jdm56 Posted January 30, 2006 Share Posted January 30, 2006 I'm just contemplating an inexpensive projector (Sanyo Z4, Panasonic 900)but I see the lamps are up around $400, with expected lives of only 2000 hours -- yikes! Has anybody had to replace their projector lamp lately? How long did it last? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tkot Posted January 30, 2006 Share Posted January 30, 2006 i have a sony vpl-vw12ht with the cinama black pro (reduced bulb output for better blacks) on all the time my first bulb lasted just over 2000 hours. i think it would have lasted longer but i have two stompers in my house who have the uncanny ability to stomp through the room above the ht room when that projector is fired up? jay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougdrake Posted January 31, 2006 Share Posted January 31, 2006 Let's do some math. How much will you be using this PJ? It's recommended to keep another TV around for every day use, especially for watching Standard Definition content, which usually doesn't look so good on a PJ. So, if you watch 6 HD shows or DVDs a week, for 2 hours each time, that's 12 hours a week or about 600 hours a year. Divided into 2000, that's 3.5 years. Works out to about $100/year, or $0.30/day. Would I pay that as the ongoing expense to watch a 120" image in HD? You bet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cal Blacksmith Posted January 31, 2006 Share Posted January 31, 2006 I agree with dougdrake, We have had our projector since June of last year. We have about 360 hours on it. When we first got it, we watched a LOT of movies, since then, we watch about 1 or 2 a week, if that. Last Thursday, I added a HD tuner to the system and have added about 15 hours to the projector since then trying to adjust things and such, not to mention a couple of movies. Our bulbs are rated at 2000 hours and the projector has a timer that will stop the bulb at that number of hours regardless if it is still "good" or not. Our bulbs list for about $350 so that works out to $0.17 per hour or if you watch a long DVD with all the "extras" it works out to about $0.70 per movie. Now there is nothing that says a bulb will last 2000 hours either. Just like the light bulbs you put in lamps, some last much longer than others while some "pop" the first time you turn them on. So even if the average is only half of rated life (a situation I seriously doubt!) it is worth it for us to spend a buck and a half to watch a movie in the style it was intended to be seen. Once you watch a 100 inch screen, it is hard to go back to even a 50 inch screen as it is 1/4 the size! For every day viewing of TV, we have a 32 inch direct view tv. It will last for a long time and costs nearly nothing to run. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdm56 Posted January 31, 2006 Author Share Posted January 31, 2006 Decisions, decisions! I had planned to use the projector for everything -hdtv, dvd's, and standard def. TV, but maybe that isn't a good idea considering the lamp cost. Just used for "event" viewing, I guess it'd be tolerable. It certainly would be no big deal keeping a small SD tube TV for everyday viewing. The other option is a CRT rear projector. They are really cheap now. That would be the simplest, cheapest route, but I really liked the way a front projector let's me put my center speaker where and however I want it, ya know? Thanks a lot for the help, guys! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merkin Posted January 31, 2006 Share Posted January 31, 2006 I just got a Benq 7700. I purchased it after I thought they had corrected their bulb problem. Well maybe not. Do some research on AVS forum before you purchase. My bulb is supose to last 1500 to 2000 hrs and I sure hope it does. I did get a free replacement bulb when I purchase my projector. I've had it since the first of Dec. and have about 140 hrs on it. (HD football on large screen is fantastic, movies and hd TV are good also.) But, also use my other TV a 46 inch DLP for daily viewing. I just don't need to see news and Bill O'Reilly on a 92 inch diagonal screen. The bulb for my 46 inch run about $180 ant the present one has about 3600 hours on it. So you might want another crt or such TV for non HD/movie viewing. Keith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j-malotky Posted January 31, 2006 Share Posted January 31, 2006 I would replace the bulb at the recomended hours and not go over. I have heard storys of old over hour bulbs breaking inside the projector, causing a lot more than $400 in damage. It took me 2 1/2 years to hit 2000 hours on my first bulb. I still figure that the $$$ is a deal for a 69" x 120" HD picture. JM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tkot Posted January 31, 2006 Share Posted January 31, 2006 this question gets more important as the new high end projectors come out. two of the new 1080p units that i have researched have bulbs that have a listed life of 2k hours one has a bulb that is $1000 the others bulb is $3000 ouch!! jay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
picky Posted February 1, 2006 Share Posted February 1, 2006 My Sharp projector has a bulb that cost $420. The first bulb lated 430 hours. Ironic? Perhaps, but definitely not fun. I found one vent opening I did not know about at the time and when I discovered it there were some construction debris partially blocking the opening. This prevented the projector's fan from doing a good job of cooling the bulb. So it died prematurely. I now vacuum ALL of the projector's openings every 3 months. The current bulb is now about 600 hours old and counting. We'll see what happens. Expensive lessons are always the toughest. Check ALL of those vents, guys! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vman71 Posted February 2, 2006 Share Posted February 2, 2006 I bought an Optoma H30 projector last August and the bulb died in December. I'm not sure how many hours were on it but if I had to guess, it was probably between 100-150hrs. I was really upset because the bulb died Christmas Day and so I was left without a projector for a month. Optoma was closed during the holidays and then when they came back they were swamped with tons of work orders. Long story short, they sent me a brand new H30 projector with a brand new bulb. It arrived the day before NFL wildcard games started. The new projector is working fine and doesn't have the whinney noise I heard in the other H30. I suspect that something internally was wrong which cause the bulb to die prematurely. It is worth the .50-1.00 to wath HD and/or movies on a 90"+ screen! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
extrablue Posted July 25, 2010 Share Posted July 25, 2010 We provide LCD Projector Lamps and DLP Television Bulbs. The brand : Akai, Bluesky, Clarity &Margay,Gateway,HITACHI,KOLIN,LOEWE ARTICOS, MITSUBISHI,OPTOMA ,PHILIPS,SAGEM,SHARP,TOSHIBA,VIVITEK,WILDCAT,BARCO,CHRISTIE,ENVISIONTEC,GEMSTAR,JVC,LG/ZENITH, MAGNOVOX,OLEVIA,PANASONIC,RCA,THOMSON,SAMSUNG,SONY,VIZIO,ETC. we can provide original bulb and replacement bulb. If you want , please contact me. our web http://www.inmoul.com . Quality pledge. Jerome Yang extrablue.yang@gmail.com MSN:yangjie821206@hotmail.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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