We had a dull, not bright picture and replaced the lamp. It worked fine. Now the screen is mostly black almost like there is something in front of the lamp. We have cleaned it out and checked and can't seem to find anything.

I just tried something that I read a few days back tried it then but just tried it again. I held my Canon Power Shot S3 SI Camera Lens up to a Very Bright Light and started Taking Pictures started in TV mode then kept switching modes but taking lots of pictures in the different modes kept checking after taking a few I could start noticing that the screen was getting lighter and lighter with each picture that I took ... and Finely it started looking more and more like a picture.. and now my baby is back working...... thanks to who every the person was that posted about using a light to get her the Death of the Black Screen working... Just a little hint make sure that the light is really bright a flashlight did not work the yesterday for me so today a used a lamp and now me and mt Camera are both doing the Happy Dance .... Hope This May Help Others Who's Cameras Have Been Hit With The BLACK SCREEN OF DEATH....hope this works for you like it did me.:)

Anyone know what this is called?

THE PROBLEM CAN BE CORRECTED BY REPLACING LAMP WITH THE ORIGINAL LAMP FROM MITSUBISHI CHECK THE ORIGINAL LAMP HAS A MAGNAFIER ON TOP OF THE LAMP.

Two possibilities:

1. The lamp. When did you last replace it? They will dim over time and lose focus, clarity, brightness and sharpness. If it has been 18-24 months, and this is your main tv, consider replacing it.

It's a F-9308-860-0. They go for about $175.00.

2. Let's say you follow my advice, put in a new lamp and the picture is still dim, dark, dingy and fuzzy? Then you, my friend, need a new Optic Assembly. The thing your lamp shines into and the thing that gives you a picture to look at. They can fail or wear out for all sorts of reasons--too many for me to type out now. But, suffice to say, if you have recently replaced the lamp (less than 6 months) and are experiencing a drop in brightness, consider getting on the phone with Sony. Even if you are out of warranty, your set is covered against Optic failure until June 30, 2010.

Hope this helps.

if the pic is just dull and no longer crisp. polishing the small mirror up front will restore the clarity and brightness most of the time.

but when low down the brightness it work good it not goes off , but it is very low brightness and difficult to read text some time......WHAT?

Can you explain in a bit more detail please...I don't know what you mean by.........'when low down the brightness it work good'?

But try holding down the FN key on your keyboard & tapping the Button that alters the brightness.

This could be a faulty CCFL lamp.
To determine if you have a LCD screen, inverter or video card problem, read this and follow these instructions.
Defective CCFL backlight, it may have the following symptom: Screen flashs on red/pink and off. Picture stays on in red and slowly be come normal. Picture flickering with dim display or appear black. Picture flickering on and off. All these symptoms indicate that the LCD backlight lamp (CCFL Lamp) has reached the end of the life and all you need to do is replacing the CCFL lamp.
Connect an external monitor to your laptop and power the monitor up first then the laptop, if you see the normal Windows images then the video card and laptop is OK and the problem is definitely the backlight. Dim image and/or dark display on the laptop's LCD screen indicates a faulty LCD backlight and it could be the inverter that supplies high voltage to the CCFL lamp or it is the CCLF lamp is nearly burnt out or burnt out, most likely this is the case.
The inverter can be replaced easily but the CCLF lamp is more time consuming and requires soldering skills.
Check out
www.lcdparts.net
for parts, repair service and DIY info.

You most likely have a defective screen - a defective inverter or a CCFL lamp or simply the video cable needs reseating. After reseating the video cable and the problem is still there then :-
To determine if you have a LCD screen or video card problem, read this and follow the instructions.

Defective CCFL backlight, it may have the following symptom:

• Screen flashs on red/pink and off.
• Picture stays on in red and slowly be come normal.
• Picture flickering with dim display or appear black.
• Picture flickering on and off.

All these symptoms indicate that the LCD backlight lamp (CCFL Lamp) has reached the end of the life and all you need to do is replacing the CCFL lamp

Connect an external monitor to your laptop and power it up, if you see the normal Windows images then the video card and laptop is OK and the problem is definitely the backlight.

Dim image and/or dark display on the laptop's LCD screen indicates a faulty LCD backlight and it could be the inverter that supplies high voltage to the CCFL lamp or it is the CCLF lamp is nearly burnt out or burnt out, most likely this is the case.
The inverter can be replaced easily but the CCLF lamp is more time consuming and requires soldering skills.
Check out www.lcdparts.net for parts, repair service and DIY info.

You could have a defective screen - a defective inverter or a CCFL lamp.
To determine if you have a LCD screen or video card problem, read this and follow the instructions.

Defective CCFL backlight, it may have the following symptom:

• Screen flashs on red/pink and off.
• Picture stays on in red and slowly be come normal.
• Picture flickering with dim display.
• Picture flickering on and off.

All these symptoms indicate that the LCD backlight lamp (CCFL Lamp) has reached the end of the life and all you need to do is replacing the CCFL lamp

Connect an external monitor to your laptop and power it up, if you see the normal Windows images then the video card and laptop is OK and the problem is definitely the backlight.

Dim image and/or dark display on the laptop's LCD screen indicates a faulty LCD backlight and it could be the inverter that supplies high voltage to the CCFL lamp or it is the CCLF lamp is nearly burnt out or burnt out, most likely this is the case.
The inverter can be replaced easily but the CCLF lamp is more time consuming and requires soldering skills.
Check out www.lcdparts.net for parts, repair service and DIY info.

Usually a bad lamp. If the lamp you replaced is new, then cleaning the internal mirrors (especially the small triangular one) and clean the projector assembly as well. The lamp ballast supply may be weak as well, but I seldom see this.