DLP Lamp and Housing

[HolmesCo]

I want to have a spare lamp on hand for my Samsung HLS5687WX/XAA and find some sites far more reasonably priced than samsung.

What I am wondering is they offer the housing for add'l $20. Do I really need that? They say it makes it easier. Is it hard to remove the bulb from the housing? Doesn't seem like it would be 'rocket science' but who knows. If its a pain, then maybe its worth the $20

Does anyone have any advice regarding that.

Does the picture on this url at the top showing the housing or is that the lamp without the housing. I have never looked at mine, so at this stage its all new and unknown. Thanks for any help
http://www.rivervalleyelectronics.net/Samsung_BP96_01472A_Lamp_p/bp96-01472a.htm?gclid=CO2O1sXD8JcCFQMCagod6yVMCg

[phat78boy]

I have replaced the bulb on a few different models, but not Samsung. On a couple the housing and bulb were attached, on the others it was pretty easy to remove the bulb from the housing and put the new bulb in. One only need a couple screws removed and one was snap-in. Either way it shouldn't be much trouble.

[Sirshagg]

The big pic at the top is just the lamp. The first pic on the right (A B) shows a lamp in the housing. Note: this is for a different set though.

[jep8821]

You could order it from: http://www.advancedlamps.com/product_info.php?products_id=5227 for $105 + shipping but it includes the housing as well. I ordered from them a couple of weeks ago for a lamp & housing for my panasonic tv but it was on backorder but should be here monday. I never ordered from them before, so I can't say how they are yet.

Thanks.

Jason Pollard

[HolmesCo]

Thanks for all that info. I appreciate it. That $105 looks 'too good to be true' I wonder if its a Phillips. I read somewhere not to get OEM as the picture qulaity may not be as good. Not sure how true that is, this sure looks like a great deal.

[lparsons21]

I ordered from them for my JVC lamps & housing. Pretty quick response, fair prices and all you would expect from a good online dealer.

Fortunately when I ordered, the ones I needed were $92 so I ordered two. I'm real glad I did that as the new price is $121.

[WestDC]

Side Note:
When you change the lamp (Did you Know) that you must reset the lamp hours in the TV Firmware.

You have to get there by using the remote (Code to get to the tech admin section), I don't have the code for Samsung but you need to reset it if you replace the lamp.

[HolmesCo]

wow, no I sure didn't know that. I wonder if they tell you in the directions how to do it. can always call samsung I guess if I have to. what happens if you don't do this? Thanks for the info.

[Sirshagg]

wow, no I sure didn't know that. I wonder if they tell you in the directions how to do it. can always call samsung I guess if I have to. what happens if you don't do this? Thanks for the info.

I would think nothing. I suspect it's like not resetting the trip meter in your car when you fill up. You jus won't know how many hours you have on the current lamp.

[bakers12]

Side Note:
When you change the lamp (Did you Know) that you must reset the lamp hours in the TV Firmware.

You have to get there by using the remote (Code to get to the tech admin section), I don't have the code for Samsung but you need to reset it if you replace the lamp.
On my HL-R4266W, when the TV is off, I press Mute 1 8 2 Power on the remote.

Also, I just replaced the lamp in this set a couple weeks ago with an original lamp from Advanced Lamps. It was $118, including the housing. A very good deal, I think. Just look on the back of the set for a sticker with the lamp code and you'll get the right one.

[BattleZone]

One reason it would be easier with the housing is that the housing makes it much easier to not touch the bulb itself. If you touch the bulb with bare hands, the oil on your hands will significantly reduce the life of the bulb. A cheap pair of new, clean cotton gloves will prevent this problem.

[HolmesCo]

On my HL-R4266W, when the TV is off, I press Mute 1 8 2 Power on the remote.

Also, I just replaced the lamp in this set a couple weeks ago with an original lamp from Advanced Lamps. It was $118, including the housing. A very good deal, I think. Just look on the back of the set for a sticker with the lamp code and you'll get the right one.

yes that does seem great, Is it aa Phillips? I guess thats what samsung uses. Not sure if an 'oem' is a bad idea or not. Usually oem is fine. Did you notice any degradation in the picture or anything.

I had no idea you could find out how much time you have used your lamp. how many hours are we supposed to get on dlp?

