CurtPalme.com Home Theater Forum

deronmoped · Joined: 03 Nov 2006 Posts: 1154 Location: San Diego

I'm always checking Craig's list for bargains, still looking for that G90 at yard sale prices. I always just search for projectors, it's all most always digitals. One thing I noticed today is, that people are selling PJ's that are pretty much trash. I saw two listed today, only need bulbs to get them up and running. I have a feeling these PJ's will start to end up in the yard sale pile or the trash can. I mean how can you sell a PJ that is not working, telling the potential buyer all he has to do is spend another $357.69 to get it up and running. You would have to be crazy to take some stranger's word that the PJ "runs perfect", it only needs a bulb.

If I found one sticking out of a trash can, I would grab it, but if it needed a bulb, it would only end up back in my trash can.

That made me think of something else, are these digitals one time use devices? Have they gotten to the point that by the time you have gone through the first bulb, they have lost so much value that you might be better off throwing it away?

Deron.

dbaisey · Posted: Tue Jan 01, 2008 8:00 pm Post subject:

Deron,
Much depends on the environment they were in. Many have dust contamination in the panel block (purple blotches) and requires it to be removed for cleaning. End user will damage it if they try not knowing what they are doing. Many times the dust is skin flakes that contain salts and steric acids as well as skin mites that will bake and pit into the panels or if the cooling filter was not kept clean / clogged it will do more damage from 'baking'. Seen many overheated and baked and this will ruin the lamp reflector and or start melting things. Anti static case coatings inside will crystallize and put tiny sparkly dots every where so constant recontamination.

My service area was USC south park campus in LA and UCLA so I have seen most everything including tossed 'D' projectors. The newer generation models have learned from it but still happens. You cant just swap in digital boards because it requires service software to realign and a whole lot of training. That and the chances of recovering one is pretty slim after you get the ribbon cables back in, connectors (plastic) fall apart from heat. In short good luck. Doug

**Curt Palme** · Posted: Tue Jan 01, 2008 9:06 pm Post subject:

That's the exact reason I've never delved into digitals. I'm not going to spend $100 on a projector, spend $350 on a bulb that I'll never use otherwise, only to find out the projector has dead pixels and I'm out $450. A complete waste of time.

HOWEVER.... I have a devious new plan that I hatched after seeing what's going on on eBay. I've really been struggling with the thought of going to work for someone else eventually (every year I say I have 2 more years in this fulltime, I've been saying that for 7 years now..), but if my evil plan of taking over the Vancouver defective digital realm works out, I won't need to look for a job any time soon.. Wink

**AnalogRocks** · Posted: Tue Jan 01, 2008 9:08 pm Post subject:

I can hear the wheels spinning. This outta be good. Thumbs Up

whats6x7 · Joined: 04 Oct 2006 Posts: 5924

Of course they are disposable. Epson is selling MovieMate 25s with built in DVD players and sub-woofer for $399. The picture pretty much sucks with a 350:1 contrast ratio and you'd be lucky to get 1500 hours out of it. Once it dies you can . . .

1. Buy a new bulb for $350
2. Buy a whole new unit for $399.

Big decision.

dbaisey · Posted: Tue Jan 01, 2008 9:34 pm Post subject:

What are you up to Curt? I already thought about lens recycle...optical glass....ant burning and survival fire glass..making lamps out of them and making projection clocks. Most likely the best is selling them to David Letterman to throw off the roof OR 'Pet Digital' and bathroom heaters. Lets see.... C-Bay? Doug

Forgot.. also lamp recycle and already been there with 3DLP lamps. The CRT lamp was interesting also.