50V500 Red Spot

the unit requires a replacment optic block to correct the problem your experiancing
if you are the original owner you may contact hitachi customer relations and they may opt to supply a remanufactured optic block and you would be responsible for the labor but still cheap enough and you get a good working set again

Deb,
Unfortunately if you're not a technician Hitachi won't even consider sending you a LE for install... They will confirm your status and have you fill-out several documents.
As to the other part of the question, the service manual won't help - there is a procedure for memory re-initializing and after performing that you still have the spot then LE is called for.. But again, unless you're a tech with those letters behind your name Hitachi won't accept the results.
That said, we have done several of these and Hitachi has been exceptional to deal with pre and post install.
Hope this helps!
Bill

William Rayburn, CET
Premium Technologies
PO Box 442
Long Beach, WA. 98631
360-642-4993

You got shafted!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I had the same problem a red halo that eventually led to complete discoloration. I called Hitachi and they had their local rep come out and look, they said it would cost $400 to install $1500 new light engine. Then a couple of months ago, I read a post on this site (Varian - Feb. 14, 2008 - suggesting Hitachi Customer Relations at 800-654 7013 was providing the light engine without charge).

So, I called them again and was not able to persuade them to cover my Hitachi LCD projection (50V500). It appears Hitachi has a poor record with their Light Engine as well all of their new generation TV. They have since stopped selling the LCD projection, but they are into plasma and LCD TV and likewise do not seem to have a good track record - as I hear from other users.

I did the smart thing and switched over to a Sony XBR4 Bravia 52" LCD TV 1080p HD at a reduced price (Approximately $2800 from Amazon.com!). My Hitachi cost me about $ 3600 at a Circuit City Store. Therefore, no Hitachi products for me and not from Circuit City, since, Circuit City asked for $4000 for the same Sony TV, I bought from Amazon, which included delivery and installation. Circuit City would add another $80 for delivery.

HITACHI really sucks!!! Put these people out of business!

We call this the "red cloud" and nothing you do to the set will correct the problem. You have a defective light engine. We recently went through this so here's what you need to do. Call Hitachi's customer relations department at 800-654-7013 and tell them that you have a defective light engine. They will act like they've not heard of this but they have. They will give you the names of some certified dealers in your area. Once the tech comes to your home and confirms that it's a bad light engine, call Hitachi back and they will send a new light engine to the dealer. The dealer will call you to set up a day/time to come out and intstall.

Here's the deal, Hitachi will cover this expensive part (cost $1500) but it you're not under warranty, you will have to pay for the install. Our install was $400 but others on this site have paid around $200. Please do not let anyone tell you that you have to pay for this part. Deal directly with Hitachi. They have not recalled this part but they are replacing it for free..brand new and not refurbished. All you pay is the install. Also, deal only with customer relations and not customer service. The 800 # I listed is directly to Hitachi customer relations department. Good Luck!

Jeanette,

If you have a red cloud in the middle of your set when the tv is black, we call that the "infamous red cloud". In general terms, you have a defective light engine. Nothing you personally do to the set will correct the problem. We just went through this a couple of months ago and here's what you need to do. Call Hitachi's Customer Relations Department at 800-654-7013 and tell them that you have a bad light engine. Initially, Hitachi will act like they've never heard of this problem before...but they have...many times. They will give you the names of some certified dealers in your area to call. Once the tech comes out and confirms the problem, call the customer relations department back and all of a sudden they will have heard of the problem. The will call the dealer you used to confirm that it's a bad light engine and Hitachi will send a brand new light engine (cost around $1500) to the dealer and Hitachi will pay for the part.
The dealer will call you when they receive it and come out to install.

Now here's the kicker, if you're set is not still under warranty, you will have to pay the install. Our install ws $400 but others on this post have been around $200, so it would be fair to say that an average install should cost $200 - $500.

Also here are some things to watch for, please do not let any dealer tell you that you have to pay for this expensive part. Hitachi has not recalled this part but they are replacing it...once you have the set looked at by a certified dealer and you DO NOT have to be under warranty for Hitachi to replace the part. If you're not under warranty, you just pay the install. If you are under warranty, Hitachi will pay for the part and install. Last, please deal only with the Hitachi customer relations department and not customer service. The 800# I listed is directly to customer relations. The Hitachi regular customer service will not be of any help and will deny this problem even exist.
Good Luck:)

You have a defective light engine and Hitachi is aware of it. Here's what you need to do...we just went throught this about a month ago. Call Hitachi's customer relations department (not regular customer service0 at 800-654-7013 and tell them what the TV is doing and that you believe you have a bad light engine. Now at first, they will act as if they know nothing about this problem. They will however give you some names of certified dealers in your area to come out and diagnois the problem. Once the tech comes out and tells you that you have a bad light engine, only takes about a minute once they see the problem, call Hitachi back at the number I've listed and tell them what the tech said. Hitachi will call the dealer directly and they will send the part directly to the dealer. Once the dealer gets the part (new light engine) the dealer will give you a call and will come out and install it in your home.

