Hello,

I wanted to know for 720p projectors which is the best for producing blu ray. I know many of them do 1080p/24 or hdmi 1.3. Alot of people in previous forums were stating to go with HC4900 because of its price, well it is not that cheap anymore.

Alot of people love the BenQ w500, alot like the Sanyo Z5, DLP people love the HC1500 and the new HC1600. People with SDE issues love the Panasonic AX200u. The Epson Home Cinema 720 is said to have good blacks and support hdmi 1.3, Optoma HD73 is also very likeable in that category. I mostly play games and watch blu rays but I want that crisp clean wow feeling when watching blu rays.

Which projector will provide that without spending 2g's on a 1080p projector?

Maybe you should look here:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1039990

Had the AX200u and I loved the boot time. Also liked how you seen no pixels but picture was far from soft and sucked in HD. Also had the AE1000u was a great projector for SD and HD but I wanted the Kef KHT3005 so I sold it to add this to whatever 720p projector I get.

I have seen and owned all of the projectors listed except for the Sanyo. Based of that list the 7210 will beat out any of them in IQ and brightness when calibrated, only problem is finding one. The HC1600 and HD65 I would say come in second.

I have seen and owned all of the projectors listed except for the Sanyo. Based of that list the 7210 will beat out any of them in IQ and brightness when calibrated, only problem is finding one. The HC1600 and HD65 I would say come in second.

Hello,

Have you seen the HC1600 in action, I have not seen anybody on the forum that actually has but it would be nice to know?

The 7210 bests any other PJ in that list , so unless the HC1600 far surpasses the HC1500 it is nowhere close to the 7210 . The only PJ in that list with a truly top class lens is the 7210 .

- Jason

The 7210 bests any other PJ in that list , so unless the HC1600 far surpasses the HC1500 it is nowhere close to the 7210 . The only PJ in that list with a truly top class lens is the 7210 .

- Jason

Well, for those of us with eagle eyes, the 7210 is RBE disaster, so only LCD or LCOS will do.

I have better than 20/20 so Rainbows have nothing to do with 'eagle vision' , it's a brain/perception function ;) . So certainly if you suffer from RBE then by all means go for LCD/LCOS/etc. but that was not part of the poll now was it ;) .

- Jason

I voted for the HC1500, but I'd like to give the following disclaimer: it's not the best projector for image quality from the list. It is, however, in my opinion, a great option for a large percentage, perhaps even a majority of new users out there. It's super-popular and most people are thrilled with it. It's also the value-champ, again, in my opinion. So 'best' pj, no, but best choice to buy for many, if not most people, yes, and that's why it got my vote. HC1600 should be very similar, although since they use the same lamp, I'm guessing they have a slightly larger white segment or whatever in the colorwheel to get the extra 100 lumens, so probably not a real increase in performance - brighter typically means worse contrast, all things being equal - and in these two units, I believe all other things are equal.

Isn't the Epson 720 better than the Mits 1500 and the HD65?

Isn't the Epson 720 better than the Mits 1500 and the HD65?

From what I seen it is close, but not better then the HD65 and HC1500. Pixels were more visable and the colors did not impress much (might not have been calibrated as best as it could be)

From what I seen it is close, but not better then the HD65 and HC1500. Pixels were more visable and the colors did not impress much (might not have been calibrated as best as it could be)

I am surprised no one is all gun hoe about the Sanyo PLV Z5, reading through the forums you would think this thing was a god send but it is good to get feedback with all the different opinions on these projectors.

I have to agree with DaGamePimp in regards to the Infocus 7210. I have a Mits HC1500 and would trade it in a minute for a slightly used 7210. What was this PJ when new $5K - $6K. It is a DarkChip3 DLP. D65 out of the box.

5K-6K? What is that projector doing on the same list as the other entry-level PJ's?

5K-6K? What is that projector doing on the same list as the other entry-level PJ's?

See the thread linked from post #2. ;)

It WAS 5K-6K. It is in the 1k ballpark now.

