Some background
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I've only owned LCD projectors in the past. I had the HS10 for 3+ years and picked up the AX100 as a stop gap when the polarizers on the HS10 went. I also want to note that while I've only owned LCD projectors, I've spent considerable time demoing and seeing other DLP and SXRD projectors at friends houses, dealers, and even CEDIA.

I bought the AX100 as a stop gap machine, but after 8 months or so the AX100 had the dreaded startup failure problems and I again needed something quick. So back to the same retailer for yet another stopgap, this time the Sharp 12K. But would it be good enough to be a keeper? Given the reviews around here I though there might be a chance.

The 12K arrives!
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It was finally delivered yesterday and during the day with some minor but significant ambient light I couldn't resist firing it up. Watched about 30 minutes of Apocolypto while setting up and tweaking. Put the PJ in economode, played with some of the gamma settings, color temps, etc. though I couldn't easily find the iris adjustment.

My impressions were that the picture was already better contrasted and more even than the Panasonic. Was definitely more of a filmlike presentation and clearly better if not jaw droppingly so. I remembered another review that said the 12K really distanced itself from the AX100 in Hi Def, and unfortunately no longer have a high def source.

But putting possible HD performance aside, for simple DVD watching did it blow the Panasonic out of the water as you'd expect with an upper end DLP vs lower end LCD projector? I'd have to say no, not really - at this point. Better but a narrower gap than I might have thought.

Nighttime viewing
----------------
OK. Now with the ambient light totally gone, things improved a bit more. The kids were playing Need for Speed on the Wii which for some reason is all night scenes - and the 12K's extra contast and shadow detail clearly helped matters over the Panasonic.

Next, we all watched "The Painted Vail". Beautiful cinematography and fantastic movie overall. The picture was more even and movielike than the Panasonic and I enjoyed it albeit really wishing I could see it in hi def. I asked my wife and kids if they could see the difference with the older PJ and their response went from "Kind of" to "not really". For me it was more clear, but I was really looking for it.

The magic moment
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All the while I was bothered that in the standard menu I never came across the iris settings. So I actually cracked open the manual to find that it wasn't in the menu but a button on the remote (that I couldn't read without glasses). So I toggled the button and sure enough it went through "High Brightness" to Medium Brightness" to "Maximum Contrast" modes.

With the maximum contast mode all of a sudden the WOW factor was revealed. Amazing 3D like image depth that was just fantastic. The vail came off and this is where the promise of a higher end DLP projector revealed itself.

However I'm projecting 120" on a .80 gain gray screen, and the picture was just too dim. I'll be getting the high power screen, but in the mean time putting the iris on "medium" made the picture bright enough without taking away any of the depth or 3D wow factor I received from dropping the Iris out of High Brightness mode.

By now everyone was asleep but me, and I decided to try "Apocolypto" again with the new iris setting. The picture was absolutely stunning. It wasn't so much a picture anymore as discreet objects in space (like in real life), and all of a sudden I wasn't aware of any DVD limitations anymore, just awed by the presentation without qualification. It reminded me of the fantastic depth and filmlike image of the Ruby but with a sharper picture.

Keep in mind this is only after one day, and the best results occurred pretty late at night. Still, if my impressions hold up, I can't imagine feeling the need to upgrade any time soon.

One other thing that's huge for me - no headaches and minimal eye fatigue so far. The first DLP I ever spent time with was the Shap 9K. It gave me such an evil splitting headache after 20 minutes, I swore off DLP completely. I watched about 4 hours straight last night without a whiff of a headache. Yes the picture was slightly more fatiquing than LCD (which is totally benign), but only slightly. And I saw no rainbows. Maybe I'm cured, maybe it's the PJ - or perhaps it comes later. But it was a big relief that it doesn't seem to be an issue.

Some negatives
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Size. This thing is freaking huge. Because we can't ceiling mount in this room, we use a large coffee table - and it looks like some spacecraft landed on the thing. At least it's well designed, and would probably look pretty cool ceiling mounted.

Noise. This is the big one. Yes it's relatively loud. But the noise is in the lower registers so only in very quiet scenes did I notice it. And on the whole, it was less bothersome/distracting than my HS10 since the HS10 had a high pitched whine to it that could be heard in other rooms when it was in operation. The AX100 was quieter than the HS10, but still clearly audible. The 12K is louder than the AX100, but not hugely. So far I'm thinking the noise won't be a determining factor - and I have a fairly high end Cary Audio HT sound system competing with it. Then again I raise the volume a decibel or two, and I have amazing picture with incredible sound.

Heat. Boy this baby really puts out the heat through it's side vents. I was standing a few feet to the right of it and felt my leg burning. A stack of DVD's on the coffee table were hot to the touch and felt like they could melt if left there any longer. I'm thinking this monster isn't exactly energy efficient - no?

Light control. For maximum results, this is a batcave projector. Yes, it can put out some decent light with econ mode and iris off (which is nice), but the magic happens with less light output.

