Archive through January 18, 2007
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New member Username: Zepp36Colorado Post Number: 6 Registered: Mar-06 | Angel- My replacenent LE obtained from Sears Parts store six months ago was the same part# you listed...LIGHT ENGINE UX22201DR. At the time it was $387 (amount Hitachi reimbursed me) but now it's listed at $487 online. The replacement has performed flawlessly over six months. For a bit of humor, I came across this photo of Hitachi Headquarters...  |
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Gold Member Username: John_sColumbus, Ohio US Post Number: 1067 Registered: Feb-04 | Hilarious Dave....thanks. On a serious note, I recently come across a bio on the founder of Hitachi. |
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New member Username: AngelramosPost Number: 3 Registered: Aug-06 | Hey all 50V500 owners, I have an update. I met with a Hitachi Regional Manger here in Mannheim, Germany and she said she would asssit me since she works and sells Hitachi products at our exchange. Well, she has come through! Hitachi is sending a brand new LE and the rep here in Germany will have it installed for me at no cost. I will update again once the install is complete. For right now, I don't even turn on my TV, sad to think I paid over $3K for this set. |
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Gold Member Username: John_sColumbus, Ohio US Post Number: 1071 Registered: Feb-04 | Angel, it seems you're getting better service than some right here in the middle of the good ole USA. Good luck. Overall it seems that Hitachi's customer service is pretty good considering what I read about other companies. The other day I heard an interview with a major league baseball who swears by his red contact lenses in lieu of sunglasses. I believe he said he gets them from Hitachi.  |
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Gold Member Username: John_sColumbus, Ohio US Post Number: 1072 Registered: Feb-04 | sorry, that should read "major league baseball player who...." |
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New member Username: CdspraguePost Number: 1 Registered: Sep-06 | Is there anyway to change the hour amount on the TV? I lost my hours. It started back to 0. I had 3199 hours. I don't think I reset it in anyway. Thanks, Chad. |
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Gold Member Username: John_sColumbus, Ohio US Post Number: 1090 Registered: Feb-04 | Chad, I did a factory reset in the service menu which reset the counter. I know of no way to manually reset the hour count. It seems strange your TV would reset itself for no reason. https://www.ecoustics.com/cgi-bin/bbs/show.pl?tpc=2&post=727530#POST727530 |
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New member Username: WendypooPost Number: 3 Registered: Mar-06 | We had the pink thing and the giant blue blob, and Hitachi covered most of the cost to replace the light engine a few months ago. Now we have a reddish line that has shown up running down. Anybody?? Also, does anyone know how to adjust set so that the bottom isn't cut off? Whenever they have sports scores or anything, we can't read them. Thanks! |
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New member Username: CdspraguePost Number: 2 Registered: Sep-06 | John, I was messing with some of the settings in the service menu. I was trying to get rid of the pinkish red spot. (along with everyone else!) I didn't reset the factory reset. Unless there is another way to reset it. The TV is going to get fixed again this Thursday. I hope the service place doesn't get mad because it will have very low hours now! The TV has been fixed twice already. First time it had bad ghosting problems. Now it has the pinkish red blob taking up most of the screen. And a reddish fuzzy area about the size of a football just left of center of the screen. And it is growing!! Thankfully the service doesn't cost me anything. The only problem I see is in about 4 months the warranty will be up and then I'll have to pay to get the POS fixed!! Any idea what it will take to fix the POS this time? |
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Gold Member Username: John_sColumbus, Ohio US Post Number: 1092 Registered: Feb-04 | I hope the service place doesn't get mad because it will have very low hours now! Chad, I wouldn't worry about that since I can't imagine any repair tech could care about how long the TV has been on. The TV has been fixed twice already. First time it had bad ghosting problems. What was the second fix for? |
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New member Username: CdspraguePost Number: 3 Registered: Sep-06 | The second time was for the same thing. Bad ghosting. Thanks for the replies John!! |
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New member Username: LoneladyPrattville, Alabama USA Post Number: 1 Registered: Sep-06 | I too have the red cloud on my 22 month old Hitachi. I have the EW so it will be fixed but part will not be in till 6 Oct 2006. Not really a very happy camper right now concerning Hitachi products. Have enclosed pic of my $3000.00 tv.Pj  |
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New member Username: WendypooPost Number: 4 Registered: Mar-06 | I posted the other day that after getting a new light engine for the giant blue blob a few months ago, we now have a pink line. I have to elaborate. The pink line is now a pink outline around everything. Is this what everyone refers to as ghosts? |
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Gold Member Username: John_sColumbus, Ohio US Post Number: 1101 Registered: Feb-04 | Wendy, Even though I personally have not had to fix a "ghost" problem with my TV, apparently it isn't that difficult. It's kind of like centering the image a la old three gun CRT big screens. https://www.ecoustics.com/cgi-bin/bbs/show.pl?tpc=2&post=126142#POST126142 Good luck.  |
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Gold Member Username: John_sColumbus, Ohio US Post Number: 1102 Registered: Feb-04 | PJ, that's about as mean a picture of the pink cloud as I've seen. Good luck with getting your TV repaired. |
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New member Username: Zepp36Colorado Post Number: 7 Registered: Mar-06 | Wendy- If you're familiar with using the service menu, go to V POSITION on the first page of the main menu. This will adjust the screen position up or down by using the left/right arrow on the remote select button. It helps for framing to have the TV turn on to a station such as ESPN2 that runs a continuous sports ticker on the bottom. The pink outline sounds like ghosting. Go to LCD ADJUST on the serivce menu, then GHOST on the sub-menu. A test pattern square is shown and you can easily adjust ghosting on the fringes by using the left/right arrows on the select button. I had these same two problems, particularly the altered vertical position, when I got my replacement LE 6+ months ago. After adjustments it's been fine. |
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New member Username: WendypooPost Number: 5 Registered: Mar-06 | Thank you to John S. and Dave Z., who both were very helpful! |
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New member Username: LoneladyPrattville, Alabama USA Post Number: 2 Registered: Sep-06 | It is wicked. The part should be here round 6 October. Just bout give up on watching tv on it till it is fixed, everything looks red and washed out. I am upset that I am having to miss all of September and probably two week in October of college football in HD. I do know that when I get ready to buy another, sometimes next summer, I don't believe that I will buy another Hitachi, though their new HD DLP set is awesome, just a bit gunshy with Hitachi now concerning the longevity of the parts they use in their sets. This is the third time I have had this one worked on, gasket, ghosting, and now the light engine. Looking at the RCA DLP HD tvs. Picture is excellent on it. I have a 6 year old RCA 52" standard def that has a good pic on it, and it has not given me any trouble other than an occasional spider trying to build a web in it. I am leaning towards the new DLP sets, but have not settled on a brand as of yet. I talked with Hitachi and GE, my EW company, extensively, and they have assured me that should anymore problems occur with this set, they would work towards a new replacement for it. Hopefully, it won't come to that, but should it, will let everyone know. Will post pic of it when it gets fixed to show the difference in it. Sincerely, Pj |
