Incredible deal on this projector!...Had to buy one.... ;)


http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3203523&CatId=1755

Congrats. That's a great deal. Hope it works well for you as others have been less lucky.

Why would anyone buy this when the Mits. HD1000 is the same price @ projectorpeople?

Because the Samsung when properly calibrated is in a different league than the Mits...My local calibrator has one and loves it.

DIDO......to that cnickersonjr

I own the HD 1000 and I have to say it is a very good projector for the money. However ,if you have a issue with a low ceiling...one should look else where. I just bought a Sharp DT-500. I will compare the two real soon. The HD1000 will be hard to beat.

Because the Samsung when properly calibrated is in a different league than the Mits...My local calibrator has one and loves it.
OK. With these specs, the Samsung wouldn't work for me. Not bright enough & no HDMI. Sorry, just curious as to why this was considered a goor deal.

Resolution: 720p Native (1280 x 720)
Brightness: 700 ANSI Lumens
Contrast Ratio: 2800 : 1
Aspect Ratio: 16:9
Display Technology: DLP
Data Signals: VGA to SXGA
Video Signals: HDTV (480p, 576p, 720p, 1080i)


Inputs: DVI-D
S-Video
RS-232C
Composite: RCA jack
D-sub 15-pin

The specs are pretty accurate and not inflated like the HD1000. The brightness is close to an HD1000 maybe 100 lumens less real world unless you are using the HD1000 in bright mode. This PJ is in a differen league than the HD1001 for picture and build quality. The problem with this PJ that made it unpopular is they had some serious quality control problems and dealing with Samsung's customer service is not always pleasant. But, if you get a good one this is a tough PJ to beat.

The best deal I have seen recently was Sharp 12KII and this beats that! The Sharp will do better black levels but this is brighter and really so close to calibrated out of the box that makes it a no brainer. Its lens offset also allows placement above a screen which some people will prefer.

Bob

Thanks TheHDMan for the tip. I just ordered one. Should do nicely to hold me over until 1080 is priced for the unwashed monkey masses.

I called Samsung and confirmed a two year (26 months actually) warranty right before ordering - the seller's page says three years which is wrong and Samsung's web site was ambiguous about the warranty length. Still, two years is enough time to get a lot out of the PJ and find out if you have a clunker or keeper.

I darn near passed on the deal after reading all the problems. Looks like we're taking a roll of the dice. Then I went back over the glowing reviews and "they pulled me back in."

Well this totally violates the forum rules, but it is an exceptional deal.

The specs are pretty accurate and not inflated like the HD1000. The brightness is close to an HD1000 maybe 100 lumens less real world unless you are using the HD1000 in bright mode. This PJ is in a differen league than the HD1001 for picture and build quality. The problem with this PJ that made it unpopular is they had some serious quality control problems and dealing with Samsung's customer service is not always pleasant. But, if you get a good one this is a tough PJ to beat.

The best deal I have seen recently was Sharp 12KII and this beats that! The Sharp will do better black levels but this is brighter and really so close to calibrated out of the box that makes it a no brainer. Its lens offset also allows placement above a screen which some people will prefer.

Bob

I find it hard to believe that a proj. listed as 700 lumens is only 100 lumens dimmer than one listed at 1500 lumens. There may be some variance in the accuracy of the figures but I serioiusly doubt that either the Mitsi puts out half the lumens stated or that this projector puts out double the lumens the mfg. claims.

I find it hard to believe that a proj. listed as 700 lumens is only 100 lumens dimmer than one listed at 1500 lumens. There may be some variance in the accuracy of the figures but I serioiusly doubt that either the Mitsi puts out half the lumens stated or that this projector puts out double the lumens the mfg. claims.

When perfectly calibrated on low lamp the Samsung is 470 lumens .

http://www.projectorcentral.com/samsung_sph710.htm

When perfectly calibrated on low mode the Mits is 490 lumens.
http://www.projectorcentral.com/mitsubishi_hd1000u.htm

Now the mits is capable of projecting a decent image with well over 1000 lumens, so that flexibility is something the Samsung doesnt have.

This one slipped under the radar. never heard of it before this thread. I'll have to dig up more info.

This is a fantastic deal ( 78% off most current MSRP, 91% off original MSRP ) on a great projector, if you get a good one. Very enthusiastic review by Art at projectorreviews.com:

Samsung SP-H710AE review (http://www.projectorreviews.com/samsung/SP-H710ae/proscons.php)

He states that the detail in shadow areas is outstanding, that it's the best calibrated projector out-of-the-box that he's seen shy of the $18k mark, and it does a beautiful job with movies provided you keep the screen size below 110" (preferably at or below 100"), have a dark room and preferably dark walls. He doesn't recommend this projector for lots of sports and HDTV viewing, though, as it isn't bright enough to handle much ambient light. I'd snap one up right now but for the fact that I need something brighter for a lower level rec/HT room with lots of windows.

One other caveat: this Samsung is around 19lbs making it twice the weight of the typical HT projector - I don't know if this added weight will make a difference as far as ceiling mount selection is concerned.

Thanks for the heads-up on this deal (forum rules be damned).

Since we're discussing prices, Dell has new HD70 720p DLP for $699 AR with free shipping.

I'd be nervous about this Samsung's longevity and generally poor tech. support due to numerous problem posts here.

Danger! This projector had very serious quality control issues. They would all fail after a while, or at least it seemed that way. It is impossible to know if they have been corrected.

Great picture, especially for this price, but that does you no good if it doesn't work.

any idea about the build date on these??

Just noticed this thread that is a great price and with a 3yr warranty I think its worth a try anyone know if it accepts 1080p 24fps ?

I don't believe it comes w/ a 3 year warranty but rather 2 years. I called Samsung to confirm and they said 2 years + 2 months.

Seems the warranty includes a two day replacement for any problem. This projector also has veritcal lens shift

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=799537

I just received one today and the picture is truly oustanding!! I have a Panny ae-900 and the samsung blows it away in color, sharpness and even black levels. I was so impressed I ordered a second one just in case one breaks (based on QC issues) and I have to send it away for repairs. Dont be put off by the low 700 lumen spec. It was considerably brighter (granted the bulb is new and my panny has 350 hrs) than my panasonic which is rated at 1100 lumens. There was also a shoout of eight 720p projectors at soundandvisionmag.com and samsung won beating out the infocus in76, mitc, optoma etc. I was also impressed at how well my regular dvd's looked. The color, sharpness and black level was much better than on my panny. I never did like the panny soft picture especially with videogames but no such problem with the samsung. Highly recommended at this price. The only negative is this thing is Huge. It looks like a tank.

Hopefully, it's runs like a tank on the inside. I thinking of taking a chance on this projector.

Just think... a couple of years ago this projector had an MSRP of $12K!! :eek:

That's what concerns me. The price drop sounds too good to be true.

This product has a limited warranty of:
36 months for parts and 36 months for labor.

Quoted from TigerDirect.

Jason from AVS's Review (http://www.avscience.com/reviews/projector_samsung_sph710ae.htm)

Here is a great, unbiased, review from our own Jason Turk

This is very tempting, and I might even have considered it myself. However, while very highly rated, and capable of an exceptional picture, most of them eventually had complete failure at start up, and were returned many times by forum owners before finally giving up on getting a working projector. And these were almost universally owners that loved the picture quality.

I'm not aware that Samsung ever actually fixed the problem. I know AVS discontinued selling them because of the failure rate. Do some careful research here before jumping on this one.


John

Very tempting indeed. Does anyone know if they finally resolved their quality control problems?

Just realized that with the throw of this projector I can only get a 98" diagonal picture with it on my 106" diagonal screen. Perhaps it is worth sacrificing some screen size, but is it a problem to project a smaller image on a larger screen? I always liked having a black border around the image, but this would not be the case projecting a 98" image on a 106" screen. Anyone else do this?

Unfortunately, I can't find much information on the forum about this projector. I'll check the archives later.

There are a couple of threads in the >$3,000 projector forum. I read them and was also a little concerned about the failure rate but then again a lot of people have been complaining about problems (although not as serious) with the Panasonic PT ax100 yet people seem to still be buying that projector. That is part of the reason I ordered two so that if one goes down I'll have the other while its being repaired. I figure I should get two years of use (based on the warranty) and even at <$2000 it is still a good price. I am also going to post a thread to see how many actually have had the projector without problems as it is human nature to hear from people when they have a problem but not when things are running well..

Guys -
This unit is in a totally different league from the Mits. This is a high end unit with far more sophistication than the Mits in every department.

However, one cannot, under any circumstances, ignore the rampant problems and excruciatingly high failure rate this unit has had during its entire run. John Clark is correct: AVS stopped selling them because they just couldn't stand behind the product in the right way.
There were rumors a couple of months ago that Samsung was going to begin a 48 hr replacement program - I have no idea where this went.
Do very careful research here. Make sure you have the right guarantee's in place if you want to roll the dice here...

For what its worth, Joe Kane was showing one of these at CEDIA last year (he helped design this unit) and it threw a stunning picture with HD-DVD. If you get a working unit there are few things in this price bracket that can compare.

Very tempting indeed. Does anyone know if they finally resolved their quality control problems?No, they didn't. My coworker went through 3 of them over a year and one them was "repaired" by Samsung instead of replacement before finally getting a refund from Samsung. All of this was over the past year ending in June 07. I believe the 2nd two units that went bad were refurbished.

Incredible deal on this projector!...Had to buy one.... ;)


http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3203523&CatId=1755


THANK YOU, HDman.

I've been shopping myself crazy......just jumped on this deal as well!!! Can't wait until WED!!!! :D

Every "professional" review of this projector has been outstanding. The issue according to the reviews is that it takes special equipment to calibrate the projector. However, the projector is basically calibrated as it is produced, so every review that measured data says the projector is spot-on. No calibration appears necessary.

This projector went to the top of my list some time back. The threads are on the over 3,000 forum, as the projector was originally some amount over 3k. However, the number of problems with this projector is troubling. That's what stopped me from buying. On the other hand, this is an incredible deal. I have to talk to the wife!

I should also note that relying on forums is hard for this type of information. For instance, on many forums, you only see people complain about products; the other 50-98 % of people might be perfectly happy, but they have few reasons to be on the forum. If I buy this projector (and assuming it doesn't develop problems), I'll not be here again until I decide to upgrade.

I should also note that relying on forums is hard for this type of information. For instance, on many forums, you only see people complain about products; the other 50-98 % of people might be perfectly happy, but they have few reasons to be on the forum. If I buy this projector (and assuming it doesn't develop problems), I'll not be here again until I decide to upgrade.

Take the time to find the old threads. The problems with this projector went well beyond the usual complaints. AVS stopped selling it because of all the issues.

Still, no risk, no reward. Great price but there is no way to know if it is more trouble than it is worth.

People may choose to buy it, but they should not kid themelves into thinking that the problems have been overstated: they have not.

Of the people that have recently purchased this PJ, especially from TigerDirect, what was your build date and do you kjnow if you got a new one or refurb'd one?

Mine should be delivered on Wednesday. I'll try to post it's build date shortly thereafter - hosting a dinner party that night. Here's hoping for UPS to beat their estimate :) .

Everyone is right that you should do due dilligence before purchasing this projector. It has a huge upside so I'm rolling the dice. This is my stopgap before going to a 1080 projector. I figure Samsung has to make it work for 2 years anyway - which appears to have been a challenge at that. For me a bad scenario would be to have to replace the lamp prematurely - then the deal isn't so good. I'll definitely put it throught it's paces while the 90 day lamp warranty is in effect. It seems like some people who had the bad issues were eventually fixed, still many others went through multiple projectors that never could run reliably and who could blame them for giving up and getting a refund - they invested a lot more $$ than this. Through the reading I haven't gotten the warm fuzzy that Samsung definitely knows how to fix the startup issue, but thats hard to imagine. A repeated failure like that on so many units should be easy to isolate and prevent.

I'm replacing an Infocus 4805 which has been a wonderful unit. I've been questioning why I want to upgrade from the 4805 every time I fire it up - the picture is still awesome to me. A friend bought a HC1000U and we watched it in my theater room. I only saw improvement in resolution, but it wasn't adjusted that night with anything other than THX Optomizer. Still the resolution blew me away. "Dancing with the Stars" was the only HD I could pull in that night and noticed that the dancing girls had glitter all over them :eek: - hahaha - never really noticed that before so I attributed it to the better resolution. Had the upgrade bug ever since.....

I paid $600 MORE for my 4805 than I did for this Samsung. Amazing price.

Take the time to find the old threads. The problems with this projector went well beyond the usual complaints. AVS stopped selling it because of all the issues.

Still, no risk, no reward. Great price but there is no way to know if it is more trouble than it is worth.

People may choose to buy it, but they should not kid themelves into thinking that the problems have been overstated: they have not.

Actually, I followed the threads the entire time. You're right about not knowing, but the picture is supposedly phenomenal.

My build date is Sept. 2006. I dont believe its refurbished as its not indicated on the website I ordered it from and it comes with full 2 yr warranty. Put on 25 hours with no problems however last time i shut it down it did make a funny sound. Hopefully it was just my imagination.

I would also like to add I have the Infocus 4805, Optoma DV10 and Panasonic ae-900 and the samsung blows them all out of the water. I especially like playing xbox 360 on the samsung since the picture is so sharp compared to the panny which always had a blurry look no matter how hard I tried to focus it. If the projector holds up Ill be very happy as your not going to find a better projector at the price its being offered.

Take the time to find the old threads. The problems with this projector went well beyond the usual complaints. AVS stopped selling it because of all the issues.

Still, no risk, no reward. Great price but there is no way to know if it is more trouble than it is worth.

People may choose to buy it, but they should not kid themelves into thinking that the problems have been overstated: they have not.

Actually I hope your wrong but I guess I'll find out the hard way. I ordered two samsungs and will keep everyone updated on how they are running. Hopefully I'll be one of the few who posts they have not had any problems. I plan on swapping the two projectors out at 50 hours of use so that they both get plenty of workout and if a problem does develop it does over the course of the two year warranty. I also noticed there is an authorized samsung repair center not far from where I live so hopefully I can just drop it off if I have a problem and wont have to worry about mailing it in.

Can any body please tell me the range of lens shift. If I ceiling mount it how low can I put the screen. Can I get it around 35% like the optoma HD70 I searched every where and cannot seem to get this info. This projector is also on sale at buydotcom for same price wondering if they are more reliable than tigerdirect.
Thanks

Can any body please tell me the range of lens shift. If I ceiling mount it how low can I put the screen. Can I get it around 35% like the optoma HD70 I searched every where and cannot seem to get this info. This projector is also on sale at buydotcom for same price wondering if they are more reliable than tigerdirect.
Thanks

Shiv,

The samsung has vertical lens shift and I dont think the optoma has lens shift so in terms of placement it should be more flexable than the Optoma. Ive ordered from both tigerdirect and buydotcom without any problems. Tiger direct has been reliable for me in the past so im not sure what your concern is. I do know tiger direct will not take a return on the samsung and you have to go through the manufacturer. Im not sure about buydot coms policy.

Anyone who has ordered one recently at this good price can you post the manufacturer date of the projector you received and if you have had any problems with the projector. Thanks!!

The Samsung only has ~5-10% offset. If I remember correctly its ideal position would be dead center of the screen's height and the offset will bring it to ~ +/- 55%.

Hope this helps

Bob

I’m waiting on “Brown” right now and hoped the 710 would have gotten here this morning, but… I’ll post the build date when it arrives. My buddy Adam had one of these briefly but returned it because it made a slight buzzing noise when cold. He opted for the BenQ 8720 instead of a replacement 710. I saw both and while the 8720 does have blacker blacks and is a fine PJ, to me; the 710 had better shadow detail. I was really quite mesmerized by the Sammy. Sharpness, depth, vivid yet accurate colors, you name it I thought it looked great.