Ok no HDMI, but it does have DVI which can be adapted to HDMI. And personally DVI is what I already have installed (though so far I've just been viewing through component). No big for me but YMMV.

I also really liked the dialed in vertical lens shift and the eaily adjustable feet.

Conclusion
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If you want the best picture quality you can get have for the least amount of money, and have the proper environment for it, I can't imagine doing better at this price point. It really can can offer a high end performance at lower end LCD prices.

Maybe it was just first day euphoria after living with LCD performance limitations for some time, but so far I'm really loving this projector. Obviously many things that don't bother you initially can become major annoyances over time, so I'll post updates as I spend more time with this baby.

But with the no risk buying proposition that a certain retailer is offering, I feel no qualms at about recommending the 12K to anyone who is a PQ fanatic on a beer (OK import beer) budget. If the noise, size, or whatever else doesn't suit - you've always got the 90 day return policy.

"One other thing that's huge for me - no headaches and minimal eye fatigue so far. The first DLP I ever spent time with was the Shap 9K. It gave me such an evil splitting headache after 20 minutes, I swore off DLP completely."

Agreed, I have a couple of friends with slower colorwheel DLPs and I just can't watch them.They gave me headaches and made me sort of carsick feeling. The Sharp never did that, at worst after watching it for several hours my eyes felt a little funny. Cutting back on the brightness (ND2 filter) helped with that too.

Have fun with it.

Shawn

I've been waiting since yesterday for this review! Bought time.

Mine is "out for delivery". Also replacing an ax100 with this.

I have a bat cave and a hipower screen. Can't wait. I will be ceiling mounting.
Regarding noise - did you have your ax100 at high alt mode, and if so, was the sharp louder than that? I ran mine at high alt so that's my only frame of reference.
I had to move the mount back a bit for this projector (since I mounted my ax100 relatively close) and the sharp will be almost directly above my seat. I told my wife I might be forced to move the seating a bit closer if necessary. I'm going to try to avoid doing that, and I haven't and won't mention the loudness to her. I'm hoping she doesn't notice it at all.

I've never viewed a DLP projector. I'm hoping rainbows won't be an issue for me (or her or my kids). This thing has a 5x wheel so it should hopefully be better than lower end DLPs.

I'll probably post my review in the morning as well.

Conclusion
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If you want the best picture quality you can get have for the least amount of money, and have the proper environment for it, I can't imagine doing better at this price point. It really can can offer a high end performance at lower end LCD prices.



This appears to be the consensus conclusion in a nutshell. Well said.

I have yet to get tired by the picture the 12k throws. High contrast scenes make me feel satisfied every time I see them.

OP, put on some HDDVD/BD. Take it to the NEXT level. Enjoy.

bqmeister - cool, a one day lag. I'll be interested in hearing how it goes. Just remember while you're setting up that as opposed to the AX100, the Sharp really needs light control and lower iris setting to shine.

CMRA - HD is definitely coming. I used to have a cable HD feed, but I've since decided I don't want my kids watching TV - especially now that they're out of school for the summer. So HD-DVD or BR is my next purchase.

bqmeister - cool, a one day lag. I'll be interested in hearing how it goes. Just remember while you're setting up that as opposed to the AX100, the Sharp really needs light control and lower iris setting to shine.

CMRA - HD is definitely coming. I used to have a cable HD feed, but I've since decided I don't want my kids watching TV - especially now that they're out of school for the summer. So HD-DVD or BR is my next purchase.


But....but.....
There are still two episodes left of the Sopranos!!!

But....but.....
There are still two episodes left of the Sopranos!!!

LOL - the kids just turned 12. Totally OT, but I firmly believe that keeping ones kids away from the mind/social control box is the most powerful thing a parent can do to reclaim their ability to positively influence their kids. And my kids don't feel deprived - we watch lots of movies on the weekends and sometimes during the week in a home theater that's the envy of their friends. For diversity (of POV as well as ethnicity) we throw in lots of foreign and arthouse flicks in the mix.

UPS just left!

This damn clock can't move fast enough (stuck at work).

Mine is coming on Friday !!! The HT room is not finished yet, but I could-NOT resisted to THAT deal. :)

Happy times! :)

This isn't my review. Rather these are my initial thoughts/ramblings....

OK, I understand the 3d images that people have been talking about. I think you either experience the 3d pop or you experience rainbows.
I also understand slightly the fatigue mentioned when watching DLP. I don't think I'll be bothered by that (or rainbows), but I understand it now.

Projecting on a 119" HIPower Screen.
I'm gonna try to run this thing in econo mode. I'm not sure if it'll be bright enough, especially after it dims, but I'm gonna try.
I also plan to use high contrast most of the time, except for maybe sports (and a few TV shows).

I haven't had time to thoroughly test this. that'll come this weekend.
As others have said, this is BIG. And the Panny AX100 was big, but this is really BIG.

I am VERY pleased to say that it's NOT noisy. My wife didn't comment on that at all. I think my wife probably preferred the brightness of the panny, but she'll get used to this.

