Image Retention on my Samsung LCD?

[SDon1969]

Hey all. I've been having a problem with my TV the past month or two. It first began mostly on weekends, giving me trouble after being on for most of the day.

It must have something to do with getting hotter and hotter, because the picture was fine during the first several hours of use. Then, after being on most of the day (say 10 hours or so), I started seeing where the black bars would be. Watching 1.78 or 1.85:1 content, I was able to discern where the black bars were because a few inches of screen (both top & bottom) were tinted greenish-yellow. Depending on the image, the problem ranged in severity - blacks, in particular, develop an ugly tint of green at the top and bottom of my screen. Blue skies also look terrible. It is extremely distracting and ruins the viewing experience.

Presently, it only takes 3 or 4 hours for this to happen. It makes watching 1.78/1.85:1 blu-rays or HD television aggravating. The issue is only getting worse over time.

The TV is a Samsung LN-T4061F 40" LCD. I've had it since Jan. '08 and it gets plenty of use.

Is the TV destined for the junkyard or is there something I can do?