Samsung forum: Samsung DLP White Dots

Samsung HD Tech, I have a HLT5676SX/XAA which is developing the white dot problem. It started with one lone dot. It amazes me how much one dot on the screen can be so annoying.. While watching the Super Bowl last night another appeared, so now I have just two. From what I have read I suspect more will appear as time goes on. I bought this TV in September of 2007 at a cost of almost $2000. I bought it because it has the best picture of any other HDTV I've seen. It still has a super nice picture except for the white dots. I don't really want to scrape it, but unless I can get the part at a reasonable price and change it myself that may be my only option.

So I actually have two questions. I am a rather techie guy. I build and repair computers and used to work on tv's back in my younger days. I've seen You Tube videos and the repair appears to be within the scope of my abilities. So my questions are, (1) Does the replacement of the DMD Chip normally resolve the problem? (2) Can you advise a good source to purchase the Chip? I've seen them advertised around the $200 to $300 range.

I guess I have one more question. Are these things repairable? Some places want a $50 core charge which is refundable when you return the old chip. I'm thinking I don't want a re-manufactured chip.

Thanks for any help or advise you can give. I really hate to give up on this TV. It has such a beautiful picture when it is working right.

Another white dot showed up today. At this rate I will have a completely white screen in 2740 years.

Replaced the DLP Chip today. Total cost $215. TV looks like new.

I meant to ask more, but couldn't find a browser that would let me type in the body.

I bought my TV from my cousin, and I'm actually not sure how old it is. I noticed one white dot two days ago, and now, when I turned it on today, it's up to two. Sounds like it's just going to keep getting worse, so I'd rather fix it sooner rather than later.

If this IS something I can do on my own or with a tech savvy friend, I would love to do so. Any details on the replacement you can give me, Bob68j, I would appreciate!

-> Implementing the Simpleton Pattern: How I fixed my DLP TV

First off, I use to work on TV's back in my younger day and I've built and repaired computers so I'm use to working with circuit boards, chip replacement and heatsink applications. I'm 65 years old now and my fingers aren't as nibble and my eye sight is not the best for close quarters work. What I did was watch the multi-part Youtube videos named




REPLACING DLP CHIP ON A SAMSUNG HLT5676S PART 1-?...I think there was 5 separate videos. The guy in this video is fairly glumsy but he does get the part replaced and the TV works afterwards. I didn't use any power tools, just a phillips screwdriver. I took photos of everything before I started taking things apart so I'd have a reference to get everything back together. I kept my screws separated in cups so as not to have screws being install back into the wrong place. You want good lighting so you can see what you are doing. Study the screws on the DMD board, there are a few that you aren't supposed to remove. The 4 corner screws come out but there are 3 brass headed ones that are not to be disturbed. You want to remove the 4 corner screws and the ones holding the heatsink bracket in place. Once you remove the board, gently pry the old chip off paying attention as to how the new one plugs back in. Take your time, take photos. Watch the videos a few times, but use a little more finesse than the guy in the video. check and double check your work and you should be fine.

I only had 3 white dots at the time, but just those 3 had become very annoying. The TV looks as good as it did before the dots stared appearing

I bought my chip from http://shop.tvreplacementparts.com/ for $265.16. I sent the old back to them for a $50 core credit, so my cost was $215.16.

I had a Mitsubishi before I got my Samsung 72" DLP model HL72A650C1FXZA. That Mitsubishi played great for MORE than 10 years before it had any issues. Now just months past the 3 year mark with my Samsung I get about a dozen white dots on the screen that won't go away? So my $2400 purchase is crap after 3 years? Really Samsung? Not cool! To fix it I am looking at a $200-$300 replacement DLP chip PLUS labor? This is bull you know what. How can they replace some DLP chips as defective and not all of them? If they would AT LEAST send me the chip for free.. I will replace it. I am a techy and can handle that kind of thing.

I called and chatted with several reps and got no where. My ticket number is LTK56402468792X and my case number is 5105038887. If I have to pay for this repair after only 3 years of service... I won't ever be buying Samsung again. When are those Apple iTVs coming out anyway? That will be my next set.

Signed,
Screwed in South Florida

Please don't hide your new post in old discussions.

