Need help diagnosing a problem....

[Soukups]

After quite a bit of searching with no luck, I'm breaking down and asking my question on a forum. Thanks in advance for any help.

I'll keep it simple:

TV:Samsung 50" DLP (HLN5065W), recently purchased (Craigs list)

Problem: yesterday it was a properly functioning TV with a beautiful picture - today, while my son was playing xbox it flashed some colors and powered down. My son says he didnt hear any odd noises when this happend.

Now- when I press the power button, the 'lamp light' in front blinks twice then I hear a click... then nothing... No fan's, no color wheels, no other noises other than a click after the 2 lamp light flashes. If I press the power button again, the same thing happends. By the way, I checked the lamp and it's not shattered or discolored. It looks new and of course the manual doesnt have a troubleshoot code for 2 blinks.

I searched a ton of related forum but I wasnt able to find anyone with a similar problem and light-blink pattern.

My question: Based on my description, does anyone have an idea of the component that would need replaced? I know this is an old set but I'm willing to pay a couple hundred for a fix and was hoping that my description would help someone narrow down the possible culprit.

Thanks for reading

Frank

 

[funboy6942]

Its either the ballast or even though the lamp looks good can be bad.

 

[purbeast0]

is the "2 clicks" you hear the same 2 clicks that you ALWAYS hear when the tv turns on properly?

i have (don't use anymore though) the same exact tv, and when my bulb went out, i believe the red lamp light would blink on the power button. i do believe i still heard the normal "clicks" when the tv turns on, but nothing would happen. but some some reason i thouht i remembered the red lamp light would continue to blink more than 2 times.

i do remember a few times i got my tv into an odd state, where it would make the clicking sound like it's turning on, and the lamp light would blink and just continue to blink, and the only way i coudl get it out of this mode is to pull the plug from the wall. then when i would plug it back in it would work just fine.

and i can tell you that it's definitely NOT the color wheel, because my color wheel also went out and it is totally different what happens than what you explained.

 

[Soukups]

Thanks for the replies and input.

Funboy - Good to know the lamp could be bad although it looks fine. Do you think the click I hear is the ballast trying to light a bad lamp?

Purbeast- I only hear 1 click after the lamp light blinks twice. It's the same click that I hear at power up when the TV is operating normally. The manual says a bad lamp will cause all three lights to blink but I guess thats not always an accurate gauge of the lamp.

I'm trying to avoid buying unnessessary parts so if there's anything I can 'rule out' that would be helpful.

 

[NutBucket]

Time to pop that sucker open. If I had to guess it sounds like a problem with the color wheel.

 

[purbeast0]

Time to pop that sucker open. If I had to guess it sounds like a problem with the color wheel.

when my color wheel went out you could still watch tv, it was just in black and white and very bright. my color wheel literally shattered while it was spinning. it was a loud pop too, and the color just went out but the show continued on. it actually scared the shit out of me lol.