You’ve made an investment in advanced TV technology, the HDTV lamp. To get the most life out of your set, here are some important issues to consider.
Heavy Vibrations.
A DLP is sensitive when…
- kids jump up and down on the floor,
- there are heavy footsteps that vibrate the floor where the TV sits, and
- excessive volume comes from a home theater system subwoofer.
The above causes vibration to the display. If your display vibrates, so does your lamp. That COULD cause an instant failure.
Power On/Power Off.
Do not regularly turn your TV on and off. Lamps are arc-based. This means when you turn the power on, it “strikes” the lamp.
This is THE most destructive process to your lamp. It is one of the biggest causes of shortened lamp life. Limit this to 2-3 times a day, at most. Instead of turning the TV off for a few hours, just leave it on. This is also true for old CRT technology.
Give It Air.
Watch out for enclosed settings/rooms without good ventilation. Air movement is key to the transfer of outgoing warm air with incoming cool air.
A Clean Filter.
Not all DLPs have filters. For those that do, the owner’s manual has instructions on how to replace it. This is important, if you want to make your lamp last longer. It keeps the light path cool and at peak efficiency. With LCD projection, it stops debris from getting into the light path, which degrades image performance.
Turn It Off.
Most sets have a 10-60 second delay when starting a power down sequence. This is to prevent unnecessary lamp striking in the case of unintented power down commands.
For Toshiba, they have an “Instant Startup” menu item. Using it is easy. While the set is on, press the power button. In 10 seconds, press the power button again. In just a few moments, the picture returns (at least it should). If it takes a minute or longer, or the power on is being ignored, it means the lamp was turned off. It will not turn on again until the sequence completes. Older displays do this. For Toshiba, they may have a menu item to address this.
Surge Suppressor.
Anything with an electric motor in the same AC outlet, or an outlet on the same circuit, generates spikes. This can disturb the ballast in the TV. This causes a burst of additional current to the lamp.
Some have reported lamps failing as vacuum cleaners or window air-conditioning units are turned on! Your best bet is to get a surge suppressor. If you want protection against lightning, you need an AC Surge or Lightning Suppressor.
Losing Power.
Do not unplug or remove AC power to turn off your TV. Your set requires a typical 2 minute process to turn off so it can cool the lamp. Other electronics, like a cable box or satellite receiver, provide a switched AC outlet. Supposedly, you can “conveniently” turn the TV set off or on.
DO NOT USE IT!
If your electric utility company has problems with the power, get an uninterruptible power supply (UPS), the same as for your computer.
On the other hand, Toshiba claims this is unnecessary. Their sets do not need a cool down process. When the lamp is off, so is the fan.
Power Settings.
Generally, displays have two power levels for the lamp. For longer lamp life, set it to low power. However, this produces less light output. In nearly all cases, lamp-based rear projection sets are brighter than necessary. So, lower light output is not as bad as it appears and slightly improves black levels.
Dying Lamps.
With lamp age, light output drops. You will notice it doesn’t seem as bright as it was. To fix this, go in the menu and switch to high power. At this point, getting a replacement lamp is not a bad idea.
When To Replace.
As you continue to use the lamp, light output continues to drop. It will start to change color. You will see a yellowish overcast that is most evident on whites. When this happens, you need a new lamp.
Expect to lose 25% of light output in the first 500 hours of use. By the time you see yellow whites, you have used well past 75% of the lamp’s life. If you want a sharp, bright image, replace the lamp well before it gets to ths point.
Toshiba Exception.
Toshiba has a different view. They suggest ignoring the above. Toshiba recommends the high power setting, since they designed the lamp and calculated its life span for a high power setting.
This seems to go against logic. However, Toshiba claims it is based on experience from customers and electronics stores. They use the lamps all day long, in high power mode, with just one power cycle all day. In some cases, they are never turned off!
Toshiba found dealer demo displays can get 7000-8000 hours from a lamp. It is also claimed ordinary incandescent light bulbs get this kind of life when used with a dimmer. So, it’s something to keep in mind, regarding your lamp.
