[Alan Gouger]

I just got in the iVision from Digital Projection. This is the US OEM from Projection Design.

I have spent some time with this projector on a limited basis but still have some valuable information (my thoughts) to pass along.

Jason will be spending more time with this and may be able to follow up on this again in the future.


Please note I only tried the analog RGB input so I cannot comment on the component or DVI input. I did compare this side by side to the Seleco 300 using the same input on both machines.

The iVision is very small but solid as a brick. Its also very quiet, not silent but a lot quieter than the Seleco.

I feed the unit a PC signal at native 720P and from the MYHD HD card and tried both 720P and 1080I.


Things I liked:


Small size.

1. Very bright, this thing is bright, brighter than the Seleco 300. Anyone wanting to go with a larger screen size this can handle it.

2. I find it to be very quiet. I did not perform any measurements so you will have to take my word for it

3. It has one DVI (HDCP) RGB, one video and one S and Two Component inputs. I like the addition of the second component input.

4. A good selection of preset gamma curves. I preferred PC2 and Film 1.

5.It also has pre contrast/brightness. They react different than the main contrast but I need to read to understand whats going on here. Its possible it alters the gamma?

6. I really love all the direct access to the many features (important ones) on the remote. Very nice.

7. It does allow you to choose native rez.


Cons


Please note, Theres no one perfect projector and we can all nit pick to some degree. My cons have more to do with my personal taste than actual faults with the projector. Also please note I did not try any other input other than RGB ( Jason will spend more time) so some more features and surprises may be waiting using the DVI or component inputs.


1. I preferred the reds on the Seleco. I found the reds to lean a little orange.

2. The lens has the same sharp offset as most presentation projectors , therefore the lack of lens offset was disappointing to me. I had to put this on a table well below my screen to properly align it.

3. Feeding the projector 720P or 1080I bypasses the sharpness control. Maybe this feature works on the component input. I love this feature on the seleco. I hate EE but on some HD material this feature really comes in handy. Maybe im spoiled.

4. If feeding the unit HD via rgb its impossible to do a 4x3 in the center of the 16x9 panel. Again maybe thats possible if using the component or DVI input. If setting the PC to a standard PC resolution this option did become available.

5. A portion of the menu navigation is performed using the track ball. Its very easy to over shoot your target.



Conclusion: I find this to look on par with all other DLP projectors. I have yet to see one that clearly leads the pack, they all have little quirks but this has some nice features and its in a small package and very quiet. Again this thing is very bright. I have no idea if the projector I tested has the HD2+ or the HD2 chip. I also heard rumor the 7 segment color wheel will be available as a future upgrade so Im leaning to believe its using the HD2+.

I also want you to know I am a DP dealer and we do sell this projector but I wanted to be as neutral and honest about my opinion of this projector. If you have any questions please let me know and Ill do my best answering them with the limited time spent with the projector so far.

http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/2Picture_005.jpg
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/509/2Picture_0081.jpg

 

[Michael Grant]

Thanks for the review, Alan!

 

[Jason Turk]

It is an HD2+ if I'm not mistaken (sure I openned it up, but Alan always gets the first looks! ).


Thanks!

 

[juras]

Hi


Fine to get some more details on this Projector!


Whats about contrast and Black-level compared to the seleco?


And how did the adjustable Lightoutput (600-1200AL?) works?

 

[Alan Gouger]

juras

Contrast and blacks were on par with the Seleco and all other 1 chip DLPs.

I have yet to figure out where to change the light output. I was hoping to post that question to the forum to save some time reading the manual.

 

[mooneycj]

MSRP?

Specs?


Thanks


mooneycj

 

[Tryg]

what are the dimensions Alan? This could be the HT1000 killer

 

[Alan Gouger]

mooneycj


You can download the PDF and manual here:
http://www.digitalprojection.com/pro..._iVisionHD.htm




Tryg


Its a tiny projector under the size of the HT1000 at 10.9w 3.5h 9.6L

 

[Phat Phreddy]

Its very very small in comparison to to other HT units... For me its nearly silent and certainly no issue on a noise front, being in a tropical climate I have either a cieling fan or AC running always... With even the fan it drowns the projector noise from a temporary table mount (close to me)...


The brightness is very very solid... The two controls that Alan is seeing are for the lamp power modulation.. The brightness and CR are set with one and the other modulates the lamp brightness levels to maintain those values and raise brightness.. Personally I found the lamp modulation to have less range than I expected it to have given the specs but that is a comment more on its brightness.


