How long do I have before I have to replace my projector lamp or bulb?

Question

I have a Hitachi CP-X275 projector that is a few years old, and I am probably getting close to its 2,000 hour half life. I get a message to "change the lamp" when I turn it on, but there doesn't appear to be any way to check just how many hours I have left in the bulb.

Does anyone have any experience if these projector messages tend to come on when there is only 10 hours left or could it be as much as 100 or 500? Also is there any way to tell if a bulb is mercury or halogen? I've read that this affects whether the lamp just dims over time or cuts out entirely.

Since projector prices have dropped so much recently, I am planning on just getting a new unit rather than spending $300 on a new bulb so this really affects my decision. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

Answer 1

they probably last about 3 years, the next one you buy needs to be HD--Digital, I have a Sony HD--Digital , not LCD , which I like the most ,but with this one it has a picture tube about the size of your thumb, very easy to remove , in 5 minutes, also with mine ,if some one who lives close to me subscribes to the extra channels , I get what they get -----Legally.

Answer 2

There is no way to tell how much more time you have left on the bulb. The hours on the bulb are an indicator, but bulbs can quit at 400 hours, or go to 4,000! There's no way to tell other than watching them getting dimmer....or quitting all together!

If you are in the market for a new projector, which is probably your best option, I would recommend the Panasonic AX200U. I have this projector and it is amazing! You can get a brand new one on ebay for $1,299. Or check out some of the shopzilla or pricegrabber type sights. They all show it for $1,299 too. The projector is 720p HD. Unless you have a blu ray player, you will never notice a difference between 720p and 1080p because no one broadcasts in 1080p. Good luck!

Answer 3

when it die