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Gold Member Username: John_sColumbus, Ohio US Post Number: 1107 Registered: Feb-04 | PJ, good luck with the repairs. A 1080p DLP with an LED light engine just might be my next TV in a couple years. http://www.cnet.com/4831-11405-6413134.html |
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New member Username: AirhogFlorida Post Number: 1 Registered: Oct-06 | Well it seems i have found my way here as many other Hitachi 50v500 owners have, a neighbor was going to throw out their Hitachi so me being the fix it type, I decided to grab it. I plugged it in a immediately noticed "the blob" but mine seems to be a little different than the ones I have seen pictured on the forums. It also has no other colors being displayed but blue, and tons of dead pixels. Just wondering if you guys think this is just an extreme case of a bad LE, or if has other problems as well. And a big thanks to all the posters in this thread, it has already saved me countless hours.     |
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Bronze Member Username: Tv_mikePost Number: 28 Registered: Oct-05 | Justin, This definitely looks like a bad LE to me. Although this is the first I've seen this on the Hitachi, this was a big complaint with the older Sony RPLCDs. They refer to it as the "Road mapping" problem. I would get John S' opinion on this as well but it almost looks like what the red cloud issue could become if it was left alone. You can see this on the "Sony Rear Projection TV Problems" thread. https://www.ecoustics.com/electronics/forum/home-video/137540.html I don't recall anyone fixing it without replacing the Light Engine. Good Luck! |
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Gold Member Username: John_sColumbus, Ohio US Post Number: 1111 Registered: Feb-04 | Michael and Justin; Yup, this is a bad one. Looks like an Hitachi blob mutating into a Sony roadmap. To my knowledge, the Sony roadmaps almost never cover as much screen area as the Hit. red blobs. Also, I have no idea what the determined cause of the roadmaps is, but the conclusion on the blobs is overheating caused by inadequate ventilation. Justin, you may be able to get Hitachi customer relations to cover the LE while you pay labor (about $300). If so, you have a good bargain TV. If not, this TV isn't worth the $1500 or so to repair it, imo. For another grand, you can get a far better display new these days. I would be curious as to how many hours are on this set. You can find out by accessing the service menu. With the TV off and cold, press and hold the input button, then press the power button on the TV's front panel. I'll bet the hours in the upper right corner of service menu's first page exceeds 5000. Funny, three years ago on this thread everybody was worried about the light bulb's life. Michael, how's your Sony been treating you? |
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Gold Member Username: John_sColumbus, Ohio US Post Number: 1112 Registered: Feb-04 | Sorry, that sentence should read....."but the conclusion on the blobs is overheating caused by inadequate ventilation within the light engine itself." |
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Bronze Member Username: Tv_mikePost Number: 31 Registered: Oct-05 | John, The Sony is still plugging along. My only complaints are with the lack of features. For instance I have to scroll through the 7 inputs instead of direct access. Litle annoyances. However, the TV is not a year old yet. I had the Hitachi for about 15 months before I noticed the "red cloud". I'm glad to see everyone is getting resolution on this. The Sony customers seem to be having a tougher time. Though I haven't seen anything posted about the KDF-E50A10 to cause alarms yet. |
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New member Username: AirhogFlorida Post Number: 2 Registered: Oct-06 | Thanks for the help and the links guys, glad to hear it's most likely just the LE. I'm going to give Hitachi a call (Worth a shot) If not, I'll see if i can find a rebuilt LE for around $400 and install it myself. Am i correct in assuming the "D" designation in the part number for the LE is the revised model with the vent moved? I've read all the posts but my head is spinning from the sometimes conflicting info. As for the hours, it was one of the first things i checked after downloading the service manual to see how the bulb is, and discovered whopping 7640 hours on the set. Unfortunately i don't know what bulb number this is, so i have no idea of knowing when it will go. |
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Gold Member Username: John_sColumbus, Ohio US Post Number: 1113 Registered: Feb-04 | Can't tell you about the "D" designation, but I can give you the numbers on the lamp: TYPE NAME: LC37 LAMP ASSEMBLY PART NUMBER: UX21511 Good luck. |
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Gold Member Username: John_sColumbus, Ohio US Post Number: 1114 Registered: Feb-04 | Michael, "The Sony is still plugging along. My only complaints are with the lack of features. For instance I have to scroll through the 7 inputs instead of direct access. Litle annoyances." I have praised this Hitachi's ease of operation here before. Very intuitive. From past experience, I believe that Sony's products are difficult to use---from their clock radios to their 60" TVs. Their owners manuals are among the worst also. |
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New member Username: Zepp36Colorado Post Number: 8 Registered: Mar-06 | Well my 50V500 is 3 years old today. This past year has been tumultuous with all the dealings with Hitachi and getting the LE replaced, but it was all wrapped up by early March and since then the replacement LE has been fine. HD broadcasts are brilliant with great Dolby 5.1 sound. I'm at 5400 hours on my original lamp but I ordered a backup replacement lamp a couple of weeks ago just so I don't get caught empty handed. I used Pacific Coast Parts http://www.pacparts.com who still seem to be the cheapest online with the 50V500 lamp at $198. It came well-packaged as an original Hitachi part (UX21511--like John S. mentioned). I figure if I can get another 3-4 years out of this set as my primary TV I'll be more than satisfied. At that time I'll move on to better technology of the day. |
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Gold Member Username: John_sColumbus, Ohio US Post Number: 1115 Registered: Feb-04 | Who knows Dave, the way some of these bulbs are racking up hours you may not ever need your spare.  |
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New member Username: Zepp36Colorado Post Number: 9 Registered: Mar-06 | That could be, John. I think we had a post on this board where a guy had 8600 hours on his original lamp. |
