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Home Theatre Projectors, Dell, InFocus and Sanyo
ssassen writes "Hardware Analysis is gearing up towards the holiday season with an indepth comparison of three popular home theatre projectors; the perfect gift for under the Christmas tree. They decipher the marketing mumbo-jumbo you'll be faced with and explain all that you need to know prior to buying a home theatre projector."
Here's a link to a previous Slashdot article that discusses a similiar comparison: http://ask.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=03/11/13/17 47258&mode=nested&tid=123&tid=126&tid=172&tid=95&t id=99
My friend likes the new Sony HD-20 projector;
/ Sony/665
It seems to be quiet and bright, with the
new HDMI interface which is a superset of DVI
and allows for longer cable length.
Ref:
http://www.projectorexperts.com/projector
Does anyone have one of these yet?
We project in one of our labs using a similar unit onto a painted wall. We just had to find the proper flat white paint. Looks good, no "sun bursts" or areas of intense light from various viewing angles...
Don't blame me, I voted for Kodos
Because a 36" flat tube wide-screen TV at, say 1,500 GBP ($2,500) or a 32" screen at a fraction of that cost will probably have a lifespan of a decade, with zero maintenance costs. The same cannot be said for any LCD projector I've seen.
The inFocus rocks.
The ScreenPlay 110's connectivity options are fairly comprehensive. Without the Enhanced Connectivity Module, the projector only offers an I-MI connection for a computer (as well as a DVI connection), one S-video input, one composite video input, and a mini-jack audio input. When you add the module, you get one set of broadband component video inputs (Y/Pb/Pr) that will do 480i, 480p, 720p, and 1080i, a standard HD-15 VGA input, a 15-pin monitor output to send the signal to a PC or laptop, and an RS-232 port for use with a Crestron, AMX, or similar automation system. There's also a set of line-level stereo audio inputs, as well as a shared mini-jack stereo audio input for the two computer inputs.
I was a little disappointed to find that the ScreenPlay 110 doesn't have two sets of broadband component video inputs. If you want to have component DVD and HDTV coming into the projector and you don't have an HDTV set-top box or a DVD player with a DVI output, you'll have to use a separate component video switcher.
Still, it's a great value for the money.
How can you have a serious home cinema projector comparison without comparing the Sharp AE series projectors?
I own the Sharp AE-100 and Sharp AE-300 (no, I don't work for them or think that they are the best brand in everything, they just make awesome "cheap" widescreen projectors).
I had some minor problems with my AE-100 (red/green tint in the picture), but this was a known problem with the AE-100, and it is solved in the AE-200 and AE-300.
In my livingroom I have the AE-300 running, projecting a 110 inch screen. If you get the right signal to it (progressive NTSC or VGA), the projector is unbeatable by anything in the same pricerange (asuming you want a WideScreen projector).
I read A LOT of articles/reviews/forums before going for the sharp, and with the AE-300, I'm really happy! You'd be able to get the AE-300 for under $2000, and you can get the AE-100 for around $1000 (although you should be aware of the red/green tint in the picture on the AE-100).
Best PJ's by price ranged -home-t heater-projectors.htm
. php?fo rumid=9
:)
http://www.projectorcentral.com/recommende
Reviews of each PJ and other info
hhtp://www.projectorcentral.com
Great forum site
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/forumdisplay
I used to own a 42" Plasma (Panny EDTV 848x480 $4000). However, had I known how good projectors were nowadays, I would never would have bought it.
Currently I own a Sanyo PLV-70 ($3,500 1366x768) with a 105" Dalite HiPower screen ($350). And it's almost like a 105" plasma!
HDTV looks awesome. And DVD's look pretty good too. Finding Nemo is one of the best looking ones so far... But the hardware really needs Hi Definition material to shine. 480 just don't cut it at that size. Hollywood needs to get their butt in gear.
And with a DVI input, I've connected my computer and played Unreal2, MotoGP2, Vice City, etc. at 16:9 widescreen at 1360x768. Sick!
And you can do email, surf the web and everything with the 3D gyro mouse and keypad. Completely useable as a computer screen.
I can only hope Half Life 2 and Doom 3 properly support widescreen.
If construction was anything like programming, an incorrectly fitted lock would bring down the entire building...
I'm not sure what the bulb costs are at the moment, but since I've bought my Sony CS5 last February, I've used only 10% of the bulb life.
It's nice watching DVD's and certain TV programmes on the "big screen" but I tend to use it only if a programme deserves it, hence the low 200hrs useage in the last 10 months.
The only downside I have with it is the amount of electricity it uses - about a days worth of normal useage in about 4 hours.
Saying that I did a rough calculation back in March and it worked out at 0.15 quid (UK) per hour for the bulb, and ~ 0.50 quid per hour in total.
