hey,
disregarding price, is the Optoma HD70 a decent projector compared to the panasonic ax200? The reason i ask thi is because I live in canada and trying to find the Panny AX200 is very hard and also the MSRP in Canada is 2200. I can find the optoma hd70 for a good price. but the only thing i am concerned about is the BRIGHTNESS of the hd70, i'm sure it doesn't compare to the panasonic at all but what about others? i've tried the sony AW15 and liked it except of its brightness.

also what about zoom and lens shift?

als the HD72 is about the same price as the Panasonic AX200 here so i'd rather get the pansonic in the event i had to spend that much.

any other recomendations for someone in canada would be awesome.

thanks guys

I was looking at the PLV-Z5 in Canada as you can find it at a good price. With the Panny price difference I would get one from the US but seeing people talking about the flicker problem I don't really want to get one without warranty.

The HD70 zoom is limited, there is no lens shift and it has a considerable offset. The brightness is about half of the AX200u at its brightest. In the right environment, it can be a very rewarding PJ considering its price. You may want to consider the AX200 more likely to be worth the price. Hopefully more Canadians will chime in with some cost reduction ideas.

Molson, The Z5 is a very good PJ in this price range and well reviewed.

hey molson,

how does the brightness of the Z5 compare to that of the panny?

Hi, I live in Alberta, and I share the frustrations of trying to find the right combination of quality/price/warranty in Canada.

If brightness is a concern and price isn't, get the AX200. The Optoma produces a very respectable image, but it can't compare to the Panny for Lumen output. The 200 also is much more flexible to place, and has an additional HDMI input. You should be able to find it for less than $2,200. Keep looking. It's available here, with a full Canadian warranty for $1,999. Alternatively, you could purchase it from an online U.S. retailer and save several hundred dollars, even after duty and brokerage fees. The downside with that situation is, you would have to pay to ship it to Panasonic USA for warranty service, as it would not be covered in Canada. I was set to pull the trigger with this latter method, but there seem to be quite a few people reporting issues with this projector. At this point, I am not willing to either pay a $700 premium for a Canadian warranty, or to save a few hundred bucks and be stuck without the Canadian coverage. Not to disparage this model too much, as many, many people are delighted with it.

Also, you said that you can get the HD70 for a great price. If you're in Canada, I would recommend pricing the HD32, as well. That is, essentially, an HD70 rated at 100 more Lumens, sold exclusively in Canada by one company whose name I cannot mention here, and it will almost certainly be cheaper than an HD70 anywhere in Canada. The difference can be several hundred dollars, in some cases. The downside is that the 32 only has a one year warranty, compared to the 2-year for the 70.

The Sanyo is an excellent projector, available in Canada for a reasonable price, with a full Canadian warranty, but it has its own problems. Most notably, it is a dark room projector, exclusively. Brightness IS a huge concern. If you have a light-controlled room, the image is awesome. Although, colour calibration is recommended, and some people find the image a bit TOO sharp. Most, however, notice no SDE, even at very close range. For the price, this is a very sexy projector. Two HDMI inputs, incredible lens shift, long zoom range, a very quiet fan, and a sliding lens cover, are all very attractive features. Want to watch a football game with some light in the room, though? NOT the projector for you. Movies in the dark? Grab it.

If you want a good alternative for an entry level projector with a decent image, much better placement flexibility than the HD32/70, with the same Lumens, for less money, go with the BenQ W500. By Canadian standards, it's ridiculously affordable at "that company", and worth considering.

Myself, I am waiting for PR's take on the new Epson HC720. On paper, it seems to have the best combination of features that I've been looking for: multiple-year Canadian warranty, Epson reliability, reasonable price, placement flexibility, 2.1:1 zoom, image quality, and last, but not least, BRIGHTNESS. According to Epson Canada's rep for the west, the HC720 should retail for around $1,350 CAN, with a 2-year warranty. That's $650 less than the Panny, and about the same price as the Z5.

I hope that helps you. I really hate that imaginary line at the 49th parallel some times. It makes things that are so simple in the States much, much harder up here!

yeah.. thanks for all the great advice. esppecially when our dollar is doing so strong the prices aren't refleted. i was looking at the benq w500 however, the zoom on it seems pretty weak and i need something with more zoom. i will take a look at the hd32 though. hopefully it has enough brightness fo me as i have seen it some places. also hopefully it has good zoom etc aswell. thanks..

if there are any stores you can recommend me checking ot that are canadian that would be awesome. i'm in Toronto. also any other models worth checking out are most welcome. i wanted to spend about 1500, thats why i was consdering buying from the US (the panasonic)