Where can I find a replacement front screen for my rear projector TV set?

My daughter tried to clean it up with one of those green scruffy sponges for teflon. It's trashed. It's a 50" 4:3 TV and I really don't want to go to the 16:9 sets because we mostly watch old movies; to get a 50" picture would require something like a 70" 16:9 set. (I also love this set.)

I was looking on the web and I went nuts trying to find anything. The parts (Mitsubishi VS-50501A) no longer exist.

 

You may already have tried these folk - but the only thing that comes up as a possibilty for an original part when I had a look was to give Partsolver a call http://www.partsolver.com/sitemap/mitsubishi/vs50501a/index.htm They don't have any parts listed but they may have an alternative. I assume it is "just" the lenticular screen on the very outside that is dusted.

Otherwise these folk may be able to help point you in the right direction - they are in Texas but may have a network http://www.geocities.com/[email protected]/

These folk have a nationwide screen repair service http://www.mightyshield.com/brokenscreen.htm

Sorry to hear of your mishap - hope you find a solution.

All the best - Andrew

 

I replaced the screen on my Hitachi 50" a few years ago. I discovered that any screen would basically work. I think we used a Pioneer. The screen itself was just a think rolled up piece that was a little too big and had to be trimmed. When you take apart the old screen you will find that it is actually 2 pieces, one thick and one thin. The thick piece in the back is likely still good. IIRC this piece was about 1/4" thick and the screen part was less than 1/16". Once the screen is out of the frame it's not that difficult to replace the thin part and reassemble the whole thing. I think my piece cost around $200.00, but a new screen from Hitachi was more than double that. IIRC, there was an adhesive backing on the thin part, and it was a bit tricky lining it up on the thicker piece. It's been a few years now and all is fine with it. I never noticed much difference in performance. Oh, once the screen is off, take some windex and clean the projector tubes, which are likely dusty. This alone made my set much brighter and made it look like new. It is now 14 years old and still works like new.

I actually got my new screen from a TV repair shop and had the guy from the shop come over and help me put it in. He did a convergence touch up at the same time, so it justified the expense of having him help with the work. It was a pretty good trick to figure out how to get the screen off. I imagine most RPTV's are a bit different in this regard, so that will likely be the toughest part. I think he charged me only $100 or so, but this can vary. Make your best deal.

 

Unfortunately, my 1987-era RPTV has a bad green tube in it, no longer available. (It's not non-functional, but it is fuzzy.) The front screen, too, appears to be unavailable as well. This one is just one single piece. Unfortunately something oozed down the front of it, and no amount of gentle cleaning has been able to get it off of there. I will probably let the kids use it until it dies.

 

Rudy I thought mine was a single piece as well, and yours ceratinly could be. I had some liquid that got in mine and I tried to clean it off but to no avail. Once I got it apart I discovered that the reason I couldn't clean it was because it was in between the two layers. Once apart, it cleaned right up, but it was too late. I had scratched it up trying to clean it.

Btw, it came apart with one piece. The thin part hard to be peeled off the thicker part.

 

Thank you one and all - I am hoping to just find the 1/16th inch piece of plastic with the ridges that I can cut to size. I will check out these links later and also inquire at a TV repair service.

Again, thanks!