I’ve re-reviewed Home Theater Magazine’s article on the 700 from May 2005 and at that time they gave it a performance rating of 96 and stated the MSRP as $13,000.

Sound and Vision Magazine, (David Katzmaier) did a comparison with several other budget projectors in May 2006 and picked the 710 as producing the best picture. By this time the price was down to $3500. In the October 2006 issue, Sound and Vision put the 710 in their list of “The best gear to buy right now.” and quoted an MSRP of $4000.

In my case, the 710 will be replacing a nearly three year old Panny 700 on its second lamp with just over 3000 total hours. It’s been a great PJ and still looks pretty good. There are some color uniformity issues starting to appear. I assume the polarizers are showing their age but it’s not really noticeable except on white test patterns or scenes that are mostly white like snow or a light grey sky. There is some vertical banding but again it is very scene dependent.

My screen is a 118” Carada Criterion BW. Which I think is a great screen and a great value and according to what I’ve read should be similar in performance to the Studio Tech 130. The new Chief RPA-106 mounting plate is on order and is scheduled to arrive Thursday. I’m not sure but I may have to move the mount forward just a bit as the panny has a longer throw, we’ll see.

All in all in terms of value, the current deal on this PJ is the best I’ve ever seen if, and it’s a big if, Samsung has the start up issue solved. I made this purchase with my eyes wide open, and even if it does die an early death, at this price it won’t be the end of the world.

Hurry up UPS.

Sounds like a good unit when it is problem free. I guess when you factor in the 2y warranty at the price they are offering them it is not a bad deal, but I would keep your current projector as a back up if you do have issues.

Tempted....

This is indeed tempting but 2800:1 and only 700 ANSI lumens would be a deal breaker for me even if it did not had a history of problems. I don't think it would be bright enough for sports viewing especially when the bulbs dim, so that is worth considering if it would be for movies and sports. The specs reminds me of the Infocus 4805 which was an excellent 480p PJ.

When you consider, the new price pricepoint is much more in line with what it should be. Low lumen, average contrast and only 720p. But if you have a room with a low ceiling, the vertical lens-shift is unheard of at this price in the DLP arena.

Buy now or wait another one to two years to get a 1080p LCD or DLP at sub $2k prices.

Tempted but no thanks.

When you consider, the new price pricepoint is much more in line with what it should be. Low lumen, average contrast and only 720p. .... Tempted but no thanks.

You sound like a fan of the old Stereo Review - focus only on the specs, qualitative performance be damned.

Have you read any of the reviews? Setting aside the not-unimportant issue of reliability, this Samsung had about as strong of reviews as you are likely to find for any projector shy of $15-20k or more. The reason: overall image quality, which doesn't show up on anyone's spec sheet. Anyways, if all you're doing is comparing the manufacturers' specifications, you ought to know that more often than not, you're making a meaningless comparison, since lumens and contrast specs are so subjective and so far from uniform from one manufacturer to another.

So far its all good.

The 710 arrived at about 3PM. The build date is Sept. 2006. It appears to be a brand new not refurb unit. The picture looks great, big difference over the Panny 700.

Here's keeping my fingers crossed regarding reliability.

You sound like a fan of the old Stereo Review - focus only on the specs, qualitative performance be damned.

Have you read any of the reviews? Setting aside the not-unimportant issue of reliability, this Samsung had about as strong of reviews as you are likely to find for any projector shy of $15-20k or more. The reason: overall image quality, which doesn't show up on anyone's spec sheet. Anyways, if all you're doing is comparing the manufacturers' specifications, you ought to know that more often than not, you're making a meaningless comparison, since lumens and contrast specs are so subjective and so far from uniform from one manufacturer to another.

Well said, I dunno how everyone is always so spec focused.
I saw this pj 2 years ago at the HT show in ny, demoed by Mr Kane himself. The color temp is not the only unique element of this pj. I He went to great lengths to explain the methods he used to reduce the noise and other digital artifacts from this projector, wish I can remember it better. But anyway, this was clearly the best pj at the show, even though it was only shown on a smallish 106 in display.

Man im so tempted by this thing.

It is worth noting that reviews are also subjective and the time reviews were done and relative to what environment it is done in. A greatly reviewed PJ 3 years ago may be considered a fair PJ today relative to what it is being compared to. All things need to be taken into consideration, not just specs or reviews, both both and most importantly, the end user's viewing environment.

How does this projector compare to the Optoma H79? I enjoy h79 picture quality and am looking for a spare projector.


thanks

You sound like a fan of the old Stereo Review - focus only on the specs, qualitative performance be damned.

Have you read any of the reviews? Setting aside the not-unimportant issue of reliability, this Samsung had about as strong of reviews as you are likely to find for any projector shy of $15-20k or more. The reason: overall image quality, which doesn't show up on anyone's spec sheet. Anyways, if all you're doing is comparing the manufacturers' specifications, you ought to know that more often than not, you're making a meaningless comparison, since lumens and contrast specs are so subjective and so far from uniform from one manufacturer to another.


Look specs sell things and to the average user the resolution, lumens and CR are nothing to write home about. I agree that specs are not all, but it looks like they can't move the unit anymore unless they significantly reduce price.

If it was still a $3-4k machine I would not buy it over say a BenQ W9000. Also if it did not have so many issues documented (an usually large amount for a high priced item) I might have jumped, but the cost is not worth it for me.

The arrival of 1080p has hit these former highend 720 units like a torpedo.

I did say that I might be interested in the unit as a stopgap piece until more affordable 1080p units are in my price range, but I still think I am better off saving my money until 1080p hits my threshold of pain in the FP market.

You sound like a fan of the old Stereo Review - focus only on the specs, qualitative performance be damned.

Have you read any of the reviews? Setting aside the not-unimportant issue of reliability, this Samsung had about as strong of reviews as you are likely to find for any projector shy of $15-20k or more. The reason: overall image quality, which doesn't show up on anyone's spec sheet. Anyways, if all you're doing is comparing the manufacturers' specifications, you ought to know that more often than not, you're making a meaningless comparison, since lumens and contrast specs are so subjective and so far from uniform from one manufacturer to another.

It's had the best reviews of any projector -- save perhaps the JVC RS 1 and has much better greyscale tracking. And I mean any projector.

It is worth noting that reviews are also subjective and the time reviews were done and relative to what environment it is done in. A greatly reviewed PJ 3 years ago may be considered a fair PJ today relative to what it is being compared to. All things need to be taken into consideration, not just specs or reviews, both both and most importantly, the end user's viewing environment.


Exactly this PJ was state of the art at its release, but time is not kind in the fast paced ever changing technology world.

I'm very keen on this machine, but don't really have $900 to pi$$ away. So I call Samsung to find out about warranty, resellers and maybe whether they know if they've fixed this problem.

My story, as close to 100% accurate as I can get it, so help me God:

The menu has no option for 'projectors', even after I cycle through it three times (hey, maybe it'll show up suddenly!). So I try one that says "home theater". The guy takes my phone number and name, then says this is a DVD area and he has no clue about PJs. So I ask him to transfer and they lose my call.

I begin to chew the nail on my ring finger.

Second attempt: I pick "Projection TVs". The 12-year old who answers takes my phone number and name, but has no clue about projectors and says this is a tv area. I asked him where is the projectors area. He puts me on hold briefly and comes back and says "right here, we support those but I didn't know that".

My teeth start to grind.

So I tell him I want to know if TD is an authorized retailer. He says "Tiger Direct? Uhhh, sure. If they'll sell you one, they're fine. We don't really have any authorzed retailers."

My bowels begin to constrict.

So I ask him what the warranty is, he said one year for A stock, 90 days for R stock. I told him I thought it was 2 years, having read that info in some places (like here and on TD's site, which seems to be, um, corrected). He says, "ok, it's two years then". He then says he has received ZERO training for projectors so he probably can't help me.

By now my hair is falling off in clumps and the knuckles of the hand holding the phone are beyond white.

I ask for a manager. He says, "let me see". He comes back in 20 seconds and says there's no one here to escalate my questions to, but hey, it's covered for two years so don't worry. So I ask him, now you say two years, are you sure? He says, very confidently, "yup!".

I hang up and head for the liquor cabinet.

man, that is so funny. Thanks for enlightening the mood around here ;-)

The warranty that came in the box with my just delivered 710 states:

"DLP Projector: One (1) Year Parts and Labor, excluding Lamp"

The Lamp is 90 days or 300 hours.

One can however extend the warranty by 3 months by filling out the registration and mailing it to Samsung.

TD appears to be wrong regarding the warranty period.

Excuse me while I go fill out my registration form.

Yes, TD is notorious for posting incorrect information and not honoring rebates. Luckily, that is not involved here. Most lamps are valid for 90 days standard.

I've ordered one of these because I enjoy gambling ;)

FWIW, Samsung has this PJ listed on its web page:

Warranty Information for SPH710AEMX/XAA - Parts : 24 months, Labor : 24 months (http://www.samsung.com/us/support/repairpolicy/servicePolicyWarrantySearch.do?group=mp3audiovideo&type=hometheater&subtype=hometheaterprojectors&model_nm=SP-H710AE&mType=&dType=D&vType=R)

The 1 year coverage period in the warranty text contradicts the 2 year period in the description for some reason. The warranty text doesn't seem specific for this model, though, so perhaps it is really 2 years for the H710?

You should also be able to register the PJ online, and it seems like you can make a request for repair/service thru the web interface. To register in "my samsung", its catagorized under mp3 & audiovideo -> home theater -> home theater projectors -> SP-H710AE.

The warranty that came in the box with my just delivered 710 states:

"DLP Projector: One (1) Year Parts and Labor, excluding Lamp"

The Lamp is 90 days or 300 hours.


Wow that stinks. I went to the effort to call Samsung directly before ordering mine and they told me two years plus two months. I didn't have any trouble getting a straight answer like KCK7 did. If you look up the 710 on Samsung's website, the warranty link states a 24 month warranty, but then if you read the actual warranty verbiage it states 1 year. Hence I called them and looks like I got the wrong answer. Glad I used a Visa that provides extended coverage...

WTH??

As loafier points out, even the official website can't agree with itself re warranty. Couple this with my experience today and it really points to a company that doesn't know what's going on with its own business.

I so would like to get this PJ for its touted PQ, its DLP and other qualities. But both QC and support are questionable, and that's giving them the benefit of the doubt.

I suppose this is the wrong forum, but anyone who paid $10K for this please write to me. I have the proverbial bridge I'd like to sell you.

Got mine today and it's all good!...Stunning picture!...You cannot go by those specs. I have had all Panny projectors, My last one was 900U and this Samsung blows it away in sharpness, Pic quality and...(well, you name it)...It does have more screen door effect but from 3 screen widths it's still just a better picture all around...Very happy with this buy. :) Oh...Build date is Sept 2006.

did you state 3 screen widths? This should not be the case. Have you tried the focus ring trick?

did you state 3 screen widths? This should not be the case. Have you tried the focus ring trick?

This "is" the case...On light or white backgrounds I can see screendoor from 3 screen widths ...yes. The picture itself is razor sharp...On my Pannys the picture is softer, but zero screen door.

Regarding the warranty, Loafier makes a great point. Samsung's website specifically references the 710 as having 24 months parts and labor. I have printed and filed that page just in case. At least then if problems do occur we would have some documentation stating a 24 month warranty.

This "is" the case...On light or white backgrounds I can see screendoor from 3 screen widths ...yes. The picture itself is razor sharp...On my Pannys the picture is softer, but zero screen door.

I have seen razor sharp images and no screen door even from 1.5 screen widths. This seems to indicate this PJ just has more SDE than others. You may try to place it ever slightly out of focus.

There's alot of comparison for this unit to the Panny's smoothscreen, but what about the described razor sharp images of the Z5.
What's the better option....this, or the Z5 at 2hundy more ?

There's alot of comparison for this unit to the Panny's smoothscreen, but what about the described razor sharp images of the Z5.
What's the better option....this, or the Z5 at 2hundy more ?

Again, It depends on what you are using it for...For a Dedicated theater the Samsung is the better projector.

I received my projector today. Manufacture date is October 06. The literature states a 1-year warranty, 90 days on the lamp.

Again, It depends on what you are using it for...For a Dedicated theater the Samsung is the better projector.I guess in what situation does the Z5 excel ? or the Sony, or any other projector in the $1000 range.
If you can swallow the QC issues...is this the hands down winner in every PJ category ?

It does have DVI only....so switching would be annoying with all the sitchers I see being HDMI switchers.
Damm I was just waiting to PP the Z5, now I'm going nuts. :confused: :o

& no HDMI. Can't you just get an HDMi to DVI-D adapter for $3 on monoprice ?

Can't you just get an HDMi to DVI-D adapter for $3 on monoprice ?

Yes, and it is clearly a hands down winner in a dedicated theater. This is a reference quality projector. At this price it beats anything in that price realm and well above. Keep in mind this projector was at one time 10,000.00 and is still being sold for 3000.00 at some stores. As I said in an earlier post, the calibrator in my area that does calibrations in my area is a master TV tech and he owns one of these and you couldn't pry it away from him...BTW, he told me the 1080P version is due out real soon...That is why the price drop...Grap one while you can!

I would really like to see the PQ on this PJ. Judging from the pics in the link below (from avscience) which are probably not ideal, I do not see the wow factor in the PQ even though the reviewer stated it is some of the best he has done.

http://www.avscience.com/reviews/projector_samsung_sph710ae.htm

BTW - I wanted to view the images on projectorreview but the images don't seem to come up.

Here's some from projectorreviews. The links were mangled in the review.

Samsung_SP-H710ae_StarshipExplosionLarge.jpg (http://www.projectorreviews.com/images-projectors-06/Samsung_SP-H710ae_StarshipExplosionLarge.jpg)
Samsung_SP-H710ae_LOTRgandalf1Large.jpg (http://www.projectorreviews.com/images-projectors-06/Samsung_SP-H710ae_LOTRgandalf1Large.jpg)
Samsung_SP-H710ae_LOTRarwen2Large.jpg (http://www.projectorreviews.com/images-projectors-06/Samsung_SP-H710ae_LOTRarwen2Large.jpg)
HDDVD Samsung_SP-H710ae_PhantomStarMovie1Large.jpg (http://www.projectorreviews.com/images-projectors-06/Samsung_SP-H710ae_PhantomStarMovie1Large.jpg)
SamsungSP-H710ae_SinCityNancydanceLarge.jpg (http://www.projectorreviews.com/images-projectors-06/SamsungSP-H710ae_SinCityNancydanceLarge.jpg)

Yes, and it is clearly a hands down winner in a dedicated theater. This is a reference quality projector. At this price it beats anything in that price realm and well above. Keep in mind this projector was at one time 10,000.00 and is still being sold for 3000.00 at some stores. As I said in an earlier post, the calibrator in my area that does calibrations in my area is a master TV tech and he owns one of these and you couldn't pry it away from him...BTW, he told me the 1080P version is due out real soon...That is why the price drop...Grap one while you can!I did !
WOW....after months of building my Theater (since March), and having HD call yesterday with my Designer White laminate in....the timing is perfect for this. I can proudly say I spent more time researching this PJ, than my 4805 last year, and my 2 plasmas many years ago. It was the Sanyo Z5...but this sounds too good to be true....like going from a Toyota to a Lexus.
After doing some reading on this....it sounds like the problems were the first builds, and the issues may have stoppped some time in 2006 production...and these units from TD seem like Sept 2006. So I'm saying we're in the clear....thinkgs seem to generarlly work out for me....so I'm thinking I got a steal....thanks guys....I'll check may date and post.
Keep posting screen shots !