[HolmesCo]

One reason it would be easier with the housing is that the housing makes it much easier to not touch the bulb itself. If you touch the bulb with bare hands, the oil on your hands will significantly reduce the life of the bulb. A cheap pair of new, clean cotton gloves will prevent this problem.

yes I agree, I remember years ago I worked as a tech in AV dept in a college and projector bulbs etc they always told us not to touch with our hands for that very reason. Thanks fro reminding me.

[Richard King]

One reason it would be easier with the housing is that the housing makes it much easier to not touch the bulb itself. If you touch the bulb with bare hands, the oil on your hands will significantly reduce the life of the bulb. A cheap pair of new, clean cotton gloves will prevent this problem.THIS is the main reason to buy the bulb in the housing. It would be a real shame to unintentionally touch the bulb with your hands and cut the life of the bulb in half or worse. Of course, I've learned to change the bulb on my Optoma projector with my feet, so I don't have that problem. ;)

[hdtvfan0001]

Don't feel too badly....I bought a spare for my projector about 2 months ago for $400 (lamp and housing is one unit together).

I have over 3600 hours on the projector on the original lamp - its supposed to last 2000-2500 hours according to the owners manual. Woo Hoo. :)

[jhillestad]

I bought my lamp replacement from a genuine Samsung part site :

http://www.samsungparts.com/part_detail.asp?catalog%5Fname=Parts+and+Accessori es&product%5Fid=BP96-00826A&search%5Fmodel=HLP4663W

I had bought a lamp on Amazon from an OEM dealer but that bulb started to flicker so I bit the bullet and bought genuine and now my dlp set looks like NEW.

[jerry downing]

Of course, wait for the bulb to cool down before touching it or it will greatly reduce the life of your hand.:lol::lol:

[Sirshagg]

more importantly dead skin burned onto the lamp may compromise the picture quality. :)

[drded]

I have a Toshiba DLP and have never been able to find the lamp without the housing. I'm sure the lamp would be much cheaper without the housing and that's probably why the dealers won't sell the lamp by itself.

Dave

[jazzyd971fm]

jep8821 thanks for the link, they have some nice prices there. I can get 2 lamps for my Sony for the same price that I paid for my current backup lamp ;)

[hdtvfan0001]

more importantly dead skin burned onto the lamp may compromise the picture quality. :)
OOOOOooooo Ouch...... :eek2::eek2::D

[erosroadie]

I want to have a spare lamp on hand for my Samsung HLS5687WX/XAA and find some sites far more reasonably priced than samsung.

What I am wondering is they offer the housing for add'l $20. Do I really need that? They say it makes it easier. Is it hard to remove the bulb from the housing? Doesn't seem like it would be 'rocket science' but who knows. If its a pain, then maybe its worth the $20

Does anyone have any advice regarding that.

Does the picture on this url at the top showing the housing or is that the lamp without the housing. I have never looked at mine, so at this stage its all new and unknown. Thanks for any help
http://www.rivervalleyelectronics.net/Samsung_BP96_01472A_Lamp_p/bp96-01472a.htm?gclid=CO2O1sXD8JcCFQMCagod6yVMCg

This discussion poses a question I have to the DLP veterans out there...

Should one change a lamp when the typical number of hours has transpired, or does one wait until it doesn't turn on? I ask because with the Super Bowl coming up, I have about 3,500 hrs on my Samsung 50" DLP. I already have a spare bulb and was expecting to change it when the current one goes out. This has yet to happen. So…should I change it now before the big game, or simply wait until it casts its last light…?:confused:

[waynebtx]

Side Note:
When you change the lamp (Did you Know) that you must reset the lamp hours in the TV Firmware.

You have to get there by using the remote (Code to get to the tech admin section), I don't have the code for Samsung but you need to reset it if you replace the lamp.

Had my lamp replace a few months ago and did not need to rest the hours when the new lamp was installed they reset on there own i have the HL-S6187W

[Jason Nipp]

This discussion poses a question I have to the DLP veterans out there...

Should one change a lamp when the typical number of hours has transpired, or does one wait until it doesn't turn on? I ask because with the Super Bowl coming up, I have about 3,500 hrs on my Samsung 50" DLP. I already have a spare bulb and was expecting to change it when the current one goes out. This has yet to happen. So…should I change it now before the big game, or simply wait until it casts its last light…?:confused:
Honest to God I have over 14,000 hours on my original lamp.

Lamp life varies, and there are things you can do to extend the life. But in no way shape or form can anyone truly predict how long your lamp will really last.

