OFFICIAL Sanyo Z3 thread - Page 61

How many hours on the projectors? I am very suspicious of the LCD projectors now. I like the picture, but not the longevity. The blue polarizer has been a frequent cause of premature failure and for some odd reason, it is very expensive although it sure doesn't look like an expensive part. Failure of the LCD panels happens often as well. Keeping it cool and clean is the best we can do but that apparently doesn't guarantee it won't suffer an early death. I am running a PLV-Z3 with around 1,100 hours after having two Panasonic PT-AE500U projectors fail at about 2,500 hours each.

I don't have any issues with rainbows using DLP but I don't know if my children or girlfriend will. I hope to keep what I currently have working long enough to make a decision. Maybe the current generation of LCD projectors won't be so fragile.

Chris

We use the projector quite a bit. The projector came with the house and we have had to replace the bulb once, but use the projector like as our main TV. I'm thinking of heading to DLP with the HD20 or benq w1000. I'm trying to take apart the Z3 now to see if I can find any magical dust blobs.

I am on my second bulb. I think total I am around 4000 hours on the projector.

I am having what I think are polarizer problems on my Z3 with about 4000 total hours (about 1000 hours on my second bulb). There is a blue haze just to the upper left of center and it seems to be spreading. It has become quite a distraction and based on what I've been reading may mean that it's time to upgrade. If I could just replace the blue polarizer, that would be great - but I don't even know if that is for sure the problem and even if it is, where does one get the part? I'm looking at moving to a Panny 4000 (but this polarizer thing has spooked me) so may go with DLP or LCOS/SXRD. Suggestions?

You might want to try calling Sanyo Parts first to see if they'll sell you whatever parts you need to make the fix yourself.

(888) 337-1215 Option 3
http://us.sanyo.com/Projectors-Landing/Get-Service

That being said, are you sure it's a polarizer? It is my understanding that a bad blue polarizer will cause a yellowish tint, not a blue haze.

Also, have you tried using the blower to clean off the panels? Maybe it's a dust blob?

No, I'm not sure that the blue polarizer is the problem, but in doing a bit of reading I thought it might be. I've tried using the blower bulb to clean all three of the panels, but it hasn't helped. I thought about cracking the whole unit open and doing a total clean, but am unconvinced that it will help much if at all. I'll try it though and let you know if it makes any difference.

Mark

Thanks, Mark. While I only have about 1,400 hours on my Z3, it would be great to know how you resolve the issue, as we all may run into this same problem at some point.

Here's a link with some potentially helpful info on changing the polarizer. Also, it says that a blue polarizer will cause a yellow tint on bright/white images and a bluish tint on dark/black images.

http://geekswithblogs.net/lorint/arc.../24/89071.aspx

In any case, good luck!

Been over a year since I posted in this thread, but my bulb is STILL alive! (I do have a spare I bough ton Ebay a while back, factory new and sealed) Not sure how many hours are on it, but I'm gonna guess we're well over 4,000.

Anyway, just posting here to see if anyone every found a fix for the blue cloud blob issue? Mine's getting worse, from the bottom left corner, it comes and goes up to about the middle of the screen on the left side. Much more obvious on lighter scenes.

Is anyone else even using a Z3 still??

Many still use 'em. They were, and remain a great 720p unit.

I myself have a brand new "Still in the Box" Bulb for a Z3 listed in the AVS Classifieds.

Mine's still in place, with a newish bulb (which I accidentally left on for 2 days straight, so who knows how "new" it is now).

Honestly, despite obsessive calibrations and having a high-gain screen an extremely dark room, my Z3 has never been as bright or punchy as I would have liked and that's always bothered me. There may be something wrong with it, but it was subjective enough that I could never prove it to Sanyo. Even a new bulb didn't solve the issue, and now I'm so bothered by it that I can't even bring myself to watch it.

