Kaoss

Our family Sony KDF 46 E2000 3LCD projector TV has a problem.

A few weeks ago, our TV lamp replacement light started flashing, reminding us that the lamp is nearing the end of its life, and will have to be replaced soon.

Shortly after, a 1-1.5" dark purplish blue band appeared running across the top of the screen.

We thought it was the lamp, but after we purchased a new lamp and replaced the original one, the annoying band was still there, now even larger.

We have never had this kind of problem, the purplish band just appeared out of nowhere one day.

I checked online, and found out that we weren't the only one with this kind of problem, and it wasn't just Sony, because the parts inside the 3LCD/DLP projection TV's are almost all OEM.

Here is what I found after just browsing a few seconds on Google...

Does anyone else know of this problem with projection TVs? Or if anyone has experienced similar problems?

It's kind of annoying, because we just got the lamp and housing brand new for $129.99 and it turns out, it wasn't even the lamp, and now this, we have to get a new TV...

Thanks

EDIT: Found some more

[quote]A variety of visual anomalies have been reported on Sony liquid crystal display (LCD) rear-projection TVs, including blue blobs, blue haze, blue star pattern, scribble/random line pattern (road-mapping), green blobs, green haze, yellow stains, purple or pink "fingerprints," and others. Unfortunately, these issues tend to occur after the warranty has expired. Sony has provided extended coverage for some of the issues on some models. However, the extended coverage has already expired in some cases, and it will expire at various times throughout 2009-2010 for other issues, so timing is important. As time has passed and complaints have accumulated, it has become clear that virtually all of Sony's rear-projection models (2003-2007) are subject to severe optical block issues.

Background

Sony's old cathode ray tube (CRT) TVs have a pretty solid reputation for picture quality and long-term reliability. Although Sony's liquid crystal rear-projection models have had a generally good reputation for picture quality, they have been plagued by serious problems with long-term reliability, which likely arose due to poor design of a central module called the "optical block" (also known as a "light engine"). The optical blocks seem to be poorly ventilated (causing them to overheat and damage internal components), they are subject to dust accumulation because they are open to the atmosphere, and some were apparently manufactured with defective parts. In addition, Sony manufactured optical blocks for other TV manufacturers, so similar problems have been experienced on non-Sony rear-projection LCD TVs.


Inner workings of Sony liquid crystal rear projection TV optical blocks

White light produced by the lamp goes through mirrors, beam splitters, and/or colored filters (red, green, and blue) onto three small LCD panels (one each for red, green, and blue, although the LCDs themselves are not colored) or a Silicon X-tal Reflective Display (SXRD) chip within the optical block. Then, in the case of the three-panel LCD models, mirrors combine the three colors of light, and the final image is projected onto the screen through the projection lens (see pictures below).

Optical block problems

The optical block contains many parts, and information is not freely available on which or why specific parts fail, but the optical block is typically replaced in its entirety to fix the issues. The issues tend to arise about two years (plus or minus six months) from the date of purchase (probably depending on how heavy the usage is). Thus, in the absence of an extended warranty, the standard warranty has usually expired by the time the issue becomes evident, requiring owners to pay for this very expensive repair (typically ~$850 for the optical block part and ~$350 for the diagnosis and labor costs). This cost is often close to the cost of a comparable brand new TV at current prices.

Fortunately, in cases where a number of owners have raised the same issue, Sony eventually has issued special coverage extensions for replacement of the optical blocks. The release of these extensions seems to be an evolutionary process. When the first reports of the issues come in, Sony initially does not cover them. As reports increase, Sony seems to start offering partial coverage on an individual basis. For example, they might offer to cover half of the repair cost, or the cost of the part but not the labor. Alternatively, they may offer a prorated credit (e.g., assuming a seven-year life span) towards a new TV in the Sony online store. Eventually, special coverage extensions may be issued that cover the entire cost of the repair, presumably when it becomes clear that relatively large numbers of owners of the same models are experiencing nearly identical issues. In the Summer of 2008, Sony started offering discounts on new direct-view LCD flat panel TVs in lieu of repairing defective TV's under their previously announced coverage extensions, but the value of these offers is highly variable.