If your incoming power and user habits suck, it could pop in days, or it could last years if you condition your power and baby your on and off habits.

Jason

[Jason Nipp]

more importantly dead skin burned onto the lamp may compromise the picture quality. :)

OOOOOooooo Ouch...... :eek2::eek2::D
Not to mention the oil from your skin will damage the lamp. Touching the lamp with your skin is a sure way to limit the life expectancy of the lamp.

[hdtvfan0001]

Not to mention the oil from your skin will damage the lamp. Touching the lamp with your skin is a sure way to limit the life expectancy of the lamp.
That's even on the documention for my lamp assembly for my projector and for my RP 3-chip LCD units.

In the case of my projector...it's well-encased in a metal housing completely around the lamp...so there's little chance of touching it, without some intentional effort to do so.

I always use a clean (lint-free) cloth to hold things, as not to drop them or create surface moisture...the utlimate source of future problems.

[dmspen]

I wouldn't bother. It only takes a few minutes to replace the lamp if it should go. Who knows? You might get another 3000 hours out of it.

[Jason Nipp]

Not to mention he can save $300 bucks.

IMHO, by the time my lamp actually goes, I'll be ready to upgrade the display.... which is soon I hope.

[hdtvfan0001]

Not to mention he can save $300 bucks.

IMHO, by the time my lamp actually goes, I'll be ready to upgrade the display.... which is soon I hope.
There's certainly some real truth to that....

My projector is still on its original lamp....supposedly I should get 2000-2400 hours on the lamp assempbly ($425 to replace - I have one on standby here)...I'm now over 3200 hours, and it continues...

Usually when these go....you'll see some significant flickering for several days or weeks...and then it just dies.

[paulman182]

Mine is not flickering, but I have to turn the picture to "Vivid" and really crank up the brightness, and it still looks dim in daylight.

I was told in another thread that this could be a symptom of impending lamp death. Do some of them get dimmer before dying?

[hdtvfan0001]

Mine is not flickering, but I have to turn the picture to "Vivid" and really crank up the brightness, and it still looks dim in daylight.

I was told in another thread that this could be a symptom of impending lamp death. Do some of them get dimmer before dying?
Yes...that is another sign, but the more common one is flickering.

In any case...I'd be shopping for a new bulb unit.

[Jason Nipp]

Mine is not flickering, but I have to turn the picture to "Vivid" and really crank up the brightness, and it still looks dim in daylight.

I was told in another thread that this could be a symptom of impending lamp death. Do some of them get dimmer before dying?
As any arc lamp ages it dims. It also changes wavelength (color spectrum) which effects your displays color gamut.

This is why LEDs and OLED displays are being pushed as the next coming in regards to back-lamping technologies.

Face it, HID (High Intensity Discharge) has many drawbacks.

1. Long strike time (In some cases it can take up to 90 seconds for full illuminate were as LED typically has a 20ms or less strike time.)
2. Luminosity and Wave length are a constant variable. (Lamp ages and the output wavelengths change. This is why some feel they have to regularly adjust or calibrate their picture.)
3. High Voltage Ballasts/ uHP lighting drivers. (Power consumption and more to fail)
4. Focal distance and wavelength effect on color rendering. (example, you see a BMW coming over a hill, the headlights are intense blue, then as the car levels its intense white. Display engineers have to over drive color gamuts to compensate, and as the bulb ages the color saturation needs adjustment. And in general, the color output is a constant variable in HID just in everyday use.)
5. Heat from lamp can damage LCD/DLP chipsets. (The OLE (Optical Light Engine) is prone to failure, especially those units with color wheels.)

The arc lamps are pretty resistant to swells (surges/spikes) in power, but Sags (brownout) can greatly effect the life of the lamp.

Sorry, I think some of you understand what I do for a living now....... :lol:

[paulman182]

As any arc lamp ages it dims. It also changes wavelength (color spectrum) which effects your displays color gamut.

This is why LEDs and OLED displays are being pushed as the next coming in regards to back-lamping technologies.

Face it, HID (High Intensity Discharge) has many drawbacks.