Java gaming nut - http://www.retep.org/ or for the rail http://uktra.in/
While I don't have the X1 yet (still waiting for a few bonuses and such), I have put a good amount of research into it. The bulb is rated for 3,000 hours, and goes for $300. I estimated ~2 hours per day of viewing between myself and my SO, which puts me at just over 4 years between bulbs, a completely reasonable expense. Of course, your mileage may vary based on how much you watch, but do keep in mind that when the X1 first hit the streets, replacement bulbs were $500, so I don't see any reason why they wouldn't drop some in the next few years as well.
If you have a higher tollerance for distortion, a cheap cosmetic mirror (non-magnifying) would do too and save you the cost of front coated optics.
This is a boring sig
Let me just say I _LOVE_ this projector. It does native 16:9 1280x720 resolution and makes a great computer display in addition to being a great home theater projector. I have it projected on a homemade 100" diag screen! (7.1' wide, 4' tall) and it's very usable. Video games are unbelievable, web sites are HUGE, and WinAmp visualizations are absolutely breathtaking.
With ANY projector though- a light-controlled environment is KEY. Sunlight completely destroys the picture, so be sure you have a decent size room with no windows or are willing to cover the windows with something if you use it during the day.
The Sanyo Z2 / Panasonic AE-500 use the same LCD array, so either one would be an excellent choice for the /. crowd.
- P.M.
According to Projector Central (IMHO the best site for ind. projector reviews, the InFocus Screenplay 4800 is the basically the same model as the InFocus X1 (which can be had for $500 cheaper and can be bought online instead of an AV dealer). More details here.
the best system is oddly enough SVGA and not XGA or SXGA, if you main goal is to show DVD movies. The reason is simple. DVD movies only have a certain amount of information on the disk and that is almost exactly matched to the 800x600 projector size. XGA has to interpolate and even the expensive one do a crummy job creating jagged edges on fast moving sharp edges, and moving type.
the most important spec is contrast ratio followed by noise level followed by lumens.
finally almost all the low end ones are made by the SAME company, PLUS (thats the name) then rebranded as Sharp, mitsubishi, and many others.
On the other hand if you plan to give presentsations or watch HDtv then get an XGA since its better matched. But whatever you do dont buy more pixels than your source supports.
now as I said at the start a lot of people will now reply that I'm totally wrong. THese are people the dealers like to see coming into their stores. dont be one.
Some drink at the fountain of knowledge. Others just gargle.
First let me state that I will never buy nor reccomend an InFOcus projector. Unless you are an "authorized" service rep, you cannot get replacment parts (sans lamps and normal "user replacable parts). I had one that someone shattred the lamp in and damaged the diffuser panel. Cost of replacment? ~$1000. Could only get it by ordering the full optics assembly. Basically, we found that you can only order via "assemblies" not individual parts.
If you want to be able to repair your own...don't bother with Infocus.
Most other companies are quite nice about supplying parts and manuals (at a price of course) I've delt most w/ Toshiba and Sharp and they've all provided exceptional customer/technical service to someone wishing to repair their own units.
Smaller projectors (such as the SONY VPL-PX11(?)) are wonderful LCD Projectors (image quality wise), but have a fairly low lamp life for a theater or confrence room type setup.
Recently we've begun using some DLP's from Plus Vision Corp (namely the U2-1200 line) which also seem to provide exceptional image quality and a fairly adequate lamp life (given their size). 1200 Lumens and about 3000hrs (4k hrs in Eco mode). Eco drops the brightness down a bit, however its still fairly acceptable in a dark room. Price is a bit higher for these, MSRP around $5k, but can be found closer to $3200 or so if you look. These support the standard 4:3 as well as a 16:9 aspect ratios, VGA, DVI, and Composite video inputs.
I would highly reccomend these at this point, and Plus/Lightware have both provided us with very acceptable warrenty service as well over the years.
In closing: Infocus is the devil!
I did a lot of research both at AVSForums and at a local dealer. I decided on the Infocus 5700. I also saw the Infocus 4800, but the faster color wheel (reduces rainbows), and higher resolution of the 5700 was definately worth the extra money in my book.
I would have really liked to get the 7200, but like all electronics the prices of projectors are falling fast. I decided that I could upgrade in a year or two and spend alot less in the long run.
All I know is that once you've seen a HD Football game on a 119" screen, you will never want to go back to a "normal" tv.
You have to love Infocus' marketing: You measure your tv size in inches? How cute.
See my Home Theater
Simple, go to Home Depot, get a can of glidden Misty Evening, and some Kilz 2 primer. Paint desired size/shape on wall. Point projector at newly painted space. Done. There are several threads at AVS right now, in the Screens forum, dealing with this very subject. Misty Evening is the easy, one coat choice right now. There are several variations that tweak it, but it doesn't get much easier than that. If painting isn't your thing, then just go buy a parkland plastics or doable board at HD for about $20, and hang it up.
They are missing a lot of important information in that article. It seems written to promote DLP and skims over a lot of deficiencies with what they tested, and uneven ways in which the testing was done.
Page 3, Contrast. What it doesn't mention is that above 800:1, it becomes hard to see any difference, and above 1200:1, it's pretty much impossible.