I wanted to update to a new PJ a couple years ago, then the economy went bad, etc. Now my primary financial priority is paying off the mortgage while my Z3 gathers dust. :-( Does that make me a terrible person? :-)

Hey there, shanksworthy and M-Man - good to see this thread resurrected, if only for a while.

shank - have you tried the cc30r filter with ROne's settings? If you haven't, it's a HUGE improvement. I'm still get the wow factor to this day.

Here's link to the PDF with the settings from the Z3 Tweak Thread:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/attac...2&d=1130151718

Here's a link to the filter I use:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...Red_CC30R.html

As I generally understand it, the Z3 was limited in red level, so adding the filter allows for pushing the green and blue levels more, resulting in a brighter, punchier image with better accuracy and contrast. Best $15 I ever spent.

Even though I have light carpet, white walls, a white ceiling, and a 1.0 Gain screen (yes, I know, I really need to at least darken the walls), when people first see it, they think it's a giant TV. They can't believe a projector is that bright and crisp.

If you have tried the filter, and still don't think it's bright enough, then I would think it may be a projector issue.

Thanks for that! I'd come across the tweak thread, but never have I seen all the best info compiled into one place like this before. This is great.

To be honest, even with the iris opened to max the picture still seems barely bright enough to me. In the past I had tried ROne's settings without the filter, but it made the image so dim that I couldn't imagine how a filter would solve that. So it's probably a projector problem. But for under $15.00 I guess I can't go wrong by trying.

BTW when I say "dim", I haven't decided whether I mean that the picture is actually dark, or that the colours are just lacking in saturation (or a bit of both).

BTW ajstan, I took your advice and ordered the cc30r filter. Unfortunately the Lee filter was listed as a "special order item" which from my experience means my order would have sat in limbo for months. So I ordered a Kodak one instead on eBay (cheaper too).

Do you think it will make a difference?

No, I would think the only thing that matters is that it's cc30r, other than how long the filter will last without fading and needing to be turned. I'll be interested in hearing how it turns out for you.

I have a Sanyo PLV-Z3 projector that is about 6 years old with 2160 hours on the original bulb. I have seen many posts regarding the "spreading blue area" issue, but I have not seen any AVS forum posts with a definitive resolution. Some say it's the bulb, others say it's the blue polarizing filter and others blame the LCD itself.

I have taken the projector apart and the blue polarizing filter shows some burn-in, but there is no dust on it. The inside of the projector is very clean (dust free). I did have 2 dust blobs in the past 6 years so I am familiar with the resulting picture and how to clean them. Dust blobs are not the issue. The polarizer burn-in might account for the static blue areas, but I doubt this is responsible for the blue areas that change as the projector heats up. Is it a bad LCD?

So, does anyone have a resolution and also a recommendation on a good source to obtain replacement parts. Any help is appreciated. I would love to be able to resolve this issue since the Sanyo PLV-Z3 has served me well over the years.

My seven-year-old Sanyo PLV-Z3 projector still works great, and I've never had a moment's problem with dust. I'm on only my second bulb (been keeping a spare ready to go). However, I suddenly have a weird problem with the HDMI input:

Although the projector will display an Apple TV HDMI signal, that's the only one it will display.* Testing with two different HDMI cables proves that the projector will no longer display a directly-connected HDMI signal from a Denon AVR-1912 receiver (only two months old), a Sony Blu-Ray DVD player, or a Verizon FiOS set-top box. Previously, the Z3 had no problem with any of these source devices, whether connected directly or through a small line-powered HDMI switch. For the last two months, the Denon receiver has been that switch, and has worked well.

The projector still displays component and composite video just fine, and would handle the HDMI of the Apple TV (only). But I would rather use my (nearly new!) receiver, which simplifies the connection (uses just the single HDMI cable) and requires no switching of the projector input.

Anyone have thoughts on why most -- but not all HDMI -- inputs will suddenly not display? What kind of "partial failure" could have happened in the Z3?


