Who makes the Hitachi lc57 DLP lamps?

Hitachi doesn't make lamps for their DLP TVs! Philips is the original lamp manufacturer for your Hitachi lc57 Lamp. In rare instances, Osram may also be the original, but they still use a Philips lamp driver, or ballast, so it's best to replace with a Philips brand UHP lamp!

Watch my demonstration!

How does the Hitachi lc57 DLP Lamp work?

• Hitachi lc57 lamps are pre-charged with about 15,000 volts
• There is no actual filament inside because it's a gas lamp
  (Hg - mercury vapor)
• Hitachi DLP lamps will fail continuity test

How long do Hitachi DLP lamps usually last?

• First Generation Hitachi lamps lasted from 2,000 to 3,000 hours or more.
• Second Generation Hitachi lamps will last up to 8,000 hours.
• Second Generation Hitachi lamps have better consistency.
• All depending on your usage and the type of lamp you have.

What are the benefits of replacing the entire lamp unit (the lamp and the enclosure)?

• Super quick installation.
• Just pop the old one out, and the new one in.
• Newer enclosures don't warp and are safer to re-use later.
• The cost is now almost negligible. You'll spend only $20 more for a lamp inside the enclosure from Discount-Merchant.com.

How easy is it to replace just the lamp?

It can take anywhere from 5-15 minutes depending on your personal dexterity with a screw driver, but replacing a lamp yourself is very straight forward. I can do it in 5 minutes!

Whether you have a Samsung, RCA, or Mitsubishi, swapping out the lamp is very easy. The ballast wires don't even have to go in any particular order because most DLP's use AC (alternating current, for those tech-savvy people).

Where do I purchase the lamps?

Hitachi lc57, sometimes written as UX21517 can be purchased from many places such as Discount-Merchant.com, which sells bulb-only and lamps with enclosures for various TV models. I highly recommend them because they are one of the largest parts distributors in the United States with a very loyal customer base. Any company can sell you lamps, but Discount-Merchant.com also provides free technical support and same day shipping--just read their reviews online!

NOTE: You're not always going to be able to see the part numbers and you shouldn't worry about them. The complete cage part number is what matters and this is usually on the lamp housing and on the right side of your TV.

Symptoms of a bad lamp:

• If you hear audio, but have no picture
• If you hear a ballast click, but the lamp doesn't ignite
• If you can't see the lamp light up in the back of the TV
• If you have blinking lamp indicator lights
• Visual indication that the lamp is blown
• Dim picture after years of use

Symptoms of another part malfunctioning:

• Consistent or inconsistent clicking from the ballast
• Screeching or winding sounds from the color wheel
• No picture, no audio (possible power supply or ballast)
• Blurry picture, or truncated picture (DMD or light tunnel)
• No blinking lights, or different blinking lights
• Spots or blobs on the screen (prevalent in LCD projection)

How do I take my enclosure out of my TV?

Unplug your TV set first and locate the lamp door.

1. Remove the screws securing the enclosure door.

2. Once removing the screws, remove the lamp door.

3. Inside your TV set you're going to see a plastic/metal case.

4. Gently pull the enclosure out.

5. Prepare your new enclosure to be installed.

6. Slide in the new enclosure.

7. Make sure you put the lamp correctly, you should feel a click at the end.

8. Put the enclosure door back in its place.

9. Put the screws that secure the door and that´s it. We're finished.

Click here to watch the video guide!

What do I need to replace my lamp?

What you'll need:

1. Phillips screwdriver
2. New DLP Lamp (You can buy it from Discount-Merchant.com)
3. Gloves are recommended

Note: You should handle the bulb with gloves or a lint-free cloth. Oils from your fingers can damage the bulb!

This is what happens when you touch the lamp with bare hands

1. Oils from your fingers get on the glass of the lamp.

2. When the lamp is on, the oils help heat up that particular spot on the lamp, called a hot spot.

3. That hot spot can shatter the glass on the lamp.

NOTE: The lamp can still be usable, but there will be a noticeable shadow in the picture.

Hitachi lc57 Replacement Guide

1.-Hitachi DLP Lamp lc57

2.-With the screwdriver remove the metal casing from the rest of the unit.

3.-Lift it up carefully, and then give it a small tug.

4.-Now, start removing the screws holding the cables to the plastic casing.

5.-Next, remove the screws that secure the metal ring to the lamp. of the lamp.

6.-Continue with the ones holding a metal piece that binds together the plastic enclosement.

7.-Take apart the two pieces, and keep the one with the lamp inside.

8.-Take off the metal ring from the bulb, and remove both until your left with the plastic base.

9.-If you look inside you’ll notice two serpent pieces, remove them, you won’t need them anymore.

10.-Let’s continue by removing the two plastic covered cables connected to the bulb.

11.-Ready your new Philips brand lamp that should look like this.Grab the metal ring and place it over the new lamp.

12.-Reconnect both cables to the new lamp and make sure they don’t move.

13.-Insert the metal ring back on the lamp and place both back to the plastic base.

14.-Tighten well both screws on either side, and make sure it doesn’t move.

15.-Reassemble the two plastic casings back together.

16.-Secure well the screws on the small metal plate.

17.-And then the ones that hold together the two cables and the casing.

18.-Place the metal cage back and make sure it stays in place.

19.-Finish by incerting the screw back on the metal cage so it doesn’t move.

20.-Finally this is what it looks like when you’re finished.

Click here to watch the video guide!

1. If the LAMP, TEMP, and POWER LED are blinking in the order below, the television is warming up.

2. Your Hitachi LCD Rear Projection Television may appear to be OFF when it is set to input 1 ~ input 5 and the video signal is not received from the input jacks. Please make sure the Blue Power light indicator is not lit (OFF) when you are not watching for long lasting performance.

3. Your Hitachi LCD Rear Projection Television has an internal lamp that lights up the TV screen. Make sure to turn off the Power when you do not watch the LCD Rear Projection Television for longer lamp life.

TEMP indicator This light is off during normal operation. If this indicator is lit, the optic unit is too hot. If this indicator is blinking, the cooling fan has stopped. Please call service.

LAMP indicator - NORMAL OPERATION INDICATOR IS OFF If light is lit, the lamp has failed. See page 69-72 for lamp replacement procedure. Consult your Hitachi dealer for proper part. If light is blinking, lamp cover is not assembled securely after replacement.

Front Panel LED Indicators

Comment on this article!

Any questions or comments are appreciated; I'll try to answer them as soon as I can! Simply drop me an email at adelauney84@hotmail.com. So, leave some comments!

• How long has your lamp lasted? I've heard some lasting 15,000 hours!
• Was it easy to install?
• Who have you purchased from?
• What's your experience buying online?

You can also sign up for our forums at FixYourDLP.com/forums for expert advice!

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