I haven't even attempted any calibration, other than changing the color settings to 6500. I haven't touched the manual and have no idea why this came with a CD. It did not come with any hdmi/dvi adapter and I know I'll order one from monoprice soon.

The biggest issues for me going in to this were rainbows and noise.
I know noise won't be a factor. I think it's still a tad early to rule out rainbows, but i'm confident they won't be an issue either. I think they might bother me during movie credits (white text on black background) but other than that, i don't think I'll see any issues.

HD content does feel very 3d. I'm very happy with this purchase and I may just watch the lost finale again just to see it on my new projector.

:)

"I think you either experience the 3d pop or you experience rainbows. "

I certainly saw the 3d to the Sharp but also saw rainbows.

"I think it's still a tad early to rule out rainbows"

That varies based on what you are watching. On some material the rainbows weren't too bad to me, on others it was very bad.

Shawn

To me, it looked like the 3d pop was a result of what 'should be' rainbows. But it's still very early for me.
I suppose you could see both, but it seems (to me) that both are caused by the color wheel.

bqmeister,

On the brightness issue:

The great thing about the 12k is that you can change the brightness very easily. I would not suffer through a picture that is too dim. On a 119" screen (bigger than my 106") I think that I would not run it in economy mode because you may need those extra lumens. You might also open the iris a step and see how that works out. These things should not have a profound effect on contrast because of the size of the screen. After all, all an Iris does is to cut light output. That is the same effect as projecting on a larger screen.

I guess what I am saying is don't feel the need to clamp down the iris and run it in economy mode. Find the picture that is most satisfying to you (and your wife).

Also, on the "3d pop" issue: I think it is caused by the high ANSI contrast where you can have present on the screen at the same time both blcak blacks and white whites. This intrascene contrast creates three-dimensionality.

bqmeister,

You might also open the iris a step and see how that works out. These things should not have a profound effect on contrast because of the size of the screen. After all, all an Iris does is to cut light output. That is the same effect as projecting on a larger screen.


Very true. Since I have a larger negative gain screen, with darker films (in econo mode) like LOTR I need to run in full brightness mode - but still end up with excellent looking contrast. For brighter films like Apocalypto it really pops in maximum contrast mode. Since the iris is so easy to cycle on the remote personally I look at all three settings for each film.

One thing I've noticed yesterday, though, was that there's almost no difference now between Medium and Max Contrast in terms of brightness. I could have sworn it was a significant step the day before (when I received it). Could it be that my Iris is not functioning correctly in medium mode?

Very true. Since I have a larger negative gain screen, with darker films (in econo mode) like LOTR I need to run in full brightness mode - but still end up with excellent looking contrast. For brighter films like Apocalypto it really pops in maximum contrast mode. Since the iris is so easy to cycle on the remote personally I look at all three settings for each film.

One thing I've noticed yesterday, though, was that there's almost no difference now between Medium and Max Contrast in terms of brightness. I could have sworn it was a significant step the day before (when I received it). Could it be that my Iris is not functioning correctly in medium mode?

It is easy enough to check.

Just look into the lens with the Iris at each position. You should be able to see the differences in each position. You should also hear it opening and closing (as the case may be).

It is easy enough to check.

Just look into the lens with the Iris at each position. You should be able to see the differences in each position. You should also hear it opening and closing (as the case may be).

I'll try that. But given that there isn't much difference at all in light output, I'm guessing that there won't be a big difference in the iris position either. And in the unlikely event there were, I'm not sure what that would mean.

For you 12K owners out there, could you toggle between medium and max contrast to see if there's much of a difference in brightness - next chance you get? There's a huge difference in mine between the high brightness and max contrast - and it would have been great if there was an intermediate step (which I could swear there was yesterday). As it is, max contast and medium brightness are nearly identical on mine.

I'll try that. But given that there isn't much difference at all in light output, I'm guessing that there won't be a big difference in the iris position either. And in the unlikely event there were, I'm not sure what that would mean.

For you 12K owners out there, could you toggle between medium and max contrast to see if there's much of a difference in brightness - next chance you get? There's a huge difference in mine between the high brightness and max contrast - and it would have been great if there was an intermediate step (which I could swear there was yesterday). As it is, max contast and medium brightness are nearly identical on mine.

What I am saying is that you can visually tell whether the iris is functioning properly merely by looking into the lens at each position. You can actually see the iris opening and closing as you press the button. It is best to do this when there is no signal being projected to avoid being semi-blinded by the light.

I, for one, have always considered the three iris mode to be about properly spaced. Therefore, if your medium mode in something less than that, it suggests an issue.

I've read on these forums at least a few times that there really needs to be another IRIS step between high brightness and medium. The jump there is huge, and such a tiny jump from medium to high contrast.

Based on what I've read, this is normal.

Currently I have mine set to normal (vs. econo) and max contrast.
I may try econo and high brightness and see which I prefer. But econo and max contrast is too dim, even with my hipower and pitch black room with dark walls.

I've read on these forums at least a few times that there really needs to be another IRIS step between high brightness and medium. The jump there is huge, and such a tiny jump from medium to high contrast.

