I'm pretty sure the Phillips and Osram Night Breaker (another heavily hyped bulb) aren't HIR
Correct. They aren't. AL has developed a new high-performance bi-halogen AFS-capable projector module, and it's based around the HIR2 (9012) bulb. AL worked with Philips to design a new-generation HIR2 bulb (which does not actually employ an infrared-reflective envelope; luminous flux and lifespan parameters are met with a modified filament winding and different fill gas -- this is actually for the better assuming they do pull it off); because the AL projector will soon be commercialized, the Philips HIR2 bulbs will likewise soon be commercialized. OE-only at first, then with aftermarket availability.
The "hype" over Philips Xtreme Power and Osram Night Breaker bulbs is mostly warranted, i.e., it's not hype.
The Phillips gets away with it's claims because it uses a shorter filament at the same wattage level. This means it's produces a much brighter light over a smaller surface area, and hence Phillips gets away with it's claims about "80%" brighter and other crap. The bulb really puts out the same total light as factory lamp, but some people are stupid enough to believe the 'brighter' light claims.
Mm…no. Compared to a standard bulb, filament changes are made to create the "Plus" (+30, +50, +80, +90...) type bulbs: generally the filament is wound with tighter pitch on a smaller mandrel. This gives increased filament luminance and improved beam focus (because the filament more closely approximates a point source). As a result, seeing distance is longer. Light color is whiter and less brown. The "plus" numbers refer to the increase in light at a point within the beam when the bulb is used in a headlamp, not to the luminous flux of the bulb itself. Accurate flux comparisons of the various types of headlight bulb have been posted numerous times, by me and others -- search and you'll find them and learn something.
A smart person would question why you don't see the Phillips technology in houshold light bulbs.
Perhaps, but an even
smarter person would make sure he knows what he's talking about before talking about it. Wanna see the Philips technology employed in high-output headlight bulbs, but in household light bulbs? Go buy a Philips Halogená 40-watt 800-lumen bulb, to name one of many examples. We're going to see more and more such examples from all the major makers as household lighting minimum-efficacy regulations take effect.
*some* headlamp housings are engineered to be optimized for a point light source, and others aren't.
Wrong.
All imaging headlamp optics (i.e., filament or arc, just not LED) are engineered and optimized for a point source. Every last one of them.
If you read dedicated car forums you'll find a mix of concensus
There's no such thing as a "mix of consensus"; look up "consensus" to learn what it means. And if you read dedicated car forums you'll find all manner of misinformed blather stridently presented as fact by people who don't know what they're talking about but still want to feel authoritative. That happens sometimes on lighting forums, too. Facts trump opinions and guesses and assumptions, every time.
Scheinwerfermann's claim it will produce a brighter projection though is bunk because the total light being emitted is the same.
Wrong again. Keep in mind, the regulated luminous flux for each and every headlight bulb type is expressed as a nominal value with an allowable tolerance of up to ±15%, which is an allowable intensity range of 30%. That's very large; it means for example that the low beam of an HB5 (9007) bulb is legally permitted to emit between 850 and 1150 lumens at 12.8v. Which level of flux would
you rather have when driving at night? I'd rather have the 1150 than the 850, even if it means I will need to replace the bulbs sooner.
