Hey guys,

Ive had three different projectors in the past 4 years ...
Which I used for gaming, cable, htpc, and dvd/hddvd's....

Infocus X1- Loved it -- ( buzzsaw problem )
Infocus 4805 -Loved it -- Optical Engine Issue
Panny AX100U- Liked It -- iris problem

The only thing that ever bothered me with the Panny 100 was the sharpness. I wish you could turn off smooth screen because i like a Sharp picture and to me it was just too soft, But to be fair I was really satisfied with it until i started having iris issues. So when i returned my Panny 100 i fired up the Ol' Infocus4805 and i instantly noticed how good the blacks looked (even though my 4805 always crushed alot of detail) and it just had that DLP pop to the picture... Now keep in mind i stopped using my 4805 due to a large yellow line down the side of the PJ ( optical engine issue if i remember correctly) and when i fired it up i still loved it ! !

I really want a DLP but i just dont have 14 or 15 feet to place my projector, and ive had a nice size screen for so long i just dont think i could go down to a 65' screen(ive moved to a smaller place since owning the DLP's)... .. Are there any newer dlp's out there that have even a little more zoom than 1.20 for under 3k? Would there be that much difference between say Optoma HD7100 and the Newer optomas??
( i said the HD7100 because i believe it has a short throw lens which is right up my alley)

Im a DLP Lover who is being shoved into the LCD market because of the lack of features ( i dont even care about lens shift , just gimme some zoom! )

So should I Get the 200, have a huge screen and wait for the DLP makers to get there heads out of there.... ya know.... or should i buy a cheaper DLP and suffer with the 65' screen .....

Are there any shortthrow DLP's that can hang with the Panny? (under 3k)

I guess either way ill have a new PJ so i wont suffer that much :)

Any fellow dlp'ers out there head me in the right direction, if there is a right direction :) )

Keep It Big,

Ghost

I too want to get a short throw machine. 9-10 feet is the best spot for the projector, but most of the DLP projectors need about 11 feet to fill a 92" screen.

The main problem though is the noise of the HD7100. It's consistently rated in reviews as being moderately loud. I don't know if it's any louder than my Xbox 360, but it's still a concern.

However, I may end up just biting the bullet and getting an HD72 and moving the projector back somehow.

The Marantz 4001 has a short throw if you can still find one. Its picture is suppose to be superb.

Mike

Look into the Sharp DT-500 as well. Outstanding short throw 720P DLP and can be had at some mind boggling prices with some prudent shopping. Mine is throwing a 92" picture from 9' 6".

Well, I ordered the Optoma HD6800 (aka HD72). It ain't short throw - I'll need about 11' for the 92" screen.

If I can't make this work, I'll just return it I guess.

Ghost,
What is your throw length and desired screen size? Marantz Vp4001 is a good choice if you need 92" from 9 feet. These are new despite the name of the store.

http://www.secondact.com/c=zDYTfo3RQK2LVJ6cMqcPkFUSS/product/VP4001/Marantz_VP4001_DLP_Front_Projector_-_Brand_New.html

I'm in the same boat. I would like to move up to a 92" AT screen but I'm limited to ~9' of throw by a support beam. The above mentioned 7100 and DT-500/510 fit the bill really well. There is a really good deal through Visual Apex on the 7100 while they last. It's just a question of the reliability issues and whether you'd luck out and get a unit the functions perfectly.

Cheers!

I've posted this quite a few times before, so sorry for the repitition, but an easy trick to increase your throw is simply to point the projector at your back wall and throw onto a mirror. With the average 32deg offset of budget DLP's, the return bounce can clear the projecor body at about 2.5 feet from the lens to mirror.

Jonathan

I've posted this quite a few times before, so sorry for the repitition, but an easy trick to increase your throw is simply to point the projector at your back wall and throw onto a mirror. With the average 32deg offset of budget DLP's, the return bounce can clear the projecor body at about 2.5 feet from the lens to mirror.
Good point. However, how good are the results? Does light leakage from the rear of some unit cause a problem?

The other issue is that increases the throw by 5 feet. With limited range zooms, that could make the throw too long for say a 92" screen, if you have to have the machine at say 9 feet.

eg. Optoma HD72:

At 9 feet, the throw limits the maximum screen size to 77".
At 9 feet plus mirror 2.5 feet away, the throw is 9 + 2.5 + 2.5 = 14 feet, and the minimum screen size is 100".

I've posted this quite a few times before, so sorry for the repitition, but an easy trick to increase your throw is simply to point the projector at your back wall and throw onto a mirror. With the average 32deg offset of budget DLP's, the return bounce can clear the projecor body at about 2.5 feet from the lens to mirror.

Folding the lightpath with a mirror to increase throw ratio, is something I thought about too.

Once when I was into DIY projectors, using a mirror was the trick to decrease the box size.

The downsides from the mirror are that you lose some brightness, and unless the mirror is *perfect*, you'll add some distortion.

I just got the VP4001 earlier this week. It is an excellent short thorw DLP, bright, stunning picture. My only issue at this point is that it might be too short of a throw for my configuration and I might have to get rid of it. Due to my room configuration, and where I want to mount the projector, the furthest I can sit is about 1.35-1.4x screen widths back (16:9, 8' wide screen, eyes about 11' back). Anyone else sit that close (relative) and think the size is ok (not oo big)?

Folding the lightpath with a mirror to increase throw ratio, is something I thought about too.

Once when I was into DIY projectors, using a mirror was the trick to decrease the box size.

The downsides from the mirror are that you lose some brightness, and unless the mirror is *perfect*, you'll add some distortion.
You also need to use a first surface mirror to reduce reflections.

bugs and jones,

For my experiment ( just a temporary setup ) I used a standard framed household mirror we had lying around. The mirror was about 30" diagonal and the lens was about 2' from the mirror. On the mirror plane the image was aobut 18" diagonal.

I was particularly interested in what it would do to the gometric uniformity, so I tried it with rolling text ( credit rolls ) and crawling text. I have found this is the easies way to spot geometric non-linearity. Although I'm sure it introduced 'some' distortion, nothing popped out at me. Of course using an optical grade first surface mirror ( possibly one re-claimed from a dead RPTV ) would be give better results.

I mentioned the 2' from lens to mirror because this is the point where I found the reflected beam from a 34deg fixed offset would clear the body of the projector. I haven't tried this, but, I imagine you could shorten the lens to mirror distance, tilt the projector down, and tilt the mirror up and get the same results.

The best part is that it's easy to try. You don't have to mount the projector, just table mount for the test and see if it works for you.

Jonathan