it is running. Why is this? Are they that fragile?

 

[Big Hock]

Yeah, I read the same thing about not moving it while its running. How am I supposed to line it up to my screen? Anyway I sent mine back yesterday to **********. I also asked for a new unit even though I know they say they wont do that only repair. I figured I only had mine up on the ceiling about 5 days. I'll keep you all posted on the return of mine. HB111 and mtm900 I hope to hear about you two getting yours back soon. Let me know.

-Gene

 

[tony.tam]

Mine has been up on the celing for about 95% of the 100 hours on it now. Once I got pretty scared because when I was using it again the amber light was on and fan was still on high. I pressed the power button on the remote and the amber light started blinking, pressed again a little later and it was solid amber again. Basically the only thing I could do was make the amber blink or stay on solid. And the fan was going high the whole time. I did a shutoff with the power switch and unpluged it. Pluged everything back in about a minute later and everything was okay. Boy was I scared! I do clean the filter every 50 hours. Since there seems to be a issue with cooling. I guess it would have been nice for them to make the unit a bit bigger so it could have better cooling, was the size really that important? Personaly I would rather have a larger unit, they can flow more air through and use a slower fan. Size is not really a issue with me, unless it was the size of a CRT projector!