Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: 2K bulbs on NEC NC2000C

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Posted by Justin Hamaker (Member # 2165) on 08-22-2017, 04:41 PM:

We have five NEC NC2000C projectors in small auditoriums. As we are taking a closer look at bulb costs, I'm curious to know if anyone is using 2K bulbs in these projectors. If so, what are the specifics of your layout and what brand of bulbs are you using? What is your feeling about the brightness?

We have been using 3K bulbs running at about 60-70%. These screens have always been plenty bright enough. Wondering if we would get longer life and adequate brightness with 2K bulbs running at 80-90%.

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 08-22-2017, 04:54 PM:

I have a lot of them running 2K lamps, but on appropriately sized screens, and the lamps are started at not over 80% current level, typically 76 to 78%. You could get your self one 2K lamp and give it a try. It all depends on screen size, gain and the condition of the screen. It would help to know how large these smaller screens are, and what gain are they? The screens I have them on are 26 feet or less 1.4 gain mostly.
I did not end up installing many NC-1200's at the time because everyone wanted to be able to cover their butts for 3-D or some yet to be thought up process if necessary.

Mark

Posted by Frank Cox (Member # 6258) on 08-22-2017, 05:03 PM:

I don't know if it's comparable or not, but my screen is 20 feet wide and my auditorium is 60 feet long.

I've been using a 1400w Christie bulb in my Christie 2210 projector since the last time I changed it a year or so ago, and I don't see any difference in the picture between it and the 1800w bulbs that I was using before. It looked nice and bright before and it looks nice and bright now.

And the 1400w bulbs have a 3000 hour warranty. [Smile]

Posted by Bevan Wright (Member # 1884) on 08-22-2017, 05:41 PM:

The smaller the lamp the more efficient it is in a DLP optical system. Smaller arcs allow for more light collection. DXL-20SN3 will likely be close to what your 3kW is putting out and has a 2400hr warranty.

Posted by Jim Cassedy (Member # 4115) on 08-22-2017, 07:55 PM:

Several of the screening rooms I work at use 2k OSRAM bulbs & NEC2000c's.
But those rooms don't have huge screens- - anywhere from 12-20ft wide.
But 2K's are fine and meet brightness specs no problem.

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 08-22-2017, 08:50 PM:

What 3KW lamp are you using? Is it a proper DCinema lamp or a film lamp using the supplied adapter? If it is a 3K film lamp like the UXL-30SC or similar style lamp for Osram or other like suspects, then odds are not only will the 2KW Digital lamp put out as much or more light at the start, by 300-hours it will definitely out-perform the film lamp.

The digital lamp have shorter arcs that make them more efficient and Ushio has developed their lamps to hold that brightness much longer than a traditional film lamp that loses about 20% of its brightness in the first 100-hours.

Ever notice that NEC didn't really have a 3KW lamp for the NC2000? They jump to the long-life 4KW (1500 hours). For the NC-1600 they had a 3KW lamp with the same life/cost as the 4K lamp. Instead, they have three 4KW variants that trade lumens for life.

NEC will claim 9500 lumens on a DXL-20SN3. I think that is wishful thinking. 8500-9000 is more like it.

FWIW, I have an NC2000 running a DXL-20SN3 on a 33-foot wide screen and it isn't even breaking a sweat. Then again, I have an anamorphic lens in there and it is a curved gain screen. The customer bought the bigger projector to hedge against 3D down the road, if he wants to go that way. The incremental cost increase wasn't too bad.

To me, the right size lamp is the right size lamp. Get the right sized lamp for your screen to maintain SMPTE/DCI specs. No more, no less. It is much easier now that there are many more lamp sizes to choose from. For NEC from Ushio, you have 1.2K, 1.5K, 2K and the three 4KW. One of them is bound to be the right fit.

Posted by Greg Routenburg (Member # 1742) on 08-23-2017, 02:11 PM:

I have an NC2000 running with a Ushio 2K UXL-20SC lamp lighting a 24ft screen and it's plenty bright. These lamps have been fantastic. I've never had a problem with them. So long as you have the little bulb adapter for the film lamp, you're off to the races.