Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Christie CDXL 30SD xenon life

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Posted by David Stone (Member # 4846) on 01-20-2010, 02:57 AM:

Hi Everyone,

I am getting mixed and muddy messages from the supplier in Australia about the warranty hours and life expectancy of the Christie Xenon,

What are your experiences,

Regards,

David.

[ 01-20-2010, 10:06 AM: Message edited by: Mike Olpin ]

Posted by Brendan Penny (Member # 5041) on 01-20-2010, 03:07 AM:

Ahhh you are referring to the million dollar lamp!! Glad you asked and I am amazed so many exhibitors jumped in on the ZX bandwagon without considering the lamp running cost.

You are looking at 300 hours full warranty/750 pro rata. That's right sports fans, that equates to $2.68 per hour to run these baby's compared to say a Barco using a standard 3kw lamp costing $0.62 per hour.

But I guess if Edge Digital says its good why would one ever bother doing their own homework right???

Edge know this. They don't want you to know this. These arn't the droids your looking for...

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 01-20-2010, 06:18 AM:

In the USA, it is 100% warranty to 1000-hours for the CDXL-30SD.

The regular CDXL-30 is 100% warranty to 1500 hours.

Again, I know these hours for the USA...I don't know how warranty is handled in other parts of the planet.

Also, in other parts of the world, Ushio versions of the lamps are available too. They have a DXL prefix rather than UXL, Ushio's norm.

Steve

Posted by Brendan Penny (Member # 5041) on 01-21-2010, 07:11 PM:

Sorry apparently I was off on the warranty hours in Australia. The lamp is warranted for 1000hrs 100%.

So based on the last price I saw for an SD lamp in June 09. That's $2412+tax / 1000hrs. $2.41 per hour.

That's will put a massive 0.27c back in your pocket per hour from my original calculation.

(Also the lamp may have come down in price over the last six months.)

Important to note that there are other CDXL lamps available that are more cost effective but..... If the spec originally called for an SD lamp in order to meet DCI lume spec than I suspect these other lamps are really not going to help your cause. Would stand to reason if you need an SD lamp today then you are going to need it tomorrow?? [Confused]

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 01-21-2010, 08:52 PM:

Brendan, the ZX will output more light than a Barco when using standard lamps. When you add the CDXL30SD lamp, you get more light.

My personal belief is that if an auditorium can not be properly lit at the END of the bulb's useful life using normal bulbs, then you should be sizing up to the next projector. Running the more expensive bulbs doesn't make sense if you have to push them hard to achieve light level. Get a CXL-40 and an SB/XB instead and burn it low. In the end, you save money and can easily add 3D later if you desire.

Posted by Brendan Penny (Member # 5041) on 01-24-2010, 07:46 PM:

Yes I agree and that's exactly why I don't understand the economics of the SD lamp. It would be cheaper just to run a standard CDXL40 rather than the SD for a period of time.

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 01-24-2010, 09:36 PM:

However...a Barco DP2000 will output more light running a DXL-40BAF than a CP2000ZX running a CDXL-30SD...and the DXL-40BAF is significantly cheaper than the CDXL-30SD...both are made by Ushio too.

Steve

Posted by John T. Hendrickson, Jr (Member # 849) on 01-25-2010, 08:48 AM:

Brendan-

You say it would be cheaper to run a CDXL40 rather than the SD, but the CP2000ZX specs only accommodate a 3K bulb. How would you be able to do that?

Reason I ask is that I think we were underspeced on our install with a CP2000ZX. I have not been happy with the light and we were given a CDXL30 to run on a screen that is 37 ft. wide.

According to the Christie website, the CDXL30 calls for screens up to 35 ft.

Posted by Brendan Penny (Member # 5041) on 01-25-2010, 06:15 PM:

Well the simple answer is you can't! As Brad said, one should factor in a CP2000SB rather than a ZX in auditoriums that are 'borderline'. Spec a larger projector is key.

