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For $1200, you want the Panasonic AX100, Panasonic AX200, or Sanyo Z5. Z5 is best for dark rooms, AX100 is a good compromise, and AX200 is good for rooms with moderate ambient light (but black level isn't as good). For $999, you want the Mitsubishi HC1500, period.
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Dec 7, 2007 19:27
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joevandyk posted:Are those better values than http://www.amazon.com/Optoma-HD70-720p-Theater-Projector/dp/B000IEN8QQ/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1197063343&sr=8-1 ? $800 after rebate. The HD70 is pretty good, and Optoma is a good company, but the HC1500 is brighter and has far better color. Whether it's worth the extra or not is up to you, but it is to me. For screens, you could either go with the Graywolf, or roll your own. You can build a fixed-frame screen for about $100, or use the Goo Systems paint and just use your wall. It's not a Stewart, but it'll work fine.
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Dec 9, 2007 22:03
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Big news in the projector world: 1080p is now below $2000. Mitsubishi's HC4900 has an official street price of $2495, but Mits is running a $500 mail-in rebate, making it $1995. Two years ago, 1080p projectors were $10,000 and up. Sub-$2K has never happened before.
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Dec 12, 2007 04:48
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Auu posted:The Sanyo PLV-Z2000 1080p projector is around this price also, after rebate. I'll give you a little tip I learned about buying HT equipment: Pick what you want, at the price you want it, purchase it, and NEVER LOOK AT NEW EQUIPMENT AGAIN until it's time to upgrade. If you hang out on AVS or whatever, you'll never be happy with your purchase, ever. Just buy it, hook it up, and enjoy.
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Dec 12, 2007 22:34
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Benjammin posted:Chiming in to say that I just picked up the HD70 and sweet mother of god is this thing amazing. Blacks are pitch status and the colors are loving beautiful. This is my first projector so I can't really provide much input as far as decision making goes, but this thing is seriously all I could ask for. When I said "buy it and don't look back" this is exactly what I meant. Color accuracy and contrast are actually two areas where the HD70 isn't all that hot, but if it makes you happy, then who gives a poo poo? Regarding the HC1500, I recommended it earlier in the thread. It's fantastic.
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Dec 21, 2007 16:46
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Abbot Lau posted:A friend had me round to look at his new JVC HD projector. Cost the best part of $8000 and the bloody thing didn't have keystone correction. I couldn't believe it. (sorry can't remember the model of projector but it was a very nice HD one) That projector is incredible (DLA-RS2) and it has lens shift so who the gently caress needs keystone correction? Keystone correction is one of my pet peeves. It should NEVER, EVER, EVER be used. Ever. I was actually happy that JVC took it out of that model, because someone buying an $8000 projector can afford to have it mounted correctly.
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Jan 6, 2008 18:01
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The nice thing about the W500 is that it has really excellent standard-definition processing, so all your old material will still look great. That HQV chip does not gently caress around.
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Jan 7, 2008 17:40
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sigma 6 posted:My friend who has it warned he burned out his mp3 player by plugging it in to the USB port. Good to hear about the HQV. I was planning on running a Lite-On DVD player with HD upscaling as well as my PC into it. Which will scale best, the HQV in the projector, the Lite-On, or just playing the DVDs through my PC?? Why the hell would he plug an MP3 player into this thing? I've never heard that one before. The HQV in the projector will upscale better than the DVD player; leave it at 480i. DVI is outdated and not used often anymore; HDMI has replaced it. DVI-to-HDMI cables aren't that expensive, though.
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Jan 7, 2008 22:55
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sigma 6 posted:It was a mp3 player which could output video . . . but this begs the question: What is that USB connection for anyways? Most of the time the USB port is so you can control the projector from your computer. Since relatively few computers are using 9-pin serial ports these days, they moved on to USB. I'm not 100% sure, but that'd be my guess. It's definitely not a video-in for an iPod.
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Jan 8, 2008 00:39
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Insidious posted:This is loving ridiculous. I've been looking for a good projector forever. Is this a good bet, or should I stick with the AX200u? (The ridiculous part is that they are the same price i think) If you're looking for serious theater, go HC4900. If you have a moderately bright room and are just looking to gently caress around and watch sports/play video games/use your computer, go with the AX200. Contrast on the AX200 isn't that hot, to be honest. It's good for what it's good for, which is rooms where a projector isn't normally bright enough. Other than that, it's not that special.