Based on what I've read, this is normal.

Currently I have mine set to normal (vs. econo) and max contrast.
I may try econo and high brightness and see which I prefer. But econo and max contrast is too dim, even with my hipower and pitch black room with dark walls.

You can also try something like econo mode and medium iris.

Shifting between econo and normal mode is supposedly a 20% change in light output. I can't swear by that. To me it is a noticable but subtle change.

Ok, more thoughts, primarily compared to the panny ax100 since that's my only point of reference.

I don't think most folks will be wowed by my new projector. Is it better than the ax100? I'd have to say yes. Many images do appear 3d like, and they're noticeable to me, but I don't think they'll be noticeable to most guests in my theater - at least unless I point it out.

I think folks will immediately notice the size difference. The sharp is huge. I'm almost scared to have it mounted directly over my head, but I have a good mount and know it's mounted securely, so I trust it.

I told my brother in law I was getting a new projector. The only question he asked - what size is it?
Not a really relevant question to ask about a projector, but that's the only thing he'll notice.
And staying with aesthetics for a sec, I appreciate the case coloring and overall design. I was never really happy with Panasonic's white case for a home cinema projector. Didn't make any sense. The sharp's color helps it disappear in the room a bit more.

Noise. My only ref is the ax100. I ran the ax100 in high alt mode in an effort to try to extend bulb life and overall projector health. The fan in high alt mode was louder than normal mode.
I'd put the sharp noise level similar to the ax100 in high alt. I'd also agree with the professional reviews that stated the sharp was 'quiet'. It may not be whisper silent like some newer projectors out there today, but noise is a non-issue. This projector is sitting directly over my head, no more than 3 feet away. It's not loud by any means.

Colors. I haven't done any calibration yet. Only thing I've done is change the color temp to 6500k. Did that immediately (so I wouldn't get used to the 8200K out of the box setting).
Colors seem accurate. Image appears good. Overall impressions are 'it looks good'.
That's not to say I don't plan to calibrate (I hope to have time this weekend). But visitors to my theater would not complain about color accuracy or saturation at all.

Brightness
With high brightness mode, this is probably similar to the ax100 in eco mode. The ax100 is brighter, but the sharp is bright enough. I agree with other reviews I've read that I'd be above the recommended screen size if I didn't have the hipower screen.
The sharp isn't the light cannon that the ax100 is, but it's more than sufficient and that's what's important.
Personal opinion here - the light cannon scared me. I was always worried about the damage i was doing to the panasonic's internal components with the heat generated from the light cannon bulb. With the sharp, I get a great pic, and no worries.

Sharpness. I'm far enough from the screen to not need panasonic's smoothscreen. I appreciate the technology, but always wished I could disable it if not needed. The panny's image was always on the soft side, making me always want to verify the focus. I don't think anyone noticed it but me, but I did notice it.
The Sharp's sharpness seems better. The image always looks in focus.

Blacks. I finally understand what folks mean when they say inky blacks. (Ok, I knew what they meant, but it's nice to be able to see it for myself.)
To be honest, the black bars on top/bottom of 2:35:1 movies didn't really bother me. I was mostly able to block them out. I'll be curious to see how much better they disappear with this projector though.

My motivation for making this swap from the ax100 was because I was worried about the long-term viability of my projector. I have high hopes that this sharp projector will last a long time. And I plan to keep it for a long time. The pic is good enough to keep me satisfied for years.
I know most folks that stop by my theater won't say this is leaps and bounds better than the panny. Some folks may prefer the panny just for the extra brightness. But for those that appreciate the simple nuances, the sharp is a big step up.

I saved one of the best improvements for last.
My panny was connected via hdmi and my cable box was connected via component. I had direct component connection from the cable box and the panny was connected via an hdmi switcher.
I need to buy a dvi-hdmi converter soon. for now, I've using my receiver as a component switcher. The component switcher in the receiver is not great. It's a great receiver, but it's also 6 years old and the component switcher was for switching 480p signals, not 720p signals. Long story short, there's noise in the pic when using that switcher.

But as soon as I get my hdmi/dvi adapter, I plan to go back to hdmi for dvd, component for cable box.

And that brings me to....
Remote. It'll be so nice to have discrete input buttons for my receiver. Trying to use a universal remote with the panny never did work out for me. The problem was instead of switching the panny directly to HDMI, it had to cycle through all inputs, and it always assumed I was at input 1 last time it was turned off. Being able to send a discrete "Input2" command will be a lifesaver and I may actually start using my harmony remote again!

My conclusion...

This is a nice upgrade from the ax100. It's not leaps and bounds better, but it is better. I expect to keep this projector at least 3 years, but likely double that. I am glad I paired it with a high power.

This projector is definitely a keeper.

My conclusion...

This is a nice upgrade from the ax100. It's not leaps and bounds better, but it is better. I expect to keep this projector at least 3 years, but likely double that. I am glad I paired it with a high power.

This projector is definitely a keeper.

