MyProjectorLamps - Official Blog

Written by Correy Pelletier

Projector lamps primarily affect brightness. They are made of white light, which has a rainbow of colors. If you are experiencing color issues, it’s most likely the bulb is not the cause of these color problems.

The most common color problem is a complete washing of one color, such as pink, blue, or red. This problem is typically caused by a faulty prism in the projector or in the lamp housing. The lamp inside the projector projects bright white light, which projects through a series of prisms or pieces of glass that are designed to allow certain types of light or colors to come through.

There can be many prisms in your projector. In some projectors, there is also a prism attached to the front of the lamp module.

These prisms will heat up over time and change properties. They can also get burned or discolored, which causes the washing over effect of one color.

One solution to the washing of one color is you can go to a repair shop so they can diagnose the problem and replace the prisms in your projector.

Another solution is to replace the front glass prism at the front of the lamp module. If you were not experiencing this problem with your old lamp, try reusing your old prism and swap out the prism along with the new lamp.

There can be other reasons your projector is experiencing color problems, there may be liquid-crystal display (LCD) issues or it’s a color wheel problem. And fixing the LCD or color wheel issues can be costly. Your best bet is to see if it’s the prism first since it’s the cheaper and quicker fix.

Expert Tip: BenQ and Optoma projectors are known to use a prism at the front of most of their lamps. If you are experiencing color issues, call MyProjectorLamps support:1-888-785-2677. We can guide you through the process, so you don’t have to spend money on a repair that doesn’t necessarily need to happen.

Written by Correy Pelletier

Is your projector not turning on? Have you tried unplugging it and/or turning on the switch?

What are the LED indicator lights telling you? Check your manual to see which combination of lights and colors align with which problem or what one of the colors means. For example, some Panasonic dual-lamp projectors like the PT-DZ780 series have four main indicator lights on the front of it, LAMP 1, LAMP 2, TEMP, and FILTER. If one of the lamp indicator lights is solid red, then it’s reaching the end of its life and must be replaced soon. A flashing red light means the bulb is burnt out and must be replaced immediately, so your projector can turn back on. An example of a single lamp projector is the Panasonic PT-VW350 which has LAMP and WARNING light indicators. If the lamp indicator is a solid red, then it’s time to replace the lamp. If the light is blinking red, then a problem is detected in the lamp or the lamp’s power supply. The warning indicator has three options of lighting up, solid red, blinking red, and slowly blinking red. If the indicator is blinking solid red, then the inside temperature is high. If the indicator is blinking red, then it means the inside temperature is high and the projector is on standby. And if the indicator is blinking red slowly, then there’s an anomaly detected in the projector and the projector cannot be turned on. These indications are common with most projectors. Dual-lamp projectors are rare, but single-lamp projectors are more common. 

If you still get an image on your screen, have you checked to see how many hours the lamp has been used? You can check this on the menu and if it’s more than 2500 hours, you have used it over the average number of hours.

Is your lamp dim? If it’s used for personal or professional use, you might want to replace lamps if they are dim. As you use it more and more, the dimmer the lamp will get. If the images or lamp seem dim, it’s time to replace it.

Are you having color issues? This is not a lamp problem, but a lamp prism problem. For more information, see our article on color issues.

When you were using your projector did you hear a popping noise and then it went black? This means the bulb has blown and you should replace it. Refer to our article on how to replace a lamp and how to deal with a blown bulb.

Check out our article on troubleshooting tips as it may help you get up and running if you just replaced the lamp and it won’t work.

If you cannot solve it yourself, then call us at 1-888-785-2677. Our friendly and knowledgeable customer service representatives can help diagnose the issue and go through the manual with you to determine the problem. We can also help you find the correct replacement lamp if the lamp needs replacing.

Written by Correy Pelletier

When you insert your new projector lamp bulb, it’s very bright, but with every use, it gets dimmer in small increments. You won’t notice it in the beginning since the increments are small. Over time and as you use the projector and lamp for many hours, it will start to fade. You might not notice it’s fading and the only way to know the difference is a side-by-side comparison with another projector that has a new lamp.

If you choose to not replace your lamp, over time it will become dimmer. And you may be okay with watching on a dim projector until the end of its life, while others prefer to watch on a new bright screen until it gets below a certain brightness level.

If you don’t replace your lamp and you are reaching the end of its life, warnings may appear on your projector screen stating, “replace your lamp”. The lamp will still continue to work in most cases. In some projector models, however, there is a hard stop that is coded on the lamp or once it hits a certain number of hours, the projector will not turn on anymore. If that happens, you will be forced to purchase a new lamp and install it. 

When you install the new lamp, you will need to reset your lamp hour counter, since most machines will not know that you are putting in a new lamp. The projector lamps that have microchips will tell the projector that a new lamp is being installed and it will reset the hour counter automatically. 

If your projector model is a standard model or it doesn’t have a microchip or have an auto-shutdown when it hits a certain number of hours, then two things can happen at the end of your projector lamp’s life:

1.) The lamp fails to ignite and the projector will no longer turn on. This is the best-case scenario as you simply need to take out the lamp and replace it with a new one.

2.) The lamp blows during use and glass fragments are scattered inside your projector. 

What we at MyProjectorLamps recommend is to know approximately what your average hours of use will be for a projector and lamp. Take note: 

1.) Check your lamp hours often enough to know when it’s getting close to the end of its life.

2.) When you are within a few hundred hours, buy a new replacement lamp.

3.) Write down the current hours of your existing lamp before immediately replacing your old lamp. If the old lamp is still working, keep it as a backup. 

