[dbaxterdealcatcher]

I currenty have a Infocus LP340 and I'm thinking of selling it and picking up a Panasonic AE-100. I love the deinterlacer in the infocus but I think I might get a better picture with the AE100. Has anyone made the switch or compared these projectors in the past? The way I see it, I can sell my 340 on ebay for $1600 and pick up a AE-100 from ********** for $1400. I'm just afraid I will be unhappy with the AE100's picture.


Thanks,

Dan

 

[leckian]

Dan-

Depending on your seating distance this may not be a good move. You have to be seated backed 2.5X the screen width with the AE100 to eliminate screendoor, a problem you currently don't have with the LP340. Image quality wise each projector can be tweaked to achieve acceptable performance so from a PQ point of view I would consider it a lateral move. Thirdly you may still have a valid warranty with the LP340 and purchasing a AE100 includes the risk of a cumbersome and expensive process should your new unit require service.

Lenny Eckian

 

[Huey]

I agree with Lenny. Keep your LP340. Don't let the hype of AE100 get to you. A lot of these hype is from first time FPTV user who is wowed by the sheer size and colors of the image. DLP is usually better if you don't suffer the rainbow/eye strain problem. Add a Hoya HMC (multicoated) FL-D (flourescent day) photographic filter and you should improve your colors, blacks, and screendoor a bit more (LP340 bulb runs a little green). For a real upgrade, try HTPC. You won't beat the video processor of Infocus as they have one of the best in the business. Wish I can say the same for their bulbs.

 

[Mouw]

I have the LP350 myself.... and yea the OBSESSION kicks-in onceINaWhile

Back in Dec01 I was considering going to the Sharp 9000 myself,

and only had the LP350 for 6 months at that time.

I figured it would have cost me a minimum of $3000 and then there was the LipSync issue...


Instead I set about trying to get better PQ from my existing LP350

Before: JVC723DVDplayer->BetterCablesSvideo->LP350->DaLite 80x45 DaMat PermWall

Built the HTPC with DVI into LP350..... WOW what a difference

HTPC WinDVD3.1 w/ATI7500->DVI->LP350->DaLite DaMat PermWall

and I have on Order the Newer DaLite High Contrast Cinema Vision Screen

With the DVI i can do perfect PIXEL2PIXEL mapping

Improved Depth, Sharpness, Contrast, Colors, OverAll PQ compared to sVideo


Another idea: STB Progressive DVD->TransCoder->LP350 via VGA connector

Like the HTPC above this gets U into Computer Mode which increases the LUMEN output of Infocus

I found this to be a PLUS, adding to the perceived Contrast Ratio


SCREENDOOR?? that's the Non Working Edge around the Pixels, Kinda like Dot Pitch
http://members.cox.net/mikemouw/LCD-DLPphotos.jpg

 

[mike.cf]

If you're happy with your current LP340 I say keep it and try to tweak it, unless you get a chance to demo an AE100 in person and like it better. However this about "you have to sit 2.5x because of screendoor" is hogwash. Many of us are seating at 1.5x and 1.8x and 2x and enjoying the picture (with a little defocus mind you ). Screendoor sensitivity is to a certain degree personal and only you can be the final judge of what is acceptable to you.

 

[rlsmith]

I would suggest that you are not going to get enough of a change to justify the switch. You may even find that you do not like the AE100 as well as the LP400.


I have an Infocus LP400 myself and am waiting for something dramatically better, at least HD2, and for a bargain price. For myself, I see no reason to change without a really marked improvement.

 

[LDoogy]

I recently upgraded my LP340 to the Plus Piano and am really happy - comparing the two at home from the exact same source was pretty amazing - the 340 was almost "unwatchable" after looking at the Piano.


The biggest difference was in color - the Piano has much better colors. And this is WITH the Hoya FLD on the 340 - colors on the 340 just looked washed out when compared to the Piano. Blacks and contrast were also far better - it felt like the Piano was actually brighter than the Infocus. Of course the Infocus had much better tolerance to ambient light, but that's not a problem for me.


Personally I haven't seen the AE100, but people on this forum who compared the AE100 with the Piano actually thought the AE100 is better. If that's so, upgrading would probably make a HUGE difference IMO.


-- Eldad.

 

[leckian]

The screen door problem with the AE100 is not hogwash- it is a real issue. I reviewed the AE100 in my home theater with a 76" wide screen and a 11 foot viewing distance, my normal projector is a 13HD with 1366x768 and screendoor is a slight problem with this viewing difference. With the AE100 it was like looking at a checkerboard overlay and then the picture-you would have to have very poor vision not to see it as it sticks out like a sore thumb. Defocusing enough to eliminate it results in a softer picture than I like.


Lenny Eckian

 

[mike.cf]

I do not doubt that you can see screendoor at 11' on a 76''. But that's more like 1.7x viewing distance. What I'm saying is, for my viewing pleasure -and may others on this board, we do not "Have" to sit 2.5x to nullify screendoor effect. Everyone's viewing tastes and tolerances are different.

 

[Altaman]

I to think that 2.5x screen distance back is bull. I am sitting about 2x back and I have a very acceptable picture with my AE100 and a DIY screen. If you want to find screen door effect I would suspect most people could at most distances (within reason), however if you are there to enjoy the movie then you will not be hunting for faults.


