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Can I trust Projector People and Projector Reviews?

post #1 of 44
4/13/07 at 1:52pm
Thread Starter 
Ok, I assume since projectorepeople.com is an AVS sponsor I can trust buying from them but can I trust their screenshots of the images from the various projectors? And at that can I trust the pictures taken of images from projectors at projectorreviews.com? Assuming I can trust both those sites are pictures taken of a projected image usually a good indication of performance?
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post #2 of 44
4/13/07 at 2:00pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by bkchurch View Post

Ok, I assume since projectorepeople.com is an AVS sponsor I can trust buying from them but can I trust their screenshots of the images from the various projectors?

I don't know about the screenshots, but you should feel safe buying from any of the AVS alliance members.
Quote:


Assuming I can trust both those sites are pictures taken of a projected image usually a good indication of performance?

Absolutely not.
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post #3 of 44
4/13/07 at 2:03pm
I concur with tlreddragon.

I'd further add the pictures taken generally don't do justice to the pic.
If you really need to see a demo of a projector, your best bet is to try to find someone in your area that has a projector already setup and ask to see a demo.
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post #4 of 44
4/13/07 at 2:08pm
You can always trust people here. Let's us know what you're considering and we'll give you our honest opinion.
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post #5 of 44
4/13/07 at 2:19pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by bqmeister View Post

I concur with tlreddragon.

I'd further add the pictures taken generally don't do justice to the pic.
If you really need to see a demo of a projector, your best bet is to try to find someone in your area that has a projector already setup and ask to see a demo.

Well that would actually be a good thing, if the image quality is better than the pictures. I've been looking at pictures on both sites from the Mitsu HD1000U and been quite impressed but if the actual PQ is better than I should be more than happy. Unfortunately I live in a VERY rural area (it's like a village and I'm 2 hours from the nearest CC and BB) and I don't know of anyplace where I could see it in action.
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post #6 of 44
4/13/07 at 2:35pm
I purchased from projectorpeople with NO problems. They even called me to confirm my order at which time I realized I had forgotten a mount and they added that for me. I had my PJ in under a week.

Great customer service. I would buy from them again.
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post #7 of 44
4/13/07 at 2:57pm
I also purchased from PP, Kirk, to be exact. The level of customer service I recv'd both before and after the sale has been of the highest caliber. I had a small problem with the screen I had purchased from them and they immediately became the middleman to get me in touch with Draper to resolve the issue. I have emailed Kirk on a few occasions with questions and each time he has responded quickly and if he did not know the answer to my query, he got in touch with the respective tech dept to find out the answer. If the rest of the company has the same work ethic, you should have no problems. Additionally, you could ask your questions here as I have found many of my answers in these forums.
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post #8 of 44
4/13/07 at 3:07pm
The companies in question are fine. The only thing you can't trust is yourself. Will a really nice projector be what you thought it was going to be? Will it fulfill the romantic picture in your head? Will it make a good picture in your environment (too much light? - not going to buy a screen? - totally white environment?) That's where the risk is.
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post #9 of 44
4/13/07 at 7:35pm
I bought a projector last month from Projector People. Shipped same day, Sent a tracking #. Great company.
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post #10 of 44
4/13/07 at 8:23pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by JHouse View Post

The companies in question are fine. The only thing you can't trust is yourself. Will a really nice projector be what you thought it was going to be? Will it fulfill the romantic picture in your head? Will it make a good picture in your environment (too much light? - not going to buy a screen? - totally white environment?) That's where the risk is.

O yea it definitely will, I used Mitsu's throw distance calculator and I can get a 65" image with the space I have (and possibly more depending on the size of my apartment when I leave for college) which, though small for a projector, is amazing for me. And my environment is great, with a little work I can block almost all ambient light in my room and I think I can rig up a nice quality DIY screen. The wall it will be on is white (well kind've an incredibly white green actually) but a nice border of black gorilla tape around the edge of the screen will fix that problem nicely (trust me I have no problem with putting gorilla tape on my walls I'm fine with the redneck look).
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post #11 of 44
4/13/07 at 11:16pm
bkchurch -- If you read Art's (AVS member = presenter) disclaimers (www.projectprreviews.com), you will notice that he says that his pictures are there to support what he's saying in the text, and cannot be used as a reference. You are supposed to read the entire review, not just look at his pictures.

