I have not calibrated the first HLN but according to my colleagues they can be very difficult. I also think that chassis line is more like 3-4 years old based on introduction. DNIe has been setup as a placebo control a number of times over the different lines meaning it could be really off or really on and you would have to know what to look for to see what is going on. The constant firmware changes have had pros and cons in the sense that new firmware typically resolves problems related to calibration but you have to replace a pricey board to implement them.
I have far mor e experience and understanding of the HLP and HLR lines in terms of performance and calibration.
Sorry about your repair experience. Samsung has been hit and miss over the years when it comes to service and certainly presents more risk than our more familiar friends like the Japanese main stays in the industry. I still bought two of them but being in the biz my risk is greatly reduced provided they have the parts.
It sounds like they replaced the ballast due to the premature new lamp failure. I have been doing some Samsung warranty and would have had both of those parts in stock for you. This should have been an easy home service call but the sad fact is talent in our industry is not only difficult to find but dying off a little bit with each passing year.
As for your lamp issues welcome to the world of lamp based projectors whether they are digital or film. I like the concept because by simply changing the lamp, $200-300, my display and the displays of my ISF clients are returned to like new condition rather than being well over a thousand dollars for other display technologies that get worn down. I'll be the first to admit the disadvantage that those hours can go quickly by comparison.
some real world comparisons...
My 50" Sammy HLP has about 7000 hours on it and it still looks fine. I know light output has greatly diminished but being a 50" screen it appears fine. I also have the replacement on hand, ready to go.
Both my Panasonic and Sammy front projectors are at about 250-300 hours but drive a very large screen and already show the decay in light output. I may be changing the Sammy lamp very soon!
So when should the sources of light output be replaced? In our old CRT world that is when it has dropped by 50%. For lamp based products you typically lose 25% within the first 500 hours and since it is so easy to bring it back up the ISF has suggested 25% for lamp based displays. The loss beyond that slows down but varies with lamp type. How much you notice depends on screen size. This is also why it is not a bad idea to overdrive a screen at first knowing that the majority of hours will be at about the right light output before it starts veering towards not really having enough.
In practice most users push their products well into dimness and complete lamp failure before changing it just like your local cinemaplex. Imagine changing out 16 film projectors to the tune of $500-1000 a piece! Regardless of price the economics remain the same and users won't change them if they appear to work.
Now I have another issue, as two of the three component inputs read "mode not supported" when hooked up to my HD TiVo box in 720P or 1080i, only in 480i do they work. One works and that's all I need, but I'll have to address it before the warranty expires.
I think that is normal for the age of your product... are you saying that was not the case before the repair?