Rear projection TV lamp life......

[ardo]

Rear projection TV bulb life......

Hi guys
I am interested to buy, one of theses 3 items. I have listed them in order of preferences

1- Toshiba 72MX195 1080X 1920 DLP RPTV xHD4 DLP DMD
2- Sony SXRD 60 inch, (Lcos projection)
3- Panasonic Viera 50 inch (Plasma) (very small size.......!!!)

I will be using it as a replacement TV, working over 40 hours per week. My dealer tells me the two first of the list will cost me a fortune over time, and all the front projectors he sold, no bulb lasted more than a year, even for casual TV watchers. He told me, that three of his clients after 3 years had 4 bulbs already burned each (cost 2000$ cdn). I can not afford to put that much money on repair and bulb replacements..... Should I wait and see for better technology ?, or choose the Panasonic, that is only 50 inch (5000$cdn ouch...). My current TV is a Toshiba 55 inch, that is over ten years, and near its life end.

Thanks
Ardo

 

[JMMD]

You may want to wait for the LED DLP TV's. That should have a much longer life than a standard bulb. I read somewhere 20,000 hours for the LED cluster.

Mitsubishi said they'd have a laser DLP using 3 lasers in 2007. That should be cool as well.

Not sure how long it will be before SED and OLED have screens that are the size you're looking for.

A cheap 65" CRT RPTV may be a good solution in the mean time.

 

[ardo]

HI JMMD
When should I expect the new LED technology to be available, and at what premium price, will it be ?. The 20K hours life, does it mean, that after that the set can not be repaired ?
Thanks for your reply
Ardo