Best 1080p projector?

Best bet is go over to www.projectorcentral.com and check out the 1080P shootout...

And then go somewhere else to see real reviews of the listed machines.

Projector Central will recommend the Panasonic PT-AE1000, but most people will not.

For $7k I think it boils down to the Sharp XV-Z20000, BenQ W10000 or the new JVC DLA-HD1 (RS1).

Very difficult call between them, and even the experts would have a hard time reaching any consensus. I have a suspicion that the (cheaper) BenQ video processing isn't quite as good as the others, and the JVC won't suffer from rainbows.

Nick

from what I have read I would go for the JVC DLA-HD1 http://www.avforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=470757

"MOST" people (includes almost everyone on this forum) have not seen all these projectors side by side, the folks over a ProjectorCentral have... But they "did not" recommend "any" particular projector...they just gave their honest opinions of the pros and cons. The Panny in my opinion is the most well rounded and versatile of the bunch...considering, throw, power zoom/focus, black level, colors, sharpness, vertical stretch, lense shift, quietness, etc. I own the Panny and I have no complaints.

We don't need to start this argument again....I was just criticized fairly viciously by a Panasonic owner at length in another thread concerning this very thing. Do some searching around this forum. You'll find many who argue that projectorcentral's reviews are far from "honest opinions of pros and cons" - Don't shoot the messenger - I'm just letting you know that there are many who view their reviews with a grain of salt - and when talking about the 1080p shootout - definitely by people who have seen all of those projectors...with their own eyes. There are some very long - and recent threads - where this has been hashed out at length.

In terms of your original post - the Mitsubishi has been criticized recently especially in terms of the dynamic iris implementation which is clunky at best.

I would agree with welwynnick...at the 7K price point (double that of the Panasonic) you're looking at the Sharp, BenQ and JVC (which has yet to ship in the US).

at your price point, the Sharp and JVC are the obvious choices. The LCD projectors are at a lower price point. Check out the JVC RS1 threads and the reviews that have trickled in...impressive.

You might also consider what, if anything, can be gained by spending slightly more....Sony Ruby, SIM2 D80, etc.

What! No Pearl recommendations, lol?

If you want to stay on the safe side, buy from a company that will let you swap out something that your not happy with. I purchased a rather expensive unit that was supposed to be the cats meow, but it didn't work for me, so I was able to send the unit back and get that credit toward a different unit...This is the safest route because you can actually calibrate the settings and see how well it will work for your invironment...As long as you keep the lamp hours under 5 most reputable places will allow to swap out for a different unit.

The Sony Pearl is a great choice too...Keep in mind, the technology is ever evolving, and next year even the JVC will be placed on the back burner for the next latest and greatest....That was one of the main reasons for me sticking with the Panny. The cost was low enough to where I won't feel too damaged in a year or so...and the quality is very, very, good.

The Sharp 20K (If rainbows dont bother you) and the JVC RS1/HD1 are the only 2 choices IMO if you are going to spend up to 7K. From all reports thus far, these are the 2 best units under 10K all around.

I would say the Mitsubishi is the best option on a budget, but as others have said it isn't quite up to snuff with some of the more expensive options (although still within your budget).

i would go with the panny

[quote=chuckkenThe Panny in my opinion is the most well rounded and versatile of the bunch...considering, throw, power zoom/focus, black level, colors, sharpness, vertical stretch, lense shift, quietness, etc.[/QUOTE]

The Panny does the vertical stretch for 2.35:1 CIH? So is this the only one of the LCD 1080p projectors that will? What about the Mits 5000 or Epson TW1000?

No contest! Sharp 20K...but then again, I'm HIGHLY biased.

Nice image, but spews rainbows worse than the other 1-chippers.

The JVC is just about hitting the streets. It would be useful to hear some consumer comments on it before biting. And the Pearl already has won many hearts for less than your budget.

You owe it to yourself to see these for yourself before buying if at all possible. If not, then the trade in policy noted here is critical. AVS is a great place to do business. Besides sponsoring this forum, they offer excellent pricing and support.

I'm not sure why some people are so enthralled with the Panny. It's really more in the class of LCDs around its pricing IMHO. If you have around 7K, the JVC is going to be tempting my guess.

Because of Projector Central.

well, projectorreviews.com also gave it high marks...Haven't actually seen a negative official review, though have read mixed reviews on this forum.