Sony HW15 Info - Page 3

The review needs to be cleaned up a bit, lot references to the Sharp 15K on the IQ page, but I like Arts reviews the best anyways.

He mentions blacks are quite close to the Epson's, and brighter in best mode (if I read it correctly). The new Epson 8500 have been previewed by Cine4Home and it appears they didn't really improve the black level at all, mainly the FI was fixed.

Art's review seemed a little schizophrenic. At the beginning there's a bit of negative tone and spin, building up to saying its maybe about like last years Epson 6500UB but not quite. People have said Art used to work for Epson and doesnt like Sony but I haven't confirmed that. I quoted him above saying something positive about the Sony, though even there it comes across as a bit of a left-handed compliment. Then in the middle there are a bunch of typos. And at the end of the review he seems to say a lot of good things about the HW15.

When will a different website review the HW15 and when will we get some more solid numbers. Like I said, science, I want numbers not words that sound like the back of a wine bottle.

The Sony can do 8000 to 12000 without using the DI. Same panel as last year, same sealed light path. The Epsons also use the same panels as last year (D7) and same unsealed light path. Epson is not really an option for me because of their poor track record on reliability and I live in a remote place. Also I'm not going to wait around until December for them to ship it, or March for them to fix the FI firmware, or April for the special German version that costs more and you pay in Euros, if last year is any guide.

We need scientific reasons on how a given contrast ratio is obtained. Epson did not change their panel nor their optics. I guess they cranked their sharpness filter and put in a second iris. Sony also did not change their panel. Did they change their wire grid or glass? They did change their DI.

Where are you and Art getting this? Projectorcentral starts out by raving about the brightness...

"Lumen output. The HW15 is rated at 1,000 lumens, as was its predecessor, the HW10. In Cinema mode, using high lamp and the lens's widest angle setting, our test sample measured 830 ANSI lumens. This is a modest boost from the HW10, which already had a very bright Cinema mode at 697 lumens. This gives the HW15 one of the brightest Cinema modes we've seen, and makes it a versatile, flexible projector for use in almost any viewing environment.

Low lamp mode introduces a significant drop of 30%, so Cinema mode is reduced to 575 lumens. This setting still produces enough light for a 150" screen in a light-controlled room. If you find high lamp mode to be too bright for your room, which is quite likely if you have good light control, low lamp mode can help curtail lumen output to a more reasonable level.

The HW15, like the HW10, has a 1.6:1 manual zoom lens. This lens transmits the maximum amount of light when using the wide angle setting, or the largest possible image at a given distance. Using the telephoto end of the zoom lens introduces a drop in lumen output of 22%. In a worst-case scenario, when using Cinema mode with the low lamp setting and the telephoto end of the zoom lens, the HW15 measures 443 lumens. This is still more than enough light for a 120" diagonal 16:9 screen in a light-controlled room, so the bottom line on the HW15 is that it's bright enough for just about any traditional home theater application. The high maximum light output also means you could use the projector to watch HD sports or play video games with the room lights turned up and still have a fairly pleasant picture."

http://www.projectorcentral.com/sony...w15_review.htm

If a truly doubled native+dynamic contrast ratio does not justify a new name for you then something is wrong with you.


The Epson actually has a lower native contrast ratio than the HW15. In dynamic mode Epson might have a higher dynamic contrast ratio, but I don't care about that. Dynamic mode is useless to me. And btw, in Germany the HW10 was/is way cheaper than the Epson 8500/TW5000.

We can't excpect the Hw15 to be a giant killer, you get what you pay for to a point. Nothing wrong with a slightly improved HW10 that is cheaper! If you want better, don't hang on marketing CR numbers, buy the VW85.

The HW15 is much improved over the HW10. Seeing is believing.....

Are you the one who wrote that Norwegian review? Are you planning to review the new JVCs, too? I'd love to see ANSI contrast measurements...

Yes!

There might also be a review of the HD950 down the road

Cool, you're HW15 review was well done! Do you have a guesstimate on when you could provide HD950 ANSI contrast measurements? Thanks.

Anbjornk,

Can you share with us in what points do you disagree with projectorreviews review?