* Details of display failure symptom: When nothing is connected to the projector, the screen is a solid blue, and a five-minute countdown appears in the lower right corner. When a device is connected to the the projector through an HDMI cable, the countdown disappears and the blue screen is replaced by a (less intense) green screen. Note that this is not the so-called "Predator" display -- there is no movement on the screen, and the green screen is uniform in color. The projector clearly realizes that something is connected; when the source device is disconnected, the blue screen (with its countdown) returns. No combo of connect/disconnect and/or turnon/turnoff and/or "remove power for 15 minutes" sequences were found that would have any effect.

Hi Bob - it seems like this response may be a bit late, but here are my thought based upon my experience and some things to try:

1. The green screen appears to be a handshake issue. I had that problem with an OTA set-top box.

2. Try setting your HDMI devices to a 720p fixed output. The Apple TV original and V2 models are limited to 720p, so that may be the reason it's working. Also, use "HDMI pass-through" mode on your reciever if your receiver supports it.

3. Sometimes the receiver's HDMI switch goes bad due to overheating. Check AVS to see if this a known issue for your particular model.

Good luck and feel free to follow-up if further help is needed.

"Z3.5" Tweak Update

Just picked up a Nikon CC30R (2265) 52 mm filter for my Z3 to replace the Lee poly filter I had been using. The Lee filters are rareley in-stock and the Nikon filters are relatively available new ($38-$50) or used ($15-$22).

http://www.google.com/search?q=Nikon+CC30R+%282265%29+52+mm+Filter

The Nikon filter fits nicely inside the silver focus ring and on top of the black trim around the lens and can be held in by a couple of small strips of scotch tape, although I'm sure that someone here may have a better idea on how to secure the filter in place.

Here is the link to the post in the Z3 tweak thread with the settings for the filter, which substantially improve the contrast and color accuracy:
http://www.avsforum.com/t/468801/plv-z3-tweak-thread/480#post_6288079

Here is a PDF with the settings:
http://www.avsforum.com/attachments/22608

---

ROne: CC30R Powerful Prestart [Post 503]
Author : ROne
Date : 10-02-05 10:07 PM
Title : Cracked it ! Powerful CC30R - D65 (or close) + Good Contrast

You will need a new filter, a CC30R. Well the CC30R allows you to run powerful, get that nice contrast and keep the green at the top end under control. Start powerful, lamp low etc. IRIS where you want it, I would suggest go low as you can down to about -40s if you've got light control. Contrast and brightness as always do yourself:

C: -8
B: 0
R: -3
G: 0
B: 0
Iris: -35
Gain R: +15
Gain G: 0
Gain B: -10
Offset: R: -15
Offset: G: +7
Offset B: +2
Gamma 0,0,0

Monday
19 Nov
02:54 EST

@ajstan99 -- I appreciate your replying with some thoughts and suggested plans of attack. However, I have now solved the problem, which did indeed appear to be a kind of handshake issue.

After I last posted, I continued shopping for a new projector, but it was difficult to find anything that was quite up to the Z3.

I continued using the Z3 in a weird hookup -- HDMI from Apple TV, component from BD, composite (ugh!) from FiOS box -- under-using my beautiful new Denon AVR for audio only. That worked for a few weeks...and then the Apple TV also became unhappy with the Z3: Apple TV refused to send streaming Netflix content to the projector because the Z3 appeared to be non-compliant with HDCP (which relates to a copy-protection handshaking protocol, as best I understand it).

So now the Z3 would not display any HDMI signal at all. That's when I discovered on the net, and purchased, and installed an HDMI-to-RGB-component converter between the Denon receiver and the Z3, which bypasses the HDCP problem -- and of course, all HDMI interface problems.

Now I have reconnected everything through the Denon AVR, sending its single HDMI output almost to the projector...just converting the signal to RGB at the Z3's input. I'm sure this offends the true videophiles, but I am relieved to be able to continue using the Z3. The picture looks great to me (and to my family and friends).

Hope this description of my problem (and solution) is of some help to others.

Bob

I personally loved and used and installed many Sanyo projectors.

But you surely did not shop around very thoroughly.