I would really like to see the PQ on this PJ. Judging from the pics in the link below (from avscience) which are probably not ideal, I do not see the wow factor in the PQ even though the reviewer stated it is some of the best he has done.

http://www.avscience.com/reviews/projector_samsung_sph710ae.htm

BTW - I wanted to view the images on projectorreview but the images don't seem to come up.I had the same problem trying to show the wife what I just bought....don't sweat it....buy it, run it right away for a few movies early on in the first 30 days returnm guarantee....if it's OK then....you'll probably be in the clear.

Everyone's posting their build dates to see if we're all last Quarter '06.....and I'm yet to see one from TD have the failure.

The weight of this thing is a great indicator of the quality...every review talks about the "chinsy" plastic cheaper models....I don't deserve this PJ ! Now I need to call monoprice for HDMI switcher....and cables.

Thanks for the pics loafier. Indeed if problems are now non-apparent, this is one heck of a great deal for a movie purist and almost made strickly for movie watching. If it was an all around PJ for Sports viewing also it would have been ideal for my setup.

BTW George - Art suggests a grey screen for this PJ to help with the black bars in LB. It is worth considering the Fashion Grey instead of the Designer White. The FG should not hot spot with this PJ I would assume.

The Desigern White is already paid for...I suppose if it's needs grey, I just order grey....$75 form Home Depot.
The other consideration is I'm on the larger side of the screen range 110", and this projector isn't the brightest, so those 2 factors may really produce a dimmer image with grey.....white will help the colors pop more, and make the entire image brighter....I think it's a trade off...we'll see, that's the fun part about this whole hobby.

I had DW with my Infocus 4805 for last NFL season and winter...and it had great depth, and realism....just lacked resolution...enter the Sammy !

I'll post, but it might be a couple weeks,....goto my Theater thread for the pics.

I received the unit last night. I ordered on Tuesday and I was having buyer's remorse on Wednesday morning. Wanted to cancel the order it was already shipped! Turned it on for 3 hours for burning in and hooked up to an old 480i DVD player with componenet. Everything looks good except the black level is kind of high. The fan noise is low but the exhaust smells 'new' electronics.

I have been using a PB6200 for the last 3 years and it looks like a toy comparing to the samsung in terms of built. Everything looks solid so far but new cables and switches won't come until next Tuesday. Can't wait to mount on a rear shelf and shoot against a white wall. Thinking seriously about getting a 84" or 92" Elite grey screen. Hopefully the image won't be too dim.

Rereading the review brought to mind another question: Art's recommendation to get a masking screen, as the bars above and below were a little too bright for his taste.

What are the experiences of those on this forum who have purchased and tried this PJ?

I had eliminated this due to the QC problems but it has reappeared on my radar, as the alternatives (HD1000/Epson 400) do not have me convinced yet. If the HD1000 had a 2-yr warranty I might have already bought that one though.

Rereading the review brought to mind another question: Art's recommendation to get a masking screen, as the bars above and below were a little too bright for his taste.

What are the experiences of those on this forum who have purchased and tried this PJ?

I had eliminated this due to the QC problems but it has reappeared on my radar, as the alternatives (HD1000/Epson 400) do not have me convinced yet. If the HD1000 had a 2-yr warranty I might have already bought that one though.

I've been using a white wall for my PB6200 for three years and the PJ is so bright that it really lights up everything it the room. I was testing the Samsung last night and the 'black' bars in Matrix is really not black at all. I've ordered samples from DaLite and Elite to check their HCCV and HC Grey once I put the Samsung up. I think a grey screen is OK but a darker grey like Carada may be too dark. However, I think the eyes will adjust to almost anything. I've a CRT RPTV than does real black bars which in fact is blacker than the blacks in most movies.

If the Samsung is a $4000 toy, then I think a real masking screen is justified. Since it's a sub $1000 machine, unless I go the DIY route, a masking screen is just too much. I was hoping the Samsung will last a couple years and then I can get a decent 1080p PJ for under $1000. BTW, the Samsung does not look like a sub $1000 machine. It really looks and feels like a high $ piece of equipment.

YMMV.

We can throw specs aside, but if you are bothered by not having inky blacks (like some of us are), then it would seem one will have to use a grey, maybe darker grey screen or masking since it does not have the numbers.

I am ignoring any reliably problems for now, but I am a bit concern how the images will look with even a slight amount of ambient light and when the bulbs dims a bit. (has anyone racked up a few hundred hours on this PJ in the past?) I am thinking of suggesting this to a family member.

Question for those familiar with the projector:

As I am in Canada, I would have to order this from the US and pay the extra shipping fees and taxes associated with importing. Should I be concerned with the warranty (or lack thereof) and potential for failure with this unit? I can pick up the Sony VPL-AW15 for the same price locally (with some Sony bucks that I've acquired), and would then have full warranty and local support if something goes wrong.

However, I get the impression that this projector will stomp all over the Sony in terms of picture quality. Should I take the risk? :eek:

One other question:

Would a grey higher gain screen (1.8ish) produce a brighter picture with this unit? Or would the gain tend to cause some other undesirable results?

Please, can someone describe, in a nutshell, what makes this PJ's PQ so great?

From reading, I gather that it has a 'natural' look, like being at the movies. But surely it is not the only one in this new price range which does that? The Mitsu HD1000 garners high scores in that regard IIRC.

Balancing this one strength so far are a number of negatives:
QC
Grey, not black masking bars
Not so bright, may be too dim over time
heavy, requiring sturdier/pricier than average mount(?)


I am not trying to be argumentative. I appreciate that many users here have a huge experience edge over me, and need to learn what I am missing, perhaps playing devil's advocate for a bit.

Please, can someone describe, in a nutshell, what makes this PJ's PQ so great?

From reading, I gather that it has a 'natural' look, like being at the movies. But surely it is not the only one in this new price range which does that? The Mitsu HD1000 garners high scores in that regard IIRC.

Balancing this one strength so far are a number of negatives:
QC
Grey, not black masking bars
Not so bright, may be too dim over time
heavy, requiring sturdier/pricier than average mount(?)


I am not trying to be argumentative. I appreciate that many users here have a huge experience edge over me, and need to learn what I am missing, perhaps playing devil's advocate for a bit.


These are all good points.I have myself have look at this FP for the last year.All the review's have been good about this unit,But the horror stories about is not working after a while and not being all that bright kept me away.Plus at this time I can't see buting a FP without HDMI.Even though one can use a dvi adapter'This sometimes cause's problems with handshake with the new HD AND Blueray dvd units.Plus with new FP coming out soon this fall I am not going backwards in a FP.But if one is a gambler this unit is suppose to be nice for movies.Plus I would be more concern with buying a FP from TD.They will offer no support if these units start failing like the others did.Just my thoughts BOB :confused:

These are all good points.I have myself have look at this FP for the last year.All the review's have been good about this unit,But the horror stories about is not working after a while and not being all that bright kept me away.Plus at this time I can't see buting a FP without HDMI.Even though one can use a dvi adapter'This sometimes cause's problems with handshake with the new HD AND Blueray dvd units.Plus with new FP coming out soon this fall I am not going backwards in a FP.But if one is a gambler this unit is suppose to be nice for movies.Plus I would be more concern with buying a FP from TD.They will offer no support if these units start failing like the others did.Just my thoughts BOB :confused:

I took a chance with this PJ because:

1. Price is relative low and is the only dlp PJ with lens shift in this price range.
2. I've shopping for a PJ to replace the PB6200.
3. It's been around for a couple of years and most of the QC problems, except those generic ones, should have been fixed, hopefully.
4. All PJ have problems. In general, you'll find more complaint posts than praise ones.
5. I use a Toshiba A2 with DVI to HDMI adapter to a 4 year old Mits RPTV with no problem.
6. All professional reviews praised the great coloraccuracy and 'film like' quality.
7. I have a imperfect room - light controlled but with light color wall and white ceiling (basement), and I don't think I would get good black levels with a bright PJ. The PB6200 is very bright but the black level, not great to begin with, suffers more with reflected lights.
8. By the time the bulb is dim enough, I would be shopping for a new PJ anyway, probably a 1080p < $1000. I have > 1000 hr in the PB6200 and I don't think it has lost lumens.
9. I believe this is the best under $1000 PJ in the market.
10. I have seen a Z5 and a H70 and not impressed.
11. I don't see rainbows even with my PB6200.
12. I don't have perfect vision and color perception and don't need a perfect PJ.
13. I am limited by ceiling height and throw distance, and this PJ fits like a glove.
14. I'd rather gamble with a established good $1000 PJ with know weakesses than a new good $4000 PJ with unknowns. I can throw away a $1000 PJ after 2 years, but not a $4000 one.
15. I've two Samsung HDTV tuners, 46" LCD and they actually stand behind their products, in my experience. I'm sure others may disagree.
16. I just love to gamble when I believe the odds are on my side.

YMMV. :D

I took a chance with this PJ because:

1. Price is relative low and is the only dlp PJ with lens shift in this price range.
2. I've shopping for a PJ to replace the PB6200.
3. It's been around for a couple of years and most of the QC problems, except those generic ones, should have been fixed, hopefully.
4. All PJ have problems. In general, you'll find more complaint posts than praise ones.
5. I use a Toshiba A2 with DVI to HDMI adapter to a 4 year old Mits RPTV with no problem.
6. All professional reviews praised the great coloraccuracy and 'film like' quality.
7. I have a imperfect room - light controlled but with light color wall and white ceiling (basement), and I don't think I would get good black levels with a bright PJ. The PB6200 is very bright but the black level, not great to begin with, suffers more with reflected lights.
8. By the time the bulb is dim enough, I would be shopping for a new PJ anyway, probably a 1080p < $1000. I have > 1000 hr in the PB6200 and I don't think it has lost lumens.
9. I believe this is the best under $1000 PJ in the market.
10. I have seen a Z5 and a H70 and not impressed.
11. I don't see rainbows even with my PB6200.
12. I don't have perfect vision and color perception and don't need a perfect PJ.
13. I am limited by ceiling height and throw distance, and this PJ fits like a glove.
14. I'd rather gamble with a established good $1000 PJ with know weakesses than a new good $4000 PJ with unknowns. I can throw away a $1000 PJ after 2 years, but not a $4000 one.
15. I've two Samsung HDTV tuners, 46" LCD and they actually stand behind their products, in my experience. I'm sure others may disagree.
16. I just love to gamble when I believe the odds are on my side.

YMMV. :D

Well I hope it turns out to be a great deal for you.I agree if it last a year or 2 you got a great deal.The price is unreal,I feel sorry for those who paid the full price a year ago.But we all know how the FP buisness works.I bought the ax100 when it first came out and paid for it,But it has been a great FP for me even though alot of ax100 have had problems.But I use a FP for movies and sports and love the added lumes.Let us know how it does so we can all kick are self in the ass for not hoping on a great deal. :( BOB

I just got mine today.

Problems already :(

very disapointed.

Have to send back. :(

I should subscribe to this thread so I can watch most of you curse your projectors in the coming weeks and months.

csedaniel, if you are not feeling too sickened to elaborate, we'd appreciate your doing so...

Looks like i'll be buying something locally then! :eek:

well, so much for the theory that they may now have been fixed after the Sept '06. However, please do elaborate since some others have no problems so far.

KCK7,

With the exception of the start up problem a lot of people have experienced it is a great PJ. When it first came out it was $12K. The easiest way to describe this PJ is it does almost everything right. It might not be the best in all specifications but doesn't have any real glaring errors. Here is what is does well.

Practically calibrated out of the box. No display is perfect out of the box but this one is closer than most.

Its lumens are pretty accurate. Take your average PJ put it in low lamp mode, close the iris for the best contrast, calibrate it to broadcast standards and it probably puts out less than half of its rated spec. This PJ is brighter than most 1000 lumen PJs.

The shadow details on this are excellent.

The Ansi contrast is also excellent for this price. Most manufacturers measure only on/off contrast. On/off is achieved by sending a black signal to projector and measuring the black level then diplay a full intensity white screen and measure white. The disadvantage to this method is displays will often use varous trick techniques to make the whites brighter and the blacks darker. But, unfortunately they can't make brighter whites and darker blacks at the same time. ANSI contrast is a checkerboard of black and white squares and each square is measured and the results averaged. This gives a better idea of what the PJ is capable of for a given scene where on/off gives a better idea of the dynamic range of projector. The ANSI contrast is often much lower than on/off and not often published by manufacturers. In reality many manufacturers don't measure their projectors when calibrated so they can get inflated spes. In a nutshell don't trust manufacturers specs! Ps. I simplified the explanation but I can elaborate later if desired.

Very good lens.

Good build quality - wieghs about 20 pounds compared to 4-10 for most PJs in the less expensive price range.

To sum it up, if you don't get a lemon with the start up problem you won't find a PJ with better PQ for anywhere near 3x this price including the 1080P LCDs. The Sharp 12K could give this a run for the money if you can still get it for $2k but I think it is no longer available. For a G note nothing touches it if it will fit your sitution.

Bob

Too bad they didn't fix it and it therefore becomes the luck of the draw. BTW, if one were to return a lemon, it should not be sold to someone else as new correct?

Also, does this PJ have sealed optics and light path?

Well I just received my second samsung and it has a build date of 10/06. i am still in awe of this projector. I put on my panasonic ae-900 the other night and couldnt beleive how bad the picture was in comparison to the samsung. Ive read several posts that refer to the low 700 ansi brightbess rating.. trust me this projector is plenty bright. you really cant judge a projector just by looking at its stats but have to see it in action. Do some research and read the reviews and they all state that samsung was very conservative in its 700 rating and other manufacturers overstate the brightness rating. I have 38 hours on 1 projector and 4 hours on the second one. i paid 1300 for my ae-900 and paid 1800 for two samsungs. I feel like i was ripped off on the panny. I LOVe the samsung. I know about the reliabilty problems posted but if you look closely at a lot of different threads on different projectors you will hear a lot of complaints. Ive read a lot of complaints about the ax-100 yet ppl dont hesitate to buy that one. Trust me at $900 the samsung is a steal. BTW i have the panasonic ae-900, optoma dv-10 and infocus 4805 and the samsung is in a different class.

I just got mine today.

Problems already :(

very disapointed.

Have to send back. :(

Could you elaborate on what the problem is and the build date on your projector. Where there problems from the start or did they develop over time? I hope mine dont develop a problem. Thanks.

Aside from the QC issues (csedaniel can you please provide DETAILS), the thing I am most concerned about is this quote from the PR review:
I might also say, that while movie watching is extremely enjoyable, this wouldn't be my first choice for sports and most HDTV. The Samsung tends to reveal flaws in source, so compression artifacts from your cable or satellite, might be more noticeable. That, combined with the fact that there are signficantly brighter home theater projectors out there, will have many, like me choose a different projector.
Can anybody elaborate as to what the first highlighted section even means??? Reveals flaws how? Also, how is the quality of the scaler?

I don't doubt the fidelity of the display for doing post-production in a dedicated theater from an HD source, but I am wondering about this PJ in the real world.

I should subscribe to this thread so I can watch most of you curse your projectors in the coming weeks and months.

Trust me if that happens you will hear from me...Good or bad I will post my experience with this projector. (fingers crossed)

yes, that quote is what got to me also since I trust Art's reviews. Looking at some of the pics Jason posted, I was not impress, however there could be several reasons why they look a bit blurred and grainy...IMO.

