jackwanders Posted February 25, 2006 Share Posted February 25, 2006 So after 3 weeks my first Samsung 30" slimfit HDTV developed a purple spot in the lower right corner. I brought it back to BestBuy and exchanged it for a new one. It's been one week and now this set has the same problem. I was willing to put up with the slight warping issues, but I can't handle color distortion like this. I'm starting to realize that if I want a decent TV, $800 just isn't gonna cut it. You get what you pay for, right? So anyway, I'm gonna return this one today or tomorrow, and am looking at a replacement set. My first option is this 42" DLP projection set from Samsung: http://samsung.com/Products/TV/DLPTV/HLR4266WXXAA.asp It's got good reviews at CNET (average 8.3, mostly 8's and 9's). Any downside to a projection set over LCD or plasma? Anything I should know about this set? It's 1799 at bestbuy through today. More than twice what I paid for this set, but it is bigger, and it is better, so I wanna know if it's also worth the price. That's about all that's on sale this week. If I don't do this today, then I'll be back tomorow with next week's deals. Thanks for any help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bangbang023 Veteran Posted February 25, 2006 Veteran Share Posted February 25, 2006 You probably have a magnetic source somewhere near the TV thats giving you the purple spot. You have any speakers near the unit? edit: actually seems to be a problem with every few sets and you managed to win the draw twice. One thing you should know about the DLP, the bulb is only going to last you 2 years, the most. After that, you'll have to replace it. It will cost between $250 - $350 to replace. If you have the BB service plan, they cover the bulb. Either way, you should be prepared to spend half a week without a TV when it does go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackwanders Posted February 25, 2006 Author Share Posted February 25, 2006 You probably have a magnetic source somewhere near the TV thats giving you the purple spot. You have any speakers near the unit? edit: actually seems to be a problem with every few sets and you managed to win the draw twice. One thing you should know about the DLP, the bulb is only going to last you 2 years, the most. After that, you'll have to replace it. It will cost between $250 - $350 to replace. If you have the BB service plan, they cover the bulb. Either way, you should be prepared to spend half a week without a TV when it does go. Are all DLP sets projection based, like this one? That's something I'm not sure about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bangbang023 Veteran Posted February 25, 2006 Veteran Share Posted February 25, 2006 Yes, DLP, by design is a projection set. Any digital projection set (LCD Projection, DLP, LCoS) will have short bulb lifes like that. I recently talked to someone who watched TV quite often and his bulb lasted 9 months. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackwanders Posted February 25, 2006 Author Share Posted February 25, 2006 (edited) Ok, scratch DLP then. I'd most likely burn out the bulb in under a year. What's BestBuy's policy on exchanging an exchange? Perhaps i should try one more time at a different BestBuy, maybe my luck will turn around? And as far as magnetism, the only things near that corner are the AV receiver (10" directly below) and the subwoofer (just under 2' away). If it were magnetism, how long would it take to correct itself after removing the source? Edited February 25, 2006 by Jack31081 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diffused Mind Posted February 25, 2006 Share Posted February 25, 2006 Yes, DLP, by design is a projection set. Any digital projection set (LCD Projection, DLP, LCoS) will have short bulb lifes like that. I recently talked to someone who watched TV quite often and his bulb lasted 9 months. LCD projection isn't the same as a standard LCD TV, right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bangbang023 Veteran Posted February 25, 2006 Veteran Share Posted February 25, 2006 Na, it won't be magnetism from that range. It shouldn't be at least unless that subwoofer is insane. You can exchange the exchange. just explain to them that the same thing is happening. LCD projection isn't the same as a standard LCD TV, right? No, it's not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackwanders Posted February 26, 2006 Author Share Posted February 26, 2006 Ok, well I'm gonna see what's in tomorrow's BestBuy circular. I'm kinda hoping one of the Sony CRT HDTVs goes on sale. If not, I'll just make a straight up exchange again and hope for the best. Bangbang, any inside info on sales starting tomorrow? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bangbang023 Veteran Posted February 26, 2006 Veteran Share Posted February 26, 2006 I find out when I get my sunday paper lol. Sorry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackwanders Posted February 27, 2006 Author Share Posted February 27, 2006 So this is really odd. I packed up the TV today and went off to BestBuy. I looked around for a replacement set, and the only one that looked good was the 34" Sony CRT HDTV (discontinued one being replaced by the XBR version coming out in March). There was an open box item selling for $1019. Unfortunately, it didn't have the box, and I'm not gonna lug around 150lbs of TV without a box. So after an hour or so I decided to just hold off, wait for my tax return check, and then maybe go for something a bit better. I got the set home, unpacked it again and turned it all back on. Now when I first brought it home, the tilt was off, and I needed to tilt it all the way to the left to get the picture straight. Well today, the picture was tilted way to the left when I turned it on. I thought perhaps my settings were lost, but the tilt was set all the way to the left (7 units). So I reset the tilt to just 1 unit to make the picture straight. Then I noticed the purple blob was gone. I watched some TV, played two games on different inputs and watched a DVD through the HDMI and the blob is all but gone now. It shows up very faintly against solid yellow, but it's also smaller (it doesn't extend as far from the corner). Whereas before you'd notice it when not looking at it, now you really have to be looking for it to notice it at all. Obviously, I'm quite happy at the moment. Is it possible the jostling around in the car or the flipping and rotating while in the box could have knocked some of the electronics around? That would seem to explain the tilt issue at the very least, and it seems like it may also have helped to alleviate the purple blob issue as well. Is this sorta thing even possible? Anyways, I'm relieved that the problem's subsided for the time being. I'm holding onto the box, though. Just in case ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackwanders Posted February 27, 2006 Author Share Posted February 27, 2006 One more question bangbang. Any hints on when bestbuy will start selling the Sony KD-34XBR970, the replacement for the discontinued 34" KV-34HS420N? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bangbang023 Veteran Posted February 27, 2006 Veteran Share Posted February 27, 2006 No idea, new stuff is just starting to arrive but we're still more focused on bombing out the old first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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