The reason is that digital cameras have their own color bias (and so does your PC monitor) and they do not have the dynamic range of the PJs. Therefore, the pictures are not an accurate way to judge the performance of the displays that he is reviewing. This is exactly what he says.

NOTE: IMHO, you can trust Art's reviews more than any other source. He tells you exactly what he sees and measures, and what is biasing his opinions.
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post #12 of 44
4/14/07 at 4:33am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by CT_Wiebe View Post

bkchurch -- If you read Art's (AVS member = presenter) disclaimers (www.projectprreviews.com), you will notice that he says that his pictures are there to support what he's saying in the text, and cannot be used as a reference. You are supposed to read the entire review, not just look at his pictures.

The reason is that digital cameras have their own color bias (and so does your PC monitor) and they do not have the dynamic range of the PJs. Therefore, the pictures are not an accurate way to judge the performance of the displays that he is reviewing. This is exactly what he says.

NOTE: IMHO, you can trust Art's reviews more than any other source. He tells you exactly what he sees and measures, and what is biasing his opinions.

Yup, read the reviews always do when I'm researching stuff like this. I still think I'll probably be happy with it.
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post #13 of 44
4/14/07 at 6:26am
You should also look at cine4home's reviews, which are incredibly detailed. They don't review many projectors, however. The most confusing reviews, in my opinion, are from projectorcentral.
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post #14 of 44
4/14/07 at 6:12pm
My choices:

projectorreviews for detailed reviews in a consistent format for a variety of models.

projectorcentral to read user reviews of the various models.

avsforum for enlightening discussion of the pros and cons of model A vs. model B.
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post #15 of 44
4/15/07 at 9:31pm
I agree with Rocenante but there is really nothing like doing an A-B comparison yourself.
If you can't get an A-B comparision I would also look to some of the trade mags like Sound & Vision, Home Theater Mag, & The Perfect Vision. Audioholics also does some nice reviews. All have online sites.
If you ask on here you'll get 20 different opinions from 20 different people - including myself!
Dealers and sales people will usually, not always, recommend whatever they can make the most money on. If there is a SPIF on a certain model, you can guarantee the sales reps will be pushing that one as the best.

Trust your eyes, not necessarily the sales person or dealer. If you trust the dealer, verify with your eyes.
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post #16 of 44
4/16/07 at 9:34am
I recently bought my second projector (Z5) from ProjectorPeople. My office is about 5 miles from their location in Tampa FL. So I went and picked up my projector to check them out.

I learned that they are the internet storefront for a very well respected company here in Tampa called Audio Visual Innovations. AVI has been around for over 15 years, and they sell, service, and rent all types of a/v equipment. I would estimate they have over 100 employees.
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post #17 of 44
4/18/07 at 12:59am
Quote:
Originally Posted by bkchurch View Post

Well that would actually be a good thing, if the image quality is better than the pictures. I've been looking at pictures on both sites from the Mitsu HD1000U and been quite impressed but if the actual PQ is better than I should be more than happy. Unfortunately I live in a VERY rural area (it's like a village and I'm 2 hours from the nearest CC and BB) and I don't know of anyplace where I could see it in action.

The bigger better projector stores, lik the one in Florida, let you use it for 4 hours in your home at no charge. You will be dazzled with HD, and SD is good if set up well, so you will keep it. But otherwise, it is just the shipping back with no restocking fee. Order one. The only real way to know if you will like it is to use it in your own audio-video environment. Good luck.
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post #18 of 44
4/18/07 at 12:18pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by bjmiller48 View Post

The bigger better projector stores, lik the one in Florida, let you use it for 4 hours in your home at no charge. You will be dazzled with HD, and SD is good if set up well, so you will keep it. But otherwise, it is just the shipping back with no restocking fee. Order one. The only real way to know if you will like it is to use it in your own audio-video environment. Good luck.

