If you bought the projector bulb as per your instructed model number then the problem maybe in the lamp or in the projector settings.

It has a 1000 hour lamp life. Wow, it has a whopping 8 lumens.

It costs only $2 from Hasbro. It’s not your normal high pressure mercury arc lamp that usually costs $300, 250 watt, 2000 lumens with a 4000 lamp life. You get what you pay for.

Consider three things … first, 800 hrs is very low. 2000-3000 hrs is more typical (although bulbs can blow at any time … particularly if the projector is shut off before inadequate lamp cooling, subject to power cuts, run too hot for too long, etc).

Second, bulbs do generally slowly dim, although they can actually shatter. In recognition of the latter I have read that some projectors have a lamp usage timer that will trigger a visual warning at some set point, and then actually shut down the projector at the limit set by the manufactuer. I don’t believe this is common, but it is done. That said, it would be a poor scheme that still allowed restart after multiple shut downs. But you never know …

Third, consider some type of cooling related problem (e.g. a plugged or semi-plugged cooling filter). That said, this is usually a go/no go based on triggering the protection circuits because of heat rise, rather than an intermittent thing. But maybe …

The real test would be to try putting in a spare bulb (you do have one by now, right?) and see if it cures the problem. If no … it’s something else. If so, it was the lamp.

Except for if you change the lamp — in which case you probably have an answer as to whether it is the lamp or something else — you probably should check with Panasonic support or the dealer you bought it from and see what they say if you describe the problem.

Good luck.

Perhaps the Crutchfield (i.e. the prices are good, but probably not the best, however, it’s basically a one-stop-shopping experience) of projector lamp websites would be Projector Lamp Center. Or, you could just do a search for these lamps online, like of eBay or do an internet search, or even look for the best price on one of those price comparison websites.

H a p p y
H o m e
T h e a t e r i n g !

10 hours a day is heavy use. You should plan on $300 a year in bulbs, and that price is not bad. Cheapest I have found bulbs for my model is $450.

The bulbs don’t vary too much, so it doesn’t matter how old your projector is, what matters is quality and ANSI lumens. Longer life bulbs have more expensive materials, and higher ANSI Lumens bulbs are more powerful (costs go up). But, you should still be able to find bulbs for your model up to 10 years after you buy the projector.