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My HD65 confusion - help appreciated

post #1 of 10
11/2/08 at 11:45am
Thread Starter 
Hi there, my first post - i see you are some knowledgable people on DLP projectors so hope i can get some help.

So im after a projector and saw that i can buy one for approx £450 (Optoma HD65) which looked promising. MANY....MANY reviews have given the HD65 a healthy thumbs up.

My main use will be for XBOX 360 gaming in Hi-Def, and for occasional normal quality DVDs via the 360. was going to hook my freeview up to it but after reading on this forum and other places of relevance, decided against this due to bulb life and general inconvienience of switching lights off etc...i still have a 32" HDTV for other general TV use.

My situation/uses are:
1) White wall for projection of image (will not invest in a screen just yet)
2) potential proj uses: XBOX 360 gaming / NORMAL DEF DVD movies via 360
3) Would you guys strongly advise FOR a screen solely in respect to the HD65?


So my questions are basically

1)Is the HD65 the way to go for my first projector?
2)How long can i (realistically - upon your experiences) expect the bulbs to last (i see its between 2000-3000 hours)
3) how big of an image will i get given the max distance the projector can sit will be approx (9FT 9') - EDIT i calculate around 80" diag?
4)How about angle viewing? Say if someone is sat on the other side of the room but not facing directly forward to the wall - what will the pic look like?(sounds a bit stupid ques now i wrote it out, but please answer anyway!)

Please could you give me some much required help, i will eagerly await your responses as i really want to get going with viewing/playing Gears of War 2 (next week) on a bajillion inch screen.
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post #2 of 10
11/2/08 at 1:23pm
Actually 82" give or take 4 inches if you zoom in or out.

At that distance with the HD65 shining on an 82" screen, you are going to have a very bright, high quality image. On a white wall, the room is going to be so lit up, you will be able to read in there while gaming.

Lamp life is an issue but the much larger screen size benefit offsets the need to replace a lamp once a year or so. Plus, you can get a lamp warranty from Mack that will give you 2 or 3 lamps over a 3 year period of time. For an extra $100, it's well worth it.

I'd say go for it. You will be very surprised how much you like the big screen. On a white wall, you can view from any angle and it will look the same. If you bought a Dalite High Power screen to pump the brightness WAY up the viewing angle will decrease to about 45 degrees of excellent viewing.

Cinema viewing requires about 12 to 16fL of brightness - your 82 inch screen will give you 80fL and on a high power screen, 200fL. You could blind yourself with that!
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post #3 of 10
11/2/08 at 2:15pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by reconlabtech View Post

Actually 82" give or take 4 inches if you zoom in or out.

At that distance with the HD65 shining on an 82" screen, you are going to have a very bright, high quality image. On a white wall, the room is going to be so lit up, you will be able to read in there while gaming.

Lamp life is an issue but the much larger screen size benefit offsets the need to replace a lamp once a year or so. Plus, you can get a lamp warranty from Mack that will give you 2 or 3 lamps over a 3 year period of time. For an extra $100, it's well worth it.

I'd say go for it. You will be very surprised how much you like the big screen. On a white wall, you can view from any angle and it will look the same. If you bought a Dalite High Power screen to pump the brightness WAY up the viewing angle will decrease to about 45 degrees of excellent viewing.

Cinema viewing requires about 12 to 16fL of brightness - your 82 inch screen will give you 80fL and on a high power screen, 200fL. You could blind yourself with that!

Thank you for the post. Great info and insight! You may call me stupid if you wish but what is "fL" :s

Im from the UK by the way so the offer you speak of will not be valid for me...but thanks anyway YOu think ill be safe to just take the plunge and simply view on the wall for now??

Are you saying in regards to the brightness that my room will be too bright (even with lights off - bearing in mind my lounge can be pitch black if i wish) to properly enjoy the big picture? If this is correct - how would i work around this?