Popularity: 33%
This lamp…
toshiba OEM 75007110T rear projection tv lamp
for this DLP TV…
Toshiba 50HM66 dlp hdtv
Check for…
Toshiba 50HM66
Toshiba 50HM67
Toshiba 50HMX96
Toshiba 56HM16
Toshiba 56HM66
Toshiba 56HMX96
Toshiba 57HM167
Toshiba 65HM117
Toshiba 65HM167
A typical DLP rear-projection TV replacement lamp will come with a 90-day warranty.
The problem is that 90% of failures occur during the first 180-days. I can’t recommend an extended-warranty either way. Just be aware of the history of these lamps.
Popularity: 15%
You may not believe this, but there are counterfeit lamps out there. Like counterfeit watches, jewelry, clothes, or phones, the seller won’t be willing to answer questions directly nor give you a valid guarantee.
Reputable vs. Ripoff
When you buy a generic lamp online, be aware that just because they say its “OEM” or “Genuine Original” does not make it so. Without a reputation or recommendation, an online merchant can say anything. If they get too many complaints, they just set up another website and do it all over again.
There are some tips to give you the confidence to get the right replacement projection lamp (bulb). Just being aware of the dynamics of the marketplace, you can improve your chances of getting just what you need!
What You Should Know.
Just because a lamp has a brand name on it does not make it an original part for your TV. Your TV lamp had an ORIGINAL lamp supplier that worked with your TV manufacturer. The engineers from both companies worked together to create the picture quality and the lamp to go with it. So, how does this affect what lamp to get?
The Samsung/Philips Example.
Take a Samsung DLP TV with a specific model number. The original lamp had its own part number. When you get this part directly from Samsung, you get the lamp AND the plastic case (or enclosure, or assembly, or housing)
Let’s say the lamp was manufactured by Philips. Yet, this original TV lamp ships from Samsung’s factory in Korea. The replacement part has a different serial number and is made by Philips. It ships from the Samsung Parts Factory in California. This lamp may have a different price and may not include the plastic case.
What a disreputable retailer will do is sell the replacement part at a much reduced price (since it is aftermarket and lacks the enclosure). Yet, they tell you it is an OEM part. It is a recipe for a dissatisfied customer.
Cutting Corners.
Competition in the lamp business is fierce. Given the popularity of projection lamp TVs and DLPs, many see the potential profits of replacement lamps. Often, people who blow a lamp are usually in a hurry to get their TV working again. This creates a breeding ground for unscrupulous types who will take advantage of their rush.
Instead of paying full price for an OEM part, nothing stops some 3rd party lamp manufacturer from stamping the name “Philips” on their lamps. They can sell them at Phillips prices but with their low-quality costs. Philips can’t stop everyone and some countries seem to encourage counterfeiting. So, you have to be careful!
Pirate Heaven.
eBay has a lot of counterfeit items. It is a haven for fly-by-night sellers. Just opened and unknown ecommerce stores (no search engine results for them) are risky too!
Questionable retailers make claims to ship you original parts at discount prices. They’ll say it is over $100 less than the manufacturer! For a part with a retail price under $300, something is strange when an e-tailers says this. You don’t want to take a chance on something as important as your projection lamp.
The Counterfeits.
Watch out for cheap, generic lamps. A handful of factories are producing lots of these low-quality lamps. As more fall victim to their low-quality parts, the profits attract more of these factories to produce these subpar lamps.
OEM – Know What It Means.
An OEM lamp for one Mitsubishi DLP model will not be OEM for another Mitsubishi DLP model. Some vendors claim a lamp is OEM for your DLP TV when it may not be for your model.
Lamp Technology.
Why be wary of 3rd-party and counterfeit projection lamps?
Rear Projection TV’s (RPTVs) were manufactured by a joint effort between many companies. Texas Instruments (TI) was key in creating DLP and the DLP chip. Philips developed the UHP lamp technology that is in wide use today.