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New member Username: TamanekoPost Number: 1 Registered: Oct-06 | Hello everyone, another 50V500 owner here with a problem. Recently, I got a 50V500 for cheap. It was originally broken, but after opening it up, turns out that the ribbon cable within it was just disconnected. Now the screen looks like this...  Larger version of the image here. Whoever owned this before must've messed around inside and knew even less than I did on what to do to fix it. So far, it works, but the screen is really blurry. You can barely make out the text from the menu screen, and picture quality really suffers, although it's still watchable. The other problem is that big purple blob in the left side. What is it? Is this some fingerprint smudge on the LCD inside the TV, or dead pixels? And can it be fixed? Actually, the smudge isn't too much of an issue since you can't see it at all when the screen is dark, and only shows up when it's bright. But what I do want to fix is the sharpness, as I want it to be a lot clearer than what it currently is. Is the problem regarding this a focus lens somewhere? I've already tried "FACT RESET" in the menu that pops up when holding down the INPUT button, but the screen quality is still the same. How can I fix this? |
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New member Username: LoneladyPrattville, Alabama USA Post Number: 3 Registered: Sep-06 | Try to reset all the settings back to default factory settings, or adjust them individually to your liking. You can do this with the remote or on the tv itelf. That purple blob looks like there is something on your lcd mirror reflecting back onto your screen. It is easy to check, just take out the screws on the top and at least 2 on each side and look at the mirror. If you see a smudge on your mirror that looks like it might be the culprit, take a very soft cloth and while using circular motions, gently wipe it off. Just be very gentle with it. While you have it open, swipe away any cob webs that may be present too. You know the lcds have changed so much in the past few years. I have a RCA rear projection lcd, that I bought in 1999, and had to clean it a few weeks ago, had several webs strung across my screen. It has three bulbs, red,green, and blue, in it, and the lcd panel that reflects the picture back onto the screen actually looks like the movie theatre projection screens. Just a smaller version. Swiped the webs away and wiped the dust off the bulbs. The picture improved dramatically. Looks great even though it is not HD. Pj... Oh yea, my light engine should be in today, so hopefully by this time next week, my tv will be fixed, no more red cloud. |
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New member Username: SupasidPost Number: 1 Registered: Oct-06 | Thanks for laying the ground work. A few months ago I had trouble with ghosting. Found this page and got it fixed. Recently I started having trouble with the pink blob. Found this site again on Saturday, October 7th, had an authorized shop pick up my TV Monday, October 9th. They diagnosed it Tuesday, October 10th. Long story short I called the Customer Relations number today Wednesday, October 11th, that Angel Ramos left and they agreed to give me the part for free and I pay for the labor and transport. Thanks to EVERYBODY!!! |
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New member Username: AirhogFlorida Post Number: 3 Registered: Oct-06 | Alright, so if you read my posts above you saw the extreme case of the blob i was experiencing when i rescued this 50v from the trash. I contacted Hitachi, and after a bit of talking they were pretty quick to offer me a new part for free, so no problems there. they even shipped it 2nd day air (kudos Hitachi ) Any way, long story short it will be here tomorrow and I'll be installing it myself, and take detailed pics for all of us here. Its not that difficult. I pulled the old one out in about a half an hour. So on with the show... First thing i wanted to do is find out exactly what is failing and why, we are all pretty aware that the ventilation on these TVs is not adequate, so lets take a look... Here is the entire optical engine or light engine assembly, this one is part# ux22201 (OEM original) The two vented boxes on the top are the LC3X drive board and the FC4 LCD board, to the right of those you can see the fan and duct system for the light bulb, above the PWB's you can see the lens that projects the picture to the screen.  Flipping the entire optical engine over, under the PWB's you can see the intake port for the cooling fan that cools this beast down.(notice the dust) The problem with this is that there is only about an inch of clearance between it and the bottom of the set.  Here you can see how much dust has accumulated inside the filter, I shifted it over slightly to show a clean portion of the filter. Sunlight doesn't even penetrate through it. When this was running there was almost no air flowing at all. On a side note if you are not experiencing the blob plague yet, cleaning this periodically will practically solve your problems... well some of them any way.  Underneath the intake cover, you can see the ducted fan that cools down the LCD panels and the other optics.  Underneath the ducts, you can see the heart of the beast and the affected components.   Flipping the unit over and removing the drive boards, this should give you a better road map for the layout. The three ribbon cables are attached to there respective red, blue, and green LCD's these in turn attach to the LC3X drive board.  On to heart surgery, here with the assembly removed, you can now see the LCD screens. You can also see why another big name manufacturer is having similar problems with there light engines... Yep that's right the Lcds are made by Sony.  After completely removing the LCD you can see the "blob" in all its glory, yep thats it, less than an inch big in the center of the LCD there. If you are having minor Blob issues, this is your culprit. The extreme heat from poor ventilation is frying the LCD.  In my case of the extreme blob, the heat was so great it was destroying one of the filter lenses, it actually has physical cracks running through it which were reflacting the light to give the super blob effect.  You can see the result of the damage here  Moving on to the rest of the unit, you can see more damage caused by the heat, here is the portion of the assembly that reflects all the light from the bulb to the LCD's  More heat damaged components, this is the green lens, if you look in the top right corner you can see what appears to be some sort of fuming issue.  Another damaged filter...  So now we know whats wrong and why, when my new light engine arrives tomorrow, I will go into what changes were made, and see how well airflow is improved. I am also dying to know if they are still using the Sony LCD's. After all is said and done, i would like to add some well placed fans inside the unit to help keep it cool, And then post a step by step on how to install the unit. All it takes is two Philip's screwdrivers. J. |
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New member Username: JlundbergPost Number: 1 Registered: Oct-06 | Hello everyone. I'm glad I found this site. I too have the red haze problem. I bought the 50v500a on 12-27-03. It came with a one year warranty and Conn's gave me another one year. Of course it ended 12-27-05 and I just started having this problem about 2 weeks ago. I contacted Hitachi and got the normal... We're real sorry but you're out of warranty etc. I called back several times and talked to CR. Vicky with CR was real nice and said they will take care of the new part if I take care of labor. I have no problem with that. I'm just happy that they are going to step up and help. To anyone else having this problem... Just be as nice as you can and you'll be taken care of. Thanks for the info on this site. John |
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New member Username: Luther88Post Number: 1 Registered: Oct-06 | Hi Everyone: I am also experiencing the Red Haze and it has been getting worse. I will phone Monday to see what Hitachi will do. My question is what does LE mean? Thanks Eric |
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Gold Member Username: John_sColumbus, Ohio US Post Number: 1134 Registered: Feb-04 | LE=Light Engine. It is the heart of any fixed pixel rear projection video display. This diagram is from Hitachi's site:  |
