I previously owned a Marantz VP-4001.
It was a great PJ.

I am now in the market to buy a PJ and am wondering what my best options are for ~$2K or less that would be as good as it was. A tad more brightness and a tad lower black level would be great but matching is all that is needed.

I previously owned a Marantz VP-4001.
It was a great PJ.

I am now in the market to buy a PJ and am wondering what my best options are for ~$2K or less that would be as good as it was. A tad more brightness and a tad lower black level would be great but matching is all that is needed.

$2000 is an awkward price point. You're looking at pricey 720p projectors or cheap 1080p projectors with just ok contrast.

If you can pony up the extra $500 I recommend the Epson Home Cinema 1080 UB (Make sure it's the UB-"ultra black", $2500 at projector people) Projectorreviews.com says it's almost as good as the DLA-RS1 and it's way cheaper. Also, its 1080p, has better real world contrast/blacks than the marantz and no rainbows/strobing.

If not, you could also save yourself some cash and get the planar pd7060 before it sells out. Same darkchip 3 as the marantz, no iris or lens shift but its only $900.

Advantages/disadvantages of Planar to Marantz?
What other 720p's would be as good or better in contrast and blacks?

Also, where could I get a replacment lamp immediately for it?(Planar 7060)

What was wrong with the VP4001? I have mine for almost 10 months now (680 hours in eco mode) and have no desire for an upgrade. While the SDE is slightly visible from 12 feet away on bright backgrounds, the 3D pop and black levels are definitely better than most 720p PJ's (my friend has a AX100 and while the SDE is virtually none, my VP4001 runs all over the AX with overall picture sharpness, 3D wow factor).

I have already posted several screenshots over in the "screenshot war" thread from my VP4001.

If I did upgrade my VP4001, I wouldn't settle for anything less than the Epson 1080UB.

Frag

Well if you want another 720p then the Planar 7060 at tigerdirect is a DC3 projector on closeout. If you want 1080p then you might start to find Benq 5000's for that price soon. Epson has a new LCD comming out at that price point, but despite last years 1080UB being the best under 3k, I would wait for reviews.

What was wrong with the VP4001? I have mine for almost 10 months now (680 hours in eco mode) and have no desire for an upgrade. While the SDE is slightly visible from 12 feet away on bright backgrounds, the 3D pop and black levels are definitely better than most 720p PJ's (my friend has a AX100 and while the SDE is virtually none, my VP4001 runs all over the AX with overall picture sharpness, 3D wow factor).

I have already posted several screenshots over in the "screenshot war" thread from my VP4001.

If I did upgrade my VP4001, I wouldn't settle for anything less than the Epson 1080UB.

Frag


Nothing, I don't own it anymore so I want to buy a new PJ to go along with my new flat panel.
I prefer DLP.

Advantages/disadvantages of Planar to Marantz?
What other 720p's would be as good or better in contrast and blacks?

Also, where could I get a replacment lamp immediately for it?(Planar 7060)

http://www.rjthrockmorton.com/rjthrockmorton/FileLib/PlanarDistributorPriceList08.pdf

Nothing, I don't own it anymore so I want to buy a new PJ to go along with my new flat panel.
I prefer DLP.

Unfortunately DLP on 1080p is not a good story right now. Only value priced option is the BenQ W5000 but its still around $2500. Main issues with it are a noisy picture (according to sum) and poor placement options since it has a short throw.

Unfortunately DLP on 1080p is not a good story right now. Only value priced option is the BenQ W5000 but its still around $2500. Main issues with it are a noisy picture (according to sum) and poor placement options since it has a short throw.

^^^ Actually, from my research on the subject, IMHO, DLP on 1080p IS a good story right now, and for my money, the BenQ W5000 appears to likely be the best bang-o-buck out there in the $2K range.

The BenQ can be had for around $2100 from many reputable online stores. I'm strongly considering it as my PJ and have priced it out pretty thoroughly... You definitely have placement issues with the W5000 -- it either works for you or it doesn't -- although it has lens shift which is pretty nice for a DLP at this price. The noise factor is highly debated whether it's source related because the W5000 is extremely sharp, or if it is PJ related. FWIW, I'm not personally worried about it, as for what I've heard, it's the sharpest sub $3K PJ on the market (that hasn't been discontinued).

The W5000 is darkchip2, so contrast is probably worse than the marantz.

I have the 4001 just sitting in my house if you are interested. Nothing wrong with it. I use another pj and don't really have time for a bed room pj. It has about 100 hours on it. I was eventually going to use it, but at the rate I'm going with the other pj, it'll be some years down the road. I should find a good home for the 4001. Please shoot me a message if interested.

The W5000 is darkchip2, so contrast is probably worse than the marantz.

I don't own the W5000, so I can't speak from first-hand experience and I certainly do not have any allegiance to BenQ, however I'm looking at purchasing the W5000 and found the following link to have some interest observations regarding the contrast ratings of some popular projectors, including the W5000.

Take a look: http://www.projectorcentral.com/1080p_home_theater_projectors.htm

I don't own the W5000, so I can't speak from first-hand experience and I certainly do not have any allegiance to BenQ, however I'm looking at purchasing the W5000 and found the following link to have some interest observations regarding the contrast ratings of some popular projectors, including the W5000.