Same goes for a DIY screen, mine has the odd spot where it never glued down properly...If I look for them I will find them, but if I am paying attention to the actual movie I don't see it.


The way I look at it, you can look for fault in what you have or sit back and enjoy...I prefer to enjoy!

 

[leckian]

Defining someone's honest experience with a projector as "bull" is very immature. It is a simplistic approach that needs to see the world in shades of black and white. Should I label people's reports of rainbows with DLP projectors as bull because I don't see them? I think not.


Lenny Eckian

 

[Altaman]

Quote:

Originally posted by leckian Defining someone's honest experience with a projector as "bull"

Ah but there you are now stating it is your experience at 2.5x, but in a previous post your stated:

Quote:

You have to be seated backed 2.5X the screen width with the AE100 to eliminate screendoor

Now here you blanket state that everyone must sit 2.5x back, and I will state again "bull"...As with rainbow with DLP projectors which you mentioned it depends on the user. With screendoor some people say 1.5x back, but I find it noticable at that distance but at about 2x back screendoor is not an issue.


The AE100 is not perfect, but it has an excellent price/value ratio and if I were someone looking to buy an projector today and read posts like your I probably would have passed on the AE100. But by reading numerious posts on this and other PJ, I was able to make a fairly informed decision and risk a purchase of the AE100. So far I must say that my purchase has proved an perfect choice for my needs and can not see the screendoor at 2x back.


If you do not want people to jump on your posts, then don't make blanket statements that insinuates that everyone has the same results as you.

 

[Jim Scarbrough]

Okay...back to the subject at hand....


I don't think you'll be impressed with the AE100. If you MUST upgrade, I'd suggest looking at something like the Optoma 750. Once you get used to the smooth DLP image and realistic blacks, it's hard to go back to LCD.


Compared to the 340, the 750 will have less rainbows (2x color wheel), more brightness (cut that back for better contrast), better video processing, much better connectivity, and much better black levels. One of the weak points of the LP340 has always been the grayish-blacks.

 

[leckian]

Altaman

You would be well served by not attempting to put words in other people mouths.


Thank you-


Lenny Eckian

 

[Altaman]

Quote:

Originally posted by leckian Altaman You would be well served by not attempting to put words in other people mouths. Thank you- Lenny Eckian

Well Lenny, guess I quoted those from a different leckian...my appologies, never thought the forum allowed more than one person to have the same user name.

 

[Huey]

It's commonly understood (not facts but majority of opinions here--search this forum and you'll see) that the general recommendations for sitting distance to not significantly see pixel structure is 1.0x screen width for SXGA LCOS (DILA, Hitachi 5500), 1.5x for XGA DLP, 2.0x for XGA LCD (SVGA/WideVGA DLP), 2.5x for SVGA/WideVGA LCD (VGA DLP), 3.0x for VGA LCD. Thus, I agree with Leckian about the 2.5x rule of thumb.


Of course YMMV as different people have different visual acuity and sensitivity to screendoor. Thus, "bull" is a bit harsh for somebody's opinion.

 

[Marc Yu]

I was actually in the EXACT same situation! LOL! I have an LP340 and was also thinking of selling it on eBay to get an AE100. Well, I talked one of my friends into buying the AE100. It's a great projector. I've owned 3 LCD projectors and 1 DLP projector. But, as Jim Scarborough said, "Once you get used to the smooth DLP image and realistic blacks, it's hard to go back to LCD." The screen door effect on the AE100 compared to the LP340 is pretty awful, IMO. Just my 2 cents worth.


-Marc

 

[blw]

I have a Sharp DW100 (XGA LCD) and I'll add one thing here. In my previous theatre, viewing distance was 12' on a 92" 16:9 screen. Assuming that the cited ratios are viewing distance / diagonal size, this is 1.56:1, less than the recommendations. Screen dooring was not just visible, it was OBVIOUS. I think the Sharp's screen dooring is a bit wider than some other LCD displays I've seen, although I can't say I think it's radically so.


My screen dooring was made much worse by the fact that I was forced to use a microperf screen by a ridiculously low ceiling (6'8" -- what could they possibly have been thinking then they built the place????). The interaction between the microperf and the screen door annoys me a lot. Right before I moved I got a sample of a regular screen (also from Stewart) and that showed that the problem was really the screen dooring, and the microperfs were only making it worse.


I made the mistake of viewing a perf screen, and viewing the LCD projector before buying - but not together. Not gonna make THAT mistake again...


Now that I've moved to a new house and the projector must fit into a 14' room with consequent ~9' viewing distance, I will almost certainly have to upgrade the projector. It looks like that's only barely enough for the newest DLPs - and I really don't want to get into a CRT.


Comments?


Huey: were did you find those recommendations?

 

[blw]

Oh. Just reread the post, the ratio is viewing distance to screen WIDTH - that's not so bad. That means I was at 1.8:1 in the old house and I will be at 1.35:1 here...


For those considering microperf screens, I think I could live with either LCD or microperf, but not together.

 

[Headset]

I don't want to be crude and refer to Altaman statements as BULL so I will just have to say I agree with leckian, Huey and some of the more knowledgeable and experienced AVS members. I have a AE100, which I enjoy very much, however I find with my 89.75" screen I am back 18 feet before I get a smooth picture. Luckily I have the room in my basement to sit back that distance.


Sam