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Gold Member Username: John_sColumbus, Ohio US Post Number: 1135 Registered: Feb-04 | Eric, please see Justin's excellent series of pictures above. Many thanks to you Justin for the work!   |
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New member Username: TamanekoPost Number: 2 Registered: Oct-06 | Excellent post, Justin! Thanks for the pics as well. Out of curiosity, did you use some sort of guide in taking the optical engine apart? |
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New member Username: ThepetPost Number: 1 Registered: Oct-06 | Justin....great stuff...I also did a self LE install back in January (left a few posts as well). My question for the group now is about lamp replacement....I was furtunate to get over 10K hours (that is not a mis-print) on my original lamp. I ordered a spare off eBay. The last two nights, I have gotten the power on light sequence, followed by the flashing blue, followed by the solid lamp light. When I install the new lamp, I cannot get it to restart (just a flashing red lamp light). After several tries to make sure it is seated correctly, I go back to the old lamp. Both nights, I was able to get the old lamp to come back on. (Picture is as good as Day 1 by the way...no degredation in brightness, clarity, etc.). Anyone have a lamp replacement issue (similar or not) and have any assistance they can provide? I have the service manual, but there was nothing of note that I could see. Thanks! |
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New member Username: AirhogFlorida Post Number: 4 Registered: Oct-06 | Paul, i had issues similar to that when i put everything back together after my LE instal. At first i thought it was the LE since i just replaced it, but realized the bulb door switch was not being tripped. If the switch is not pushed in, you will get excactly what you are describing. I am not certain this is your problem, but its worth a shot. |
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New member Username: ThepetPost Number: 2 Registered: Oct-06 | Justin....by switch I assume you mean the metal tabs (on inside the lamp holder area and the other on the lamp door)? Should I bend them out slightly so they get tripped? How did you solve your issue? Thanks! |
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New member Username: AirhogFlorida Post Number: 5 Registered: Oct-06 | The one switch in the rear (to the right of the bulb contacts) was the one i had a problem with. I may have bent it ever so slightly during the swap. To fix it i just pried it up a hair with a flat head. I would compare your two bulb assemblies and see if the contact point for the switch has any variation between the old bulb and new one. |
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New member Username: ThepetPost Number: 3 Registered: Oct-06 | Thanks justin...I will try that tonight. One clarification, when you say 'pried it up a hair' do you mean pull it toward you slightly? I compared the bulbs assemblies and they match identically. Thanks... |
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New member Username: IgikingUsa Post Number: 3 Registered: Mar-06 | Paul, I too experienced a problem like yours. When I put the bulb in I was too excited to see how the picture looked that I failed to reinstall the bulb door. There is an actuator on the door panel ( the square plate with one screw)that activates a mechanical switch. (Not sure if this is the same one you speak of Justin) When I put the panel back on, the TV came back to life. My symptom was flashing red light when power turned on. |
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New member Username: ThepetPost Number: 4 Registered: Oct-06 | There are actually two switches (justin is speaking of the one behind the lamp that the lamp insertion triggers). You are speaking of the one on the door. Not sure which one is my issue, just that one or both seems not to be tripped. Justin, how exactly did you adjust yours? Thanks |
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New member Username: GmcgooCanada Post Number: 1 Registered: Oct-06 | Has anyone in Canada had the LE replaced by Hitachi free of charge? |
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New member Username: KpettyMichigan Post Number: 1 Registered: Nov-06 | Thank you so very much for the explanation for the "super blob". I've had my 50V500 since March '04 and am also a member of the 'red blob' club. However, when I tried to attack the problem back in '04, I had no luck. It's such a relief to hear that they're now taking accountability. The "super blob" just reared it ugly head on my set yesterday. I called Hitachi and of course they're "recommendation to me" is to call a tech, get a diagnoses (which is totally ridiculous to pay $$ when I already know what is wrong), and then call them back so they can assess my "individual situation" to see exactly what they're going to do. My question to you is how on earth did you get them to agree to replace you LE without having a tech involved? My husband and I have decided that if we can get our hands on a new LE, we're going to replace it ourselves. With the numerous websites and sharing of others experiences, it should be a breeze. I hope! |
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New member Username: ThepetPost Number: 5 Registered: Oct-06 | Kim, Please look thru the archives and read my posts (back in January 2006). I purchased a refurb light engine and installed it myself and all has been fine since then. Just be very careful with the screws. Justin: Please see my last question regarding the lamp replacement....any help? Thanks, Paul |
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New member Username: Luther88Post Number: 2 Registered: Oct-06 | I called Hitachi Canada and they won't do anything without a tech coming to take a look at the TV or me brining it to a service shop. They made no commitment to supplying the LE. I am hesitant to do anything right now until I get some kind of commitment from Hitachi. |
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New member Username: CbcooldadPost Number: 1 Registered: Nov-06 | I too am having the "Red Cloud" issue. I am out of warranty also. After reading post after post, I decided to experiment a little. I found that I have 4800+ hours on mine but reset it on accident. I guess I shouldn't mess around not being familiar with the menu. I did however go back to the regular menu and found 2 different "red" adjustments. I turned them both down to about 20 and the red cloud faded. The picture is still good too. It is still there but maybe I can put up with it until I can see if Hitachi will replace the LE. The lamp seems to have dimmed over the last few months so I am looking into replacing it in hopes the picture will brighten up. I will be having a tech out next week to "try a few things first" but I am fearing a LE replacement. |
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New member Username: BrjabuPost Number: 1 Registered: Nov-06 | anyone know anything about blue clouds? i assuming they are the cousin to the famed red clouds and would need the same intervention... i contacted my hitachi repair guy and explained the problem to him... he is ordering me the part, which i assume is the LE. he warned me the part was going to cost around 500, does this sound right???? any insight would be helpful. thanks. |
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New member Username: WendypooPost Number: 6 Registered: Mar-06 | Brendan, We had the terrible blue blob and over the course of a year it grew to cover over half the screen. We got a new light engine - part paid by Hitachi after we followed advice on this forum on how to deal with Customer Relations - and now the set is better than ever. Good Luck! |
