It doesn’t matter! If you are buying a projector today it uses a UHP (ultra high pressure) lamp. (Or you’ve spent more than $10,000 for one with LEDs).

Do not expect the lamp prices to fall, over time. Even when they have dropped in the past, the lamp prices of the older projectors has stayed the same, while the newest model might come out $100 less for it’s lamp.

And overall, there’s been little adjustment. Today, most lamps sell between $299 and $399, with a few still going up to $500 or $600 in the reasonably priced projector ranges ($1000 or more is easy on some expensive 3 chip DLPs and others). For example, I think Panasonic has been at $400 for at least 5 years. Epson, on the other hand was at $400 for years, but in the last year has dropped to $299 on their newer projectors. There are a few projectors at $250, and there was one at $199 for the lamp, but That was the rather unsuccessful InFocus IN1 “almost-all-in-one” projector, which had a very short life on the market, if I recall correctly.

So, maybe next year’s Panny will be $299, but that doesn’t help this year’s model. And in two years, if we start seeing $2000 and $4000 LED projectors, that will change the game, but not the story for those who already own. -art

I love your stuff and thanks for everything you do.

I’d like your take on my thoughts on lamp pricing. W/ the advent of LED Projectors and maybe one day even Lasers, do you really think the lamp pricing will be the same in two years, let alone four? I haven’t been following this long enough to know, but what has the prices of the lamps done over the past four years? What were they estimated to cost back then and what are they going for now?

I really don’t expect that the 8500UB will sell for very close to $2000. I’d be surprised if Epson launched it with a MAP below $2499, but you never know.

I say this for one reason – and that’s the lamp cost issue. Let’s assume the Epson is $2500, the Panny is $2000.
The Panny gets 2000 hours at full power, the Epson gets 4000 hours. (that’s taking both their words for it). The Panasonic lamp costs $400, the Epson, $300.

This won’t make much difference to the owner who only uses their projector 8 hours a week or less (typically movie only users), but will matter one hell of a lot to those running their projectors 20 – 40 hours a week or more (as many do.)

I think I did the math once before last week in a blog, but let’s take the nice average number of 20 hours a week? Now lets figure you want to get 4 years and change out of your projector. With the Epson, the original lamp gets you to the 4 year mark, and you replace it at a cost of $300 ($299). Or, with the Panasonic, you buy a new lamp at the end of two years, and another at the end of four, both at $400. OK:
Panasonic total cost: $2000 + $400 + $400 = $2800.
Epson total cost: $2500 + $300 = $2800.

Of course, for those running more than 20 hours a week, the Epson will have lower total cost, and for those using less than 20 a week, the Panasonic will have the lower cost. Then of course, the Epson comes with an extra year of warranty standard, which might just save a few hundred dollars more, but you never know who will need it.

So, maybe, but don’t count on it. They might get closer to the $1999 than $2500, but they probably don’t need to. So far, I have no idea – Epson hasn’t said anything to me yet… -art

Our daughter goes off to college next fall. We’ll be looking for a new place, where I really can put in a more ideal home theater, and one closer to the ocean (two miles is just too far).

Tough luck with the lost sleep. I was up until almost 4am. Took a fair number of side by side images of the 9500UB vs. the 6500UB, and the 9500UB vs. the BenQ W6000.

Unfortunately, I still didn’t have a chance to do the 9500UB vs. my RS20 (which can’t be done side by side – only alternate viewing (a few seconds in between) in my main theater. I plan to spend about 20-30 minutes on that, tonight, right after its dark, so I can see how much better the Epson’s black levels are than the RS20s (only kidding).

Stay tuned! Order a pizza, could be a long night for those not planning on sleep, until I do the blog… -art (it will be tonight, however)

Really? Regarding your wine merchant? That’s amusing (that you would use that as an example. One of my best friends is one of the worlds foremost wine experts (and the first American to ever earn the title of Master Sommelier. I mention this because, he might say to choose a wine merchant who understands your tastes in wine and can Pair the bottles in his selection to your palette.

As to Dylan, Yep, I do enjoy him, although the previous time I saw him was about 5 years ago, and as usual, his band is always stellar, but previous time he was not. this time, it was just an awesome concert. Yeah, my musical judgement is always questionable. Try to sort this out, these are probably most of the bands I’ve seen live in the last 6 months or so, certainly all of them since the beginning of the year:

Dylan Jefferson Starship, Zombies, The Dead Weather, Ian Anderson (Ok, that one is in 3 weeks), Ten Years After, Pat Benatar and Blondie, Three Dog Night, Moody Blues, MGNT (twice), Modest Mouse, Pete Townsend (100 person venue), The Who (much larger venue), Heart, Train, Paul McCartney, Canned Heat, Greatful Dead, Coldplay (shitty venue – again), Alan Parsons Project, Journey, Jonny Lang, Leonard Cohen, Franz Ferdinand, Morrisey, and The Black Keys (the last 4+McCartney, at Coachella), oh yeah, and My Morning Jacket and Kings of Leon.

And in the last year or so, some other particularly spectacular concerts: David Gilmour, Roger Waters (2x), Arcade Fire (3x), Radiohead, Racontours, Moby

Probably missed a few, point being, I can’t spend every evening watching movies and college football. You guys just don’t pay me enough, but enough for plenty of concert tickets!

Actually I do typically catch at least 20 concerts and 2 music festivals each year. And, as the guy who fell off the top of the empire state building was heard saying, all the way down: “so far, so good, so far, so good, so far, so….” so, I expect the next year, will be no different…

Hey, no problem with your “trying to forgive people who follow college football, too” afterall, to quote Caddyshack “the world needs ditch diggers too”. -art

Alas this post casts serious doubts in my mind about your judgement. You actually enjoy Bob Dylan?

I try to forgive people who follow college football too. It gets harder each year.