1. Long strike time (In some cases it can take up to 90 seconds for full illuminate were as LED typically has a 20ms or less strike time.)
2. Luminosity and Wave length are a constant variable. (Lamp ages and the output wavelengths change. This is why some feel they have to regularly adjust or calibrate their picture.)
3. High Voltage Ballasts/ uHP lighting drivers. (Power consumption and more to fail)
4. Focal distance and wavelength effect on color rendering. (example, you see a BMW coming over a hill, the headlights are intense blue, then as the car levels its intense white. Display engineers have to over drive color gamuts to compensate, and as the bulb ages the color saturation needs adjustment. And in general, the color output is a constant variable in HID just in everyday use.)
5. Heat from lamp can damage LCD/DLP chipsets. (The OLE (Optical Light Engine) is prone to failure, especially those units with color wheels.)

The arc lamps are pretty resistant to swells (surges/spikes) in power, but Sags (brownout) can greatly effect the life of the lamp.

Sorry, I think some of you understand what I do for a living now....... :lol:

Thanks, Jason, for the excellent explanation. I am actually glad that the problem is likely the lamp, as opposed to something else in the set. (The TV is on a UPS, by the way.)

I know that over time we tend to notice problems with electronics that we do not notice in the beginning, but I just couldn't believe the display had always been so dim.

I would like to upgrade to a better TV, but my "entertainment" credit card has been my Circuit City card, and of course that's no longer an option.

[dmspen]

My stupid DLP is just over 2 years old and I'm on my 3rd lamp. Not due to hours but failures.

IMHO, by the time my lamp actually goes, I'll be ready to upgrade the display.... which is soon I hope.

[Jason Nipp]

My stupid DLP is just over 2 years old and I'm on my 3rd lamp. Not due to hours but failures.
Certainly sounds like your incoming power could be a contributor. Does your display get plenty of air movement?

Do you have it on a UPS? I recommend investing in a 1000va or 1500va.

You may also have a uHP unit that is on the upper spec limit in turn overdriving the lamp.

[hdtvfan0001]

Certainly sounds like your incoming power could be a contributor. Does your display get plenty of air movement?

Do you have it on a UPS? I recommend investing in a 1000va or 1500va.

You may also have a uHP unit that is on the upper spec limit in turn overdriving the lamp.
Agreed. I'd also be making contact with the lamp or display manufacturer after 2 problems in a row...that is not "normal".

I have both a DLP projector and DLP HDTV unit, and both are well over 2000 hours on the use of their lamps without any degradation (as indicated in the documentation that comes with the product).

Clean and reliable power can only help assure that kind of continuity.

[erosroadie]

As any arc lamp ages it dims. It also changes wavelength (color spectrum) which effects your displays color gamut.

This is why LEDs and OLED displays are being pushed as the next coming in regards to back-lamping technologies.

Face it, HID (High Intensity Discharge) has many drawbacks.

1. Long strike time (In some cases it can take up to 90 seconds for full illuminate were as LED typically has a 20ms or less strike time.)
2. Luminosity and Wave length are a constant variable. (Lamp ages and the output wavelengths change. This is why some feel they have to regularly adjust or calibrate their picture.)
3. High Voltage Ballasts/ uHP lighting drivers. (Power consumption and more to fail)
4. Focal distance and wavelength effect on color rendering. (example, you see a BMW coming over a hill, the headlights are intense blue, then as the car levels its intense white. Display engineers have to over drive color gamuts to compensate, and as the bulb ages the color saturation needs adjustment. And in general, the color output is a constant variable in HID just in everyday use.)
5. Heat from lamp can damage LCD/DLP chipsets. (The OLE (Optical Light Engine) is prone to failure, especially those units with color wheels.)

The arc lamps are pretty resistant to swells (surges/spikes) in power, but Sags (brownout) can greatly effect the life of the lamp.

Sorry, I think some of you understand what I do for a living now....... :lol:

I appreciate everyone's help here. Based on what I understand, determining the proper time to replace a DLP lamp is analogous to that old argument about legally describing pornography: "I can't describe it but I'll know it when I see it..."

[Jason Nipp]

I appreciate everyone's help here. Based on what I understand, determining the proper time to replace a DLP lamp is analogous to that old argument about legally describing pornography: "I can't describe it but I'll know it when I see it..."
Yup. :grin:

[paulman182]

Right. In my case, I've always been a "movie" setting kinda guy--back way off the brightness and a little off the color, and get it looking great in a darkened room and OK in daylight.

Now, with everything full-bore, it's OK in a darkened room and way too dark in daylight.

[Jason Nipp]

Did you try a factory defaults?

It is more than possible your lamp is dimming. Problem is it could last a long time. If it bothers you, and you have the money, by all means replace the lamp.

