Viewsonic Pro8100 1080p Projector

[finthen]

Originally Posted by mamethot

2 hours on, 15 minutes off cycles...

Good for them burying this CYA technical information in the Service Manual and not on the side of the box or in the Owners Manual because they then wouldn't sell many if any at all !

[novasol]

Originally Posted by mamethot

2 hours on, 15 minutes off cycles...

for testing lamp life, wouldn't that be standard practice?

[73shark]

I would think so.

[finthen]

Originally Posted by novasol

for testing lamp life, wouldn't that be standard practice?

Originally Posted by 73shark

I would think so.

Well, let's hope so... But yeah, that would explain the reference and due to it being stated in the lamp details section this then makes better sense as to it's meaning .

While on the subject of bulbs, specifically replacements, I suspect the best procedure is to call these resellers and ask specifically if they are selling OEM bulbs sold in branded boxes... Any confirmations / advice ?

[Dark Rider]

Originally Posted by novasol

for testing lamp life, wouldn't that be standard practice?

It seems reasonable to me as well. It just reaffirms what is already standard industry knowledge... don't constantly cycle (on and off) the bulb on fp projectors. Doing so will shorten the life. I don't bother to turn mine on unless I have at least 1-2 dedicated hours to enjoy... typically more If I need to go away, but will be back in less than an hour, I just leave it on as well.

[bouda78]

viewsonic mentioned we need at least 10min of running before turnning off, also short cycles reduces the lamp life and lamp life differ due to operating conditions so they mention at service manual the ideal time of operation to maximize lamp life which is 2 hour cycle but for users they need them to replace lamp sooner to make more profit so they didnt mention ideal time also dont forget ideal temp which is 77f at humidity must be between 40-60%. also we can set auto shut down after 2 hour if not in use.

[europk]

i would like to find where in the engineering menu the lamp replacement timers are and set them longer.

I also think that another firmware release is needed, when inverted so it knows to flip the directional arrows when setting up the unit, it knew to filp the menu why not the size/placement?

Also i find the menu anoying to press left to to get to the right colum again.

[mamethot]

Originally Posted by europk

i would like to find where in the engineering menu the lamp replacement timers are and set them longer.

I also think that another firmware release is needed, when inverted so it knows to flip the directional arrows when setting up the unit, it knew to filp the menu why not the size/placement?

Also i find the menu anoying to press left to to get to the right colum again.

+1

[finthen]

Originally Posted by europk
"i would like to find where in the engineering menu the lamp replacement timers are and set them longer."

Why?
Did yours also indicate "Replace Lamp" @ 500hrs , as mine did ?

X3 per your inquiry !

[Dark Rider]

If any of you Pro8100 users are still on the fence regarding screen materials, I wanted to let you know that I picked up a 120" Elite Silverframe in the Power Gain material, which arrived this weekend, and it is a great match to this projector!

I ordered a ton of screen samples from Carada, Elite, Da-Lite, Stewart, etc. when I first picked up the Pro8100. In my testing, I liked the Elite Cine White and Power Gain the best. Most of the gray screens were too gray and caused loss of color/image pop. The whites were mostly on even footing with the primary difference being texture. My one beef with the samples was that the high gain screens weren't as noticeable in the smaller sample sizes. On the Power Gain sample in particular, I could tell that the blacks were definitely darker, but I just wasn't seeing that much gain.

Before I commited, I decided to try out one of the painted solutions, which I actually had some very good success with. However, I still wasn't totally thrilled with the paint as a long term solution, unless I invested in a sprayer. I would have also had to factor in the cost of wood and velvet for trim for a final solution. The total cost would have ended up being right around $200 versus the $298 total I paid for the Elite screen (shipped), which was just too good to pass up.

The results? These were shot in low ambient light in eco mode:

[cpage]

Originally Posted by Dark Rider

If any of you Pro8100 users are still on the fence regarding screen materials, I wanted to let you know that I picked up a 120" Elite Silverframe in the Power Gain material, which arrived this weekend, and it is a great match to this projector!