Mr2Spyder has seen two of them for real and provided some other PJs as reference therefore to understand the capabilities of this PJ, one may need to see it for themselves.

Aside from the QC issues (csedaniel can you please provide DETAILS), the thing I am most concerned about is this quote from the PR review:

Can anybody elaborate as to what the first highlighted section even means??? Reveals flaws how? Also, how is the quality of the scaler?

You know I really dont get what this reviewer was getting at with this quote. I watch all of my projectors in total darkness like a movie theater and am not so concerned about brightness rating. Actually a very bright projector in total darkness gives me a headache. Revealing flaws or not my eyes say the samsung picture is really nice.

You know I really dont get what this reviewer was getting at with this quote. I watch all of my projectors in total darkness like a movie theater and am not so concerned about brightness rating. Actually a very bright projector in total darkness gives me a headache. Revealing flaws or not my eyes say the samsung picture is really nice.

Too much brightness is a good thing, since it can be controlled with a filter. However, not much you can do with a dim image other than raising screen gain.

Anyway, how does this PJ look with 5% ambient light? Also when watching in a dark room, how grey are the bars in LB? Is masking really necessary? and do you have a grey or white screen? Thanks.

Please, can someone describe, in a nutshell, what makes this PJ's PQ so great?.

In my few hours of viewing so far (as compared to my 4805):

-Wife and I both immediately noticed sharpness.

-480p material upscaled by the projector's processor looks extremely good. My only HD source as of now is OTA Broadcast HD Voom Box. The picture quality is much closer than I thought it would be between feeding it 480p DVD and the 1080i CSI TV show. THe HD is obviously wonderful but I am rethinking my plan for a HD-DVD player because I like what I'm seeing so much out of my Denon DVD-1600.

-3d effect. I'm not sure why the 3d effect is so convincing on a PJ with moderate absolute black levels. My thinking is that it is the sharpness helping to really reproduce the depth of field effect invisioned in the cinematography. This projector excells with maintaining details in areas where light is dim. Some projectors with better contrast sort of crush them into black I think. I'm projecting onto a 92' Dalite HCCV. My wife and I both agreed that there is much more depth to the image than we've been able to see before.

-Like everyone else says, it does colors extremely well. I just set contrast and brightness and the flesh tones are great. All faces seem to have distinct flesh tones but they are all unique to themselves and natural. There is a certain depth to the colors.

-Nice menu system with some neat little install patterns.


Negatives:
- There really is somthing to what has been written about absolute black levels being too light in the black bars on super widescreen images. I don't think I noticed that as much on my 4805. It's not a huge deal, but I am now considering options to screen the borders for super widescreen material.
- It's not as quiet as my friends Mits 1000U. High lamp mode is actually kind of loud.
- It has lens shift, but you still can't get near as much offset as the typical Mits, Optoma, or Infocus. I will have to mount the projector physically closer to our seating position, but it is still going to be much quieter then my 4805. It seemed to get quieter the longer it ran. For me, a lens shift should allow you to mount the projector much higher than the top edge of the screen - especially on a medium throw projector where your seating distance is likely to match your mounting distance.

Heres to hoping my Oct 06 unit runs like a champ. Remember to use your credit card if it comes with a warranty extension feature. That feature is for real and many people overlook it. I don't expect Samsung to cover it more than a year even though I called Samsung and they told me two years. Its what's on your warranty card that comes in the box that counts as far as I know.

Switchmonkey, what is the offset and can the shift, er, offset some of that?

I have an 8 ft 8 inch ceiling (104"). I will be mounting with an Atdec, which is pretty much flush to ceiling, maybe 4 inch drop. My screen is 104" diagonal (51 tall), and I would like to have it between 28-36 inches off the floor at the bottom. Now you've got me worried that I may have to mount the screen too high...? I hope not.

BTW I just ordered this from TD, after much agonization. The laudatory comments finally got to me and prevailed over the complaints.

Though what's that junk at TD about providing your last 4 of SSN? Never seen that anywhere else and like a lot of folks here I shop online quite a bit. I went ahead with it but didn't like it one bit. But it looks like they really verify, as they then asked me some questions relating to my previous address.

Anybody thinking about ordering this PJ really should use the search button up above. Here's an interesting AVS thread for starters: avs-vb/showthread[dot]php?t=669765

sorry, had to break it up to get past (silly) 5 posting rule. I particularly noted the dates of the most recent disaster postings, the probs with samsung customer service, and the repeated stories of disaster after 100s hours of use.

Caveat emptor.

I wouldn't have risked buying this if I didn't have a spare PJ.

Turned the Samsung on couple of hours yesterday connected to a PC using the VGA port. Everythings is fine so far. I will test the DVI port this weekend with my A2. If everything looks OK then I'll put it on a shelf next week after the new cables arrive. I will not take the Benq down, gonna use it as a spare just in case.

As far as brightness, I think it's bright enough comparing to the Benq. Note that the Benq is a 2000 lumen PJ in its brightest mode and it has over a thousand hours. Loosing brightness gradually is OK, I think the eyes will adapt. As far as percentage ambient light or how grey is grey. I think most people do not have equipment to measure accurately so on has to see with his own eyes. I have the spyder2Pro but the measurement is a little suspect. Yes, the 'black' bar is not black in LB films, but not everything DVD is reference quality anyway, PJs can't help with bad transfers. BTW, I've rarely seen good 'black' level in a theater, most 'blacks' are grey.

This PJ is definitely not for those who expect perfection is a sub $1000 pj. If this were a $4000 pj, which some people has actually paid, I would be very upset if it develops consistent problems. Considering the price, and for Samsung to be clearing these out at these prices, I am not suprise that there are still problems with these PJs. BTW, mine is a Oct 06 built.

Munkeung, I just noticed your location... Naperville. Also TD's main warehouse location! So did you go over and pick it up? :D

Munkeung, I just noticed your location... Naperville. Also TD's main warehouse location! So did you go over and pick it up? :D

No. That's why I had buyer's remorse - not the PJ but the price. After tax and S/H, I paid around 960. B*y.com has the PJ for <890 with free shipping. I did not know their main warehouse location but I received the PJ the next day I ordered it, so it must be very close. It's been a long time I paid that much tax on an internet purchase and that's why I don't usually buy from TD.

[QUOTE=Switch Monkey]In my few hours of viewing so far (as compared to my 4805):

-Wife and I both immediately noticed sharpness.

-480p material upscaled by the projector's processor looks extremely good. My only HD source as of now is OTA Broadcast HD Voom Box. The picture quality is much closer than I thought it would be between feeding it 480p DVD and the 1080i CSI TV show. THe HD is obviously wonderful but I am rethinking my plan for a HD-DVD player because I like what I'm seeing so much out of my Denon DVD-1600.

-3d effect. I'm not sure why the 3d effect is so convincing on a PJ with moderate absolute black levels. My thinking is that it is the sharpness helping to really reproduce the depth of field effect invisioned in the cinematography. This projector excells with maintaining details in areas where light is dim. Some projectors with better contrast sort of crush them into black I think. I'm projecting onto a 92' Dalite HCCV. My wife and I both agreed that there is much more depth to the image than we've been able to see before.

-Like everyone else says, it does colors extremely well. I just set contrast and brightness and the flesh tones are great. All faces seem to have distinct flesh tones but they are all unique to themselves and natural. There is a certain depth to the colors.








I have to agree with switch monkey that the three things that stand out are the colors, sharpness and yes indeed the 3d effect. The blacks are blacker than my ae-900 which has a dynamic iris so Im happy with the black levels on the samsung. Ive been throwing in a lot of different movies and concerts (DVD and Blu Ray) using my Oppo and PS3 and have to say this projector handles everything well.

Spyder....what's your screen ?
White or gray ?

Spyder....what's your screen ?
White or gray ?

I don't have a screen. I've using a white wall for 3 years. I don't believe I need a 'real' screen for the benq which is a data grade projector with known inaccurate color and high black level. For the Samsung, which is a 'real' PJ and I'm thinking of a light grey screen, which I hope can help with the 'black' bar issue and reflections. The Elite EZ frame is in the radar right now but I'm waiting for the samples to come in. Will not make a decision until I can mount it correctly with size of image I am comfortable with. I'm shooting from about 10.5' and should get a 92" image. If that's not bright enough with the theater mode, then I'll get a 84" screen. Currently, I am watching a 80" image with my Benq.

As far as the Spyder. The xyY data I took are just inconsistent. Since all of the displays I've had before the Samsung do not user level bias/gain controls, I didn't really try too hard. Since the Samsung is suppose to be accurate, I will try again and see what I can get out of it. For me, it's more like a toy than a real tool. The Samsung looks good to me even on a light blue wall during my burn-in so I'm sure only DVE type of calibration would be sufficient with a white or light grey target. I don't have very good eyes and ears, and I'm not very damanding in terms of knowing everything on the screen has to be D65, I simply enjoy the fact have a >80" HD image at my disposal.

My neighbor just got his Samsung in today. I reccomended it to him due to everyone being so gung-ho about it.

Well here goes:

1. First turn on - problems already! We unplugged and then turned it back on, but this time it worked.

2. The Picture looked pretty damn swell. Very natural. Very sharp. Very accuracte colors. I don't know if it was mentioned in here though, but this thing has some ridiculous SDE which had me headscratching.

3. I brought my HD1000u over. We did a side by side and we both preffered the HD1000u not for the basis of picture, but alas we are flexible people and to put it in real world terms:

We felt as if the difference in picture didn't compensate enough for the versatility for the HD1000u. The HD1000u had ZERO SDE. The HD1000u was also plenty accurate, and had some nice overall smoothness. In contrast, the Samsung was sharper, not quite as bright, but shot a pretty damn dark black.

This is just two guys, YMMV, but if you own an HD1000u or HD70 or any of the recent sub 1k projectors, the difference in picture is not really "there" unless you have them side by side. I guess what I'm trying to say is, this is a great projector for a particular audience, and if you are in that target group (PURE HT purists with High Gain screens) - then you found yourself something to audition. As for me and my neighbor, we like to play videogames, watch movies, and occasionally watch the football game (and will be watching WWE in HD this january) - so the projector is a No-No for us. :)


So in conclusion-

HD1000u - Wins out in Brightness, relatively no SDE, smoothness, portability (the samsung is a behemoth!), and functionality

Samsung - Wins out in sharpness, SLIGHTLY more natural color accuracy, and a better black

Oh and my HD1000u has 600 hours on it for reference.

I believe TheHDMan had stated he saw SDE and needed to be about 3 screen widths away which I think is just too much for a requirement. I had to pass up on the Sharp 2KMII because being long throw was going to knock my screen size down. From what I read here, I think no one can find fault with this Sammy's color accuracy, however as you have just did a side by side comparison, some of the new kids on the block will most likely stand up to this PJ.

BTW - I was thinking about getting one for a family member and doing a side by side with my VP4001, however I think they would kick me since SDE is a big no, no. and reliability problems have already started. Are all the reliability issues with the Sept '06 build date and not the Oct '06?

Well in all honesty tradewinds I would end up reccomending the HD1000u. Most sane people won't see the differences we are pointing out. Also my HD1000u has aged 600 hours, so this projector is going to be fairly dim during its half-life cycle. Once you consider all those factors, it becomes a pickle.

Are you going after the utter most perfect picture at the cost of reliability, brightness, and marginally better attributes?

We know some people here are adamant on getting every last bit of performance for there HT- and this is for those guys. As much as I sound like I'm hardhitting the Samsung, its a testament it stands up well against the HD1000u, but the latest projectors under the 1k mark have some amazing picture and bells and whistles which make them amazing all around performers.

Spyder....what's your screen ?
White or gray ?


I have a 92 inch graywolf 2 screen which I believe has 1.8 gain. I believe it matches well with the projector. My next upgrade will be a better fixed frame screen. I would recommend a high gain gray screen to help with the brightness and black levels. I also have an 80 inch portable Intsta-Theater Da-lite white screen but have yet to test the samsung on it.

I sit about 12 feet away from the screen and have not noticed any screen door effect some people have mentioned. When I get home Ill get closer to the screen and see if I notice the SDE. I can also say that I did not notice any SDE on my Panny (which has smoothscreen technology) even when I got close to the screen. I definately can see sde on my Infocus and optoma 480p projectors even at about 2x distance from the screen.

yep, I am leaning towards recommending to them the HD1000U also but they want quality like my VP4001 but not have to pay double the 1000U price so this PJ seemed to may have worked, however I cannot have them take the risks especially since I know the SDE will be one issue immediately.

Oh well, maybe something else will get cleared out soon. the 12KMII, VP4001, now this Sammy...what's next?

yep, I am leaning towards recommending to them the HD1000U also but they want quality like my VP4001 but not have to pay double the 1000U price so this PJ seemed to may have worked, however I cannot have them take the risks especially since I know the SDE will be one issue immediately.

Oh well, maybe something else will get cleared out soon. the 12KMII, VP4001, now this Sammy...what's next?

Thuway,

I wonder if your friend has a defective projector. I didnt notice any SDE on my two samsungs. You had mentioned there was a problem at startup so maybe there is something wrong with the projector. In all of the reviews I have read they never mentioned a SDE problem with the Samsung as well. How close were you sitting to the screen and what size and type is the screen?

I believe above question is for Thuway.

Also, theHDman mentioned SDE also.

Are we saying there are two inconsistent issues with this PJ now?

Too bad they didn't fix it and it therefore becomes the luck of the draw. BTW, if one were to return a lemon, it should not be sold to someone else as new correct?

Also, does this PJ have sealed optics and light path?


I am not sure whether it has a sealed light path however there is no mention of cleaning of a filter like my panasonic and infocus projectors. I also agree that they shouldnt be selling it as new if it has been returned, repaired and resold. I dont beleive these are refurbished projectors. I think they are just trying to clear them out because they probably didnt sell as well as thought because of the QC issues and price at over $3,000 for a 720p pojector. The low lumen rating also didnt help even though in the real world it measures just as bright if not brighter in comparison to projectors rated at 1,000-1,100 ansi.

I believe above question is for Thuway.

Also, theHDman mentioned SDE also.

Are we saying there are two inconsistent issues with this PJ now?

i beleive you when you said you saw SDE but like I said I didnt notice any. I will take a closer look when I get home.

I went back and read Art's review at projectorreviews dot com and he mentions that the SDE is typical for a 720p projector and most people can sit at 1.1 times screen width (i would never sit that close) without being bothered by SDE. If the SDE was so much worse in comparison to the Mits HD1000u (720p also) then I would say there is a problem with the projector.

I went back and read Art's review at projectorreviews dot com and he mentions that the SDE is typical for a 720p projector and most people can sit at 1.1 times screen width (i would never sit that close) without being bothered by SDE. If the SDE was so much worse in comparison to the Mits HD1000u (720p also) then I would say there is a problem with the projector.

I couldn't see any SDE when I was about 1.3 to 1.4 screen width away. If I could place the Mits H1000 in my low ceiling, I would probably have gotten one. I couldn't and I'm happy with the more flexible Samsung.....after 5 hours of burn-in time...knock on woods

I can't agree with this projector taking a hit on SDE compared to the HD1000U. I've had a HD1000U in my theater and they are both comparable. The Samsung has far superior optics and thus you get the sharpness. While you won't hear anything negative from me about the HD1000U, it does not compare on sharpness. If you want the Samsung to match the Mits on SDE, then defocus the Samsung. Does not the SDE really come down to the DLP chip and lens optics? I believe that both projectors use the same chip don't they?

