Written by Correy Pelletier
Is your projector not turning on? Have you tried unplugging it and/or turning on the switch?
What are the LED indicator lights telling you? Check your manual to see which combination of lights and colors align with which problem or what one of the colors means. For example, some Panasonic dual-lamp projectors like the PT-DZ780 series have four main indicator lights on the front of it, LAMP 1, LAMP 2, TEMP, and FILTER. If one of the lamp indicator lights is solid red, then it’s reaching the end of its life and must be replaced soon. A flashing red light means the bulb is burnt out and must be replaced immediately, so your projector can turn back on. An example of a single lamp projector is the Panasonic PT-VW350 which has LAMP and WARNING light indicators. If the lamp indicator is a solid red, then it’s time to replace the lamp. If the light is blinking red, then a problem is detected in the lamp or the lamp’s power supply. The warning indicator has three options of lighting up, solid red, blinking red, and slowly blinking red. If the indicator is blinking solid red, then the inside temperature is high. If the indicator is blinking red, then it means the inside temperature is high and the projector is on standby. And if the indicator is blinking red slowly, then there’s an anomaly detected in the projector and the projector cannot be turned on. These indications are common with most projectors. Dual-lamp projectors are rare, but single-lamp projectors are more common.
If you still get an image on your screen, have you checked to see how many hours the lamp has been used? You can check this on the menu and if it’s more than 2500 hours, you have used it over the average number of hours.
Is your lamp dim? If it’s used for personal or professional use, you might want to replace lamps if they are dim. As you use it more and more, the dimmer the lamp will get. If the images or lamp seem dim, it’s time to replace it.
Are you having color issues? This is not a lamp problem, but a lamp prism problem. For more information, see our article on color issues.
When you were using your projector did you hear a popping noise and then it went black? This means the bulb has blown and you should replace it. Refer to our article on how to replace a lamp and how to deal with a blown bulb.
Check out our article on troubleshooting tips as it may help you get up and running if you just replaced the lamp and it won’t work.
If you cannot solve it yourself, then call us at 1-888-785-2677. Our friendly and knowledgeable customer service representatives can help diagnose the issue and go through the manual with you to determine the problem. We can also help you find the correct replacement lamp if the lamp needs replacing.