Tiny Diggers – An iPad Construction Truck Game for Kids Age 2-5

Sometimes, a Wii will die a premature death, or maybe a PS3 just up and stops working.  As most of us have found out, 360′s inevitably seem to die, in a blaze of three flashing lights.  While all that is true, for some of us gamers, there is a greater menace that can cause undue pain and hardship and I was witness to this horrible event last night.

I sat on my computer, while my cable TV was on in the background.  I have always loved my 60″ Sony DLP, and it has been very reliable in its service.  That was until I heard a loud pop, followed by the smell of burnt fillament.  I walked over to my TV and noticed that it was off, even though the cable box was still on.  Next, I saw the light that I had been dreading for some time – the red flashing lamp light.  Without warning, my DLP lamp had blown out.  I was somwhat comforted by the manual stating, “it is not uncommon for the bulb to die out with an accompanying pop, as it ends its life.”  Yeah, but without warning, I was now stuck without my primary TV.

Replacing the bulb is not a huge issue, although it is not cheap, coming in at $200 plus tax and shipping, but it is the lack of warning that killed me.  I figured I would see a warning that would tell me that the lamp was reaching the end of its lifecycle, but it never happened.  I did notice my picture getting a little darker, but not enough to stop my gaming, and not enough to make me think of my lamp. 

So if you own a DLP, you might want to do a couple of things.  One thing I read was that you might want to buy a spare lamp ahead of schedule, so you are not out gaming or TV for a length of time.  Secondly, a lot of the extended warranties you buy will cover one bulb changing, which could make the cost worth it.  As for now, I thankfully have my computer and Mass Effect along with another slew of games in my backlog, and I have my neglected PS2, which has Persona 3 waiting to be finished, along with the new Metal Gear anthology I bought, but it will suck to be without my 360 and Rock band updates this week.

And with that, just remember – “POP!”