Is dlp a bettter option than LCD... for the $$$

**andy123** · **07-27-09, 12:55 PM**

LCD usually boasts a high contrast ratio and very fast refresh rates, which makes for easy-on-the-eyes viewing and very little blur when watching high-speed events such as sports. With less glare than plasma, these make for great looking home televisions. However, LCD design creates what can sometimes be a limited viewing angle.
In a DLP TV, the core component is the bulb. While the bulbs have a limited lifespan (usually about 4,000 to 5,000 hours), and cost about $300 to replace, there is no such thing as "burn-in" with a DLP TV. When the image starts to dim and the picture gets blurry or faded, replacing the bulb will rejuvenate the image. With LCD, burn-in is a significant issue, which occurs when the TV is left on too long or sometimes even just from extended use. When that happens with an LCD, the only option is to replace the entire screen. With DLP, a new bulb is like getting a new TV. In addition, with DLP, dead pixels are much less of an issue, as the individual pixels are not turned on and off the way they are with an LCD screen.

Hope it clears things

**lcaillo** · **07-28-09, 02:28 AM**

Quote:

andy123 wrote:

LCD usually boasts a high contrast ratio and very fast refresh rates, which makes for easy-on-the-eyes viewing and very little blur when watching high-speed events such as sports. With less glare than plasma, these make for great looking home televisions. However, LCD design creates what can sometimes be a limited viewing angle.
In a DLP TV, the core component is the bulb. While the bulbs have a limited lifespan (usually about 4,000 to 5,000 hours), and cost about $300 to replace, there is no such thing as "burn-in" with a DLP TV. When the image starts to dim and the picture gets blurry or faded, replacing the bulb will rejuvenate the image. With LCD, burn-in is a significant issue, which occurs when the TV is left on too long or sometimes even just from extended use. When that happens with an LCD, the only option is to replace the entire screen. With DLP, a new bulb is like getting a new TV. In addition, with DLP, dead pixels are much less of an issue, as the individual pixels are not turned on and off the way they are with an LCD screen.

Hope it clears things

If we are talking about DLP RPTV, the cost of lamps is $99, not $300, for any of the lamps for the new Mitsubishi sets, which are the only new products available now.

Also, burn in is NOT an issue with LCD. PDPs have potential fo burn in but it is far less of an issue than it once was, and with a properly calibrated set, it is unlikely to be a problem for most users.

**Jarrod** · **11-03-09, 01:10 PM**

Regarding the discussion about the life of the LED light sources in these LED-DLP sets....

I have had a Samsung HL-T6187s for 25 months and the red LED module just burned out on my set. Doing a little bit of research reveals that this is a very common issue on these sets, and that Samsung engineers apparently knew they were pushing things just based on the tremendous cooling device they put on this module. They attached huge copper heat pipes and fans that are reminiscent of a computer over-clocker's cooling setup.

So in my experience you will be fortunate to get 5000 hours out of one of these LED modules (at least the red one) before expecting a repair. The part costs around $100. The labor is of course dependent on who is in your area. I believe this is also a DIY project for advanced DIYers, if you purchase the service manual.

**Sonnie** · **11-03-09, 11:20 PM**

I am assuming this will be covered under my 5 year warranty if it happens within that time frame... after that, I figure I'll own a different set.

**Jarrod** · **11-04-09, 01:39 AM**

Yeah the extended warranty should get you taken care of if you experience this issue. I didn't have one so just spent my evening replacing the red LED module myself. My cost was about two hours tracking down the part, a total of $104 for the part plus service manual plus shipping, and another two hours of my time doing the repair. Back up and running good as new for now....

Samsung did offer to cover parts out of warranty after I scolded them for such poor lifetime on a part that they touted as having 10x the life that I obtained. But they required me to go through an authorized service center (where I would have to pay for labor and wait for them to get parts and put me on their schedule). So I decided it was cheaper and faster to just buy parts and do the repair myself.

**nathometheatre** · **11-04-09, 02:19 AM**

I'm sorry to hear you had to repair your LED DLP in such a short time period. I've had my Sammy HL-67A750 just over a year now, and watch a lot of movies and TV. Probably 6 hours a night or so. My whole reason I made this purchase and chose this model, was its spectacular picture and its supposed 60k hours life span. I'd personally be seriously upset at Samsung if I didn't get close to what they quote for a lifespan. Although DLP's were considerably less than the competitions LCD & Plasma flat screens, were still talking about $2,000 here which is to me a considerable and significant investment. So again, handing over $2100 (which included the matching two shelf table stand) to Best Buy for my Sammy, I'd expect in return a long life span and years of great picture quality from a name brand such as Samsung. If I don't get what they advertised for this tv (whether I purchased an extended warranty or not), They'll be hearing from me until this problem is rectified at their expense! I've bought three different TV's from Samsung, one being a 40" LCD for our bedroom, and an older model 51" (i think) DLP which I had for nearly three years and I never replaced the bulb once and used it 6 hours a day atleast, and it looked as good as the day I bought it! I sold it for $800 and told the buyer if he had any problems (since he lived close by) depending on what the issue was I'd help him out. I never heard back from him, so I assume he continued to get great performance from the Sammy DLP I sold him. Since Sept 08' when I bought my new Sammy, it looks like it did the day I bought it. So I'm seriously hoping I get long life out of this DLP, as I don't intend on buying another one or upgrading anytime soon.

