Projector Reviews

Thomas J. Norton

The bulb-flicker issue Robert Deutsch mentions in his "Take 2" on the Marantz VP-12S2 is not unique to that product: We reported a similar problem with the Sim2 HT300 Plus (May 2003). And shortly after we'd put to bed our review of the SharpVision XV-Z10000U (October 2003), that projector began to exhibit significant flicker as well (after about 300 hours of operation). The problem would start after about 10 minutes of warmup, last for a few minutes, and stop—but then come on and off again periodically during use.

I was able to significantly reduce the problem by removing and reinserting the bulb housing (when cool!) several times, to clean off the contacts. This didn't cure the problem completely, but, like RD's experience with the Marantz, it was now tolerable. When I watched the entire three hours of The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers on the Sharp, a subtle flicker intruded for a total of only about five minutes.

But the fact that flicker was observed on projectors from three different manufacturers suggests that there may be a generic problem that all projector manufacturers using similar bulbs should investigate more thoroughly, if they haven't already done so. We still recommend all of these projectors for their exceptional performance, and the manufacturers' warranties should cover this problem, should it occur. At the very least, however, we recommend that buyers put at least 300–400 hours on their new projectors while the bulb is still under warranty. If the problem is going to occur, it will likely happen during that time.

Manufacturer
Sharp Electronics Corporation
Sharp Plaza
Mahwah, NJ 07430-2135
tel. (201) 529-8200
fax (201) 529-8919
www.sharpusa.com