Projector Error Codes Decoded
Your projector is trying to tell you what's wrong. Use our comprehensive database to translate flashing LEDs into actionable repair diagnostics for 30+ leading brands.
The Language of LEDs
Projectors contain sophisticated self-diagnostic circuits. When a fault occurs—whether it's a stalled fan, an open lamp circuit, or a thermal sensor trip—the mainboard triggers a specific sequence of lights to indicate the source of the failure.
Accurately reading these codes can save hours of guesswork. However, manufacturers do not use a standardized "universal" language. A flashing red light on an Epson means something completely different to a flashing red light on a BenQ.
Before You Begin:
Ensure you distinguish between Static (Solid on) and Blinking (Flashing) lights. The speed of the blink (fast vs slow) can also indicate different sub-errors on professional models.
Select Your Projector Type
Diagnostics vary wildly between technologies. A laser TV's error codes are distinct from a traditional lamp unit. Choose your category to find your brand.
Home Cinema & Consumer
Sony, JVC, BenQ, Epson, Optoma, Sim2, LG, Samsung
Sony (SXRD / VPL Series)
SXRD2 Red Blinks (Lamp/Cover): The most common Sony error. Check the lamp door is fully seated. If the lamp door microswitch is engaged but the error persists, the temperature sensor on the lamp housing may be faulty.
3 Red Blinks (Temp/Fan): The internal temperature is too high. This often indicates a stalled fan in the optical block. Sony units are sensitive to dust buildup on the intake filters.
Blue/Yellow Haze: Not an error code, but a common symptom. The SXRD panels degrade over time (humidity damage), causing permanent discolouration. This requires optical block repair.
JVC (D-ILA / DLA Series)
D-ILAWarning + Lamp Flashing: Ballast failure. The high-voltage ignition circuit has failed to strike the lamp after 3 attempts. Requires ballast board repair.
Warning + Standby Flashing: Fan Lock. JVC projectors have multiple cooling zones. If the 'squirrel cage' fans near the LCoS panels seize, the unit will shut down instantly to protect the chips.
Gamma Drift: Older D-ILA units suffer from 'Gamma Droop', where the image becomes washed out or milky. We can re-calibrate the gamma tables using specialist software.
BenQ (W-Series / TK-Series)
DLPRed LAMP Indicator: Usually a blown bulb. However, if a new bulb doesn't fix it, the colour wheel sensor is dusty. The projector kills the lamp if it cannot detect the wheel's rotation speed.
Red TEMP Indicator: Fan failure. BenQ W1070/W2000 models have a specific exhaust fan that is prone to seizing. If the RPM drops below threshold, the unit shuts down.
Loud Whirring Noise: Colour wheel bearing failure. The wheel spins at 7200rpm. As bearings dry out, they scream. Immediate replacement is needed before the glass shatters.
Epson (TW-Series / LS-Series)
3LCDTemp Light Flashing: Auto Iris Error. On models like the TW9400, the mechanical iris gear can strip or get stuck with dust. The projector interprets this motor stall as a fatal error.
Blue + Orange Flashing: Internal Error. Often relates to the Cinema Filter mechanism getting stuck in the optical path. Listen for a grinding noise on startup.
Pink/Green Tint: Polarizer burnout. Heat damages the organic polarizing filters. If your blacks look green or your whites look pink, the blue polarizer needs replacement.
LG CineBeam
Laser/LEDPower Brick Failure: Often 'Dead' LG units are actually just a faulty external AC adapter. Check the brick LED first.
Focus Drift: On older PF-series models, the focus ring can become loose internally, requiring mechanical realignment.
Samsung (The Premiere)
Laser USTRed LED Blink (Power): Mainboard failure. Often related to the intricate power sequencing of the triple laser engine.
Laser Dimming: Premature dimming can occur if the liquid cooling loop on high-end models develops micro-leaks or air bubbles.
Laser TV & Ultra Short Throw (UST)
Hisense, Leica, Formovie, Wemax, VAVA, AWOL Vision
0.47" DMD Chip Models
Includes: Hisense L5/L9, VAVA Chroma, Leica Cine 1
White/Black Dots: The 0.47" DLP chip used in almost all 4K USTs runs extremely hot. "Stuck pixels" appearing as white stars are a sign of DMD thermal failure. Chip replacement is required.
Focus Drift: As the unit heats up (20-30 mins), the image may blur. This is due to plastic lens elements expanding. We can retrofit thermal pads to stabilize the block.
ALPD Laser Engines
Includes: Formovie Theater, Wemax Nova
Laser Dimming/Flicker: The phosphor wheel coating can degrade or get coated in fine dust, causing brightness fluctuations. Deep cleaning of the laser module is necessary.
Fan Noise: These compact chassis pack immense heat. Small, high-RPM fans often develop bearing rattle early. We replace them with high-grade MagLev fans.
Tri-Chroma & RGB Laser
Includes: AWOL Vision LTV-2500/3500
Colour Speckle: Not a fault but a characteristic of pure RGB laser interference. However, sudden colour shifts indicate a laser diode bank driver failure.
Overheating: Due to high brightness, these units require unrestricted airflow. Blocking side vents causes immediate thermal shutdown.