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New member Username: ScherishoPost Number: 1 Registered: Nov-06 | Hey all, I have a 50V500 and I noticed I have the red blob issue. This will be the 3rd service call to sears with my EW. They told me when I called the 2nd time if I call three times they will replace the tv. I understand the cause is the light engine. That being said, sears warranty states they will replace the tv if 3 service calls are placed within the EW tim frame. I really like my tv and I don't want to be given a replacement that inferior to my current TV. Do any of you have any suggestions of models that meet the current features of the 50V500? Is the new hitachi 50 inch LCD tv just as good as the 50V500? Any advice is appreciated since I want to be prepared when I talk to sears. Thanks, Eric |
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New member Username: 1sad1Dallastown, PA Post Number: 3 Registered: Apr-06 | Eric, my experience with a replacement on the EW wasn't a good one. I got my 50V500 from Circuit City (rhymes with #hity) and purchased a matching silver stand. First, the EW doesn't cover a replacement stand. That can be a problem for a couple of reasons. First, the replacement TVs are black, not silver. (I just looked at the Sears website) Second, the newer Hitachi models are shorter. Shorter may not be a big deal depending on your room layout but our couch arm now obstructs partial line of sight and we can't use the remote on that side of the room. Finally, the shorter replacement versions, IMHO, don't have the same sound quality. I think this may be for a couple of reasons. The larger bottom of the 50V500 I think may act like an acoustic chamber. I can tell you the sound is much better on the 50V500. Second, I am not sure if the newer Hitachi models have the same number or quality of speakers. The other heartburn I had about this process is that I felt I left about 1K on the table due to the lower prices of the newer "comperable" models. My 50V500 was replace by Circuit #hity within about 2 years after initial purchase for the red blob. They didn't even try to service it when the heard, just made the decision to replace. My mistake was letting them have the 50V500 first. I was offered the replacement TV or a "store credit" for the amount of the replacement TV (not the value of the 50V500) to buy what I wanted. Unless Sony or one of the competition has gotten a lot better in the last year or two, they don't compare to the Hitachi picture quality. If you are open to suggestions, I don't know how Sears will treat you but, I would be prepared to morph into a jerk pretty quickly if they start playing games. Second, if they try to give you a "comperable" model, I would recommend bringing in a complete copy of the specifications for the 50V500. I'd make them go line by line to make sure it is comparable in size, dimension, color and especially in sound quality. A comparable TV should have the same number and type of speaker (including the speaker material, speaker size, magnet weight) as well as the other features. Look at the term of you EW for an arbitration clause and what state law governs but I would let them know you are aware of your legal options if you are not satisfied. I'd also bring in some of the posts here to let them know that Hitachi has an upgraded version of the LE for this model and that is what you prefer, if it is what you prefer. My experience with Circuit #hity was so bad I won't shop there anymore. Please let me (us) know how Sears treats you. Steve |
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New member Username: AngelramosPost Number: 4 Registered: Aug-06 | Update: I just recently return from Iraq and Hitachi shipped the new LE to my service rep in Mannheim. After trying to get a German dealer to do the work, I decided to do it myself. I will tell you that even though this is possible, it is not easy and requires time and paitence! My wife and I dis-assembled the TV IAW the sevice manual. One small problem, the service manual does not list all of the steps that you must do and they leave out all the connectors that must be dis-connected. You have a great amount of screws to remove among other things. It easliy took me over two hours to take out the old LE and it was a challange becasue you have to be careful removing the connectors and especially the ribbon cable. We install the new LE and put the TV back together. I had several out puts on the LE that were not used, but I wrote down every step that I took. Intially the TV did not start after another 2 hours messing with it. I unistalled everything to notice somehow one of the connectors came undone. I reconnected and my TV finally was back to working again with a great picture. Again, this is not a job for one person, ensure you have some knowledge of electronics or someone with you that does. This is a two person job! Becareful when taking the cabinet off the bottom of the TV, you must un-do the power connector that is hidden! If I get another two years out of this set, then it was all worth it! |
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New member Username: Luther88Post Number: 3 Registered: Oct-06 | Just an update for those inquiring about Hitachi covering the LE replacement part in Canada. I got a call today from HO and they indicated that they would cover 50% of the part. I have asked that they cover it all and I should find out in the next day or 2. The cost of the part is down to $403 Canadian. The install will cost 280.00. Hopefully they will cover the whole part and I will get this all taken care of before the holidays. |
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Gold Member Username: John_sColumbus, Ohio US Post Number: 1196 Registered: Feb-04 | Hats off to you Angel! I wouldn't mind helping a qualified tech, but I would never attempt this job by myself.  Eric, good luck to you. |
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New member Username: QuestkatToronto, Ontario Post Number: 1 Registered: Dec-06 | I am running into this problem and am completely frustrated with HITACHI and SEARS CANADA. When I purchased this TV in April of 04, I spent $5500, roughly, on the unit, the matching stand and Extended Warranty (2 years). It is now November of 2006 and I too now have the DREADED RED CLOUD ISSUE...!!! I called HITACHI and they are unwilling to budge at all stating that since the one year is up... they will not assist with any payment portion or total of the replacement for the Light Engine. I then contacted Sears Canada and they have stated that the extended 2 year warranty that I purchased was up on April 2006, not April 2007 as I expected it to be............(NOW I'M PISSED) After bickering with Sears for over an hour, they have offered to have a technician come to my house and look at the unit and see if this is in fact an manufacturers issue. If it is they will still not replace the light engine but might be able to do adjust the end cost somewhat..... I am really confused now as I just got off the phone with another Hitachi Certified Technician and he states that the LE is in the neighborhood of $3000, and that the LAMP id $450 CAD...... So I am thnking that this thread is speaking of the LAMP not the LE....!!!!! $450 sounds better then the $3000....... PS... this problem began happening to me at about 6800 hours of time on this unit... so I guess I am overdue on the lamp replacement. |
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New member Username: Zepp36Colorado Post Number: 10 Registered: Mar-06 | So I am thnking that this thread is speaking of the LAMP not the LE....!!!!! Trust me, it's the defective LE causing the red cloud, not the lamp. There are thousands of hours of despair from 50V500 owners on this thread who have had to work thru this issue and get it resolved with Hitachi. |
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New member Username: CandymanazAZ Post Number: 3 Registered: Mar-04 | i've had mine for a few years. today the red lines were flickering acorss the screens and then all the red color went away. help. |