In addition to TI and Philips, the other OEM product manufacturers include Samsung, Sony, Toshiba, Panasonic, and Mitsubishi. They collaborated to create RPTV and Front Projection (FT) projectors.
The 3rd party lamp manufacturer that claims to make OEM lamps is committing fraud.
3rd Party Parts Are A Gamble.
Often, 3rd-party projection lamps VOID your warranty. It may lead to premature failure of other TV components. Your DLP is “driven” or powered by a “lamp driver” or a “ballast.” The ballast is engineered as the bridge between the TV manufacturer (Panasonic for example) and the lamp manufacturer (let’s say Philips). For proper ignition, continuous voltage, and a maximum life, the ballast and lamp are matched together.
A generic or 3rd-party lamp may save you $5, $10, or $15. But, what about your TV. Is it worth the risk?
A Solid Buying Plan.
Buy from reputable, recommended, AUTHORIZED dealers.
Find out how long the company has been in business.
Do a search on the company name.
Compare competitor prices (you want to see if its too low or too high).
Popularity: 29%
High Heat Tolerance.
Tungsten has a very high boiling point. It is well above steel. While tungsten is still in solid form at very high temperatures, most other materials (copper, aluminum, glass) become liquid.
This high-tolerance for heat allows tungsten halogen lamps to work at extremely high temperatures. This high heat can cause serious physical injuries if you’re not careful. The high temperatures can also cause property damage.
Due to its delicate nature and high operating temperature, use tungsten halogen lamps ONLY with tungsten halogen-approved fixtures. These fixtures should fully enclose all parts of the tungsten halogen lamp. This is for protection in case the bulb bursts.
It’s high heat can cause tungsten halogen lamps to ignite paper, cloth, or other combustible materials. So, keep them away or else you could be creating a fire hazard.
Care & Handling.
Tungsten halogen lamps are very fragile. Do not drop them, crush, bend, or shake them.
Do not use your bare hands to touch the tungsten halogen bulb surface or inside reflectors. Skin oils can lead to breakage, shorten the life, or burst the lamp. Instead, use clean gloves whenever handling a tungsten halogen lamp. Lint-free cloth gloves work well for installation and removal, too!
Never touch a tungsten halogen lamp that is in use. Do not touch it after it has just been used. Tungsten is a HIGH-HEAT metal and will hold it even after it has been used. If you touch it, it will cause serious burns. So, you must give it time to cool down before handling it.
Tungsten halogen lamps are VERY bright. Do not look at it direclty for any period of time, when it is in use. It could cause serious eye injury.
Maintenance.
With alcohol and using a lint free cloth or tissue, clean any dirt, oil, or lint off the lamp. Foreign debris on the bulb surface can cause hot spots on the lamp. This may result in lamp failure.
Replacement.
Before inserting, removing, or cleaning the lamp, be sure it is not getting any electrical power.
Place the lamp securely in the socket. If you install it incorrectly, you may cause electrical arcing or overheating. This can shorten lamp life and damage the socket. When necessary, replace any lamp holders and sockets.
The tungsten halogen lamp seal must be under 350°C. The tungsten halogen lamp wall must be above 250°C and below 800°C.
Power Use.
Your tungsten halogen lamps should be attached to fixtures that meet the specified wattage and voltage of the bulb. Otherwise, you could shorten lamp life, cause it to break (or explode), or overheat the fixture causing a fire hazard.
Do not operate your lamp beyond the total rated voltage. Don’t use dimmers that could drive your lamp over the rated voltage.
When you use the lamp, do it only in the indicated burn position. Otherwise, it could cause overheating and shorten lamp life.
When required, use an external fuse.
Don’t directly expose one lamp with another. You risk overheating and can shorten the life of the bulb.
Popularity: 13%
Before buying a projection lamp, or if you own a TV that uses a projection lamp, there are some things you should know regarding its use and upkeep. Use the following tips as a starting point for understanding what it means to own a projection lamp.
