Hi all,

I was THIS close to purchasing a Hitachi tx100 today, but having recently heard about Sony's new budget 720p offering (vpl-aw10), I'm getting cold feet. The most appealing difference in the Sony is its purported ability to deal well with ambient light. Having a projector that's watchable during the day or with an overhead light on would be HUGE for me.

The Sony comes out in June. I'm worried that if I wait that long, the last Hitachis, which are no longer in production, will have been sold, and if I don't like the Sony at that point, I'm screwed. So I have two questions:

1. Do those in the know think the Sony has a chance to be significantly better than the Hitachi, especially in situations with ambient light?

2. Do those in the know think the Hitachis will last until mid-June or beyond?

If know one is 'in the know', sorry to bother. But I would really like to hear some opinions if they're out there!

Thanks.

That particular Sony does NOT have lens shift (unlike its more expensive sibling, the AW15, and the Hitachi) so if you require a fair amount of placement flexibility, then the Hitachi seems a likelier bet. However, the Sony is new, not 3+ years old, in terms of technology and I suspect its PQ is probably better. The Hitachi JP52 is probably a closer match in image quality (particularly with its dynamic iris) but I believe it's only been seen at around the 1000$ mark at a large warehouse store whose name cannot be (for reasons that remain obscure to me) mentioned.

The cheapest I've seen the TX100 is $699, while the PJ52 is around $1150. Keep in mind, however, that the PJ52 comes with a 106" fixed screen and an HDMI cable, and it is now a comparable deal. Also, the PJ52 has the newer LCD panels, and a contrast ratio of 7000:1, compared to 1200:1 for the TX100. Quite a difference!

Thanks for your help. Went for the TX100 and it's been fantastic!