Fluorescent lights bad?

[oucory]

Are they bad for home theater rooms.

[Burke Strickland]

Bad in what way? Any overly bright light source is "bad" if it is on and distracts/detracts from your movie watching experience.

Lights that hit the screen and wash out the video image are "bad". Lights that glare in your eyes are "bad". Lights that unavoidably divert your attention away from the screen are "bad" (and that can be the panel light on a component in the rack). Lights that are on during movie viewing that have a skewed color temperature (too "warm" or too "cool") rather than the sunlight standard of 6500K can cause a perceived shift in the color balance of the picture being viewed, which is also "bad".

Actually, fluorescent lights are readily available with true 6500K color temperature, (Home Depot stocks them -- Philips "Daylight Deluxe"), while incandescent bulbs at that color temperature are a lot harder to come by. If they don't generate hum and are at a low enough light output level, fluorescents can be quite effective as backlighting behind an RPTV or direct view set to avoid eye fatigue.

But most fluorescents don't work with a dimmer, so the wattage of the bulb and any baffling provided by the fixture it is in pretty much determine the light output level. You have to decide what is enough light versus too much, but backlighting at about 10% to 15% of the intensity of the picture being viewed is a good target.

Good luck -

Burke

[Kevin P]

Some compact fluorescents with electronic ballasts may interfere with remote controls.

Others can flicker enough to cause eyestrain.

Other than that, I don't see any harm in using fluorescents. Like Burke said, it's easy to find fluorescent lamps in the 6500K color temperature.

[H.T.C]

Yeah, pc bulbs can be in fact cause promblems,the older ge and sylvania bulbs would interfere with romote controls and anthing radio frequency that crossed its path.

In some cases people thought they lived in a haunted house.

I would not plug any home theater equipment near fl lights it may cause noise interferance and when i plug my shortwave reciever near any power compacts that are connected with the same surge suppressor, shortwave and am produce nothing but noise.

Aquarium lights also may cause the same interferance no matter what the kelvin ratings are,daylite bulbs or ultraviolet bulbs or not.

[David Meek]

Hi Cory, welcome to The Guide. :welcome:

Based on my personal experience, I recommend not having any fluorecscents in your HT area or on the same electrical circuit. The one exception would be a 6500K light which is designed to operate in/around theater systems.

A couple of years ago, I installed some of the new "small diameter" fluorescent fixtures in our master bedroom closet (I hate trying to see if my socks match in dim light). While doing an exemplary job of lighting, they produce an audible hum that can be annoying. If something similar were in a theater/music room, it would IMO have to be removed. Also, as noted above, fluorescents can output "noise" on the electrical circuit which can be transmitted to other electronics on that same circuit - I had to overcome that issue in my first HT room.

Can you give us some more detail around your question? Ie. are there fluorescents already in an area you want to use, or are you planning on installing some, etc? Don't worry, we'll be gentle.

[aarsoe]

If I may add - one clear dis-advantage to using flourescent light, is that have a tendency to create noise that will go back into your mains and can (in most cases) clearly be heard...
Try listening with them on and off - should be pretty easy to tell the difference.
So my advice would be to avoid them if possible - and if not try to get the on a different mains line, than the one you have your gear hooked into..

[Q-Man]

Yes they are bad. Not only in the theater room, but the whole house. Lights on dimmers, appliances, electric motors, digital displays like alarm clocks, microwaves all introduce hum and noise into your system.

[oucory]

The noise was what I was afraid of. I had an one one that would cause the tv to become fuzzy when on, but that was years ago. I thought they may be better now. Sounds like I had better avoid them if possible. Thanks for all of the replies.