Do you notice any "sparklies" with the Power Gain? Also, how are the viewing angles?

I was going to go with the CineWhite but would be interested in hearing more about the Power Gain.

Also, how well does the SilverFrame "frame" the picture? Other than cost, any reason you didn't go with the EzFrame? Does the silver frame reflect light from the projector?

And... sorry for all the questions.

[Dark Rider]

Originally Posted by cpage

Do you notice any "sparklies" with the Power Gain? Also, how are the viewing angles?

I was going to go with the CineWhite but would be interested in hearing more about the Power Gain.

Also, how well does the SilverFrame "frame" the picture? Other than cost, any reason you didn't go with the EzFrame? Does the silver frame reflect light from the projector?

And... sorry for all the questions.

No sparklies to speak of at all... that was one of my concerns, since I was getting some sparklies/hot spots in the metallic paint I was testing. I also had read some reports regarding visible texture in the Power Gain, but I have no noticeable texture whatsoever in the projected image. The Power Gain material itself is a light silver pearlescent color and looks like it has several layers (depth) and also has a nice black vinyl backing to eliminate any light bleed through. It's definitely a bit darker than the CineWhite, but not anywhere near as dark as the CineGrey. Viewing angles are actually quite impressive, much better than the Da-Lite High Gain that I had a sample of. I think that's the nature of the retro versus angular reflective screens though. It's not as bright in the sweet spot, but it holds it's gain across a wider viewing angle. I get only a slight drop in brightness at extreme angles in a 20' wide room, which is much better than what I expected.

The SilverFrame is actually very classy looking. I was worried about potential reflection off the brushed aluminum surface, but truthfully, I'm noticing a heck of a lot more reflection from the screen on to my drop white ceiling than anything coming off the frame. I think that also has to do with the angular reflective nature of the screen. The light is dispersed in all angles, including up. I'll need to go dark with my ceiling, which I was planning to do anyway. In a dark environment though, the frame really does disappear.

I considered the EzFrame, but the EzFrame didn't have the Power Gain material as an option, unless you purchased the material separately. Truthfully, I was willing to pay a lot more for a screen, but the $150 off of the EzFrame price was icing on the cake. I have no regrets at all about selecting the SilverFrame. It's built extremely well, and the fit and finish is excellent.

[Fabricator]

looks real good. where did you get it for 300 clams ?

my diy looks pretty darn good. i would say comparable. but it is not large enough.

what is your pj distance ?

[Dark Rider]

Buy dot com with a $10 coupon from Techbargains. My throw is 16'6" and viewing distance is 14'.

[Fabricator]

this it ? how long did it take to get it ?
http://www.buy.com/prod/elite-screen...206160064.html

[muzz]

Originally Posted by europk

:I couldnt post a link till i had 3 posts sorry.

Heres a link to the service manual and owners manuals. Im not responsible for any issue you incure from seetings to mess up, average and lesser users please dont bother looking in the service manual.
Service Manual and Owners Manual

Enjoy :

Thank You Very Much for that Service manual, I have asked how to enter the Service menu numerous times to no avail.....
I noticed that the Auto Iris has 0-2 in that service menu, but 0-3 in the "Iris" menu
It also has a "PCS" menu with 0 and 1 as options, if you set it at 1 it disables the PCS options(you can change them in the menu, but they don't do anything).

[bouda78]

Dark Rider very impressive contrast color u made me change my mind for high gain screens since u didnt have any hot spots , i think ill give it a shot and order one but not fixed frame, u got a very powerfull images. best luck

[Dark Rider]

Originally Posted by Fabricator

this it ? how long did it take to get it ?
http://www.buy.com/prod/elite-screen...206160064.html

That's the one! Mine shipped from Tennesee to Georgia and arrived in 3 days from placing the order. It was very well packaged, with the screen rolled in a PVC tube, and a 2nd PVC tube was used as a spacer to protect the rails from getting bent. The material did have some light wrinkles (from being rolled) when I first unrolled it, but flattened out pretty well within an hour. Once stretched and clipped in place, it became perfect flat and uniform.

