A common issue with Samsung DLPs is a scrambled picture. Many people complain about a reverse negative image, which is usually the DMD board.
A reader asks…
I recently had an issue with my Samsung HLN617WX/XAA DLP. After watching HD channels the screen would scramble, but color and sound remained.
I called Samsung and they recommended a local TV repairman. The company said it was the optical engine board. The part was $650 and everything added up to $900.
They returned the TV to me today and the same problem popped back up. The technicians came out to my house and now they are saying the digital board needs to be replaced. The part is about 285 dollars.
Does this make sense? If they replaced the digital board, vice the optical engine board from the start, would that have fixed my problem. Or, could it be that both parts were broken, causing my TV to scramble?
I’m no repair tech, but I’d guess that the problem was the DMD board (or the digital board) from the start, but it could be a coincidental problem with the two components. I think it depends mostly on how you define “scrambled” picture. If the “optical engine” was the “light engine”, that should have included a replacement DMD board (as well as ballast, fans, and colorwheel).
Most DMD board problems that I’ve seen are that the image gets reversed, like a photo negative.
If that’s your issue, the replacement part will run you about $200.