See the thread linked from post #2. ;)

It WAS 5K-6K. It is in the 1k ballpark now.


Hello,

There are a couple projectors out there with darkchip3 around the $1300 that does not make them better though right?

You have the

Optoma H79, Sony VPL-HS51A, Yamaha DPX-1200

Just like for LCD Projectors there are now projectors offering the D7 lens like the AE2000u but people are stating the D6 lens in the HC5500 is better?

DC3 doesn't make them better automatically. However, these higher-end older units *usually* have better lenses. That is one component the current lower end pjs can't compare to. Obviously each pj needs to be evaluated based on the entire machine as well as your own environment and preference.

PT-AX200U

people are just voting for what they own. That's what i did. :P

...The HC1600 and HD65 I would say come in second.

Glad to hear that because I just bought an HD65 and am expecting it Thursday.

Wolfie

Glad to hear that because I just bought an HD65 and am expecting it Thursday.

Wolfie

You will NOT be disappointed! Only had my HD65 a short while, but this little bugger is the BOMB! Crushing bang-for-the-buck factor.

I'm not going to argue the 7210 having better optics (and probably better de-interlacing, as well) than the HD65, and mfgr's specs are to be taken with a grain of salt, but the HD65 is rated both brighter and higher contrast than the 7210, and less than half the price. The HD65 can still be purchased new, as well, as opposed to the 7210, which is something to consider. Also, the HD65 is much smaller physically than the 7210, if that is a consideration for you.

Factor the cost in, and if the HD65 comes anywhere close in performance, it is a slam-dunk, in my opinion. Unbiased, of course! ;)

You will NOT be disappointed! Only had my HD65 a short while, but this little bugger is the BOMB! Crushing bang-for-the-buck factor.

I'm not going to argue the 7210 having better optics (and probably better de-interlacing, as well) than the HD65, and mfgr's specs are to be taken with a grain of salt, but the HD65 is rated both brighter and higher contrast than the 7210, and less than half the price. The HD65 can still be purchased new, as well, as opposed to the 7210, which is something to consider. Also, the HD65 is much smaller physically than the 7210, if that is a consideration for you.

Factor the cost in, and if the HD65 comes anywhere close in performance, it is a slam-dunk, in my opinion. Unbiased, of course! ;)

I had a HD 65 and took it back. Yes it had a nice picture but I couldn't get past the fan noise and the heat. I've got a small theater. It's amazing to me that the AX200 is second in this survey but very few have posted in defense of it.

I love it. It's quiet and the picture quality never ceases to impress me.
I doubt I'll ever go to 1080p.

Glad to hear that because I just bought an HD65 and am expecting it Thursday.

Wolfie

The HC1600 has a 2x wheel. The HC1500 has a 4x wheel. The HC1500 is a better projector. Mits has ruined this projector in my opinion.

I will defend the ax200.It does alot right for the money.I had the ae2000 1080p for a month to compare.Yes the ae2000 was better in blacks color' but for the price difference it was no where close to being worth $1500 better.Plus it got dust balls after a month.My ax200 is 9 months old and going strong.It throws a great pic.I think the only way I could get a big gain would be getting a DLP likje the Benq5000.

I had a HD 65 and took it back. Yes it had a nice picture but I couldn't get past the fan noise and the heat. I've got a small theater. It's amazing to me that the AX200 is second in this survey but very few have posted in defense of it.

I love it. It's quiet and the picture quality never ceases to impress me.
I doubt I'll ever go to 1080p.

I'm curious on your opinions of the PQ for the HD65 as it compares to the AX200 since you have had both. Specifically, how were the blacks in the AX200 as compared to the HD65?

And BTW, I've recently upgraded from an H31 to an HD65 and don't notice ANY fan noise on the HD65 at all. I have it ceiling mounted however so it's probably 10-15 feet from anybody when on. Definitely quiter than the H31 for those who are looking to upgrade from an older projector...

