I’ve been trying to decide what to get as a backup display to keep from blowing through projector lamps. In 5 weeks I’ve already put over 250 hours on the AE4000. However when I do the math any good display I get (something I’d really want to watch) isn’t cost effective compared to replacement lamps at $400 lasting 2,000 hours. I mean for the cost of a $1,600 LCD I’d have to put 8,000 hours on it just to break even with the cost of using up PJ lamps and I’d be trading a 134” for probably a 55” screen.

Also one of the biggest things that I’m afraid will eat up my lamps is that I usually have the PJ on from 5 hours at a time on workdays and Saturday and 15+ hours at a time on other days off. From what I’ve read having them on that long really uses up the lamp faster than normal. Since this might be the biggest thing that eat up lamps and that I’m not going to switch from the PJ to an HDTV 2-4 hours into a DVD/Gaming marathon and then back again a few hours later and HDTV really doesn’t seem cost effective or have the same utility value then . . . .

Here’s the new idea. Use another PJ as a backup to my AE4000. With two projectors I could have the same size either identical or similar quality picture (thinking Epson) as my current projector. Swapping between them every few hours could save wear on the lamps assuming I’m not turning them on and off to often.

Nothing says I have to buy the second PJ right away. Likely time to get the second one would be when I replace this first lamp or when my DLP dies whichever comes first.

The way I’m seeing it while a second PJ won’t eliminate lamp replacement cost it should reduce it due to eliminating marathon use. It gives me a much more elegant placement option (right below my current PJ) rather than somewhere between me an my speakers (presently dragging the DLP in and out of the adjacent room). And best of all if one goes out for any reason my backup is still a PJ and screen and not a 55” HDTV

Is this just me being crazy due to lack of sleep this weekend or might I be onto something?

Dean, my understanding is that firing the cold lamp up is the greatest factor in shortening its service life. For example, running two projectors 4 hours each alternately instead of one for 8 hours continuously would likely result in more combined wear on the lamps. So I don't think the proposal would be cost-effective.

That is my understanding as well.

Are pj bulbs like rp bulbs? On an rp, if you change just the bulb and not the whole assembly it is a lot less costly.

Unfortunately no one site says all the same things about prolonging lamp life. Many things are standard but not what they say about lamp use. A few sites say avoid turning it on and of often (makes sense). A couple sites say don’t ever turn it on and then right back off again, let it stabilize (also makes sense). A few sites say leaving it on for long periods greatly shortens the life and recommend no more than 3-5 hours at a time. However, while shopping over a year ago I remember reading something saying that with modern lamps this was no longer an issue, but I can’t find that again.

If I did use a second PJ as a backup I would only turn each one on and off no more than twice a day and usually only once or even not at all as I would still maintain a small monitor for some mundane computer work.

The biggest hassle I’m running into right now with the backup system I’ve got is where to place the HDTV. There are just no appealing options which means pulling it in and out of the room. That is not such a pain in and of itself but I already ran into a hiccup last week that caused me to waste half an afternoon troubleshooting why my Vista computer stopped seeing my Samsung DLP as a Samsung and only saw it as a generic non-plug and play monitor. And failed to load the drivers allowing it to display 1920x1080. While both my XP machines were having no problems. I finally traced it to a bent pin on the VGA cable which took me forever to track down because my XP machines booted properly off the same cable. So re-making the connections is also a potential issue if I drag the HDTV around.

I think I would just spend the $1600 on spare bulbs to keep on hand for when the PJ bulb dies, this way you can simply swap in the replacement bulb right away, no down time.

Can you contact the manufacturer and get their point of view?

Ya, and ask them how come I can't get no Tang round here!

Here ya go, Murph.

Do they still make the mango flavor? That was some tasty stuff.

ahhh, the added goodiness of chemically injected Vitamin C in every artificial flavor crystal. Thanks Tom.

If you’re gonna hijack the thread with “tang” you could have at least made it the “pu” variety

What's tangpu?

That which is sideways.