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Jan 20, 2008 20:45
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Insidious posted:I'm battling with myself to justify the $1400. I've always wished I could spring for 1080p, and now it's within my reach, as my original budget was $1200. Do you think I should get this deal now or should I wait? The $500 rebate plus the $100 coupon is amazing - question is, will I be able to get it for less than $1400 if I wait a month or so? You'll always be able to get better for cheaper later. The question is, do you want it now? If it's within reach, just go for it. After you do, though, stop visiting AVS Forum, stop reading about new projectors, and stop following the price on the one you bought. It'll only make you unhappy. Looking at it another way, if you take "wait and see" too far, you'll never buy anything at all.
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Jan 21, 2008 21:55
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Owsla posted:Food for thought, sitting 10ft from my 100" screen, the 720P image coming from our Sanyo Z4 couldn't possibly look better. I'm really glad that you're happy, but I've got news for you - some of the new stuff is loving mindblowing. Enjoy your projector. When you're ready for an upgrade in a few years, prepare to be blown the gently caress away.
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Jan 22, 2008 19:14
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Sympathetic Wasp posted:Time to read up on screens now!
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Jan 29, 2008 17:13
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BonoMan posted:My dad is looking for a 1080p projector. Looking here for ideas...is there any that he should stay away from? Gonna need a little more information than that, chief.
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Jan 31, 2008 22:49
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BonoMan posted:Well those listed in that page were the only ones that I was really aware of (in the sub 5 grand range), and I was asking were any those (there was like 8 or 10 of 'em) problematic and needed staying away from. For what installation, in what room, at what distance, with how much light, playing back what kind of content onto what screen? There is no miraculous "best" projector that works perfectly for everyone and there never will be. And if they were problematic or lovely, Projector Central probably wouldn't be recommending them.
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Feb 1, 2008 00:28
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BonoMan posted:No need to get your panties in a bunch! < The Panasonic AE2000 is very popular, but probably too bright for this setup. That's all I'd avoid.
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Feb 1, 2008 03:12
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I mean too bright. Like too much light on the screen. People have this assumption that more lumens are always better and it's just not true. If you get too much light on a screen that's too small, you'll give yourself a nasty headache while watching a movie. For a really dark room and a 70" screen, you don't need more than about 300 lumens. Some people prefer a little more, but the AE2000 can be really, really bright. Like 900 lumens bright. For a screen that small, the extra brightness of the AE2000 is wasted, so it might be smart to get a cheaper (but still good) 1080p projector that is better suited to this particular task. The Sanyo Z2000 might be a good choice here, or maybe the Mitsubishi HC4900.
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Feb 5, 2008 16:25
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phunkdust posted:The good thing about having a projector rated higher than you need is you can run eco mode and get a bunch more lamp life, less fan noise, etc. This would make sense if the HC4900 wasn't $800 cheaper than the AE2000, half as loud (22dB on the Panny, 19dB on the Mits), and rated for a 5,000 hour lamp life.  Normally what you're saying is spot-on correct, but in this specific case it's not. Mits just did a really, really good job.
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Feb 7, 2008 05:04
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I don't have a lot of experience with lamp flickering, mostly because we only see a projector for, on average, 24-30 hours of runtime. Just due to the sheer number of projectors we have to review, we don't have time to do longevity testing on lamps - remember, 2,000 hours is almost three months of constant running. The one time I can remember seeing flicker was on a lamp that died on me within four hours.
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Feb 7, 2008 17:11
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Scrapez posted:God you guys are really tempting me to replace my Infocus X1 with a 720P projector. Jumping from an InFocus X1 to even a low end 720p projector would drop your loving jaw, and you would no longer care about 1080p. I forget sometimes that most people don't upgrade very often, so your post confused me. Surely he can't mean the InFocus X1. That thing was obsolete in 2004. It's SVGA. He must have made a mistake and typed the wrong thing.
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Feb 7, 2008 21:59
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Scrapez posted:The spot I eventually want to mount the projector will be 19 feet from lens to screen. My screen is only 120" and it seems like a lot of newer projectors can't display that small of an image at 19 feet throw. Anything with a 2.0:1 zoom should do that just fine. Like this or this or this or even this. That mounting arrangement does limit you to LCD, more or less, because I don't know of any DLP 720p or 1080p projectors with that kind of zoom. LCoS can sometimes pull it off, but they are waaaay outside your budget. Lucky you, the cheapest 1080p on the market can do that arrangement just fine! 
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Feb 7, 2008 22:58
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BonoMan posted:Hey what do you do for a living King Hotpants? You know your poo poo backwards and forwards. I review home theater projectors.
