Question Replacement for Optoma HD600X - Benq TW526E?

jasonzz

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I'm looking for advice, if anyone feels like answering my ignorant questions... we have an Optoma HD600X that has developed the DMD chip fault, with a growing number of white pixels and black dots appearing on the right edge of the display. We were very happy with this 720p projector and don't feel like having to replace the whole unit, but the cost and faff sounds prohibitive. It's less than four years old and not been heavily used at all, so this is very disappointing. A brighter image (so we can watch in daylight) might be an improvement, but that's not essential; other than that we've no complaints.

I found that Amazon has the Benq TW526E and that it's sometimes as low as £250 in price (though not right now! - BenQ TW526E HD Ready 720p 3200 Lumens 3D Home Entertainment Projector: Amazon.co.uk: Computers & Accessories ). However I have not been able to find out much about it - even the first (most helpful) review on Amazon refers to it as a TH681. I was favouring it because I don't really want to give Optoma more money and because I use the S-video port - I'd need to buy a new DVD (well, Bluray, I suppose) player as well if I stop using that, or else get some converter. The Optoma HD141X and HD181X don't have an S-video port, though the HD182X apparently does.

In case it's relevant, the existing projector is on a shelf that's positioned just above the heads of those who are seated to watch, and projects onto a magnolia wall about 3.6m away.

Can anyone recommend the Benq TW526E or should I be steering clear of that (and towards giving Optoma another £350-£400, argh)?
 
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Hi Ian,

Thanks for pointing that out - I don't mind the plug at all! I'd be interested if (1) there's some sort of way of guaranteeing that it won't develop the same fault again very soon (are the replacement chips any better? I've no idea); and (2) there's some way of getting it to me... I live in Oxford, which is not close to you, and I don't drive.

I'm also hoping someone will have some opinion on the Benq TW526E... apart from Amazon reviews, I've found nothing... though I've now looked at the Benq website specifications for it and it looks very similar to the HD600X.

Jason
 
From my digging, just about everything uses a Texas Instruments DMD chip - including the new Optoma I've just bought!

The failures all seem to be around the same time, but across multiple devices (Optoma, Dell and Benq projectors, and Samsung DLP TV's) so I'm hoping it was just a "bad batch" so to speak, and they have resolved the issue.

I'll be near Oxford with work on 25th / 26th Feb, if you haven't sorted anything by then.

Failing that (I know, I'm doing myself out of a sale here :D) have you tried applying some pressure to Optoma, remind them that TI offer a 5yr warranty on their DMD chips, and how disappointed you are / unlikely to buy Optoma again etc etc?
 
Thanks - I didn't know that about the Texas instruments warranty. From what I read on this forum, other people had the problem sooner than me, and I didn't see a five-year warranty referred to. I will fill out the Optoma online warranty form (I failed to do so before as I wasn't in the same place as the projector, and it requires the serial number).

If that doesn't work then late February could be good! It's quite possible that I can hang on till then.
 
The only problem is that TI warranty the part to their customer - ie Optoma, not us! Still, it's worth reminding them of it.
 
In case anyone comes to this thread wanting to know what Optoma said - I got an e-mail back saying that it wasn't in warranty, but that I should call them. That got my hopes up, but for no good reason. It seems that the person there just wanted to assure me that this fault only affects a small percentage of projectors. I told him that I didn't believe him. He also told me that some models are insured for five years, but not this one. So, effectively: we sold you something that you didn't use heavily, that you took care of, and that didn't last very long. Now go buy another.
 
Sorry for getting your hopes up! I guess at least they didn't ask you to send it in to be told that!
 
Oh yes he did mention that too, actually, but said that the cost would be prohibitive... hardly surprising, since I know that the chips cost about £100. I think he said that labour would be £80.
 

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