I agree with everyone that you really do need projector housings if you're going to go HID.
There is a misunderstanding about projectors being the solution to HID issues (glare, etc.) Yes, there is a "sharp cut off", but that's created by an internal metal plate in the housing. The reflector is still calibrated for a halogen bulb. Here's a little-observed point about HIDs (no matter the headlight type):
"But what about all the rave reviews you read in magazines and on Usenet about how marvelous HID headlamps are? Well, here's the double whammy of high levels of foreground light: When you can see every last pebble in the road, all the way across, it's very comforting. You don't have to strain to see what's immediately in front of the vehicle. And the most recent research seems to be suggesting that this, to an extent, improves driver performance at night, possibly because with the foreground adequately illuminated, we tend to trust our peripheral vision to handle the foreground, and keep focussed out in the distance where we should be looking. (See above comments regarding too-low levels of foreground light in many US headlamps...). BUT, foreground illumination is *only one* performance aspect of a headlamp, and it's very, very easy to judge a headlamp "good" because of very strong foreground light, when in fact the distance vision isn't so grand. In short (finally!) an HID headlamp has a strong tendency to create a false sense of security."
This applies, projector housings or otherwise. It has been compared to putting someone else's prescription glasses - you might be able to see, but not properly.
Yes the HID bulbs are technically brighter than the Halogen bulbs, but the Halogens have a reflector which is optimized for the light they're emitting. The HID bulb doesn't (you're just holding it) Putting an HID bulb in a Halogen housing has a similar effect. You're not correctly focusing the light, and therefore you'll see the road no better than you would using a pair of Silverstar Ultras or Phillips xtreme bulbs.
Yep! But try to tell people who are "victims" of the marketing efforts. Also, there is only 1 type of bulb base for an HID capsule. Anything made to retrofit (9006, 9005, H4, etc.) are all ba$tard productions, and are NOT authorized by the legitimate manufacturers of HID products such as Phillips and Hella (who do NOT make the HID "kits")
Or is everyone just putting HID's in their car for the "cool" HID look?
Yep, you got it! I too like the LED lighting technology. But LEDs are not quite "there" yet to use in certain applications, such as automotive.
There's lots of reading into this science of lighting, but sadly, people who are the most vehemently supportive of HID conversions tend to be aliterate, and won't read the facts. HID's "problems" are not implementation, they're conceptual. You can argue with physics, but you can't change it.
More reading:
http://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/bulbs/Hid/HID.html
http://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/bulbs/Hid/conversions/conversions.html
http://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/bulbs/Hid/disadvantages/disadvantages.html
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