Wow there's no restocking fee? That's amazing, I think I may have to give that a try. I'm pretty sure once I have my Mits HD1000U set up though I won't be sending it back.
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post #19 of 44
4/18/07 at 12:21pm
I used Projector sites, Amazon, and a few other sites to get an overall review from both the experts (who like pro movie critics) tend to be overly critical (especially on lower end units sometimes) Then I read reviews from normal "joblo" types before I came to a decision.
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post #20 of 44
4/18/07 at 4:13pm
The point of the projectorreviews screenshots is to allow you to compare the relative merits of projectors. Without a reference, the screenshots are not that meaningful. You might be able to see more details in the shadows of a screenshot from one projector compared to the next - that is why they are there to show you what improvements you can expect from buying one projector compared to another.

If you are new to front projection very pay careful attention to the "out of the box" color, contrast and shadow detail descriptions on projector reviews, unless you plan to have your projector professionally calibrated. Many projectors can be substantially improved (IMHO) with a professional calibration, but some look a lot better out of the box than others.
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post #21 of 44
4/18/07 at 9:48pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by tlreddragon View Post

I don't know about the screenshots, but you should feel safe buying from any of the AVS alliance members.


This has not always been true but I haven't seen anything bad posted about the current sponsors.
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post #22 of 44
4/18/07 at 10:04pm
Projector People seems to give you a week (7 days)... then it's between you and the manufacturer. That's not acceptable in my opinion.
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post #23 of 44
4/18/07 at 11:58pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by waptap View Post

Projector People seems to give you a week (7 days)... then it's between you and the manufacturer. That's not acceptable in my opinion.

Unless it's DOA, most on-line vendors (of any product) give you 0 days. If you want a trial period, buy from your local store (and pay their premium) - they may give you a 14 day "trial period", if you're lucky.

Have you ever bought any A-V product on-line, that has a "free trial period" (without a restocking fee)?
Some TV (non Audio - Video) advertised products excepted.

I personally prefer VisualApex, but PP is a good e-tailer too (and the only one I know of that gives you a free "trial period").

Don't forget that AVS sells A-V products too (AVS Sales - see the http://www.avscience.com/products.htm link in the Alliance Members list). They sell a lot of different PJs and Audio products and are the best source for PJ screens, too - IMHO.
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post #24 of 44
4/19/07 at 12:48am
Quote:
Originally Posted by CT_Wiebe View Post

Unless it's DOA, most on-line vendors (of any product) give you 0 days. If you want a trial period, buy from your local store (and pay their premium) - they may give you a 14 day "trial period", if you're lucky.

Have you ever bought any A-V product on-line, that has a "free trial period" (without a restocking fee)?
Some TV (non Audio - Video) advertised products excepted.

I personally prefer VisualApex, but PP is a good e-tailer too (and the only one I know of that gives you a free "trial period").

Don't forget that AVS sells A-V products too (AVS Sales - see the http://www.avscience.com/products.htm link in the Alliance Members list). They sell a lot of different PJs and Audio products and are the best source for PJ screens, too - IMHO.

It is very strange indeed that you ask if the writer has ever heard of an E-retailer that gives people a free trial period, then go on to reference one. Indeed, Projector People in Florida does provide you with a 4 hour trail opportunity and no obligation return. (no restocking fee). They are extremely reputable and stand by their policy. I have been a regular customer and can assure you of the policy being intact and very valuable, Barry.
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post #25 of 44
4/19/07 at 7:20am
Quote:
Originally Posted by bjmiller48 View Post

It is very strange indeed that you ask if the writer has ever heard of an E-retailer that gives people a free trial period, then go on to reference one. Indeed, Projector People in Florida does provide you with a 4 hour trail opportunity and no obligation return. (no restocking fee). They are extremely reputable and stand by their policy. I have been a regular customer and can assure you of the policy being intact and very valuable, Barry.

I don't think you understood the point he was making.

waptap said that it's unnacceptable that pp only gives you 7 days and then it's between you and the manufacturer.

CT-Wiebe then pointed out that pp are the one of the few online retailers that give you ANY time to return the product with no fees, so waptap should be grateful. I had never heard of an e-tailer allowing a free trial period until now.
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post #26 of 44
4/19/07 at 12:00pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by waptap View Post

Projector People seems to give you a week (7 days)... then it's between you and the manufacturer. That's not acceptable in my opinion.

