"Osram, the well-established German lampmaker, sells a line of automotive bulbs they call "SilverStar". These are Osram's top-of-the-range headlamp bulbs, equivalent to Philips VisionPlus and Tungsram Megalight Premium. They produce the maximum legal amount of light while staying within legal power consumption limits. They have clear glass.

"Osram bought the well-established American lampmaker Sylvania in the early 1990s, so Osram is now Sylvania's parent company. Sylvania also sells a line of automotive bulbs they call "SilverStar", but it's NOT THE SAME PRODUCT AT ALL. These bulbs have a blue coating on them. Light output is of legal levels, but as with all blue-filtered bulbs, you do not get more light from them. The Sylvania SilverStar bulbs have a very short lifetime, because the filament is selected so as to be overdriven. This is necessary because the blue filtration coating "steals" so much light that only an overdriven filament can push enough light through the filter to be legal. The Sylvania SilverStar bulbs are also priced quite high. This is not because they cost a lot to make, and not because they're based on some exotic new technology. It's because the goal with this product is to take market share away from other overpriced bulbs like the PIAA line.

"For best headlamp performance and best value, choose only bulbs with clear glass.



posted by 12.168.1...

Safe, legal, "blue" headlights

• Silvania Silverstars, Ed NC, Wed, 29 Oct 2003 17:40:50
  • +30% and +50 % bulbs...., REM in Seattle, Thu, 30 Oct 2003 14:20:01
  • I love mine - definitely a huge improvement. n/m, jc, Thu, 30 Oct 2003 10:12:27
  • Re: I believe bubls lose intensity with age, Razl, Thu, 30 Oct 2003 09:10:29
    • not sure, davenew, Thu, 30 Oct 2003 17:14:38
      • makes sense for 2 reasons..., JimBlake , Fri, 31 Oct 2003 06:30:39
  • OEM v. Sylvania Silverstars, Saabing in KS, Thu, 30 Oct 2003 08:52:00
    • Re: OEM v. Sylvania Silverstars, expostdelirium, Sun, 2 Jan 2005 21:04:46
  • Re: Hmmm, not to dampen the group hug, but, STICKMAN, Thu, 30 Oct 2003 05:33:17
    • Re: Hmmm, not to dampen the group hug, but, Ed NC, Thu, 30 Oct 2003 05:49:00
  • I just put them in my 93 last week>>>, JOSAAB, Wed, 29 Oct 2003 20:24:12
  • read these articles from Daniel Stern Lighting, Ligart, Wed, 29 Oct 2003 19:52:25
    • No really, READ THESE DANIEL STERN LIGHTING ARTICLES, Ken , Thu, 30 Oct 2003 13:20:18
      • but that doesn't apply to Silverstars..., Jeremy R., Thu, 30 Oct 2003 18:04:49
        • Osram vs Sylvania Silverstars..., Ligart, Thu, 30 Oct 2003 19:28:02 <-- Viewing This Message
          • Re: Osram vs Sylvania Silverstars..., Jeremy R., Thu, 30 Oct 2003 22:27:03
            • DS Lighting rebuttal ;-), Ligart, Sun, 2 Nov 2003 14:07:42
            • Thin filament is exactly the problem, ask Phil K Dick, Nervousaaber, Fri, 31 Oct 2003 09:12:50
  • Re: Silvania Silverstars, Mike, 9-3SS, Wed, 29 Oct 2003 19:15:55
    • Re: Silvania Silverstars, Ed NC, Thu, 30 Oct 2003 05:58:01
      • paid $38/pair at Walmart for Silverstars. (-), Saabing in KS, Thu, 30 Oct 2003 08:44:54
  • Re: Silvania Silverstars, Jeremy R., Wed, 29 Oct 2003 18:18:20
    • One one of mine burned out after four months..., Nervousaaber, Thu, 30 Oct 2003 06:15:07
  • But it will last 3 months. I changed 3 pairs already, Joe_MTL, Wed, 29 Oct 2003 17:50:28
    • Bulb went dead today. Any recommendations for replacem, Mike, Wed, 29 Oct 2003 17:56:57
      • Try Philips XtraVision,, Ted M. (Seattle), Wed, 29 Oct 2003 19:50:29
        • Philips XtraVision @ autolamps-online.com, REM in Seattle, Thu, 30 Oct 2003 07:08:26
          • Oops, Philips VisionPlus. XtraVision is Sylvania N/M, REM in Seattle, Thu, 30 Oct 2003 13:35:55
            • Thnx for the correction!!! I meant VisionPlus... n/m, Ted M. (Seattle), Thu, 30 Oct 2003 18:21:29
          • Just ordered a set, thanks for the link, ckpaden, Thu, 30 Oct 2003 10:02:42
      • Re: Get the regular ones. It will last far more >>>, Joe_MTL, Wed, 29 Oct 2003 18:32:22

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