[QUOTE=Tryg]Out of the box the picture looks like a 35mm slide on my Stewart Micro Perf Firehawk screen at a 14ft throw distance and I haven't even calibrated it yet!

Rob,
I am using a greyhawk screen (92") :eek: (was for my old Sony 10HT) and pic is still incredible. I am at the shortest throw so brightness is not an issue. Contrast is still outstanding as well. Ceiling and walls are now black velvet to about 4 feet out from screen. I am sure that helps. Thinking about changing screen material but I love it so much, I am still not sure if I need to.
Regards,
Dom

Rob,
I am using a greyhawk screen (92") :eek: (was for my old Sony 10HT) and pic is still incredible. I am at the shortest throw so brightness is not an issue. Contrast is still outstanding as well. Ceiling and walls are now black velvet to about 4 feet out from screen. I am sure that helps. Thinking about changing screen material but I love it so much, I am still not sure if I need to.
Regards,
Dom

I see no need to change your screen if you are happy with what you are seeing! :)

Just to pile on, thanks for your observations Jason.

I'm not saying you have to have a light controlled room to appreciate this projector, but it certainly helps.

As a matter of fact, my room already consisted of very dark brown walls in total light control with black velvet on the entire screen wall and about four feet out on the ceiling, and then, when showing the projector's built in test screen of the green crosshatch, I saw reflections in the shape of the top of my center channel speaker and the sides of my front towers illuminated on the screen...I had to wrap all my front speakers (which already had a matte black finish) in black velvet to avoid having an impact on the black level and C/R of the projector... :eek:

Good problem to have, I suppose. ;)

Now that I fixed the oversaturation problem, I wish I could change my vote. Turns out that by switching from component to HDMI on my HDTV cable box, all my problems went away. I could not figure out how the reviews could have been so glowing, when my image was SSOO red. Now that I'm HDMI all the way, I have to say I'm very pleased with this projector. The lack of DI, and the brightness, and 3D pop makes me smile every time!

Now that I fixed the oversaturation problem, I wish I could change my vote. Turns out that by switching from component to HDMI on my HDTV cable box, all my problems went away. I could not figure out how the reviews could have been so glowing, when my image was SSOO red. Now that I'm HDMI all the way, I have to say I'm very pleased with this projector. The lack of DI, and the brightness, and 3D pop makes me smile every time!

Was your entire prior review based on PQ solely from cable? Do you have a Blu-ray or HD-DVD player?

Now that I fixed the oversaturation problem, I wish I could change my vote. Turns out that by switching from component to HDMI on my HDTV cable box, all my problems went away. I could not figure out how the reviews could have been so glowing, when my image was SSOO red. Now that I'm HDMI all the way, I have to say I'm very pleased with this projector. The lack of DI, and the brightness, and 3D pop makes me smile every time!

There must be some way to change your vote, no?

Was your entire prior review based on PQ solely from cable? Do you have a Blu-ray or HD-DVD player?

I have both HD-DVD and BD. However, I spend most of the time watching HDTV on cable, and the horrible oversaturation on cable was almost a deal breaker, considering how good it looked on my 900U. JVC needs to fix this problem.

I have both HD-DVD and BD. However, I spend most of the time watching HDTV on cable, and the horrible oversaturation on cable was almost a deal breaker, considering how good it looked on my 900U. JVC needs to fix this problem.

How does Blu-ray and HD-DVD look?

How does Blu-ray and HD-DVD look?

Realize that I have limited viewing time as I just got it up and running Wed, but everything looks good as long as it is via HDMI. I was hoping to use component for cable since there are only 2 HMDI ports, and 3 devices. I will have to get a switching box.

Realize that I have limited viewing time as I just got it up and running Wed, but everything looks good as long as it is via HDMI. I was hoping to use component for cable since there are only 2 HMDI ports, and 3 devices. I will have to get a switching box.

I recommend this one as it receives high marks (and has 5 inputs!)

http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=101&cp_id=10110&cs_id=1011002&p_id=2777&seq=1&format=2&style=

This is from an AVS sponsor, and the price is right at $79!