Cost.
Projection lamp prices range form the low-end to the very high-end. For low illumination projection TVs, expect to see them at around $200. High-illumination projection TVs will use projection lamps that cost over $600. For your average projection lamp, expect to see about $350.
Scarcity.
Projecion lamps produce amazing brightness, compared to other HDTV technologies. Their assembly is complicated with supply being limited. In some cases, a projection bulb may not be available for several months!
Just In Case.
Given the cost, scarcity, and importance of the projection lamp, it is worth considering buying a backup bulb immediately after purchasing your projection lamp TV. A spare helps you diagnose problems faster by eliminating it as a cause. It leaves you less vulnerable to supply disruptions if your current bulb stops working. Plus, you may be able to get a discount by buying the TV and extra bulb together.
Lamp Life.
Before 2000, projection lamp bulbs would give you about 1000 hours. Newer lamps double that, to 2000 hours. More expensive ones last 4000 hours, while a few can last 6000 hours.
Short-Term Price vs. Long-Term Cost
It is important to find out what kind of lamp you have or are thinking about getting. The lamp life may make the difference between getting a cheaper model with fewer hours and a more expensive one that lasts much longer.
Rating.
Look for different ratings in the specifications for your projection lamp. There is a life expectancy for normal use and one for economy-mode. Using less brightness from the bulb can add many hours to its life.
More brightness = Less bulb life
Warranty.
The warranty varies by manufacturer. You will need to look at the users’ manual or go to their website and find the warranty information. A projection lamp warranty of 60 or 90 days after purchase is typical.
Climate.
Extreme cold in the wintertime is bad for a projection lamp. Suppose you store your backup projection lamp in an area that is 40 degrees or below. If you then use it in your TV that is room temperature (65 degress), it could EXPLODE! Give your projection lamp time to warm to room temperature before using it. You don’t want to have to buy another lamp!
Shaking.
A shake, jostle, bump or sudden movements are not good for any projection lamp bulb. This is especially so when the lamp projection bulb is in use! The electronics are sensitive to these movements.
Popularity: 4%
sony xl 2400 replacement lamp
Grand WEGA 3LCD Rear Projection HDTV Lamp
The replacement lamp is the Sony XL-2400.
Finally, the lamp burned out. I was concerned about changing the lamp, since it was all new to me. While computers are no problem for me, HD televisions are new territory. After reading the manual for the TV, I figured out how to get the lamp in and out in only a few minutes.
Removing a Lamp.
What you do is pop open one panel. Turn a lever, then pull out another panel. Grab the lamp by hook/finger handle. Gently pull the lamp up and out.
Inserting a Lamp.
Don’t do this with your replacement lamp. First, practice with your old lamp. If you damage it further, who cares? At least you won’t break the new one!
Push the lamp in until it pops into place. Be sure to replace the inner panel properly (it has the lever. If it is not done properly, the TV won’t turn on. Pop, the outer panel back on and you’re done. Was that so hard?
My Results.
My replacement lamp has been in for a few months. The image quality (especially brightness) is as good as ever. It’s certainly as good as the old lamp was.
For a WEGA, if it goes black, and this lamp fits your TV, get it. A bright TV in a dark room is a great experience. After using this replacement lamp for months (and leaving the TV on all the time, including when no one is home), I feel very comfortable recommending it.
A Few Last Things.
When you get your replacement lamp, it should include gloves. Use them. This is because the oil from your bare hands can cause the bulb to explode.
When you look at pictures on the web of the replacement lamp, keep this in mind. Often, it shows both the case AND the bulb. When you buy one, you only get the bulb.
Popularity: 16%
My TV does not show anything when I press the power button. Why is it not working?
Common Problem.
What you may be experiencing is a problem with your lamp. The lamp is used to light the images that appear on your screen. If there is no light, namely no illumination from your lamp, the screen will be dark.
