[PinkString]

Try "Smart TV." In the phone book.

[jfkIII]

What's a phone book?

[airics]

What is a "book"? My reading material is electronically sent.

[thlf]

Try demagnifying the TV screen. It sounds like it got some static. If you don't have one you can get one at Radio Shack for about 10 bucks.

[heetseeker]

Originally Posted by von949

Probably a Vizio from Wal-Mart.

I just bought a Vizio from walmart.

[ScoopLV]

Originally Posted by thlf

Try demagnifying the TV screen. It sounds like it got some static. If you don't have one you can get one at Radio Shack for about 10 bucks.

Do you mean degaussing? It's a DLP screen -- basically a rear projection TV. I was under the impression there isn't any static to build up on one of those. The TV uses photons, not electrons, to create the image.

We also have a Mitsubishi DLP, that we bought three years ago back when Ultimate Electronics was still in business.

Are you leaving the TV on for long periods of time with nobody watching? Don't. The projection bulb life is measured in hours. About 8,000 hours if memory serves. A new bulb might (MIGHT) fix things -- but if it doesn't you're out the same $130 (or so, shop around). But at least that's user serviceable.

The TV also has settings for "quick power on" (which sucks up electricity even when the TV is "off") and "slow power on" which increases bulb life. Guess which setting we use, being the notorious tightwads that we are?

You can also try the "picture mode" "deep field imager" and "lamp mode" settings and see if any of those make a difference.

My advice? Find a forum for DLP TV owners and ask about the black spots. I'll bet someone out there knows exactly what is wrong based on your symptoms, and can better advise you on whether to try to fix or replace.

[jfkIII]

Originally Posted by ScoopLV

Do you mean degaussing?

I thought one did that in the bathroom!

[MediocreButArrogant]

Originally Posted by ScoopLV

My advice? Find a forum for DLP TV owners and ask about the black spots. I'll bet someone out there knows exactly what is wrong based on your symptoms, and can better advise you on whether to try to fix or replace.

The rear-projection display forum at AVSForum.com is probably the most active. There are threads in that forum on how to disassemble a Mits DLP for cleaning (probably needed once every couple years in a dusty environment) and how to replace bad capacitors on the power module. I've done both repairs on two different Mits DLPs (not my own) and saved the owners thousands of dollars. There are dozens and dozens of posts about black spots on Mits and Samsung DLPs.

My guess is that your problem is probably dust landing on the front surface mirror, that was dislodged when your kids were banging on the TV (black AND white spots are a symptom of a more serious problem, DMD failure). Years ago when I tried to get someone out to clean a Mits DLP no one in town was interested in doing the work. That's when I printed out the instructions from the Mits DLP cleaning thread on AVSForum and cleaned the TV myself. The picture was improved so dramatically after the cleaning it was like getting a new TV.

[ndb3]

Originally Posted by MediocreButArrogant

The rear-projection display forum at AVSForum.com is probably the most active. There are threads in that forum on how to disassemble a Mits DLP for cleaning (probably needed once every couple years in a dusty environment) and how to replace bad capacitors on the power module. I've done both repairs on two different Mits DLPs (not my own) and saved the owners thousands of dollars. There are dozens and dozens of posts about black spots on Mits and Samsung DLPs.

My guess is that your problem is probably dust landing on the front surface mirror, that was dislodged when your kids were banging on the TV (black AND white spots are a symptom of a more serious problem, DMD failure). Years ago when I tried to get someone out to clean a Mits DLP no one in town was interested in doing the work. That's when I printed out the instructions from the Mits DLP cleaning thread on AVSForum and cleaned the TV myself. The picture was improved so dramatically after the cleaning it was like getting a new TV.

Thanks, I've been a member of AVS for a couple years and it's a great community. I posted this problem on there first, unfortunately the searches I did on there and google were unsuccessful. The black spots are really not spots within the picture, but a large blob near the bottom of the screen (directly on the inside of the screen) and I now believe the problem is a result of my kids playing with squirt guns. Maybe something I can wipe off from the inside. The black blobs are now mainly really light gray streaks and in some areas it is completely gone. Someone on AVS finally just posted a suggestion. I'm gonna give it some more time to see if goes away completely on it's own and then maybe try the suggestion from AVS.

[ScoopLV]

Originally Posted by ndb3

Thanks, I've been a member of AVS for a couple years and it's a great community. I posted this problem on there first, unfortunately the searches I did on there and google were unsuccessful. The black spots are really not spots within the picture, but a large blob near the bottom of the screen (directly on the inside of the screen) and I now believe the problem is a result of my kids playing with squirt guns. Maybe something I can wipe off from the inside. The black blobs are now mainly really light gray streaks and in some areas it is completely gone. Someone on AVS finally just posted a suggestion. I'm gonna give it some more time to see if goes away completely on it's own and then maybe try the suggestion from AVS.

Have you tried fiddling with the AV menu settings? What happens (if anything) when you do?