You will NOT be disappointed! Only had my HD65 a short while, but this little bugger is the BOMB! Crushing bang-for-the-buck factor. ...

Why did you only have the HD65 a short while?

I just wanted to re-post this link since it seems that many are not aware that the 7210 can (supposedly) still be bought new for 999.99 (plus five bucks for shipping). In my mind there's no question that the 7210 has the best quality image from the list. Now having said that, if I was purchasing new from the list, I might choose the AX200 instead. I like the brightness and I really like the installation flexibility that would allow me to do Poor Man's Constant Image Height with the projector. Image quality is certainly important, but occasionally there are other requirements that override it.

At any rate, here's the link. The link obviously works, but I have no idea if they still actually have projectors left.

http://www.woot.com/special.aspx?k=vip7210

Jim

Why did you only have the HD65 a short while?

Still have it! Only bought it a couple weeks ago, but the honeymoon is still going strong.

FWIW, I have my HD65 sitting on a small platform at eye level in between 2 couches in my living room, and usually sit a couple feet from it. To date, I haven't noticed any fan noise to speak of. In fact, it seems pretty much dead silent to me. It surprises me to hear that a few people have complained of fan noise with this PJ, and I figure they must've just come across "duds" that have an unusual amount of bearing noise or something. Fan noise is pretty much nonexistent with mine.

As far as the heat... haven't really noticed it being hotter than any other projector I've dealt with (maybe a dozen or so) in the past. 180w bulb, so that's about the amount of heat you'll deal with. Higher wattage bulb = brighter = more heat, usually. LED's will make all that a thing of the past, tho! ;)

The AX200 seems like a nice projector, but it does cost 30-50% more than the HD65, and I personally prefer the DLP image over LCD. There is a noticable difference to me, but others may feel completely opposite. Just a matter of personal preference, not better or worse.

Also, my HD65 was a replacement for an InFocus SP 4805, and to put it simply, there is no comparison. It is waaaaaay smaller, indescribably quieter, much brighter, and (of course) 720p vs 480p. Better image all-around, and better performance. The 4805 was quite a bargain in its day (2004), but the HD65 - for much less than $1K - is hard to beat right now, IMHO. That is with price as a consideration, obviously. If you aren't considering price, my choice would probably run in the $30,000+ range! :)

Of course, even the crappiest 720p projectors on the market are light years ahead of what $1500 or less would've bought you a few years ago.

And the entire ScreenPlay line is out of production by InFocus. If you find one new, it'd be "new-old stock" and I'd think almost, if not completely, impossible to find.

7210 was definitely a sh!t-hot projector for its time, and I would've loved to have had one when new. Right now, I totally couldn't justify paying more than $1K for a new projector, though, considering what you can get for that much. That's just me, with my humongous child support & alimony payments, tho! :)

Oh I completely misunderstood. I thought you were saying you had it a short while and returned it or sold it. Glad you're happy with it. I've had mine an even shorter while..got it yesterday lol. And while I like the image and the fan noise is fine, my HTPC on the other hand sounds like a vacuum cleaner from the 1950s. I've really got to do something about that! So I'll be at the HTPC forum for a while it seems.

I'm curious on your opinions of the PQ for the HD65 as it compares to the AX200 since you have had both. Specifically, how were the blacks in the AX200 as compared to the HD65?

And BTW, I've recently upgraded from an H31 to an HD65 and don't notice ANY fan noise on the HD65 at all. I have it ceiling mounted however so it's probably 10-15 feet from anybody when on. Definitely quiter than the H31 for those who are looking to upgrade from an older projector...

Clearly you have a bigger room than I. My theater is 12 feet long. I had to mount the HD 65 upside down and center it. Even then I couldn't get a 100" image. The AX200 went on a shelf and I was watching movies 20 minutes later. My reference disc was Underworld. I did not see a noticeable difference except maybe in the very darkest scenes. So in camparison I would say that it is close ,but I would give the nod to the HD65. In a lit room nothing compares to the AX200. At 2000 lumens it will cook the paint on your wall.

