Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Xenon Bulbs and Where to Get Them.

This is topic Xenon Bulbs and Where to Get Them. in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Joshua Waaland (Member # 287) on 02-03-2000, 04:44 PM:

So in my quest to start building a home theater I contemplated the cost of the bulbs and how they would factor in. I realized that I do not know where to get them or even how much they cost. So I looked up the osram website and called them. They said that they do not deal to individuals and gave me the number of a dealer.

Kendela Corp. 1-800-722-6068 and
Bulbtronics 1-800-654-8542

I called Kendela and was put on hold and after getting tired of waiting I hung up. I then called Bulbtronics and spoke to a nice gentleman about them. The only problem was I have no equipment yet and just wanted to know what I was going to have to spend on a bulb. He then told me that the prices have such a wide range that I would need to know the exact bulb I needed.
That kind of threw a wrench into the works. Now I must keep in mind what a bulb will cost for the equipment that I buy when I buy it. This might really narrow down my choices in equipment. Can anyone help me on this. Also if you could give me a ballpark figure on what a bulb will cost. I have heard rumors of the cost being in the thousands, from managers. Is this true? Where would be the best place to get one? Thanks.

Joshua

Posted by Ian Price (Member # 14) on 02-03-2000, 05:37 PM:

I just bought lamps for all of my houses and this is what I paid.

Christie CXL-30 SC $775.00
Christie CXL-20 R $618.00
Christie CXL-20 $618.00
Christie CXL-20 $400.00 (slightly used)

Look in the film related links for a dealer near you, and then call serveral for the best price.

Posted by Tim Reed (Member # 137) on 02-04-2000, 08:59 AM:

Yep, you can pretty much count on about $600 for a 2,000 watt bulb of any make.

Posted by John Pytlak (Member # 331) on 02-04-2000, 09:42 AM:

Joshua:

Although $600 for a new 2000-watt xenon lamp may sound high, remember that with proper use and cooling, many are warranteed for 2000 hours. So the cost per hour is less than 50 cents. Compare that to tungsten-halogen projector bulbs, which may only have a 25-hour rated life if run at full output.

BTW, a 2000-watt lamp will easily light a 13 X 31 foot matte white screen, so you likely could use a smaller lamp to fill the wall-sized screen in your home. For a matte white screen, figure at least 5 watts per square foot of screen area.

------------------
John P. Pytlak, Senior Technical Specialist
Worldwide Technical Services, Professional Motion Imaging
Eastman Kodak Company
Research Labs, Building 69, Room 7419
Rochester, New York, 14650-1922 USA
Tel: 716-477-5325 Fax: 716-722-7243
E-Mail: john.pytlak@kodak.com

Posted by Jim Bedford (Member # 4) on 02-04-2000, 10:37 AM:

At home I use 700w Xenons in my ORC-1000s with a 24' throw and a 6' high image. Doesn't quite burn thru the screen, but it's all the light my theatre will ever need.

Shop around for the bulb(s) you need. The prices are all over the map, but all are within a couple of hundred bucks of each other. Although Ian might have had luck buying a used bulb, you must know the history of any used bulb you buy since not many folks replace a good, working bulb and then sell it. Good used bulbs without problems are rare.

Posted by Harry Robinson (Member # 265) on 02-04-2000, 12:54 PM:

I talked with a guy at Marble Carbon Co. in Nashville today and he said list for a 1000 bulb is around 560, but he gets some from Japan that he lets go occasionally for 350.

Posted by Martin Frandsen (Member # 74) on 02-04-2000, 06:33 PM:

I get them for free

well there not new, see my freind works as head projectionist at a theater, he junks the bulbs after a certain 'run' periode and replaces them with new. The 'old' bulb can still be used in my small home theater there's still a lot of 'light' left in the bulb (for a small screen).

Be careful not to 'overrun' xenons.