[David Panko]

Yes, I know this is old news on this forum. But after over a year with my G10 & white wall I finally installed a GrayHawk today, and can't contain my enthusiasm. WOW! What a difference! It's like I have a new projector. After installing it I got sucked into watching the HDTV demo loops for a couple of hours.. I just couldn't tear myself away from the amazing picture.


Blacks are deep & rich. Colours are vibrant and more saturated. The picture looks deeper and three dimensional with excellent shadow detail and better tolerance of ambient light. In general the image looks smoother with a film-like translucency that I've never seen from my projector before.


Thanks Don Stewart! The GrayHawk has come a long way since your first few posts on gray screens on this forum ( Don Stewart.. what do you think of grey screens ). Nice engineering job - the GreyHawk deserves all the praise it's been getting and then some.


If you own a digital projector, BUY A GRAYHAWK!!


Dave.


[This message has been edited by David Panko (edited 04-21-2001).]

 

[propeller_beach]

Hi Dave,


Congratulations! http://www.avsforum.com/ubb/smile.gif


I too share in your excitement. I have been enjoying this combo for months and am totally satisfied! The picture is simply out of this world. The realism of the picture, coupled with the excellent shadow detail and color rendition, make it the best investment I've made in my Home Theater to date.


Luca

 

[waterm3732]



Hello Dave,


You know the routine questions...


Is your G10 calibrated?

What size is your screen?


Thanks,

Paul

 

[David Panko]

Hi Paul,


G10 calibrated by Richard Martin

500 hours on the bulb

10' wide 16:9 screen

variable masking system (black blinds)

Radeon HTPC

StarChoice HDTV

no anamorphic lens

no hushbox


Anything else? http://www.avsforum.com/ubb/smile.gif


Cheers,

Dave.

 

[wm]

I finally got to see a GrayHawk last week, and I have to agree, for D-ILA, it really is wonderful.


Wm

 

[David Mendicino]

Hey David,


Glad I waited before I came to bother you about seeing your projector http://www.avsforum.com/ubb/smile.gif




------------------

David Mendicino

Sharp xv-s55u (Don't laugh)

 

[David Panko]

Mark, the GrayHawks now have a gain of 0.95 rather than 0.85 so are close to a white wall. I didn't notice much of a drop in peak brightness with the new screen. I know on paper my foot lamberts look low, but in practice the image looks pretty good, even with a bit of ambient. My next upgrade will be to a brighter projector but I'm planning to wait for the next generation of D-ILA's rather than getting a G15.


Seth, if you search the video processor forum you'll find lots of good suggestions. I'm using a HTPC, but the Rock and CrystalImage are well regarded and less than a Faroudja.


David, shouldn't you be studying?


Cheers,

Dave.

 

[David Mendicino]

I'm studying as we speak...


A question for you: What is your take on how the white level of your projector is affected with the grey screen? Do you notice a great change in the white "colour", if that is what one could call it?


Thanks, and take care,



------------------

David Mendicino

Sharp xv-s55u (Don't laugh)

 

[Dean McManis]

David M.


I had a perforated 1.0 gain screen before this in the same size, and there is no visible change to the white level.


It would seem that the eye is remarkable in adapting to varying levels of light, and white still seems bright and pure with the slightly gray tinted screen.


-Dean.

 

[kelliot]

Even, though the gain of the Grayhawk is .95, in diffuse light it should be still gray. The diffuse light appearance reveals the underlying gray level.


Ideally for a high ambient screen, the diffuse appearance would be dark and the on axis appearance would be bright.


------------------

Ken Elliott

 

[David Panko]

David, grey screens don't have a colour so don't change the perception of white. All a matte grey screen will do is scale the brightness down, but whites will still look white.


In the case of the GrayHawk there's a reflective optical coating over the gray base to recapture some of the light. Even though the screen looks gray in diffuse light as mentioned by Ken, the gain of the screen is virtually the same as the gain of a white wall. So the peak whites have the same brightness.


Seth, I doubt even JVC knows when the next generation is coming. http://www.avsforum.com/ubb/smile.gif I'm happy with my G10 so I'm willing to wait as long as it takes..


Cheers,

Dave.

 

[KFung]

David,


Wow, I'd really like to see your setup sometime, I've been looking for someone reasonably close with a calibrated D-ILA. Now you've got a Grayhawk and a 10' wide screen, it's starting to look a lot like the setup I was planning for myself. I'm kinda hoping JVC will pull something out of its hat this year before I start putting things together.


Regards,


Kam Fung


[This message has been edited by KFung (edited 04-22-2001).]

 

[Mark Hunter]

Hi Dave,


How is the brightness? It would seem that there are several factors in your installation that decrease the brightness, and I was just wondering if there was plenty left over:


* G10

* Calibration

* 10 Foot Screen

* GreyHawk


Thanks for the review!

 

[bluhorizan]

Hi Denny L! Welcome to the AVS forum and congratulations on your first post here. Regarding Stewart screens, I would order it directly from AVS. Call Helen @ (716) 454-1460. Great people, prices and service.


Joe Andresen

Palo Alto, CA

 

[kelliot]

Even if you order it from AVS, it will ship from Torrance.


I envy your choices. The G20 onto 100" should be nice with ambient. It might benefit from a slightly darker screen than a Greyhawk if you use it with ambient.


Unfortunately, there aren't too many commercial grey screens out there.


------------------

Ken Elliott


[This message has been edited by kelliot (edited 04-24-2001).]

 

[kyrill]

Quote:

Originally posted by David Panko: David, grey screens don't have a colour so don't change the perception of white. All a matte grey screen will do is scale the brightness down, but whites will still look white. Cheers, Dave.

Ok, here my problem lies, what is the real difference between lowering the brightness (moderately) and a gray screen, when there is (almost) no ambient light?

Ky

 

[David Panko]

Hi Ky,


The problem is that there will always be ambient light. Even if you have total light control the image itself will create ambient light which bounces around the room and washes out the picture. Reducing the brightness doesn't help this problem.


Since the GrayHawk has a reflective coating over a dark gray base, only light coming from the projector is reflected to the audience. Diffuse ambient light is absorbed by the screen, increasing the contrast ratio.


At least that's the theory. Trust me, it works!


Cheers,

Dave.

 

[David Mendicino]

Quote:

Originally posted by David Panko: Since the GrayHawk has a reflective coating over a dark gray base, only light coming from the projector is reflected to the audience. Diffuse ambient light is absorbed by the screen, increasing the contrast ratio.

David,

From what you state, would it not make more sense to say that ambient light is reflected off the screen, but at an angle that is not parallel to the viewing angle? How would the screen absorb it, or is this reflective coating directional in some way?



Curious to know....and yep, still studying...exams are only a few days away... http://www.avsforum.com/ubb/smile.gif



------------------

David Mendicino

Sharp xv-s55u (Don't laugh)

 

[David Panko]

David,


Yes, screens with high gain are directionally reflective. The GrayHawk has a high gain coating over a gray base for a net gain close to 1. My understanding is that off-axis light is absorbed.


Good luck on the exams!


Dave.

 

[Julio de la Orden]

Hi,


To the question of the new models:


- D-ILA M2.000 is here, I have one on display since a month ago, and 4 units installed at customers house. It outperform the old models, in contrast, color, internal DPC ( new version ), etc. With a scaler, you can watch even a composite video source !!! and get a good image. With Vigatec´s DUNE, is just incredible.


- D-ILA 3010 is here, firts units are in Germany since a few months ( January ), rest of the world must have them next weak ( 5 to 10 days ). First samples where not so good, it is supossed that next units will be fine.


Best regards,


Julio