When you do, I recommend writing the date of service and replacement on some masking tape, and labeling the old and new lamp units. On the outside of course. Then seal the old lamp in a zip-lock bag and save it in case your new lamp blows. It may be dim but its a working spare if a catastrophic failure occurs.

If you know how to enter your service menu, write the number of hours on the old lamp unit, and then reset you lamp life counter.

Our Parent site www.avsforum.com has a lot of information on specific display models and if you search long enough you may find the service menu trap door code for your model display. But realize you can really hose things up if you play around too much in that hidden menu.

[paulman182]

Did you try a factory defaults?

It is more than possible your lamp is dimming. Problem is it could last a long time. If it bothers you, and you have the money, by all means replace the lamp.

When you do, I recommend writing the date of service and replacement on some masking tape, and labeling the old and new lamp units. On the outside of course. Then seal the old lamp in a zip-lock bag and save it in case your new lamp blows. It may be dim but its a working spare if a catastrophic failure occurs.

If you know how to enter your service menu, write the number of hours on the old lamp unit, and then reset you lamp life counter.

Our Parent site www.avsforum.com has a lot of information on specific display models and if you search long enough you may find the service menu trap door code for your model display. But realize you can really hose things up if you play around too much in that hidden menu.


Thanks for the info again, Jason.

Returning to the factory default makes the image so dark as to be unusable.

[JeffChap]

Back to the OP -- I bought a lamp only for my Sammy DLP on ebay for $87. IIRC, there were 4 screws that I had to remove from the housing to get the old lamp out. It took maybe an additional 5 minutes to replace vs. buying the entire housing. And the lamp came with a latex glove to keep from getting skin oil on it.

BTW, the old lamp had 18,300+ hours (original lamp from 2004) and had gotten much dimmer and bluish before it quit altogether. After replacement, the set looks great again.

[hdtvfan0001]

BTW, the old lamp had 18,300+ hours (original lamp from 2004) and had gotten much dimmer and bluish before it quit altogether. After replacement, the set looks great again.
Holey Moley....I've never heard of a lamp lasting that long....10,000 hours was tops that I've ever read about.

That's called getting your money's worth I guess...:D

My projector lamp should get 2000-2400 hours according to its documentation, yet I'm now over 3200 hours, with only very slight signs of flickering. I have a spare ready when it dies...but I'm pleased it has also lasted this long.

[Jason Nipp]

Holey Moley....I've never heard of a lamp lasting that long....10,000 hours was tops that I've ever read about.

That's called getting your money's worth I guess...:D

My projector lamp should get 2000-2400 hours according to its documentation, yet I'm now over 3200 hours, with only very slight signs of flickering. I have a spare ready when it dies...but I'm pleased it has also lasted this long.
Cough cough..... Ummm, HD.... Post #24 (http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?p=1973584#post1973584).... :rolleyes:

[hdtvfan0001]

Cough cough..... Ummm, HD.... Post #24 (http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?p=1973584#post1973584).... :rolleyes:
Sorry I missed your post on 14,000 hours too.

[racermd]

2. Luminosity and Wave length are a constant variable...

I know it wasn't intentional, but I found that bit funny. Get it? Constant variable? Ha!

Anyway - I've got a pair of Samsung DLP RP sets in my home and noticed the electronics will simply power the lamp off when it's nearing the end of its life. Odd, sure. Annoying, yes. But I'd much rather have that behavior than to let the lamp continue until it expires (or worse, shatters). At least I get some warning before I need to replace it.

If there's one piece of advice I can give <b>anyone</b> with a projector that takes lamps, it'd be to always keep at least one spare at all times. When you use up the spare for any reason, bite the bullet and buy another one immediately. That way, you can save on shipping costs (because you don't need to get it overnight) and you're not left with a useless box while you're waiting for delivery.

[paulman182]

Well, I still haven't replaced my lamp, and my picture seems to be getting darker and darker. Property taxes hit me pretty hard and I just haven't had the money to spare yet (although if I didn't have two other HDTVs it would be a higher priority.)

I haven't seen any onscreen warnings to replace the bulb, and the set is supposed to do that when the bulb is about to die. I sure hope the issue really is the bulb.

[wakajawaka]

Paulman, it is almost definitely your lamp. I had the same thing happen to me, dark picture, turned the brightness up, still too dark, then one day I turned it on and 'pop, sizzle' no picture at all. It was during March Madness and I had a new lamp (plus housing) sent overnight for Saturday delivery, it was around $300. If you can at all afford it, get a new lamp. The good thing is I saved my orginal housing and I am now just going to buy the lamp and install it and when the time comes I can just pop it in. Also, when you put the new lamp in, your TV will be just like new.

