When it comes to replacing the lamp in your Rear Projector TV (RPTV) lamp, you’ll want to protect your investment and buy from a certified manufacturer or reseller.

It may be tempting to buy a generic replacement off the Internet but they may end up costing you more in the long run. Many of these generic brands are priced lower because they’ve been manufactured with inferior or even counterfeit parts. The initial savings upfront may not be worth it if your projector ends up being damaged.

The subtle technology of RPTV lamps

On the surface generic brands may appear to be the same but their technology is actually quite different from the official brand lamp manufactured by Philips Lighting. RPTVs use high pressure to generate light and this pressure needs to be controlled inside the lamp.  Authentic projector lamps have been calibrated to the exact wattage in order to control the pressure. Too high a pressure may result in the lamp exploding and damaging the inside of your RPTV. A generic lamp may also give off too little pressure resulting in a low light output and a poor picture quality.

The lamps also need a high voltage in order to work and so been have designed to meet each projectors specific requirements and dimensions. They are able to hold up to the demands needed to operate within the DLP environment. Non-original lamps have not been designed to handle the subtleties in wattage and pressure. When you purchase the right projector lamp, you are guaranteed it’s going to work and not damage your projector.

Not all brands are alike

As the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM), Philips handles 60% of the market for RPTV. Their high-quality bulbs have an average life span of close to 2,000 hours and have been manufactured to be compatible with other components of your projector including the ballast and power supply. Once installed, Philips lamps are going to get your projector working at optimum levels.

The unknown can be costly

Generic brands sold through the Internet can’t offer this kind of guarantee, particularly those manufactured in China, where the standards are lower and regulations not as strict. Installing a cheaper brand may actually damage other sensitive components connected to your projectors operating system. You may also find your warranty has become void after installing these third-party parts.

For peace of mind

When you purchase from an authorized reseller and dealer, you know you’re receiving a Philips bulb that is reliable, durable and safe. Why sacrifice peace of mind or run the risk of having your projector break down before a major presentation for the sake of a slightly cheaper generic brand? Simplify your life and buy OEM genuine RPTV lamps.

The post Why generic RPTV Lamps cost more appeared first on DLP Lamp Guide - LCD and DLP Repair Tips - Fix Your DLP - FixYourDLP.com.

Keep your TV working by avoiding RPTV counterfeit lamps

Would you compromise your health and risk your eyesight for the sake of a few dollars? Using RPTV counterfeit lamps puts you at risk for potential damage to your eyesight as well as exposure to Krypton-85, a radioactive gas that is linked to cancer.

Why expose your family to this toxic gas to save some money? Why risk damaging your RPTV as well?

Toxic bargain

What is Krypton-85 doing in your generic RPTV lamp? Using this toxic element is the only way for copy-cat manufacturers to re-produce the technology created by PHILIPS, the original manufacturer of projector lamps.

After years of research, PHILIPS developed a revolutionary arc tube filled with mercury-argon mixture that created intense light but lowered the heat allowing both the lamp and projector to become smaller.

Since PHILIPS patented technology is not available to counterfeit manufacturers, they resort to using Krypton-85 for the same result. This radioactive gas is created from by nuclear reactors during the fission between uranium and plutonium and has a number of industrial and medical applications. It’s safe when used in a controlled environment. It’s not safe in your RPTV projector lamp.

Lack of durability

In order to create the knock-off lamp, counterfeit manufacturers usually replace the arc tube or refit old projector lamps with counterfeit parts; others replace the complete module. Whichever method they choose, they are still producing a lamp with a shorter life cycle and inferior technology.

Lack of accountability

Exposure to Krypton-85 happens when these lamps break or explode inside the projector from overheating. Short-term effects of Krypton-85 exposure are dizziness, nausea, vomiting, and loss of consciousness. Long-term effects are more serious and have been linked to cancer. Protect your eyesight

PHILIPS lamps also use a UV coated reflectors allowing for a brighter and more vibrant picture. Generic lamps have a non-coated reflector, which eventually damages color wheel and optical block in your projector—both expensive components to repair.

More importantly, PHILIPS UV reflectors are designed to reduce harmful rays from the intense light thereby protecting your eyesight. Generic lamps without UV coated reflectors can produce an effect similar to looking at the sun without UV protection.

Buyer beware

Inferior knock-off lamps are flooding the market. You’ll find generic lamps being sold on popular internet shopping sites—in fact it can be hard to distinguish the real lamps from the knock-off lamps.

Remember “you get what you pay for” so if the price seems too good to be true then chances are it’s a counterfeit. Copy-cat manufacturers can be clever at disguising their knock-off products including using original PHILIPS logos and parts numbers. So even if the lamp looks authentic if the price is too good to be true, then chances are it’s a counterfeit.

Shop smart and stay safe

Be a smart consumer and purchase your PRTV lamp from a guaranteed seller such as Discount-Merchant.com. These OEM retailers have a partnership with PHILIPS to sell their original lamps. You’ll be getting a lamp produced with the proper materials and a guarantee replacement should there be any problems. Those few extra dollars are worth peace of mind and your health.

Learn more

To read more about counterfeits, please visit http://www.fixyourdlp.com/counterfeits.

The post Consumer Alert: The dangers of RPTV counterfeit lamps appeared first on DLP Lamp Guide - LCD and DLP Repair Tips - Fix Your DLP - FixYourDLP.com.