[chris larralde]

Common sense would dictate that higher lumens = hotter lamp = shorter life.


How come the LT150 at 800 lumens is rated at 1000 hours while the infocus 530 at 2000 lumens is rated at 2000 hours?


Is it within reason to speculate that a replacement NEC bulb could be available in the future with a longer bulb life?


Please enlighten me.

 

[Deane Johnson]

Chris:


Here's one way.


Deane
http://members.bellatlantic.net/~slithy/news/

 

[Jonmx]

Deane....LOL, did Chris know he was playing straight man for you?

 

[bbordner]

Old joke... still funny... BUT this is the nastiest part of lamp projector ownership/buying. It seems that each one takes a different bulb (no economies of scale) and it's the major turn-off factor for purchasers - $500/1000hrs AND hope that you can get one when you need it... if it's still made... oy!


The PJ makers can get away with this because presentation (business) users don't care - by the time they have used a pj 1000 hours it's time to replace it anyway. The home market just can't treat their machines that way - I have kept TVs for 12 years, and expect them to still work!


Back on track: the manufacturers' stated numbers are the only real "prediction" of what to expect, and generally seem accurate. How they get those numbers, I don't know.


The short bulb lfe in the LT150 is POSSIBLY caused by the projector's small size, which concentrates heat. Heat is always bad, and any airflow restriction greatly increases heat at the bulb itself. (Avoid small projectors?) On/off cycles are also a major stress, so you can extend bulb lfe somewhat by not flipping the switch too often. Mfgs ABSOLUTELY need to get this factor under control before we see FPs as a common home theater system.

 

[Deane Johnson]

I don't know where I got that link. It was on one of the forums a few months ago. Someone did a good job.


Deane

 

[Frode]

..and just when I was starting to forget and relax thinking normal projector talk is safe this shows up in that link:


-- "We have investigated several suicides caused by despondency over the Slayers DVD box set's out-of-phase audio"


ARRGGHH!!! Where's my gun! *Don't do it Frode!* <BAM>

.

.

.

.

.



That Slayers issue brings me down every time really. Worst part is CPM are too cheap to fix it. They've even said so publically. Urk!


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/frode

 

[BurkeLaShell]

I wouldn't be surprised if this is a "Gilette" marketing strategy (charge a low price for the razor but charge a premium for the replacement blades)


--Burke

 

[steve5097]

As bbordner pointed out, size is a contributing factor. The same basic bulb in a tiny elliptic reflector (common to mini-portables) will last at least twice as long in a larger parabolic reflector in a larger PJ. Also ballast (power supply) design and the manufacturer's honesty figure into quoted lifetimes. It's a jungle out there.



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Steve

 

[hwaxman]

Actually there is a way to determine the life of a bulb. Calculate the number of hours until your next critically important presentation or demonstration. Subtract 30 minutes.


This works only if no spare bulbs are available within 100 miles however.

 

[Blaney]

Deane,


This is one of the funniest things I have ever read on AVS,

I laughed for 10 minutes!!


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Patrick Simon