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New member Username: CandymanazAZ Post Number: 4 Registered: Mar-04 | ok now my red color is totally gone. help. i have no red color and i called hitachi and they gave me a local service center number to call. any ideas? |
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New member Username: CandymanazAZ Post Number: 5 Registered: Mar-04 | after going thru the service menu and resetting to FACTORY RESET, i still had no red color. so i searched forums via google and never found anything or anyone that just had the red color go out and disappear. but i did find another suggestion, to unplug the power supply for 15 seconds to kind of restart the system. Well, I did that, and lo and behold, i have my red back!! yippee! Gotta love the internet! So if anyone ever just loses their red, or any other single color, try unplugging. Hopefully I won't need to do anthing more, but only time will tell if this is a temporary fix. |
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New member Username: ThepetPost Number: 6 Registered: Oct-06 | Anyone have an issue with replacing their lamp? Any replacement lamp I try, I get a flashing red lamp linght indicating a 'wrong' lamp assembly. I notice their are two actuator switches...one that the lamp itself trips and the other that the lamp door trips. Has anyone overcome a similar situation? Thanks. |
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New member Username: Luther88Post Number: 4 Registered: Oct-06 | Bryce: I have reconfirmed with Hitachi Canada and it is the LE they are replacing. They are paying 50% of the part which is 368.00 Cdn. The original quote from the technician that came to the house was 2000.00 but when they actually looked into it the total was 680 installed. They are not budging on the 50% at this point. I have decided to go through with the repair or at least getting the part ordered while I work on getting them to pay the full amount of the part. Right now in Canada they are only approving 50% of the part. Since you are no longer bound to using Sears try another repair shop. |
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New member Username: ScherishoPost Number: 2 Registered: Nov-06 | here's an update, Sears tech stopped by today, took a look at the tv and ordered a LE. Should be here in 2 weeks and they will replace the LE for free. Total labor is 182.00 and the part is 657.15. This is all being covered by the EW so I don't have to pay for a thing. I'm glad sears is taking care of this. Although it would have been nice to get a different TV as it is always fun to get new stuff! But I can't complain, sears has done well by me. Later all, Eric |
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New member Username: ThepetPost Number: 7 Registered: Oct-06 | Anyone ever have a lamp replacement issue? Anyone? I have a second generation light engine (the one without the red problem) and when I use a replacement lamp (one bought on eBay and returned and the other bought at Tritronics), I get a flashing red light (indicating wrong lamp assembly). John_S....help me out! Seriously, all who read this forum, ask around among out 50v500 brethren. Thanks. |
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New member Username: DdsmdsPost Number: 1 Registered: Dec-06 | Newbie with the red cloud. Can anyone give me some advice on how to convince Hitachi to pay for some of this? New England area, purchase date 12/31/2003 from CC in New Hampshire. Talked to hitachi once so far and they were pretty negative on what they can do with it being that old. I said, "that old?? I didn't buy a $2800 TV that would last 3 years before needing what sounds to be around $1500 to fix!" Next step is for me to pay a certified Tech to come out and check. How difficult is replacing the LE? and has someone(post link please) detailed the steps? BTW, The pictures Justin posted were awesome. Thanks, Dave |
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New member Username: KalburyGuantanamo Bay (APO), AE Cuba Post Number: 1 Registered: Dec-06 | I may be having the early stages of this problem. Right now I have a blurry spot right-center of the screen. It doesn't appear red, but you get a lot of color bleed when anything is displayed in that area. You see no distortion on a blank screen. Anyone else had this problem? It's been there about 2 weeks. I've reset the TV to factory defaults but saw no improvement. I have 5,241 hours on the original bulb. I can't call a technician out as I am currently stationed in GTMO so any DIY tips would be appreciated. Thanks |
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New member Username: ThepetPost Number: 8 Registered: Oct-06 | Where did all our regulars go? Is there another site for 50v500 owners? |
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New member Username: PradcliffePost Number: 1 Registered: Dec-06 | Just reading your postings. We just spent 3 days on the phone with Hitachi and we too have the red screen. They refuse to pay for our part. We were told it was no longer under warranty and the TV is only 2 years old. NOT IMPRESSED after spending all that money on a product with a so-called good name. Well as they say, the product is only as good as the service. Where do we go from here? I can only say that if we get a new set it won't be Hitachi. |
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New member Username: CbcooldadPost Number: 3 Registered: Nov-06 | Has anyone thought of a class action law suit? I would be willing to join and even to instigate it. I believe there would be a good chance we could win and everyone gets light engines for free. How can a company put out a bad product like this and get away with it?  |
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New member Username: Karlos1211Post Number: 1 Registered: Nov-06 | I have a 42V715 which is a little over 2 years old. Getting a yellow ball. I just went out and bought a new plasma but I'm not going to let this go. Somehow I will get this TV to look good again and I will not pay for a tech to do the labor I can do myself. Now if I can just get Hitachi to cover their defective LE. Dave, replacing the LE is not difficult. 1) Remove the lower back cover of the TV 2) Remove the left (plastic) support arm and then remove the chassis 3) Remove the middle (metal) rear support bracket 4) Remove the right support arm and then remove the lamp ballast 5) Unscrew the LE from screws in the front of the TV and pull it out. The hardest part is unhooking and undressing the wiring and making sure you put it back right. I would suggest some numbered stickers to put on the plugs and the inputs so it doesn't get confusing when it comes time to plug them all back in. I didn't do that my first time and it took me a while to figure out where all the wiring goes even though most of the plugs can only go into one input. The best disassembly steps would be in the Service Manual. On my first attempt I took it apart and pulled the LE and had it all back together in about 2 hours and the TV still works! |
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Gold Member Username: John_sColumbus, Ohio US Post Number: 1264 Registered: Feb-04 | Maybe I'm wrong, but is the first we've heard of a "blob" issue with any model newer than the 50V series? |
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New member Username: ThepetPost Number: 9 Registered: Oct-06 | John S...good to see you back. Have you seen any info on people having problems changing their lamps? Whenever I try a replacement, I get a flashing red lamp light (indicating that it is a wrong lamp assembly). Thanks. |
