Projector White Dots Repair
Is your screen looking like a starry night? We specialize in replacing faulty DMD chips to restore your image to factory perfection.
Typical Symptom
DMD Chip Failure Pattern
The "Starry Night" Effect Explained
If your projector image is covered in small white or black dots that resemble stars, you are experiencing a failure of the Digital Micromirror Device (DMD) chip. This is the heart of any DLP projector.
Inside the chip, there are millions of microscopic mirrors—one for every pixel. Over time, heat stress causes the tiny hinges on these mirrors to seize.
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White Dots Mirrors stuck in the "ON" position, permanently reflecting light.
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Black Dots Mirrors stuck in the "OFF" position, creating dead pixels.
This is a hardware failure. It cannot be fixed by cleaning or settings. The chip must be replaced.
The Counterfeit Chip Risk
Many budget repair shops use "pulled" or "refurbished" DMD chips from dead units to cut costs. These chips have already suffered heat stress and typically fail again within 3 months.
Projector Repair UK uses only Grade-A chips sourced directly from authorized Texas Instruments distributors, ensuring longevity and image stability.
Case Study: The Snowy Sports Bar
Problem: A London sports bar's Optoma HD141X developed thousands of white dots right before the World Cup. The image was unwatchable.
Solution: We collected the unit, replaced the 1080p DMD chip, and upgraded the thermal pads to industrial-grade material to handle the bar's smoky/hot environment.
Result: Restored to factory clarity for £250 (vs £700 for a new unit).
The Physics of DMD Failure
Why do micro-mirrors fail? The science behind the white dots.
1. Thermal Stress Fatigue
A DMD chip contains millions of aluminum mirrors (1920x1080 for Full HD). Each mirror sits on a torsion hinge that flexes thousands of times per second. Projectors generate immense heat. When the cooling system (fans and heatsinks) becomes clogged with dust, the operating temperature of the chip rises.
Excessive heat causes the microscopic hinges to lose elasticity. Eventually, they snap or seize. If a mirror seizes while angled towards the lens, it creates a permanent White Dot. If it seizes away from the lens (towards the light absorber), it creates a Black Dot.
2. The "Cascade Effect"
DMD failure rarely stays static. It usually starts with one or two dots. However, once the thermal threshold of the chip bonding has been compromised, the failure accelerates.
You may see 5 dots one day, 20 the next, and hundreds within a week. This is why we recommend replacing the chip immediately upon the first sign of failure. The degraded chip can also draw irregular voltage, potentially stressing the mainboard formatter logic if left too long.
Home Cinema & Consumer DLP
BenQ, Optoma, Acer, ViewSonic
BenQ (W / TK Series)
Models: W1070, W2000, TK800, TK850
BenQ units are robust, but the W1070 series is now reaching an age where the original thermal pads are drying out. This causes the DMD to lose contact with the heatsink, leading to rapid white dot development. We replace the chip and upgrade the thermal interface material.
Optoma (HD / UHD)
Models: HD141X, UHD60, UHD40, UHD35
The 4K UHD series uses the smaller 0.47" DMD chip which runs hotter than older 1080p chips. We see frequent failures in UHD40/UHD60 models. Our repair involves cleaning the specialized micro-fins on the heatsink to prevent recurrence.
Acer & ViewSonic
Models: PJD7820, H6510BD, PX701
Budget-friendly DLP models often use smaller cooling fans to reduce noise. In dusty environments, these fans lose efficiency quickly, baking the DMD chip. We often recommend upgrading the exhaust fan during the chip replacement service.
Ultra Short Throw (UST) & Laser TV
Modern 4K Laser TVs pack immense heat into compact boxes. The 0.47" DMD chip used in these units is highly susceptible to thermal failure.
Supported Brands
- Hisense (L5 / L9)
- Wemax (Nova)
- VAVA (Chroma)
- XGIMI (Aura)
- Optoma (CinemaX P1/P2)
- AWOL Vision (LTV-3500)
- Formovie (Theater)
- Leica (Cine 1)
- Samsung (The Premiere)
- JMGO / NexiGo
The "Small Chip" Problem
To achieve 4K resolution at a consumer price point, almost all Laser TVs use a technique called "XPR Pixel Shifting" with a small 0.47-inch DMD chip. This chip has to work four times harder than a native 4K chip, vibrating efficiently to create the image.
Combined with the intense heat of a laser light source in a small box sitting against a wall (poor airflow), these chips fail frequently. We stock the specific TI DLP470TE and DLP470TP chips required for these high-end units.
Business & Education
Reliable repairs for classroom and meeting room fleets.
The "Classroom Snowstorm"
In schools, projectors are often ceiling-mounted. Heat rises. This means the air intake at the ceiling is often 5-10 degrees warmer than floor level.
Brands like Acer, Promethean (DLP models like PRM-45), and Smartboard suffer heavily from this. When the DMD fails in a classroom, it often looks like a "snowstorm" of white dots, making text unreadable.
We offer bulk repair discounts for schools. We don't just swap the chip; we clean the entire optical path to improve airflow and prevent the new chip from failing next term.
Non-DLP Brands (Myth-Busting)
Do Epson or Sony projectors get white dots?
Epson (3LCD) and Sony (SXRD) do not use DMD chips. They cannot get "White Dot" failure.
They DO get "Dust Blobs" (fuzzy coloured circles) or "Dead Pixels" (single fixed coloured dots). This requires a different repair (Optical Cleaning or LCD Panel replacement), which we also provide.
Large Venue & Pro AV
Barco, Christie, Panasonic, Digital Projection
3-Chip DLP Failure
High-end venues use 3-Chip DLP (one chip for Red, Green, Blue). If a DMD fails here, you don't get white dots. You get Coloured Dots (e.g., Red stars). We can identify and replace the specific failed channel chip.
Christie & Barco
Large venue chips are robust but liquid cooling failures can overheat them. We service the glycol cooling loops in models like the Christie M-Series and Barco F-Series to protect the DMDs.
Panasonic & NEC
For installation models like the Panasonic PT-RZ series, "stuck on" pixels are rare but "stuck off" (black dead pixels) are more common. We offer chip replacement for these high-lumen units.
Is it Worth Repairing?
The economic case for DMD replacement is strong, especially for 1080p and 4K units.
Replacement Cost
A new 1080p Home Cinema projector starts at £600. A decent 4K Laser TV starts at £2,500.
Repair Cost
Our DMD chip replacement service typically costs between £160 - £350 (depending on the chip model). This effectively renews the core image generator of your device.
Restore Your Perfect Picture
Don't let dead pixels ruin your presentation or movie night. Get a free, no-obligation quote for DMD chip replacement.
Technical Review by Claire E. - Electronic Engineer, Wells Electronics Ltd
Last Updated: January 2026