Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: LCD Projector repair

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Posted by Thomas Procyk (Member # 1170) on 11-12-2004, 09:24 PM:

Can someone point me in the right direction about where to get an LCD projector serviced in the Central Florida/Orlando area? I have a SharpVision XV-S55U. I tried google and just looking in the yellowpages, but couldn't find anyone listed that fixes LCD projectors specifically. (Usually just LCD monitors and TVs)

It sustained some "damage" in the hurricane. It was mounted high so some cieling stuffs managed to get by the fan/filter and onto the panels. Also, the unit sat in very hot and humid conditions for a couple days. I noticed some frozen pixels, mostly red. I thought I'd live with it until I had time to get it fully checked out, and today an entire vertical row of red pixels froze on the left edge, about 3/4 of the way down the picture.

If anyone has a guess on the estimated cost to fix something like this, that would also be helpful.

Thanks,
=TMP=

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 11-13-2004, 12:35 AM:

Thomas,
I'll say, get it in to someplace soon or loose the unit to corrosion. You will need to find an authorized Sharp projector repair location or better yet send it back to Sharp factory service voa Fed-Ex or UPS Red. The factory is about the only place that has the know how and the right tools to deal with that sort of thing... LCD and DLP projection repair is still really a specialty type of service in and of itself.

When I worked at Canon USA repairing cameras and lenses I saw water damaged stuff goe both ways. Those water damaged items that are left to sit for long peroids were more likely to become a total loss item, whilst water logged items that are taken in for imediate service are more likely to be repairable and still give good reliable service. No matter what way you go with a water damage unit its going to be expensive and still quite possibly a total loss.

You mentioned that at first there were a few dead red pixels and now an entire row... that tells me that there's on going corosion occuring in the unit, some contacts, etc. Florida is famous for its awful corrosion of just about everything around.... and that even without a hurricane or two thrown in to make matters even worse....

At Canon typically cameras that got dropped in the drink and brought in more than a day or two later were a total loss. Those that were smart and kept the camera and lenses submerged in distilled water and brought in for service immediately found that it paid off and those cameras and lenses were typically easy to salvage and bring back to like new condition. Dampness and exposure to air, especially humid salty air is not good for anything electronic or mechanical.....
No, don't submerge youe projector, its not practical.... just get it to service as fast as you can.

Mark @ CLACO

Posted by Thomas Procyk (Member # 1170) on 11-13-2004, 12:41 PM:

Thanks, Mark! The projector didn't get any direct water damage (it was on the first floor) but the humidity certainly got to it.

The manual explained that there's an "acceptable tolerane" for inactive TFT's that "won't affect the life expectancy of the unit" so I assumed it's just part of the aging process. (There were 2 or 3 of them before the damage, and 2 or 3 more afterward)

I've been trying to locate a Sharp service center since it all happened. Called the 800 number but I haven't been able to devote a block of time for yet another agency to put me on hold. [Smile]

I don't think I could afford the shipping costs to and from Sharp. (Damn thing's heavy) I don't think I'd feel safe with it bouncing around the country, either...

You're right about Florida being notorious to any kind of equipment. The A/C has to run constantly just to keep the humidity down and this unit sat without it in a 90-degree sweatbox for a few days. [Frown]

It WAS part of the insurance claim for "Inspection/Service" so maybe I won't get burned by repair costs too much.

=TMP=

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 11-13-2004, 01:03 PM:

quote: Thomas Procyk
I don't think I could afford the shipping costs to and from Sharp. (Damn thing's heavy) I don't think I'd feel safe with it bouncing around the country, either...

Yea, but what did it cost in the first place? Big LCD projectors carry huge price tags. A couple of hundred bucks shippng cost on an item like it is pretty common each way! Insure it for REPLACEMENT cost and if its damaged you get a new one..... so any bouncing is pretty irrelevant. If the lens is good and clean then keep that part behind unless Sharp requests that it be sent in.

Also the salty humid air is still awful to expose that sort of equipment to....almost as bad over the long run as being hit directly by water.....

Also, try looking under video, home theatre, or sterophonic in the yellow pages and make a few calls around... There is alot of money in that area and alot of video projectors just like yours in the mansions along Palm Beach that have been installed by high end stereo dealers!!
Mark

Posted by Tom Sauter (Member # 616) on 11-14-2004, 09:19 AM:

A quick search of my sharp dealer database shows two near you:

AV Connection
7763 Glades Road
Boca Raton, FL, 33434
United States
561-414 6553

The projected Image,Iinc
2071 Hermitage Drive
Wellington, FL, 33414
United States
561-868-0477
800-687-0477
Fax: 815-642-4419

You unit will likely still have to be shipped to the factory, but a local dealer can cut through the "red tape" we all experience when dialing customer service ourselves. If you find a dealer is willing to help you with a factory repair, you've made a good friend.

I wouldn't fret too much over the shipping costs, a thorough projector cleaning alone runs in the 6 hours of labor range and occurs before any repairs are actually made.

Posted by Thomas Procyk (Member # 1170) on 11-14-2004, 01:36 PM:

Thanks, Tom! You probably searched based on my Royal Palm Beach location. Right now I'm going to school in Orlando. It's interesting, though, when I bought the unit 6 years ago the closest service center was in Miami (about 2 hours drive from RPB) and now there's one in Wellington, which is just around the corner.

Do you have any listings for the Orlando or Winter Park area? I may just take the thing down with me when I go to RPB for thanksgiving. All I would really need is an estimate at first, to submit to the insurance company and see what they say before I start dropping any money.

Someone told me that the charge to just LOOK at the thing would be around the $100-$150 range. The cleaning I'm assuming would be around the same. Plus the bulb. Plus the red LCD panel if that needs to be replaced... If I'm looking at anything near $1,000 I might as well get a new Home-DLP instead of this dinosaur. [Smile]

=TMP=

Posted by Tom Sauter (Member # 616) on 11-14-2004, 09:29 PM:

Here's one:

Wilson Technologies, Inc
2035 Forest Club Drive
Orlando, FL, 32804
United States
407-298-8535

But since I actually bothered to look up the model this time, I see that its 600 Lumens native VGA! If you can find someone local who is cool enough to clean it up for a few hours labor, go ahead, but you can get a projector that kicks the pants off this one for $999 US.

Posted by Thomas Procyk (Member # 1170) on 11-15-2004, 12:45 PM:

Tom -- I know. That's what I've been juggling in my head. The insurance company still needs proof that it will cost more than that for repair (which it probably will.) Then it depends if that can be re-adjusted as a replacement item rather than repair... here we go again! [Frown]

The thing really is a dinosaur, and heavy too. I was just hoping that something that i bought for $5k would last more than 7 years. I could have had a new 36" TV every year... *sigh*

=TMP=

Posted by Mitchell Dvoskin (Member # 751) on 11-15-2004, 12:51 PM:

Sharp USA headquarters, and their factory service is located in Mahway NJ (201 area code). Call information, and I am sure they can point you in the right direction.

/Mitchell

Posted by Tom Sauter (Member # 616) on 11-15-2004, 07:45 PM:

I feel for you. You're going to have to pay shipping, and a diagnostic fee, to be able to tell the insurance company its not worth it.

Hey Insurance Company! Its not worth it! [evil]

Reminds me of a friend in college whose non-running 70s honda rustbucket was impounded by the city, so he just mailed them the title with a little note that said, "keep it".

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 11-15-2004, 08:35 PM:

Ahhhhhem... Not to cry... but why on earth would you not add the labor and shipping spent for the estimate into the price of the new projector if the old one can't be repaired? I don't think many insurance companies would care or know one way or the other....

Mark