**Jarrod** · **11-04-09, 02:43 AM**

Quote:

nathometheatre wrote:

My whole reason I made this purchase and chose this model, was its spectacular picture and its supposed 60k hours life span.

Yeah, me too. I'm extremely irritated about the situation. My last TV was a Toshiba CRT set that kept needing a $300 convergence IC replacement every couple of years. So I got burned on that set, which is why I picked the LED-DLP. No convergence required, and bonus: no lamps to fail. WRONG.

The only saving grace is that it really is a terrific TV - super sharp picture, no burn-in, nice big image, low energy consumption, and all for a relatively affordable price given the screen size. If I have to spend $100 every couple of years to keep it running, I will. But I won't be happy with Samsung

**nathometheatre** · **11-06-09, 02:11 AM**

Jarrod,
I take it you didn't buy the extended warranty (as I didn't either for that matter), but nevertheless, I'd still take this up with Sansung's corporate office. You shouldn't have to think in terms that you're going to have to spend money on this tv every couple of years. Yes, maybe 5 years from now, but not on a fairly new TV. That's my advice and what I'd do if it were me in your shoes.
By the way, I looked at your profile and see that you have a nice little set up there! B&W speakers, oh yeah! I have the Klipsch Reference 7 system which I'm quite happy with. Best of luck! Kevin

**lcaillo** · **11-06-09, 07:00 AM**

Quote:

Jarrod wrote:

Yeah, me too. I'm extremely irritated about the situation. My last TV was a Toshiba CRT set that kept needing a $300 convergence IC replacement every couple of years. So I got burned on that set, which is why I picked the LED-DLP. No convergence required, and bonus: no lamps to fail. WRONG.

The only saving grace is that it really is a terrific TV - super sharp picture, no burn-in, nice big image, low energy consumption, and all for a relatively affordable price given the screen size. If I have to spend $100 every couple of years to keep it running, I will. But I won't be happy with Samsung

It is very unusual for a PROPERLY REPAIRED convergence problem to re-occur in the life of a set. Many sets never have a problem at all, though the convergence output ICs are well known to be a high failure point. Every RP CRT set ever made with these output ICs had similar tendencies, and the history of the issue was nearly two decades. It was just the nature of the type of circuit. Some were more poorly designed than others and had more problems.

The LED lit sets have, thus far, actually been quite reliable by comparison. The number of bad LEDs that I hear about other servicers replacing is VERY low. The Samsung service reps seem very happy with the numbers so far, though they obviously do not release them. I would not be concerned. I don't expect the scale of repairs on these to be anywhere near what we saw in CRT based sets. That said, Samsung has a tendency to build cheap to buy market share. The good news is that they were not the OEM for the LED devices used in these sets. I would not be surprised if other problems in the sets turn out to be more common than LED failures.

**Jarrod** · **11-07-09, 04:09 PM**

Quote:

lcaillo wrote:

I would not be concerned. I don't expect the scale of repairs on these to be anywhere near what we saw in CRT based sets. That said, Samsung has a tendency to build cheap to buy market share. The good news is that they were not the OEM for the LED devices used in these sets. I would not be surprised if other problems in the sets turn out to be more common than LED failures.

I really hope you are correct about this. But there seem to be a large number of failures cropping up on other RPTV forums. So I am skeptical, especially since I have fallen victim to the issue...

There is one fact that gives me some hope - the original part number from Samsung has been superseded not once, but twice now. My hope is that this change was due to the OEM making improvements in the part to address this issue. Mine is now replaced with the latest "version" of the part as of this writing so perhaps I'm in for a number of trouble-free years....I can hope.

**lcaillo** · **11-08-09, 12:05 PM**

I tend to be skeptical of assumptions about the scope of problems based on reading about them on forums. It is certainly a good example of a biased sample. It is unfortunate that we do not have better information about the failure rates of various brands, models, and technologies. The vendors generally don't want that information to get out, and I am not sure how one would track it, other than with the numbers of parts that they sell, and warranty repair records.

When I start to see techs talking about problems frequently and the same fixes showing up in the symptom/repair databases, or backorders on parts, then I start to take them more seriously. There has been little of that on the Samsung LED based DLP sets, so far.

**Jarrod** · **11-08-09, 10:44 PM**

Quote:

lcaillo wrote:

When I start to see techs talking about problems frequently and the same fixes showing up in the symptom/repair databases, or backorders on parts, then I start to take them more seriously. There has been little of that on the Samsung LED based DLP sets, so far.

So you work in the industry? Not sure how carefully you follow this issue, but a few people on another forum who had this problem earlier this year said this part was on nationwide backorder then. That didn't sound like a good sign to me. It could have been due to the economy, though...inventories were ridiculously low on just about everything in Q2.

Like I said, I sincerely hope you are right, and that now I'm in for several years of trouble-free service from my Samsung set after having to repair it at 25 months. I agree about forums being a biased sample, so maybe the better way to put it would be that if you are going to have a problem with your set in the first few years, it is likely to be this problem since it seems to be the most common issue that people seem to be suffering from.

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