Andy wrote:
Andy asks:

I see these TV projection sets for under $1000 and it seems like
a good deal until I read that the lamp has a 90 day warranty or some
other short time.... And, from what I can find, the replacement lamps
are like $500 each.....

Does anyone here with experience in these items care to take
a minute to talk about the best, most reliable, projectors... or any
comments on lower cost projection lamps ?

Thanks in advance,

Andy in Eureka, Texas

Andy,

Many front projectors need lamps in about 2000 hours, and it is a bad
idea to try to reset the timer until the lamp just blows, as it can
cause serious damage to the projector. In some cases, it might kill
power supplies when it goes, or it might shatter, causing shards of
glass to go everywhere. Some lamps contain mercury and you certainly
don't want one of those shattering. Heck, it probably costs 10 cents an
hour for electricity to run the projector, you just don't get it as a
single item bill.

You have to look at the lamp as an operating expense of the projector.
So, if the bulb is $400 and lasts 2000 hours, that's 20 cents per hour
for a lamp. It's sort of like buying $400 worth of tires for you car
every 40,000 miles. It's a 1 cent per mile cost.

My father uses his projector several hours per day, and I just replace
the lamp in his 20 month old projector, which was worth doing. I use my
projector much less, around 5-8 hours per week. So I expect that when I
need a lamp, my projector will be 8 or 10 years old, and I'll want to
replace the entire projector, as the technology will have made advances
(or so I hope) by then.

Hope this helps you make a decision. Also, I agree with the other
replies, use a factory approved lamp.

Regards,
Tim Schwartz
Bristol Electronics