Get an exclusive sneak peek into our new project. >>> Click Here

New Sammy HLP6163 DLP adjustment problem

1176 Views 26 Replies 6 Participants Last post by TVDoodz, Oct 27, 2004

TVDoodz

Discussion Starter · Oct 25, 2004

I'm at my wit's end trying to fix this and am hoping one of you can put me back on track. I've searched through many many threads looking for a similar issue but have not found it.

I've got one of the power buy Samsung HLP6163's that had the high pitched whine. Picture quality was wonderful in every aspect from day one out of the box. I called Samsung to get the whine issue fixed. The local tech wanted to just replace the color wheel but Samsung insisted it has a sealed bearing and that would not fix the problem so the tech ordered and replaced the entire engine assembly.

Now PQ sucks big time. I ran DVE several times and was finally able to get a viewable picture but I can't get the blacks/dark areas right. (The following issue is true irregardless of the input source) Anything in the picture that is dark like hair, or a black suit, or objects in the background have an almost postureized shimmery look with zero detail. These areas look almost out of focus they're so bad. Midrange tones and colors and highlight tones and colors are good. I've been unable to get any combination of contrast and brightness to eliminate this. Contrast @ 90 - 100 and brightness in the 80 -90 range minimizes it best but it is still terrible. Sharpness is set to zero and I'm using Cinema mode.

My wife is really P.O.'ed about this. I called the tech back and he said they only replace hardware and quite frankly since the engine was replaced there is nothing else he can do/replace to fix this. Samsung just wants to send them back out.

Am I completely stupid and missing something or what am I missing?

The contrast and brightness settings from DVE actually make this worse. No, I have not gone into the service menu. I'm trying to exhaust all normal items first.

Any help or suggestions are greatly appreciated.

See less See more

Status: Not open for further replies.

1 - 20 of 27 Posts

htwaits

· #2 · Oct 25, 2004

Get Samsung to keep replacing your light engine until your PQ is normal again. Don't go into the SM while you are dealing with Samsung about the light engine.

It seems to me that most brightness settings that have been posted are in the 40-50 range.

Riley9208

· #3 · Oct 25, 2004

TVD, I have a new HLP5063 and my blacks sound a lot like yours. Also, very high contrast and brightness settings minimize the problem on my set, but it makes the brighter/normal pictures seem too washed out. I spend more time adjusting and tweaking than watching TV!

I just figured that's the way the DLPs are. All sports look great (no dark scenes). So, I let it go. But after reading of your experiences with 2 LEs, I think it's probably worth a service call.

TVDoodz

Discussion Starter · #4 · Oct 25, 2004

I considered calling them again. The local repair guy is pretty worthless. He insists there is nothing else he can do. The replacement light engine is 100% different than the original. I'd gladly live with the high pitched whine to get that picture quality back. I feel like I'm stuck between Samsung and the local warranty folks.

htwaits

· #5 · Oct 25, 2004

Quote:

Originally posted by TVDoodz
I considered calling them again. The local repair guy is pretty worthless. He insists there is nothing else he can do.

Get Samsung to refer you to a better repair shop or replace the set. Go pro-active.

Riley9208

· #6 · Oct 25, 2004

How do sports and bright HD programming look with your "bad" LE?

TVDoodz

Discussion Starter · #7 · Oct 25, 2004

Quote:

Originally posted by htwaits
Get Samsung to refer you to a better repair shop or replace the set. Go pro-active.

Good advice.

Quote:

Originally posted by Riley9208
How do sports and bright HD programming look with your "bad" LE?

They look very good. It's only broadcasts that have dark shadow areas or people in dark suits or a man's black felt hat band.

Update: I went into the service menu and the gamma was set @ 2. I tried it at 1 and 0 and 0 seems to have helped a bit. I'm going to rerun DVE and play with the settings a little more.

I remember the gamma adjustment from previous threads.

Changing the gamma also seems to have brought back some of the color saturation since the picture is not as washed out or fogged.

