I am a newbie designing a PJ in a new multipurpose room with more ambient light than anyone can imagine (two completely glass walls, two 36 sq ft glass ceiling panels). Fortunately the PJ will be used at night for DVD's only (non HD, Oppo player). I would like to put in a electric 106" 16:9 screen which has to be ceiling concealed. We will sit either very very close (<8 ft) with viewers' heads close to ground level (in a completely flush mounted floor hot tub) or on low level regular seating located behind the hot tub (about 12' from screen). Thus I am thinking DLP for less SDE at these viewing distances.

I was set on a Mitsu 1500 until I did the offset calculations (32% offset, ceiling mount PJ) and figured how much screen drop (>20 inches) I would need for 106" screen image. This became an issue with electric screen availability. Now I see the Sharp 12K for about 1500 dollars now with lens shift and I start thinking that it is the better option. The reviews indicate that the Sharp is overall a higher quality PJ, but I am worried about the Sharp being a little dark (1000 vs. 1600 lumens) for 106", but I could always get a HC screen.

Any thoughts on these choices (or other PJ's for this setup) would be great...

If you head is going to be at floor level some of the time, then having the screen as low as possible will make for more comfortable viewing, especially since 'reclining' in a hot tub might be difficult. Since you only have one row of 'regular' seating, you can have the screen lower than the normal 30".

I know Dalite offers custom drop length on their screens.

As to the projector question, since you won't be able to do a daytime viewing setup I'm sure either would work. If you want to watch starting earlier in the evening during summer months, the extra lumens of the 1500 might help.

Jonathan

The sharp will be plenty bright if you are watching only at night. Another option is the panasonic ax200. It's LCD, but has Smoothscreen so no screen door at all.

I am a newbie designing a PJ in a new multipurpose room with more ambient light than anyone can imagine (two completely glass walls, two 36 sq ft glass ceiling panels). Fortunately the PJ will be used at night for DVD's only (non HD, Oppo player). I would like to put in a electric 106" 16:9 screen which has to be ceiling concealed. We will sit either very very close (<8 ft) with viewers' heads close to ground level (in a completely flush mounted floor hot tub) or on low level regular seating located behind the hot tub (about 12' from screen). Thus I am thinking DLP for less SDE at these viewing distances.

I was set on a Mitsu 1500 until I did the offset calculations (32% offset, ceiling mount PJ) and figured how much screen drop (>20 inches) I would need for 106" screen image. This became an issue with electric screen availability. Now I see the Sharp 12K for about 1500 dollars now with lens shift and I start thinking that it is the better option. The reviews indicate that the Sharp is overall a higher quality PJ, but I am worried about the Sharp being a little dark (1000 vs. 1600 lumens) for 106", but I could always get a HC screen.

Any thoughts on these choices (or other PJ's for this setup) would be great...

I've seen the Sharp 12K in action and it has adequate brightness. For sure it is a superior projector to the Mitsu 1500, but it should be.

That said, I'm really enjoying my Mitsu 1500, it will tide me over until the right 1080p comes along. Do miss my CRT's blacks though...

Check Woot today. This might work for this installation. It is a bright PJ. As mentioned most electric screens can be ordered with extra black drop if you need it to come down further for the offset of the projector. The Sharp's lens needs to be even with the top of the screen or within the screen's height. The lens shift in this PJ does not allow placement above the top of the screen for ceiling mount installations. As a guideline we use 1/3 up from the bottom of the screen to at the viewer's eye height. This might not be possible for this istuation but the larger offset might get it closer.

Hope this helps.

Bob

Check Woot today. This might work for this installation. It is a bright PJ. As mentioned most electric screens can be ordered with extra black drop if you need it to come down further for the offset of the projector. The Sharp's lens needs to be even with the top of the screen or within the screen's height. The lens shift in this PJ does not allow placement above the top of the screen for ceiling mount installations. As a guideline we use 1/3 up from the bottom of the screen to at the viewer's eye height. This might not be possible for this istuation but the larger offset might get it closer.

Hope this helps.

Bob
Maybe i'm not reading my manual right but I see the sharp has to be mounted at the same level as the bottom (table shelf mount) of the lower edge of screen viewing pane or below but not higher. If ceiling mount, at the same level of edge of viewing pane or a little higher. Am I totally mess up on this thinking or just not understanding something here you wrote...

