Vizio Making LED LCD TVs... and LED Lightbulbs?

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CaedenV

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[citation][nom]lunyone[/nom]I'll believe these of the Compact Florescent Bulbs from the past. Those never seemed to give enough light out and never seemed to last nearly as long as they depicted them. Also there wasn't any "dimming" them.[/citation]
OK, I went a little crazy with the CFLs in my house about 7 years ago and replaced everything I could (could not find those little candelabra lights at the time as those became popular later). I replaced all my 40W fixtures with ~80-100 equivalents, and all my 80W bulbs with ~120-140 equivalent bulbs (this is possible because they put out much less heat). There is now plenty of light in the house, and I don't feel that I strain my eyes at all. While the upfront cost was a little high (I think it was a little over $100 at the time) I had recouped the entire purchase cost in 3 months in power savings (largely thanks to my wife who has never turned a light-switch off in her entire life lol). They do dimm a little after constant use over 3-4 years to the point where they are worth replacing, but they are still brighter than the lights they replaced originally.
I have mixed thoughts on LED lights though. I am a huge fan of directional lights for some environments, but I would much rather have full ambient lighting for a room which LEDs cannot yet reproduce. The other problem is the heat. These little guys have huge heat sinks (a large part of the high cost), and they tend to get quite warm at the base (where there is more likely to be contact with another object) rather than at the bulb (which is a good 3+ inches away from everything and can breathe a little. I understand this is getting better as they get more efficient, but it is still something I am learey of. Also, I am not a fan of the type of light they have yet. The spectrum is narrow which washes out the color of things in the room, and makes other colors seem unnaturally bright. Again, they are getting better with their 'daylight' and 'warm' bulbs, but they just are not there yet. Early CFLs from the 90's had similar problems and got better, and I am sure LEDs will get better even faster.

What I miss where the organic paneling light technologies that GE was working on way back in the day. We were supposed to be able to buy some sort of bioluminescent, ultra low voltage lights that were on a panel on the ceiling (they were supposed to look like recessed florescent lights, but flat and with a more solid light emitted). I would love something like that! It would be perfect for kitchens and dining rooms (and basement/garage for me) where you want solid ambient light everywhere. Then you could put your LED mood lighting in your den, bedrooms, and other more intimate rooms of the house. I wouldn't mind paying a premium for it if it would last.
 

lamorpa

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[citation][nom]caedenv[/nom]...I had recouped the entire purchase cost in 3 months in power savings (largely thanks to my wife who has never turned a light-switch off in her entire life lol). [/citation]
Maybe you should have replaced your wife.
 
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