[paulman182]

Paulman, it is almost definitely your lamp. I had the same thing happen to me, dark picture, turned the brightness up, still too dark, then one day I turned it on and 'pop, sizzle' no picture at all. It was during March Madness and I had a new lamp (plus housing) sent overnight for Saturday delivery, it was around $300. If you can at all afford it, get a new lamp. The good thing is I saved my orginal housing and I am now just going to buy the lamp and install it and when the time comes I can just pop it in. Also, when you put the new lamp in, your TV will be just like new.

Thanks for the info, so far no one has my bulb in stock without the housing.

[technisol]

Paulman182,

I had a similar problem this week, a Panasonic PT52LCX66 with a popped bulb.

"Lucky" me, I found Bulbtogo.com and they had a TY-LA1001 replacement lamp for $129... It shipped priority(?) through UPS, for free with a coupon code, and arrived yesterday. When I got home there it was on my front porch, a full day early, imagine my delight... until I found it was not quite a fit for the enclosure. They sent me an OSRAM P-VIP 100-120/1.0 P22 h, which I suspect may actually be the equivalent for TY-LA1000, not the 1001. I forged ahead...

I modified the plastic TY-LA1001 enclosure(I figured my alternative at this point would be to buy a full assembly anyhow) -snipped a bit of plastic here and there(wiring clips that were in the way) and added longer screws(4-40) to the enclosure because the larger bulb/reflector didn't quite seat fully inside the depression, added another screw to help pin the power connector in place because the cover wouldn't quite hold the other side of the connector due to the larger bulb displacing it, had to find a screw and nut to fit the bulb because they weren't supplied, went to install the whole mechanism and found it no longer fit because the case was now wider due to the bulb not being fully inset in the enclosure! Grrrr. Out it came, off came the cover, and after a slight bit of meatball surgery, cough -creative and exacting modification, to the rear of the cover with an X-acto saw it now fit past the internal guide rail and installed with a slight wiggle to seat the connector.

It's working fine so far, possibly a bit less bright than the old bulb -it's debatable, still only has a few hours on it(I cranked the brightness and RGB color levels a tad to compensate), and I think the TV seemed a bit dim when new, but recall it either got brighter or I adjusted(bulb burn in?). It's not quite lined up perfectly straight in the enclosure, but is correctable if I feel the need to machine the inset in the enclosure a bit larger to get "perfect" alignment. Frankly, I was anxious to see if the bulb was going to work at all and could've/should've spent a bit more time to machine it properly so the bulb was perfectly parallel.

I wouldn't necessarily recommend the path I took for the faint of heart, but it's apparently a workable solution, if perhaps not a highly recommended one, and I'm watching HDTV again rather than still searching for a bulb replacement that only seems to exist as a complete module.

I suppose that what one should take away from this is that for the time being one should be very careful about buying a bulb advertised to fit into a TY-LA1001 enclosure -they are apparently still a rare breed.

Should you find a retailer or etailor who claims to have them, for the time being I'd suggest getting them to provide you with measurements and removing and measuring your own TY-LA1001 bulb/reflector to verify. For anyone who does find a fit, please post here. I'm sure there are others who would benefit.

[paulman182]

Wow, thanks for the warning. And that's a really good step-by-step, if I end up going that route. I was wondering if that bulb was workable.

I don't understand the rarity of the real 1001 bulb--my TV is over two years old.

If I tried to do what you did, I would probably think it was not "right" from that point on. Even if it was perfect, I'd suspect the bulb was mis-aligned. And I'm sure my wife would feel that way too, only more so, considering her estimation of my abilities.

[technisol]

Well, I've conservatively spent 25+ years "making things work" -or trying to, so I didn't think it was really all that bad, more an annoyance. OTOH, I wanted others to be wary if they do find a "bulb replacement" until such an animal actually exists. It wasn't a drop-in sort of job.

The alignment issue isn't a big deal, but it's difficult to get it lined up without machining the enclosure a bit to better fit the face of the bulb/reflector. I may get the bug and do it eventually. It really doesn't impact the image noticeably, but if I display a white test screen I can see the far right side of the image is a bit less bright/more very lightly beige colored. Fortunately, viewing video it's rather invisible. I might try doing it if I feel better alignment would increase the brightness enough to make it worth the trouble of doing it -we're talking a few degrees(maybe 5+) of misalignment here, nothing crazy.