Written by Correy Pelletier

A projector lamp’s life can vary from user to user. Some users might get 1000 hours of life, while others might get 6000 hours of life. This depends on which bulb you’re using and how often you use the projector.

Aside from defective lamps, which account for 2% of all lamps and have a really short lamp life. The average life expectancy of a projector lamp is 2500 hours.

You can prolong the life of your projector lamp in these ways:

1. Environment

Run your projector in a cool room, such as a basement or air-conditioned room, which will extend your projector’s life. You will draw cool air into your projector to cool down the internal temperature.

Your lamp gets really hot during use. If you re-run it in a warmer environment, you may want to consider not running it until the room temperature is cooler. Or you could point an external fan towards the intake on the projector.

2. Run time or usage

It’s better to use your projector in short bursts, rather than for long periods of time. For example, you will get better lamp life if you run your projector for 3 hours at a time, once a day versus running it 12 hours in a row. Some companies and users have no choice but to run their projector for long periods like in sports bars or for weather monitoring systems. These users will have to replace their lamps more frequently because of long use.

3. Cleaning

Clean your air filter regularly, so it does not get clogged with dust. The more cool air it can draw in the better. If you live in a dustier environment, you will need to clean your projector filter more frequently. You can easily clean it by tapping out the duct or using light suction.

4. Eco-mode versus Normal Mode

Most projectors allow you to run it in ECO MODE, which means it will project a dimmer image to extend the lamp life. Some eco-modes can double the lamp life; however, you will not get as bright of a picture. You can select eco-mode in the on-screen menu.

5. Make sure other components are working properly, like the fans

If your fans are not working well, then your projector cannot draw air into the machine and the lamp compartment to cool it off. If you ever hear the fans struggling to turn or hear nothing at all, then it may not be functioning properly. You should take it to a local repairman for a diagnosis and get them fixed to extend your lamp’s life.

6. Never unplug your projector during use

Unplugging your projector before it has time to shut down will completely kill your lamp life. (The fans run for about 10 minutes after shut-down to keep cool air flowing to your lamp.) Make sure after you use the projector, you turn off the power button and wait until the fans have stopped before unplugging the projector. If you experience power loss while your projector is running, try to get a fan to blow air into the intake of the projector. Your bulb may blow or lose significant life if you unplug your projector during use.

In an age where digital technology is taking us further and further away from our roots, it’s no surprise to see more and more people reaching back for a more authentic experience. That’s why record players and vinyls are flying off shelves, as people look for a physical connection with their entertainment. That kind of experience is what drives people to the world of projection to watch their home movies, rather than watching them on a laptop or the TV.
 

 
If you’ve ever seen footage of a cinema projector, with flickering lights sending the picture up onto the big screen, you’ll know the appeal of having your own projector, and what makes  The Avengers look good should also make your own home movies look good. The advantages of projecting these memories up onto your big screen are fairly self-explanatory, especially for sharing them with lots of friends and family.
 
There’s a lot of projectors to choose from when it comes to screening home movies, but we’ve narrowed them down to the best five options to give you a great picture and the kind of authentic experience you’re looking for.
 
Here are the top five projectors for viewing home movies:

1 – Sony VPL-VW520ES

 
If your budget is basically ‘go for it’, then this is the one for you. Sony’s projector is 4K native, which might not be exactly essential for your footage of childhood holidays, but sets you up nicely for big budget movies. The picture is almost beyond comparison for everything, which is important, the projector is well-built and looks stylish making it an all-round behemoth.

2 – BenQ W30000

 
Much (much) cheaper, this BenQ model is a great option for someone looking for good quality at a more affordable rate. It’s easy to set up, delivers an excellent picture for whatever kind of footage you’re screening, and increases the quality of your home movies to a reasonable extent. This one is ideal as a first step into the projector market.

3 – Optoma HD28DSE

 
Another budget model that delivers more than you might expect, this Optoma projector has its flaws (especially the internal speakers, which are not great) but it has the kind of image quality that will shine whether you’re watching a Hollywood classic or your own attempts at cinema verite.

 
 

4 – Epson Home Cinema 1060

 
This projector brings excellent image quality with enough brightness to stop your home movies from being washed out by ambient light in the room. This makes it a great option for people who don’t have any plans to try and set up a special screening cinema in their house.

5 – Philips Screeneo 2.0

 
Much cheaper than the rest of the projectors we’ve mentioned so far, the Philips offers something completely different. It’s portable, so it’s small and lightweight, making it the kind of product you could take with you to share your home movies with friends or family at their homes. It also offers a decent picture quality and clear sound.

If you already own a projector for watching home movies and the lamp needs replacing, MyProjectorLamps.com has you covered! We offer an unbeatable selection of high-quality replacement lamps at low, affordable prices.  Shop with us today and save!

Most projector lamps will last an average of 2,000 hours. If you don’t have a menu that tells you how many hours your lamp has been used, you likely will have no idea of how much life is left on your lamp? Obviously you’ll need to replace your projector lamp when it stops working. But the reality is, your lamp will show signs of aging well before it goes dead.
 

 
It can also be risky to wait until your projector lamp simply stops working as it can potentially damage your projector system. However, you don’t want to change it too early either as that is a waste of money. So what do you do? Here are a few things to look for to help you know when it’s time to consider replacing your projector lamp.
 

• Picture has become dull and lacks brightness.

• There is an obvious decline in picture clarity and sharpness.

• Your lamp is flickering.

• There is difficulty or a delay when turning the machine on.

• A light comes on that warns you that it may be time to change your lamp.

 
Need to replace your lamp? MyProjectorLamps.com has you covered with an unbeatable selection of high-quality replacement lamps at low, affordable prices.  Shop with us today and save!