I'm not here to "Champion" the Samsung, just help give info. Heck mine might blow up on me tomorrow :o How people feel about seating distance and SDE is pretty personal, but so far I'm more than happy at 12' back on a 80" screen width or 1.8X. I'm considering moving my seating even closer and probably will. There is something else going on for someone to go to a 3X seating distance - my guess is we're using different terminology.

Now, buying the Mits is a great idea as far as I'm concerned. I was waiting for another price drop on the Mits while the Samsung deal broke. I think the Samsung performs better in most respects, but is a BIG RISK!!! Thats the real reason to avoid it, but performance is not. Plus it being a bohemoth and lack of offset.

Switchmonkey, what is the offset and can the shift, er, offset some of that?

My screen is 80X45. I am able to shift to an offset of roughly 6". This is a measurement from center of lens to bottom of image. If I table mount the PJ at 26" from the floor, the bottom of the screen could be at 32". That is 13% offset, and the other thread stated it would have much less. Taking this measurement, I tried my best to get the image perfectly square so it should be pretty close. I'm going to plan my ceiling mount with 5" or 11% of offset just to be safe and keep it a little off the extreme limit of the shift.

Now, off to design a mount that won't look too "ghetto"...

I must not be following this correctly. Agreed that the offset is 5" or whatever, but the vertical shift makes this somewhat irrelevant, yes?

From the review:
"The H710 offers a lens shift range of roughly 2.5 screen heights - in other words, from neutral position, the image can be shifted 1.25 screen heights either up or down (neutral position is when the centerline of the lens and the center of the image are at the same height). This is an impressive range, and allows for excellent flexibility for placement of the projector without resorting to drop-tube ceiling mounts or tilting the projector and applying keystone correction."

On a related note, I ordered the Atdec mount but would still be interested in making one. Would love to trade ideas with you. PM or post please...

Given the low(er) lumen output of this projector, would it be suitable with a high-gain screen (ie. 1.8 or 2.4 gain) to overcome a bit of ambient light in the room?

I have some light control, but certainly not total control. Also, would a grey or white screen help me out more in this regard? Thanks in advance.

A grey screen with a high gain would seem to be what is in order purely looking at the specs for that situation, however some who have it seem to say it is OK without those two.

A grey screen with a high gain would seem to be what is in order purely looking at the specs for that situation, however some who have it seem to say it is OK without those two.
Thanks for the advice!

My options are 1.8 gain grey (thing Greywolf II) or 2.4 gain hi power white. I'm leaning towards the grey for darker blacks, but wasn't sure if it tends to futz with the color. I'd hate to buy a projector that is known for it's color accuracy and potentially diminish that with an improper screen.

What do you think would be more appropriate out of those two choices? This would be projected on a 92" screen from 145" on a rear shelf mount approximately 7 feet from the floor. (10 foot ceiling in the room)

Given the low(er) lumen output of this projector, would it be suitable with a high-gain screen (ie. 1.8 or 2.4 gain) to overcome a bit of ambient light in the room?

I have some light control, but certainly not total control. Also, would a grey or white screen help me out more in this regard? Thanks in advance.

I don't think around 400 calibrated lumens is that low. Most projectors, even projectors that have much higher possible lumens, don't have calibrated lumens in that range. For instance, the Panny AX100 has only 343 lumens in its best, calibrated mode:

"In optimized dark theater mode, our test unit measured 343 ANSI lumens."

See: Panny Review (http://www.projectorcentral.com/panasonic_ax100.htm)

Now, some projectors, such as the JVC RS1, have much higher output. But this projector is much more expensive. I'm personally looking for a stop-gap projector that will hopefully last a few years at most. The Samsung, if it does not develop problems, has excellent reviews and will likely be that projector.

Be careful of gray...it could dim the overall PQ of the PJ....and have less punch for colors. This PJ already boasts black blacks....so unless 2.35:1 movies is a high priority for you I would test white first.
For me, HDTV is by far #1 as far as accumulating hours vs movies. And half of those movies will be 16:9....so I definately wouldn't compromise the NFLHD or PGAHD or MLBHD experience with a dimmer picture just for blacker LB bars.

Just an update on the SDE. I went back and took a close look at my screen getting within a few fet of a bright white image and sde is not a problem for me. I could barely see the sde even at only a few feet away. From a normal distance I dont see it at all. The sparklies from my graywolf were more of a distraction up close than the sde. I have about 44 hours on 1 projector without any problems. Gonna work it hard over the next few weeks to see if it breaks down. One thing I have noticed is when I shut down the projector after the cooling fan shuts off I can here a noticeable whining soung coming from what I believe is the color wheel as it stops spinning. Ive never noticed a sound like that from my other two dlp projectors. Has anyone else noticed the sound?

I don't think around 400 calibrated lumens is that low. Most projectors, even projectors that have much higher possible lumens, don't have calibrated lumens in that range. For instance, the Panny AX100 has only 343 lumens in its best, calibrated mode:

"In optimized dark theater mode, our test unit measured 343 ANSI lumens."

See: Panny Review (http://www.projectorcentral.com/panasonic_ax100.htm)

Now, some projectors, such as the JVC RS1, have much higher output. But this projector is much more expensive. I'm personally looking for a stop-gap projector that will hopefully last a few years at most. The Samsung, if it does not develop problems, has excellent reviews and will likely be that projector.

Excellent point. I've noticed that in actual theater modes, this projector actually has HIGHER lumen output than much of the competition. The only thing lacking is a 1000+ lumen dynamic "blast" mode for Sunday afternoon football games or golf tournaments. It can still top out around 600 lumens, which will likely be enough if I close the blinds completely. I won't have any direct light on the screen either.

At any rate, i'm going to pull the trigger on this one today. Shipping to Canada is quite the expense (> $100USD), but you've got to pay to play right? :D

Be careful of gray...it could dim the overall PQ of the PJ....and have less punch for colors. This PJ already boasts black blacks....so unless 2.35:1 movies is a high priority for you I would test white first.
For me, HDTV is by far #1 as far as accumulating hours vs movies. And half of those movies will be 16:9....so I definately wouldn't compromise the NFLHD or PGAHD or MLBHD experience with a dimmer picture just for blacker LB bars.
Agreed. I think I will go with the 2.4 gain white screen. Thanks for the tip!

PJ should be here Monday...I just picked up a 5x8 sheet of Designer white laminate form HD....I'll have it up this week, and test drive the Sammy. It's the exact setup I had for my Infocus 4805, which by little brother has setup now for Phillies HD games, etc....so I should be able to compare well.

So how's the noise level on this PJ? One review noted it seemed loud, esp at high power. Samsung's own PR talks about 'whisper-quiet'.

So how's the noise level on this PJ? One review noted it seemed loud, esp at high power. Samsung's own PR talks about 'whisper-quiet'.

I'd say its very quiet. Quiet to the point where I initially questioned whether the fan was even running. Relative to my old Panny 700 the 710 is silent in theater mode. Last night we watched Spiderman in HD on TNT and the picture was outstanding. If this PJ holds up I don't see myself getting the upgrade bug for several years.

it is pretty quite. I have it table mounted high right next to my chair and it is not very noisy. havent tried it in "bright" mode yet and I think thats the mode the reviewer said was a bit noisy. OKay ive got 51 hours stil with no problems. Will swap out to the second unit whem I hit the 100 hour mark.

I'd say its very quiet. Quiet to the point where I initially questioned whether the fan was even running. Relative to my old Panny 700 the 710 is silent in theater mode. Last night we watched Spiderman in HD on TNT and the picture was outstanding. If this PJ holds up I don't see myself getting the upgrade bug for several years.

yes this projector is awesome. After months of using my Panasonic ae-900 it is nice to see such clarity especially with xbox 360. The panny is just so "out of focus" compared to the samsung. i dont think I'll ever go bact to my Panasonic and might even try to sell it. Ill wait and see if my two Sammys hold up before I get rid of it.

Well, looks like I won't be getting this projector after all thanks to 'Striped-Cat'Direct. 3 attempts to order the projector have all been met with some sort of opposition.

Call 1: "Sure, we can ship that to Canada. Shipping fees will be $133.00." At this point, I advised that I would clear the purchase with the wife and call back.

Call 2: "Sorry sir, we cannot ship this item to Canada. We will need a US address to ship this to." So I arrange for a US address to ship to. (A UPS Store just across the border that receives packages.)

Call 3: "Sorry, we don't ship to UPS Stores. Only residences and businesses. That, and you need a US credit card."

:mad: :mad: :mad:

The most digusting thing about this is that they will ship this projector anywhere in the world ASIDE from Canada. Japan, Chile, Venezuela, no problem! But Canada... NOPE. Given this sort of runaround, I sure hope none of you have to deal with TD for returns or exchanges of a defective unit. If so, prepare yourself for some frustration. Looks like I will be buying a Sony VPL-AW15 locally instead.

Maybe some guys in US are willing to let you use their US addresses and then re-ship to you.

NSM
do you know you can also get the same projector from buydotcom for a cheaper price have you tried them.

Has anyone been able to confirm if the warranty is 24 months or 12 months?

NSM
do you know you can also get the same projector from buydotcom for a cheaper price have you tried them.
Buy is setup similar to Striped-CatDirect in that they also have a Canadian website. If the product is not on their Canadian website, you're out of luck.

Oh well!

I am a regular customer of buydotcom so nothing against them. But in this case, where there might be a chance of a defect, this store is less desirable owing to its 14 day return/exchange policy (anyway there is no return, but exchange is what I mean). Please correct me if I'm wrong. TD has a 30 day policy.

Also, although I have always had good experience with bdc, they have low ratings on resellerratings.com, with TD doing better.

To TD's credit, they shipped out in around 12-14 hours after I placed the order, while I have waited on bdc stuff to ship for up to 5 days.

Question....

If the unit needs to be centered in the middle of the screen. Is it safe to assume this projector can be shelf mounted?

Here's what I'm up against. Ceiling is 8 ft. but my main I-Beam runs across the room. So if I want to ceiling mount. It will hang at about 7'2. Sadly I had to rule out the Mits/DLP's and am waiting on the review from Art covering the Benq 500.

My rooms dimension's are 14 ft across and 17 ft deep (damn that beam). I know DLP units will be a challenge so I'm kind of resolved to LCD for easier placement. Shame I assume SDE risk for easier placement.

(sigh) Give and take with either style.

Ahh, SUCCESS!

BDC uses Google Checkout, so I was able to place an order with them after all. We'll have to see if they will deliver to the UPS Store or not. Turns out it was cheaper than the other place due to free shipping. Yay!

kck7
please read carefully for this product striped cat will not accept RETURN if you have a defect you have to send it back to manufacturer. At least buydotcome does not say the same you have 14 days and may be able to get exchange at least for them not having to get a refurb for samsung after much hassle. Feel free to post reply if you find it otherwise.

Here is the text from their site:

This Product Has Limited Exchange Privileges.
Only defective exchanges for identical item within 30 days of purchase permitted on this product. After 30 days, please contact the manufacturer at: 1-800-726-7864.

Has anyone been able to confirm if the warranty is 24 months or 12 months?

I wouldn't count on getting more than a 12 month Samsung warranty. That's what the warranty card says that comes in the box with the projector. I know the websites have conflicting info, and I called the Samsung customer service line and they told me two years. However, if they don't want to service it after year number one, what do you have to back you up? My theory is that if it dies between year one and two, then my credit card's warranty extension comes into play.

Also, according to the Samsung paperwork, if you register within 10 days of purchase you get 3 months extra warranty. So count on 15 months if you do so. 90 days or 300 hours on the lamp.

Reducing the warranty period must have been part of the "fire sale." Kind of funny for a company that wants to be a player in the 1080 market with the release of a new projector in the rumour mill.

Question....

If the unit needs to be centered in the middle of the screen. Is it safe to assume this projector can be shelf mounted?

Here's what I'm up against. Ceiling is 8 ft. but my main I-Beam runs across the room. So if I want to ceiling mount. It will hang at about 7'2. Sadly I had to rule out the Mits/DLP's and am waiting on the review from Art covering the Benq 500.

My rooms dimension's are 14 ft across and 17 ft deep (damn that beam). I know DLP units will be a challenge so I'm kind of resolved to LCD for easier placement. Shame I assume SDE risk for easier placement.

(sigh) Give and take with either style.

As far as shelf mounting goes, this projector is an excellent candidate. The lens shift is huge. You can mount the PJ ~10% above or below the top or bottom of the screen, maybe a little more. If you plan to mount the PJ centered horizontally and anywhere within the same height of the screen, then you are good to go for sure either shelf or ceiling mounted. The neutral point of the lens is nearly in the center of the screen.

The real challenge would be the 17 foot depth of your room if you are planning to go with a shelf mount on your back wall. You'll have to run the numbers on Projector Central to see how the zoom range and your screen size fits in.

I took a chance on this projector and hooked it up for the first time last night. Throwing from 22 feet onto an 159" HP screen with PS3 And XA-2 players over HDMI with DVI adapters. Replacing an Epson 700 LCD. My impressions:

The Epson throws a fantastic picture. The Samsung is better.

The Blacks were deeper

The Epson is sharp, The Samsung is Stunningly so.

The detail in the shadows is fantastic.

It is about the same brightness as the Epson in Cinema mode, which is to say plenty bright.

"The Departed" was a real treat to view over it.

I just hope I've got a good one as this is a keeper!

sorry for the delayed reply. I have been out of town.

Problem is discoloration along the bottom right of the screen.

Probably about 30-40 pixels wide and 5-10 tall.

I have a replacement on the way.

should be here in about 2-3 days.

all right guys... party is over. TD is sold out now..

Well, BDC has cancelled my orders again. First time, they state that they cannot ship to a US address with a Canadian credit card. To get around this, I temporarily changed my address to that of the UPS Store where I wanted to ship it to. That's fine, but then they cancel my order again stating they will not ship to a mail forwarder. :rolleyes:

To top it all off, my credit card was suspended today for "potential fraudulent activity". This is in spite of my call to them yesterday advising of my situation.

I guess this was never meant to be. Perhaps the man upstairs wants me to have a Sony VPL-AW15 in the living room!

all right guys... party is over. TD is sold out now..


??

TD's site shows the PJ again, as In Stock. In fact the hype label of "hurry" etc is gone now.

I wonder if few returned items showed up in their inventory... :confused:

has anyone compare this projector to the Sharp 12kII?

Got mine yesterday, mounted in the soffit. (see my construction thread).
MAN, what a tank of a PJ !
It didn't fit...it sticks out of the front....so I removed it, and took out the drywall, and 1x4 soffit support, now it sits back perfectly flush....I just can't use a door because of the air coming out the front. I had it running for an hour, playing through the menus...it warmed about 1 degree.

Anybody know the details of the shutdown ? ...when it occured more specifically.
Thanks

??

TD's site shows the PJ again, as In Stock. In fact the hype label of "hurry" etc is gone now.


Update... Not on TD's site at all today. BDC still shows In Stock.

Is BDC a marketplace? Their listing just doesn't seem like they want to sell it or it came in from a third party feed.

Update... Not on TD's site at all today. BDC still shows In Stock.

Its Back...!

yep, seems they have 30 in stock now. Unless that is a limit for this particular item. I could add 50 of another projector so most likely just an upper limit per item.

$30.00 price increase.

Very Alice in Wonderland if you ask me. Now you see it, now you don't. They said this thing was magical, but this is pushing it a bit tooo far, eh?

I purchased one of these. Now I just need a mount and a high power screen. Can anyone suggest places to buy these?

