If you have one of the new lamp-based microdisplays such as DLP, LCoS, SXRD, D-ILA or LCD it will definitely pay off to learn how to extend your lamp life. Lamp life varies by manufacturer design based on the application of the product and varies anywhere from 2000 to 8000 hours. Lamp replacements run from $200-$500 but most consumer rear projection displays are in the $200-$300 range and also lean more towards longer rather than shorter life design. The good news here is unlike any other display you have owned you can bring these back to brand new performance by simply replacing the lamp.
Lamp replacement is generally easy and comes in the form of...
I got a battery backup unit for my front projector. When there is a power failure it gives me time to manually shut down the projector and let the cooling fan do its thing.
Excellent article. Now when I go to the store for an hour or so I will make sure to leave my Samsung DLP on. I wasnt aware that turning the TV on/off would reduce bulb life. I thought it would be just the opposite by extending bulb life when the TV is not in use.
My Sony GWII is now 4 years old last month. I seldom watch TV during the day but in the evening I watch maybe 5 hours of HDTV programming. The lamp is still the original. I should add that 18 months into its use I happened to test the lamp I had bought to have in reserve. As a result of this exercise it cost me $800 to have the lamp driver replaced and I still have a replacement lamp that for all I know could repeat the same damage although the serviceman claimed otherwise, but then he didn't check just looked at it. One drawback with the new lamp driver is that I can no longer access the service menu to check on the number of hours on the lamp bulb, but the brightness doesn't seem to have diminished to any appreciable degree ..... so far.
Thanks for the information. This flies right in the face of my original thinking that turning off my hdtv everytime I left the room would ultimately extend my bulb life, all the time lessening it due to many extra arcings. Now I leave the set on. My question is, does it make any difference when you leave the set on if there is an active image being displayed or would it be better if I left the tv on and simply turned off the stb that feeds it.
I should add that 18 months into its use I happened to test the lamp I had bought to have in reserve. As a result of this exercise it cost me $800 to have the lamp driver replaced and I still have a replacement lamp that for all I know could repeat the same damage although the serviceman claimed otherwise
I don't know what to say to that. That chassis is popular for saying the lamp driver is bad when all you really need is a new lamp. Wish I had more to offer...
Doug K... thanks
My question is, does it make any difference when you leave the set on if there is an active image being displayed or would it be better if I left the tv on and simply turned off the stb that feeds it.
The only issue of concern is image retention, burn in. With DLP it does not really matter. With all other technology I would suggest a blank screen but that may very well cause OSD video input indicators to show up which can also burn. Like CRT that brings us to providing full screen images with ghostly station IDs so they do not burn.