Take a look: http://www.projectorcentral.com/1080p_home_theater_projectors.htm

Interesting, this definitely contradicts what I was reading. I was basing my earlier comments on the projectorreviews.com review of the 1080ub and the fact that the W5000 is darkchip2:

"Again, the BenQ W5000 is extremely impressive. OK, Black levels are not best in class (that honor falls to the Epson Home Cinema 1080 UB), but the W5000 is just about next best, competing directly with the Sony VW40 for that honor."

http://www.projectorreviews.com/benq/w5000/imagequality.php

Interesting, this definitely contradicts what I was reading. I was basing my earlier comments on the projectorreviews.com review of the 1080ub and the fact that the W5000 is darkchip2:

"Again, the BenQ W5000 is extremely impressive. OK, Black levels are not best in class (that honor falls to the Epson Home Cinema 1080 UB), but the W5000 is just about next best, competing directly with the Sony VW40 for that honor."

http://www.projectorreviews.com/benq/w5000/imagequality.php

Yea, I read Art's review too (I love his site). I've been researching projectors (amongst other display tech's) lately to the hilt -- trying to figure out what's right for me. From what I can gather from pretty extensive research on the W5000, is that this PJ, when calibrated properly, provides a very high-contrast image with a nice 3D "pop" to it. I've read that while the Epson 1080UB may be able to ultimately produce a deeper shade of black, that the higher contrast W5000 coupled with it's ability to produce better black "details", provides a "punchier" picture whereas the Epson's LCD technology comes off a just a little bit "flatter" -- not to say the 1080UB is remotely bad at all, because it's most definitely a PJ to be reckoned with! But, that's the comparison I've read here and there on different forums, sites, etc.

...FWIW... :)

I have the 4001 just sitting in my house if you are interested. Nothing wrong with it. I use another pj and don't really have time for a bed room pj. It has about 100 hours on it. I was eventually going to use it, but at the rate I'm going with the other pj, it'll be some years down the road. I should find a good home for the 4001. Please shoot me a message if interested.

PM sent.

^^^ Actually, from my research on the subject, IMHO, DLP on 1080p IS a good story right now, and for my money, the BenQ W5000 appears to likely be the best bang-o-buck out there in the $2K range.


To me, having the choice of only one possible projector does not a good story make :)

But I do agree that if you can deal with the placement and bump the price to just above $2K, the BenQ is a good choice.

Yea, I read Art's review too (I love his site). I've been researching projectors (amongst other display tech's) lately to the hilt -- trying to figure out what's right for me. From what I can gather from pretty extensive research on the W5000, is that this PJ, when calibrated properly, provides a very high-contrast image with a nice 3D "pop" to it. I've read that while the Epson 1080UB may be able to ultimately produce a deeper shade of black, that the higher contrast W5000 coupled with it's ability to produce better black "details", provides a "punchier" picture whereas the Epson's LCD technology comes off a just a little bit "flatter" -- not to say the 1080UB is remotely bad at all, because it's most definitely a PJ to be reckoned with! But, that's the comparison I've read here and there on different forums, sites, etc.

...FWIW... :)



PM sent to you.

If you've been reading CEDIA stories, it seems DLP may be losing its hold on real world contrast and black levels with the latest releases of 1080p LCD's. Sure they aren't $1100 cheap yet, but this could conceivably be the last year that color-wheel DLP's are viable investments at any resolution. I figured DLP would always give DLP a run for its money but I'm wondering if TI's heart just isn't in it anymore....with LCD becoming the dominant format for all viewing, be it PC, TV or even projected images....

And I love my HD70 for gaming and casual viewing, and my VP4001 for when the image really gotta look GOOD....but my buddy just got an Epson UB and he loves it.

If you've been reading CEDIA stories, it seems DLP may be losing its hold on real world contrast and black levels with the latest releases of 1080p LCD's. Sure they aren't $1100 cheap yet, but this could conceivably be the last year that color-wheel DLP's are viable investments at any resolution. I figured DLP would always give DLP a run for its money but I'm wondering if TI's heart just isn't in it anymore....with LCD becoming the dominant format for all viewing, be it PC, TV or even projected images....

And I love my HD70 for gaming and casual viewing, and my VP4001 for when the image really gotta look GOOD....but my buddy just got an Epson UB and he loves it.

It will be a new ball game once LED's take the place of the lamp. Then you will have DLP's with out the color wheel.

I don't suffer from RBE even on slow wheels.
I personally hate LCD flat panels and SXRD RPTV's....sample and hold.
Are LCD & Lcos PJ's the same?

It will be a new ball game once LED's take the place of the lamp. Then you will have DLP's with out the color wheel.

Uh, I didn't think they were close enough to having LED's produce enough accurate light output.....or have they? Or was it just a neutral colored LED replacing the bulb but the color wheel remained?

Meh...we could say the same thing about lasers....simply put in the near term, its DLP and LCD and for the first time DLP seems to be on the equal to losing end of in terms of ANSI in-scene contrast. And when you factor in that along with the advantages of Lens Shift and so forth.....and no rainbows or spinning color wheel to go bad.

On the other hand, LCD's are still dust-magnet, panel degrading and polarizer discoloring boxes of parts in their own right, so we shall see what happens here. At least image quality continues to improve :)