OK, here is what I discovered. The claim that a cheap bulb claiming to be the original OEM bulb means 1 of 3 things. First, you may find you only receive the raw bulb without the housing. Second, you may receive the original bulb in a reproduction housing. Finally, you might receive an original bulb in a recycled original housing.
The raw bulb requires an advanced level of skill to get right. If you get any contamination on the bulb it will likely explode. Also, any resistance in the connection will cause overheating and shortened life.
The reproduction housings are often a poor fit and I have seen some that were made with a lesser plastic that softens when heated. Either case makes the bulb extremely difficult to replace the next time.
The reused housings have a different issue. They have already gone through a long cycle and in my experience are more brittle. I have had one shatter when I tried to get it seated.
None of these caveats are absolute, and I have worked with folks who have used all three successfully.
If you go with the original Epson part, it pays to shop around. I have purchased bulbs for $70-100 below the Epson MSRP.
Best of luck with your quest.