The examples are also set up to make you think that the 'low constrast LCD' is the Z1, which it isn't. Here's a quick snap taken of my Z1 (slight blur due to hand-held camera) of the same scene.
Page 4, Resolution. Again what's left out is at what point it no longer makes a difference. This varies projector by projector and is a factor of the screen size, LCD resolution and distance the viewer is sitting from the screen.
For SVGA/WVGA one can no longer see the grid at all if they are sitting about 1.8x the diagonal of their screen away. For XGA, WXGA that number drops to 1x (probably closer than you'd want to be).
I sit 1.5x screen diagonal away from my WVGA projector (Z1) and can see the grid in very bright-white scenes only. (Specifically, I sit 15' away from a screen with a 10' diagonal.)
Page 5, Fan Noise. Fan noise varies depending on whether you are using the projector's low-lamp/theatre mode. Most projectors give you an option of running at its highest brightness level, or a dark but quieter mode. Where the manufacturer doesn't list
I sit directly below my Z1 and can definitely hear the fan in 'low-lamp' mode, if there is no sound in the movie. I can also here my refrigerator humming in the kitchen if its quiet. If someone is speaking it covers up the sound of the projector (and the fridge). Any guests I have seem oblivious to the sound of the fan until I mention it.
It seems like they must have measured the Z1s lumens in 'low-lamp' mode, and its fan in regular mode (to make it measure as loud as possible). If a manufacturer only lists one fan noise level, it will be their 'low-lamp' mode volume.
Page 6,7, LCD & DLP. He fails to mention that some people cannot watch a DLP projector without getting a headache or becoming nauseous due to a 'strobing' effect. It only happens to small percentage of the population (maybe 2%), but it is a well documented phenomenon. The problem does not exist on high end DLP projectors as they use a slightly different projection technique, but it does exist on all low end DLPs.
This is an issue because if you are ordering your projector over the internet, sight unseen, you may get it home to find out you can't watch it. Likewise, you may have a bunch of friends over, only to find out one of them can't sit through the film/game/etc.
The article fails to mention that LCD has better color saturation.
For a fair and balanced look at the DLP vs. LCD debate, see this Projector Central article.
The conclusion fails to factor in other important cost information, like that over the course of 6 years of ownership, the Dell projector will cost significantly more because you will have to buy 2 bulbs for it, in the same period you will only buy 1 for the other two projectors.
It also never returns to the briefly mentioned benefits of natively Widescreen projectors over traditional 4x3 projectors. Unless you watch a lot of very old movies, you will want to own a widescreen projector. All movies today are widescreen, and in 5 years, so will your television.
There is a lot more wrong with the article, but this should at least give you an idea that you should not make this your single source of information about home projectors. Instead do some reading over at AVSForum. There are a lot of knowledgeable people there who can set you straight where this article would mislead you.
-Colin.
The guy at the site below made his out of a material called blackout cloth, and he has instructions on the site. Be gentle, it just ISP webspace.
http://members.shaw.ca/danhanson/Theater/screen/sc reenproject.htm
Karma: Can only be portioned out by the Cosmos.
I purchased a DLP project (an InFocus) about a year ago. While it's a GREAT projector for the cost, about $1200 for a 1500-lumen SVGA unit, I've found it's not very well suited for video.
The problem is that the update frequency on the DLP, combined with the color wheel technology, means that when you look from one area of the image to another, and the image contains any high-contrast vertical edges, you'll catch an afterimage of vertical red, green and blue bars on the margin of the edge. Essentially, your eye catches the sequential flashing of R, G and B used to form white or any bright color.
The problem is obvious even with still content - like a powerpoint slide presentation or a DVD menu - because even though the content isn't moving, the DLP still has to mix RGB to get white, and the mirrors and color wheel are rotating thru the colors constantly.
The problem gets more apparent the closer you get to the screen, because your eyes have to move farther to see various parts of the image - if the action suddenly changes from the left edge of the screen to the right edge, you look to follow the action. Up close, your peripheral vision is more tasked, so you tend to look back and forth a lot. When you're further from the screen you don't need to move your eyes as often.
So while it's great for slow content like a powerpoint slide show, and it's fine if you're a long way from the screen (like in a big presentation), when you try to use it as a video projector in a smallish living room setting, it's VERY distracting.
This may not be true for all DLPs. But the moral of the story is TRY IT before you buy it. Specifically, stand close to the screen, set up some still image with a vertical white line, or white-on-black text, and look back and forth across the screen. If you see color bars, you'll see them just the same in your dark living room watching a movie.
--Brandon / Split Infinity Music
Not sure why anyone spends the $$ on a big screen CRT/FPTV/RPTV anymore.
Easy, in addition to the ambient light requirements the X1 (along with most front projectors) doesn't do an HD picture. It will take an HD signal and downconvert it to it's 800x600 native resolution, but that's not the same. There are lots of RPTVs out there that will natively do full HD. If you're spending that amount of money on a picture that big, most people would want it to be HDTV capable.
Unix is user friendly, it's just selective about who its friends are.