As far as why it's so hard to find the bulb only, my guess is it stems back to panasonic's using a bulb/reflector with no part # printed on it and perhaps the sets are still new enough that there is just now sufficient interest being expressed in replacements for third parties to get into the act? Also, they(Pana) had a bit of litigation a while back involving bulbs so maybe they're trying to stay proprietary and make a buck or two back and limit further claims, etc. Further, most people would probably prefer a plug-in assembly where they don't have to clip two steel wires and connect them to screw terminals on a replacement, be wary of oil from the fingers/hands, etc. I find the general public has very little knowledge regarding anything electrical or electronic, beyond what little they have to learn to operate a device -often at the most rudimentary level.

[technisol]

In case anyone was wondering, the "slightly" mismatched bulb I purchased is still going strong after nearly two months of service with an average of around 6 hours or so usage a day -a bit more some weekends. (I keep forgetting to check the hours counter on the service menu...)

Overall brightness seems to have improved -and to be fair I always had it cranked up to about +25 out of 30 even with the original bulb. I've cranked the RGB levels back down to zero, set the brightness back down to "normal"(previous) levels, but find I'm still switching between FULL and MID on Gamma and twiddling the brightness depending on certain shows. I'm leaning toward a lot of that being increased sensitivity on my part and the wide variation in video sources/production. I don't claim to have calibrated anything. I'm obviously paying more attention to the quality of the image and maybe being a bit more picky and more likely to open the menu and tweak things bit.

I suppose the most interesting part of the whole "experiment" is that despite multiple warnings in LARGE BLACK HEAVY TYPE FONTS on the bulb sites, in the Panny manuals, etc., I either got rather lucky or, as I suspected, there is a bit of range allowed in terms of specs and getting other than spec'd bulbs to work with the lamp power supply circuits/ballasts/etc. Granted, some physical modification of the lamp carrier was required in my case.

I often wonder at the tendency in our modern throw-away society to toss something the minute an exact replacement part is no longer available. In this case it was not exactly that, but I do prefer my $129 solution to the $300 solution graciously offered me by the manufacturer... Frankly, I have a hard time accepting that either the "correct" bulb or the surrounding plastic carrier would have been worth the added cost. In fact the "bulb" removed isn't really a fully sealed/enclosed lamp like the replacement, but a tube/filament mounted in an open reflector... I'm not sure if that was for heat reasons, lower cost manufacturing, etc.?

Truth be told, I'm looking forward to the eventual possibility of a white LED source replacement and far less hassle over time. I'd love to cram a matrix of Luxeons in there if I thought I could get near the right color temperature & enough heat transfer, and I could fake out the lighting/ignition circuit so the TV thinks it has a lit bulb, or bypass it.
Project for another day...

[dave1234]

This discussion poses a question I have to the DLP veterans out there...

Should one change a lamp when the typical number of hours has transpired, or does one wait until it doesn't turn on? I ask because with the Super Bowl coming up, I have about 3,500 hrs on my Samsung 50" DLP. I already have a spare bulb and was expecting to change it when the current one goes out. This has yet to happen. So…should I change it now before the big game, or simply wait until it casts its last light…?:confused:

What I did was buy a new lamp when I bought my TV. Then when the lamp burned out I had one to replace it. I then bought another lamp immediately. This way you always have a spare. Another approach would be to buy a new lamp now, replace the current lamp and keep it as a spare.

[thumperr]

to the OP, when I replaced my lamp in my Mitsu, I got the lamp and housing together. The housing had to be returned or there would have been a 'core' charge for not returning it within a week. Beaware if you order a spare, they may expect you to return your old housing within a few days,

[paulman182]

To update my situation, when the bulb totally blew out in my 3LCD Panny, I replaced it with the new Toshiba 47ZV650U LCD set.

I'm extremely happy with the new set, even though I now have a useless 52-inch TV that is less than three years old.

[technisol]

Just to let anyone reading this know, my franken-hacked bulb from March is still going strong. Sometimes you get the bear... ;)

[LameLefty]

Bumping an old thread up from the dead . . .

Same thing is going on with my 2006 Samsung HLS5688W. Dimmer and dimmer over the last few weeks, finally got so bad yesterday that you can hardly see the screen in a dim room. I ordered a new bulb and housing from samsungparts.com and should have it by Friday. It's painful to wait but we have other TVs to watch in the house in the meantime.

