Will Low Lamp Lifetime Spell Trouble for DLP TVs?

Techno-Canuck asks: "Now that the DLP TVs have been in customers' hands for the last few years, there are problem histories that are begining to unfold. According to Toshiba's DLP TV User Manual: 'The average useful service life for the lamp is approximately 8,000 hours in LOW POWER or 6,000 hours in HI BRIGHT MODE.' However there were problems with certain 2005 Toshiba models that saw the lamp lifetime at only a few hundred hours or less. Toshiba replaced the lamps in these models at no cost and extended the lamp warranty to 2 years. According to an FAQ on About.com the lamps currently last an average of 1500 hours. Whether or not Toshiba has resolved the problem remains to be seen, as only time will give the real indication. There also seems to be lamp issues with some 2004 models as well, but Toshiba does not seem to be stepping forward to resolve the issues in this case. The customer ire is starting to rise, however. Will there be similar problems for the 2006 models once enough time has elapsed?"

Most people probably would use the information provided by Toshiba to make a decision about what the lamp maintenance costs would be for DLP ownership. However if lamps only last for 1500 hours, then that's a 400% increase in costs over what Toshiba is presenting to customers. The cost of a lamp is $200 or more, and for a family household that averages 6 to 8 hours of TV viewing per day, this translates to a new lamp every 187 to 250 days. Strangely enough the Toshiba warranty on a replacement lamp not covered by the original TV warranty is 180 days.

It's possible that the death blow has already been struck. It appears that no longer carries DLP TVs in its product line."

Havin' a funeral

[hypermanng]

Problems like these will kill any technology in the cradle unless it has absolutely no competitors. If the 2006 models turn out to be anywhere near as bad, the game's already over. I mean, the Newton's second version vastly improved on the original and had no credible competitors, yet the horrible handwriting recognition on the first cast a pall over the whole enterprise that never lifted.

not that bad

[ILuvRamen]

Well projectors have needed lots of lamp replacements and people still use them. Plus, DLP looks a lot better lol. Now I don't know of any projector lamps that lasted like 100 hours but I know some that are under 1000 and people are just like whatever. As long as Toshiba keeps replacing them for free and giving good warranties then it's just like another product you may have heard of. I mean come on, how many people do you know that had their iPod break and they're like all like OMG DIE APPLE! NEVER BUY ONE! And I swear at least 1/4 of all iPods made broke but Apple fixes em for free and people seem happier to get something free than they would be if it had not broken in the first place. Dunno what the name of that psycological effect is but it works apparently.

Re:replacement bulbs

[Anonymous Coward]

Samsung has just that (announced last year at CES 2006)! The model HL-S5679W also replaces the color wheel with red, green and blue LEDs (this avoids the "rainbow" effect). This 56" HD TV will set you back anywhere from just over $2k to almost $4k depending upon where you buy it.

 

6-8 hours of TV a *day*?

[Rix]

What the hell is wrong with you people?

Re:Lies, Damn Lies, and Statistics

[PhilipMckrack]

And then there is the regular TV watching (Lil'Timmy watchign Sat mornign cartoons, Pop watching the 10 o'clock news, Maw with her cooking show etc etc etc), most of wich is not goign to be done on the DLP.

So exactly how many TV's am I supposed to have in the family room? Isn't the point of getting one of the newer flatscreen TV's supposed to be getting some space back in the room? How is that going to happen if I have to keep an old TV around for "regular" watching?

Re:46' Samsung DLP

[Neoprofin]

The LCD panels that the extremely bright light is projected through. They fade over time, frequently unevenly, Blue is usually the first to go.