RCA HDLP50W151 50" Rear Projection HDTV Logo
timothy kent Posted on Jun 30, 2007

Shadow on upper left corner

I have a RCA SCENIUM DLP projection tv(HDLP50W151). When watching any input it has a shadow or darkened area in the very upper left corner of the screen. The picture can still be seen but it is shadowed. I took the screen apart from the TV and inspected it for damage and cleaned all the mirrors. I inspected the main light bulb and the drive engine for any problems... didn't find anything wrong. Any suggestions???

  • 15 more comments 
  • timothy kent Aug 16, 2007

    I don't know if Guest read the disciption but this was a projection T.V. and speakers will not affect the screen.... After looking at the T.V. up and down I noticed that there is a lens between the high intensity light bulb and the mirror wheel and there is a crack in it and this is causing the shadow problem. So if anyone knows how I can find a replacement it would be greatly appreciated.

  • Silverking Dec 02, 2007

    I also have a RCA HDLP61W151 with the same problem.(shadow on the upper left corner)What is the solution to repairing the shadow ? Please send comments to [email protected]

  • Anonymous Dec 04, 2007

    Have the same issue with the same results, best thing to do is nothing or it will keep costing you more, live with it or get another brand. Always liked RCA Not any More this is the last RCA Product of any kind I will ever buy. They will not admit to a problem or fix a customer complaint.

  • frenche Dec 29, 2007

    I have the same problem>shadow on upper left.I contacted the local dealer I bought the set from ,He said that he has never heard about a shadow problem with this TV.I paid a lot of money for this TV and three years later I and a lot of others have the same problem. I too will never buy an other RCA product again.Oh, by the way the dealer does not sell RCA TV's any more.

  • gunnarw Feb 25, 2008

    25FEB08. Have same RCA Scenium, 62" DLP issue. Shadow in upper left corner. I have not taken the TV apart to investigate. Have been living with this for approx. 1 month.

    Any new data on how to fix this??

  • rcsubi Mar 01, 2008

    I have the dlp 50" RCA an it has a shadow in the upper left corner that is growing. Any thoughts on how to solve this problem.

  • DAN RAD Mar 07, 2008

    Same problem, I will let you know how my tv picture looks after I adjust the 4 small mirrors behind the color wheel. "RCA SUCKS "

  • pvtdna Mar 11, 2008

    Yup, same problem started in on my 61" not too long ago. Took the TV apart and was able to see the "light tube" which looked like a v parallelogram. Come to find out it is supposed to be a rectangular shaft composed of 4 small mirrors that directs the light from the lamp. I was able to manipulate it mildly but could not get one wall mirror to move back into place but completely but for the most part I was able to remove the shadow - "most part". It will likely return so I am looking for a repair manual that will show me how to remove the light tube so I can get at it and actually fix it. Oh yea RCA was bought by a Chinese company and thanks to a deal Clinton made a few years back companies are no longer required to manufacture replacement parts past the model line warranty so no parts and the repair shops I talked to don't want to mess with them and if they do it is expensive. Anyone know how to get ahold of a manual or how to disassemble the light engine let me know.

  • jupp428 Jul 12, 2008

    Well, just tonight, out of the blue, the same shadow on the upper left corner appeared on our tv screen. Same model of RCA 61".. Has anyone gotten any update on how to fix it? or maybe give me some pointers on how to open up and clean the inside or if it's a crack somewhere?



    We've had this tv for four years now.



    Anyone know if RCA does trade in?

  • tvmojo Oct 14, 2008

    I have the same issue. Interested in hearing anyone with a positive solution!

  • Anonymous Oct 19, 2008

    Any one figure out what to do about shadow in upper left corner for HDLP50W151?

  • wdlanier Nov 16, 2008

    I have a dark shadow about 4 inches wide down the right side of my screen on my RCA 61" DLP. I removed the lamp and looked at glass between lamp and light engine and it appeared to have a crack or fracture identical to what I heard someone else mention. I also saw that someone else on here said this crack, if in fact it was a fracture, was probably not the cause of my issue and that it was probably a loose mirror. I am at a loss as to what is the problem and more importantly as to how I can repair without costing more than purchasing a replacement TV?

  • pyrogenic Dec 11, 2008

    I have the same version of this problem as wdlanier - and the shadow has grown over the last year or so from 2-6 inches.... Authorized repair center says 'not familiar' with this problem, but will look at it for $225 non-refundable deposit. I'm pretty handy, and since it sounds like an adjustment of that light-tube thing, I wonder if I should venture inside to find it and tinker. Just how risky do you all think this idea is? Is it clear where the adjustment screws are? Any hazards while removing the back cover?