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Feb 8, 2008 05:49
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antishock posted:For projector central by any chance? My Sony 12HT was a review unit that I got a great deal on a couple years back. Do you think I'd see a noticeable difference if I upgrade to 1080p? (say 10-12ft back and 120" screen). I'm due for another bulb upgrade and if I can somewhat justify a new projector with the Sony bulbs costing 350$ each. I'd prefer not to say who I work for. And yes, you'd see a huge difference. Lamp prices are always going to be around $300-$400 though, so get used to it 
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Feb 10, 2008 20:18
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Cockmaster posted:I don't suppose LED based projectors would become possible soon? On a large scale? For home theater projectors? Probably not. Scrapez, I have no complaints about the HC1500. For what it is, it's drat near perfect.
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Feb 19, 2008 16:28
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phunkdust posted:I think manufacturers are reluctant to develop products with LED technology because of the razor-and-blades cashflow they get from replacement lamps. If you watch one movie a day, every day, it'll take somewhere in the neighborhood of four years for your projector's 3000 hour lamp to die. During that time many people replace their projector anyhow. Your analogy kinda sucks.
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Feb 21, 2008 19:36
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phunkdust posted:What's the proportion of home theatre users vs business users? (who might run their projector for 8 or more hours a day) - I know I've got around 10 projectors of various models and specs at work that run all day every day. You make a good point about business users, and I apologize for calling your analogy lovely. 
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Feb 22, 2008 00:17
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Mr_Rabies posted:King Hotpants, or anyone else knowledgeable about projectors: What would you recommend projecting onto, a screen or a wall? If a wall, what kind of paint would you recommend? Some of that poo poo seems like Monster Cable to me. I've got a nice clear wall but I'd need to repaint it, or get a nice 100-150ish inch 16:9 screen to sit on it on the cheap. either option works with me but I'd rather not spend more than I have to. Dude, obviously I'm going to recommend a screen. Come on. If you're pressed for cash, you can build your own for $100 or so - this is a good guide that ends up working very well. I usually recommend people get the best screen they can afford, even if they have to skimp a bit on a the projector. Why? Because when you replace that projector with something better, you'll be using the same screen.
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Feb 22, 2008 16:45
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homeless posted:I plan on waiting a few months at least to do a little deal hunting, is there something around the corner that would be worth waiting even longer for? Don't do this to yourself. Buy an HC4900 and be happy. Sounds like a fine fit for what you want.
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Feb 28, 2008 05:55
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Those projectorcentral articles are waaaay outdated, in part because no one really gives a drat anymore. Some people MAY experience image degradation on LCDs, and some people get stuck mirrors/rainbow problems on DLP, so it's just as much of a toss-up as it's always been. That, and current 1080p DLP offerings are kinda lousy, for the most part. Optoma's HD80 is pretty nice, but there's not that much else out there.
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Mar 2, 2008 20:30
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sigma 6 posted:Goddammit. I just dropped the same amount (800$) on a Benq W500. I think the Mitsubishi would have been a far better deal but at least the Benq is LCD vs DLP. I don't see how it being LCD is a reason to be happy? I mean yeah, there's some lens shift, but if I recall the W500 doesn't have a particularly good shift or zoom range.
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Mar 18, 2008 04:40
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MrEnigma posted:Way to make him completely regret his purchase There's nothing wrong with LCD, nor is DLP inherently "better". Here's a quick rundown. Please keep in mind that this stuff is not ALWAYS true, just generally: LCD Advantages -good lens shift/zoom range -excellent on/off contrast (auto-iris) -good color -inexpensive -quiet -very little image noise Disadvantages -ANSI contrast inferior to DLP -MAY BE softer than DLP DLP Advantages -great ANSI contrast -very sharp image Disadvantages -more image noise than LCD -some people see rainbows, though this can almost be written off at this point -louder than LCD -worse on/off contrast than LCD -typically 1.2:1 zoom range, little/no lens shift With LCD you get a quieter, cheaper projector that looks very good and is easy to install. With DLP you get an arguably "better" looking projector, but mounting it is a bitch. There's more, and I'm obviously not including everything, but that's just an outline. I listed more advantages under LCD because I tend to see more LCD projectors these days; DLP 1080p is more or less limited to the Optoma HD80, the BenQ W5000/W20000, and some InFocus machines that I don't like very much. That said, when DLP 1080p projectors get it right, they get it VERY right. The HD80 is still one of my favorites - it is aging very gracefully.
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Mar 18, 2008 19:14
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"Too dark to read" sounds fine to me. The HC1500 is bright enough that it can handle a fair amount of ambient light, but it's still not recommended. Your situation sounds fine, though. What you REALLY want to avoid is lights on inside the room, or any direct light hitting the screen. That's when things go to hell.