I have the 3 input version of the one Rob is recommending. It works flawlessly. Right now I only have 1080i input, but other members have stated they are having no issues with 1080p. For $79.00, it's a no brainer.
Regards,
Dom

I voted just nice. I had a good idea of what to expect from the rs-1 with all the talk on these forums. I love the rs-1. I can see and hear all the warts people talk about (bright corners, fan audible from more than 2 feet, oversaturated colours), but they are within what I was expecting. They are not real issues for me. On the other side of the coin, the picture is phenomenal and the flexible screen position works great, but I was expecting that too!

I haven't done any calibration or mods because I want to get used to the out of box setup. I'm also still processing all the differences of coming from a six year old martinized g11 to the stock rs-1.

Though I voted "just nice", I really mean "lived up to my (sky-high) expectations". I couldn't be happier with it, but I can't honestly say that it exceeded my expectations.

I am definitely voting 'exceed expectations' I currently have it stacked below my 1 year old Ruby and it is definitely holding it's own and with each passing day I am preferring the look of the JVC. It's definitely a bold in comparison to the softer and more subtle image of the ruby. The Ruby has a refined polish where the rs1 is in more in your in your face. But the JVC is a blast to watch, and that's what it is about I guess
thumbs up!
bill

I am definitely voting 'exceed expectations' I currently have it stacked below my 1 year old Ruby and it is definitely holding it's own and with each passing day I am preferring the look of the JVC. It's definitely a bold in comparison to the softer and more subtle image of the ruby. The Ruby has a refined polish where the rs1 is in more in your in your face. But the JVC is a blast to watch, and that's what it is about I guess
thumbs up!
bill

How many hours bulb has your Ruby?
Can you remember how was the Ruby when you first time saw the image and compate it to RS1 NOW?


Votes count: 165. 35 more to 200!

I have about 350 hours on the Ruby bulb. My first impression of the Ruby when I purchased was and still is that it is a great projector. Very accurate and smooth. Capable of terrrific blacks and very subtle rendering of highlights. It almost glows. It is particularly kind to SD sources, not magnifying it's shortcomings unlike the RS1 which isn't nearly as forgiving.
Why did I decide to switch? Well, HD DVD/Bluray seemed to demand more than Sony was giving up. From what I was gathering on this forum the RS1 was capable of doing that extra bit without breaking the bank.
My first day with RS1 was very frustrating, working with the basic cinema setup, it just seemed too harsh and very blue. With 2 hours on the bulb I wanted to return the unit.
Day 2 the heavens seemed to open up. Tweaking this projector, even in the limted modes available to the user, can really alter the character of the unit. Messing with gama and tweaking rgb values I was able to come with an image that could pass for the smoothness of the ruby and others that retain snap that RS1 is known for. Very impressive!
It's most definetly a keeper. I can see all the issues that have been brought up but I think they have been exaggerated . It's a great unit, and for the money-WOW.
My small gripes are that I still don't love the way black & white films look -still tracking too blue for my taste. And the fan noise, while not terrible by any means, it is MUCH louder than my Ruby which I have grown accustomed to. (and convergence isn't as tight as my Ruby either)
I am still getting used to this unit, it is so different than Ruby OTB. But it is so tweakable that it seems like you can make it look anyway you want- and I like that alot.
cheers
Bill

Dupicated post

Duplicated post, deleted. That 1080P mouse is to blame !

Thanks Bill,

Since I hear a lot of adjusment and tweaking of RS1 to get it right out of the box. Is it not better for JVC to consider a "BETTER" default setting of RS1, at least to make the majority of buyer feel more convincing with the money they've spent, rather than to return it.
That WOW effect out of the box !

As result, it will make the AX votes much more than as it is now !