  • kycubb Dec 24, 2008

    I have the same problem, found a crack in the lens mounted at the end of the light cone prior to the color wheel. So far I am unsuccessful in finding a replacement lens. It does not look like it would be too difficult to replace if I could find one.

  • dekski2k Jan 04, 2009

    What started about 6 months ago as a dark smuge spot about 2" by 2" in the upper right part of the screen has now become a shadow band about 4" wide running vertically on the right side of the screen.I am pretty handy at fixing things but was wondering if anyone has idea of what is causing this.

  • jim0708 Feb 08, 2009

    The top left corner has a shadow I think i might be a bad section of the mirror. Keep me posted on a fix.

  • bugcrash Feb 23, 2009

    50" DLP Upper left corner angle shadow. Seems like many people having the same problem but not much success in resolving. I too have this issue.

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  • Posted on Aug 05, 2009
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A little late and you've probably already solved it or are just living with it or are disgusted with it and have discarded the tv. But, in any event - here we go. The "light tunnel" bends the light toward your screen. At the beginning of that tunnel there is a plastic lens. The lens is secured with four little feet that a part of the lense. The lens is flat on the side closest to the screen. It fits on the end of the light tunnel closest to the light. The lens probably has a burnt spot. Probably the burn is caused by excess heat which is either a result of a fan failure or a one-time situation where the power went off while everything was hot and there was no cool down cycle. Another item to look at is in the light path before that lens. There is a small "window". It's actually a very thin piece of glass (about 1"X1") held in place by a horseshoe shaped clip and one screw. I think that glass has the purpose of keeping heat away from that plastic lens. If that glass is broken I think you'll have a heat "leak" and the plastic lens will continue to get worse.

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It's the light tunnel. The tunnel is a square tube made up of 4 mirrors glued together.

It looks like this from the side: |_| (with a piece on top too.)
When the glue breaks down, it shifts inside the little mirror holder. The shifted mirrors looks like this /_/ what you are seeing is the shadow of the tilted mirror tunnel.
ON the RCA's there's not a good fix.

RCA's response:
"Ok, well sadly they do not offer the light tunnel anymore, which is what you need. Sadly you would be rendered to get a whole new light engine assembly. That would be the D.N.D module, light tunnel,color wheel,optic spanner, and oci. mirror. Your best bet would be to search ebay for a broken engine and replace it that ways."

That is the ONLY response I got from them.

I took the set apart and found the 4 tiny mirrors. I will be attempting to epoxy them together. (The set is dead anyway, why not try?)

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  • Posted on Aug 17, 2009
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Cmstagg. Where can you get the plastic lens? Mine is burnt.

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  • Posted on Oct 25, 2007
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The part u are speaking of is called the light tunnel
U have 2 screws in the middel of it u must turn these screws to align the mirrors until ur shadow dissapear this part is no longer avalaible and u must replace the light engine assy if your tv is not under warranty it will cost u big $$$$  some samsung owners have the same problem with their dlp who use the same part.
In fact 1 of your mirrors has moved inside your light tunnel 80 percent chance that u can realign it with the adjustement screws if it is not under warranty replace the whole assy if it is

A

Anonymous

This is probably a dead thread but i will attempt to answer anyway, i have this same television with the same problem (shadow in the corner) however i took it apart and also had a crack in the piece of glass between the bulb and the color wheel. However the the location of the crack as compared to the shadow on the screen were not the same and therfore could not have been the problem. So, i took apart some more stuff and found a small square mirror tube which was mis-aligned. After messing with it until it completely fell apart ( which didnt take much for this flimsy poor contructed piece to my 4 grand TV) it fell into 4 small stips of mirror, which for the life of me i could not get back together until i thought of using scotch tape around the outside of it to hold it together while i placed it back in the metal clips that hold it in place. Well, upon reinstalling everything and trying the tv out, now i have a large angled shadow across the bottom of the screen. (shrug) . I did however just find a thread of another person who had all these same issues and contacted RCA who (according to his post) said they no longer make this small mirror tube but they would GLADLY let him send back the entire picture engine and have a mirror tube manufactured by a contractor and send it all back to him for 700 dollars........for the record, LAST TIME I EVER PURCHASE RCA ANYTHING! or anyone else i know for that matter!

A

Anonymous

At one point you might have passed a speaker close to that section of the screen or it did so whtn it was being shipped to you......... I had the same thing and RCA Pointed it out to me........

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