Just for grins, I went into the service menu of the TV today (while I can still sort of see it :lol:) and found that I have 10,331 hours on the original bulb. Not too bad I guess.

[Richard King]

The lamp for my Optoma HD7100 front projector died last week with 5882 hours on it. I figured that was pretty good for a 3,000 hour lamp. Thankfully the projector came with a spare bulb so I have at least another two or three years to get out of it.

[naijai]

The lamp in my Samsung HLS-4266W just died last week and i am looking for replacments with prices ranging from $117 - $300. How can i tell how long my lamp lasted for and anyone have any websites they recommend for getting replacements

[DLP Lamp Guy]

If that's your price range you should be able to find a local supplier. We sell them but we are in the southwest. Check your local yellow pages and craigslist. Make sure it is new and the original bulb. Should be a BP96-01578A with a Philips 120-132w bulb inside. Do not accept any other brand of bulb for this Samsung as they do not last and could be harmful to your set. In Phoenix AZ we list new DLP Lamps on craigslist.
You should be able to find a similar source near you.

[DLP Lamp Guy]

And the lamp hours is in the hidden service menu and it is no place for the consumer. You could cause more problems if you go in there. If the lamp has ever been replaced, then the hours total would be for all lamps since last reset. The reset is also in the service menu. The lamp can be visually inspected accurately in most cases. To get a really good test you need to fire them up with a ballast. This is something a good supplier or shop should be able to do for you in your area.

[clbourq]

Hello, I am new to this forum. I have recently replaced my bulb as the TV would just randomly shut off on its own. Now a few months later, the TV all of a sudden got dimmer. Even when I adjust the brightness, it doesn't seem to effect it at all. Anyone know what may be causing it?

[harsh]

Sounds a little like a problem with the drive circuit if the brightness control doesn't have any impact. Depending on the TV, there may also be an failed aperture control in play.

The first test would be to re-set the lamp in its mount to address a poor contact issue.

[fluffybear]

Hello, I am new to this forum. I have recently replaced my bulb as the TV would just randomly shut off on its own. Now a few months later, the TV all of a sudden got dimmer. Even when I adjust the brightness, it doesn't seem to effect it at all. Anyone know what may be causing it?

What is the make and model of your TV?
Do you change your lamp from the front or rear of the TV?
Did you replace the bulb and housing or just the bulb itself?

I ask these because they were a few Sony Grand Wega and Bravia models in which you accessed the lamp in the front. These units had this plastic door which tended to warp causing the locking screw to misalign with the safety which in turn would cause the TV to shut off unexpectedly.
The cause of this warping was one of two issues. One being a faulty thermostat (there was a service bulletin issued for this problem and is covered by Sony) and the second being a faulty or clogged fan.

My first suggestion is to unplug your TV and remove the lamp. Take a vacuum to it and clean out anything that looks like it is there for a vent. Vacuum out where the lamp sits and then re-seat it. Be sure not to over tighten the screws as this also can cause strange issues.

If you replaced both bulb and housing. Depending on the type, you may be able to remove the bulb from it's current housing and put it in the old one. I had a Sony at one time which was fussy and it not matter where I bought my lamps from that TV wanted it's old housing and the TV was not the same without it.

[marym]

I also bought a lamp with a cage. It worked for me. I ordered it online at tvsparelamps.com I was really happy with their delivery methods. I would not suggest a lamp only.

[gpg]

Has anyone purchased a replacement bulb from bulbland,com? If so, did you find them to be a reliable supplier of OEM quality bulbs?

[JACKIEGAGA]

http://www.dlplamps.com/



I bought lamps twice from them I never had any problems

[machavez00]

I also bought a lamp with a cage. It worked for me. I ordered it online at tvsparelamps.com I was really happy with their delivery methods. I would not suggest a lamp only.

I bought a Samsung OEM bulb at a local repair place. It came with plastic gloves. It took about ten minutes. Four screws to pull the housing and four screws on the bulb bracket.

[CCarncross]

I ordered my replacement lamp and housing for my KDS-60A3000 through Amazon...came very quickly and no issues at all and very affordable. They were close to $300 when the tv 1st came out, now going for about $100.

[dontknow]

i had a little over 13.000 hours on the original lamp of my sony tv when i checked it about 4 months ago :D