

Luxim LIFI plasma light bulb more efficient than LED/CFL - floatingatoll
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/04/luxim-plasma-lifi-light-bulb-led-cfl.php

======
ajb
Unfortunately, there's apparently an ongoing patent dispute between these guys
and Ceravision, both of whom claim to have invented the technology.

------
ars
Why does everyone compare with LED's? For bulbs in actual production - outside
a lab - CFL's easily beat LED's and produce better light to boot (better
color).

What is it with this obsession with LED's?

I saw an LED lamp for sale in a store and one thing was conspicuously missing
- the panel on the side that told me how many lumens it produces. There were
very excited about the watts, but wouldn't say how much light it makes. And
probably for a good reason. (And isn't that panel required by law?)

~~~
derekaharris
I just finished an industry analysis for the light bulb industry in the US.
The LED technology is advancing at such a fast rate that although they are
prohibitively expensive now, in 5 years they will cost less than CFLs and
provide higher quality lighting. The big three light bulb manufacturers (GE,
Philips, and OSRAM), which make up 95% of the US market, are buying LED firms
like crazy. LEDs last about 10x longer and use 1/10 the electricity of CFLs as
well. CFLs contain a small amount of mercury which will help speed adoption of
LEDs.

~~~
ars
LED's do NOT use 1/10 the electricity of CFLs. Besides being not true, that
also violates the laws of physics. CFL's use appox 3 times the theoretical
best efficiency possible - so at best a different bulb could use 1/3 the
electricity of CFLs. And that's the theoretical maximum, and not likely to be
reached.

------
Andys
How is this different from an arc lamp / high-intensity discharge lamp as used
in spotlights and car headlamps?

~~~
ars
Quite different. HiD lamps use a strong electric current to heat up and excite
a plasma. These use radio waves to heat up the plasma.

There is no cathode or anode.

