Understanding Projector Lamp Life and its Significance
By XGIMI Tech - 2022-11
Why You Need a Long-Lasting Projector
While projectors can provide an immersive viewing experience in the home, office, or outdoors, projectors with low lamp life can be expensive to maintain, as you would need to change the lamps now and then. Projectors with a longer lamp life are energy efficient, cost less to maintain as bulbs last several years before needing a replacement, and are eco-friendly.
Today, most halide projector lamps have a lifespan between 2,000 to 5,000 hours. Some, like LED bulbs, last much longer, offering up to 20,000 hours and beyond, although cheaper options may offer lesser brightness than halide lamps. You may wonder how many days equates to 50,000 hours. With five hours daily usage, you would have over 10,000 days to use the lamp before it gives out.
In this article, we will learn about the different types of projector bulbs and their expected lifespans. Also, we will explore tips to help your projector light source last longer and recommend some of the finest long-lasting XGIMI smart projectors that can give you good value for money.
Different Projector Bulb Types and Their Lifespan
Projector light sources are of different types, and their lifespans differ accordingly. Here are the three major types of projector bulbs and how long they are expected to last:
LED Bulbs
LED bulbs are popular and featured in several projector products. They utilize the light emitting diode technology and generally last longer than halide projector lamps. On average, LED bulbs can give you up to 60,000 hours of use or more, although this can reduce drastically depending on your usage rate. With a 60,000-hour lifespan, you get 2500 days or about seven years of continuous use.
If you average five hours daily usage, you can use a 60,000-hour projector lamp for around thirty-two years. Note that LED bulbs have a half-life that applies as a general rule. The half-life is the years it would take for the bulb's color and brightness to be reduced by half. Also, heavy usage and overheating may lead to faster depreciation.
Laser Light Source
Laser lamps or light sources can have an average life span of about 20,000 hours. How long is 20,000 hours? Twenty thousand hours of lamp life will give you continued use for a little over two years. If you use your projector for five hours daily, a laser light source with a 20,000-hour lifespan will last approximately 11 years.
Laser light sources generate more brightness than traditional projector lamps and consume less power overall. They can also deliver crisper images since lasers are better focused than lamps or LED bulbs.
Lamps
Halide lamps are the most common projector light sources, and they usually have an average lifespan between 1,000-5,000 hours. A lamp with a lifespan of 1,000 hours can give you non-stop viewing for 41 days (a little over one month), while 5,000 hours will give you continuous use for about seven months.
However, continuous use is not advisable, as lamps easily go out due to overheating. With regulated usage, you can extend the life of your halide projector lamp considerably.
Tips to Help Your Projector Lamp Last Longer
Here are a few steps you can take to extend the life of your projector lamp:
Clean the Dust Frequently
Dust is a great enemy of projector lamps, and it can reduce lamp life significantly. When dust settles on the light bulb, it can lead to quicker overheating, making the light bulb go out long before its lifespan.
You should clean the dust frequently and meticulously. Mishandling the light bulb can lead to its quick end. Hence, it would help if you exercised much care when cleaning the dust off the lamp, using an air blower or a dry towel. Also, try to keep the environment around the projector free from dust. When not in use, cover the projector with dust-proof material for enhanced protection.
Control Your Use of The Power Button
It is advisable to take breaks in between when using the projector for long periods. Also, when you want to give your projector a break, you can put it on sleep mode to avoid turning it on and off repeatedly.
After use, it is normal to hit the power button and turn the projector off. Yet, being trigger-happy with the projector's switch puts the device at risk of a power surge. Power surges do considerable damage to the projector's operational circuits.
Monitor The Device for Overheating
Whether you want to binge-watch a TV show for hours on end or follow your daily workout routines in the morning, whenever you use your projector, the lamp gets hot. When running beyond the ideal four-hour daily use, it is advisable to give the projector a rest for a few hours before you go again.
Also, allow your projector to cool off before unplugging and moving it around (if that is the case). After switching the projector off, its lamp remains hot for a while. Unplugging and moving it around before the lamp cools exposes it to damage, as a hot lamp is more susceptible to getting damaged than a cool one.