The Epson 8350 is a gold plated Lamborghini compared to the Sanyo Z 3

2000 lumens
Wider throw distance
50,000:1 contrast
Better color
1080p

On sale this Friday at Fry's for $799.00

Give the Sanyo to the Kids. It's a "Kenner Show and Tell " compared to the 8350

Well, I have to admit that I didn't really want to buy a new projector when I was reasonably satisfied with the one I had...except for the matter of its refusal to display HDMI. Also, since I didn't know exactly what the problem was that was preventing the proper acceptance/display of my HDMI signal, I had no guarantee that a brand new projector wouldn't have exactly the same symptoms!

To your point, though, I found when researching the 8350 that there were a number of concerns about the quality of the lens shift mechanism -- a very important factor for my installation. See, for example, this thread:
http://www.avsforum.com/t/1283049/epson-8350-lens-shift-controls

That made me move on (too quickly, probably) to other candidate projectors. However, I agree that the 8350's manual says that one can "use lens shift to move the image up or down by nearly its full height, and left or right by about one-half its width". That should certainly do the job.

But...given that right now, everyone (including me) who watches a BD movie or a FiOS HD sporting event in my theatre says, "Wow!" when they see it,
what more can I expect from spending another $800 for the 8350 and giving the Z3 away? Are people going to say, "Wow-de-wow-WOW!"?
Or are they going to say, "Oh, is this different from the projector you had? What was wrong with it?"

Just wondering...

Wonder no more.

Yes....the Jaws will drop so far you'll be wiping spittle off the carpet.

Really though, your concerns and hesitation are common and quite typical for most 720p Pj owners who have seen scaled 1080i on what was widely acknowledged as being a excellent performer....in it's day. But in fact, you never went beyond the Z3 to the Z4 or Z5, both of which sported progressively higher Lumen output while steadily increasing Contrast specs, so even within the "Z" genre, you have no comprehension of what your missing. That Sir, results in your all too easily dismissing the potential satisfaction a truly spectacular upgrade would offer you.

Now, the 8350 is not just a PJ that has true 1080p resolution, you have to dare to compare all the differences:
..........1280 x 720 vs 1980 x 1080
..........and 800 lumens vs 2000 lumens
...........Zoom 1.3:1 vs 2.10:1
..........and 2000:1 cr vs 50,000:1 cr (AVS doesn't have a emoticon that expresses that difference...)

And lastly....the original price of the Z3 was $2495.00
....and your looking at an opportunity to get the 8350 for $799.00( $7999.00 )

Bob...this is a argument you can afford to lose. I will personally assure you that you will be astonished....especially seeing as you obviously haven't experienced anything remotely akin to the performance differences. I don't make that assurance lightly....it comes from a wealth of experience (...maybe 20+ Z2s-Z3s-Z4s-Z5s installed...) with the Sanyo line, and the chance to upgrade almost everyone who ever bought a Sanyo to the 8350. Almost every one of those Owners was a clueless PJ enthusiast who got into the "Big Picture" at my bequest, and yet still upgraded to the 8350 because I could easily also assure them of the huge difference that awaited them.

Another thing...the lens shift issues were primarily cases where the positioning could get jarred from excessive vibration ( crazy bass levels, or upstairs stomping...)

No PJ can claim being perfect, or something for everyone.

But a 8350 for $799.00 covers a very wide cross section of cheap-ares projector heads who want more value and performance than one should have a right to expect.

So just do it......................or not. It's your choice to make.
Edited by MississippiMan - 11/19/12 at 3:12pm

Hi Bob and you're certainly welcome. I don't doubt MMan's take on the 8350 (if I was in the market, I'd jump on that deal), but if you want a significant upgrade in contrast and color accuracy on the Z3 for $20-$25, definitely try the cc30r filter with ROne's settings. I'd be happy to answer any questions you may have about it.

Friday
23 Nov
04:13 EST

Re: Epson 8350 for $799 at Fry's today

Just checked the price online and it's still $1299, so this must be the in-store price you're talking about, assuming they're in stock.

Unfortunately, I do not have the option of driving from Maryland to a Fry's today...they're all pretty far away from me...