[deepak12]

I have an Optoma HD20 (DLP projector), which has started displaying vertical white lines recently. Below are the details

1. White vertical lines evenly spaced (20-25)

2. Random in nature - Sometimes go away when press the top, sometimes go away by themselves, but from the last month, have become more persistent.

3. Total PJ usage till now is less than 100 hours

4. Since I flew it with me from US to India, it is out of warranty, unless I ship it back to US, which seems unlikely at this moment

5. I do not trust the service center in India a lot, since the bulb is practically new, and I am concerned that they may swap the new one with an old/refurbished one.

6. Tried opening the projector myself, but could not get the cover out completely. Got all screws out, removed the lamp, the rear portion loosened up and came off, but there seems to be something fastening the front grill to the body of the projector, hence can lift the cover about an inch from the rear, but cannot diagnose.

7. Have gone thru some of the threads, and some point it out as a serious isssue (DMD, image processor, bad solder etc), and some talk about it as being minor.


Please suggest what should be done. If it needs to be pulled apart, please let me know the instructions also, as am stuck!!!

 

[Sheridan1952]

There is nothing you can do for it, it HAS to go in for repair. That is, if it is still under warranty. It is NOT a minor issue.


Either the DMD chip or the image processor is failing and that is something that requires assembly replacement, very expensive.


Or the connection of the DMD assembly to the main board is failing. And that is something that most people are ill-equipped to deal with. Those connections are extremely tiny and take a very tiny soldering iron and great care. It is very easy to bridge multiple connectors and do more damage.

 

[deepak12]

Ok then, I will take it to the service center in India. Hopefully it is just a solder which came off, and the technician will be able to put it back. Thanks...

 

[forneeraj]

I am having same issue since last week :-(... Did you go to service center to get it checked?

 

[clintonk]

I just bought the HD200-x from Costco the other day. I am having the same issue. I see horizontal lines when I have a black screen or when I use my wii console. I never had this issue with my last projector, so I am ruling out any cables or connections. I was wondering if its some display setting but I can't seem to find any adjustments to improve things.

 

[klk8251]

I may have found an easy solution for this problem. I was having the same problem (vertical black lines (sometimes white) all the way across the viewing area (usually the lines are paired). Sometimes they would come and go depending on the day (regardless of source), but then after awhile I could not get the lines to go away.... until today.


When I pressed down (firmly) on the top of the projector (about 2.5-3 inches behind the screen size dial and maybe an inch inside) I noticed that the lines would change randomly (distance apart, color, etc...) depending on how hard I was pressing. I will mention that I was also applying pressure to the bottom of the unit (so it was more like I was squeezing the projector). After squeezing it several times at a various degrees of firmness, the lines disappeared. I slowly let go of the projector and the lines have not come back since.


Hope this helps!

 

[andrewmurphy]

I have/had this problem today for the first time. I tried the pressing on the case as suggested and it has currently gone away. I'm watching it now hoping that will be it.


I've had the projector just over a year and the builb usage is 630 hours.

 

[bmorebmore]

I'll be darned if squeezing the projector didn't work for me as well. Thanks!

 

[justincook]

Ceiling mounted 700+ lamp hours with no issues. Last week vertical lines all the way across the entire screen. Squeezed in recommended area just now and vertical lines vanished. Many thanks!

 

[Tinman]



Quote:
Originally Posted by klk8251  /t/1359730/help-optoma-hd20-projector-displaying-vertical-lines#post_21299952


I may have found an easy solution for this problem. I was having the same problem (vertical black lines (sometimes white) all the way across the viewing area (usually the lines are paired). Sometimes they would come and go depending on the day (regardless of source), but then after awhile I could not get the lines to go away.... until today.



When I pressed down (firmly) on the top of the projector (about 2.5-3 inches behind the screen size dial and maybe an inch inside) I noticed that the lines would change randomly (distance apart, color, etc...) depending on how hard I was pressing. I will mention that I was also applying pressure to the bottom of the unit (so it was more like I was squeezing the projector). After squeezing it several times at a various degrees of firmness, the lines disappeared. I slowly let go of the projector and the lines have not come back since.



Hope this helps!

This works because the DLP chip plugs into an edge connector on the main board. Heating and cooling cycles and oxidation take their toll on that connection.

Last time I cleaned mine, I took the main board out, used a little deoxit on the connector and put it back together. A common but easy to fix problem.

Kind of like the early PC days when it was not uncommon to pull and re-seat various cards to wipe the contacts clean.

 

[lauradogin]

me too,good info ,I took the main board out, used a little deoxit on the connector and put it back together. thanks

 

[Crimbo]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Tinman  /t/1359730/help-optoma-hd20-projector-displaying-vertical-lines#post_22811079


This works because the DLP chip plugs into an edge connector on the main board.

How and where is the DLP chip plug??


I found this... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4VOZpPqWJw


I assuming, the connection is much further inside the projector.

 

[Tinman]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Crimbo  /t/1359730/help-optoma-hd20-projector-displaying-vertical-lines#post_23111336


How and where is the DLP chip plug??


I found this... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4VOZpPqWJw


I assuming, the connection is much further inside the projector.

The DMD board is just behind the lens assembly. If you remove the metal shield on top, you can see the rows of pins that make up the connector.

Usually you want to just lift the board a little and press it back down.

 

[Crimbo]

Ar okay, brilliant - I found the connection and went a step further; I took off the motherboard and lightly cleaned the contact with de-ionised water.


I can happily confirm, this solves the problem! Thank you

I found these links useful...

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4VOZpPqWJw
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJpGvrz3yR4
• http://www.avsforum.com/t/1165581/official-optoma-hd20-thread/2880#post_19956757

 

[Uffe Munkgaard]

Hello,


I am Uffe from Denmark. Exactly same experience here!

 

[Uffe Munkgaard]

I mean the lines. Going for the sqeezing now..

 

[Uffe Munkgaard]

Squeezing worked perfectly. This means the projector is not suitable for a lot of transportation, though. Thanks a lot!

 

[Tinman]

Yes, squeezing works because you MOVE the contacts. But it'll come back because you didn't CLEAN them. It's oxidation that causes the problem.

But then you can always just squeeze it again. Taking a projector apart isn't for everyone.

 

[Uffe Munkgaard]

I've put a fragile mark over the spot. it isn't really humid here, wonder where the oxidation comes from..

 

[hipraveen]

WOW!

I thought my project was dead!

It was wonderful. I had a vertical white line all across. I pressed hard but then two lines again. I noted that it is working.

I pressed once more and the line disappeared.


Both, it worked like magic.

praveen