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New member Username: QuestkatToronto, Ontario Post Number: 2 Registered: Dec-06 | I had a Sears Technician come to my house, walk in and took a look at the TV and said "That is going to be expensive". Long story short.... he had seen 5 units now like this, same cause (LE, and takes 2 service techs roughly 1 hour and as much as 3 hours to replace, for a cost that hovers around the $2000 mark. I'm now thinking that the lawsuit previously mentioned would be a great idea. I just hope that they settle out of court and pay us rather then giving us another defective Hitachi TV..........LOL. We will see what arguing and pleading my case to SEARS CANADA's PRESIDENTS LINE will do to get this cost out of my hands..... and into their lap... otherwise I will bring the TV back to the SEARS store and see if there, "SATISFACTION OR MONEY REFUNDED" policy really works.... Seeing as I paid over $5000 CAD for the TV...... Needless to say, I'm a little taken back by this whole process... |
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New member Username: QuestkatToronto, Ontario Post Number: 3 Registered: Dec-06 | Here is the response I received from the SEARS CANADA PRESIDENTS LINE... My response answered below Mr. Leib, Thank you for your email and advising me of what has taken place with the technician. I have checked the service records and yes it is the part you have explained to me. I do apologize for the inconvenience this situation has brought to you and would like to resolve this in a fair and equitable manner. Due to the fact that your warranty with the manufacturer and Sears having expired I am limited in what I can offer you but because of your frustration with the situation I would like to offer you help with the repair. I can not cover the cost of the part as again it is not warrantied by Hitachi any longer but I can offer you compensation towards the labor charges to replace said part. I am currently waiting for the price quote from the technical manager. Once I have that I will be able to tell you what I can compensate towards the labor. In respects to the service charge I have requested that the credit be made to your sears card asap to reverse that charge as promised. Regards, Kyla Good Start..... but from looking into the documentation that I have concerning my extended warranty, it does not state anywhere that this warranty is CONCURRENT.... with the 1 year manufactures warranty through Hitachi............ Therefore, this is a good starting point, but I am less then impressed with the answers thus far.... Bryce Leib |
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New member Username: UwishCalgary, Alberta Canada Post Number: 3 Registered: Feb-06 | Paul, Initially I had this issue, there is a pressure switch in the top right hand corner of the lamp receptacle on the TV. I found that even though I thought the new lamp was seated correctly, I had to push it back even further. The Lamp should be touching the outer housing of the receptacle, this will activate the pressure switch and you should be able to power up normally. |
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New member Username: UwishCalgary, Alberta Canada Post Number: 4 Registered: Feb-06 | Bryce, I am not sure why you are having any issues with Hit, I have seen and read about at least 25 people calling Hit and getting a "new" LE at no cost but they would have to pay for the labour. AVIforums has numerous examples of people who have gotten their LE "free" from Hit as this is a known issue. |
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New member Username: Luther88Post Number: 5 Registered: Oct-06 | I have called Hitachi Canada and they are only willing to pay for 1\2 of the cost of the LE. Even though it is a known problem. I believe Bryce is from Canada as well. The part is not as expensive anymore. The quote from Hitachi Canada is 363.00, the techinician that came to my house originally indicated 2000.00 as well. Mine has now come in and the service department will be picking up my TV to install later this week or early next week. Installed should be around $500.00 but this should be free IMO. My next TV will probably not be a Hitachi. |
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New member Username: AirhogFlorida Post Number: 6 Registered: Oct-06 | Eric, The LE they are quoting for $363 is a refurbished part, the new LE's are in the $1400-1600 range. Hitachi (or Sony) is retrofitting old LE's with a better ventilation system. The part number on the used LE is UX22201DR The new part number is UX22201D either way you should have had it for free. Most of us here have not had a problem in getting the part with a little persistence. I in fact have gotten them to send me two one refurb one new, and had them ship it to my house without ever having techs come out. It took a bit of talking but they eventually gave in. As for Hitachi TVs in general, i wouldn't be to hard on them considering the parts that are failing in the sets are all made by Sony. I'm pretty sure hitachi's deal with Sony is going south over this considering Sony no longer wants to fulfill their obligations to Hitachi in repairing their defective components. Therefore Hitachi is now stuck with the bill for every consumer who has a problem with the set. It could be worse, if you buy a defective Sony, i think almost everyone without a warranty is getting turned away, at least Hitachi is still offering some sort of compensation and or the part in some cases. I would definitely buy another Hitachi, I'll just be sure it's actually made by Hitachi before i do. Hey paul, Are you still having trouble with that lamp from last month? Man thats got to be killing you, did you ever get the switch bent out? |
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New member Username: ThepetPost Number: 10 Registered: Oct-06 | justin, yup...still having the same issue. It is wierd that the only lamp that doesn't cause the lamp light to blink after install is the original lamp. Question, when you bent the switch, did you pull it toward you slightly? I changed my own LE about a year ago and I am thinking maybe that is related to my lamp swap problem? |
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Bronze Member Username: ThepetPost Number: 11 Registered: Oct-06 | Simon...thanks for the post. When you say 'The Lamp should be touching the outer housing of the receptacle...' I am taking it to mean that it needs to be pushed all the way back?? I thought I was doing this (and then the screws finished the job) but I will try again. Thanks. |
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New member Username: AirhogFlorida Post Number: 7 Registered: Oct-06 | Paul, I have no real starting point to offer on bending the switch, since the first time i really looked at it, it was bent out of shape. I just kept bending till the lamp hit it. If i were you, i would remove just the access panel in the back of the set and visually examine if the lamp is hitting the switch. Its a handful of screws and about 20 minutes worth of work if that. If it's not hitting the switch, then since its open you can see what way it needs to go and rectify it. If it is hitting the switch you can also check whether or not the power plug is getting a good connection to the new lamp. A good way to test this would be to take a dry erase marker and color the two posts on the lamp, then insert the lamp fully. When you remove it, you should see areas where the marker has come off where it has made contact. Here's a pic of the switch, it is activated by being pushed back, or in the case of the picture toward us.  |
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New member Username: Karlos1211Post Number: 2 Registered: Nov-06 | Well, I think I'm finally getting somewhere with Hitachi. This is my third call and they are getting Customer Relations involved with my tech and myself. Finally. I approached it by giving them my situation and just asking flat out if I could purchase a LE right from them. I was on hold for 10 minutes. They couldn't authorize this but CR could and they are supposedly going to contact my tech. I'm now going to get my TV to the tech so they can finalize their bad LE diagnosis. Hitachi won't authorize anything w/o an official diagnosis which I fully understand. I'll just have to do some fancy footwork to get the TV back and get Hitachi to send me a new LE. Does anyone know if Hitachi buys back or gives any credit for the bad LEs they can reburbish? |