Do you find the Sharp in the States? On the web?

At $1500, you're reaching the territory of $2000ish 1080p projectors like the upcoming Sanyo. These will likely be down to $2k in no time.

"Maybe i'm not reading my manual right but I see the sharp has to be mounted at the same level as the bottom (table shelf mount) of the lower edge of screen viewing pane or below but not higher. If ceiling mount, at the same level of edge of viewing pane or a little higher. Am I totally mess up on this thinking or just not understanding something here you wrote..."

This is not correct. I believe it is best to have it anywhere from the top to the bottom of the screen.

The manual is not clear in how it is written. It states something to the effect of the projector lens center to the lower part of the screen and gives a range of 0 to a negative amount which equals the screen's height. The zero setting is at the same height as the bottom of the screen for tsble mounted coniguration. What they are referring to with the negative number is the screen would be lower not the projector. The 12K has to be mounted within the screen's height. If you are ceiling mounting the projrctor the zero etting would be with the top of the screen.

Hope this helps.

Bob

But the projector has vertical lens shift, so this allows it to be mounted 'outside' of the screen, right? If the lens shift was not being utilized, the lens would have to be mounted at the top of the screen (if ceiling mounting)...

I am a newbie designing a PJ in a new multipurpose room with more ambient light than anyone can imagine (two completely glass walls, two 36 sq ft glass ceiling panels). Fortunately the PJ will be used at night for DVD's only (non HD, Oppo player). I would like to put in a electric 106" 16:9 screen which has to be ceiling concealed. We will sit either very very close (<8 ft) with viewers' heads close to ground level (in a completely flush mounted floor hot tub) or on low level regular seating located behind the hot tub (about 12' from screen). Thus I am thinking DLP for less SDE at these viewing distances.

I was set on a Mitsu 1500 until I did the offset calculations (32% offset, ceiling mount PJ) and figured how much screen drop (>20 inches) I would need for 106" screen image. This became an issue with electric screen availability. Now I see the Sharp 12K for about 1500 dollars now with lens shift and I start thinking that it is the better option. The reviews indicate that the Sharp is overall a higher quality PJ, but I am worried about the Sharp being a little dark (1000 vs. 1600 lumens) for 106", but I could always get a HC screen.

Any thoughts on these choices (or other PJ's for this setup) would be great...

It's hard to ignore the Sharp at that price point. Both, however, would do fine.

The vertical lens shift on this projector only allows it to be mounted within the screen's height. So if you were placing the unit on a shelf it could be at the bottom of the screen or the top of the screen and anywhere in the middle. Some PJs have lens shift which allows placement outside of the screen's area but not this one.

BTW, if I was mounting this PJ in line with the top of the screen I'd mount it inverted as this uses the least amount of lens shift for this PJ. Putting it on a shelf and angling the lens down at the extreme does cause some minor distortion. As a practice I try not to mount any PJs at their extreme for lens shift.

Hope this helps.

Bob

The HC1500 is really nice when combined with a light gray screen, imo.
Never seen the Sharp, but if it fits your room and you watch with the lights out it is supposed to offer great PQ.

If you are like me and intend on buying a 1080P when a decent one hits $2K or below then I'd say go for the 1500 and save the money. It is also a great DLP PJ for daytime viewing with a very watchable picture.

Just my $.02 cents

BobL and others,

I am still quite confused about the lens shift on the Sharp. In several different posts/threads (including the very long Sharp 12K thread) there are conflicting data regarding whether the Sharp 12KMkII can be positioned with the lens beyond the screen dimensions. I am trying to throw a 106" diagonal image relatively low on a electric screen from a ceiling mounted projector below a 7'3" ceiling. Thus I think I need some vertical lens shift as my lens will be above the image. I get conflicting reports on whether the Sharp can do this, and I want to get one if it can as the price is great now. I see some folks stating that the lens shift can only be used to place the lens within the screen limits, and others saying that it can be used to put the lens above/below the screen edges.

Thanks for any help....

Sarkarr- the lens needs to be at the top of the screen or within the screen.