Here's the kicker. If your TV is not still under warranty, Hitachi will pay for the part (part cost around $1500) but you will have to pay for the install. Our TV is 3.5 years old and was not under warranty and our install cost $400...worth it to us since we spent $3600 on the 60 inch 3.5 years ago. If your TV is still under warranty, Hitachi should pay for the part and install but again, regardless if your under warranty or not, Hitachi WILL COVER THE PART. Please do not let any dealer or store take advantage of you and tell you that you have to pay for this $1500 part. That is happening but most certified dealers will not do that.

Hitachi has not recalled this part (although they should) but they are replacing it for free once you have the tech come out and confirm that it's a bad light engine.

Please deal only with Hitachi's customer RELATIONS department and not customer service. The 800# I listed above is directly to customer relations. Hitachi's customer service department will not help you at all.

Once our light engine was replaced, the set is like BRAND NEW! Good Luck!

You have the infamous "red cloud" as we call it and nothing you personally do will fix it. Here's what you need to do...we just went thgrough this about a month ago. Call Hitachi's customer RELATIONS department (not customer service) at 800-654-7013. Tell them what the TV is doing and that you believe you have a defective light engine. Now, they will initially act like they have not heard of this problem but they have. The will however give you the names of some certified dealers in your area to call. Once you have a tech out to confirm that you have a bad light engine (this will take the tech less than a minute once you turn the set on) call Hitachi's customer relations department back and tell them you have a bad light engine. All of a sudden, they will acknowlege the probelm exist and will Hitachi will call the dealer direct to confirm that's the problem.

Once they confirm the problem with the dealer you used directly, they will send out a brand new light engine and Hitachi will cover the cost.

Here's the kicker. If your TV is not still under warranty, ours was not, Hitachi will cover the part (cost around $1500) but you will have to pay for the install. Our install cost $400 but worth it to us on a $3600 TV that has been great up until the light engine issue. If you're still under warranty, Hitachi will cover the part and the install. DO NOT let any store or dealer tell you that you will have to pay for this part. Hitachi is replacing it with brand new light engines for free...you just pay the install.

Please deal only with the Hitachi customer RELATIONS department at the number I've listed above. That is the direct number to Hitachi's customer relations department. Hitachi customer service will not help you at all!

Once our light engine was replaced, and the tech replaced it in our home and did not have to take the TV to the shop, our TV is like brand new again! Good Luck:)

We had the same problem and the infamous "red cloud" is a light engine defect and Hitachi knows about it. After calling Hitachis Customer Relations Department (not customer service) they referred us to a local Hitachi dealer that diagnosed the problem in less than a minute as a "light engine defect". We called Hitachi back and once they confirmed this with the dealer, they shipped the part to the dealer and the tech came out and installed it...looks like brand new TV. Here's the deal though, when you first call Hitachi, they will act like they've never heard of the problem until you have theTV looked at. They will pay for the part...$1500 but they will ask you to pay the install. Our install was $400...worth it to us on a $3600 TV. Be sure and call the Hitachi customer relations department and not regular customer service...you will get no where with them. The Customer Relations Department # is 800-654-7013. Good Luck!

You have a defective light engine and you DO NOT have to be under warranty to have it replaced. Here's what you need to do...we just went through this. You need to call Hitachi's Customer Relations Department (not regular customer service). The customer relations # for Hitachi is 800-654-7013. Tell them what's happening with your set and that you think it's a bad light engine. When you call them, they will initially act like they have not heard of this problem but will give you some names of some certified Hitachi dealers in your area.

Call one of the dealers and they will send a tech out to diagnois the problem. Once the tech tells you that you have a defective light engine (all they have to do is look at the set when you have it turned on) call Hitachi customer relations back and tell them you had a tech out to confirm the problem. They will then act like they know exactly what you're talking about...imagine that! They will call the dealer that came out and once they confirm this with them, they will send a new light engine to the dealer. The dealer will then call you and arrange a time to come out and install it.

This part is paid for by Hitachi, regardless if you're under warranty or not. If your under warranty, the service should be covered if not, the part will be covered by Hitachi and all you pay is for the install. Our install was $400. DO NOT let any dealer get the part and tell you that you have to pay the $1500 for it. Hitachi knows about this problem and they are paying for the part. All you pay is for the install. Again, deal only with customer relations at the number listed above and only deal with a dealer Hitachi refers you to. Good Luck!