[jotter]

Hi,


Well this will no doubt be one of many "is this normal" type posts on the PB sets now they are arriving but since I dont know the answer and mine arrived today I'm going to have to ask...


Basically, when I turn on the set I get a very high pitched whine which is kind of painful after a while. When there is normal audio stuff going on you can't hear it... but on low volumes and quiet scenes it's definately there and is really annoying. It doesn't sound like the fan (too high a frequency, and I've spent the last few weeks removing fan noise from my HTPC so I know what to listen for there )


I never noticed this on sets I've seen in stores - but they are hardly quiet environments. Is this the color wheel? Does anyone else hear the it? Is this something which will "go away" after the set has been broken in?


Argh! I haven't even started tweaking the picture or even entered the service menu to have a look at the settings but this is a dissapointing start.


Thoughts appreciated.


Jonathan


[title changed at Bri's request]

 

[ursa99]

The color wheel is a good bet...

 

[Bri]

I received my PB 507 today. Upon turning it on, I immediately noticed a high pitched whine emitting from the set. I can hear it from upstairs. I am a computer technician by trade and I know it is not a fan making the sound. It sounds exactly like a 15k SCSI hard drive. I am pleased with the default PQ and have not done any service menu tweaks yet. I am still letting the bulb burn in. However, the whine is driving me nuts! I would agree that it is most likely the color wheel making the noise, but I am at a loss whether I should return the set or call for service on this set. The set is pristine, very minimal pin-cushion and horizontal geometry appears not to slant one direction or the other, so I would be afraid to exchange it. Any ideas of what I should do?


Please Help.


-Bri

 

[Tom Roper]

You can hear it from upstairs? Can you hear a computer hard drive upstairs? It's about as loud as the computer hard drive in my laptop, no worse than that. Maybe not as loud even. I hope you just have really sensitive ears, or pehaps you have hardwood floors, wood paneling, sound that carries etc.


It's a shame if it bothers you. Some people hear ticking clocks, dripping faucets and are not bothered. Others go nuts. Squeaks in the interior of my car drive me nuts. The sound of a hard drive or color wheel doesn't.


I think it's normal if it's about the same as a hard drive. If it's really high frequency shrill like a dog whistle, I wouldn't know whether to blame my hearing loss, your sensitive ears, or the color wheel itself. But suffice to say, some noise from it is normal, especially on startup, just like your SCSI.


I doubt a service call will accomplish much except add frustration, waste time, create doubt, unless you can quantify the noise. From my experience, about the same or less as the noise my laptop makes. If it's much worse than that, then that's more noise than I would expect. I'm fairly trusting that for most, the out of box quality will be good.


Tom

 

[Tom Roper]

By the way, I'm positive enough to add, that what you all are noting, IS the color wheel. The fan makes a faint noise also, but it's a whisper quiet whir, soft, breezy sound. When you shut the TV off, the color wheel goes off first, for a while longer you can hear the fan.


Tom

 

[Tom Roper]

Sorry to make so many posts on this subject, but I just switched the 507 on, heard the whine on start-up, and and seconds later it faded away completely. I walked around inches from the set, and all I can hear now is the whirring of the fan.


That is not my previous recollection. It is definitely quieter than the hard drive in this laptop computer. My recollection was that it was the same.


It's possible the color wheel makes less noise than when new. My set has about 600 hours now.


I'd recommend giving it a little time to break in, less than thirty days though.


Tom

 

[Bri]

I was hoping you would try and help.


I just finished hooking up my HTPC to my new 507 and I am typing this from across the room in 1280x720 glory. This is way too cool. Cool enough for me to overlook the whine if need be. I do agree with you. After turkey Day I will venture forth to RS and pick up a sound level meter. (I needed one for my Outlaw gear anyhow). I will take realistic measurements from my viewing distance (approx 12') and post the results.

I hope it's just in my head. (pun intended)


Funny thing about the whine, It appears to come and go over time. When It is whining, it's the kind of high pitch whine that changes pitch when you turn your head.


I find it ironic that a Samsung product is making this particular noise. I purchased over 100 Samsung Barracuda IV hard drives for the office because they are by far the quietest drives around. (and advertised as such). Maybe the DLP division needs to talk to the HD division and procure some "Fluid Dynamic Barrings" for their color wheel assembly.



-Bri

 

[Tom Roper]

Quote:

When It is whining, it's the kind of high pitch whine that changes pitch when you turn your head.

That would infer it is at, or near the upper frequency limits of audibility. High frequency sounds are highly directional. My hearing is still pretty sensitive, but we all experience dulling of the high frequencies with the years. But I think my hearing is good enough to note a problem, since I do hear the whine on start up, but it does fade out completely after a few seconds. That's what you have to give it a little time to see if it breaks in, improves.


I wish I could display 1280x720 from my computer. That is way too cool. Can you do that with D15 VGA connector and the appropriate display adapter? Or does it have to be DVI enabled card? I was looking at some Sony Vaios at the retailer. They had some cool stuff, like DVD burners and Giga Pocket virtual VCRs for time shifting, recording etc. I might have jumped on one, but the display adapter did not support 1280x720x60hz

Tom


Tom

 

[jeffmcclan]

Quote:

Originally posted by Bri I was hoping you would try and help. I find it ironic that a Samsung product is making this particular noise. I purchased over 100 Samsung Barracuda IV hard drives for the office because they are by far the quietest drives around. (and advertised as such). Maybe the DLP division needs to talk to the HD division and procure some "Fluid Dynamic Barrings" for their color wheel assembly. -Bri

Could the Barracuda IV's be Seagate drives and not Samsung?

 

[gpflepsen]

Sombody has to say it...


Tinnitus?


The set shouldn't make any sound audible to you at 20', that would be my litmus test. Hope it works out.