Like a light bulb, lamps burn out after a certain amount of use. Just like light bulbs, they can be replaced. The cost of these lamps vary by manufacturer and model. But, expect to pay around $300 or more.
Diagnosing Your Problem.
This may sound strange, but you may need to read the owners manual for your TV. It will (at least if the manual is any good) describe what each light, or series of lights, or light behavior mean for your set. This will help you determine if there is a problem, and help you to decide what to do next (or not to do).
For instance, a DLP HDTV may have two lights on the front panel. There is an ‘OFF’ light which is red. There is an ‘ON’ light that is green. After you turn the TV screen off, the green lights blinks. The owner’s manual tells you this means the fan is cooling the bulb. Do not turn the set on until the blinking green light is gone, if you want the bulb to cool down.
If both lights are on (red and green), with one of them blinking, the set may be re-setting itself. This may indicate a bad bulb or another problem.
What Is Happening In There?
The big drawback to DLPs are the lamps. While it makes for spectacular viewing, you have to understand that all bulbs have to be replaced. If you believe the bulb needs to be replaced, try this…
- Go to the main menu on your TV.
- Find the ‘picture’ quality option.
- Change your picture quality brighness or intensity to something less bright or vivid.
What you are trying to do is conserve bulb life by minimizing its use. Your projection bulb may last a while longer. This keeps it from running hot and wearing out faster.
Popularity: 19%
You turn on your Samsung DLP and it takes an extra long time. Do you hear lots of clicking and maybe a few power cycles? That is your TV trying to get that pesky lamp working. Finally, the process ends and you see the 3 dreaded blinking lights. Your lamp is probably dead, burned out. You did remember to buy a replacement lamp, right?
Get That Lamp Working Again.
Sometimes your lamp may have a little something left. You may be able to stretch a little more life from a tempermental, but not completely dead lamp. There have been times, where if I remove the lamp and put it back in, it works. Other times, colder temperatures seem to cause a failure, even temporarily.
If these attemps work, DO NOT turn off your set until you get a replacement lamp or bulb. If you power down the set, you may not get the bulb working again, no matter what you do or try.
Just because the lamp looks dead doesn’t mean you have to give up on it right away. This is especially the case if you don’t have a replacement. Wait a while (especially if it lets the room warm up some) and try again. Or, pull the lamp out of the TV and put it back in.
Nothing Seems To Work.
If it’s finally given up the ghost, your lamp will need to be replaced. Unlike replacing the Samsung DLP color wheel, the lamp is easy and can be done by most anyone. The only reason to call someone is if it’s covered by warranty (and that happened to me … 3 times!)
Other Things To Try.
Correctly insert the door for the DLP bulb door. Rock the reset switch back and forth a few times. This is to make sure it moves correctly. If all else fails, add extra Balasts for testing exchange. If that doesn’t work, look at the power board that’s wired to balast.
It is amazing how much dust collects in electronic equipment. Get a vacuum fan or an air blower. You want to do this with some ventilation because dust can get everywhere, including up your nose! Clean out all the dust and debris you find inside your set. This would at least eliminate it as a cause for TV problems.
Humming noise.
If you have a “humming” noise try this. Remove the color wheel. Examne it. If you find broken pieces, that may be your problem.
Sometimes, the humming is the color wheel. Since it is running at high RPMs, if it is out of balance, you hear the resulting vibrations as humming.
DLP problems.
When there is a problem with your TV that also affects the TV menu, it’s almost guaranteed something is wrong with your DMD board. That is because the tv menu is ONLY controlled by the DMD board.
Video problems or external component issues do not show up in the menu. They are completely independent from it.
Popularity: 15%
Toshiba 50HM66 50 in. HDTV DLP TV
Giving My Back A Break.
After many years with a CRT, I gave up my monster Sony 32” Television (bye bye tubes) and went shopping for a hi-definition big screen television.
It would be nice not to have to move that CRT monster. When you consider I had to move it myself (weighing well over 120 pounds), a flat-screen would be welcome relief.