Lifestyle & Portable Smart Projectors
XGIMI, JMGO, NexiGo, Ultimea Thor
Auto-Focus & Keystone Failure
Brands like XGIMI and JMGO rely on ToF (Time of Flight) sensors for auto-focus. If the front sensor glass is dirty or scratched, the projector will constantly "hunt" for focus or set the keystone incorrectly.
Android Boot Loops
Smart projectors running Android TV often suffer from eMMC flash memory corruption if unplugged without shutting down. Symptoms include hanging on the logo or restarting endlessly. We perform firmware recovery.
Business & Education
Epson, NEC, ViewSonic, Acer, Optoma, Panasonic
Epson (EB-Series)
Classroom Workhorses
- Temp Error (Flashing Orange): Clogged air filter. 90% of classroom faults are due to blocked filters. Resetting the timer without cleaning burns the LCDs.
- Ballast Failure: If the unit clicks and tries to start but fails, the lamp driver circuit (ballast) is dead.
NEC (M / P Series)
Reliable & Robust
- Status Light Blinking (6 Times): Fan Error. NEC has detailed blink codes. 6 blinks usually means the exhaust fan is stalled.
- Colour Wheel Index: On DLP models, dust on the index sensor causes the wheel to lose sync, resulting in a monochrome or spinning colour image.
Optoma / Acer / ViewSonic
Budget DLP Models
- Dead (No Lights): Top cover switch failure. The safety switch that detects if the lamp cover is open often breaks, cutting power to the unit.
- DMD Dots: Very common in classrooms with poor ventilation. The DLP chip overheats and pixels stick in the 'on' (white) or 'off' (black) position.
Large Venue & Pro AV
Barco, Christie, Digital Projection, Hitachi, Panasonic, Eiki
Barco
Series-2 / Series-4Error 70 / 72 (Liquid Cooling): High-end Barco units use glycol coolant. Pump failure or leaks are critical. Leaking coolant often destroys the Formatter Board below the engine.
Convergence Drift: On 3-Chip DLP models, the prism assembly can shift due to thermal expansion, causing red/blue fringing on text. We perform mechanical realignment.
ICP Board Communication: 'Jail bars' or vertical lines often indicate a communication failure between the Integrated Cinema Processor (ICP) and the DMDs.
Christie
Solaria / BoxerError 13 (Formatter): Communication loss with the DMD. Usually requires reseating or replacing the specific DMD formatter board (Red, Green, or Blue channel).
NFC Lamp Tag: Christie lamps use NFC tags. A reader failure can prevent a perfectly good lamp from striking. We can repair the NFC reader logic.
Light Engine Seals: Oil leaks from the light engine cooling system can contaminate the optical path, requiring a full engine strip-down and seal replacement.
Digital Projection
HIGHlite / TITANMulti-Lamp PSU: TITAN units often run on 4 lamps. If individual lamps fail to strike, the specific sub-PSU for that channel has likely failed. The unit will run dim on 2/4 lamps.
Colour Wheel Shatter: The large diameter wheels in TITAN units are under immense G-force. Moving the unit while hot can shatter the glass instantly.
Panasonic (Pro)
PT-DZ / PT-RZYellow Line Defect: A specific stripe appearing in the image on older 3LCD models (PT-F series) indicates a degraded blue polarizer channel.
Phosphor Wheel Seizure: On RZ laser models, the phosphor wheel motor bearing is a common point of failure. The unit will shut down immediately to protect the laser bank.
Hitachi / Eiki
Legacy LCDFilter Scroll Error: Many large venue Hitachi units use a motorised scrolling filter. If the gears strip or the sensor gets dirty, it triggers a system halt error.
Organic LCD Rot: Older units suffer from UV degradation of the blue LCD panel, causing a permanent yellow cast to the image. Panel replacement is required.
Don't see your brand listed? We repair over 100 manufacturers including Sanyo, Runco, and Dell.
Submit an Enquiry for Your ModelThe Physics of Failure: Why It Happens
Thermal Stress
Repeated heating and cooling cycles cause micro-fractures in solder joints (BGA chips) and degrade thermal paste. This leads to component separation and 'No Signal' errors.
UV Degradation
High-intensity UV light from the lamp breaks down organic molecules in polarizing filters and LCD panels, causing yellowing and contrast loss over time.
Dust Contamination
Dust acts as an insulator, trapping heat. It also coats optical sensors (like colour wheel indices), causing timing errors and flickering colours.
Basic Diagnostic Steps
Hard Reset (Power Cycle)
Unplug the power cable completely. Hold the power button down for 30 seconds to drain capacitors. Reconnect and test. This clears logic glitches.
Filter Check
Remove the air filter. Is it grey/clogged? Tap it out or vacuum it. A blocked filter restricts air by 80%, triggering Temp errors instantly.
Lamp Inspection
Remove the lamp housing. Look at the bulb itself. Is the filament broken? Is there white frosting (mercury leaks)? If so, the lamp is dead.
Safety Warning
High Voltage Risk: The ballast unit generates 20,000V to ignite the lamp. Never operate a projector with the cover removed.
Mercury Risk: If a lamp has exploded (loud pop), evacuate the room and ventilate. The bulb contains high-pressure mercury vapour which is toxic.
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Technical Review by Claire E. - Electronic Engineer, Wells Electronics Ltd
Last Updated: January 2026