 

[Bri]

Quote:

Originally posted by jeffmcclan Could the Barracuda IV's be Seagate drives and not Samsung?

Doh! lol.

My wrong.

Hay, it was 1am when I posted and I have had ringing in my ears for 12 hours by then. Besides they both start with an "S". ;-)

I've had Samsung on the brain from all the SyncMaster 181T and 191T lcd monitors I just purchased. Very nice panels BTW. I even picked up a 191T for the wifes X-Mas present. (she'll love it )


Tom, I just use a normal pc with a fanless Matrox g450. It does 1280x720 natively thru the D15 VGA connector. No Power Strip needed. Not a great gaming card but does desktop just fine. Give PowerStrip a try if your card can't do 1280x720 natively. I believe there is a free demo download available.


I did not use the DVI with my PC because the t165 will be plugged in there when it arrives.


"The set shouldn't make any sound audible to you at 20', that would be my litmus test." Well, as of today it definitely fails your test.


Maybe some WD40?


-Bri

 

[gpflepsen]

The only Samsung DLP set I've seen first hand was a floor model 5067 at BB. I had to put my head behind the TV to hear any mechanical noise. Of course this was in a somewhat noisy store invironment. I'd make a call now and see what "they" say. Stick it out for a few weeks and then persue an action if it still makes a whine.

 

[jotter]

Quote:

Originally posted by gpflepsen The only Samsung DLP set I've seen first hand was a floor model 5067 at BB. I had to put my head behind the TV to hear any mechanical noise. Of course this was in a somewhat noisy store invironment. I'd make a call now and see what "they" say. Stick it out for a few weeks and then persue an action if it still makes a whine.

Thanks for all the responses so far.


Sadly the service call will have to wait until this evening when I get back from work.


The whine I'm talking about is not the "dog level" type pitch (I don't think my ears, or my wifes, are especially good) but lower than that - it actually drowns out low audio from 9' back. Obviously when the audio changes I can't hear it but its very annoying to hear a high-pitched "hum" in quiet scenes.


I do get all the normal "disk spinning up" noises when it turns on (which then disappear) but I'm left with this whine. Having said all that I tested very briefly on my way to work this morning and it seemed better (actually the replaytv fan was being especially noisy for some reason). More testing needed this evening and then the service call goes in...


I should add, for all those on the fence still about this set, that I am pleased with it apart from this problem, having seriously considered going plasma instead - see a related thread in that forum. The few DVDs I tried yesterday looked really good. My wife and I don't (currently) see rainbows despite lots of head shaking yesterday and the AT&T cable SD feed is quite watchable from 9' (although not great). Pincusioning isn't really noticable either (I watched 4:3 for a couple of hours too). Clearly this is the 43" and the 50"s increasing size may well show problems I'm not seeing.


On a slightly related note: I'm slightly confused about the aspect I should be using for DVDs. It seems I need to be in zoom1 to remove the top and bottom bars without clipping or stretching the image. I sort of imagined it would just "autofit" widescreen signals when it got them - I guess the bands are part of the image which kind of surprised me...


Jonathan

 

[gpflepsen]

I thinkyou will always have some bands unless the DVD image is 16:9. 2.35 will have larger bands than 1.85. 1.78 would have no bands.

 

[jotter]

Well I'm back home now and the noise is definately there and really annoying. Its at that frequency range that makes you go "oww", higher than fan noise. It stops the moment the screen turns really back when you turn the set off. So, as speculated, it seems to be the color wheel.


I'll give it a few more days to see if it settles down [sigh]


Jonathan

Quote:

Originally posted by jotter Thanks for all the responses so far. The whine I'm talking about is not the "dog level" type pitch (I don't think my ears, or my wifes, are especially good) but lower than that - it actually drowns out low audio from 9' back. Obviously when the audio changes I can't hear it but its very annoying to hear a high-pitched "hum" in quiet scenes. I do get all the normal "disk spinning up" noises when it turns on (which then disappear) but I'm left with this whine. Having said all that I tested very briefly on my way to work this morning and it seemed better (actually the replaytv fan was being especially noisy for some reason). More testing needed this evening and then the service call goes in... Jonathan

 

[gpflepsen]

When you shut it down, does the noise wind down or instantly stop? It could be the lamp circuitry if it doesn't wind down.

 

[Bri]

Quote:

Originally posted by jotter ... and the noise is definitely there and really annoying. Its at that frequency range that makes you go "oww", higher than fan noise. It stops the moment the screen turns really back when you turn the set off. So, as speculated, it seems to be the color wheel. I'll give it a few more days to see if it settles down [sigh]

Exactly!


The PQ on this set is much better than I expected. And the PC display quality is outstanding. However, the whine is a show stopper. Talk about a love hate relationship.


Last night the whine stopped for about 2 minutes and I thought to myself "whew, I sure didn't want to return this set," but then it promptly came back. Errrrr. :-(


Jotter, I'm holding out hope for the next few days that our sound will magically go away (fat chance). But please keep us/me posted on how your service call goes. If they just blow you off then my set gets returned.


Thanks

-Bri

 

[jotter]

Quote:

Originally posted by gpflepsen When you shut it down, does the noise wind down or instantly stop? It could be the lamp circuitry if it doesn't wind down.

Well the 2 steps of turning off appear to be:

* stop the signal being shown on the set (black screen slightly backlit)

* about a second later a completely black screen, everything off


It stops the moment the screen really turns off (step 2).


Jonathan

 

[JamesElrod]

theres is a slight whine for about 5secs afterturning mine on then i goes away. If yours is that bad theres a problem, mine is completly silient to me.

 

[gpflepsen]

For those more in the know, if the lamp igniter kept trying to light the lamp after it was light, could this be the source of the whine?