[essial]

About 8 months ago I purchased a Toshiba DLP projection TV (Model# 50HM66). Great tv (minus the VERY slight lag that makes games like DDR unplayable >.<). Well about 4 months after buying it, a 2" black bar solid from left to right suddenly appeared while watching tv . This bar is located just below the center of the screen (awsome place for it huh...). This black bar has what looks like alternating on/off solid white solid black row at the very bottem of the bar. Also, if you look VERY close at the bar while the light is off in the room, you can still see the picture 'behind' the bar. Any ideas?

Also, I don't know if this matters but at one point during the summer (around the time it happened) we had an odd mass of ladybugs everywhere, and once or twice i've seen one crawling BEHIND the screen shield or whatever its called (you could see the shadow of the bug). My first guess was that somehow a bug died and either messed up a component or is simply blocking a mirror or something; but I could not, for the life of me, figure out how to remove the front screen.
[edit]I should also note that we haven't (before, or after) had any other bug problems of any kind at all.[/edit]

Please, if anyone has ANY ideas, I'd love to hear them. If I can't figure this out in another month or two, I'll have to get it shiped back tot he manufacturer, which is NOT going to be fun (I'd rather spend a few dollars and not have to deal with that).

I write banking software for a living, and have a basic hobbiest knowledge of electronic components so feel free to use technical lingo in your reply. Thanks in advance!

[Guyzer]

I had a similar issue about two months ago with my 50" Toshiba and it was diagnosed as a bad " light engine ". My issue wasn't that it was black, I had more of an opaque line on top. It started on the right side ( about 4" deep ) to the left side and it tapered to a point about 1/4" deep. According to the tech that was a common problem on a bunch of the 50" TV's and thay all act differently. I hope for your sake you have some warranty left because once again, according to the tech it's the most expensive part of the TV. It would have cost me $700.00 Cdn & labor if I didn't have warranty. Want to know more just Google " Toshiba Light Engine " and hang on. btw, most repair shops don't stock them due to the cost. Toshiba will only send a warranty replacement to the shop once it has been confirmed that is the actual problem. Once again, due to the cost.
Pssstttt.... The tech said the new part he installed was updated and no longer caused the problem.

[wacor]

There are no authorized repair centers where you live?? I would think there would be a local place you could take it to rather than to have to ship it back to the manufacturer.

I would be careful about opening it up. Sometimes there are seals you have to break and that tells them somebody has been probing inside.

[essial]

I've opened it up, but I haven't broken any seals on the outside or whatnot, nor have I removed anything but panels and the lamp (wich would need to be removed at certain intervals during ownership anyway. There are several authorized repair sites near where I live, but they all seem hell-bent on me paying crazy money just for them to come out, warranty or no.

[Guyzer]

See post # 2

The light engine can be changed by yourself but there is an off chance that it may need to be aligned. Mine didn't.

If memory serves me correct my warranty book states that Toshiba will come out to repair at no cost to you providing you have some left... which btw you haven't mentioned. I live in Canada and your coverage could be different ?? They did come to my house at no cost to me and he was here no longer than 30 minutes. If you have warranty call Toshiba direct, if you don't then discuss your problem with a tech to confirm my suspicion and order the part if you don't want to drive it in to them.

[essial]

Well the repair guy called me today and said they'll be shipping it all fixed up to my house on monday. You were right Guyzer, its the light engine. He originally said ".. aand the total will be $276", but then I said "um, what part of that was covered under warranty?", to which he replied "oh! sorry, I guess I should have looked a little closer; we just need to schedule a time to devlier it". So w00t, fixed tv, no cost.

My question is, what would have caused the problem and how can I prevent it in the future? My tv has a "quick on" feature, that was enabled by default, that I disabled, thinking that it would help save the lamp since we don't watch tv more than a few hours a day; and i'm wondering if that could have caused the problem.

Thanks again guys!

[JohnWill]

The "quick on" feature isn't burning out your lamp, and may even help it's life.

[Guyzer]

Originally Posted by essial

Well the repair guy called me today and said they'll be shipping it all fixed up to my house on monday. You were right Guyzer, its the light engine. He originally said ".. aand the total will be $276", but then I said "um, what part of that was covered under warranty?", to which he replied "oh! sorry, I guess I should have looked a little closer; we just need to schedule a time to devlier it". So w00t, fixed tv, no cost.

