The Lamp Room

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?

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

They also put getter round the electrodes in the arc tubes