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 01-29-2010, 06:57 PM:

The other consideration is that you shold be puling the lamps right at the last hour of valid warranty. If the lamp pops you'll loose a 5 to 7 thousand dollar mirror and heat filter. A few extra hours out of a lamp is not worth getting stuck with that sort of repair bill!!!

One thing that most people do not understand about the differences between the CDXL-30 vs. the 30SD is that the 30SD is made to operate at 100% of it's rated current for it's warranted life span. The CDXL-30 has to be started out at a lower amperage like you'd be doing on a film projector and let the lite loc keep it constat as the lamp ages... up to it's maximum current rating.

I have found overall that the ZX is not nearly as good a deal as is the NEC-1600 is. The 1600 will take up to a 4kw lamp instead of the Christie's 3kw ability. I believe the equivelent Barco does the same... but I trust NEC/Strong more in the long haul that I do BARCO. Granted the 1600 is a .98" projector but it's also inherently more efficient and costs less than the 1.2" ZX anyway.

Mark

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 01-30-2010, 12:49 AM:

I like my NEC 1600's .. pretty decent operating unit, good picture, along with doing a bulb change is a snap to do in these units..but you do want to do the bulb change prior when warranty expires though.

One has to retune their thinking to spending the dough for bulbs than on soaking all of the hours you can out of a bulb when doing digital.

-Monte

Posted by Brendan Penny (Member # 5041) on 01-30-2010, 07:15 PM:

quote: Mark Gulbrandsen
but I trust NEC/Strong more in the long haul

That's kind of an oxymoron considering both 'NEC' and 'Strong' don't manufacture digital cinema projectors! You need to be trusting 'Digital Projection' don't you?? [Wink]

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 01-31-2010, 08:51 AM:

HA...? NEC does indeed manufacture DLP D-Cinema projectors. The NEC 1600 and 2500 are quite popular. NEC bought out DLP Inc's Digital Cinema T.I. license a number of years back because DLP could not afford the venture. Strong manufactures the bases for both projectors. The 1600 is the best bang for the buck here in the USA IMHO. Note. that if you prefer there is a division of NEC called NEC Direct... you don't have to buy them through Strong... but it'll be delivered through them. Doesn't matter to me where they come from...

I've concluded that Christie is way way too slow at fixing software bugs...

NEC Digital Cinema

Posted by Brendan Penny (Member # 5041) on 01-31-2010, 06:49 PM:

Sorry Mark, I am confusing you with my crazy conspiracy theory!!!

I'll raise your 500 and call!

DP

nec800

And yes, this is all speculation and I am the first to admit that I am talking [bs]

!!!But there is something about that side panel design...

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 01-31-2010, 07:42 PM:

Is the NC800C even made anymore? Probably not as it is definitely not series 2, isn't HDCP compliant...etc. The NC800C was also under another name IS8 or something like that.

Just because a model or two may be shared amongst parties does not mean they are the same throughout. Christie has used Sanyo projectors but certainly not all of their projectors are Sanyo. Most DPs do not look like the NECs.

Steve

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 01-31-2010, 08:15 PM:

I don't know if they make any longer but it uses a Cermax lamp which is mucho expensiveo... Around 2 grand for a new one. Then again the last IMAX projector designed also used Cermax Lamps.

The side panel thing is more then likely a carry over rom DLP Inc. They don't have anything to do with producing it any longer though.

BTW: The ZX is not a really expensive projector to keep lamped. You can even use regular CXL type cinema lamps in it in some circumstances. The M would have been te expensive projector to keep lamped with it's special tuny 2kw lamp with short life span. The M is going away though...
Mark

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 01-31-2010, 08:52 PM:

The M is not expensive to keep lamped...it also uses the standard CXL-16SC lamp...a very inexpensive lamp to keep up and they can last for damn near ever. I have one such M running on said CXL-16SC and still don't know what to do with all of the light!

Steve

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 02-07-2010, 01:52 PM:

Nope, The M is only inexpensive if you can get away with that 1600 watt lamp, or the 1kw. If you requirte the 2kw lamp it suddenly becomes the most expensive 2K DLP projector to operate in the industry! Probably one of the reasons they discontinued it.

Mark