HDTech-

If Samsung acts as a "reputable manufacturer," why do they refuse to deal with this problem on the 61" DLP's? I have been round & round with the Executive Customer Service Representatives and they say there is no way that Samsung will help out with the repair on this model. I had the pleasure of watching the Super Bowl through 200+ white dots last night on a model that Samsung insists doesn't have a problem. In searching the internet, this white dot problem is an issue for many on their 61" Samsung DLP's. Can you help out in any way here?

We're not "refusing to deal" with a repair. One can be set up for you at 800-SAMSUNG.

Based on your post, it sounds like we're not offering to pay for that repair at least 2 years past the stated warranty. If that's the sole criteria on how people are going to judge "reputable companies", then I can't contribute much more to the discussion, except that I wish my car dealer had the same policy. I had to replace a significant part on my car less than 200 miles out of warranty, and I didn't like it much either. But that doesn't make them not "reputable". It just put the responsibility of repairs on me after a specific date or period when the warranty expires or is voided. It wasn't personal, it was an agreement with the warranty terms, and it sounds like a similar situation here.

It's my guess that some people will connect with that example, and it's a real experience. Others aren't going to like that answer, but that's what I can offer. If you must kill the messenger, hit the reply button and keep it within C|Net's T&Cs.

If ECR says that there's no offer to assist with a repair, then repairs fall either on your retailer's extended warranty, if there is one, or becomes an out of pocket expense.

The only help I can offer is the Service Issue thread that I posted above. If you haven't tried it, give it a shot.

--HDTech

Online Brand Ambassador

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So sorry to hear about your car being 200 miles out of warranty when you had to replace that significant part.

- Did this significant part cost 25% of the original purchase price of the vehicle? If so, I recommend you never purchase from that company again, and I would warn friends, family, and anyone else who would listen to also stay away from that company as well.

- Did your auto manufacturer admit that several other models that they made & sold had an identical problem? Did they replace this part at no charge for the other models while telling you that your vehicle was the wrong size to receive the repair? When you called them, did they refuse to tell you the part number that they were replacing in the other vehicles and refuse to confirm or deny that your vehicle had the exact same part in it? At least when I owned a 2007 Toyota Camry that had major issues with acceleration and braking due to a new computer system, they told me that the Avalon had the same problem and they couldn't fix either one. Imagine if they would fix one, but not the other...

- When you called your auto company to discuss your issue, were you told that an ECR would call back in 24-48 hours only to find yourself having to call back over a week later to talk with a rude representative?

I wish your company DID have the same policies as most auto companies. When they find that there is a defect in their manufacturing, they issue a recall and repair or replace their faulty workmanship whether the car is in warranty or not. This is what reputable companies do.

When I purchased this TV, I was told that I would likely need to replace the bulb within the lifespan of the TV and was told approximately what that would cost. I weighed that information and chose to purchase the unit. I'm not asking for Samsung to pay for a routine wear and tear issue like a new bulb. We're talking about a manufacturing defect that plagues these DLP TV's that Samsung made. They need to own up this issue on the 61" and take care of it the same way they have for the other models. It doesn't take much research to find that this is not an isolated problem on my unit. You and I both know this.

Unknown,

I'm equally sorry to hear about your TV. I never like reading stories where service issues inconvenience people, but sometimes things break. Service issues aren't fun. I was trying to be sympathetic. Sometimes people think I'm in a tower and don't "get it". Believe me, I live in no tower, and I get it. But sometimes people misunderstand the purpose of a warranty, or why repairs are denied years later. So I try to break it down.

I wasn't going for the whole "My situation" vs. "your situation" aspect. I'm sorry if you thought I was making a direct comparison because of what I posted.

What "we both know" is a debate fallacy, and I'm sure you'd be annoyed if I suggested to you about what "we both know" about things.

My point was that all manufacturers and industries have a warranty policy for repairs, and it depends on which side of the warranty you're on to determine who pays for covered or uncovered repairs. Someone has to pay if the customer wants the unit repaired. We haven't made DLP TVs for years, After a year of the sale date, it's not covered. If we determine that specific models get an exception, then that's a decision that the service center can make. If not, then we've acted reputably by honoring the warranty for the term of the warranty that we offered.