Unfortunately, in some cases Sony's extended coverage does not cover all of the TV models affected by the problems, and, if the problem is experienced after the extended coverage expires, Sony will not cover them. In cases where extended coverage has expired, it is possible that Sony will go back to offering partial coverage in response to appeals by consumers, as described above (e.g., pay for part of the repair). However, this is unknown, and Sony may consider the TVs too old for any coverage at that point, although consumers who paid thousands of dollars just a few years earlier likely would not agree. When Sony is deciding to extend coverage of the optical blocks, they are probably balancing the cost of the massive repair bills to fix everybody's TV with the cost of losing customer loyalty.

Warranty length

Many Sony TV's come with a rather generic warranty card that covers multiple models. Most of these cards describe a one-year warranty on parts and labor with the exception of the "color picture tube," which has a two-year part warranty. Unfortunately, the latter two-year warranty most likely applies only to CRT picture tube TVs, not the optical blocks of rear projection LCD TVs. This tends to create confusion for rear projection owners. Note, though, that SXRD rear-projection models may have longer warranties, such as two years. Another possibility worth noting is that if the TV was purchased with a gold or platinum (or similar) credit card, it is possible that the credit card's extended warranty program may double the warranty to two years, and a claim could be filed through such a program.




The message on the removed US support page was as follows:

As technology evolves, Sony continually looks to stand behind the reliability of its televisions. It has come to our attention that a very limited number of televisions manufactured between 2003-2005, after a period of time exhibit a stationary scribble / random line pattern on the screen.

As part of our commitment to quality, Sony is announcing that for any owner of this model television who paid out-of pocket expenses on or before May 26, 2006 for an estimate or repair service to replace the optical block for this specific issue, Sony will reimburse the customer by mail for his/her parts and labor expenses. To receive reimbursement, please follow completely the directions and terms on the claim form for reimbursement; all claims must be postmarked by May 31, 2007.

In addition, for any customer who later experiences this issue on one of the affected models, Sony will cover the cost of the optical block repair at no charge through September 30, 2007. All other terms of the Sony limited warranty continue to apply.

The model numbers in question are: KF-42WE610, KF-50WE610, KF-60WE610, KDF-70XBR950, KDF-60XBR950, KDF-42WE655, KDF-50WE655, KDF-55WF655, KDF-60WF655, KDF-55XS955, KDF-60XS955, KF-42WE620, and KF-50WE620.

2003-2004 Grand WEGA models: blue spots, dots, blobs, haze, or star pattern

On June 23, 2007, Sony issued a 2004 Grand WEGA Additional Service Coverage on the optical blocks of the following models: KDF-42WE655, KDF-50WE655, KDF-55WF655, KDF-60WF655, KDF-55XS955, KDF-60XS955, KF-42WE620, and KF-50WE620. This coverage was based on what Sony describes as a "blue dot" or "blue star" pattern (also called "blue haze," "blue blob," and other names by some owners). Sony posted sample pictures of the blue spot problem, one of which was from my TV (see pictures below). The location and intensity of the blue anomalies can change, tending to get progressively worse. Some users have reported that, over time, increasing numbers of bright blue or white spots appear within the anomalies, which presumably represent pixels stuck in an "activated" state. Colors other than blue have also been reported. The additional service coverage was good only through December 31, 2008.

Although owners of the 2003 Grand WEGA models were reporting these same blue anomalies, Sony originally chose not to cover these older models. On December 11, 2007, though, Sony issued a "2003 Grand WEGA Additional Service Coverage" on the optical blocks of the following models: KF-42WE610, KF-50WE610, KF-60WE610, KDF-60XBR950, and KDF-70XBR950. The language was identical to that for the 2004 models (see above). However, this additional service coverage was good only through June 30, 2008. This was six months before the expiration on the 2004 models, even though the coverage was issued about six months later. This provided a relatively short six-month window for claims, which has now expired.

In the following photo, note that the blue haze is largely restricted to the 4:3 viewing area, even though the current source is wide-screen, suggesting some sort of burn-in.



In the next picture, a 4:3 program that was letter-boxed was being viewed for quite awhile. The blue line appeared at the lower border of the letterbox. It remained there when the aspect was changed to the zoom setting and when the wide-screen DVD was played. Over time, the blue line diffused away, but the general blue haze remained.



In the following photo, the blue color has turned into a number of random squiggly lines that resemble areas of high contrast in a paused frame of a TV program recorded on a digital video recorder. It remained there when the aspect was changed to the zoom setting and when the wide-screen DVD was played. Over time, the intense blue lines diffused away, but the general blue haze remained.



Many other posted pictures of the problem show an uneven hazy border of blue at the bottom or other edges of the screen. Others show bright blue blobs that tend to be in the corners.