See less See more

TVDoodz

Discussion Starter · #8 · Oct 26, 2004

Update: Changing the Gamma in the service menu from the default 2 to 0 made all the difference in the world. Blacks are now black again and contain detail.

Thanks so much to all that responded and for the other threads that provided the ultimate fix.

htwaits

· #9 · Oct 26, 2004

Quote:

Originally posted by TVDoodz
Update: Changing the Gamma in the service menu from the default 2 to 0 made all the difference in the world. Blacks are now black again and contain detail.

Thanks so much to all that responded and for the other threads that provided the ultimate fix.

I would sure like to know what determines Samsung's gamma settings. My HLP5063 is set at 8. Yours was set to 2 and I'm sure there are at least two other "default" HLP gamma settings running around.

I've got good detail in dark areas but I think I'll take a shot at zero too.

So much for "staying out of the SM" while asking for a new light engine.

What were your final user settings? Good going!

See less See more

lmplot

· #10 · Oct 26, 2004

I've had this since last Thursday. It's essentially unwatchable. When Samsung finally made the second replacement LE last week, still trying to make their 50" one size fits all LE line up properly for a 46" screen, and it can't be done, at least not outside the factory, not only was the size/shape problem still unsolved, but they now introduced this same horrible PQ. My wife likens it to a bad paint by numbers. I describe it as looking at IR phottography. Example--during the WS game the sky was obliterated and there was no detail in the stands--and I know that not to be the case when this is operating properly.

I ran through all 15 gammas--nothing mattered with this. This was on all inputs.

They are finally making good on the new set, and ordered out shipment yesterday -only 75 days after my problem was initially reported, the first fix didn't happen until 36 days later, the "repair" of that prtroblem another 35 days thereafter.

I'd be very suspicious of what you have. Play some DVD's with dark scenes and see if there is any error, and if there is hold them acocuntable.

It seems that there may be some major incompatibility with the LEs they are now sending for replacement.

See less See more

TVDoodz

Discussion Starter · #11 · Oct 26, 2004

Quote:

Originally posted by htwaits
I would sure like to know what determines Samsung's gamma settings. My HLP5063 is set at 8. Yours was set to 2 and I'm sure there are at least two other "default" HLP gamma settings running around.

I've got good detail in dark areas but I think I'll take a shot at zero too.

So much for "staying out of the SM" while asking for a new light engine.

What were your final user settings? Good going!

On my 61" I tried Gamma settings from 9 to 0. The differences between adjacent numbers are not linear. For example 2 was bad, 3 was OK and 4 was bad again. I was expecting gradual changes between each number but did no see that. There did seem to be a small difference between 0 and 1.

Now this is on the HLP6163. Not sure how this will equate to the HLP5063 or if it does equate. I'm still tweaking my settings and will post my final tonight. I'm doing all of this on one input at a time. It's amazing to switch back to one of the other inputs to see how BAD they are. I've not changed the Gamma on them yet.

Big thing is my wife is VERY happy with the change. Me too!

PS, I'd not yet called for the third engine yet.

See less See more

Riley9208

· #12 · Oct 26, 2004

Congrats, that's great news. I'm glad it worked out. I want to leave work right now and go 'gamma tweaking'. Come to think of it, I am feeling a little flu come on..

TVDoodz

Discussion Starter · #13 · Oct 26, 2004

Go for it. Just be sure to write down all your settings in and outside the service menu first before making changes so you can get back to them if you need to.

Good luck, I hope it works for you as well as it did for me.

Riley9208

· #14 · Oct 26, 2004

Quote:

Originally posted by htwaits
I would sure like to know what determines Samsung's gamma settings. My HLP5063 is set at 8. Yours was set to 2 and I'm sure there are at least two other "default" HLP gamma settings running around.

I've got good detail in dark areas but I think I'll take a shot at zero too.

So much for "staying out of the SM" while asking for a new light engine.

