Experiencing problem with discontinued Gateway 56" DLP TV, Rant

You did not check on the repair availability before buying it? I remember the ads at the time, it was the cheapest DLP 56" tv available at the time. Someone else actually made it for Gateway, might be worth trying to find out who made it.

I would like to know what filament you were talking about in the lamp.

Given the cost of keeping a trained technician on the truck and the test equipment required, $250 US is a little high in the Midwest, but is pretty much the break even cost in some States, Like CA, to get a tech to the door. Especially if you live more than 10 miles away from the servicer. You could always take the set into the servicer. It will probably be required to go in due to the nature of the intermittent failure.

BTW a bad component video cable or s-video cable can both cause the same symptom you described...... I would assume you have the problem with the built in tuner as well as the external video sources?

Nope. I have Two 30" tube sets that are 10 and 11 years old and never a problem,they still used everyday. I never thought about researching repair availability. In the past 35 years I would just look in the Phone book and call one of 30 or 40 repair shops. (I live in a big city) if I needed anything fix.. I never seen a company before having a contract with only one company to do in warranty or out of warranty repair/parts.. The consumer is at the mercy of this shop that can charge whatever they want, because you have no where else to go. I had literally called 8 electronic repair shops in a try to run down cheaper cost...ultimately it was the same answer, we don't do repairs on the GW DLP becuase we can not get parts for it. Just the original retailer/manufacturer repair contractor can get parts for this discontinued Gateway DLP.

The Flashing are on all video sources

Just eye-balling the lamp. It's not that anyway, the New $400 lamp did not fix the problem.

" Someone else actually made it for Gateway, might be worth

Company called Delta.. They will not take calls or deal with the end-user

" it was the cheapest DLP 56" tv available

yep. Sold at Gateway, Costco under the name VIZIO for as low as 2.5K. I guess you get what you pay for.

I was aways a BIG anti-Extended warranties guy........ until now. With these DLP/LCD Rear Projection Units, get a good LONG Extended warrantie

I learned my lesson.

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Decision One is likely to NOT bring the set in because they employ guys that work strictly on the road in most places. They swap boards and that is it. Many of them have no idea how a TV or monitor works, at least not in the way most TV techs do.

Welcome to the reality of service on many products. I strongly urge anyone considering buying any product to get to know the local servicers before buying. People are getting screwed like this all the time by the likes of Gateway, Dell, Infocus, BenQ, Optoma, Sceptre, NEC, JVC, and many others.

Leonard

First, there's no filament in the discharge lamps used in DLP projectors, they don't generally "burn out" but are shut down by the electronics at end of life otherwise they will explode and likely damage the optical assembly.

As for the flicker problem, does it respond to gently tapping on the unit?

won't stay stable. BTW you're looking at a $500 service call since labor is automatically added with no refund. You can try