Surround Sound System help!

YeovilFC

Hi everyone

A couple of queries......

I've got a Samsung HT-THX25 home entertainment system which I bought about a year and half ago. Lately, when I've had it on for a while it flashes up with "protection" and shuts off... after a bit of research I presumed it was probably overheating so bought a little external cooling fan. This worked fine until this evening when I forgot to switch the fan on, and after a couple of hours watching the unit started smoking!! It was all still working fine but naturally I rushed to switch it off. It switches back on fine and works ok but I'm a bit apprehensive to use it again! Would I be right in thinking this?!

I contacted the company I bought it from a few weeks ago when it started shutting off, and they said to take it to an electrical shop to get an report stating the fault. They said: "If the report shows this to be a manufacturing/hardware error, we will reimburse any cost you have incurred for obtaining the report and will organise for the faulty unit to be collecting from you and for a replacement to be sourced."
Is the unit overheating like to be a "manfacturing/hardware error" or will I just be wasting my time and money?

Which leads me onto my next question...
I've spotted a cheaper Samsung surround sound unit at Sainsburys, but the speakers aren't as good as my current ones. Would the new unit itself work with the speakers I already have? i.e. would they have the same connections? I realise the best thing would be to check myself, but they don't have the unit in my local store, so wouldn't want to order it if it wasn't going to work.

Hope this all makes sense, and thanks in advance for any advice.

missile

If you have the model refernce for the cheaper model, we might be able to comment.

I would suggest you contact Samsung, see here> http://www.samsung.com/uk/support/main/supportMain.do

Home Theater : </SPAN>Why is the Display showing Protect?
If the display is showing 'protect' contact Samsung customer care 0845 SAMSUNG (726 7864) as the unit may need to be repaired.

trets77

okay it sounds like your Amp is auto shutting itself off to protect from a short circuit .

Pretty much all modern amps do this if you cross a + & - Speaker Wire or analogue interconnect .

whats probably happening is a speaker wire is frayed or something where it is hooked up to the Amp or speaker . even tiny sliver is enough to make a electrical connection .

a good quality Banana plug or spade termination will cure it . be careful with the cheap as chips ones from Ebay as they can be fiddly and and not up for the job . try a known brand

these might be okay if they are Belkin . worth doing even if you get a new System .

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Belkin-Pure-AV-Blue-Series-Banana-Plugs-Speaker-/110557739257?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_Computing_CablesConnectors_RL&hash=item19bdc138f9#ht_1081wt_805

these are what i use . very very good but they are Expensive

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/4-QED-SCREWLOC-Gold-Spade-Terminals-Qunex-Cable-Plugs-/290428933739?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_Computing_CablesConnectors_RL&hash=item439ee9d66b#ht_1925wt_805

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/QED-SCREWLOC-Gold-4mm-BANANA-PLUGS-Connectors-Qunex-x-4-/300407533818?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_Computing_CablesConnectors_RL&hash=item45f1af30fa#ht_1990wt_805


if you have a hi fi interconnect in your system then this might be causing the short . when i purchased one of these , they shorted out My Onkyo into Protection mode after about 1 or 2 songs every time . cured with a folded piece of cardboard wedged between the 2 terminals .

YeovilFC

missile wrote: »

If you have the model refernce for the cheaper model, we might be able to comment.

I would suggest you contact Samsung, see here> http://www.samsung.com/uk/support/main/supportMain.do

Thanks for your help, the new model I'm looking at is the HT-C350. The speakers I've currently got are the stand alone speakers, and give off a really good sound, so I'd be reluctant to change them if I didn't have to.

I forgot to say in the OP that I contacted Samsung like you recommended, but they said they couldn't help because I'd had the unit for a year and a half, and I'd need to contact the company I purchased it from.


Trets, thanks for your suggestions and research, I've had a made check all the connections which he says are fine, I'm pretty sure it's overheating because it gets very warm, and only went funny last night because I'd forgotton to switch the external fan on. It also always took 2 or 3 hours to display 'protection' and shut off.
Will my unit still be safe to use even after all the smoking last night? AFAIK it still works ok, but I'm reluctant to use it.

I was wondering if anyone would know if it all sounds like a manufacturing/hardware issue, or if it's just occured through time and use?
Then I can decide whether to get it fixed and claim the money back, or ditch it and buy a new one.

YeovilFC

bump! :whistle:

PhilYHC

let me know where abouts in Yeovil you are, and i may be able to pop round and have a looksee for you?

YeovilFC

PhilYHC wrote: »

let me know where abouts in Yeovil you are, and i may be able to pop round and have a looksee for you?

Phil, thanks so much for the offer, but I'm actually down in the depths of Plymouth (I must be mad making the 2 hour journey up every other Saturday!).
But thanks for the offer, really appreciated.