I'll take that bet. :D

In three years you know a 1080p 24/60 high lumen (or better) PJ for under $1000 has your name on it. :)

I'll take that bet. :D

In three years you know a 1080p 24/60 high lumen (or better) PJ for under $1000 has your name on it. :)

Well, add a rated bulb life of 6000 hours and you might be right.
I was thinking today though - if I could get an epson or panny 1080P projector for the same price as the sharp, I doubt I'd take either. I want reliability now more than anything.

but higher resolution, high lumen, better bulb technology will sway me.

bqmeister,

I agree with everything that you wrote about the 12k.

The one thing that sticks with me is that you think that other people will not be "wowed" by it. I have to admit that you are right.

To most people a big screen is a big screen. They are wowed by size alone. To get beyond the size to what really constitutes a good picture takes some experience. That is why so many people buy a cheap projector and praise it and then grow quickly dissatisfied with it when they see its shortcomings.

Most people that come over never get beyond size. Once in a while I get a "great colors" comment or something like that but never "look at those inky blacks." It would be nice if people shared my enthusiasm for the right reasons, but they are enthusiastic nevertheless.

You are in a bit of a pickle because your AX100 is brighter. When comparing apples to apples, people prefer a brighter picture which is why TVs in showrooms are all competing for the prize of brightest. I suspect that your wife is wondering where that bright picture went. I don't really know what to tell you to say.

I am lucky that my wife has been mostly supportive, but I doubt that she could tell the difference between my old projector and my 12k.

I guess we really buy projectors for ourselves, not for our friends and family.

My wife likes the Sharp a lot better than the AX100. She really appreciated the good optics on the Sharp versus the smoothscreen on the Panasonic. As for color improvement, it wasn't that big of a deal to her, but she did agree that the Sharp was more life-like. Even from a seating distance of about 1.4, we don't notice SDE at all, so we're going to be keeping the Sharp. When I move to a CH setup, the seating distance for 2.35 will be around 1.1, but since it's being optically expanded, SDE shouldn't increase. Get the benefit of a bigger screen, but still have a tolerable SDE. :D

bqmeister,
I guess we really buy projectors for ourselves, not for our friends and family.

Agreed. I'm surprised that neither my wife or kids who have steadily watched films on my various projectors for years (not to mention semi regular house guests) notice any differences between the picture quality of the projectors. I'm especially surprised since they sit close to the screen (1-1.5) and the improvements (esp lack of LCD artifacts and better scaling) are even more noticeable at that distance.

It looks like nobody but me is going to appreciate the better PQ, but that's OK because I was bothered by some aspect of the PQ every time I turned the projectors on before. The ax100 in particular could look great in certain scenes and horrible in others - very uneven.

The 12K makes the great screnes look ravashing and the not so great much improved. In general the quality of the presentation is higher and more consistant. And if nobody else sees it - TFB. ;)

Lindahl - you're lucky to have a wife that appreciates PQ. It makes the upgrade thing a whole lot easier.

My wife likes the Sharp a lot better than the AX100. She really appreciated the good optics on the Sharp versus the smoothscreen on the Panasonic. As for color improvement, it wasn't that big of a deal to her, but she did agree that the Sharp was more life-like. Even from a seating distance of about 1.4, we don't notice SDE at all, so we're going to be keeping the Sharp. When I move to a CH setup, the seating distance for 2.35 will be around 1.1, but since it's being optically expanded, SDE shouldn't increase. Get the benefit of a bigger screen, but still have a tolerable SDE. :D

My wife also noticed the difference between the AX100 and the Sharp. Specifically how much sharper the image is. The Sharp is table mounted about 20" from a 106" HP, exactly where the AX100 was mounted. Even though I had calibrated the AX100, I was always playing w/ the focus ring because of the "soft" picture. With the Sharp, I can finally enjoy HD/movies without feeling I have to "tweak" the settings to improve PQ. I think the largest impact/difference is when there is total light control and watching a dvd (esp HDDVD). To me, that's when the Sharp really shows it's advatage over the Panasonic; no soft picture, razor sharp 3d, life-like images. The difference in perceived contrast is substantial. As far as what my guests/friends say when they come over, it's pretty much the same as what others have posted; to them, because FP is not their hobby, they cannot appreciate the nuisances of LCD/DLP or how much better the contrast is. They just see that the PJ is large and so is the picture. Also, I've heard "D@mn that thing is large and puts out a lot of heat! But then again, I notice the differences, and that's all that matters....

OK now this is weird. I prefer the Sharp picture over the Panny in just about every respect. But the Sharp is noticeably softer looking than the AX100. In fact that's the only difference my family noticed was that the projector called "Sharp" had the least sharp picture. Is everyone cranking up their sharpness settings?

You could have damaged optics. Fiddle with it some more, and if you still can't get a sharper image, return it and order another one. No matter good I could get the Panasonic, the Sharp was heads and tails sharper than the Panasonic.

OK now this is weird. I prefer the Sharp picture over the Panny in just about every respect. But the Sharp is noticeably softer looking than the AX100. In fact that's the only difference my family noticed was that the projector called "Sharp" had the least sharp picture. Is everyone cranking up their sharpness settings?

