This is probably a stupid question, but I was wondering whether setting my Samsung HLS-4265W DLP's contrast or brightness levels really high is harder on the bulb or the TV itself than running it at lower levels. For instance, if I set the contrast to 95 and leave it there for all viewing, will that be harder on the TV or the bulb than if it was set to 45 or 50? It seems to me that it shouldn't make any difference, but I just want to be sure.

Any thoughts?

No, it doesn't hurt the bulb, but it is not the correct setting! You really need to get yourself a calibration DVD, such as AVIA or DVE, to properly set your white and black levels for optimal viewing.

No disrespect intended because I understand what you're saying, but isn't the "correct" setting whatever is pleasing to my eye? Truth be told, I can't seem to settle on settings I like. I've tried Eliab's recommendations, but they don't seem bright enough. I ran the THX Optimizer and after that ended up with contrast at 95 and brightness at about 38, which is what I think I might use for my Xbox 360, hence my question.

No disrespect intended because I understand what you're saying, but isn't the "correct" setting whatever is pleasing to my eye?
Not really. The correct settings will usually look on the dark side, until you get used to them. If the settings are not correct, you can lose details in dark or bright areas of a scene (eventhough, as you say, PQ looks "good" to your eye). THX Optimizer should get you close, although it is not as accurate as AVIA ro DVE.

Settings on a tv are largely influenced by the ambient light in the room and the viewer's personal tastes.

That's the reason the manufacturers include controls on the set!!

All tv manufacturers include a high contrast "torch" mode and a "movie" or "professional" mode" on their sets. They include these as they meet provide a starting point to meet many people's preference.

The readership in this forum is more towards the "movie/professional" side of things. While these modes may be technically closer to broadcast standards, and provide the most detail in scenes, they appear dark and washed out to many.

My philosophy is that he who pays for the set gets to set it up the way he or she likes it. If that means dark dull pictures or blazing orange faces, it's your set.

It is good to experiment a bit with different settings. What looks good initially may not look so good once you see a picture with accurate color representation and skin tones. When you get hooked on good settings, all the others don't matter.