Originally Posted by bouda78

Dark Rider very impressive contrast color u made me change my mind for high gain screens since u didnt have any hot spots , i think ill give it a shot and order one but not fixed frame, u got a very powerfull images. best luck

The Pro8100 clearly has the ability to deliver a stunning image in normal mode on a matte/flat white surface, but I've been most impressed by the fact that these images were taken in Eco mode on a silver/light gray screen, hence the benefit of "Power Gain". I tried to use great care to post images that reflect an accurate picture of what I observed, and also wanted to show a mix of content from a natural looking movie (Blood Diamond Blu-Ray), cartoon (Monsters Inc. DVD), broadcast cable (ESPN2 720p and Paladia 1080i), and oversaturated pop and wow (Speed Racer Blu-Ray)! I'm getting exceptional contrast and color reproduction without burning throught bulbs faster! Now I only use normal mode for daytime sports viewing, since it's almost too powerful for evening movie watching. I may still use normal some for PS3 gaming though, since it looks unbelievable.

I don't think the Power Gain is available in an untensioned pull down, but is available in the CineTension line which is very nice, but a bit more pricey. My sample had a tendency to curl up when not stretched, so I'm guessing that's why. Also worth noting if you got to the Elite Screens website, http://www.elitescreens.com, and click on the link for their new website, it no longer lists the SilverFrame screen or the Power Gain under the materials. The SilverFrame appears to be replaced by the SableFrame, which is a velvet wrapped downgraded version of the EzFrame. I think Power Gain is being replaced by a new higher gain material called Star Bright 7, which claims a 7.0 gain. If it's even half that, I think I'd still be blinded Da-Lite makes a decent high gain material that gets good reviews here. I tested it, and personally I liked the Power Gain better due to the fact that it was angular reflective versus retro reflective, but otherwise the Da-Lite material was brighter overall in its sweet spot.

[LandShark22]

I like the SilverFrame screens and wanted to go with it. But they don't have anything between 100" and 120" that I could find. I can't fit a 120 on my wall but 100 leaves wasted space. I needed 106 or 110. Anyone ever seen those sizes in the SilverFrame line?

[33Bender]

I've been watching this site for a few years now and finally joined for exactly this kind of info (this is my first post)
I just got My Panny 4k today

Dark Rider

Thanks for the info!!!
I just ordered one
I thought I was going to have to wait a year or so to buy a $1000+ screen (I was looking at the Carada BW)
but the ELITE looks great and I JUST COULDN'T pass up that price
Under $300 for a 120" high gain screen, sick, just sick


Land shark

I wonder how hard it would be to cut the 120" down to what you need
If it looks easy when I get it I'll post back

PS: your theater build is an Inspiration!

EDIT: It looks pretty easy to modify, a miter saw and a little sewing and I think you could get exactly the size you need
user guide here

[bouda78]

Dark Rider thanx very much for ur guide ill folow it and if i didnt find it ill pay more for overseas fixed screen shipping! i think its worth because as u said save lamp life and enjoy stunning images at normal mode, u found the perfect screen projector combination!

[Dark Rider]

Elite lists a 106" SilverFrame screen. The problems is finding it! I did a search and only came up with one dealer selling the 106" with a High Contrast Grey screen. The dealer was Mounts and More.

If you are a diy'er type, you could make it work, but it may be more trouble than what it's worth... You would have to chop the frame down to a custom size with a miter saw, which would work with the corner pieces, since the slots travel the entire length of the rails. It would just take some drilling of new pilot holes for the corner braces. You would also need to trim the 4 included tensioning rods, cut the screen to size and sew pockets for the rods at the edges of the screen. The sewing would be hidden behind the rails, but you'd have to use a durable thread since it would be under constant tension.