I am not suggesting that the JVC needs abnormal tweaking to get it 'right' OTB, which projector does that? My Ruby OTB was really rather dull and lifeless, tweaks via the service menu really changed the character of that projector. The JVC actually had too much 'wow' OTB for me, I was trying to tame it down a bit. And what I was trying to suggest was that I was able to dial in the subtlety I was looking for and yet I did not lose the punch the projector offers.
I think the only area where the ruby betters the JVC is how great B&W material looks on it/better grey scale tracking. Both great projectors in my opinion and I am coming from years of owning and swearing by CRT.
thanks
Bill

FWIW, I voted "about what I'd expected more or less"

The blacks were surprising, putting my hand up in a dark area of the screen yields almost no shadow at all, much darker than the DLPs we have. The processor makes regular DVD look almost like mediocre to decent HD which is pretty amazing. The optical capabilities are something I'd only have expected on a $20K machine and the resolution is very nice, of course. HOWEVER, there are still things DLP does better, especially how it reproduces metals and faces. There's more of a "sparkly" quality and almost like the veiled quality I see on LCD panels. Like there's a white cloth in front of the screen, but someone compensated for it on the other side and almost made it disappear. Almost. While DVD looked better than I've ever seen it, HD-DVD didn't look much better as I would expect. I'm not sure that I wouldn't still prefer a 1080 DLP for overall realism and certainly salivate over 3-chip DLP and would expect, if the pricing were the same, DLP would still win for overall quality. That being said, my partner who installs these things was blown away and it certainly is a great bargain. Just not the end all/be all.

I have about 350 hours on the Ruby bulb. My first impression of the Ruby when I purchased was and still is that it is a great projector. Very accurate and smooth. Capable of terrrific blacks and very subtle rendering of highlights. It almost glows. It is particularly kind to SD sources, not magnifying it's shortcomings unlike the RS1 which isn't nearly as forgiving.
Why did I decide to switch? Well, HD DVD/Bluray seemed to demand more than Sony was giving up. From what I was gathering on this forum the RS1 was capable of doing that extra bit without breaking the bank.
My first day with RS1 was very frustrating, working with the basic cinema setup, it just seemed too harsh and very blue. With 2 hours on the bulb I wanted to return the unit.
Day 2 the heavens seemed to open up. Tweaking this projector, even in the limted modes available to the user, can really alter the character of the unit. Messing with gama and tweaking rgb values I was able to come with an image that could pass for the smoothness of the ruby and others that retain snap that RS1 is known for. Very impressive!
It's most definetly a keeper. I can see all the issues that have been brought up but I think they have been exaggerated . It's a great unit, and for the money-WOW.
My small gripes are that I still don't love the way black & white films look -still tracking too blue for my taste. And the fan noise, while not terrible by any means, it is MUCH louder than my Ruby which I have grown accustomed to. (and convergence isn't as tight as my Ruby either)
I am still getting used to this unit, it is so different than Ruby OTB. But it is so tweakable that it seems like you can make it look anyway you want- and I like that alot.
cheers
Bill

Bill, perhaps you could post your settings/tweaks? Sounds like you have really gotten a lot out of playing with the adjustments.

Just a reminder to all the rest of RS1/HD1 owners to votes.

Note: So far 178 votes, if we look at the whole forum's RS1 overwelming discussion, there must be thousands of them . . .? ? ?

180 votes total, 20 more to top 200 mark.

I hope it is ok to vote with an HD1, because I did.

It is hard to vote "Above or Below expectations" I have been reading these forums for months now, and the pj was just about what I was expecting. Voted just nice, even though its better than just nice, but my epectations were high.

Great blacks and contrast, almost no MC and fairly quiet.
Colors were a bit oversat but better than I expected.
Not as much brightness, wow or pop in bright scenes as my HD81 but better blacks and contrast. There is always trade-offs!
To be honest, if the HD81 didn't have so many qc problems, noise and constant shut downs I would prefer it to the RS1, (at its new price 4299.00, $1K less than RS1 )
I want to go CH but now have to get a processor. Unless someone has another way or idea for me to do a vertical strech so an anamorpic lens can do its h stretch. Maybe something less expensive than $2-$3K, I also have to change to a screen with more gain than my FH115.