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Bronze Member Username: ThepetPost Number: 12 Registered: Oct-06 | justin, Got it....thanks. I will try and post the results. Unfortunately I am familiar with the insides of this set as well. Thanks again for taking the time. -Paul |
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New member Username: BobbypPost Number: 1 Registered: Dec-06 | Hey guys, I used this post about a month ago when I got the red blob and a blue one. I called Hitachi and went strait to the CR, after a few minutes they agreed to replace the LE, but I would have to pick up the service. Hitachi had the part here after 4 days and in under a week my 50V5OO was fixed. It cost me about $400 in labor. My dad has the same set and is getting the red cloud so it looks like I will be doing all this again, I hope it goes as smooth as mine. Thanks to eveyone on this post, you saved me alot of time and money |
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New member Username: PradcliffePost Number: 2 Registered: Dec-06 | An update on my red cloud problem. After much persistence (many phone calls) we finally got some satisfaction from Hitachi Canada. They agreed to pay for the part and we paid the labour. Just got out set back today and the picture is fantastic. |
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New member Username: Luther88Post Number: 6 Registered: Oct-06 | Do you know who you talked to at Hitachi Canada? They have offered to pay for half of the part for me but no more. I would like to talk to the same person you did. My TV is off for repair and I should have it back Wednesday, so I have some time before I get the bill. |
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New member Username: PradcliffePost Number: 4 Registered: Dec-06 | Not sure of the person's name...we just called every day and sent e-mails (keep sending even though you get an automated response...they will call you), demanding to speak to someone from "Consumer Relations" until finally this person called us and said they would pay for the part. Ended up costing $150 for labor. We referred to the many forums on this topic and the fact that this was a faulty part. BE PERSISTENT. |
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New member Username: Luther88Post Number: 7 Registered: Oct-06 | OK Thanks. I will keep after them. Where did you get it installed? Labor is going to cost me $100 more than yours. |
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New member Username: PradcliffePost Number: 5 Registered: Dec-06 | We had ours installed by the dealer where we bought our tv. |
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New member Username: CbcooldadPost Number: 4 Registered: Nov-06 | I replaced my lamp because it seems that the picture is getting dark with about 5000 hours on the TV. It didn't help a thing, not even with the bright at 100%. I was reading another thread and someone mentioned that dust gets behind the screen. Could that be the reason my picture is dark? If so, can the screen be taken off to clean? |
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New member Username: CbcooldadPost Number: 5 Registered: Nov-06 | Ok, I called Hit today about the light engine. A service tech will be out Wednsday. As soon as the authorized service repair man tells them it is the LE, they will send a new LE to the repair center free of charge. He said about 1-2 weeks on delivery. I pay the labor. Now if I can get the labor done reasonable, I'm in business. The customer relations guy was real nice and easy to deal with. It is clear that they realize that they have a problem and are willing to do what is right to keep their cust. satisfaction record up. The Customer Satisfaction rating was one reason why I went with Hitachi in the first place.  |
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New member Username: JohnnykPost Number: 1 Registered: Jan-07 | I am an 50V500A owner who just went through the red cloud ordeal... thanks to all who have posted, the internet kiks azz for consumers. Here's what I did for those after me to learn from: Call Sears and have a Tech come out to diagnose: $109 Get on Hitachi website and send email about issue, requesting to speak to Consumer Relations ASAP, plus I added that I'm a long time customer and that I was confused as to why there was no recall on an obviously defective part and that I had researched it on the net. I got a return email later that day giving me the number to Hitachi CR. I called CR and told them about the blotch and that I would love to be a lifelong Hit. customer if they made this right... 2 min later the guy came back and verified my address for delivery. Sears is going to come out and do the replacement for $212 minus what i already paid.. so $103... Voila.. new TV. Hope ur experience is as good as mine. |
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Gold Member Username: John_sColumbus, Ohio US Post Number: 1279 Registered: Feb-04 | I would like to take a second to thank everyone who has taken the time to report their experiences with this TV. It is a valuable record for present and future use. This thread would have died long ago if Hitachi had designed the LE properly in the first place.  |
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New member Username: CbcooldadPost Number: 6 Registered: Nov-06 | Ok, although a pain in the patootie because of a long drawn out process, I am a happy camper. Hit agreed today to send out a LE and pay 100% of labor. I purchased the TV in Feb of 05. I was out of warranty but not too far, I guess for them to be great help. They will send my TV repair people the new LE. when it is in, I will deliver the TV for repair to save me some delivery and setup fees. What is really rotten is that I had to pay them $115 (not refundable)to come diagnose a problem I already had a solution to. Oh well, I guess we cant have it all! |
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New member Username: CbcooldadPost Number: 7 Registered: Nov-06 | TV is in shop. The tech showed me the LE and said it is a brand new one and not one of the refurbished LEs. I expressed my concern and ask if this one will burn out also and he assured me that it probably would in a year or so since it is a NEW one with the same OLD design. It seems that maybe Hit is getting rid of some of their problem parts on those of us who have ran out of warranty. I may have a TV for sale cheap in 8 monthes or so. |
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Gold Member Username: John_sColumbus, Ohio US Post Number: 1312 Registered: Feb-04 | I'm wondering if those LEs could be user modified to increase air flow through them? On second thought if it were that easy someone would have come up with a fix long ago. |
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New member Username: Karlos1211Post Number: 3 Registered: Nov-06 | Tech confirmed it was the blue LCD in the LE that was bad similar to the one in the pics above, just a different color on my screen than you guys with the red blob. My blob was yellow on white screens, green on light blue screens and a deep blue on blue screens. After calling Hit 4 times they finally agreed to cover half of a refurbished LE and sent it to me right away even though they insist there is not a flaw in this model's (42V715) LE. Installed it myself in about 2 hours and after some fine tuning in the service menu it's good to go. We'll see how long it lasts. This post was a great help even though I have a 42V715. Thanks! |
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