lamp replacement?

I have a few questions about replacement bulbs for the lcd projectors... mainly about price... why so high?
I have a xg-e1200u and it's replacement bulb is a 2000hrs 400w metal halide bulb.
I looked all over and the cheapest I found for mine was
http://www.goelectronic.com/Merchant...&Store_Code=GE
for $287. Most places it was between $340-$450, I was surprised to find it so cheap at that site.

What I don't understand is the bulb life, 2000hrs? It seems most projectors have a bulb life around that, some a little higher.
I found these in some other places:

http://www.bghydro.com/BGH/itemDesc.asp?ic=HLRBMH04HB
$99
29,000 initial lumens. 15,000 hour life-span. 92CRI. 6500K. 400W metal halide

http://www.elights.com/phil400watme.html
$26
# Watts: 400 # Life Hours: 10,000 # Intial Lumens: 6,000 # Mean Lumens: 28,800 # Color Temp. (CCT or K): 4,000

Those last a whole leap longer and are a load cheaper than the sharp bulb. I found them with a quick search, there are other that are similar or better for comparable prices.
Do lcd pj mfg's make their bulbs with such a short lifespan just so they make that much money on replacement?

Has anyone every thought of modifying their projector to take a better, cheaper, longer lasting bulb?
I don't know if this question is so off the wall, I come from the
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/showt...p?threadid=281
diyaudio diy video projector forums.

I just got my projector a couple days ago from a surplus sale at my college for $30. I know when the bulb goes out, the projector is pretty much scrap for me since I can't afford a bulb like that

thanks,
adam

[MikeRJ]

Not all lamps are created equal! The lamps used in projectors have to have a well defined colour temperature and are generaly physicaly small. The lamps you listed are for growing plants were these parameters are not critical.

I do agree they are very overpriced, but lamp's are simply part of the runnings costs of a projector, and something you need to take into account before buying one.

if you cannot afford it !







STEAL IT!

[laserdave]

for some lamps with Bi pin bases eg GX9.5 you can run the lamp for 200 hrs THEN TURN IT AROUND these discharge lamps run on D.C once they have ignited (or struck as we say in theatre luvvy) and the anode and cathode on the lamp will even out....
It will not work miracles but over the course of a season we saved six CID 2000w followspot lamps (around £450 each) if you have an asymetric lamp base the manufacturer has worked this one out, best bet try MGC at mgc.com for equivelents (they even sell bulbs for 1940`s aircraft!)

[Meddy]

Look at it this way if you dare.

Lamp hours 2000.
Average length of a movie is, say, 2hr.
That's 1000 movies for each lamp.

Average price of a cinema ticket, approx 6.50
Cost of renting a movie is 3.50

Cost saved is 6.50 - 3.50 = 3.00

Multiply this by 1000 movies = 3000.00 (pounds or dollars)

Subtract the cost of the projector: 3000 - 1500 = 1500.

Subtract cost of bulb: 1500 - 280 = 1220.

So you're already 1220 up. Any subsequent purchases of bulbs won't include the one-off cost of the projector so you will be 2220 up.

Hope this has made the purchase more palateable.

Meddy