How is that unacceptable? Should PP give you a month to evaluate the unit and rack up hours on it, then allow you to return it when they cannot sell it as a new unit? Are you serious?
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post #27 of 44
4/19/07 at 12:55pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by TF Ghost View Post

How is that unacceptable? Should PP give you a month to evaluate the unit and rack up hours on it, then allow you to return it when they cannot sell it as a new unit? Are you serious?

I agree 100% with TF Ghost. I was able to watch a DVD, some cable HD, and some SD, all within a week, and used less than 4 hours lamp time. On the basis of this, I decided to keep the unit. The very generous and unusual trial period is a symbol of the E-retailor's committment to customer satisfaction.
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post #28 of 44
4/20/07 at 7:34am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Paladyr1 View Post

waptap said that it's unnacceptable that pp only gives you 7 days and then it's between you and the manufacturer. waptap should be grateful. I had never heard of an e-tailer allowing a free trial period until now.

Um, no, I'm not grateful. And I'm not talking about "free trials." I'm talking about customer service. If my projector explodes at 7.5 days, projector people has told me that it is not their problem. it's between me and the manufacturer. To me, that is unacceptable.

If I buy an item, and it fails almost immediately, I want to deal with the retailer. That's part of what they are there for. If I buy a carton of milk, and it spoils prematurely, do you deal with the farm, or do you take it back to Kroger? And if you do take it back to the grocery store, are you "grateful" when they don't charge you a restocking fee?
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post #29 of 44
4/20/07 at 9:30am
Quote:
Originally Posted by waptap View Post

Um, no, I'm not grateful. And I'm not talking about "free trials." I'm talking about customer service. If my projector explodes at 7.5 days, projector people has told me that it is not their problem. it's between me and the manufacturer. To me, that is unacceptable.

If I buy an item, and it fails almost immediately, I want to deal with the retailer. That's part of what they are there for. If I buy a carton of milk, and it spoils prematurely, do you deal with the farm, or do you take it back to Kroger? And if you do take it back to the grocery store, are you "grateful" when they don't charge you a restocking fee?

Excuse me, but this is bullsh*t. Unless you're talking about a Sanyo projector (which cannot be swapped without prior approval from Sanyo) you have no idea what you're talking about. I know FOR A FACT that PP will NOT tell you to contact the manufacturer if you have a defect within the standard DOA timeframe (30 days for most manufacturers). I also know FOR A FACT that if you contact PP after the DOA timeframe they will get you in touch with the manufacturer (i.e. conference call, e-mail, etc.) and will not just tell you "it is not their problem". Be honest. You have never heard that from a PP tech and you never will. I'm not sure why you're bashing them. If you've had a bad experience with a company feel free to share it, but making up non-sense just makes you look dumb. IMO.
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post #30 of 44
4/20/07 at 11:21am
Quote:
Originally Posted by TF Ghost View Post

Excuse me, but this is bullsh*t. Unless you're talking about a Sanyo projector (which cannot be swapped without prior approval from Sanyo) you have no idea what you're talking about. I know FOR A FACT that PP will NOT tell you to contact the manufacturer if you have a defect within the standard DOA timeframe (30 days for most manufacturers). I also know FOR A FACT that if you contact PP after the DOA timeframe they will get you in touch with the manufacturer (i.e. conference call, e-mail, etc.) and will not just tell you "it is not their problem". Be honest. You have never heard that from a PP tech and you never will. I'm not sure why you're bashing them. If you've had a bad experience with a company feel free to share it, but making up non-sense just makes you look dumb. IMO.

You are 100% correct. This "person" has no idea what he is talking about. PP can't advertise there very excellent return policy, but they exchanged a Panny for my friend with 20 hours and after 2 weeks when it broke down. That is why we deal with reputable people. It is a shame that waptap feels the need to make stuff up. I think he is just unable to make the decdision to purchase something that cost real money and got into a panic. But there is no place for being dishonest and misleading other members. He should excuse himself from the Forum, Barry
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