The June Home Theater Manazine did a review of the Sony Pearl, JVC RS1 and Mitsu HC5000 1080p projectors. The Pearl was considered the most "balanced" projector and the top pick with price factored in.

Sorry I don't have a link but it was only in the print version.

Not too suprising really. Both are top quality projectors. I have installed and calibrated both and can understand why the pearl would get the vote seeing as it retails for less. This thread should start to get some good flaming any minute now :)

I saw that article and as a Pearl owner, came away a little chagrined. The JVC got top picks for PQ (iirc), but as you say, the Pearl was the pick for providing the best balance between PQ (with black level being a big part of it), amenaties, and unobtrusiveness (noise, form factor)
And I have to admit, that is pretty much the way I view the Pearl after having owned it for 8 months. It's not really 'the best' at anything at this point -there are quieter ones out there, and ones with better black levels, sharper, etc- but it manages to offer very high performance across a broad range of parameters, housed within an attractive exterior, and with value pricing.

PQ is obviously the #1 criteria for a front projector...but it's not the only criteria.
I think we've reached a point where just about everything is within the same zipcode as far as quality of the image goes. Some are better than others, but I just don't see the differences being as vast as they were 6 or 7 years ago.
And that seemed to be the gist of the article. You really can't go seriously wrong anymore. For most people (non videophiles?), it should come down to picking the one that balances more things, better.

I've been stuck in 480 land for about 4 years (Infocus X1), sitting tight waiting to make my next FP move. Skipped the 720 era and will land right in the middle of 1080 world. It is truly amazing what advances have happened in the last couple of years. I plan on making a purchase sometime this year, and right now it is between the Epson-1080, Pearl, RS-1, and what ever might hit the market come CES.

Unfortunately for me I don't have many avenues to see all the units, I must rely heavily on reviews both pros & and AVS tech heads. Can't help to think that maybe there is another Sony jewel or an Mitsi-5xxx on the horizon.

I've been stuck in 480 land for about 4 years (Infocus X1), sitting tight waiting to make my next FP move. Skipped the 720 era and will land right in the middle of 1080 world. It is truly amazing what advances have happened in the last couple of years. I plan on making a purchase sometime this year, and right now it is between the Epson-1080, Pearl, RS-1, and what ever might hit the market come CES.

Unfortunately for me I don't have many avenues to see all the units, I must rely heavily on reviews both pros & and AVS tech heads. Can't help to think that maybe there is another Sony jewel or an Mitsi-5xxx on the horizon.

I am right there with you. I moved from a Sharpvision xxx-96U to an Infocus X1. I am still quite happy with the PQ for what I paid. There are some local dealers that have these PJ, but not all at the same shop for A/B comp. I had been a Tweeter buyer for many years (Since 1995, Hi Fi Buys in GA) but now they pulled out of Dallas. Being that I have spent over 40K+, I am looking more and more to the Net for purchases after buying two JL subs (113) from a local dealer with little off of the MSRP.

This thread should start to get some good flaming any minute now :)
No flames here. I have an RS1, but it was a real toss-up for me, especially as the shipping date for the RS1 slipped and the Pearl's price dropped. I think I would have been happy with the Pearl too.

Anyone who is seriously disappointed with ANY of the 1080p projectors out there must have some VERY high expectations IMO. What I actually think is happening is that we're getting so tantalizingly close to "perfect" that we're all just itching to get "there"!

When I got my Sanyo Z2 over 3 years ago, I read and heard more praise for that unit than I have for virtually any of the 1080 projectors, except maybe the RS-1! But watch my Z2 side-by-side with ANY of the 1080p's and it isn't hard at all to see a dramatic difference.

I read more nit-picking now, but I think it's because of what I described. All of these projectors are getting so good, that we're just eager to see those last few tid-bits of performance or features get added that will get us to "perfection"

So, take the Mitsu HC5000's fan noise level and its motorized zoom, focus and lens shift - increase the range to that of the RS-1. Take the RS-1's overall picture performance, but give it a full CMS system and for the heck of it, add even more lumen output and lower the price! Funny thing is - all of that could actually happen! Then I guess we'll just have to watch the damn thing - instead of complaining on the internets :p

Jon

Normally I'm a bang for your buck kinda of guy, which would mean that I would simply get an a $3k Epson HC-1080 and call it good. Heck it would be light years ahead of my X1. But I don't mind spending a little more now, to be happier in the long run. Meaning buy it right the first time, with little regrets.

But the RS1 is double the price of the Espon, hard to tell w/o seeing for one self if it is really worth it or not.

Any thoughts out there?

Normally I'm a bang for your buck kinda of guy, which would mean that I would simply get an a $3k Epson HC-1080 and call it good. Heck it would be light years ahead of my X1. But I don't mind spending a little more now, to be happier in the long run. Meaning buy it right the first time, with little regrets.

But the RS1 is double the price of the Espon, hard to tell w/o seeing for one self if it is really worth it or not.