Received mine last night. Looks like it is bad. :mad:

Projecting temporarily onto a beige wall in my living room and set on a coffee table, the picture started out ok. Spent about 5 minutes tweaking the settings, and was just about ready to start enjoying it (sans sound even!) when the pic turned green and started the most awful judder. Checked all the connections, even changed dvd machines, cables, whatever I could think of. It only seemed to get worse.

Main symptoms are:
1. On startup, the middle light (Lamp) flashes like it should, but then both blue lights go off and then all three come on flashing. After trying a few things, decided to go to bed and try again in the morning.

2. Today, it started up nice. Left it running and went off to answer some emails. Back five minutes later, there is no picture, the two blue lights are steady, no red flash (Temp) but the remote and the buttons on the body will not respond to any commands. Nothing, nada. (There is some light from the bulb if you look directly so it is not blown or burnt.) I know that five minutes before, all buttons were functional. This sort of thing also happened last night, with the exception of two steady blue and no red lights.

I am pretty bummed, as this PJ was supposed to be installed in time for my teenage dtr's birthday party on Friday. Now it doesn't look like it will be. She's ok with it, but I'm not!

Unit is a September 2006 build. Wanted to ask you all who got yours this time around, does your serial number end with a 'B'? Mine does, on the unit itself, but not on the box. Another, separate issue is that TD shipped this in the original carton, without an external plain second box. This is my first purchase experience with them and I had just assumed they would double-box like Amazon and BDC always do.

I guess I will call TD and try to arrange an exchange. They do not show these in stock though.

Wow, that stinks! I guess that this PJ is just too darn trouble prone to buy with confidence. It's a shame, cause the price is so tempting. They really should warn people that they face a very high probability that their new PJ will malfunction, based on the history of failures reported.

Sorry to here about your problem. Hope the replacement is going to be better one.

I received mine last night. Build date on the machine is July 06. The model number has a (R) in mine, Refurbished ?

We watched an hour or so last night and it has stood up OK so far. But the sampling is so vast on this startup problem, one can only keep the fingers crossed and hope.

The picture, out of the box (via Oppo 971 DVI) looked fantastic.

-BisP

Mine is Oct 07 built, about 10 hours of testing and startup/shutdown so far and still working fine . Got all the cables from Monoprice yesterday. Everything works including the 5 port hdmi switch, 35' hdmi, 35' component, some adapters and misc stuff for less than $150, which is great, can't recommend them enough. Sorry to hear about other having problems already. However, I knew about the potential problems going in and I was just taking a chance on the price and the PJ fits well in my room. I just hope that this PJ will last, say 1000 hours, and it's time to move on.

Anyone keeping track? Seems no problems in Oct. 06 (not 07) built date.

I called TD and the rep was very helpful. I told him about the b'day party and he suggested buying the new one right now and then sending the defective in for a refund. I pointed out the limited exchange policy that basically says no refunds, and he emailed a supervisor to override that. So I forked over another 9 bills on my Amex.

So far TD seems to be on the ball; let's see. I was a bit concerned reading their feedback on resellerratings, but at least in the first few pages most of the gripes are rebate-related. I just got an e-return shipping label in my email which is pretty good IMO, less than 10 minutes after the call.

Does anyone have the answer to the 'B' or 'R' in the serial number (my 'B' is the last char in the serial, don't know if BisP has the 'R' at the end or middle.

I called TD and the rep was very helpful. I told him about the b'day party and he suggested buying the new one right now and then sending the defective in for a refund. I pointed out the limited exchange policy that basically says no refunds, and he emailed a supervisor to override that. So I forked over another 9 bills on my Amex.

So far TD seems to be on the ball; let's see. I was a bit concerned reading their feedback on resellerratings, but at least in the first few pages most of the gripes are rebate-related. I just got an e-return shipping label in my email which is pretty good IMO, less than 10 minutes after the call.

Does anyone have the answer to the 'B' or 'R' in the serial number (my 'B' is the last char in the serial, don't know if BisP has the 'R' at the end or middle.

I'll check my serial number tonite before it goes back to the shelf (shelf mounting is so nice when it fits). TD had a bad reputation a few years back and a lots of people complained about not getting their rebate, that's why I've not buying from them, besides I have to pay tax. I've not heard any serious complaints about them lately and it seems to work for you this time.

Good luck.

Does anyone have the answer to the 'B' or 'R' in the serial number (my 'B' is the last char in the serial, don't know if BisP has the 'R' at the end or middle.

The last character in my serial number is "W". Sept 06 build with 31 hours so far.
I love the picture, sure hope it lasts.

Other than the problems it had to start with... this projector is built like a tank! The bulbs are like $180.... which is sweet! HD1000 and HD70 can't beat that.

Got my replacement today.

So far no problems.

Watched for about 2 hours.

Now I just have to make sure that I get my refund from TD on the first one.

Other than the problems it had to start with... this projector is built like a tank! The bulbs are like $180.... which is sweet! HD1000 and HD70 can't beat that.

Built like a tank other than the problems it had "to start with"????? Does this include the all those who got the late builds with probs, the reports through June of this year I posted earlier, or who got oh 400-500 good hours out of em only to see it croak ... and then had to deal with multiple returns to samsung and the worlds worst customer service?

Now, they say that you cannot return it to the place (t i g e r) whence you purchased it. It has to be returned to Samsung. I'll hook mine up ASAP. It gets here Monday.

has anyone compare this projector to the Sharp 12kII?
I had the sharp before i got this samsung. More blacks in sharp. I would say picture detail and color is the same with both of them. Samsung picture has more noise in some dvds certainly sharp was not worth the 2.5 time more price in my opinion.
My build date is sept 20006 and has a R at the end of serial number. Used for about 2 hours and works fine so far.

Built like a tank other than the problems it had "to start with"????? Does this include the all those who got the late builds with probs, the reports through June of this year I posted earlier, or who got oh 400-500 good hours out of em only to see it croak ... and then had to deal with multiple returns to samsung and the worlds worst customer service?

Well, it is certainly a potential risk and hassle. I was not willing to take it since it seems the risk of a lemon is very high. Got another Marantz VP4001 for the in-laws instead even though they had to pay about 50% more. Totally worth it in all respects.

Now, they say that you cannot return it to the place (t i g e r) whence you purchased it. It has to be returned to Samsung. I'll hook mine up ASAP. It gets here Monday.

Where is this info? Still looks like TD will accept defective RAs up to 30 days...

Also for those interested, there is a video on the product page. In it, the guy says that it comes with a 3-year warranty! Also, I'm sure it's an optical illusion, but the PJ looks bigger than the guy himself. :D

'R' is the last character in the serial number for me.

-BisP

Does anyone have the answer to the 'B' or 'R' in the serial number (my 'B' is the last char in the serial, don't know if BisP has the 'R' at the end or middle.

The last character in my serial number is "W". Sept 06 build with 31 hours so far.
I love the picture, sure hope it lasts.

This is what my order page says:

"IMPORTANT:This item is exclusively supported by the manufacturer and cannot be returned due to manufacturer restrictions. Please contact Samsung at 1-800-726-7864"

Got mine today. Watching it right now on HTPC with 1.5 - 2 hours on the bulb. No issues yet. It paints a very bright image on my high power 92" screen in theater mode.

Sept 06 build, and "R" is the last character of the S/N.

14 hours and going strong here. I opted for the extra 2 years warranty (a VERY reasonable $50).....just in case.

I had decent luck with TD. A refurb DVD recorder was returned because it did NOT have HDMI, even though the specs listed it as such. They were prompt and hassle free there. I've had a Samsung rear projection TV in the living room for ~ one year and it has been flawless.

At the risk taking some heat....I think it would be MORE helpful to all if we only passed on specific incidents that each of us had.....rather than general "company XYZ's customer service sucks!" If you've had a bad incident, by all means, report it here and tell us all what happened. But I think "impressions" or "reps" gleaned from reading posts need to be taken with a large grain of salt. Obviously, there have been issues with this particular unit. But I think if you read this thread or THIS one (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=669765) , you'd have the inpression that every other unit will be defective. I don't think that this is the case. I don't believe that ANY large company would continue to produce nor would a seller like TD sell a product they were going to incur so many returns on. Of course getting a $4000 pj for less than a $1000 tells us all that there is a reason it HAD to be reduced so drastically to sell.......and obviously that reason was less than stellar reliability. I just don't think it's as bad a you'd be led to believe after reading this thread.

So.....bottom line..........I'm glad I was informed of the issue by reading here, it prompted me to buy an extended warranty that I normally avoid. But I do believe buying this pj is a risk worth taking because, even if you are unlucky enough to receive a bad unit, you will eventually get one that is worth WAAAAAY more than what you'll spend on it.

my 2 cents.........

Larry

But I think if you read this thread or THIS one (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=669765) , you'd have the inpression that every other unit will be defective. I don't think that this is the case. I don't believe that ANY large company would continue to produce nor would a seller like TD sell a product they were going to incur so many returns on.

um, ok. By definition it would seem no matter what is written you have made up your mind a priori....

And the change in the rather unique new TD policy? I must say, I wonder what inspired that.

I think we do agree everyone thinking of buying this PJ should read the thread you (and I earlier) posted. And should realize getting a PJ that works out of the box (even if for months) does not mean they have avoided the problems mentioned.

if only this was a simple fix as the Bravo D1 DVD player.

14 hours and going strong here. I opted for the extra 2 years warranty (a VERY reasonable $50).....just in case.

I had decent luck with TD. A refurb DVD recorder was returned because it did NOT have HDMI, even though the specs listed it as such. They were prompt and hassle free there. I've had a Samsung rear projection TV in the living room for ~ one year and it has been flawless.

At the risk taking some heat....I think it would be MORE helpful to all if we only passed on specific incidents that each of us had.....rather than general "company XYZ's customer service sucks!" If you've had a bad incident, by all means, report it here and tell us all what happened. But I think "impressions" or "reps" gleaned from reading posts need to be taken with a large grain of salt. Obviously, there have been issues with this particular unit. But I think if you read this thread or THIS one (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=669765) , you'd have the inpression that every other unit will be defective. I don't think that this is the case. I don't believe that ANY large company would continue to produce nor would a seller like TD sell a product they were going to incur so many returns on. Of course getting a $4000 pj for less than a $1000 tells us all that there is a reason it HAD to be reduced so drastically to sell.......and obviously that reason was less than stellar reliability. I just don't think it's as bad a you'd be led to believe after reading this thread.

So.....bottom line..........I'm glad I was informed of the issue by reading here, it prompted me to buy an extended warranty that I normally avoid. But I do believe buying this pj is a risk worth taking because, even if you are unlucky enough to receive a bad unit, you will eventually get one that is worth WAAAAAY more than what you'll spend on it.

my 2 cents.........

Larry

larry can you plase tell us where you got the extended warranty from. $50 is very cheap for an extended warranty.

This is what my order page says:

"IMPORTANT:This item is exclusively supported by the manufacturer and cannot be returned due to manufacturer restrictions. Please contact Samsung at 1-800-726-7864"

This may be different wording but in effect, is no deviation from the policy on the product page. What I read here is that you cannot RETURN this item (such as you changed your mind, or even if defective, you want your money back).

So... you cannot RETURN but you CAN recourse to TD during the first 30 days for an exchange, as at least a couple of us (self included) have done already. Again IMO of course. If anyone has a different experience that would be worth noting.

Just got my projector today. Build Date 9/06.
The thing is a beast. Makes my 4805 look like a toy. The lens is about twice as big.

Which ceiling mount are you guys using? Unfortunately my ceiling is vaulted at 45 degrees so it restricts my choices.

This may be different wording but in effect, is no deviation from the policy on the product page. What I read here is that you cannot RETURN this item (such as you changed your mind, or even if defective, you want your money back).

So... you cannot RETURN but you CAN recourse to TD during the first 30 days for an exchange, as at least a couple of us (self included) have done already. Again IMO of course. If anyone has a different experience that would be worth noting.

Your reading of this could be correct.

I'm still trying to decide on a screen and a mount. I'm comparing Elite Cinetension 2 (electric, tab tensioned) v. Dalite High Power Manual. It's an extra 300-350 for the Elite, but this is a tensioned screen, and I'll be ceiling mounting the projector, which supposedly limits the effectiveness of the high power. I'm worried about seeing waves in the manual screen.

Got mine yesterday and I don't regret it so far. It looks great on my High Power screen and I didn't have any problems out of the box. I don't have great light control, but I wasn't going to wait until it was dark to crack it open. It isn't all that great with low ambient light, but once it finally got dark I could see the big improvement over my Infocus SP5000 that it's replacing.

Now I gotta figure out where I'm going to put it since it doesn't fit on my tall skinny shelf I've been using for four years. I think I'll be keeping my SP5000 as a spare in case problems crop up. Amazing that I got these two projectors for the exact same price I paid for the Infocus X1 4 and a half years ago.

Your reading of this could be correct.

I'm still trying to decide on a screen and a mount. I'm comparing Elite Cinetension 2 (electric, tab tensioned) v. Dalite High Power Manual. It's an extra 300-350 for the Elite, but this is a tensioned screen, and I'll be ceiling mounting the projector, which supposedly limits the effectiveness of the high power. I'm worried about seeing waves in the manual screen.
You won't see waves in the high power, but you won't get much gain if you ceiling mount it. The picture still looks good, but not as bright. I plan on finding a new shelf that's about the height of the center of my screen to put at the back of the room. The lens shift lets you put it at just about any height without even having to flip it over.

My temporary setup for now has it right next to me and I can barely hear it in the low lamp mode, which is plenty bright on my 119" high power.

My room is a very odd room. For instance, there's a beam that splits the room and enters about 14 inches from the celing into the room. I'm going to have to mount the projector to shoot under this beam. Based on my calculations, I'll have to use a 92 inch screen and mount the projector right next to the beam. After determining the increased cost of buying a screen, the proper cables, an HDMI switcher, etc., I'm thinking that this could easily cost another 1,500. I was trying to get to a cheap system; I don't think I've succeeded.

Semptember 2006 build.
Got mine up and running, saw Bonds hit 755 on ESPNHD last night....man it's the most beautfiul TV image I've ever seen, becasue it's so big and so clear--settings
Brigthness + 55
Sharpness + 50 (default was 0)
Color - 40 (CBS gold greens were too green, almost fake)
Contrast +- (depends on what I'm watching)
I'm always tinkereing with the settings (even at guests houses) especially on HD when you know what the lifelike images of baseball, grass, flesh tones actuall look like.
It's funny how people are so used to the fake images of Television....when you bring the image inline to real life, they don't like it...they want the greeny greens, fuzzy reds, etc. I'm running on a DW Laminate and it's nice a bright with high hats only on in the seating area.
INSTALL PROBLEM...
The menu give you some options for where you have it positioned (shelf, theater, etc)...I have a soffit mount...so I'm higher than the screen but NOT inverted....so I'm at the limit of the offset, and can't get it 100% on the screen.
Is there a setting to use here for this ?

................

My replacement got here Friday. My dtr's birthday party was set to start at 5 pm, and UPS rarely gets to my house before 4. Leaving less than 1 hour to unpack it, set up the mount, adjust pic, etc. Panic was setting in. Yes, the b'day party was no big deal you might say, but this is not a five-year old... she is 17, and had spent all week helping me get the room ready. This included framing in a doorway, installing in-ceiling speakers and wiring them, and running cable for all the items in the room. I wanted her to reap the reward for her work.

Well, for the first time ever in over 6 years of buying many items and in-shipping them by UPS, they showed up at 10:30 am! We got to work and the room was ready by 5:30 pm, due to some unexpected snags.

They watched Hot Fuzz. I only peeked in for a couple of minutes and the pic looked very good with original OOB settings.

