January 29th, 2010
If you own your own LCD projector (or are thinking of buying equipment like this), this piece is a must-read. We summarized this very long article into about a page for your quick review – to access the full feature article by Kate Parrish, click here: http://www.avtechnologyonline.com/article/27274.aspx 
Preventive projector maintenance often plays a hand in averting lamp failure, and AV companies providing programs to service projectors on a yearly, semi-annual, quarterly, or monthly basis help eliminate unexpected breakdowns. But is this service right for you? In many cases, the environment, knowledge of the staff, and available time all take part in determining the need for an outsourced preventive maintenance program.
FACTORS CAUSING FAILURE
According to Chris Frederick, help desk manager for Sensory Technologies, Indianapolis, IN, the average life of a typical projector lamp is between 1,200 and 1,500 hours with the environment and usage presenting the biggest variables.
Without a regular cleaning, a projector’s life has limits. For example, dust in the air can become magnified, attaching to the LCD panels and causing burn spots in the panels, says Bob Normandin, owner of Carolina Projector Solutions, Raleigh, NC. “If you burn one of the panels on a $2,000 projector, it’s going to cost $1,500 to replace the panel,” he adds.
AN ARRAY OF SERVICES OFFERED
Preventive maintenance programs vary by the provider and location.
Projector Doctor and other service providers offer similar preventive maintenance programs, which include cleaning and aligning the optics and LCD panels; cleaning or replacing the air filter; and multi-point inspections that include verifying color quality, testing inputs, checking keypad functionality, and testing the focus and zoom functions of the lens.
The cost for servicing a single projector ranges from $125 to $199. For many companies, this price does not include the service call, shipping, projectors that weigh more than 45 pounds, or machines that require extra cleaning, such as those from clubs that are caked with nicotine or residue from fog machines.
Projectors that use DLP technology, which have high-speed color wheels that dirt has a hard time attaching to, should be disassembled and cleaned at least once a year, Normandin says. “If it’s an LCD-type machine, you need to do it twice a year,” he adds.
SEND IT OUT OR KEEP IT IN-HOUSE?
Corporations and schools with a large number of projectors face the reality that preventing projector failure can create quite a demand on its technical staff.
Not only is it physically demanding, but the in-house technical staff may not be trained to maintain a projector, aside from changing the lamp or cleaning the filter.
McLeod says if a person who is not authorized to work on a projector opens it up, it will void the warranty. “If they have their own technicians, they need to clear it through the manufacturer,” she says.
At less than $200 a cleaning per projector, outsourcing preventive maintenance is a small price to pay to get the most out of a projector, but there is a breakeven point for some companies. “It’s the cost of replacement vs. maintenance,” McLeod says. “If you want your projectors to last a certain number of years, then preventive maintenance will ensure that time frame is kept to, rather than having to send the projectors out for repair or replace them faster. It’s more of a budget decision.”
End of excerpt.
Sound like far too much to manage? Consider renting a projector whenever – and wherever—you need one. Visit us at Projector123.com to learn more.
Leave a Reply
