CRT Projector Tube Wear Rating Chart

Over the years the following CRT tube wear rating chart has been adopted by enthusiasts to better describe the condition of tubes.

Keep in mind that tube wear is very subjective. I've seen sports bars use tubes that are rated at a '4' or less and they still consider them to give a good picture. On the other hand, I've seen customers replace tubes at an '8' condition due to the belief that the tubes were worn beyond use.

While this chart can be considered a reasonable guide to Tube Condition (Wear), the actual picture quality can only be judged accurately by yourself once the projector is fully set up and aligned.

Rating	Description	Action
10	New	None needed. Very usable as is. Estimated Life: 10,000+ hours
9	Used but in new condition.	None needed. Very usable as is. Estimated Life: 10,000+ hours
8	Light usage - faint signs of wear.	None needed. Very usable as is. Estimated Life: 7,500-9,000+ hours
7	Low usage - slightly heavier definition of previous display on face of tube.	None needed unless is it not possible to remain within the same phosphor usage area as the previous installation (ex: switching from a 16:9 to a 4:3 screen). In this case, the uneven wear will show whites as slightly yellow (if the blue tube is the culprit). This can be reduced by bumping up the output of the blue tube which will in turn shorten the life of the tube. Estimated Life: 6,000-8,000+ hours
6	Moderate usage - Browning or burn on the face of the tubes readily identifiable. Color balance may become an issue.	None needed unless it is not possible to remain within the same phosphor usage area as the previous installation (ex: switching from a 16:9 to a 4:3 screen). In this case, the uneven wear will show whites as yellow in an uneven pattern (if the blue tube is the culprit). This can be reduced by bumping up the output of the blue tube which will in turn shorten the life of the tube. Estimated Life: 4,000-6,000+ hours
5	Medium usage - Browning is fairly obvious and you are starting to wonder why blue skies tend to be gray (if the blue tube is the one with the wear).	It's time to start pricing used or new tubes depending upon how many hours you put on your projector. With infrequent use, these tubes will last a long time.
4	Burn	Minimally useable, fine for gaming and non-critical viewing where colour balance is not important.
3	Heavy burn	Should be replaced.
2	Very heavy burn	Should be replaced.
1	Computer burn / Uneven burn / Deflection burn	Should be replaced.

Tube Condition (Wear)

>> Basic Information >> What Uneven Tube Wear Looks Like On-Screen >> Example of a Poorly Installed Set >> Tube Wear Rating Chart

Tube Wear Rating Chart

>> Basic Information
>> What Uneven Tube Wear Looks Like On-Screen
>> Example of a Poorly Installed Set
>> Tube Wear Rating Chart