Earlier, my massive Sony CRT computer monitor was replaced with a flat panel. It effectively gave up 72 pounds for less than 16. So, my back would thank me for the lighter screen.
Measuring My Options.
There has been astounding progress in the nearly seven years since I purchased a television. Now there is High Definition Liquid Crystal, Plasma, and Digital Light Projection (DLP). On top of that, there are so many options that it is not hard to get a headache researching and shopping.
Well, my research was enough to justify an honorary engineer’s degree. After thinking about the side effects of taking a bottle of aspirin to relieve the throbbing from all the technical jargon, I was finally ready to visit a store.
Research led me to limit my brand shopping to Sony, Samsung, and Toshiba. To avoid the boredom or make your head hurt, let me cut to the chase. I got the Toshiba 50” Rear Projection, model 50HM66.
Initially, the Sony Rear Projection was my choice. However, the Toshiba 50HM66 was the one I took home.
Getting the DLP.
It was immediately clear the weight was much better than my CRT. It was not too difficult to haul it to my truck to bring it home. Nobody in the store offered to help so it was just me and the HDTV. To my relief, lifting the somewhat large and bulky box up in to the bed of the truck was manageable.
It was nicer once home since the house required climbing a full flight of wooden steps to get to the front door. Getting the TV up the stairs and on a stand in the living room was fairly easy. Just remember to take the TV out of the box, first.
Compared to my old CTR which required me to summon all my strength, this Toshiba was easy! It didn’t matter that the Toshiba was much larger out of the box. The weight did not prevent me from putting it whereever I wished.
Set-up.
The Toshiba is easy to install and set-up. This is assuming you have the correct cables. The remote and menus are simple and easy to use. Of course, this assumes you actually read the manual… well at least the important parts.
Using the DLP.
I tried 2 smaller LCD televisions. Neither appealed to me. The picture sharpness and clarity were lacking. Plus, it was difficult to get the color right. The Toshiba has no such problems.
High-definition digital light projection (DLP) technology seems to have taken TV viewing to a higher level of enjoyment. This is particularly true with high definition channels from your cable or satellite provider. Colors just jump out at you.
Sharpness and clarity is phenomenal. Also, the Toshiba model allows one to change the “lamp mode” to different settings, such as ‘sports’, ‘cool’, ‘warm’ and so on. It just depends on your preference.
The Gotchas.
The integrated speakers are of poor quality. You won’t want to watch this with the built in sound. So, I suggest immediately getting a nice surround sound system.
My sound system has a total of thirteen satellites. Watching a movie on that 50 inch screen is almost better than going to the movies. The only things you need are popcorn, a date, and noisy rude cell phone users. (The popcorn is easy, the date is another matter.)
Uh Oh!
After having the Toshiba for a few weeks, two strange things showed up one day.
1) A thin pie wedge of a shadow appeared. It begins at approximately the center top of the screen while gradually widening to a couple of inches toward the right hand side.
2) There is a high pitched whining noise. It varies in pitch when the changing channels.
Over the next couple of weeks, I called around the problems. Should it be taken back to the store? Or, do you wait for Toshiba?
In the meantime, the shadow began to grow until it extended all the way across the screen. It got wider too! It was gradually blacking out a sizable portion of the screen!
Return to the Store.
I returned the TV to the store. They replaced it with the identical model. After returning home and installing it, everything was fine. This lasted for a few days. Then, this one started to do the same thing as the 1st one!
By this time, the return period at the store had expired. So, I called Toshiba. This led to one of those classic customer nightmares no one should have to endure.
Toshiba Customer Service.
First, Toshiba denied any inherent problems in this model. They claimed my particular problems were limited to me, out of every customer who ever used this model. I even played the whining sounds over the phone for them because they refused to believe me.