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Apr 11, 2008 15:46
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clusterfuck posted:Question for King Hotpants or other expert: How minimal is minimal ambient light? Enough light to read a book? Enough light to find your way around? This will determine how many lumens you actually need. Is that screen size a diagonal, or a width? If you're set on 1080p, it sounds like you need something with a good zoom and good lens shift. I'll be honest; you're asking for a lot. You could get the other specs easily going with one of the big 3000lum Sanyo 768p projectors, but that's way outside your budget last time I bothered to look. What kind of content is this? Photography, video? This kind of info will make it easier to recommend something.
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Apr 24, 2008 18:21
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RisqueBarber posted:I'm getting a projector in August and the HC1500 is right in my price range. I don't want to derail but does anyone have a recommendation for speakers? I'm on a budget of $500 dollars and I'm definitely looking for the surround sound experience. We have audio threads for this.
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Apr 24, 2008 20:23
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RisqueBarber posted:Is there anyone that has the Dell 2400MP DLP Projector and can tell me how they like it? I have a chance to get a good deal off it from the coupons thread. It's a business projector. If you're going to use it for home theater, don't bother. It'd make a nice computer monitor though.
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Apr 27, 2008 20:26
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3363 posted:I have this projector: There is no way in hell you'd be able to sell that for $1250. Comparable brand new projectors are selling for under $1000. It was a pretty awesome portable when it was released four years ago, but not so much anymore. You would see a huge improvement from using the HC1500. There is no comparing a purpose-built video projector with a business machine.
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May 22, 2008 16:10
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clusterfuck posted:The content is DVD video. Now we know this the projector res is not as crucial, but native 16:9 is. Well, it sounds like you're on the right track. If you're in a large room, the HD71's noise issues shouldn't be a big problem unless you're putting the projector IN the audience. If the room is really that dark, the Mitsubishi HC1500 might also work, and it should be a good bit cheaper than the HD71. However, the HC1500 is best suited for those 2.5m wide screens you mentioned, as 4m wide is pushing it a bit. Why the AE2000? Why not the AX200? It's 720p and brighter (and a good bit cheaper, as well). It sounds like you're on the right track, honestly. Although the Australian prices do make my head hurt a bit.
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May 23, 2008 19:12
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passionate dongs posted:I just got a Mitsubishi HC1500 from amazon and when I power it up it just makes a bunch of mechanical noises and goes back to standby mode. No image is displayed. The manual essentially says "if you don't get an image and the power is green and the status if blinking red, try again" I think you already know the answer to your question. homeless posted:Anyone have a recommendation for a decent ceiling mount? Affordable would be great too.I used the monoprice mount for awhile with my HC900. I upgraded to the HC4900 which is much bulkier and pretty much a pain in the rear end in terms of mounting. Every 2 weeks or so I have to make adjustments. You just spent $1500 on a projector and you're complaining about $150 for a ceiling mount. Suck it up and buy one that's worth a poo poo. RisqueBarber posted:I just got the HC1500 and I was wondering what the best way to calibrate it is? No two projectors are the same. You need to get a calibration disc and do it yourself, because my numbers won't be correct on your projector. For a better calibration (i.e. if you're a picky bitch like me) you can pick up a Spyder2 sensor and download HCFR and you can give yourself a really excellent calibration for $60. It helps if you have friends with projectors who will chip in and help you offset the cost, though I don't think spending $60 to calibrate your >$1000 projector is that insane.
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Jun 24, 2008 21:48
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RisqueBarber posted:My roommates are leaning towards a guy at circuit city coming in to calibrate for $150 (since hes a "professional"). Will he do a better job then me using the spyder sensor? I may do up a thread on video calibration, now that I think of it. There's no need for Joe Average to pay anything over $100 to get his TV looking great. You can do a better job on your own than those clowns at Circuit City. They're not professionals, they are just retail monkeys like the rest of us are/have been in the past. They don't know poo poo. You probably know more just by doing your homework and posting on forums like this one. With the vast, VAST majority of displays, you do not need any special "service menu" to get them to look great. All you need are a pair of eyes, a computer, some free software, and a sensor that sells for $60. With these tools, you can balance brightness, contrast, color temperature, and sharpness to the point where you will notice your TV or projector looking better. In my opinion the most important adjustment you can make to a display is to balance color temperature. It's really hard to do this without a sensor, and the clowns at Circuit City don't use one. You can do it yourself fairly easily.
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Jun 27, 2008 18:37
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TRex EaterofCars posted:I hope this is the right thread for this. Apologies if it's not. It sounds like your 4805 has a problem. It's not all projectors. You would probably see better results even with a different 4805.
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Jul 7, 2008 17:02
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