What were your final user settings? Good going!

BTW, according to the HLP5063 Service Manual, the factory default gamma is 4.

See less See more

lmplot

· #15 · Oct 26, 2004

And the factory default on the 50' LE just sent for my 46"HLP was 8, across the board.

Does this not strike anyone else as odd--that the user must access the SM and play with the gamma number on trial by error basis in order to get the picture to be proper? Especially since we are not supposed to know how to do this?

TVDoodz

Discussion Starter · #16 · Oct 26, 2004

I have a theory, and it's just a theory. I had adjusted the normal settings on my original TV for contrast, brightness, sharpness, and set the mode to cinema, etc. When the light engine was swapped out, I expected to loose all those settings but I didn't. My customizations were still set the same. I concluded that those settings are maintained somewhere other than in the LE itself. I suspect the gamma setting is no different.

I'd think each LE could possibly have different characteristics that need to be calibrated. Perhaps not, but it they do, this would explain why the PQ of one LE was so different than the original. Just a theory. If I'm full of it, feel free to tell me. Vulcan logic doesn't always work on some of this stuff.

Riley9208

· #17 · Oct 26, 2004

Quote:

Originally posted by lmplot
And the factory default on the 50' LE just sent for my 46"HLP was 8, across the board.

Does this not strike anyone else as odd--that the user must access the SM and play with the gamma number on trial by error basis in order to get the picture to be proper? Especially since we are not supposed to know how to do this?

I agree 100%. I think I'm going to go through the entire service menu and compare the 'as delivered settings' with the Service Manual defaults. I wonder what else is different?

htwaits

· #18 · Oct 26, 2004

Quote:

Originally posted by TVDoodz
I'd think each LE could possibly have different characteristics that need to be calibrated.

The firmware information is stored on the digital board which is not part of the light engine. So you are right about that much.

I think you could be on the right track with your theory too.

Tinker

· #19 · Oct 26, 2004

OK I am new to Sammy DLP...how do u enter the service menu?

htwaits

· #20 · Oct 26, 2004

Quote:

Originally posted by Tinker
OK I am new to Sammy DLP...how do u enter the service menu?

Here are the "enter-SM" instructions for the HLN sets. They are the same for a HLP set but the contents of the SM and navigation keys may be different. I haven't checked the navigation instructions myself.

If you do go into the SM then you should go "slow" and "taper off".

Find Samsung Firmware Version:

The firmware version installed on any set is recorded on the first page of the SM. There is a long ID number at the bottom of the page. The last three or four digits are the firmware version of your set depending on your model.

Remember that in any dealing with Samsung you are not supposed to know your firmware version.

Instructions for accessing the Samsung Service Menu:

Anyone using these suggestions should know that I am passing on the wisdom of others and that I have no personal knowledge of the Samsung DLP TVs. I'm still waiting.

On the other hand I can recommend, without any reservations, recording all original SM settings before making changes.

****** Thanks to LCH. 09/02/2003 ******

Turn Melody off in the user menu (allows entering the Service Menu from power On state without using a lamp cycle).

With the set ON, press Power-Mute-1-8-2-Power in quick succession.

(If the set is already off, just do Mute-1-8-2-Power )

The service menu should appear for the input you were viewing before keying the above sequence. Be sure to give the set enough time to complete the process(30-60 seconds).

While in the service menu, you can change inputs with the TV/Video button to view the SM for other modes.

Use the CH up, CH down & select keys to navigate the Service Menu. Press MENU to return to the main Service Menu after viewing individual functions.

Later, you will use the VOL(+) & VOL(-) keys to change the SM values.

" ... when you access the SM on the 5063 (HLP models), the directional arrows around the "Enter" button control navigation, not the volume and channel buttons ..." MacGyver1970.

To Exit the SM, power off. Leave it off for several(30) seconds. (until all cooling activity is complete)

See less See more

1 - 20 of 27 Posts

Status: Not open for further replies.