After a lot of persistence and numerous soul-sucking phone calls, Toshiba finally sent a repairman. At the time, Toshiba had no procedure in place to deal with customers who did not live near an authorized service center. It took over 2 weeks, but they decided to just pay a repairman. He came from a city 120 miles away to drive to my home to see what was wrong.
The Repairman.
The repairman tried to fix the problem by adjusting (in his words) the “light engine” of the TV. Apparently, something in it was not made very well. It kept slipping out of place. This caused this pie wedge shadow on the screen.
He seemed confident when he left that he had repaired the TV. This did not solve the strange whining, but at least the picture was okay. BUT… a few days later, the problem re-appeared. This time it was worse than ever!
Several weeks later, I turned on the TV. Within a few seconds, there was a rather loud pop and the screen went black. Believe it or not, the lamp had actually blown up inside the TV. After another set of phone calls, the repairman came to my house and replaced the lamp. He tried to fix the TV shadow again. However, he could do nothing about the whining.
More Toshiba Customer Service.
More calls to Toshiba and the repairman followed. The repairman and Toshiba went back and forth about the problems and how to fix them. Eventually, he told me Toshiba was designing and manufacturing a “new light engine” for my model.
Toshiba was getting lots of calls about the problem with the black wedge. The channel whining was another story. At this point, all I wanted was a viewable TV.
The Frustration Is Building.
All this time, I was paying over $80.00 a month for high-definition satellite programming. It was becoming rather frustrating staring at a blank wall and an empty TV stand.
A few weeks later, I got a call from the repairman. He told me he had a “newly designed” light engine. So, I drove the TV to him and spent the day in the city while he installed it.
Once again he could do nothing about the whining. At least I went back home with a TV to watch. But, you had to hold your ears while changing channels.
Yet Another Call To Toshiba.
I believe Toshiba would have let the issue go away because they never contacted me about my problems, after meeting with the repairman. So, I called them back weeks later. After reminding them that the TV whined between channels, they continued insisting was not the TV.
The satellite provider and Toshiba refused to take responsibility for thewhining. At first, Toshiba said it their problem, then changed their story to bad cables. Next, Toshiba and the satellite provider said it was something in my stereo system.
Will Someone Fix This Whining?
Round and round I went with Toshiba and my satellite provider. It got more and more frustrating. BEFORE calling customer service, I like to think the “stupid stuff” is already covered. I check the cables. I eliminate things and consider the possibilities. I investigate and try to repair. Only after all that and feeling utterly lost, at a dead end do I finally call customer service.
When they continue to blame all the “stupid stuff” when it’s already been checked… well, let’s just say I am not a happy puppy.
Will Toshiba Finally Fix This?
After several weeks, I worked up the customer service ladder and spoke to various supervisors. Finally, I got a call informing me that Toshiba had decided to ‘replace’ my television.
They offered no reasons and no explanations. They simply told me they were delivering a TV from a far away city. Later, I learned, like the faulty light engine, Toshiba found out these TVs “whined.” They just did not want to tell me!
It seems I had been one of the first to own this particular Toshiba model. You could say this is why Toshiba customer service refused to acknowledge the problem. They were not aware of these problems until unfortunate customers, like myself, beat them over the head with complaints. Rather than fix the problem, they decided to blame everyone and everything else.
What An Experience.
Currently, my Toshiba DLP HDTV is working fine. Overall, I am pleased with its performance. With a more understanding, receptive and proactive manufacturer, the customer service would not have been a nightmare.
The Good.
The picture is awesome. The size and portability are great. My living room is now a private theater. Just be sure to research the brand for a quality TV manufacturer.
You will need high definition compatible equipment. This means cables (high definition media input and fiber optic audio,) and a high definition channel package from your provider. It is like computers, cell phones and other such modern technologies. If everything is not compatible, you will not get the full potential and enjoyment from the product as advertised.
The Bad.
You may need to upgrade your stereo system because the TV audio is not good. My previous receiver was only seven years old with an old 3 speaker surround sound system. It was not compatible with the new TV.