My question is, what would have caused the problem and how can I prevent it in the future? My tv has a "quick on" feature, that was enabled by default, that I disabled, thinking that it would help save the lamp since we don't watch tv more than a few hours a day; and i'm wondering if that could have caused the problem.

Thanks again guys!

The only thing that caused your problem was a defective Light Engine. Toshiba shipped thousands with the same problem and they know about it. If it were a car it would have been recalled. Because I had the same problem as you I researched the issue quite extensively and my research indicates that the problem in the new part has been resolved and shouldn't cause another problem once replaced. That said... I purchased the " extended warranty " which added another 4 years to the original. I usually don't but into those plans but I did this time because of the initial cost of the TV. If you can afford it and it isn't to late you might consider doing the same. It's like a insurance policy... you hate to spen the money but are glad if you need it.

The next problem you will have is when you start watching your TV and hear a " pop", then see your screen go black. You'll need to replace your bulb and they are not covered by warranty after the first year. They are quite expensive but can be easily changed by the do-it-yourselfer.

Good going on getting it replaced for free btw and glad I could help.

[Guyzer]

Originally Posted by JohnWill

The "quick on" feature isn't burning out your lamp, and may even help it's life.

John you are correct. The hardest thing on the bulb is turning the TV on and off because of the big difference in heat vs cooling. Those things generate a huge amount of heat.

[wacor]

Originally Posted by Guyzer

The only thing that caused your problem was a defective Light Engine. Toshiba shipped thousands with the same problem and they know about it. If it were a car it would have been recalled. Because I had the same problem as you I researched the issue quite extensively and my research indicates that the problem in the new part has been resolved and shouldn't cause another problem once replaced. That said... I purchased the " extended warranty " which added another 4 years to the original. I usually don't but into those plans but I did this time because of the initial cost of the TV. If you can afford it and it isn't to late you might consider doing the same. It's like a insurance policy... you hate to spen the money but are glad if you need it.

The next problem you will have is when you start watching your TV and hear a " pop", then see your screen go black. You'll need to replace your bulb and they are not covered by warranty after the first year. They are quite expensive but can be easily changed by the do-it-yourselfer.

Good going on getting it replaced for free btw and glad I could help.

I had a projection tv that did the pop. only it was the power supply as i recall. i too had an extended warranty. otherwise it would have cost about $700

[ToshibaTVowner]

Today 2nd LE popped.
Set is 9 1/2 months old.
Toshiba replaced the 1st LE in March (at less than 4 months old).
It doesn't appear they've fixed anything with the LE. Just more of the same.
Looks like the price may have dropped a little on the bulbs - found for $185 but if it keeps blowing out in less than 6 months then what good is it. I'll be spending >$200 year to watch my TV with 10-14 days of down time as I replace the bulb twice a year. I'll start calling in a blown bulb just prior to the warranty expiring just to make sure I get at least a year out of em I guess.
But that is just ridiculous poor quality on Toshiba's end.
Advice, suggestions, or thoughts?

Calling Toshiba 1st thing tomorrow and expect this bulb / LE to be coverd under the original warranty, but figure I'm due for another blowout sometime this winter.

[JohnWill]

I guess my $1450 for the 50" plasma screen was a good investment. So far, all I've done is watch it.

[Guyzer]

Originally Posted by ToshibaTVowner

Today 2nd LE popped.
Set is 9 1/2 months old.
Toshiba replaced the 1st LE in March (at less than 4 months old).
It doesn't appear they've fixed anything with the LE. Just more of the same.
Looks like the price may have dropped a little on the bulbs - found for $185 but if it keeps blowing out in less than 6 months then what good is it. I'll be spending >$200 year to watch my TV with 10-14 days of down time as I replace the bulb twice a year. I'll start calling in a blown bulb just prior to the warranty expiring just to make sure I get at least a year out of em I guess.
But that is just ridiculous poor quality on Toshiba's end.
Advice, suggestions, or thoughts?

Calling Toshiba 1st thing tomorrow and expect this bulb / LE to be coverd under the original warranty, but figure I'm due for another blowout sometime this winter.

You are confusing a light engine as being the same as the light itself. They are not the same.

Maybe you blow the bulbs because you leave the tv on all day.... maybe you turn it on and off to often..... I`m on the original bulb after 15 months and we watch it a lot. I am expecting it to go someday though.