i will most probably be sending my sp5000 back for refund (after all the heat issues - if all goes well), i have scanned and measured the bulb and lamp/chassis, i will be using this to help me devise (if i can make it work) an led replacement for the heat lamp, which will fit the lp240 (i am keeping) and fit also fit into an sp5000 (basically a universal design)...i am telling you this because if i can make it work, i will explain all here, and you may wish to consider having an adjustable, cool lamp for yourself...or you may have done it yourself ?...or you may wish to put me in my place by telling me how it cannot work !

(please be patient though - i am a bit slow - been thinking about it two months already!)

plan A...

an led cluster which measures 45mmx45mmx45mm would physically fit in the vacant lamp housing of nearly all projectors - this size would allow for 16no leds (req 10mmx10mm each), plus the essential heatsink to which they would be bonded...

very helpful chap at futureelectronics/luxeon says 16 beams really could converge into an apparently single beam - he was being cautious, but was confident - it needs trying...

how to power it ? - use the existing power supply for the heatlamp (expert job, that) or have an independantly powered cluster ? - will the other components of the projector start up in the normal fashion without a heatlamp drawing power ? - will the heatlamp power supply go awry if it has nothing to feed power to ?...

leds require small (but too large to be in with the bulb) control boxes and drivers, these would have to be external with most probably the power supply - this would mean filing a small hole in one edge of the lamp housing cover to accomodate the cable - but guess what ? in the control box you would have a dial for minute brightness adjustments (i think i might have a semi !)...

all sounds really scary, right ? - well it is all off the shelf (rs) gear except for the led cluster - that would have to be made (32 connections for 16 leds, non electrical but heat conductive adhesive for bonding leds to heatsink required, copper block approx 45mmx45mmx30mm with finning on one 45mmx45mm face) - i say with finning, but helpful contact says that i might be right in thinking that a SOLID copper 45x45x30 block could, by virtue of how much of it there is, draw sufficient heat whilst still dissipating plenty enough away, this would make for a simpler build...

my (a bit vague) ingredients which i am told may be slightly cheaper than i expected here (don't know exactly how much cheaper)...

*the leds have dropped in price*

16no lxhl-pw09 $3.45/£2.06/£2.42inc vat each?????£40
plus dimmable power supply/drivers ??????????????£40
plus ancilliaries/heatsink ??????????????????????£60
total ???????????????????????????????????????????£140

price is something along the lines of an estimated £140/$200us


...finally, take the projector apart, replace all the fans with something silent/far less airflow - the led heatsink would need (estimate) 20% of airflow required by heatlamp (this would need to be done in a manner which would convince the projector that the fans were operating at normal speed/airflow). put it all back together, and enjoy instant startup, immediate unplugging when done, silence, cool air, peace of mind about the life of your projector, and, oh, i nearly forgot - the films !

hi

good points, both...the focusing issue was something i asked helpful contact, he agreed with me that theoretically, the focusing of the light is all a matter for the bits after the lamp to deal with, and should work out, i would just have to try it!

light temperature is a valid point, heatlamps tend to have yellow bias (look at the light escaping out the vents and it seems yellow)...therefore the sensible starting point would be a warm biased led, between that and the colour adjustment within the projector you would probably have it sorted pretty quickly, my instinct though would be to try 5500k/neutral, and hope that the adjustment compensates, although i have not ruled out 'warm white' which may be better.

sounds like a great idea. Dont get me wrong, im not trying to disprove you at all, im more asking questions so i can understand it better. With lumens up at 1500 with the leds, would that drop much since you are passing the light through a lcd pannel or dlp? Also, does the lamp have a lot to do with contrast, or is that mostly the projector lense/software/lcd or dlp pannel? Would you lose contrast?