Lamp for rear projection TV

Lamp for rear projection TV

How Long Does the Lamp for a Rear Projection TV Last?

Factors to consider when deciding how frequently you'll need to replace your bulb include:

• The number of hours you use the TV per day
• The manufacturer's or reviewer's indicated lamp life
• Air circulation around the RPTV
  RPTV lamp life varies from as long as 8,000 hours for more expensive models to 1,500 hours for less expensive models. Interestingly, lamps with longer lives often cost less to replace than lamps with shorter lives.

  The average user watches four hours of TV a day. With good maintenance and ventilation, a lamp with an 8,000 hour life would last 2,000 days, or almost five and a half years. Even with less than optimal conditions, you shouldn't have to replace the lamp more than once every few years.

  In contrast, a rear projection television lamp with a 1,500 hour life, will last just over a year under optimal conditions. For suboptimal conditions, you could have to replace the lamp every six to nine months. Even at a relatively low $150 per lamp, that cost adds up quickly. If you watch more than twenty-eight hours of TV a week, the replacement cost and frequency also increase.

  Before buying an RPTV, compare all the costs. A more expensive rear projection television might be a better investment.