I noted that some people don't like the answer - and that seems to be the case here.

If you want to have your case reviewed, you can try the Service Issues thread. They usually respond quickly. I do apologize that you got a representative that you expressed was rude to you. That's not our goal here, and I'd like to personally apologize on behalf of the organization for that experience. If you contact us, please let us know who that was so we can look into the situation.

--HDTech

Online Brand Ambassador

- Click here to visit the Samsung forum
- Click here to visit the Samsung store on CNET

We are not a bad company because we are no worse than a car company. Come on!!! We are talking about TVs. We all have 10 to 15 year old tv's that never had a problem. Then Samsung starting selling DLPs and now all of the sudden we shouldn't expect a tv to last more than the warranty, which is what a year or two. My car came with 5 years, bumper to bumper with free maintenance and loaners. So Samsung, where is my free loaner tv while you figure out what is wrong with my tv? Where is my free 5 year warranty?

I guess Samsung is so bad a t customer service that they don't even monitor their own employee's postings.

Samsung refuses to fix the wite dot problem on my HL-T6756W as they claim it is normal wear and tear. How do you have normal wear and tear to an item sealed inside the tv? This is not a leather seat in a car this is the inside of a tv. What a scam. Beware of Samsung DLP's.

Do try the Facebook note at the top of this forum under "Service Issues". It's one of the last steps along with keep asking them to fix it.

If they offer the chip only repair, it's still cheaper than a new set.

If you want to discuss the DLP life span issue (Ti made that part) I can cover some of what happened.
Bob

I have two white dots appearing on my Samsung tv. I'm getting very concerned reading all the posts about the same problem. I'm a widow and know nothing about fixing tvs. I think this tv is about 5 years old. My husband bought it at Conn's. Do I need to go there for help?

In the USA you dial 1800SAMSUNG to begin the conversation. BE SURE TO NOTE DATE, TIME AND THE ...

Transaction Number.

Since it's this far out of warranty the best we hope for is the free DLP chip. Installing it is not free and with that core charge you find yourself debating it all.

In closing you will find this issue on other make sets that used the Ti DLP design. Some thought Samsung made this problem.
Bob

Snoopizumi -

If they were stuck, then then would be stuck on all channels and inputs.

Might want to reset, refresh or upgrade your cable/sat box if you have one. (They can do that over the phone for the first two, or send a tech for the upgrade).

--HDTech

Online Brand Ambassador

- Click here to visit the Samsung forum
- Click here to visit the Samsung store on CNET

This is so ridiculous! As I posted in another thread, the only thing I can think of to do now is contact the BBB and Attorney General.

I read this but can you define what you mean by Standard Definitions channels?

It's just that in the old days of analog TV, over the air transmissions, we would often get 'snow' when there was interference in the atmosphere.

I get that now sometimes even with my new digital TV with digital channels that I receive through my aerial. If atmospheric conditions are bad the picture breaks up on certain channels.

Is that the same with you?

Mark

Something else I remembered.

One or two of the lesser digital channels I can never get to work properly. I've scanned and re-scanned countless times but they still show up with a load of snow on them such that I can barely see anything. I've put that down to either my aerial is not quite set in the proper direction/alignment, or the provider is not transmitting it properly.

I could contact the provider but I haven't bothered yet.

Mark

I think its time everyone brought a class action suit against these guys. I have a HL-T6156W and it is 3 years old and i was told today that the white dots were normal wear tear. Upon doing a little investigating, it appears to me that there is an over whelming amount of people who have this same issue and if we all put our eggs in one basket then something positive might actually be accomplished. For a company to basically tell you to go screw because of a defective product is beyond unacceptable to me and i think that they should be held responsible for this

Ti (Texas Instruments) "sold" DLP heavily and recently extended Ti's projector warranties to 5 years for what we guess is exactly what you expect.

Now that you know who created this mess you can find this failure in too many DLP systems.
Bob

I just got off the phone with Samsung. They say they have never heard of my model, 61", having that issue, therefore it is not covered under same defect repair problem. If its the same dang problem, shouldn't it be covered also. Please let me know what happened with yours.