Problem with BD808 :(

[ShinObiWAN]

Hello all, especially Roland


For a while now I've been getting a cracking noise, like when you touch two + cables together and get the spark. At the very same time as the cracking noise the projected picture dimed for a fraction of a second and then continued as normal.

It was worring me but it happened rarely (about ever couple of weeks) but recently I've seen it more, I was watching the The League of Extraordinary Gents - terrible BTW and it happened twice during the film.
After the film I played Beyond Good & Evil for a couple of hours and the projector made the 'noise' and the picture went blank! looked into the lenses and there was no sign of life, pressed the ADJ on the remote but no menu came on the screen, tried selecting a different source and all to no avail. I should add that the projector fans were still running and the remote backlite was still on but nothing from the tubes.

In the end I turned the projector off and hoped and prayed that it would come back on. It did and the picture looked as good as ever but I'm worried that this could kill it should it happen again

I'm using a belkin mains condition/surge protector so I don't expect its anything to do with a surge problem.

For the time being I've powered down the projector and unplugged it until I can find out what the problem maybe or have it looked at.

Anyone have any ideas please, I'm missing my movies

 

[Roland @ B4]

What you are experiencing is "flash over" for want of another term. Some where in the high voltage circuit (basically the big red leads) something is arcing across to earth. It is also possible that one of the tubes is doing it too. Small jumps will cause the projector to momentarily blank the image and then recover. Bigger ones will cause a scan fail which should leave the PJ running but with the EHT circuits shut down.
The only real way of finding these is to use the projector until it gets to the point where in the dark you will be able to see the arc jump.
Open up the case and with the power off use a damp cloth to get rid of some of the grime on the high voltage leads. Don't use the projector untill you are certain that the damp has gone. Whilst you are there check for hair line cracks but I suspect that it is too early for that yet.
I don't think any harm will come to your PJ it's just very anoying. You may have to wait for a while to be able to force it to arc on demand. (You could try pausing on a very bright image for a while and push the brightness and contast up) and you will have to be very fast to see it happen (sods law say you look in the wrong place when it goes)

 

[ShinObiWAN]

Hi Roland,

What would I need to replace to ensure this 'arcing' is gone?

The EHT leads? The Quadrupler? Or both?

How much for these from your good self?

Thanks,
Ant

 

[Tim Cooper]

Ant,
I had this problem, although it went all of a sudden on my PJ, it turned out to be the quadrupler not to expensive as i recall.....Rolands your man.
Hope you get it fixed soon.
Cheers.
Tim.

 

[ShinObiWAN]

Think I've cracked it.

The EHT leads had what looked like black soot all over them, I guess they attract this stuff as the rest of the machine is prestine.

I've cleared it off now and have been using the projector for around 6 hours now with no repeat of the arching.

 

[chrisgeary]

ShinObiWAN - i noticed in your 808 for sale thread that barco's runtime counters increment in standby mode. is that true for all barco crts? mine is an 801s. if it does, then that isnt a true reflection of tube usage?

 

[ShinObiWAN]

Its not really for tube usage but the electronics, you see when in standby they are still powered up but not the tubes.

 

[chrisgeary]

hmm.. well i went out earlier today, i noted that my 801 had 13190 on the clock. i put it into standby, went into town and now, 3 hours later, it is still showing 13190.

 

[Gordon @ Convergent AV]

I think it's more that they keep ticking even if the PICTURE MUTE is on and there is no projected image.