[LandShark22]

Nah, I'm not much of a DIY kind of guy. I'm pretty happy with the draper 106" 1.0 gain Matte White screen I got, so I'll stick with it for a while. When I upgrade I'll definitely look into some of the reflective screens.

[enthill]

Hey Dark Rider, those are some of the best pictures I've seen. Congratulations! Are your settings similar to bouda78 or are they different?

Can someone briefly explain how to set up projector for satellite viewing so that the projector does the work instead of the receiver? I have a direct HDMI link from satellite to pj with the satellite set to 1080i.

Had a dust blob and I turned on High Altitude for literally 2 minutes and it went away. Not sure if this is always a remedy or if I just got lucky. The fan really kicks in, in high altitude mode.

[Dark Rider]

Truthfully, the matte screens look great with the Pro8100 as well, provided you're willing to run in normal power mode. I just found myself wanting a little more punch than what eco mode on the matte screens offered. The only downside of the matte screen is having to replace bulbs more often. Speaking of which, is there a consensus for the best place to get replacement bulbs for the Pro8100? As good as the image is, I have a feeling I should probably have a replacement on hand

[Dark Rider]

Originally Posted by enthill

Hey Dark Rider, those are some of the best pictures I've seen. Congratulations! Are your settings similar to bouda78 or are they different?

Can someone briefly explain how to set up projector for satellite viewing so that the projector does the work instead of the receiver? I have a direct HDMI link from satellite to pj with the satellite set to 1080i.

Had a dust blob and I turned on High Altitude for literally 2 minutes and it went away. Not sure if this is always a remedy or if I just got lucky. The fan really kicks in, in high altitude mode.

My settings are similar, but not exactly the same as Bouda's. On a truly neutral screen/wall surface, I saw no color shift, but changes in the basic settings is evident (contrast, brightness, sharpness, etc.). That said, I've been using the same color profiles, but have also been doing some tweaking with PCS in user mode. I haven't gotten to a point where I'm 100% sold on all of my settings, but I'm getting close.

[Fabricator]

ya know. i just now was placing my order. and the MF's raised the price $10 before i could finish typing. that kinda **** pisses me off !!!

[Fabricator]

Originally Posted by Dark Rider

I think Power Gain is being replaced by a new higher gain material called Star Bright 7, which claims a 7.0 gain.

i don't think that would be a replacement. not for this price
http://www.buy.com/retail/searchResu...tore=8&loc=111

[BlackSoul]

Dark Rider, awesome screenshots !

I have the Elite Home2 motorized screen with the CineWhite material in the same size, I'm running it in Eco but I don't think it's bright enough, the Power Gain material you've got seems to be the solution.

Would you mind giving me the dimensions and weight of the box you received it in ? I (like bouda) don't live in the US and considering buying the SilverFrame (although I don't like the color silver) and would like to know how much it would cost to ship.

I really appreciate your help.

[Dark Rider]

Originally Posted by Fabricator

i don't think that would be a replacement. not for this price
http://www.buy.com/retail/searchResu...tore=8&loc=111

That is pretty steep pricing, especially based on those screen sizes. I hadn't done any comparison shopping. I just read the description on Elite's website, which reads a lot like the Power Gain:

The new StarBright7 ultra high 7-gain front projection material uses a technology of highly reflective layers with an advanced high contrast filter coating to cope with ambient light while boosting enhanced color reproduction with black level contrast.

Heck, even the picture of the material looks similar to the Power Gain. The specs do cite a narrower viewing cone though, which has to be linked to the extra gain (although I'm still skeptical of claims of 7.0) . Hopefully you're right, and they do come out with a true replacement for the Power Gain. However, I'd venture a guess that the StarBright7 material is directly derived from the same research that created the Power Gain... just taken a bit further and obviously beefed up for the highest gain possible. My retina's hurt just thinking about it