mariposarosada

This may be a stupid question, but couldn't you increase the brightness of a projector simply by putting a brighter bulb in?

I know these are very special bulbs, but theoretically, is it possible? Or are there other factors to consider?

MathGuy

I've tried putting a 100W bulb in a light socket that said "60W only". The results weren't pretty. I regret doing that, and the bulb only cost me 50 cents. If you want to try with a $200 dollar, be my guest. Just make sure you report your findings back here.

mariposarosada

That's really not a good answer to my question. You're talking about an ordinary, incandescent household bulb. Projector bulbs are much different. Some are xenon to my knowledge.

Are there other factors to consider, such as different grades of LCD panels that can handle different amounts of light before chemically changing?

BTW, the snideness is really juvenile.

oman321

Hey Pinkbutterfly, I dont think Mathguy is being snide with his comments just making a point. Basically the equipment is rated for a certain type of bulb which draws a certain amount of power. If you install a brighter bulb (if it fits) it would will require additional power which A: the unit cannot provide or B: the unit will give but may and probably will damage your projector. Best thing to do is contact the manufacturer and see if its possible.

mariposarosada

I hadn't thought about the power draw. Very insightful.

I wonder what else is involved. I mean, if all it took was a better power supply and a better bulb, it would be "relatively" cheap to produce a brighter image.

Is this a way for manufacturers to segment the market? Pop in a better power supply and a better bulb and sell it for more?

wkrasl

I don't think the incremental cost of a brighter bulb is an issue for the manufacturer. Lumens is a seriously important competitive spec. I am betting that they all spend a large part of their design budget figuring out how to increase brightness without melting the case and motherboard, without frying the electronics, and while keeping the cooling fan at an acceptable noise level.

Eldorado

A brighter bulb would produce more heat which would make the fan run faster and louder. The projector may overheat and the unit may shut down to protect the expensive electronic circuitry. Get a darker room or a screen with an increased gain or both.

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Crunchyriff

Bingo. This is, IMHO, what the "snide" comment was all about- truth. Projectors and their components (and housings/chassis) are spec'd with a certain bulb in mind. Lets say you bump the factor up by, oh, 50% or more- just for grins. In this ficticious scenario you are wanting to bump it up to be able to watch in a moderate amt. of ambient light.

Aside from the quote I pasted, you might full well put the projector's housing into a literal meltdown..or worse...

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MathGuy

Well, I was actually being snide, because I was having a bad day, but you got my point anyway. Expensive electronics tend to be fairly sensitive to the components they expect. I wouldn't do anything that might overpower a projector, ruining a $200 bulb and possibly a $2000 projector.

oman321

"Well, I was actually being snide, because I was having a bad day"


Bringing out the Bostonian in ya. Happy Holidays.

mariposarosada

So, what I'm hearing is that a brighter bulb is troublesome primarily due to heat, and the effects that heat has on the projector's components.

This is a good point. But it begs the fact that the brightness of projectors, in general, is steadily improving. And the things aren't melting/failing.

Moreso, projector fans are getting quieter.

This can mean one or more of a few things:
1. Newer, brighter projectors won't last as long.
2. Fans/airflow are being improved so that they are more efficient/quiter.
3. Newer components can handle greater heat.
4. Newer bulbs are brighter, but cooler.
5. Older/less bright projectors would benefit from a brighter bulb, without damage.
6. There's more than bulb power involved in projector brightness.

I think a little of all of the above are true, but what I'm really wanting to know is which factors, aside from bulb power, govern image brightness. And, how do these factors interact with one another?

i.e. LCD quality/durability; lens quality; aperture; image processing; cooling efficiency; tradeoff between brightness and contrast.

Oh, and don't worry. I'm not about to try out different bulbs in my projector. Though, it would be nice to have a bright image without the shades pulled.

oman321

Put it this way, if the manufacturer could put a brighter bulb in there, they would. If they wouldn't because of costs they would most likely tell you so, so you could buy it from them for a profit.

mariposarosada

Manufacturers often make minor tweaks to products to differentiate them, so they have something available at a number of price points. They sell more and make more. While the cost to make these tweaks is minor, the price charged to the consumer is often considerable.

Some digital camera makers, for instance, sell esentially the same camera (same CCD, same lens, same body, same processor, etc.) as two different models at two different prices. Sometimes the only difference is in the software (not hardware) of the camera. While it does take some time and money to develop the software, the variable cost (cost to include the software in the camera as firmware) is negligible.

Sometimes, the only difference among products in a company's lineup is packaging. Bausch and Lomb got called on this a couple of years ago. They were selling three different varieties of disposable contact lenses, one indicated to last for a day, another for a week, and another for a month. Turns out they were all the same lens. It was less expensive for them to produce one quality of lens than it was for them to produce three different kinds.

So, saying that projector makers would put a brighter bulb in if they could seems a little naive.

kevinw

Could it be that the cost of prodcucing a brighter bulb that has the same life expectancy of a less bright bulb does not make up the difference? If the brighter bulb costs more and does not last as long, is it worth it to the consumer or the manufacturer?

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oman321

Hey Pinky im going to refer you to your own post number 3, ya that last sentence where it says BTW...

I see your point about everything except that naive part. Same parts and components but slightly different models because of a couple tweaks and so on. But, were talking about bulbs, which draw a certain amount of power. What happens when you connect 14/2 electrical wire on a 20 amp circuit breaker which requires 12/2 wire? Simple to much power gets drawn through that wire, the wire heats up to a cherry red, your house burns down. Same thing will happen to your projector give it a shot and see. Now your bringing out the Bostonian in me. Happy Holidays.

mariposarosada

How much more would it cost to put a different power supply/transformer in a projector to power a different bulb? Not much. Add to that the incremental cost of a brighter bulb and you have very little spent making a bright projector brighter through relatively minor hardware tweaks.

Your wiring analogy isn't really appropriate.

I'm not trying to be a smart-butt. I'm honestly interested in the technology.

Blaster

I kinda follow along with oman's line
you're trying to out think the experts

my analogy would be someone that buys a standard Pick Up Truck,
throws a set of oversized monster tires on it, then can't figure out why
the front end parts keep wearing out and they can't keep it aligned...

just saying that a lot of work and science goes into building these sets
and it's a fine line between performance and longevity

just my thoughts

Ho Ho Ho

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oman321

That's cool just messing with ya. Even though I think the wiring analogy does apply. Anyhow you are digging a little further when you talk about changing the power supply and what have you. Everything needs to be factored in though. Unless you have a technical background or friend who does and would be able to make the necessary tweaks the cost to make these changes would probably add up, while also voiding your warranty, and no one wanting to touch if it does go bad.

For the money I would probably buy a new one and sell the old one. LOL Butterfly.

oman321

You mean you still expected to stop with stock pads and rotors is what the mechanic told the guy in the full body cast...HEHE