HDTV Forum

Hey Richard, you did a fine job calibrated my 65732 probably ten months ago. I've been reading this board and I'd like to ask, what is the light engine? I'm assuming it's what Texas Instruments calls a "color wheel" and that it's not the lamp. I got my letter from Mitsubishi 12-05-07 about the light engine but again I'm not sure what it is.

Thanks in advance,
Charles Davidson

Hey Charles,

Thanks!

The letter from Mits is about what? For yours it should have been...

Mitsubishi: 2006 DLP warranty extension
viewtopic.php?t=8706

The light engine is typically a complete assembly representing the final stage of your display that has to do with creating an actual image for you to view. If the manufacturer would only provide it, it could be possible to hook up a DVI cable directly to your light engine and see an image from another source but it could do very little with that image except display it.

That same signal comes from the other half of your TV called the signal chassis with all the connections, tuners and controls for the image. That is the part we calibrate and that's good since the light engine is more prone to failure than the signal chassis. within the signal chassis is a board that contains the data for your calibration and if that gets changed we have to recalibrate or live with the typical out of box sales calibration from the manufacturer.

A breakdown of the light engine is a lamp, ballast for the lamp, a number of fans, the DMD micro-display (DLP), a color wheel, thermal sensor(s) and an optical path from the lamp to the DMD to the lens assembly. The optical path is also the big part that everything else is attached to.

How light engines come varies from manufacturer to manufacturer meaning they may contain all or some of these assemblies/parts.

Thanks for the explanation Richard, it does sound serious if the whole thing needs to be replaced rather than a component. Also, yes that is the letter that I received. I'll cross my fingers and hope I don't have any problems.

The light engine is not replaced for this problem. Check that link again...