"You didn't slay the Dragon?"

Did you remove the lens cap? :D :D

Kidding aside, the 12k optics excel. Something's not right.

Hmmm, now you all have me thinking. I originally chalked it up to the fact that LCD is in general sharper than DLP, which is why I didn't mention it in my review. I'd have to add that while the Panasonic seems sharper than the Sharp, I definitely see more detail with the sharp - albiet with a somewhat softer picture.

If that doesn't sound right, I may exchange this one - though probably close to the 90 day exchange date. in the mean time, I don't mind the softer picture so much, it feels "filmlike" somehow.

Hmmm, now you all have me thinking. I originally chalked it up to the fact that LCD is in general sharper than DLP, which is why I didn't mention it in my review. I'd have to add that while the Panasonic seems sharper than the Sharp, I definitely see more detail with the sharp - albiet with a somewhat softer picture.

If that doesn't sound right, I may exchange this one - though probably close to the 90 day exchange date. in the mean time, I don't mind the softer picture so much, it feels "filmlike" somehow.

I don't think its true that LCDs are sharper than single chip dlps. LCDs suffer from panel convergence issues which can soften the picture. Single chip dlps are pretty much as sharp as sharp can be.

Make sure that you are comparing the same material in determining that the Sharp is softer. Even HD material can appear soft.

The ax100 is a soft image, in part due to the smoothscreen.

Have you modified the sharpness setting on the sharp yet? Did you ever touch it on the panny?

I don't think its true that LCDs are sharper than single chip dlps. LCDs suffer from panel convergence issues which can soften the picture. Single chip dlps are pretty much as sharp as sharp can be.


That wasn't the case some years ago when I was initially deciding between LCD and DLP, but obviously alot changes in a few years with digital PJ's.

My preference is usually to keep the sharpness setting at zero, but I've bumped it up on the Sharp. And I have to say the picture HAS sharpened without making the picture much grainier or harsher. I'll keep playing around with the sharpness settings but should have a better insight once I bring in the hi def source. Still deciding between cable and HD-DVD/BR.

OK here's a bit of a follow up after spending a few more days with the 12K:

After setting the temp to 6500 it actually did away with some of the softness I was seeing and added quite a bit of clarity and detail. I watched The Fifth Element SB today, which I've seen 50 times and any number of displays (including HS10 and AX100 projectors). The SB looks nice on just about any display, but watching it on the 12K was a revelation.

Color, contrast, detail - everything was better on the 12K than I'd ever seen before. And now I can see (revel in) the optic quality of the lens with this thing. Combined with it's excellent processing, I'm able to sit about a screen length away and really have an enjoyable, largely artifact free picture. Sure I used to sit the same distance with my LCD PJ's before, but it took real effort to not be continually bothered by all the ugly artifacts up that close.

The more time I spend with the 12K, the less fault I'm able to find with it. The noise isn't an issue with me, and I don't see how big the thing is with the lights out. But the picture is really fantastic and beyond anything I thought possible for $2K. Surprisingly enough I still get only minor eye fatigue even after sitting through a double feature at one screen length away, and haven't experienced either rainbows or headaches.

This PJ is really a price/performance killer for people like me that value PQ over everything else.

One more big plus, at least for me, is that the 12K is virtually immune to dust. Completely sealed light path, no filters to clean--all Sharp tells you to do is vacuum the vents every 100 hours or so. IMO, that is nice!

Another plus, for me anyway.
My only reference is the panny ax100. When watching 2:35:1 movies with the panny, I could pretty easily ignore the black bars at top and bottom. They weren't completely invisible to me, but I could block them out just the same.
Unfortunately due to my room size, I can't really go any wider than 9 feet (sloped ceilings) so I wouldn't benefit at all from a CIH screen. Most of the stuff I watch is 16x9 anyway (HD TV).

Anyway, with the sharp, when watching 2:35:1 content, I have to look for the black bars. I mean, I really have to look hard. The black bars are BLACK! IMO, there's absolutely no need to mask at all with this projector (note - I'm paired up with a hipower screen).

And for those keeping score, I have my sharp setup now with hi contrast mode, and econo mode. It's only to dim when I switch econo on/off. But if I keep it in econo, it looks great and I have no complaints. I'm gonna keep it in econo for awhile to keep my bulb lasting long.

If your room fits this projector, I can't recommend it enough.

One more big plus, at least for me, is that the 12K is virtually immune to dust. Completely sealed light path, no filters to clean--all Sharp tells you to do is vacuum the vents every 100 hours or so. IMO, that is nice!

Sealed light path? That IS a nice feature.

IMO, there's absolutely no need to mask at all with this projector (note - I'm paired up with a hipower screen).
How do you like the High Power screen so far? And what were you using before? I'm thinking of getting one myself.

I've posted recently in the high power thread in the screen forum.