The receiver only had RCA inputs and outputs. There were no optical audio plugs. So, I purchased a new receiver, new surround sound system and a bunch of too-expensive cables for my new and existing devices.
You need high definition media input cable, optical audio cable, and a good surge protector. Don’t forget to allocate space for your new giant TV. But, it is not impossible to move, so you can if your wife does not like where it is.
Be prepared for customer service. They may or may handled your problems in a professional and productive manner. The repairman advised me that everyone who buys one of these televisions should purchase an extended protection plan.
The repairman’s reasoning for the extended protection was the cost of a new lamp, when the OEM blows. He siad many of them cost hundreds of dollars and they blow like light bulbs. In other words, you never know when.
The Ugly.
If you buy a TV from a retail store, they only care about you until the return policy expires. Know what that is BEFORE you buy the TV. After that, it’s you and the manufacturer.
When that happens, you could find yourself stuck on the automated menu from hell (press 10 if you would like to talk to real human). Worse yet, the manufacturer may fight you tooth and nail to not fix the problem or replace your TV.
Be aware the manufacturer would rather commit suicide then admit to an intrinsic and inherent design problem. If your new device has a problem and it persists, the manufacturer usually knows. They just do not want to tell you.
It is why Toshiba called me (“out of the blue”) and told me they were replacing my whining TV. They knew there was indeed an audio problem. On the phone, I asked the representative whether Toshiba was sure the replacement TV would not “whine.” She guaranteed me it would not.
Sure enough, the “NEW” Toshiba 50HM66 has no “whine.”
Popularity: 56%
Toshiba TALEN 65HM167 65-Inch 1080p DLP HDTV
Lamp Issues.
After using this TV for about a week, it suddenly stopped working. I called Toshiba and was walked through their quick fix. This involved removing the lamp housing door and the lamp houseing. Then, I was directed to tap on all sides of the housing (NOT the glass).
After that and it still didn’t work. So, my tv was registered and was set-up to get a replacement lamp sent. This was Friday morning. Several hours later, I decided to give it one last shot. I took the housing out and tapped it again. This time it worked!
I called Toshiba back and cancelled the replacement lamp.
Start Cycle.
A month or so later and the same problems returned. It would work in the morning but let it do its eight start cycle and it came back to life.
A week later it did its trick again. I tried the fix but no success. So, it meant another call to Toshiba. They again set me up for a replacement lamp. Once again, later that day it came back. This time, I let the order go through, for the replacement lamp. The TV worked fine the next day and the morning after.
That evening it was tempermental again but came on during its mandated 8 attempts.
The next morning, Sunday, it decided it was not going to come on.
Replacement Lamp.
Hopefully, the new lamp will arrive tomorrow. Replacing the lamp every 4,000 or so hours or maybe twice a year is fine. However, it shouldn’t be this time consuming after only a couple of months.
Like I said, these lamp probelms aside, the tv is absolutely beautiful and for me 65″ is just the right size.
Other concerns.
It’s too bad the VGA input didn’t take 1080p. I wanted to use a VGA cable with my Xbox 360 to get 1080p. Can’t do it with this set.
There might be a small defect in the upper right corner of the screen. It bows in slightly, which gives the corner a rounded rather than straight edge like the other 3 corners. I don’t know if this is a defect with my TV or the model.
Finding a stand was a bit of a pain.
Good TV.
The speakers inside the TV have a nice sound quality. That is unusual for most HDTVs.
Overall,if you want BIG and 1080p, go for this TV. But you need at LEAST 9ft of viewing distance for HD to look good. Increase it to at least 12ft for Standard Definition to look decent (as good as standard can look).
The dimensions of this TV say it is 22″ deep. However, the footprint is actually closer to 19″ deep. When you get your stand, keep that in mind.
Compared to SONY, SAMSUNG and MITSUBISHI, this TV had the best side viewing angle. It didn’t darken like the others when standing from the side (at least not nearly as much).
Popularity: 31%