Samsung issues - help needed.

[PTVegas]

Thanks guys. I was trying to search around first, but not too much luck really. I have a Samsung DLP; model HL-R5067W that is just out of warranty (10/07) that is having issues. For example, this is what my screen look like when watching regular stations, tivo or from my DVD player (see thumbnailed pictures below).

However, when watching a station in HD, no box just direct feed, or the picture coming from my Xbox 360 everything is fine. Based upon my various searches about my problem on other specific forums, using Google, etc., I would assume it was the MD board? That or perhaps the light engine is failing.

Thanks for the welcome and any feedback.

[salvasol]

PTVegas wrote:

.... When watching regular stations, tivo or from my DVD player (see thumbnailed pictures below).

However, when watching a station in HD, no box just direct feed, or the picture coming from my Xbox 360 everything is fine. Based upon my various searches about my problem on other specific forums, using Google, etc., I would assume it was the MD board? That or perhaps the light engine is failing.

Take my comment with a grain of salt

It seems to me that is not the MD board, because you get a good picture with your Xbox and HD stations ... When you said: "No box, direct feed" is getting HD channels with a regular antenna, Rght??? I own a Samsung HLS6767W, I use a regular antenna and there is some channels that are not great, and I get the image with a lot of small squares (pixeling???) like yours ... I think is has to do with the signal strenght the channel sends

What player do you have??? ... maybe your problem has to do with signal interference (power cord near video cable), Are you using shielded cables???

Hopefully one of the experts will give you a better solution ...

[PTVegas]

salvasol wrote:

Take my comment with a grain of salt

It seems to me that is not the MD board, because you get a good picture with your Xbox and HD stations ... When you said: "No box, direct feed" is getting HD channels with a regular antenna, Rght??? I own a Samsung HLS6767W, I use a regular antenna and there is some channels that are not great, and I get the image with a lot of small squares (pixeling???) like yours ... I think is has to do with the signal strenght the channel sends

What player do you have??? ... maybe your problem has to do with signal interference (power cord near video cable), Are you using shielded cables???

Hopefully one of the experts will give you a better solution ...

With regards to the HD, not with an antenna, but just regular cable via COX but I am not using a cable box for digital or HD specific. I should have worded it better. I wouldn't think it's a cable problem since my HD and regular stations come in via the same. I have had this set up as is with no problems for over a year. Nothing has changed except the performance of my tv, and it was an abrupt change. One day it was fine, come home from work and *** picture as posted above.

[salvasol]

PTVegas wrote:

... I wouldn't think it's a cable problem since my HD and regular stations come in via the same...

Regular channels and HD channels have diferent signal strenght ... I was reading the manual of your TV online, and said that with analog channels you can get a snowy picture (in your case pixeling) ... have you checked the same channel (eg: ABC, CBS, CNN, etc.) to compare the image with analog and HD signal??? ... In my case, I see white lines moving from bottom to top watching CBS with analog signal .. but not with HD

... I have had this set up as is with no problems for over a year. Nothing has changed except the performance of my tv, and it was an abrupt change. One day it was fine, come home from work and *** picture as posted above.

Have you contacted Samsung??? ... I checked online and there is no FAQ for you model.

How are you connecting the DVD player and Xbox to your TV??? ... try swapping the cables between them and see if that changes anything ... Are you using a power conditioner, power strip, etc.??? ... Do you get this image all the time or just from time to time??? ...

[lcaillo]

Welcome to the Shack! What inputs are you using for the various devices connected to your set? I doubt that it is a light engine if the problem varies by input. It does look a bit likel a bad color wheel, but that would not be input sensitive.

[PTVegas]

salvasol wrote:

Regular channels and HD channels have diferent signal strenght ... I was reading the manual of your TV online, and said that with analog channels you can get a snowy picture (in your case pixeling) ... have you checked the same channel (eg: ABC, CBS, CNN, etc.) to compare the image with analog and HD signal??? ... In my case, I see white lines moving from bottom to top watching CBS with analog signal .. but not with HD



Have you contacted Samsung??? ... I checked online and there is no FAQ for you model.

How are you connecting the DVD player and Xbox to your TV??? ... try swapping the cables between them and see if that changes anything ... Are you using a power conditioner, power strip, etc.??? ... Do you get this image all the time or just from time to time??? ...

I have compared my analog channels to those I am receiving in HD as counterparts...HD is fine, analog is crap. I did contact Samsung and was able to get local authorized/qualified repair places, but with no warranty that is all I was offered.

My Xbox 360 is connected via component cables as is my DVD player. My cable signal from the wall outlet is filtered through my Monster distribution block where all my components are plugged in for power.

I have even done a reset using the sub-menu as found by using the remote and doing "mute-1-8-2-power." I have also completely unplugged the tivo and other sources (including the TV) and let them sit for a period of 24 hrs.

[PTVegas]

I finally had a tech that was able to come out this morning. From what he can diagnose, it is the optical engine. He reset the computer and the channels cleared up, some are still a tiny bit fuzzy like you would acquire do to a less than perfect signal.

[lcaillo]

You said above that the HD is fine. I do not understand how the optical engine could be the problem if the HD is OK. The upconversion is done prior to the light engine, is it not? What did the tech do to diagnose the problem?

[PTVegas]

Initially I thought it was fine....but when you look at an HD channel really close you could see the same pattern movement of static in the background lightly. The tech went into some sub menu' and did a rest and looked at a few other things on the menu's. Pulled up the vertical bars, colors and some other stuff I hadn't seen described on the forums. He had 3 or 4 Samsungs with the same symptoms as mine last year he repaired. He said the light engine and the md board were one unit. He told me if it happens again to call Samsung even if it’s out of warranty and tell them my problem. He said for a couple customers he's had in my position that they were willing to cover the parts and I would then only need labor.

[lcaillo]

Call them right away. Do not delay. Samsung is very tight about extending warranty coverage. Document all contact. Get names and as much info as possible. Be patient, polite, and diligent.

[PTVegas]

lcaillo wrote:

Call them right away. Do not delay. Samsung is very tight about extending warranty coverage. Document all contact. Get names and as much info as possible. Be patient, polite, and diligent.

Thanks for the advice, it's out of warranty by a couple months from the extended coverage I had purchased from Circuit city, so not much telling how helpful Samsung will be at this point. It's unfortunate because the **** thing didn't last long. Picture is back to it's jacked up self once again.