We watched Zodiac last night. It has been a while since I watched any tv really, let alone a PJ since moving to the new house. So I don't feel like I am in the game enough to comment on PQ specifics, but in general looked very good. I got the impression that the pic overall might be a little dark, like the brightness was too low (B & C are still at 50, OOB settings).

Another questionable item is jaggy lines on straight-line images. Don't know if there is a technical term for this, but I hope you know what I mean. Is this fairly common and to be expected for a PJ? I remember reading the BenQ W500's PR and they mention being successful at removing or ameliorating this.

Overall, an excellent experience. The room is still painted in light colors, white ceiling, etc, so there were some reflections. Maybe that contributed to the dark-ish look, but it may be the movie itself.

7 hours on bulb now, no glitches, Sept 06 build, serial ends in 'A'. I think from reading of the variety of alphabets used this has no meaning re new or not.

So far TD's service has been EXEMPLARY. Well, they didn't send me an email re shipping the replacement and I had to call, but that may be because it was done over the phone. Apart from that they have been fantastic. I live in GA (they are in IL) and the replacement got here in less than 48 hours (!) after completing the phone call with them.

My replacement got here Friday. My dtr's birthday party was set to start at 5 pm, and UPS rarely gets to my house before 4. Leaving less than 1 hour to unpack it, set up the mount, adjust pic, etc. Panic was setting in. Yes, the b'day party was no big deal you might say, but this is not a five-year old... she is 17, and had spent all week helping me get the room ready. This included framing in a doorway, installing in-ceiling speakers and wiring them, and running cable for all the items in the room. I wanted her to reap the reward for her work.

Well, for the first time ever in over 6 years of buying many items and in-shipping them by UPS, they showed up at 10:30 am! We got to work and the room was ready by 5:30 pm, due to some unexpected snags.

They watched Hot Fuzz. I only peeked in for a couple of minutes and the pic looked very good with original OOB settings.

We watched Zodiac last night. It has been a while since I watched any tv really, let alone a PJ since moving to the new house. So I don't feel like I am in the game enough to comment on PQ specifics, but in general looked very good. I got the impression that the pic overall might be a little dark, like the brightness was too low (B & C are still at 50, OOB settings).

Another questionable item is jaggy lines on straight-line images. Don't know if there is a technical term for this, but I hope you know what I mean. Is this fairly common and to be expected for a PJ? I remember reading the BenQ W500's PR and they mention being successful at removing or ameliorating this.

Overall, an excellent experience. The room is still painted in light colors, white ceiling, etc, so there were some reflections. Maybe that contributed to the dark-ish look, but it may be the movie itself.

7 hours on bulb now, no glitches, Sept 06 build, serial ends in 'A'. I think from reading of the variety of alphabets used this has no meaning re new or not.

So far TD's service has been EXEMPLARY. Well, they didn't send me an email re shipping the replacement and I had to call, but that may be because it was done over the phone. Apart from that they have been fantastic. I live in GA (they are in IL) and the replacement got here in less than 48 hours (!) after completing the phone call with them.
Glad you got the replacement on time and the party went on fine. I bet you daugthers friends were mighty impressed. Good to know that TD was upto the ball hopefully they will be to others who may have problems. Mine is sept 2006 12 hours so far no problems. We all may have hit a jackpot with this PJ.

larry can you plase tell us where you got the extended warranty from. $50 is very cheap for an extended warranty.


Yes....I thought it was VERY reasonable. It was directly through TD. Usually they are such a high percentage of the original cost that I avoid them and roll the dice. In fact, I only inquired about it AFTER reading this and a similar thread than nearly scared me off completely.

Bottom line FOR ME was that even if I got a lemon and had to jump through a hoop or two, I will eventually end up with a working pj...........and a very fine one for less than a grand.

My fingers, elbows, knees and toes are still crossed........ :cool:

LB

BTW.....18hrs and all's well. We've watched a few movies and music DVD's. We have been thoroughly impressed with the picture quality.

BTW2 Music DVD's are such BAAAAD video source material......if anyone knows of any that were recorded in HD, please tell me.......uhg, such a shame! I just bought the Pink Floyd double DVD Pulse hoping that as a newer release it would be better.........NOT! The 4:3 aspect ratio should have clued me, but they have always been about visuals in concert, I hoped that the video would have been remastered to at least DVD quality. I know, I know......READ the LABEL! :eek: :(

INSTALL PROBLEM...
The menu give you some options for where you have it positioned (shelf, theater, etc)...I have a soffit mount...so I'm higher than the screen but NOT inverted....so I'm at the limit of the offset, and can't get it 100% on the screen.
Is there a setting to use here for this ?

um, ok. By definition it would seem no matter what is written you have made up your mind a priori....

Ummmmmm.......yes. We read.........we consider............we make our choices. Do I NOT have the right to my own choice?????

And the change in the rather unique new TD policy? I must say, I wonder what inspired that.

Not sure WHAT you are getting at here....sorry.

I think we do agree everyone thinking of buying this PJ should read the thread you (and I earlier) posted. And should realize getting a PJ that works out of the box (even if for months) does not mean they have avoided the problems mentioned.

I WHOLEHEARTEDLY agree with you here. Information is a good thing. And I went into this purchase with the full understanding I was gambling on an incredible price on a very well reviewed pj ...........with the risk of running afoul of some troubling quality control issues. FOR ME, it was a worthwhile trade off. I'm not trying to sway anyone else to do the same.



However, having been helped MANY TIMES through forums such as this one........I would like to impress upon the uninitiated...........at times, it is somewhat like hanging around the complaint dept window. Yes, you can certainly glean information about products that have had trouble. But you do not know the percentage of those sold that have issues. If the two people ahead of me are there VOCALLY returning XYZ's DVD player......and I've got one in my hands......I'm certainly going to have second thoughts. But if I knew that they sold a 1000 last month and that was the only 2 returns......I wouldn't be OVERLY concerned. What I can guarantee I'm not going to see if I stand there all day long is ANY of the other 998 dropping by to say "Hey, just wanted to stop by and say that we're really enjoying that DVD player!"

Of course, that is were the analogy breaks down a bit, because in forums, people return at times regardless (to share experiences....to help others try to fix a problem, etc). However, we are more active when our equipment is new so that we can share our experience..........or IF we are having a problem ourselves. When it's working fine..........most people are enjoying their equipment or doing other things. I've seen threads of a similar nature about nearly every piece of equipment I've ever researched - whether it was a video card that worked flawlessly for me.....or a motherboard that was the worst piece of crap I ever bought.

So, Looooong story not so short :p .......yes, Clueless1, I can read about a piece of equipment that 'seems' to be the doomsday machine and STILL decide to buy one. If I'm wrong it won't be the first or last time.* I'll allow you your "I told you so's" then. ;)




*In my own defense, I do have a very respectable batting average.

Given the very nature and partial reasons for forums such as these, I have to agree with what was said above.

I would take negative comments on products and services with a grain of salt, especially if there is not a substantial number of them. Even then, depending on the number of customers, it may be poor representation.

I would lend far greater creedance to accolades and praise. People are very quick to judge, critique and complain. On the other hand, the number of happy customers who give equal praise I am guessing to be in a much smaller ratio.

I am not saying to ignore others' negative experiences. But they must be taken in context, and most of us don't have that context.

Given the very nature and partial reasons for forums such as these, I have to agree with what was said above.

I would take negative comments on products and services with a grain of salt, especially if there is not a substantial number of them. Even then, depending on the number of customers, it may be poor representation.

I would lend far greater creedance to accolades and praise. People are very quick to judge, critique and complain. On the other hand, the number of happy customers who give equal praise I am guessing to be in a much smaller ratio.

I am not saying to ignore others' negative experiences. But they must be taken in context, and most of us don't have that context.

You do realize that even AVS quit carrying them because of all the problems? That's not exactly a few disgruntled owners.

You do realize that even AVS quit carrying them because of all the problems? That's not exactly a few disgruntled owners.

AVS not carrying them was a factor of the (I think) around $4K list price. Whether this is obvious or not I can't be sure, but at less than 25% of that the game is COMPLETELY different and the rules change.

Frinstance, I once owned a Pontiac Bonneville that was troublesome at times. I paid $14K for it, about market price. If, a year later, I were to pay about $3K for it I would consider myself having lucked out big time. At $14K I cursed my luck.

It's all about opportunity cost. At $14K I coulda had a new Accord (yes, it was a while ago). Nice car, much better than Pontiac had I realized it then. At $3K I could be looking at a used Citation. The Pontiac would win easily.

Really not rocket surgery... :D

AVS not carrying them was a factor of the (I think) around $4K list price. Whether this is obvious or not I can't be sure, but at less than 25% of that the game is COMPLETELY different and the rules change.

Frinstance, I once owned a Pontiac Bonneville that was troublesome at times. I paid $14K for it, about market price. If, a year later, I were to pay about $3K for it I would consider myself having lucked out big time. At $14K I cursed my luck.

It's all about opportunity cost. At $14K I coulda had a new Accord (yes, it was a while ago). Nice car, much better than Pontiac had I realized it then. At $3K I could be looking at a used Citation. The Pontiac would win easily.

Really not rocket surgery... :D


Well stated KCK7!! I could NOT have said it better. :)

Let's face it, a PJ with this level of complaints would not be tolerated at it's original MSRP, it's the big discount that has everyone excited. Sure, people say it throws a great picture, and at the give-away price I'd be tempted too (if I hadn't just bought another brand!). Come on, we all know about the start-up issue, if you want to gamble so be it. It's like saying you're gonna buy the Panny AX-100, odds are you'll be sending it in for the stuck iris. As long as you know the risks, and it's OK with you, go for it!

AVS not carrying them was a factor of the (I think) around $4K list price. Whether this is obvious or not I can't be sure, but at less than 25% of that the game is COMPLETELY different and the rules change.

Frinstance, I once owned a Pontiac Bonneville that was troublesome at times. I paid $14K for it, about market price. If, a year later, I were to pay about $3K for it I would consider myself having lucked out big time. At $14K I cursed my luck.

It's all about opportunity cost. At $14K I coulda had a new Accord (yes, it was a while ago). Nice car, much better than Pontiac had I realized it then. At $3K I could be looking at a used Citation. The Pontiac would win easily.

Really not rocket surgery... :D


I'm pretty sure (someone can correct me if I'm wrong) that it was explicitly stated they would no longer carry it because of their lack of confidence in the quality control of the unit.

And to follow your analogy, this would have been like buying the $14k Pontiac, only to find out that an alarmingly high percentage had engines that seized up. Certainly not something that is going to be tolerated at that price. Now, a couple of years later they are offering that same car for $3k. If the engine doesn't seize, it's a great deal, and at that price people are willing to buy their lottery tickets because the potential upside is so good.

And I will say this: would you rather have a Pontiac that won't run, or a Citation that will at least get you to work and back?

At the current price, *I* am tempted, but I would rather have the confidence that the engine won't seize. Others will decide differently.

Oh, and the reason I replied originally was because the posts pointing out the problems with this unit seemed to be dismissed as the usual few unhappy purchasers. Certainly not the case with this unit.

Another questionable item is jaggy lines on straight-line images. Don't know if there is a technical term for this, but I hope you know what I mean. Is this fairly common and to be expected for a PJ? I remember reading the BenQ W500's PR and they mention being successful at removing or ameliorating this.

Many of the newer PJs don't have this problem. The Samsung only has 8-bit Gamma Processing, not 10 or even 12-bit. Not sure if it is 8-bit or 10-bit video/image processing, but if you are seeing jaggies, then it would appear to be 8-bit.

INSTALL PROBLEM...
The menu give you some options for where you have it positioned (shelf, theater, etc)...I have a soffit mount...so I'm higher than the screen but NOT inverted....so I'm at the limit of the offset, and can't get it 100% on the screen.
Is there a setting to use here for this ?


Besides keystoning, which is of course undesirable, can't think of anything else. Is there a reason you don't want to invert? Maybe you are mounted inside the soffit... In that case, you perhaps could still invert, but using soft pads to keep the body of the PJ off the hard surface. Stability may be affected but I'm sure there are ways to counter that.

IMO part of the fun of all this DIY are the little install problems that many of us encounter along the way. Sure it may seem frustrating at the time, but solving the problem provides satisfaction and even more enjoyment in the end, to me at least. This install went off without too much trouble, but my previous one (a 4805) was a considerable challenge, but I finally got it done and was pretty proud of it.

I remember reading a rather ingenious solution a member here had to a throw distance that was insufficient. He pointed the PJ to the back of the room where he mounted a mirror, thereby increasing the throw to 2x the distance of the PJ from the back wall.

I'm thinking, if this could work for you, and my trig isn't as good as it should be, but doubling the distance should also double the angle. (I stand ready to be corrected). This may make it for you. If you do decide to try this you should search for that post; he mentioned a source for those mirrors.

Many of the newer PJs don't have this problem. The Samsung only has 8-bit Gamma Processing, not 10 or even 12-bit. Not sure if it is 8-bit or 10-bit video/image processing, but if you are seeing jaggies, then it would appear to be 8-bit.

My understanding is that the 8 bit vs. 10 bit is mostly about color processing and color banding is usually a sign of inadequate 8 bit processing. I fed the PJ with 1080i and 720p from a A2, 1080i and 720p from a HD tuner and 1080i from a DVB318, and I was not bothered by any jagged lines in 20 hrs of watching this PJ. I used the HQV test disk with the A2 outputing 1080i and 720p to the PJ and do not seem too bad. I also used the SD version of Video essential with the DVB318 outputing 1080i and the waving flag looks OK to me. I've not tried 480i source, but the PJ supposedly has DCDi processing so it can't be too bad. I suppose the Jagged lines could be source dependent. I have a DVDO ultra with a DVI output so I don't plan to fed the PJ directly with 480i source.

My understanding is that the 8 bit vs. 10 bit is mostly about color processing and color banding is usually a sign of inadequate 8 bit processing. I fed the PJ with 1080i and 720p from a A2, 1080i and 720p from a HD tuner and 1080i from a DVB318, and I was not bothered by any jagged lines in 20 hrs of watching this PJ. I used the HQV test disk with the A2 outputing 1080i and 720p to the PJ and do not seem too bad. I also used the SD version of Video essential with the DVB318 outputing 1080i and the waving flag looks OK to me. I've not tried 480i source, but the PJ supposedly has DCDi processing so it can't be too bad. I suppose the Jagged lines could be source dependent. I have a DVDO ultra with a DVI output so I don't plan to fed the PJ directly with 480i source.

I think there has been many discussions with 8-bit vs. 10-bit image/video processing on these forums. There is a lot of information about it. A full 10-bit deinterlacer and scaler helps with lower jaggies and noise.

Gamma Processing on the other hand is different. The Samsung has only 8-bit. With 12-bit gamma processing, image gradations are four times richer. This allows for 68-plus billion colors on screen. Not sure the number for 8-bit.

So what about the picture anyone have screen shots ? :eek:

This PJ renders film quite beautifully; I agree with most reviews that the color is tuned accurately.

Some problems:
- High black level. This doesn't bother me too much because I live with ambient light from wall reflections, anyway.
- Screen door effect. I may be sitting a bit too close to the screen (~1.2x width)..
- Very minor misconvergence. Can only see this when standing a foot or less from the screen.

Search a few pages back in this thread to find some links to screen shots from a review.

- Very minor misconvergence. Can only see this when standing a foot or less from the screen.

Huh? Isn't this a single chip dlp? How can you have misconvergence on a single chip projector?

Huh? Isn't this a single chip dlp? How can you have misconvergence on a single chip projector?

Alot of people mistake chromatic aberrations (due to optics) as misconvergence. But yeah, kinda hard to misconverge something coming from a single source.

