as per my previous post, I have a HS50 and was gonna get the HS60......

I must have the best blacks, for this price range, and the HS units are the best............I like the smoothscreen of the panasonic, and its more vibrant colours, but the blacks are still mirky grey , and not as convincing as the Sony....even HS50 is better than the new Pana 100 for blacks......

Its been about 1 year since the hs60 was released.............does anyone know if sony have a new HS70 model coming out soon ?

I wouldnt like to buy the HS60, just to see a new model released a few weeks later........

any info appreciated.....................thanx

If you want LCD with the best blacks, it is a good time to buy the HS60. Personally, I would not upgrade from 1 720p projector to another (unless perhaps it was the sanyo z2).

I am looking at about £ 300 to upgrade............this will pay for the difference between HS50 and HS60.........

I was wondering if Sony have a new model to replace the HS60 ?

I would love their SXRD projectors, but the lowest cost one is still £ 2,500 GBP........

way too much for me.............

Sony has changed the panels and polarizers for HS60/51a.
You will see a noticeable contrast ratio boost and lower SDE.
Also it should do better in grayscale dept.
It is certainly a step up but you need to decide yourself.
I also think Sony HS60 have better color than panny. Blacks are mesmerizing on this unit.
Expect a new model from Sony in fall but with price of HS60 it makes a good purchase.

It really depends on how much you can get for the HS50 and how much the HS60 costs in the Uk. In the US, a new HS60 is $1500 and a used HS50 is probably $1000 depending on bulb life left.

it would cost me £ 300 to upgrade....about $ 500

so much the same deal as US.

only reason I am undecided, is because you would expect a Sony HS70 by this time ?

suprised there has been no mention of a successor to the hs60 ?

Probably because HS60 was so far in front of ther projectors in terms of contrast that not even the latest panasonic or sanyo can match it.

The only thing they could add to an HS70 at this point is a brighter bulb and a larger zoom.

Probably because HS60 was so far in front of ther projectors in terms of contrast that not even the latest panasonic or sanyo can match it.

The only thing they could add to an HS70 at this point is a brighter bulb and a larger zoom.

From what i have seen on the sony HS50/60 PJ's is that the reason they are able to produce such blacks is because they use low lumens. It is the dimmest PJ i had ever seen. In that logic a brighter lamp would diminsh its black levels.

I could be wrong and if so i would love to hear why tho. :)

Doesn't Sony use their own LCD panels? and I thought there is a fliter incorporated in the lens to help with blacks on the Sony.

I'm a panny light cannon owner, and I thought the HS60 was dim out of the box. Then the iris and gamma tweaks. Wow did it look good, brighter while keeping great blacks. Great colors too. I returned it before I found out about the tweak to fix the shading issue on greenish blacks. Oh well, once it comes down in price, I'll pick it up again.

From what i have seen on the sony HS50/60 PJ's is that the reason they are able to produce such blacks is because they use low lumens. It is the dimmest PJ i had ever seen. In that logic a brighter lamp would diminsh its black levels.

I could be wrong and if so i would love to hear why tho. :)

It is not only the black level but the contrast ratio is the highest or second to Peart (another Sony). It is true that it is using a 135W bulb but it has been utilized extremely well and every ounce of light is used rather than wasted.

With Iris disengaged HS60/51A puts out a lot of light and amazingly the blacks remain much better than my Sharp 10X DLP which is rated 2000 CR.

What DMD is used in the sharp x10 ?

My sharp is not a HT PJ but I had 4805 and sony without DI in dynamic mode is not far from it in black and with DI on it is totally in another league. In the dimmest mode I am getting 9 ftl on 100" unity gain with contrast at 80. It can go up to 18 ftl in dynamic mode. Those whose basic requirement is brightness this pj is not for them.

I wouldnt compare it to a data PJ that woudl be wrong ofcourse. :)

did you mean the 4805 withouth DI and the sony with DI ?

Keep the HS50. Anyone that says the HS60 is a step up is incorrect.

I had both for a bit, and found the picture much better on the HS50 then the HS60.

The HS50 actually had less screen door, no Vertical banding ( the HS60's I tryed 3 of them, were horrible) Convergance was better with the 60 but thats about it.

No noticeable difference in contrast.

The new Epson TW700 (Powerlite Pro 810 in the US) is probably one of the first LCDs to exceed the HS60. It's still expensive in the US but worldwide the TW700 costs about the same as the HS60 and has better contrast, and lumens. At equal lumen output it will have better blacks than the HS60 (but not by much.) Less noticeable screendoor too, compared to older 720p 3LCDs (again by a little bit.)

My point is just that the 3LCD group has finally caught up to the HS60 - I expect Sony will release a new lower end projector in the same space as the HS60, something below the Pearl, but I would expect it in the CEDIA timeframe. Unlike Sanyo and Panasonic, Sony doesnt follow quite as agressive a release schedule.

Keep the HS50. Anyone that says the HS60 is a step up is incorrect.

I had both for a bit, and found the picture much better on the HS50 then the HS60.

The HS50 actually had less screen door, no Vertical banding ( the HS60's I tryed 3 of them, were horrible) Convergance was better with the 60 but thats about it.

No noticeable difference in contrast.

That is some what in contrast to what cine4home.com said when they compared the two. Both contrast, graycsale and SDE were improved on hs60.