I'll do my best. I pretty much hate phone conversations like this, but yeah, I am definitely not going to be stuck with this unresolved problem.

I forgot to mention that the local repair tech has mentioned the last couple of times that many other SXRD sets in the area are being serviced for the same problem with the discolorations (though no one else has mentioned the blacking out). It's not a big area, so it sounds like it's a real problem with the technology.