i am thinking about buying my 1st projector, but really would like to know what kinda life span people had got from the bulb before i do. i'm sure people on here will give more of a real life figures of how long you can expect from the bulb than what the manufacturer quote, as they seem to cost a fair bit to replace on some projectors.
how long have you had out of you projector bulb
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Tonya
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Hi Darren!
Every minute that a projector discharge lamp burns, it deteriorates.
Some projectors have an "economy" setting that decreases the voltage applied to the lamp, which results in more hours but less brightness.
When you see the lamp manufacturer state "2000 hours" or similar, then that's an average lifespan of usable brightness, although some purists will find the brightness at the last couple of hundred hours to be unacceptable as the brightness will decrease rapidly towards the end of the specified lifecycle of the lamp.
One thing I can tell you is that you should always keep an eye on the hour counter of your projector, as running past the recommended hour usage sometimes results in the lamps exploding and I have seen many cases of optics and LCD screens being damaged or destroyed.
Most modern projectors will display a warning message onscreen as the lamp(s) approach the end of their working life.
Remember to reset the timer via the menu system when installing a new lamp.
In saying that, if you work out how much it costs per hour to run a projector, it does actually represent extremely good value for money, despite the cost of a replacement lamp.
However, always check the cost of a replacement lamp before you decide on your purchase of projector, as with printers, the hidden cost of consumables can make all the difference to the inevitable running costs.
Still, it's far cheaper than going to the cinema!
Every minute that a projector discharge lamp burns, it deteriorates.
Some projectors have an "economy" setting that decreases the voltage applied to the lamp, which results in more hours but less brightness.
When you see the lamp manufacturer state "2000 hours" or similar, then that's an average lifespan of usable brightness, although some purists will find the brightness at the last couple of hundred hours to be unacceptable as the brightness will decrease rapidly towards the end of the specified lifecycle of the lamp.
One thing I can tell you is that you should always keep an eye on the hour counter of your projector, as running past the recommended hour usage sometimes results in the lamps exploding and I have seen many cases of optics and LCD screens being damaged or destroyed.
Most modern projectors will display a warning message onscreen as the lamp(s) approach the end of their working life.
Remember to reset the timer via the menu system when installing a new lamp.
In saying that, if you work out how much it costs per hour to run a projector, it does actually represent extremely good value for money, despite the cost of a replacement lamp.
However, always check the cost of a replacement lamp before you decide on your purchase of projector, as with printers, the hidden cost of consumables can make all the difference to the inevitable running costs.
Still, it's far cheaper than going to the cinema!
My bulb's on its third year - and, as we have no TV, the Infocus IN83 projector gets a lot of use!
About 5 years on the same bulb and still going strong. Only used for movies though. I think if you use a projector for movies alone then you'll probably want to upgrade to a new model before the bulb runs out.
I have a Panasonic PTAE 700 LCD projector which | bought about 5 years ago.
It is used regularly for Movies, Sky HD programming, PS3 games,etc etc and has run up about 1400 hours so far. I dont expect to obtain the rated 3000 hours from the bulb but as previously mentioned the value for money over the time is very good.
I wouldnt let the cost of bulbs put you off of what is a very good benefit over a large TV. I have a Panasonic 42 PV500 plasma and never watch movies on that as the experience pales next to the projector to the point that I even watch movies in a barely darkened room during daytime in preference to a more colourful picture from the plasma as the scale is so much more rewarding to watch (7 foot wide screen in 4 metre x 4 metre lounge)
I agree that you would want to upgrade prior to the demise of the bulb all things being equal - which is where I am at at the moment !
I am very keen to upgrade to Full HD with something like the Sanyo PLVZ 700 which seems to be very good value at approximately £1000 and comes with a 3 year warranty I believe.
It is used regularly for Movies, Sky HD programming, PS3 games,etc etc and has run up about 1400 hours so far. I dont expect to obtain the rated 3000 hours from the bulb but as previously mentioned the value for money over the time is very good.
I wouldnt let the cost of bulbs put you off of what is a very good benefit over a large TV. I have a Panasonic 42 PV500 plasma and never watch movies on that as the experience pales next to the projector to the point that I even watch movies in a barely darkened room during daytime in preference to a more colourful picture from the plasma as the scale is so much more rewarding to watch (7 foot wide screen in 4 metre x 4 metre lounge)
I agree that you would want to upgrade prior to the demise of the bulb all things being equal - which is where I am at at the moment !
I am very keen to upgrade to Full HD with something like the Sanyo PLVZ 700 which seems to be very good value at approximately £1000 and comes with a 3 year warranty I believe.
How long have you had out of you projector bulb???? Er, all my life. I can honestly say I have never had a projector bulb in me. Presumably you meant your, but this still does not make sense. You can say 'how long have you had your projector bulb?' Or even 'what length of service can one expect from a projector bulb'. But you cannot say 'how long have you had out of it?'
Pedantry aside, I have had my projector for about six years and never had to change the lamp (bulbs are things which grow in the ground). It's really not that difficult to work out- if you use your projector for 10 hours a day, that's 3650(or 3660) hours of use a year. Obviously not many people would use one this much, but even if you used it for ten hours a week, a 2000 hour lamp is going to last you for almost four years.
Pedantry aside, I have had my projector for about six years and never had to change the lamp (bulbs are things which grow in the ground). It's really not that difficult to work out- if you use your projector for 10 hours a day, that's 3650(or 3660) hours of use a year. Obviously not many people would use one this much, but even if you used it for ten hours a week, a 2000 hour lamp is going to last you for almost four years.
Arepeebee:
How long have you had out of you projector bulb???? Er, all my life. I can honestly say I have never had a projector bulb in me. Presumably you meant your, but this still does not make sense. You can say 'how long have you had your projector bulb?' Or even 'what length of service can one expect from a projector bulb'. But you cannot say 'how long have you had out of it?'
Come on it is a friday, give the man a break !
My LG-AN110 bulb is 27 months old now and has done just over 500 hours, still going strong and I expect to upgrade the Projector before the bulb reaches 1000 hours in 2 years time. It will still have 1000 hours useful life left for someone else to enjoy.
Dont worry about the cost to replace, just enjoy the LARGE home cinema experience and get your mates round for a film night !
How long have you had out of you projector bulb???? Er, all my life. I can honestly say I have never had a projector bulb in me. Presumably you meant your, but this still does not make sense. You can say 'how long have you had your projector bulb?' Or even 'what length of service can one expect from a projector bulb'. But you cannot say 'how long have you had out of it?'
Come on it is a friday, give the man a break !
My LG-AN110 bulb is 27 months old now and has done just over 500 hours, still going strong and I expect to upgrade the Projector before the bulb reaches 1000 hours in 2 years time. It will still have 1000 hours useful life left for someone else to enjoy.
Dont worry about the cost to replace, just enjoy the LARGE home cinema experience and get your mates round for a film night !
I got six years out of mine 
Think of it this way also, how long would you expect to get from your Telly?
Based on the warranties, theres very few manufacturers that would expect you to get more than 1 year lol
Think of it this way also, how long would you expect to get from your Telly?
Based on the warranties, theres very few manufacturers that would expect you to get more than 1 year lol
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