I LOVE the hipower. I LOVE the Sharp 12K MKII.
The combination together is fantastic.
The hipower surface completely disappears when the projector is turned on.
I had a 106" graywolf II that I did like, but it was too small. The 120" graywolf II was bigger, but I could easily the screen texture, sparklies, and screen defects easily. That screen went back.
I still have the 106", but will probably sell it locally one of these days.

My room is long and narrow - perfect for both the sharp (long throw) and the hipower (long/narrow viewing cone).

Every seat in my theater is a great seat.

bqmeister, what is the width of your room?

My room is just under 14 feet wide. Projector is about 16 1/2 feet back.
Room length is officially listed as 40 feet, but subtract A/C chase in the front of the room, 4 foot wide staircase, and 5 foot long restroom and I've got about a 29 foot long room.
Ceilings are 8 feet in the center and start sloping down at the sides (the 8 feet high ceiling is about 6 feet wide) then starts sloping down to 6 foot high walls.

Getting a row of 3 coaster seats in there only leaves a little more than a 2 foot walkway on either side but it's certainly enough.

I've posted recently in the high power thread in the screen forum.

I LOVE the hipower. I LOVE the Sharp 12K MKII.
The combination together is fantastic.
The hipower surface completely disappears when the projector is turned on.
I had a 106" graywolf II that I did like, but it was too small. The 120" graywolf II was bigger, but I could easily the screen texture, sparklies, and screen defects easily. That screen went back.
I still have the 106", but will probably sell it locally one of these days.

My room is long and narrow - perfect for both the sharp (long throw) and the hipower (long/narrow viewing cone).

Every seat in my theater is a great seat.

Ohh great! I think I know what I'll be asking for on Father's Day. Although my room is long but also wide, and the front row seats are currently all set up on the outside of the screen. You still think it will work?

I think it would, but the further you are from the screen the better it'll probably be.

"and the front row seats are currently all set up on the outside of the screen. You still think it will work?"

If you are outside of the screen you probably won't get much, if any, gain at the front seats. The HP doesn't hot spot though so it should be watchable, just dimmer then on seats more within its viewing cone.

Shawn

"and the front row seats are currently all set up on the outside of the screen. You still think it will work?"

If you are outside of the screen you probably won't get much, if any, gain at the front seats. The HP doesn't hot spot though so it should be watchable, just dimmer then on seats more within its viewing cone.

Shawn

Ah good. Won't be any uniformity issues for those just outside the cone? Thanks.

"Won't be any uniformity issues for those just outside the cone?"

Shouldn't be, that is one of the really interesting features of the HP. The screen should still look pretty uniform, just not nearly as bright as where its gain is the highest.

Shawn

Ah good. Won't be any uniformity issues for those just outside the cone? Thanks.

Uniformity isn't an issue for the reasons that Shawn noted but when you are WAY outside the cone, the image looks a little weird to me as if I can tell its a retroreflective screen. It's kind of like how when light hits a road sign, there is almost a haze/glow to it. Normally, the screen just vanishes.

I mentioned this in the other sharp thread, but that thread is rather huge so I think my post got lost in the thread.

I'm having an issue with using HDMI/DVI.
I got the adapter from monoprice and am running my cable box and dvd player through a HDMI switcher (also from monoprice).
I had a similar setup with my panny projector with no problems. With this projector, I'm not sure what settings I need for the DVI input to make this work flawlessly. What I'm using isn't working.

I know the DVI settings can be changed in the options menu and I've changed them but never get a great pic. This morning I switched back and forth from HDMI->DVI to component. The component looked so much better. The black level was greatly elevated when watching through hdmi and the pic seemed a bit softer. The colors were also a bit washed out with hdmi.

I mentioned previously that I felt no need to mask with this projector with 2.35:1 material. I was beginning to question why I posted that. With the HDMI, I really needed masking. With component, no need.

Now I suppose it could be my dvd player (sony dvp-ns75h). I never did connect that player with component with my panasonic projector (I never needed to since the projector had HDMI). I had to use component with the sharp while I waited for the HDMI->DVI adapter.

I'm willing to give the hdmi one more try if anyone has any ideas what could be wrong. But I"m also seriously considering getting a component switch (it's only $35 bucks). I also haven't done a serious comparison of the hd cable (component vs hdmi). I may do that sometime tomorrow.

I may order the component switch today, but curious if anyone else has/had this issue.

I mentioned this in the other sharp thread, but that thread is rather huge so I think my post got lost in the thread.

I'm having an issue with using HDMI/DVI.
I got the adapter from monoprice and am running my cable box and dvd player through a HDMI switcher (also from monoprice).
I had a similar setup with my panny projector with no problems. With this projector, I'm not sure what settings I need for the DVI input to make this work flawlessly. What I'm using isn't working.

I know the DVI settings can be changed in the options menu and I've changed them but never get a great pic. This morning I switched back and forth from HDMI->DVI to component. The component looked so much better. The black level was greatly elevated when watching through hdmi and the pic seemed a bit softer. The colors were also a bit washed out with hdmi.

I mentioned previously that I felt no need to mask with this projector with 2.35:1 material. I was beginning to question why I posted that. With the HDMI, I really needed masking. With component, no need.