Any thoughts out there?

The RS1 is better. You will enjoy it. The Epson is better than what you have now. You will enjoy it.
As far as enjoying the RS1 longer...right now, the RS1 is the prom queen on the forum. One year from now (if not sooner) there will be some other latest, greatest to take the shine off of it.
The way prices have been going on these things, I would look at the least expensive upgrade to what you have now...and then if after a year you aren't satisfied, sell it and get either this years current prize winner at a much reduced cost, or use the money you saved by not getting the RS1 now, to put towards whatever is the latest and greatest at that time.

anyways, it comes down to wanting what you get, not getting what you want.
Assuming the Epson fits your upgrade criteria (what areas of the front pj experience do you want to improve upon ? res? black levels? noise? features? etc) I'm sure you would be very happy with it.

The Pearl was a good sized upgrade from what I had previously, which is why even though I was on the pre-order list for the RS1, I never bothered going thru with it.

Re: Epson vs. JVC.. long thread here http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=848805

Not too suprising really. Both are top quality projectors. I have installed and calibrated both and can understand why the pearl would get the vote seeing as it retails for less. This thread should start to get some good flaming any minute now :)

I like your post in that you mentioned "Both are top quality projectors", but the review included more than 2 projectors. And you mentioned how you can understand why they chose Pearl as it retails for less.... Less than what?

Might you be talking about the RS1?? :) What makes it funny is-- While reading your post, I just naturually assumed RS1 from the beginning, and then it hit me -- you didnt say that... :) Can't wait to get mine!

I like your post in that you mentioned "Both are top quality projectors", but the review included more than 2 projectors. And you mentioned how you can understand why they chose Pearl as it retails for less.... Less than what?

Might you be talking about the RS1?? :) What makes it funny is-- While reading your post, I just naturually assumed RS1 from the beginning, and then it hit me -- you didnt say that... :) Can't wait to get mine!

It was indeed implied in my writing. Seems that the majority of those in here pit these two against each other the most. I can't comment on the other projectors because I have not installed them and calibrated them myself. For me personally, I am waiting until Cedia to make my decision which to buy. I would hate to pull the trigger so close to the official announcement of the new models. Hope you enjoy your RS1, it is a very impressive piece.

I guess I could comment on the mits as I did see it at Cedia, but for those of you that were there know just how poorly it was setup and displayed. I would hate to make my judgement based on that viewing. Even the people at the booth didn't know anything about it.

The RS1 is better. You will enjoy it. The Epson is better than what you have now. You will enjoy it.
As far as enjoying the RS1 longer...right now, the RS1 is the prom queen on the forum. One year from now (if not sooner) there will be some other latest, greatest to take the shine off of it.
The way prices have been going on these things, I would look at the least expensive upgrade to what you have now...and then if after a year you aren't satisfied, sell it and get either this years current prize winner at a much reduced cost, or use the money you saved by not getting the RS1 now, to put towards whatever is the latest and greatest at that time.

anyways, it comes down to wanting what you get, not getting what you want.
Assuming the Epson fits your upgrade criteria (what areas of the front pj experience do you want to improve upon ? res? black levels? noise? features? etc) I'm sure you would be very happy with it.

The Pearl was a good sized upgrade from what I had previously, which is why even though I was on the pre-order list for the RS1, I never bothered going thru with it.

For me it would be overall PQ/res. which just about any 1080p FP will do, plus being somewhat future proof. Doing my web search it appears that the Pearl can be found for close to the Epson MSRP. And at least both are available, seems the RS1 are in such high demand therefore will hold their prices (for a while).

I take it you are happy with your Pearl ?? No regrets.

Pearl and a Hidef DVD player is awesome.
For that matter any 1080p and Hidef anything.

Scott

This thread should start to get some good flaming any minute now :)


I'm glad no flaming took place. :)

It's nice to know that today there are several good 1080p projectors available at reasonable prices. It's also nice to know that one of the original 1080p options at a breakthrough price (Pearl) is still a top pick for many people.

With the Pearl and HD-DVD (upconverted DVDs of late are real close) I find myself only watching the content and not the screen. I can't find anything to fix it looks so good. At this level any projector with similar capabilities will look the same. Just fantastic for the consumer.

As a Pearl owner, I agree wholeheartedly with Tom Pfarr and the rest of the comments. I came from a 12 year old Seleco 180 CRT machine. Aside from absolute black levels there is no comparison. The Pearl has a large measure of that CRT'ness about its picture, but so do most of the other 1080 choices to varing degrees. The Pearl + (in my case) a Toshiba HD-XA2 has great "wow" factor and very quickly draws you into the content not the equipment. I think almost all purchasers will be happy with the Pearl, at least until the next wave of the next best thing occurs, which these days could be September or earlier! Led's...lasers...Oshram's new micro-second modulating bulb... etc. For PJ fans like us, we truly live in interesting times. So go for it, sit back, enjoy. Then take a look around in a year!!