Official Mitsubishi hc4000 ONLY Thread - Page 4

The Mits does more realistic MODES of higher LUMENs than either Epson. Although the Epsons beat the Mits for overall brightness, the Mits does not go so far off color as quickly at over 600 lumens. If you want maximum POP and PUNCH in bright scenes as well as for TV watching, you can't really beat the Mits hc4000 no matter which projector you get. The Mits really only has one weakness, and that's dark scenes.
The Mits is sold for too cheap given it's image attributes, it could easily be a $2000 projector since it wins in bright scenes verse everything else I've seen. If I had to put the Mits in a given price range based on image quality, I would think the Mits is more realistically a $1500 to $1800 projector, at its current price it is just an absolute freaking steal.


I've just been bitten by the ALWAYS wanting more bug. It's also just that before I commited and paid so much for a JVC, wanted to be sure I've already seen enough projectors to ensure that the picture is actually worth dropping $2500 to $3500. I will know exactly what I'm getting if I go for the JVC, I've seen enough projectors now. If JVC dissapoints, it will either be sold or returned.

I also had fun learning about the differences in projectors, and calibrating so many different ones.

Nope, I would not even watch the ACER for 2d if I owned it, doesn't compare to the image of the Mits, which isn't even all that more expensive to me anyways.

4000 Hours on a lamp is plenty long which I would expect to get out of the Mits lamps, won't take that many lamp replacements when split between 2 projectors.
On average, I probably put 2500 hours a year on a projector
(although I tend to leave PJ's on while I'm on my computer, which is what about 30% of the hours are from, a habit I need to break)

If I have a JVC, I'm guessing I'd put 1000 hours on the JVC and 1500 hours on the Mits each year, meaning I would only need 2 bulbs after about 3 years, no biggie.

I'm way too sensitive to rainbows, not for me, the Mits is barely do-able cause of rainbows, much less a slower color wheel with a much lower contrast image.

Your lucky you decided to go with the Mits over the Epson 8350. The Mits DLP is a better picture overall. People wrongly assume because they are near the same price, that the PQ is the same, but it isn't. Although that said, most people probably don't care about the differences in PQ I suppose, or at least I guess ignorance is bliss.

The only two LCD projectors I can stand are the Epson 8700ub and the Sanyo z4000, but even then in BRIGHT scenes it still can't quite match DLP.

Screens
You don't lose black levels with gain screens as long as you have your room treated correctly and you don't make your PJ too bright. A gain screen just changes the white levels and black levels at the same time, screens are passive devices.

I favor the High Power 2.4 gain screen for budget conscious people (heck for most people even), but if you have a white ceiling and ceiling mount the Mits, the HP screen may mess up your black levels due to too much light reflecting back to the ceiling.

If going purely by PQ, the 8350 vs. the Mits hc4000 isn't even worthy of a debate. The Epson 8700ub or Sanyo z4000 vs. the MITS at least CAN be debated.

The 8700ub vs. the Mits hc4000 is a mixed bag. If I had to own just one, I'd most likely take a Mits hc4000 over the 8700ub because it has a better picture for TV and BRIGHT SCENES. Both projectors have advantages and disadvantages vs. each other. Obviously the Epson owning it for dark scenes. Actually I never owned the 8700ub, only the 8500ub, but whatever. Some people would say because the Epson is close enough in BRIGHT SCENE pop and totally owns the Mits in dark scenes, go with the 8700ub for sure. I say, well, now that my eye is trained to see every little freaking imperfection after comparing all these projectors, the MITS is better for OCD enthusiasts like myself, that don't mind living with brighter blacks. The Mits still produces the MOST consistent image with fewest side effects in processing.

Have fun with your Mits though!

Nope, I meant what I said. I said "unless it makes your projector too bright", what I meant was unless it is too bright to compensate just like you stated.
Dropping a black carpet on the floor and floor mounting the Mits to an HP is one of the few ways to help deal with a white ceiling, if you refuse to paint that is. It isn't as good as a dark ceiling, but it surely helps a lot.

We argued this out in this thread:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1311933

It raises both black and white levels, but unless you have no room to drop your brightness and contrast back down on your projector to a CORRECT FTL, then you would be at an invalid overall brightness level. I don't consider having too bright of an image or being at invalid calibration levels "worse black levels", I consider that just having too bright of an image. In that case, you should take corrective steps like a filter or something (since most projectors these days have IRIS's and CAN compensate, the Mits and some other cheaper DLP's being an exception).

The HP screen has many advantages beyond just gain, and when you ceiling mount, you won't get too much gain increase anyhow. Keep in mind most people are using screens over 100", so in that case some gain generally won't hurt you depending how tall you are while sitting on your couch, it'll just make your lamp lost longer. If ceiling mounting to an HP, you really can't have white ceilings though.

I saw it even far cheaper than that at Overstock.com a week ago by stacking coupons and getting money back. Heck overstock.com had several projectors dirt cheap, sale is over though, too bad.