Thanks again!
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post #4 of 10
11/2/08 at 6:29pm
Reconlabtech summed it up perfectly. The white walls will just light up the room a little from reflectivity but will not affect the great image you will obtain from the HD65 except for for contrast ratio reduction. Go for it and enjoy the projector as you will not be disapointed.
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post #5 of 10
11/2/08 at 7:43pm
FL = Foot Lamberts, a standard measure of brightness. In other words, your image would be as bright as a plasma tv. Just much bigger for much less money.

I have an HD65 that I adore, and it pretty much kicks butt in most situations. It is my only tv, so I'm watching a gigantic football game (U.S., of course!) as I type this.

Seriously, just do it. You won't be disappointed, I'll wager.
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post #6 of 10
11/2/08 at 7:50pm
What they said. I love my HD65. Coincidentally I am also projecting only an 86" image. It looks great. If this is your first PJ you'll love it too. I'm still convinced it is the best value for the money. My only regret? Not getting it sooner.
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post #7 of 10
11/2/08 at 8:06pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by anandram View Post

Thank you for the post. Great info and insight! You may call me stupid if you wish but what is "fL" :s

Im from the UK by the way so the offer you speak of will not be valid for me...but thanks anyway YOu think ill be safe to just take the plunge and simply view on the wall for now??

Are you saying in regards to the brightness that my room will be too bright (even with lights off - bearing in mind my lounge can be pitch black if i wish) to properly enjoy the big picture? If this is correct - how would i work around this?

Thanks again!

Sorry you won't be able to take advantage of a lamp warranty. Even so, I still think it would be worth it. Just drop a couple quid in a jar every time you watch your PJ and you will be ready for your next lamp when you need one!

I painted a screen on my wall so yes I think a wall will work fine for now.

If you need a light in the room, get a spot that you can direct away from the screen wall and you will be fine. You probably won't need it though!
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post #8 of 10
11/3/08 at 1:36am
Thread Starter 
Thanks alot for your help - some more questions for you guys ,

1) ill prob invest in a screen at some point - id need about a 86" screen i guess...do they come relatively cheap?

2)If i was to buy a screen would buying a darker one help reduce the amount of brightness in the room? I would (if i can help it) like the room to be darkish when i game and not so bright i cant see the image!
How would i get the room darker bearing in mind all that has already been established - or is this not something i should worry about too much?

3)what about this rainbow effect i keep hearing about? Bear in mind ill be gaming at breakneck speeds / spinning around real quick etc etc..anything i should be aware of in that respect?

4) How much are bulbs for the hd65 i hear around £95?
Thanks guys.
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post #9 of 10
11/3/08 at 7:27am
Thread Starter 
I called discounttv.co.uk and the chap there (shane) who apparently is a member on these forums was very helpful. HD65 with a 3 year warranty and component extension cables for £479...not bad i thought.

can anyone shed any info on my second batch of questions above please?
thanks.
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post #10 of 10
11/3/08 at 7:40am
Quote:
Originally Posted by anandram View Post

Thanks alot for your help - some more questions for you guys ,

1) ill prob invest in a screen at some point - id need about a 86" screen i guess...do they come relatively cheap?

2)If i was to buy a screen would buying a darker one help reduce the amount of brightness in the room? I would (if i can help it) like the room to be darkish when i game and not so bright i cant see the image!
How would i get the room darker bearing in mind all that has already been established - or is this not something i should worry about too much?

3)what about this rainbow effect i keep hearing about? Bear in mind ill be gaming at breakneck speeds / spinning around real quick etc etc..anything i should be aware of in that respect?

4) How much are bulbs for the hd65 i hear around £95?
Thanks guys.

1. I would ask your contact about screens. They range from affordable to more than a car.

2. The brightness in the room is directly related to how light colored the ceiling and walls are. I would get things up and running before worrying about how bright the room will be.

3. Have you ever watched a rear projection DLP TV before? Only a small portion of the population is sensitive to RBE. Gaming doesn't necessarily cause RBE or make it worse.

4. Sounds like a reasonable price. Having an extra lamp might be helpful if you can afford one.
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