Amazingly I have been told (and sent specs and measurements) that the bulb actually gets 15% brighter over its initial 100 hours or so.. I always thought lamps dimmed over this period but apparently not this one. I opted for what they call the 'Asian Mod' from the factory which is a fixed iris modification, it lowers light output to about 1000 lumens specced from the 1200 but does work on the black level. My machine measured 856 lumens at ship time, so when you add 15% bulb gain (unbelieveable) this eqautes to very close to exact specs. The bulb lifespan has also now been raised from 2k hours to 4k hours similar to the Davis bulbs specs being raised over time.


Black level is perhaps the one element that 'could do better'... Blacks in any mixed APL or even low APL scene look fine but a fade to black still has that slight greyness. I do intend to pursue to 7 segment upgrade at a later date. I am considering a screen pairing for this machine but am trying to move so will probably wait until settled. Currently I believe this machine could pull off a huge screen if 720p provides enough rez for you.


Also could be said that the PD versions in Pearl / Gold / Blue look a bit 'snazzier' than the iVision branded ones but that is a very very minor consideration.

 

[Phat Phreddy]

For anyone that missed it... Ken's (KBK) review.

http://www.projectorcentral.com/part...pinion_id=2582


They also have a Matterhorn Action05 product also as yet unreviewed and barely mentioned here.

 

[Highjinx]

How do the black levels compare to the HT1000's black levels?

 

[Phat Phreddy]

Guessing higher... Though actual light output is also WAY higher.

 

[Highjinx]

Phat...by higher, I take it you mean less black. But what is it like when you make the projector less bright ..say to a similar brightness as a HT1000. Are black levels compareable then.


If so this could be one versatile unit, turn the brightness down for movie watching night time in a reasonably light controlled enviroment and turn it up for day time viewing where more than some light sneaks in!

 

[Phat Phreddy]

Yes in my terminology higher black level equal more lumens at black and worse on off CR. Another thing to note, the machine was designed without a lens shift and with as little in the way of interfering optics as possible to allow for as high ANSI CR as possible. This per scene contrast is also important but may be being missed by machines chasing the on off CR specs and including lens shifting prisms in the light path. While high on off CR is visible in some fade to black scenes ANSI CR is visible in far more scenes.


Well there is supposed to be a 50% brightness range 600 lumen to 1200 lumen in the normal machine... An Iris equipped machine 'should' then have a 500 - 1000 lumen range...


Personally I dont really see this doubling of brightness when playing with the lamp power controls..


One reason that I have been hesitant to post on the projector is that I am now located on a small tropical island and while life here is fun there are not many opportunities for projector comparisons... As such following the HD2(+) competition and so stating how it performs against projector X is impossible for me. I hope some other reviewers could chime in and compare black levels across the Action / Infocus / Sim / Marantz / Sharp etc.

 

[Highjinx]

Thank you...Sir Phat!.......I suppose the 600 to 1200 increase will only be percived as a 33% increase in brightness to the human eye, it would take 6000 lumens to double the brightness...same situation. But a 33% increase is not to be sneezed at I suppose!.


Your present location sounds............sensational!BTW

 

[Phat Phreddy]

It is... Andaman Ocean... West coast Phuket.

 

[juras]

Hi


Thank you for the answer alan!


Is your model already equipped with the fixed iris?


And if its possible please do a comparison regarding Blacks, CR, and Image-Dynamics with the bulb at low position.


Thank you in advance

 

[Alan Gouger]

juras


Yes our unit has the fixed iris.

I did lower the bulb and the blacks were on par with my Seleco. I felt it had very good blacks when setting it to the lower range but I also like the punch from the unit set to the higher setting and think the difference in contrast or blacks is very little or at least nothing the average person would notice. Going through the different gamma curves also really helps make a difference.


Phat what gamma curves do you find you use the most. I like film 1 and PC2.

Film 2 can be nice also if viewing one of those really dark movies.

 

[Pip]

Alan & Jason:


When you test the components and DVI, can you please check if the vertical shift is available on those inputs? How about black/white level on DVI? Also are the any multiple memory settings for picture controls, aspect ratio, etc.?


The manual leaves a lot to the imagination.


Thanks,

Pip

 

[daggerNC]

Alan/others who have seen/own this:


1- Any change in fan noise in the different lamp brightness modes?

2- Opinions on rainbow visibility?

3- Service menu control items availability?


Cheers,

dagger