To avoid overheating, take breaks in between use and allow the projector to cool before turning it on again. Also, make sure there is sufficient airflow around the projector when in use, and clean the vents properly to help the hot air escape.
Ensure Unrestricted Airflow
Overheating is a projector's primary enemy. One way to keep your projector's temperature under control is to ensure the unrestricted flow of air in and out of the device. Make sure you mount your device in a position that does not impede its air exhaust or intake vents. If your projector has air filters around its vents, make sure you keep them open at all times. The filters help minimize the amount of dust that goes in.
Operate the Projector With Care
The 'handle with care' instruction always finds its way into the user manuals of almost every device, and projectors are no exception. Handle your device carefully, and do not move it around when in use or immediately after use.
When cleaning the lamp, avoid getting oil stains on it. Do not handle a hot lamp as it could burn your fingers, and handle cool lamps carefully to avoid oil stains. Avoid dropping your device and do not operate it in extreme temperatures, whether hot or cold.
Long-Lasting XGIMI Projectors For You
XGIMI AURA (4K Ultra Short Throw Laser Projector)
The XGIMI AURA laser projector comes with ultra-short throw technology that can deliver a 120" screen just 11.7" away. Along with its diffused lighting and automatic light dimming, AURA's laser has a lifespan of 20,000 hours. To understand how long 20,000 hours is, you can use AURA for four hours over 13 years.
Other key specifications include:
● 4K UHD/1800 ISO Lumens
● X-VUE 2.0 Image Engine/MEMC
● Harman Kardon Sound
● Chromecast Built-in/Bluetooth/WiFi
● Android TV™
Learn more about XGIMI AURA here.
XGIMI HORIZON Pro (4K Home Projector)
The XGIMI HORIZON Pro is TÜV Rheinland certified for low blue light and has a projector lamp life of 30,000 hours. Converting 30,000 hours to days, HORIZON gives you 1250 days of nonstop use, or four hours of video daily for twenty years. HORIZON Pro delivers video content in 4K resolution with 1500 ISO Lumens brightness.
Other noteworthy specs include:
● Max 200” Screen
● Intelligent Screen Adaption (ISA) Technology
● MEMC/HDR10
● X-VUE 2.0 Image Engine
● Harman Kardon Sound
● Chromecast Built-in/Bluetooth/WiFi
● Android TV™
Find more on HORIZON Pro here.
XGIMI Halo+ (1080p Outdoor Projector)
Halo+ is an excellent portable projector perfect for outdoor use. Along with a built-in battery that can deliver 2.5 hours of video or five hours of music on a full charge, Halo+ has a projector lamp life of 25,000 hours, giving you four hours of viewing time daily for about 17 years.
Other key specifications include:
● 1080p FHD/700 ISO Lumens
● Max 200” Screen
● Intelligent Screen Adaption (ISA) Technology
● MEMC/HDR10
● X-VUE 2.0 Image Engine
● Harman Kardon Sound
● Chromecast Built-in/Bluetooth/WiFi
● Android TV™
You can find more about XGIMI Halo+ here.
Longer Projector Lamp Life Means More Satisfaction
Projectors with longer lifespans are easy to maintain since they would not need replacements often, consume less energy, and are eco-friendly. LED lamps can last over 60,000 hours (almost seven years), while laser light sources can last as long as 20,000 hours (just over two years) as opposed to lamps, which offer lifespans between 1,000 to 5,000 hours (a little over a month to seven months).
XGIMI's HORIZON Pro has a lamp life of 30,000 hours, giving you four hours daily for twenty years. The 4K laser projector AURA offers 20,000 hours of light source life, four hours daily for thirteen years, while the portable projector Halo+ gives you a 25,000-hour projector lamp lifespan, or four hours every day for seventeen years. Apart from their long life, XGIMI smart projectors have excellent imaging and sound capabilities that will keep you immersed in any activity, wherever you are.
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