What new projector for very heavy useage?

T

Tommy Angelo

Guest
Back in summer 2004 I bought my first projector, a Panasonic AE500. I use it everyday and I don't have any other display worth using. So I tend to turn it on when I get home from work and leave it on until I go to bed if I'm in all evening which is about 6 hours. Then at weekends I often use it for 12 hours a day.

The first lamp lasted me about 2500 hours as expected. The second was shorter and I think the last 2 have only lasted me about 1000hrs now I'm on 700hours with my current lamp and last night while using the forums there was a sudden huge drop in brightness, so it looks like I've lost another one.

Also the LCDs are starting to fail, at least I'm sure the blue one is. It retains blue blotches where dark areas have been and I think the detail and brightness is all getting worse and no amount of recalibrating will help.

I've thought about getting a plasma but I can't afford one big enough (I think I'd need at least 65") I use it for my computer a lot and I wouldn't be able to read text if it was much smaller. And after seeing my friends plasma I'm really put off that some sets have blockyness in dark scenes and posterization.

I've got my eye on the Panasonic AX100 but I'm worried it'll be the same story of having to pay £200 for lamps that only last hundreds of hours.

I can't wait for LED projectors or similar to come along because my current lamp is already unacceptable.

What other solutions are there?

Please Help!
 
An LCD projector engineer posted on the US forums some time ago that regular cleaning of your filters will prolong your projectors life considerably. He said heat was the biggest problem, and air through-put was critical so it was very important not to let the filters get clogged up. Also the polarizers will fail before the LCD panels (normally) so it's worth having a look at them. Have you tried www.pricejapan.com for lamp prices? Or www.myprojectorlamps.com ?
 
When I first got it I cleaned it every 100 hours as recomemded. But since having so many dust problems and having to air dust the LCDs I've started cleaning the filter every 25 hours or so.

I thought I knew about the internals of an LCD PJ but erm... What are polarizers? :blush:

I'll keep the lamp refurbishment idea in mind for my next PJ.
 
I know its only a 480p projector but the benq w100 does approx 4000 hours and their bulbs cost around £100
 
Thanks but it's hard enough that I'm going to have to settle for 720p. I was going to wait until 1080p projectors were around £1000 but there's no way I'm spending any more money on this AE500 and its far to dark to use now.
 
Wow, £124 for an AX100 lamp from pricejapan thanks very much for the link!
 
If you want durability, you should really be looking at DLP models. Most don't have filters to clean, no polarizers and no LCD elements to degrade - also dead/stuck pixels are almost unheard of (the colour-wheel can eventually get grubby in smokey, dusty environments but can be cleaned). In theory, a MMD should have a life expectancy of tens of thoudands of hours....just hope you don't suffer RBE!
 
I really need to find out if I am bothered by RBE. Maybe I should pop down some high street shops and take a look at some DLP rear projectors. I'm in Ipswich and I don't know of anywhere close where I can demo front projectors.

I worry about it because when I go to the cinema the flickering seems to bother me more than most people.
 
LG AN110 replacement lamps are only around £135 and are rated for 3-4000 hours dep. on mode plus its a DLP so it shouldn't degrade with use.
 
I know its only a 480p projector but the benq w100 does approx 4000 hours and their bulbs cost around £100

Plus it needs very little maintenence. The insides are sealed and it just requires a little vacumning of the sides to keep them clear.

I don't know if 4000 hours is really possible. All, it means that the replace lamp message appears at 2700 hours for normal mode and the message appears at 2900 hours on eco mode. I suppose it would just keep appearing until you gave in and bought a lamp.
 
After many many hours of research I have ordered an Optoma HD70. I've never seem a DLP projector before so I hope I like it. Main reasons for choosing this one is it's a DLP so there's less to degrade over heavy use and from a lot of reading, people seem to think the shadow details are very good and it seems to have very natural colours and I think for £755 with lamp voucher, 5m HDMI cable and 3 year hotswap warranty it's a bargain!
 
After many many hours of research I have ordered an Optoma HD70. I've never seem a DLP projector before so I hope I like it. Main reasons for choosing this one is it's DLP so there's less to degrade over heavy and from a lot of reading, people seem to think the shadow details are very good and it seems to have very natural colours and I think for £755 with lamp voucher, 5m HDMI cable and 3 year hotswap warranty it's a bargain!

please share your thoughts when You recieve it as i am umming and arhhing between HD70 and Z5.
 
Well first impressions after spending the last 8 hours setting up. WOW this thing is bright! It's making my CRT look dim. The colours are so vivid and the blacks look so black. The jump up from an AE500 was massive and the HD70 has far exceeded my expectations in every way.
 
I found an warranty statement from panasonic Australian, I think, that said the AX100 warranty would be invalidated if you use it more than 12hours a week, 3hours per session. Its got a very bright lamp which I assume gets very hot.

One reason I choose the AE1000 is that it has in-organic dyes that do not degrade as much in the heat.
 
Hello all

In the Pro market Panasonic use DLP not LCD - with estimated 40,000 hours between Services and full spec recovery with every new lamp installed along the way to the 40,000 hour Service.

'Presentation' LCD's from the sub 2.5K ANSI market that get used in Bars, Clubs and the like usually look OK for three lamp changes then look pretty terrible.

Joe
 
Hello all

In the Pro market Panasonic use DLP not LCD - with estimated 40,000 hours between Services and full spec recovery with every new lamp installed along the way to the 40,000 hour Service.

'Presentation' LCD's from the sub 2.5K ANSI market that get used in Bars, Clubs and the like usually look OK for three lamp changes then look pretty terrible.

Joe

Although i've got no direct evidence to support it, from a heap of anecdotal evidence from forum members and folks I know who have projectors, for long life, DLP is definitely the way to go.

On the other hand. I've had mine (DLP) months and have barely clocked up 120hrs or so. At this rate. It will last me forever. Not good trying to explain to the wife why I absolutely 'need' to upgrade a perfectly good working projector... ;)
 

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