SOX Lamp Blackening

[Slyspark]

Ok, so here's something I've always wondered, how come new SOX lamps these days come with blackening around the arc tube next to the electrodes? Take any old Thorn / GEC / Osram, etc lamp and those always used to come with a completely clean arc tube, offering a clear view of the electrodes. New Philips made lamps always seem to come with a big black band around the arc tube next to both the electrodes - how come this is the case?

[Danny]

Not sure wvy but I'm sure James H said on here a while back that the blackening is Getter and the more that's on the electrodes the better the life will be aparantly

[Danny]

They also put getter round the electrodes in the arc tubes