Art was not impressed but you were indeed...

Thanks in advance!

As far as I can see, Art gives the HW15 a "Hot product award". He also praise the projector in his summary:


I get the feeling that he was impressed by the unit, and so was I.
That said, we probably do things a bit different, but that is to be expected since we are two different people

my feeling while reading Art was kind of a rutinary review and I remember anbjornk's was much more optimistic about how much better is the HW15 vs HW10...

Just that. And even if you read projectorcentral it's rutine again. No excitement... Are they bored reviewing so many machines???

So, please, anbjornk, can you share in english with us your overall impression about the HW15?

Thank you!

It almost seems as North American reviewers are almost afraid to differentiate one product from another, the reviews are so bland and "cut and paste". No personality at all. Like they are afraid of manufacturer backlash or something. Its like the UK car shows (Top Gear, etc.) compared to our car shows, ours are so boring

I injoy Arts reviews alot.Also PC reviews are quick and to the point.Art did say their is not anything better for the price performance wise as the hw15.All these fp have gotten so good now'I would have a hard time seeing any difference in them.Art said if he had a Hw10 to compare to the newer Hw15 that he might be able to tell better.To me that means he is haveing a hard time also seeing big improvements in them.I hope to a Hw15 soon.I might have been out of line saying the Hw15 is overpriced.I guess lcos fp for under 3k is not bad.

Anbjorn, Are you planning to review the new Epsons, too?

I was very impressed with the HW15. The projector is a very nice allrounder with no obvious flaws. Contrast, blacklevel and colors are all very good.
In it's pricerange (atleast in Norway) it "kills" the competitors, and in my opnion, also the TW5000 (6500). I would not hesitate to recommend it to anyone.

I don't know yet, but both the W6000 and HD950 will be reviewed prior to the Epson (If it will be reviewed aty all).

Ive read conflicting reports about this projector when it comes to being able to view 2.35:1 movies with an anamorphic lens. Does it have a vertical stretch mode or is it similar to the HW-10?

It's similar to the HW10, which means that it has no anamorphic mode.

Just got an email from Crutchfield saying my VPL-HW15 shipped out already! It's not even listed on their site yet! I called in to confirm and it is the -HW15 and it DID ship to my location. Should get it before weeks end! WOW!


Ship To: Robert S********
*************
**********, IL 60542
***********
Email:*********
Item Description Ship Qty B/O Qty Price Amount
158VPLHW15 Sony VPL-HW15 1080p SXRD Home Theater Projector 1 0 2,499.99 2,499.99
000HOMECAT Current Home Catalog Bounceback 1 0 0.00 0.00
000PIPENV Envelope barcode Outgoing pack Outgoing packages 1 0 0.00 0.00
Sub Total: 2,499.99
Shipping: FREE
Total: 2,499.99


The back story :

I had discovered that they actually had the lowest price I could find on the VPL-HW10 and with 0% interest for 24 months, how can you go wrong? I placed that order back in June knowing it was on backorder. I assumed it would only be a few weeks, which eventually turned into a few months! It worked to my advantage though! Sony discontinued the -HW10 and replaced it with the -HW15, so Crutchfield said they would just honor the terms for the backordered -10. Can't wait! And 3 weeks ahead of schedule!

Congrats!

do you have a previous PJ to compare with?

we wait for your impressions!

My current PJ is a Sony VPL-HS51. Before that it was the Sony VPL-VW10HT and before that it was a Sharp something.....

I'm insanely jealous! I prefer the look of LCOS to all other techs, and the HW15 is looking pretty hard to resist, congrats!

Congrats.Now reviews please lucky guy.

Where can you get the HW15 in Europe?
I live in Belgium and I can't find it anywhere at reasonable prices. Atleast not online (I haven't checked physical AV-stores yet). I know the suggested retail price of the HW10 was about 2285, yet I can't find the HW15 for less than 2795. Isn't the HW15 supposed to have a lower MSRP?

Yes.

The MSRP on the HW15 in the states is $500 LESS than the HW10 !

Hello rms8
It's been quite some time since you received your HW15, would be nice if you could report us about your impressions.