The dark side of micro-projection HDTVs

It's New Years eve. My wife and I are snuggled up on the couch watching the ball drop. 10! 9! 8! 7! KABLAM!!! Our micro-projection HD set turns off with a loud popping noise. Immediately I fear the lamp has shattered, but I think that maybe I just sat on the remote and shut it off. Looking at the remote on the table I realize my fear came true.

This is a problem with micro-projection HD sets. There is typically one lamp that runs the whole thing, when it blows you're out a lot of cash and your HD monitor is down. When I was buying the set I was in a state of euphoric bliss and not listening to my own knowledge that yes, I would have to continually make a hefty investment in this set. My own dumb fault. What about the users who have no idea that a micro-projection set will have a biyearly cost associated with it?

This brought up an interesting thought. My parents have had their SDTV for well over 12 years now and it shows little sign of dying. With the possible exception of CRT based HDTVs I can't think of an HD technology that would last that long. Isn't technology supposed to cost less, get faster and run longer? Or is it cost less, get faster and run shorter? What will my parents think of their HD set 5 years after buying it? Will it be as trusty as their SD set? What happens when the HD market explodes and we have 70%+ market penetration of these flat screen devices? Will the consumers cry out in anger that their new technology is not nearly as dependable as the old, or will they just accept it and move on?

Well, time to spend $350 on a new lamp, so I guess I'm just accepting it and moving on. What would you do (other than not buy a micro-projection monitor)?

Plasma's and LCD's have limited life compared to CRT's. Although at 12 years, if they set a new CRT next to their existing one they would probably be shocked.

One of the reasons I went with good old fashioned CRT RPTV was the initial purchase cost - 1/3 the cost of other RPTV technology. And no expensive bulb to replace. Too many compromises to me withy any of the current display technologies. CRT is still the only technology that can get true black's. I'm eagerly awaiting SED or maybe even laser driven RPTV's in the upcoming years for true improvements in picture quality.

Good news is with the switchover to LEDs, the bulbs will finally be going buy-buy. That's also good because bulbs are often high in mercury, so please dispose of that bulb at a recycling center - don't just chuck it in the trash! And don't break it, either!

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