Turning on 56" Samsung DLP it comes on, in a few seconds

Hi and welcome to FixYa,

Your description that the unit "works perfectly" after "tries to turn on anywhere from 5 to 15 times" is very significant. This is indicative that no major component is faulty. I am at this point inclined to suspect that it is a case of cold solder (least likely) or loose connection (most likely). May I suggest an exploratory look and see; that is open the rear cover (a good number of screws) and visually inspect the wiring/connectors. Of particular interest would be the connectors with comparatively bigger power wires rather than the smaller signal wires. Additionally, you could also check if the fan blades rotate freely.

Offhand, I would discount possibility of heat related or as mentioned above, a faulty component. Surprisingly, what may be considered is the AC mains if you are using a power strip or voltage regulator. What could be tried is using another outlet.

A friendly word of caution. Most plasma designs do not react kindly to powering on/off/on hence testing powering it on after inspection should be done after a rest of about 15 minutes. Of course visual inspection should be carried out with the unit unplugged.

Should the above be not corrective and you are considering further DIY (do-it-yourself), pls post back if you have access to the service manual, a DVM/VOM and a soldering iron. It would also help to have an idea of your familiarity with electronic components & circuitry.

Good luck and thank you for using FixYa.

Sounds like the capacitors in the hyperboard or power supply are shorting out. A worn ballast may cause the same problem. This will require a voltmeter to test the different capacitors, or to be taken in. You will need knowledge of electronical repair and components to fix this problem.