Now I suppose it could be my dvd player (sony dvp-ns75h). I never did connect that player with component with my panasonic projector (I never needed to since the projector had HDMI). I had to use component with the sharp while I waited for the HDMI->DVI adapter.

I'm willing to give the hdmi one more try if anyone has any ideas what could be wrong. But I"m also seriously considering getting a component switch (it's only $35 bucks). I also haven't done a serious comparison of the hd cable (component vs hdmi). I may do that sometime tomorrow.

I may order the component switch today, but curious if anyone else has/had this issue.

I think that you need to set contrast and brightness seperately for each input source on the 12k. Your component calibration settings are not working for your
DVI connection. It should be easy to fix.

I think that you need to set contrast and brightness seperately for each input source on the 12k. Your component calibration settings are not working for your
DVI connection. It should be easy to fix.

I think you're probably right.
The only calibration I've done so far though:

eco mode on
high contrast mode
colors @ 6500

That's it so far. But I'll go through calibration on the hdmi anyway.

I think you're probably right.
The only calibration I've done so far though:

eco mode on
high contrast mode
colors @ 6500

That's it so far. But I'll go through calibration on the hdmi anyway.

Pick up AVIA or DVE for a few bucks if you have not already. It is worth it.

I've got DVE, but I don't have the blue filter anymore (lost it). I just haven't gotten around to doing any calibration. Been too busy watching stuff!

I know the DVI settings can be changed in the options menu and I've changed them but never get a great pic. This morning I switched back and forth from HDMI->DVI to component. The component looked so much better. The black level was greatly elevated when watching through hdmi and the pic seemed a bit softer. The colors were also a bit washed out with hdmi.
Make sure to change your DVI from PC to RGB.

When you calibrate using DVE/AVIA you will end up with drastically different contrast/brightness settings from component. My settings IIRC were contrast +12, brightness -17.

Ok. I'll pick up a calibration dvd today during lunch. Promise.

Another question. I (like many I'm sure) haven't really looked at the manual yet.

Does this projector require maintenance? Are there filters to clean? I'm probably in the very low 30s hour wise. I figured I'd look at the manual either when I got my calibration disc or when I got to about 90 hours or so, but why read a manual when there's so many experts around here.

Another question. I (like many I'm sure) haven't really looked at the manual yet.

Does this projector require maintenance? Are there filters to clean? I'm probably in the very low 30s hour wise. I figured I'd look at the manual either when I got my calibration disc or when I got to about 90 hours or so, but why read a manual when there's so many experts around here.

Sharp recommends that you vacuum the air intake and I think vents every hundred hours. This is just so you make sure that air keeps moving. There are no filters or anything. It is all completely sealed.

Sharp recommends that you vacuum the air intake and I think vents every hundred hours. This is just so you make sure that air keeps moving. There are no filters or anything. It is all completely sealed.

I remember reading that. Either here or maybe, possibly in the menu.
My old procedure was to vacuum the filters when I vacuumed the media room. This should be a piece of cake to keep clean.

Just wanted to chime in. Haven't done any calibration yet. I've been too busy watching stuff.

Last two days watched Serenity, Mission Impossible 3 and A Simple Plan - all recorded HD with my cable DVR.

I love this projector :)

I mentioned this in the other sharp thread, but that thread is rather huge so I think my post got lost in the thread.

I'm having an issue with using HDMI/DVI.
I got the adapter from monoprice and am running my cable box and dvd player through a HDMI switcher (also from monoprice).
I had a similar setup with my panny projector with no problems. With this projector, I'm not sure what settings I need for the DVI input to make this work flawlessly. What I'm using isn't working.

I know the DVI settings can be changed in the options menu and I've changed them but never get a great pic. This morning I switched back and forth from HDMI->DVI to component. The component looked so much better. The black level was greatly elevated when watching through hdmi and the pic seemed a bit softer. The colors were also a bit washed out with hdmi.

I mentioned previously that I felt no need to mask with this projector with 2.35:1 material. I was beginning to question why I posted that. With the HDMI, I really needed masking. With component, no need.

Now I suppose it could be my dvd player (sony dvp-ns75h). I never did connect that player with component with my panasonic projector (I never needed to since the projector had HDMI). I had to use component with the sharp while I waited for the HDMI->DVI adapter.

I'm willing to give the hdmi one more try if anyone has any ideas what could be wrong. But I"m also seriously considering getting a component switch (it's only $35 bucks). I also haven't done a serious comparison of the hd cable (component vs hdmi). I may do that sometime tomorrow.

I may order the component switch today, but curious if anyone else has/had this issue.

I have seen the same issue. Very soft picture (almost like a VCR tape) using DVI, but fabulous using component (except there are overscan issues with component, with some picture chopped off).

Then after turning on my projector (DVI video RGB in options menu) and DVD player (sony with HDMI set to 1280 x 720P), if I switch the Sharp to "PC RGB" in the options menu, the picture has restored detail that was missing. I think it is some sort of flter that is used on "DVI video RGB" that looses the detail.