Samsung forum: Samsung DLP white dots fix?

Don't bury a plea in an old post. Try a new post and supply the full details of model number, transaction numbers and more.

Bob

I called on 3/15/13 and told Samsung that I had white & black dots on my screen. I provided my model number HLT5075SX/XAA and serial number. I was then promptly told that I was having a one time fix for my issue free. A tech will be driving here Wednesday to fix. This tv was purchased in 09' without an extended warrenty. Just posted to let others know it might be a possibility to have their tv fixed as well. Good luck and thank you for the tread starter!

I read this and saw that some people had success with calling samsung, so I figured why not try. I called and told them the problem and they have a tech comming next week. It was simple, and they initiated the appointment, all I did was say I had white dots stay on every channel and source.

As you can see from this thread and others if you search "white dot problem samsung", some win some lose for now appearent reason. Not only didn't I get any help from samsung I couldn't even get a return call when they first said I wouldn't get help and then said someone would return my call to discuss.

I have talked to 3 people, chatted online, and emailed my plea to get my 61" model HL61A750A1FXZA repaired, and still no luck. I see others here with 61" TVs getting no help also. Is there anyone who did get their 61" model repaired, or is this the model that gets the "shaft".

Top post it so you can see if Samsung does repairs on 2007 sets. From what I see, such are repairable. But at what looks to be a 2007 set, it looks to be well out of warranty.
Bob

Unfortunately, I did not receive the same response from Samsung on my HLT 61" with numerous white dots on all channels.

I was told this was considered normal wear and tear.....

I am waiting for a return call from a Samsung Customer Service Supervisor for explanation.

They told me the same, but they had also told me the led engine would last at least 10 years vs normal projection tv's that need a bulb replacement every 2 year's. My 61" started showing white and black dots in less than 5 years, and I have been living with a tapered shadow down the right side of my screen that started to appear within 2 months of new. Samsung would not fix that either.
Wouldn't it be nice to get some customer support from Samsung?

The other part is the DMD which if you add a few degrees to figure 9 can barely get 5 years.
Here's the PDF on that.
http://focus.ti.com/pdfs/dlpdmd/133_ieeeir.pdf

If anyone gave you a 10 year assurance, in writing, then you take it up with them.

I don't want to stop here so here's a video on what is a typical repair.
http://www.shopjimmy.com/blog/2012/07/18/dlp-tv-repair-the-dreaded-whiteblack-dots/

Bob

It is obvious that this is not normal wear on the 61" tvs any more than it is on the 50" tvs that made the cut-off for the free repair. It is exactly the same issue and should be repaired the same.

The DLP was just a bad idea. If Texas Instruments or Samsung would provide a one-time fix for everyone who calls in with these issues, than by the time it fails the second time, the consumer would feel that they had reasonable life from their tv.

The very least Samsung/Texas Instruments should do is to send a no-charge replacement DLP chip to those who want it so they can get their TVs fixed. They don't even offer a discount on a replacement chip.

This IS an unfair practice and misrepresentation of their product and legal action should be taken to force Samsung to be responsible for this condition.

And looking at the curves it's easy to see what's going to happen. It does wear out and all the documents so far seem to support the wear and tear angle.

I'm not going to debate here. I will supply this information for those that want to know more. I supply this along with the repair video so folk can get this fixed for much less.

This is a rather long thread so let's not discuss this here.
Bob

I know it is pointless but I think we need to at least get the facts right. At normal operating temps chip should last tens of thousands of hours based on figure 9 which you referenced. I doubt if most customers who have these TVs used even 10% of this time.

Sorry but holding this discussion here is hard to do. If you want to start a new discussion in say CNET Home something forum, let's do that. This one is too unwieldy.

I don't want to upset you but you should be seeing this issue across all makes that used this part. Hope the video on replacement helped folk.
Bob

Bob,

You seem like a nice guy and I was more than willing to let this go but.... besides the poor service and support for the defective dmd chip from Samsung the misrepresentation that this chip is a wear and tear item (based on article you sent me) is too much for me to take without responding.