Probable cause of the blue haze/star problem: Most evidence indicates that the problem lies in overheating of the LCD panels due to their proximity and/or sharing a fan with the lamp, which gets very hot (see pictures below). Of the three LCD panels, the blue one is nearest the lamp and the fan port, which may be consistent with the predominance of problems with blue visual anomalies. Interestingly, an eCoustics forum member posted some pictures of a Hitachi optical block (manufactured by Sony) that exhibits apparent overheating that resulted in a red blob. To reduce the likelihood of overheating, it may be helpful to operate the TV in a less dusty/smoky environment. It may also be helpful to keep the lamp fan clean. This fan blows air out the back of the TV in the middle, bottom area

2005-2006 Grand WEGA: blue, yellow, orange, or brown colored band, blob, or haze/stain

Reports of 2005 Grand WEGA KDF-EA10 and KDF-EA20 models (e.g., KDF-E42A10, KDF-E50A10, KDF-E55A20, and KDF-E60A20)with color anomalies, particulary colored bands on the top of the screen, are accumulating. Even more recently, similar reports have been made on the 2006 Grand WEGA KDF-E2000 models (e.g., KDF-42E2000, KDF-46E2000, KDF-50E2000, and KDF-55E2000). For some reason, no additional coverage has been issued on the 2005 models. However, on December 22, 2008, Sony issued an Extended Warranty on the optical blocks of the 2006 (E2000) models. The coverage runs through June 30, 2010, and it appears to cover any optical block issue, no matter how it is manifested.

2003-2004 Grand WEGA models: purple "fingerprints"

There are limited reports of this anomaly on some KF-60WE610 and KDF-50WE655 models, although it could be more widespread. Examples include the following:



Probable cause of purple fingerprints: This problem may arise due to dust build-up in the optical block on a mirror, filter, or LCD panel. The optical block is not a sealed unit, so dust can freely enter the LCD area (see photos elsewhere). There is some evidence that this problem can be resolved by blowing compressed air into the optical block to remove the dust. However, it is more likely that the optical block will have to be replaced and then disassembled for cleaning due to the complexity. Sony has never issued extended coverage for this problem on any models.

2003-2004 Grand WEGA models: warped lamp access doors

On April 17, 2008, Sony issued a Limited Extended Warranty for Certain 2003 and 2004 Televsions Exhibiting Warping of the Lamp Access Door, which applies to the following models:

2003 Models: KF42WE610, KF50WE610, KF60WE610, KDF60XBR950, KDF70XBR950
2004 Models: KF42WE620, KF50WE620, KDF42WE655, KDF50WE655
Interestingly, while this extended warranty applies to all of the 2003 Grand WEGA models, it applies only to the "WE" versions of the 2004 models, presumably due to lamp differences. Although this is technically not an optical block problem, it plagues the same set of models and likely arises from the same cause--excessive heat from the projection lamp. The heat from the lamp can cause the lamp access door, as well as the main chassis, to become warped. It can also damage other components.

2005-2006 SXRD models: green haze, green blobs, yellow stains, yellow lines, and other discolorations

On March 24, 2007, Sony issued an Extended Limited Warranty on the optical blocks of its 2005 SXRD models KDS-R50XBR1 and KDS-R60XBR1 based on what most people call the "green blob," "green haze," or "yellow stain" issue (other discolorations have also been reported). Originally, the extended warranty was good through October 31, 2008. However, based in part on the settlement of a class action lawsuit againt Sony, on November 12, 2007, Sony extended the deadline for the extended warranty through June 30, 2009, regardless of the original purchase date, and owners who have already had their TVs repaired or invested in an extended service plan at their own expense will be reimbursed. Alternatively, Sony may offer an upgrade to a newer model TV. One of the main allegations in the lawsuit was that the optical blocks originally used to replace the defective versions produced inferior images compared to the originals.


2006 models:
On October 21, 2008, Sony issued an Extended Warranty on the optical blocks of its 2006 SXRD models KDS-50A2000, KDS-55A2000, KDS-60A2000, KDS-R60XBR2, and KDS-R70XBR2. Presumably, these models suffer from problems similar to those in the 2005 models.

Probable cause of the green blob/green haze/yellow stain problem: Defective Silicon X-tal Reflective Display (SXRD) chips, which are based on liquid crystal on silicon (LCoS) technology, and/or overheating issue.