 
Superior Color Performance
in Metal Halide Technology
CHOOSING
THE RIGHT LIGHT SOURCE
No single light source works best for all applications.
Choosing the right lamp usually begins with your specific
lighting requirements. For example, accent lighting for
retail displays need well-controlled beams of light, as
does downlighting from high ceilings. Wall washing of
interior surfaces, floodlighting, and low-level exterior
lighting all benefit from compact sources that can project
light effectively.
Color plays an important role in the lighting decision.
Interior commercial and institutional spaces require,
comfortable, white light, typically with a color temperature
from 2700K to 4000K. Most retail spaces also demand good
color rendering. Many designers prefer white light for
exterior areas as well, particularly with building-mounted
or landscape lighting. Exterior operations usually require
light sources that perform well in cold weather.
Once the visual lighting requirements are met, you can
then evaluate light sources in terms of initial and operating
cost, energy consumption, and environmental impact. Incandescent
sources offer optical control and warm color but carry
very high energy and maintenance costs. Fluorescent is
economical but lacks punch.
Standard metal halide lamps provide an energy-efficient,
compact source of white light that operates well both
indoors and out. But MasterColor metal halide lamps deliver
high CRI and the consistent color needed for retail applications
and most offices. And MasterColor offers the complete
range of light distribution needed for accent, architectural,
and outdoor lighting. Further, when compared to conventional
metal halide sources, MasterColor significantly lowers
the cost of ownership, saves energy, and—with ALTO®
Lamp Technology—supports environmentally responsible
lamp disposal.
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CONSISTENT
COLOR
MasterColor
metal halide lamps offer the best color performance of
any metal halide lamp today. With consistent color properties,
MasterColor lamps provide outstanding performance for
the numerous interior and exterior applications where
the quality of light is paramount.
The color of a lamp is judged by both the apparent color
of the source (measured by the color temperature) and
by its color rendering ability (as measured by the color
rendering index, or CRI).
 Available
in both warm (3000K) and cool (4000K) white tones, MasterColor
maintains a consistent appearance throughout its life.
Its color temperature varies less than 200K from lamp
to lamp and over average rated life. This remarkable stability
contrasts with standard metal halide lamps, which vary
as much as 600K over life, and may require early replacement
to avoid an array of colors. MasterColor metal halide
lamps provide consistent, stable color throughout life.
MasterColor also provides exceptional color rendering.
The CRI of MasterColor 3000K lamps is 81-85, and for 4000k
lamps, 92-93. MasterColor renders the colors of people
and merchandise so accurately that it has become the lamp
of choice for energy-efficient display lighting.
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ENERGY
EFFICIENCY
 MasterColor
metal halide lamps are more energy-efficient than standard
low-wattage metal halide lamps (measured in lumens of
light output per watt). Attaining up to 93 lumens per
watt, MasterColor lamps are 10-20% more energy efficient
than other metal lamps of similar wattage, offering significant
energy savings. Compared to incandescent lamps, MasterColor
is four to five times as efficient. MasterColor also outperforms
compact fluorescent lamps, offering lighting performance
comparable to linear fluorescent systems.
MAINTAINED
LIGHT OUTPUT
All
light sources are rated according to their initial lumen
output, but light output decreases as they age. MasterColor
delivers the highest light output among low-wattage metal
halide lamps—both  initially
and throughout lamp life. MasterColor starts with 10-20%
higher initial lumens. More importantly, MasterColor maintains
more of this light output over lamp life. Lumen maintenance
for MasterColor lamps is about 798 at mean life, compared
to 60-65% for ordinary metal halide lamps, whose output
diminishes rapidly over time. The combination of higher
initial light output and superior lumen maintenance gives
MasterColor a 35% advantage in maintained light output,
when compared to standard metal halide systems.
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COST
OF OWNERSHIP
Lighting
cost of ownership includes both initial and operating
costs. MasterColor  reduces
costs in both areas. Compared to other metal halide systems,
35% higher maintained lumens means that you need fewer
MasterColor lamps to maintain the same level of illumination.
The savings in initial costs are considerable because
one third fewer luminaires and less installation labor
are required. And, over the life of the installation,
MasterColor saves about 35% on energy and lamp replacement
costs! Compared to incandescent systems, the savings in
operating costs are even more significant.
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FADEBLOCK™ FOR UV CONTROL
All
light sources, particularly sunlight, emit ultraviolet
(UV) radiation. Conventional metal halide lamps rank highest
among popular lamps with respect to UV emissions. To control
the health effects of UV radiation, metal halide lamps
either incorporate an integral hard-glass enclosure or
require protective glass in the luminaire.
To control the fading risk caused by UV radiation, MasterColor®
metal halide PAR and T-6 lamps feature FadeBlock™,
a Philips exclusive. Fading  risk
depends on many factors, including the composition of
the material being illuminated and the amount and nature
of the illumination. The fading risk posed by different
light sources can be evaluated by comparing the Damage
Factor of each lamp. FadeBlock reduces the Damage Factor
of MasterColor lamps to the level of fluorescent and halogen.
This reduced risk of fading enhances the use of MasterColor
in retail and other applications with light-sensitive
materials.
Click here for more information on Master Color
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