You direct complaints to an article about the chip which I think the vast majority will accept without reading. I read the report and it clearly supports the argument of everyone who is having the white dot issue. Saying that if you run the TV 10 degrees celsius higher outside the high-end of the normal range for 5000 hours it will only last for about 5 years is a very weak argument. Let me explain something, you should never expect an electronic component to run that long at 18 degrees fahrenheit beyond normal range for that long. Under normal conditions the article you directed everyone to shows the chip should last scores of years. Therefore this is not a wear and tear item under normal conditions. Unfortunately, not all Samsung DLP models were a part of the class action suit which Samsung lost (nice loophole) about this very problem but for the rest of us I think we deserve an honest answer.

I didn't dive into the other issues. You brought up low use but that brings into the question of humidity on this part.

You seen to want to know about this part in detail yet you have put this inside an old thread that is very unweildy so I have not given it my all.

I see you have the Ti document and it does allude that life span can indeed be very long. It also shows it can be much less.

Again, if you want to tear into this, please do.
Bob

I have the infamous white dot problem and gone through all the channels mentioned with the usual "your model not covered". My model is a HLT model specifically HLT5687S with a case number of 5105007031. Will someone from Samsung give us an answer on why this widespread problem is not being addressed on why some people can get suppport and others can't.

http://forums.cnet.com/7726-13973_102-5340321.html?tag=posts;msg5340321

Sorry but as you can tell, it's not a part that won't fail. I can supply a document about the expected life span and a link about a typical replacement.
Bob

From the link you supplied (not sure when published)

The Digital Micromirror DeviceTM (DMDTM) has made great strides
in both performance and reliability. Each device consists of more than
500,000 individually addressable micromirrors. Digital Light
ProcessingTM technology, based on the DMD, has been used in such
diverse products as projection displays with film-like projected images
and photographic-quality printers. Reliability testing of the DMD
has demonstrated greater than 100,000 operating hours and more than
1 trillion mirror cycles.

LIFETIME DEMONSTRATIONS
AND RELIABILITY ESTIMATES

Through the use of accelerated life testing, the development of rudimentary
models, and environmental qualification, we have identified
what we believe to be the complete list of life-limiting factors. As
discussed previously, hinge fatigue and environmental exposure are
not life limiting. Particulate contamination appears to be random and
not dependent on time or stress. We have not identified any correlation
between light exposure and life. Through design robustness and process
control, we have eliminated all known contributors to surface
adhesion degradation. This leaves hinge memory. Because hinge
memory is so predictable, we have easily estimated our lifetime to be
greater than 100,000 hours, as long as the DMD die temperature is
maintained at 45 °C or below.

Although an actual lifetime of 100,000 hours has not yet been demonstrated,
there is supporting evidence that DMD lifetime is measured
in thousands of hours. Existing data through nearly 2 years of product
deliveries have confirmed no DMD failures due to parametric curve
degradation (bias voltage parametric curves and reset voltage parametric
curves). Several DMDs remain on test through 19,000 actual
operating hours with no failures to date. This certainly supports the
test results and estimates

Sorry previously posted on older thread but it appears based on your recommeded readings that the dmd chip in these TVs are defective.

From the link you supplied (not sure when published)

The Digital Micromirror DeviceTM (DMDTM) has made great strides
in both performance and reliability. Each device consists of more than
500,000 individually addressable micromirrors. Digital Light
ProcessingTM technology, based on the DMD, has been used in such
diverse products as projection displays with film-like projected images
and photographic-quality printers. Reliability testing of the DMD
has demonstrated greater than 100,000 operating hours and more than
1 trillion mirror cycles.