Thanks
Tony

I watch movies every night and I have to keep this poll alive too.

Because it is just too much excitement around, before and after RS1 ! :p



We are now at 133 votes, 16 votes more than last time I hit the refresh button (117) ! :rolleyes:

Bumping your own thread over and over again because no one else posts to it is rude. I know you don't mean to be rude. If I wanted to see this thread again, I'd use the search function. Please stop sticking it in my face. Thank you.

I have been following JVC DILA products for several years. From the start I liked the technology and picture. I have been using a Runco 1100 CRT for the past seven years and it had reached the point where the 9" tubes needed to be replaced, so I was going to spend about $8,000 anyway to replace them.
I followed with keen anticipation these forums and read all the pre- reviews from the shows in 2006 on the RS1. I saw the RS1 at CEDIA in Denver in September and was very impressed by the demo.
In March I read the initial comments from the first group who purchased the RS1 and followed all the sub threads concerning setup, calibration, screens, color saturation, and the like.
I have never owned anything other than CRT because I could never see black levels that were adequate in other technologies and I liked the options of varying the scan rates for different types of content. And, back in 1999 there were few other choices.
But times change and after reading everything this forum had to offer I decided to try the RS1. I had to change my mindset; after all, I was changing from a $40k projector coupled with a $20k Faroudja processor to a $6k fixed pixel display. So I bought an RS1.
I have been testing the RS1 for two weeks now and with minor exceptions I believe it has exceeded my expectations. No, the black levels are not as good as my CRT. But they are close enough for me. Also, every once in a while I see something from the Gennum processing which I did not expect. I suspect I am so used to my previous setup that any difference will jump out at me until I get accustomed to my new projector.
Otherwise, I am thrilled with the RS1. The over saturation issue is of little importance to me. I find the picture vibrant. I have enough ambient light in my room, despite blackout curtains, to take the edge off any oversaturation.
The ease of use and setup are great. I am amazed that this system in one box is more entertaining than my previous setup.
I even tried DVD as 480i processed through my Faroudja and then directly into the RS1 and had a hard time discerning any meaningful difference. I think I will retire the Faroudja, if only to eliminate the extra cables and connectors.

Anyway, the bottom line is that I am pleased with the RS1. Thanks for all the input from various contributors on this forum. All of it helped in my decision. Even if the topic came down to splitting hairs, it was still enlightening and useful information.

I have about 70 hours on my RS1 now. I know that was fast but I was wanting to break in the bulb. I love the brightness with my 119" dia. HP screen. I sit at 15 feet and describe the image as liquid smooth !

My unit is very sharp ! The fan noise is a non issue for me. The color is very good on my unit. It has the latest firmware . Reading Greg Rogers review I bought the HDDVD Space Cowboys. Playing that disk from chapter 25 on really exceeded all of my expectations !

I am not naive and think this unit is perfect. But it is simply the best image I have seen a digital projector produce ! I love it and with the Mack bulb warranty I plan on burning the midnight oil with this thing ha ha. Johnathan

I have been testing the RS1 for two weeks now and with minor exceptions I believe it has exceeded my expectations.

Alan, thanks for posting your comments. I like reading about experienced CRT videophiles who try out the RS-1. It's amazing that digitals have progressed to the point that experienced CRT users are satisfied with them.

Reading Greg Rogers review I bought the HDDVD Space Cowboys. Playing that disk from chapter 25 on really exceeded all of my expectations !

I also bought Space Cowboys based on gregr's recommendation. I had watched the movie in SD DVD years ago and wasn't impressed. It's amazing what HD-DVD PQ can do to a movie though. Queing up the movie to CH 25 didn't disappoint, definite eye candy :)

I also bought Space Cowboys based on gregr's recommendation. I had watched the movie in SD DVD years ago and wasn't impressed. It's amazing what HD-DVD PQ can do to a movie though. Queing up the movie to CH 25 didn't disappoint, definite eye candy :)

If you want real eye candy, I would suggest Chicken Little (just realize that this is animation, not film...but holy cow))!

