Home Theater Projectors - Keep That Lamp Burning

Increasingly, consumers who want to experience cinema-like viewing in their home opt for a home theater projector. These devices allow users to view their entertainment in a darkened room without the size restrictions of a television screen. However, as most owners will attest to, there is a somewhat significant maintenance expense associated with this type of set up; the expense of the lamp.Lamp life in a projector is said to be between 2,500 and 4,000 hours but in some instances consumers have reported a lamp life as short as just a few hundred hours. With lamp replacements priced at a few hundred dollars, the shortened life span of a lamp can be an unwelcome surprise. Buyers should take heart however as there are numerous things they can do to help assure their new lamp burns brightly for as long as possible.- Keep the projector stationary when possible. The filament within the lamp is fragile and is especially vulnerable to damage when it is hot; thus avoiding any jostling, especially when the unit is still hot, is important.- Keep hands off of the lamp. Bare hands can leave oils on the surface. The oils can get burned onto the surface of the lamp which can cause cracking. Use of a tissue or soft cloth when removing/changing the lamp is wise.- Turn the lamp off appropriately. o Turn the lamp off about 5 minutes prior to turning off the projector. This allows the fan to cool the unit.o Because turning the power on and off can stress the filament due to sudden voltage increase it is wise to avoid turning it on and off unnecessarily when taking a short break in viewing. Use of the "soft start" function can be beneficial if the projector has it.o On the other hand, an auto standby feature can be useful to assure that the lamp is not inadvertently left burning when viewing is done.- Keep it clean and cool. Projectors should be housed to assure they are not near a heat source and have adequate venting. There should be nothing obstructing their air intake or exhaust vent. The filter should be cleaned every 3-6 months and changed per manufacturer guidelines to assure good airflow and to keep dust off of the lamp.As with any light source, the lamp within a projector will eventually fail and need to be replaced. However, proper use and maintenance can help to assure that the projector lamp will realize its full life expectancy rather than placing any unnecessary burden on the owner's budget.

Television - What You Need to Do Before 2009

Changes are coming in the world of television. Traditional over-the-air television broadcasts will cease on February 18, 2009 and all stations will broadcast digitally. Although the majority of consumers already have the equipment and services necessary to continue to receive their television programming, there will still be an estimated 20 million who will need to take action if they want to continue viewing programming.The digital switch over will occur in order to free up those portions of the broadcast spectrum, which traditional analog broadcasts currently occupy, for use by wireless and broadband services. Improved communications for public and safety services and more affordable high speed internet are just two of the potential benefits of the switch.For most consumers who utilize cable or satellite TV services no action prior to the change over should be necessary as the set-top boxes or receivers they use will allow them to receive the digital signals. However, for those households who receive their television programming exclusively through over-the-air analog broadcasts, additional equipment will be needed in most instances. Consumers who have purchased a television set in the past year or two may already have a set with a digital tuner which will allow them to pick up the new signals. However, because not every television manufactured prior to March 1, 2007 was required to have a digital tuner having a newer television may not exempt consumers from needing to seek out additional equipment.For those households with a television that does not currently have a digital tuner and which receive programming over-the-air, one of three options are available.- Purchase a digital ready television- Subscribe to a cable or satellite TV service- Obtain a set top box to allow an existing television to receive digital television signalsPurchasing a new television of course carries a price tag. Depending upon the size and display type, a new television could run from a couple of hundred to a few thousand dollars. Subscribing to a cable or satellite TV service would provide additional programming options and would eliminate the need to purchase additional equipment but would involve adding another monthly bill onto the household budget for homes that don't currently subscribe to such services. The final option, which is probably the least expensive, is to purchase a set-top converter box; the cost of which is anticipated to be around $50 by the 2009 change over.To assist consumers who receive over-the-air television programming without cable or satellite TV services, the US Department of Commerce will be providing a coupon program beginning in 2008. The program will reportedly provide up to two $40 vouchers per household to help offset the cost of this change for such households.Certainly the change over to digital television should provide a needed boost for emergency services communications and wireless capabilities while improving television signal efficiency and quality for home viewers. Like most change however, it will not be completely without pain, as millions of home viewers on a budget may find they need to take action if they wish to keep their current television service.
About The Author:The author, Christine Peppler, is the webmaster of homemedias.info. She encourages readers to visit her website for more information when they are ready to buy a television or other home electronics device.