One of the biggest reasons projectors aren’t embraced by the masses is the installation process.
And then there are likely to be a host of workability concerns the average Joe doesn’t want to deal with, such as the projector turning off cold turkey.
Televisions never shut themselves off abruptly without external input. It snaps on you only when the power’s gone or someone turns it off with a remote without your knowledge.
And the “turning off” issue is endemic to all kinds or makes of projectors. Sony makes some of the best projectors, but even their devices aren’t immune to the problem.
If you own a Sony projector and face the same concern with your particular device, read on to learn why the device snaps on you when you least expect it to and the steps you could take to address the problem.
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Why Does My Sony Projector Keep Turning Off?
Your Sony projector may turn off for different reasons.
The cause is usually hardware-based. A projector is a piece of electronic hardware with a limited lifespan.
And there’s also the aspect of how you use your device or the conditions it’s subjected to.
Here are some of the most common reasons why your Sony device keeps turning off:
Iffy Power Supply
If your projector’s power supply has issues, the device could unexpectedly shut off, possibly averting a major catastrophe.
When you plug in the device and the fan doesn’t spin, the projector is not receiving any power.
The lack of power supply could be a poor connection, a faulty mains socket, surge issues, and/or a bad power strip.
A dead battery can cause power woes if your Sony projector is portable.
Solution: Before trying to power on the device, ensure the connection is proper. Ensure it’s plugged in correctly and the electrical outlet is working.
If the projector still doesn’t turn on, check its power cord for defects. If it’s cut, bent, or twisted, get it fixed or replaced.
If there are voltage concerns with the internal components, getting Sony support onboard is highly recommended.
If it’s a battery-powered device, make sure its power cell is adequately charged. If it’s fully charged but loses energy rapidly, the battery is likely toast.
If the battery is user-replaceable, get a replacement battery. If it is not, find out if Sony can replace the battery.
It should be able to in most situations. But if it cannot, you’d likely have to buy a new projector.
Suppose the projector is relatively new or is under warranty. You can usually get the battery replacement done for free under the buyer contract or get a replacement projector (new or Sony-refurbished).
(Kindly note you must replace the battery of your Sony projector at only an authorized center.)
Inactivity
Suppose your projector is turned on and not casting visuals on the screen for a few minutes (usually 10 minutes or more). In that case, it automatically enters standby mode—meaning the projector is powered off or sipping on power.
You may liken the setting to the sleep mode on your computer.
The standby (or blank) mode helps protect the lamp’s lifespan, and, as a result, the projector’s too.
When you turn on a projector while it’s on standby, the impact on the bulb due to a sudden surge of incoming power is minimal as it’s not entirely powered off.
It’s, therefore, recommended to let your projector remain in blank mode when taking mini-breaks between projection sessions.
If the projector is your only source of visual entertainment, keeping it in standby mode throughout the day is recommended.
Please turn it off only before you’re off to bed.
Solution: You can disable standby mode in your projector’s settings to prevent the automatic winding down, although we recommend against it.
Soaring Temperature
If your Sony projector has been at work for hours together, it’s likely to get pretty warm.
And when it does, it shuts down the lamp and enters standby mode to let the bulb cool down.
Projectors usually come with a built-in sensor to monitor temperatures. Whenever the device gets overheated, or the bulb is too hot, the projector shuts itself down as a safety measure.
There’s no set number of hours of continuous use allowed. A projector can run for several hours or enter failure mode within an hour of service based on its environment.
The dirt clogged within, and the lack of ventilation also contribute to your Sony projector’s unwillingness to complete a marathon movie session without batting an eye.
In other words, a dirty or worn-out filter could also cause the projector to heat and eventually shut itself off prematurely.
The fan spinning noisily than usual indicates the projector is feeling congested.
Solution: Clean your projector routinely and ensure it’s got sufficient airflow while it’s turned on.
Get a new filter if the air filter is used up entirely or cleaning doesn’t revive it.
Dead Lamp
A dead or declining lamp is another reason your projector could be turning off routinely.
But before that happens, the lamp is likely to pose functionality concerns, such as discolored or dull images.
When a projector lamp is nearing its death, it usually overheats within a few minutes of use.
Its usage numbers would have also been likely exceeded the recommended use too.
Solution: Replacing the lamp usually fixes the problem.
To preempt the situation, keep an eye on the bulb’s life statistics in the projector’s settings so that you can replace the bulb before it abruptly quits on you.
Internal Component Failure
Besides a dead or faulty lamp, the other components failing the projector could also cause an unexpected shutdown of your Sony projector.
The second most likely part on a projector to fail after its lamp is its power supply board.
Solution: A replacement is the only option when a component fails—be it the lamp or the board.
Faulty Software/Bugs
Although hardware-related causes are usually why your Sony projector turned off without warning, the software could sometimes be the reason.
If the software is not updated or buggy, it may not communicate with the hardware components optimally and force-shut the device at times.
Solution: The fix is to reset the device. If the software is outdated, update the same.
Head to the system update section in the projector’s settings and check for an OTA (over the air) update to update the system software.
If there is one, update the software following the steps on the screen.
If the screen prompt says your projector software is current, even if it isn’t, you may sideload the software, BIOS, firmware updates, and/or drivers for your device.
Here is the official page for the downloads for different Sony projectors. Type in your model’s name and the relevant pieces of code shall be available to download.
Offload the newest software to a thumb drive so it’s ready to be fed to your Sony projector.
Here are the steps to update the software manually:
- Insert the flash drive with the latest software contents into your Sony projector’s USB port.
- Turn the projector on so that the update process begins automatically. It could take a few minutes for the process to complete.
- After the update is over, the projector shall enter standby mode. At this point, you may remove the thumb drive.
- Turn on the projector. Since the projector is freshly updated, it could take more time than usual for its laser light to go off. Once the light comes on, it means the update is complete.
(During the bootup, the standby/on indicator would flash, denoting the device is at work.)
- Head to the settings on the device to check the software or its version number is the latest. If it is, the update’s successful.
Conclusion
You should know that your Sony projector could turn off suddenly for different reasons.
And as mentioned above, the issue is not something inherent or specific to Sony devices. Pretty much all projectors encounter the problem time and again.
Luckily, the problem is not a significant concern and can be dealt with at home.
If you’re an avid projector user, just letting the device breathe for some time is usually all needed to get it back into the business.
But if it’s a more significant underlying cause or an issue that necessitates opening the device and inspecting its innards, it’s recommended you don’t dig in yourself.
Contact Sony support, mainly if the projector is still under warranty.
The last thing you’d want is to wreck the device for good and also nullify manufacturer support.
Catherine Tramell has been covering technology as a freelance writer for over a decade. She has been writing for Pointer Clicker for over a year, further expanding her expertise as a tech columnist. Catherine likes spending time with her family and friends and her pastimes are reading books and news articles.