In a lit room nothing compares to the AX200. At 2000 lumens it will cook the paint on your wall.

LOL! So much for painted-on screens! :)

Oh I completely misunderstood. I thought you were saying you had it a short while and returned it or sold it. Glad you're happy with it. I've had mine an even shorter while..got it yesterday lol. And while I like the image and the fan noise is fine, my HTPC on the other hand sounds like a vacuum cleaner from the 1950s. I've really got to do something about that! So I'll be at the HTPC forum for a while it seems.

2 words, brother: Liquid Cooling. ;)

Maybe you should look here:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1039990

That was a great read - and I posted there too. A long post at that!

I think I've decided to go 720p as well, and I would like something that will great. I may be able to afford 1080p, but from what I've read I may be happier with a high quality 720p model.

What other 720p PJs are out there that are clearly superior than an Epson Home Cinema 720? I know some will say "AX-200u FTW" but what I am looking for is a NEW model that features 720p, great optics/video processor, and that will just blow people away.

The IN7210 is leaps better in IQ than the rest.
Though not the brightest, but more than bright enough for more than most set-ups.
There are others I'd add to your list, a I think the 7210 is impossible to find nowadays.

I think the Planars are easily some of the best 720p projectors for Blu-Ray.

You will NOT be disappointed! Only had my HD65 a short while, but this little bugger is the BOMB! Crushing bang-for-the-buck factor.

I'm not going to argue the 7210 having better optics (and probably better de-interlacing, as well) than the HD65, and mfgr's specs are to be taken with a grain of salt, but the HD65 is rated both brighter and higher contrast than the 7210, and less than half the price. The HD65 can still be purchased new, as well, as opposed to the 7210, which is something to consider. Also, the HD65 is much smaller physically than the 7210, if that is a consideration for you.

Factor the cost in, and if the HD65 comes anywhere close in performance, it is a slam-dunk, in my opinion. Unbiased, of course! ;)

Since this thread was brought back up I re-read some of the posts. I hate to tell you, but the HD65 is a toy compared to the 7210.

So does Infocus make anything as good as the 7210 now?

I just really doubt I can find any of the older models in Canada.

What about the new Planars like the PD7010? The numbers look poor, but I know that numbers only tell part of the story. Or are they just overpriced?

Oh, and where can I even buy Planars in Canada?

(I'm really starting to get annoyed. So far I've discovered I can't find Infocus or Planar dealers, and Panasonic prices are insane)

Yup, the IN83 is a very good expensive 1080p, not sure on the 720p front.
Other good ones:
Marantz
Sharp
Planar

> The 7210 bests any other PJ in that list

The Infocus 7210 isn't available here but they have the IN78 for a low price (slightly above HC1500). It's Darkchip 3, too, but good looking ;) As good?

I picked the Epson. The only two PJs ive had extended experience with is the Epson HC720 and the HD70.

The HC720 blows the HD70 out of the water (opinion of course).

I didnt realize I was one of those people that see rainbows until i watch the new 007 movie. cards were flickery the whole time.

The HC720 blows the HD70 out of the water (opinion of course).

My opinion says otherwise.

The HC1600 has a 2x wheel. The HC1500 has a 4x wheel. The HC1500 is a better projector. Mits has ruined this projector in my opinion.

I own the HC1600 and am 100% satisfied with it. I have friends over all the time and none of them can see any rainbows. The HC1500 has a 7 segment (R/G/B/W/R/G/B) color wheel while the HC1600 has a 5 segment (R/G/B/W/Y) color wheel. I believe the yellow segment was added to make the image brighter using BrilliantColor Technology:
http://dlp.com/downloads/white_papers/168_BrilliantColor_white_paper.pdf

I have heard that the wheels in these projectors spin at the exact same RPM's. People are calling the HC1600 a 2x wheel because the HC1500's R, G, & B are displayed twice per revolution and the HC1600 is only once.