Rob
I watched Happy Feet HDDVD last weekend. Simply beautiful !

Mark
Darker movies are a pleasure now. With the Planet Earth Series during the BBC intro the Earth - Deep space scene is almost blinding when the sun comes into the picture.

Alan
What a testament to how far digital projection has came that you could even consider the RS1 let alone be satisfied with it ! Nice write up and hope you enjoy your unit ! Johnathan ;)

Add me to the list of "above expectations". HD never looked so good!

Add me to the "below expectations" list.

As I reported in the owner's thread, the convergence on my RS1 is poor enough that I can see color fringing on text subtitles. Yet when I try tweaking the misconvergence by shifting pixels, it doesn't help -- fixing one part of the image makes it worse elsewhere (both horizontally and vertically). Note: I sit about 1.5 screen width back from a 10 foot wide screen, so maybe that's why the pixel misconvergence is so evident.

The color oversaturation is excessive. As reported elsewhere, the projector's own color controls can't fix this. I can control overstaturation when playing DVDs, since my Sony player has it's own color control. But my HD-Tivo lacks any color controls, making high-def images too colorful, with reds and greens that "glow."

My points of reference:

For 6+ years before I sold it, I had a JVC G15 D-ILA projector that was professionally calibrated by Richard Martin (the guy who sold the business to William Phelps), and I loved it. My RS-1 is about the same brightness, but has a less sharp image (despite being 1080 instead of 1365 pixels wide). Yes, the RS1 is much quieter, produces less heat, and has better black levels, but with misconvergence and oversaturation, the RS-1 provides a worse overall image.

And in another room I have a Sony XBR2 70-inch "Pearl in a box" rear projector with a picture that's just stunning. Its black levels match the RS1, and while the Sony also suffers from oversaturated colors, they can be tamed with the TV's controls.

- Dave

I'm in the "it's nice" category. I appear to have a little uniformity issue in the lower right corner, the blacks are good, but not shockingly so, it's a bit louder than I expected. Picture is very nice, generally. Oversaturation isn't bothering me at this point. Bright enough for me on a 134" diagonal 16:9 in low lamp. It's not the last projector I'll buy.

As I reported in the owner's thread, the convergence on my RS1 is poor enough that I can see color fringing on text subtitles. Yet when I try tweaking the misconvergence by shifting pixels, it doesn't help -- fixing one part of the image makes it worse elsewhere (both horizontally and vertically). Note: I sit about 1.5 screen width back from a 10 foot wide screen, so maybe that's why the pixel misconvergence is so evident.
As mentioned in the owners thread: using maximum zoom and maximum lens shift will give you maximum misconvergence. My HD1 has performed admirably sofar.

Near perfect colors, using only "color = -30" driven by my Arcam dv27a dvd-player through component . No misconvergence to speak of even though I use some vertical lens shift and near maximum zoom. Finding Nemo in PAL SD is a sight to behold! (and totally smooth)

The coming week my Toshiba XE1 will arrive so I can finally see what HD content is all about.

NEW RS-1 OWNER
After more than five month wait...it's here. My last machine was the Sony HS-51 which I sold last November...THe JVC came on Thursday and after some setup difficulties with the HDMI inputs got everything working. Out of the box, the image blew me away. With a temporary placement on a tabletop, and placement error maxing out the controls to place the image..everything was AMAZING ( too saturated which tamed adequately by backing off the color by "2". On balance the it produces an image well beyond my expectations...my fourth projector and the very best by far.
No misconvergence that I can see( haven't really hunted yet), no disturbing noise level.
I've racked up 15 hours in 2 1/2 days and I wont try to adjust things till I get to ~50 hours.
If I never did anything, I could live with the out of box image.
I watched Phantom of the Opera last night.....it was like seeing it for the first time..a new experience...and Chronicles of Riddick in HD..you felt you could reach into the image...happy camper here!