Is there a lot of maintenance that needs to be done on a projection screen TV? I am thinking about buying a Mitsubishi 46" projection screen TV. Model no. WT-46809. The salesman is trying to convince me to get their 5-year warranty service plan. He told me that the lenses inside the TV get really dusty and that the TV needs to be taken apart and cleaned at least once each year. He also told me that the "guns" inside the TV burn out quite often and would need to be replaced. He also said that the colors would come out of alignment and would need to be adjusted as well.

I've never had a projection screen TV before so I don't know if what he is telling me is true or if it is just a scare tactic to get me to pay an extra $400.00 for the TV. The warranty is not by Mitsubishi, but by the store that is selling the TV so that makes me a little suspicious to begin with.

So I would like to know if there is anyone out there who has a projection screen TV, or anyone who has a Mitsubishi TV. Is there a lot of maintenance that needs to be done to it? Or am I safe with the 1-year warranty from Mitsubishi that comes with the TV.

Thanks

Justin

Justin,

What he says is partly true and some of it is flat out
lies and scare tactics. 3 CRT Rear Projection TV's are
very simple inside. You have 3 CRT's 7 to 9" in size
and each displaying but one color.. Red Green and Blue.
On top of these CRT's sit a focusing lens assembly that
does get dusty and should be cleaned once a year. Those
lenses shoot the image onto an internal mirror (usualy
made of mylar) that also needs to be dusted. And then
the mirror reflects the image onto the back of the
Frensell lens which also should be dusted yearly.

Most RPTV's have a 1 year waranty on everything and the
CRT's usualy carry at least a 3 year warranty against
burn out. And burn out is rare.. RPTV's aren't much
diffrent than a normal direct view and tubes usualy
last a decade or more.

So do I agree they need to be cleaned? Yes.. You could
even do it yourself if you are brave.. (I clean mine
but I also know not to touch the electronics because
30+ thousand volts does sting a bit) The long term
service contract is up to you.. If nothing ever breaks
then it was a waste, but if indeed something major went
wrong you could easily rack up the price of the service
contract replacing a tube (when it's out of warranty)

So I will let you make that choice. :)

Check out [Link: keohi.com] for setup, maintenance and tweaks on most projection TV's.

-Robert

Justin,
Brett is correct. One other thing to consider is tobacco smoke. If anyone in the house smokes, the deposits on the lenses and mirrors accumulate quickly and will degrade your picture quality. If you are not comfortable with cleaning your lenses yourself, then the extra might be worth it to have someone clean everything for you. If you are comfortable with the thought of performing the maintaince yourself, I would use the extra money to purchase a GOOD QUALITY surge protector/ line conditioner. Something like the units from Panamax or Monster Cable. I have had one on my system since day one and I can't even begin to tell you how many times it has saved my system. Most damage comes, not from direct hits from lighting, but from the little surges you get every day. This damage accumulates over time. My Panamax unit has a meter on the front and you should see how much the current fluctuates. It has shut down my system when sudden power drops or spikes could have caused damage. I've had my system for eight years (I have a 45" table top Mitsu.) and never had any problems what so ever with any of my components.

Phil

Justin-
I've owed lots of different electronic gear over the years. The only piece of gear that I ever bought an extended warranty on was my 45" Mits RPTV. I bought it because of one factor. Usually, if something goes wrong on these, it's expensive to replace. In my case, it got hit by a surge and the repair bill would have been $900 if not for the warranty.

$400 seems high. Extended warranties are very profitable to the dealer and have high mark-ups. If you decide you want it, negotiate the price. I bet you can get it for $250.

Justin, two more things to consider:

The big thing with 3-CRT units, fron or rear projection, is convergence (aiming). Some warranties do NOT cover routine adjustments. Read the fine print, and/or get it in writing that (yearly) convergence adjustments are included.

Also, the price should include delivery, setup, and initial convergence. Even a slight moving of a projector usually requires an adjustment.

Another thought: consider spending the money for an Imaging Science Foundation participant adjustment instead/also. It can make a big difference in picture quality. I think the nearest one is in Maryland. Check ISF ads in the popular HT mags.

Larry

I've got a 64 inch projection and learned the hard way that they need to change the coolant in the lenses every 3-5 years because it breaks down and turns amber instead of the usual clear. I had to change the coolant in each of the lenses and it came to over $200. It made a huge difference in the picture quality when they had finished changing it.

Did you remember to rotate the tires? : - )

Larry

Speaking of which, don't forget to change the air in your tires before the first hard freeze. :)

Larry,

Some of us can't rotate our tires! My front's are 17"
and my rears are 18" so.... I just rotate the air in
my tires instead! :)

I had a customer who bought a 42" (I think) Mitsubishi RPTV only because it was the only one that fit the space his carpenters made for it (measure better next time!)
We got it into place (30" above the ground- fun!), got it fired and adjusted... Later that night, he turned it off... When he turned it back on, the screen went GREEN. Bad news! The TV had to be replaced- and it was one day old.

Get the plan! It's not a Mitsubishi thing, it's a 'we can't make em fast enough, so just rush em through anyway' kinda thing- it happens!

It went green, eh? Sounds like TV envy to me! : - )

Larry