LIFETIME DEMONSTRATIONS
AND RELIABILITY ESTIMATES

Through the use of accelerated life testing, the development of rudimentary
models, and environmental qualification, we have identified
what we believe to be the complete list of life-limiting factors. As
discussed previously, hinge fatigue and environmental exposure are
not life limiting. Particulate contamination appears to be random and
not dependent on time or stress. We have not identified any correlation
between light exposure and life. Through design robustness and process
control, we have eliminated all known contributors to surface
adhesion degradation. This leaves hinge memory. Because hinge
memory is so predictable, we have easily estimated our lifetime to be
greater than 100,000 hours, as long as the DMD die temperature is
maintained at 45 °C or below.
Although an actual lifetime of 100,000 hours has not yet been demonstrated,
there is supporting evidence that DMD lifetime is measured
in thousands of hours. Existing data through nearly 2 years of product
deliveries have confirmed no DMD failures due to parametric curve
degradation (bias voltage parametric curves and reset voltage parametric
curves). Several DMDs remain on test through 19,000 actual
operating hours with no failures to date. This certainly supports the
test results and estimates

Add 10 or a little more degrees to see what happens.

Good luck in your quest but here it's pretty well accepted this part will be replaced when it fails. I will not enter in a debate here. You need to pick up the torch and go where you want with it.

In my view this is about a 5 year MTBF design. Sorry to write that but it appears the failures speak for themselves.
Bob

Apparently my TV is not one that is affected by the dots (according to them). Some models have a higher than normal failure rate, and mine is not one of them. I have dot's all over the screen. It started with one, and has multiplied to hundreds. At this rate, there won't be anything but white dots. I have someone coming to fix my TV for the capacitor settlement hopefully next week. It is covered under the class action settlement, but after speaking to 3 different people in the escalations dept. I still cannot get them to fix my white dots for free. I am pretty fed up with Samsung, and will never buy another TV or anything from them. THis was a very expensive TV when we bought it. Had to have it warrantied after a year because one of the colors went out. THis is the third problem we have had with the TV. What happened to TV's that would last 20 years. Nothing lasts anymore it seems. Very disgusted that they won't fix it when there is already someone coming to fix a problem. My model is HLT5687SAX/XAA 50" DLP.

If the set is worth +/- $200 to you then go ahead and fix it yourself. As I and others have noted it is not a difficult repair. However, I saw new 50 inch sets in the store over Christmas at very low prices. Not an easy decision.

I was in the same situation as tracylbb1 but two days ago after watching the http://www.shopjimmy.com/ video on the replacement DLP Chip severasl times I decided to attempt this repair. I ordered the part and opened the TV only to find that it didn't look anything like the TV in the video. I found the board with the chip on it but no linearity ring was present. I went for it anyway and when I buttoned the tv up the picture was off almost 5 inches. Because I had watched the video several times I knew somehow that the chip was not exactly aligned with the lens and found three brass screws that held it in place. After several adjustments a perfect alignment. The chip that shopjimmy sent me was a replacement for the chip in my set and I am very impressed with the improvement in my colors, blacks, and the solving of my white dot problem. I am very happy that I attempted this and saved myself the expense of a new Panny 60 inch GT. This is the third Samsung in my house and all have had service problems. I will never ever again consider anything with the name Samsung on it. Oh by the way Samsung gives you the impression that they decided what models to fix but it was a class action suit that actually did that. So for $159 I have a working TV that is much better than when I bought it.

Don't bury your requests in old posts. And to answer your question again, read http://forums.cnet.com/7726-13973_102-5340321.html?tag=posts;msg5340321

Don't fool yourself. Your model was probably involved in the class action lawsuit that made them fix it.

That is exactly what happens. Samsung lost class action suit. If your specific model is listed, they will show "great customer service" if you have a model that is not listed even if it is the same exact DMD chip you are on your own. If you look at the list of Samsung DLP models the list goes on and on, so whoever did the class action suit did incomplete paperwork and now Samsung has to do what is right or nothing, you got lucky we didn't.

BTW, you notice how R. Proffit (Samsung Rep) keeps on trying to kill this thread because people searching the white dot problem keep finding it and as long as people write on this post , the post stays active.