Huh? Isn't this a single chip dlp? How can you have misconvergence on a single chip projector?

I don't think it's misconvergence, it's probably the source, maybe som y/c delay in the source. In any case, if you don't see it from normal viewing distance, forget about it. Anyway, sitting 1.2xwidth is too close for this projector I think, I sit about 1.6~1.7 times, and I can't see screen doors.

Alot of people mistake chromatic aberrations (due to optics) as misconvergence. But yeah, kinda hard to misconverge something coming from a single source.

Seems to be CA. Anyone know who made the lens for this PJ?

Seems to be CA. Anyone know who made the lens for this PJ?


What I'm about to say is 'circumstantial inference', to coin a term, so pls regard as such.

Given that Joe Kane endorsed this PJ and in fact had a (some say significant) hand in designing its optics (some of the pattern screenshots are directly from his disc), wouldn't CA have been an item they paid attention to and avoided? Don't know much about CA, but it sounds like something a guy like JK would be anal about.

What I'm about to say is 'circumstantial inference', to coin a term, so pls regard as such.

Given that Joe Kane endorsed this PJ and in fact had a (some say significant) hand in designing its optics (some of the pattern screenshots are directly from his disc), wouldn't CA have been an item they paid attention to and avoided? Don't know much about CA, but it sounds like something a guy like JK would be anal about.

True, I would believe so. But business is business and to sell, compromises need to be made for what is available at the time. The decision to choose what optics to use two years ago (or even before that during the design/engineering stages) to meet a particular price point does not mean they chose a lens that had CA. They may not have and this issue is not CA at all.

The point being, if you look at some of the specs and the specs other PJs have today, the JKP consulting team I am sure recommended the best that fit within all constraints at the time.

One misconception is that people expect this PJ to outperform all PJs of today and that is not necessarily correct. That is not taking away that if it works well, it may indeed throw a pleasing image that anyone would be happy and not doing side-by-side compares.

"One misconception is that people expect this PJ to outperform all PJs of today and that is not necessarily correct. That is not taking away that if it works well, it may indeed throw a pleasing image that anyone would be happy and not doing side-by-side compares."

This is a relevant comment. Although I am one of the purchasers, I do not have a point of reference to another, more modern PJ in my home. Compared to my old 4805 it is better, but of course it is expected to be.

Is it better than all other PJs in its current price range (sub $1K)? is the question that really should be asked. If the answer is in the positive, then one should weigh the possible QC issues against 'how much better?'.

Of course there is no clear-cut answer. If there were then all of us in this price range and in the market would either be buying OR avoiding this PJ, depending on the (impossible to obtain) clear-cut answer. That we are not all lemminging away (another coined term?) is evidence that POV is everything, and is the reason for the existence of marketing pros, and in turn the reason for a robust economy (well, some people might disagree on that latter part, esp of late :rolleyes: )

To invoke a tired but true, and especially relevant aphorism, given this is about a projector which, like others of its ilk, can be mounted upright or inverted...

One man's ceiling is another man's floor!

So what about the picture anyone have screen shots ? :eek:I'll try to post screeshots...the Phillies are home on ComcastSportnetHD tonight, I just don't think my digital camera shots will do justice.
It blows away my 4805 (my only reference PJ) in the same room....colors simply POP (may be my DW laminate), deeeeeeep blacks (didn't notice the gray black bars when wathcing CARS on ShoHD....so the Contrast is plasma like....and I would know.
I haven't sampled movies cause I've only connected the Comcast HDSTB...I will play tonight....supposed ot be 97F today...so it's too hot for the kids to go out !

What size screens are you guys using and what gains are on them ? :cool:

Well looks like for all the talk you guys are buying this thing BUY.COM is sold out now and they had 58 of them.

Well, there are selling for much more on fleabay (at least looking at listings that ended) One company there had (still have) 19 of them left with 75 offers, so maybe they bought them all out.

What size screens are you guys using and what gains are on them ? :cool:WilsonArt, Designer White matte finish, 96x54. I have 100% light control with high hats dimmed over the seating are only....very little light hitting the screen.

The Wilsonart Designer White has a gain of 1.24 (1.3).

I need to go order mine at HD.

The Wilsonart Designer White has a gain of 1.24 (1.3).

I need to go order mine at HD.

I am using a DIY sreen built from 1x4 Douglas Fir and JoAnn budget blackout cloth (shiny side). Are there any numbers that have been figured out for gain on this?

Might be interested in this WilsonArt. Is it heavy? Price? Can it be found at HD or does it need ordering anywhere? I presume this is not the Doable board? I think I saw that and ruled it out due to weight concerns, as I need to be able to move the screen on occasion for access to a closet that is behind the screen area.

Thanks in advance for any info.

There is a laminate thread with all the specifics in the DIY screen forum. I am not sure of the weight but it can be had for around $100 from HD, lowes, local suppliers (check Wilsonart site).

It is not the doable board. It is a countertop laminate product that matches the characteristics of some commercial screen materials.

I think most people got the best price at HD. But even with HD, the price can be give or take 30 bucks or so.

I am using a DIY sreen built from 1x4 Douglas Fir and JoAnn budget blackout cloth (shiny side). Are there any numbers that have been figured out for gain on this?

Might be interested in this WilsonArt. Is it heavy? Price? Can it be found at HD or does it need ordering anywhere? I presume this is not the Doable board? I think I saw that and ruled it out due to weight concerns, as I need to be able to move the screen on occasion for access to a closet that is behind the screen area.

Thanks in advance for any info.


I also have a Wilsonart DW screen. It's a 92" 16.9 which I purchased from HD (4'x8' sheet) for $75. It's a great screen! :D

Seems to be CA. Anyone know who made the lens for this PJ?

Would lens shift be a factor in CA ?

Would lens shift be a factor in CA ?

I don't think the shift mechanism would be a factor. Some lens like those found on the HC3100 for example, has CA until fully zoomed in and then it is no longer apparent. It would appear it is more to do with the lens quality and/or the zooming mechanism.

OK, I think I need some help from someone who owns this PJ. It is to do with mounting and nothing to do with QC...

My ceiling is 104" (about 4" short of 9'). I am using the Atdec mount which gets the bottom of the PJ to 5" away from the ceiling (inverted mount of course). This places the lens center approx 8" from the ceiling.

My 104" diagonal screen was originally mounted about 17" from the ceiling. At this height, all was peachy. But we realized (and the family complained) that it was too high, so I lowered it some 9". Now I cannot get the lens shift to send the image to the screen height and must use a keystone adj of -5.

I don't know if this deteriorates the image noticeably or at all, but I really don't want to use keystoning. I thought of building a box to extend the mount downwards but that's going to look awkward, unless someone has an elegant design.

And finally, is 5% keystone a big deal? I am using the vertical lens shift to the max, btw.

Here is the mount I am using; it is very widely available on the net: http://www.provantage.com/atdec-th-wh-pj~7ATDE001.htm

OK, I think I need some help from someone who owns this PJ. It is to do with mounting and nothing to do with QC...

My ceiling is 104" (about 4" short of 9'). I am using the Atdec mount which gets the bottom of the PJ to 5" away from the ceiling (inverted mount of course). This places the lens center approx 8" from the ceiling.

My 104" diagonal screen was originally mounted about 17" from the ceiling. At this height, all was peachy. But we realized (and the family complained) that it was too high, so I lowered it some 9". Now I cannot get the lens shift to send the image to the screen height and must use a keystone adj of -5.

I don't know if this deteriorates the image noticeably or at all, but I really don't want to use keystoning. I thought of building a box to extend the mount downwards but that's going to look awkward, unless someone has an elegant design.

And finally, is 5% keystone a big deal?

.

Here is the mount I am using; it is very widely available on the net: http://www.provantage.com/atdec-th-wh-pj~7ATDE001.htm



I would avoid any keystoning.

I have about 100 hours with no problems. Still a happy camper and loving this projector. About ready to swap to the 2nd samsung.

OK, I think I need some help from someone who owns this PJ. It is to do with mounting and nothing to do with QC...

My ceiling is 104" (about 4" short of 9'). I am using the Atdec mount which gets the bottom of the PJ to 5" away from the ceiling (inverted mount of course). This places the lens center approx 8" from the ceiling.

My 104" diagonal screen was originally mounted about 17" from the ceiling. At this height, all was peachy. But we realized (and the family complained) that it was too high, so I lowered it some 9". Now I cannot get the lens shift to send the image to the screen height and must use a keystone adj of -5.

I don't know if this deteriorates the image noticeably or at all, but I really don't want to use keystoning. I thought of building a box to extend the mount downwards but that's going to look awkward, unless someone has an elegant design.

And finally, is 5% keystone a big deal?

Here is the mount I am using; it is very widely available on the net: http://www.provantage.com/atdec-th-wh-pj~7ATDE001.htm

Personally I would never use keystone since I also use a HTPC for HDTV and TV shows. I'm sure '5%' is noticeable in test patterns (you can try the grid pattern in the pj) and PC text. I'm sure its not too bad for real world material though. This is additional scaling and I think any additional scaling is not a good thing, in theory.

My problem is picking a 'real' screen. I've using a white wall (Behr Ultra pure white) for 3 years and I want to see if a reasonable priced screen would improve the picture. I got some samples from Elite and Da-lite. It seems all the matt white type material is not as white as my white wall and the high contrast grey type material is too dark. I'm thinking of just sticking with the white wall and paint the ceiling tiles near the wall black and the rear wall a dark color.

As far as black level goes, I don't think it's too bad, in fact, I think the black level in film material looks blacker than the black bars in a 2.35:1 movie. It could be optical illusion though.

Being an installer I can tell you we never use keystoning. There is a difference in PQ. However, we are picky and a lot of people might not ever notice. It is one of those things that if you know what to look you will always see it and it will bother you. If you don't know what to look for you might not ever notice or just think it is normal.

In your situation there is nothing you can do but lower the PJ as well. You woud have to make some type of extension. Unfortunately, the mount you chose doesn't have up/down or left/right adjustability. All mounts have pitch, roll and rotate. A mount with these capabilities for the weight of that PJ will cost al least $150, so finding a solution to lower yours would be less expensive.

Hope this helps.

Bob


Bob

Thanks to the preceding responders. I did raise the screen a little, and I see it's quite interesting how the keystone algorithm works. For example, when I lowered it 9 inches, my needed ks was -5%. I then raised it 5 inches, meaning lowered 4 inches from original height. I was expecting to need a ks of -2 or -3, but surprised to see I needed -4!

I really do have to do something to lower the PJ. If anyone has seen a relatively elegant box design please post an URL. Also wondering if a metal/hardware solution, such as L-brackets or the like, would work, thereby reducing carpentry effort. I am going to paint the ceiling really dark and can paint the hw the same, so looks may be mitigated, particularly if I don't use a lot of wood for the structure.

Another question: what exactly does ks do to the picture? Does it throw away pixels at the extremes or actually compress all pixels? Because if the former then one is only losing less relevant info. I googled a bit but could only find that it's BAD, not exactly what it does or looks like. A brief explanation or a link would be appreciated.

http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/projectors/optoma-hd70/hd70-projector-setup-and-installation/?searchterm=keystoning%20part

http://www.mcsquared.com/images4.htm

Another way to solve your problem is to tilt the screen, it is often not noticed at all since you would need only a small amount of tilt.

Bob

Thanks to the preceding responders. I did raise the screen a little, and I see it's quite interesting how the keystone algorithm works. For example, when I lowered it 9 inches, my needed ks was -5%. I then raised it 5 inches, meaning lowered 4 inches from original height. I was expecting to need a ks of -2 or -3, but surprised to see I needed -4!

I really do have to do something to lower the PJ. If anyone has seen a relatively elegant box design please post an URL. Also wondering if a metal/hardware solution, such as L-brackets or the like, would work, thereby reducing carpentry effort. I am going to paint the ceiling really dark and can paint the hw the same, so looks may be mitigated, particularly if I don't use a lot of wood for the structure.

Another question: what exactly does ks do to the picture? Does it throw away pixels at the extremes or actually compress all pixels? Because if the former then one is only losing less relevant info. I googled a bit but could only find that it's BAD, not exactly what it does or looks like. A brief explanation or a link would be appreciated.I'd keystone, and not worry about.
No one will notice, but everyone will notice a tilting screen, or extension mounts, they're not worth the eyesore.....a little keystoning is hard to detect.

I registered the PJ online today. (BTW, it is classified as an MP3/audio/video product... go figure).

When selecting dropdown boxes, I noticed that, for the SP-H710AE model, there was a choice for two model numbers:
SPH710AEMX/XAA, or the same but without the 'M' in the string. Don't know why there would be two model numbers unless it is to track an update of some kind. I do know this, however, that the two I have had in-house were only 9 (end) digits apart, and both built in Sept 06. The first exhibited exactly the problems discussed in the over-$3K forum, while the replacement has been fine so far, at 15 hours.

What size screens are you guys using and what gains are on them ? :cool:
119" Dalite High Power in my living room with white walls. It's plenty bright at that size in theater mode on a high power.

No problems with mine so far, but I've only used it about 5 times.

I'd keystone, and not worry about.
No one will notice, but everyone will notice a tilting screen, or extension mounts, they're not worth the eyesore.....a little keystoning is hard to detect.
I used to need a little keystone with my Infocus X1. The only time I could really notice it was with a computer. I'd have to turn keystoning off to read small text, but usually all I was doing was looking through some files for a movie to watch. I'd go back to keystoning to square the picture back up when watching any video.

Well I purchased one today and paid almost 50 bucks more with shipping BUY.COM is sold out and I decided to get it from TIGER DIRECT. I currently have a CRT and will use it still but the Samsung will be used for sports when friends come over or if the CRT breaks it will be taken down. I hope I can get use to digital CRT is king for CR and black level I only hope this PJ is as good as the reviews thanks guys for helping me decide one thing though can this PJ accept 1080p/24. :rolleyes:

BobL, thanks for the tip. I decided to try tilting the screen. It needed to come out 2.5 inches from the bottom (104 diagonal, which means about 53" tall including border, which makes the tilt approximately 5%).

Tilt is noticeable when the room lights are on, but we watched a movie and after a few minutes of dwelling on it I got absorbed in the movie and forgot about the tilt. (Actually, I also started dwelling on the artifacts my older dvd player is putting out, but that's another story).

Will stay with this for at least a few more movies and see if it presents any issues; thanks again.

At 89 hrs mine lamp went off. I put in a spare one and everythings fine. I called Tiger Direct and they sent me a RA # with a shipping label. I sent the whole projector back and they sent me a new one.

I wanted to share this because if you have a problem under 30 days from purchase Tiger Direct is great to deal with.

Brad

A quick question... didn't want to start another thread on this...

I am ready to buy an HD-DVD player to go with my Sammy. Would like to spend the minimum but not miss out on anything good.

The Tosh A2 will output 1080i but not 1080p. I think this is all I would care about as long as I used the Sammy, right, as it does not support 1080P? Do I need to spend for the

Assuming the Sammy doesn't die on me I do not intend to upgrade PJs for at least 2 years.

A quick question... didn't want to start another thread on this...

I am ready to buy an HD-DVD player to go with my Sammy. Would like to spend the minimum but not miss out on anything good.

The Tosh A2 will output 1080i but not 1080p. I think this is all I would care about as long as I used the Sammy, right, as it does not support 1080P? Do I need to spend for the

Assuming the Sammy doesn't die on me I do not intend to upgrade PJs for at least 2 years.


Correct 1080i is all you will need. You may want to buy 1080p so when you upgrade you will already have it.

Brad