I just ordered an InFocus-V from Studio Experience, I should be enjoying a front projection system in a week or so! The sales advisor I spoke with on the phone said that the 340-V was just discontinued by Infocus. Apparantly they are going to be releasing a 340-B unit with will use a different video processor. The folks at Studio Experience said that the new unit will not have the same specs for video and will be more oriented at data only. Can anyone else confirm this?
InFocus LP340-V End of lifed!
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Well that stinks... I'm glad I got one of the -V units. They are not shipping any new 340-V's, so only the remaining supply at retailers is what is left. I guess the 350's will remain the same though. Why are they changing this? To lower production costs?
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I'm just guessing but with Infocus coming out with HT specific projectors it might make economic sense for them to use a lower quality (read lower cost) video processor, thereby "tuning" the projectors for their intended market.
This is not good news.
It has been clear to me that business projectors like the Infocus 340/350 are almost good enough for HT. A few modest changes would make them competitive with the Selecos and Dwins IMHO.
One approach is to make those changes and win the market.
Another approach is to deliberately cripple the 340/350 to make them usable only for business purposes, then to jack up the price on the new HT models.
The news about the 340 suggests that Infocus may be planning the second approach. In this case, we can expect their new HT machines to be in the 10K range, with crippled business-only 340's in the 2-3K range.
I am not so happy about this.
It has been clear to me that business projectors like the Infocus 340/350 are almost good enough for HT. A few modest changes would make them competitive with the Selecos and Dwins IMHO.
One approach is to make those changes and win the market.
Another approach is to deliberately cripple the 340/350 to make them usable only for business purposes, then to jack up the price on the new HT models.
The news about the 340 suggests that Infocus may be planning the second approach. In this case, we can expect their new HT machines to be in the 10K range, with crippled business-only 340's in the 2-3K range.
I am not so happy about this.
RL:
My guess is they are cutting the cost of the business projector so they can sell it for less. So the HT projector won't go up, the business projector will go down.
I've seen or heard nothing that indicates they are not still on their game plan of releasing a very competent, very well priced HT projector later this year.
Nature abhors a vacuum but speculation loves it! http://www.avsforum.com/ubb/biggrin.gif
Dan
My guess is they are cutting the cost of the business projector so they can sell it for less. So the HT projector won't go up, the business projector will go down.
I've seen or heard nothing that indicates they are not still on their game plan of releasing a very competent, very well priced HT projector later this year.
Nature abhors a vacuum but speculation loves it! http://www.avsforum.com/ubb/biggrin.gif
Dan
... but wouldn't the 'inferior' video processor affect just the composite/s-video inputs?
Leaving the DVI/VGA HTPC input with the same performance?
I AM happy about this.
As others have noted, InfoComm is coming and InFocus has a long record of introducing, new & better projectors at that show.
Odds are that they do so again, whether it is improved business projectors, new HT units or whatever - the fact remains that the trend has been for projectors to get better and cheaper.
This should not be surprising to anyone watching 340/350 prices for the last few months.
[This message has been edited by JasG (edited 05-04-2001).]
Leaving the DVI/VGA HTPC input with the same performance?
I AM happy about this.
As others have noted, InfoComm is coming and InFocus has a long record of introducing, new & better projectors at that show.
Odds are that they do so again, whether it is improved business projectors, new HT units or whatever - the fact remains that the trend has been for projectors to get better and cheaper.
This should not be surprising to anyone watching 340/350 prices for the last few months.
[This message has been edited by JasG (edited 05-04-2001).]
My guess, and this is truly a guess, is that the LP340 is failing to address its target business projector market.
To be more competitive, possibly Infocus is lowering the manufacturing cost in order to lower the MSRP. If they drop it a grand, it could still be a decent affordable HT setup when mated with a scaler or HTPC.
But who knows, they might not lower the MSRP at all.
Are there any clones of the LP340-V that will continue to ship?
--Les
To be more competitive, possibly Infocus is lowering the manufacturing cost in order to lower the MSRP. If they drop it a grand, it could still be a decent affordable HT setup when mated with a scaler or HTPC.
But who knows, they might not lower the MSRP at all.
Are there any clones of the LP340-V that will continue to ship?
--Les
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I think Infocus will make an anouncement about a new entry level HT projector at Infocomm.
But don't expect an HT250 competitor, that will come much latter in the year.
Turning the crank on the rumor mill.
-Mr. Wigggles
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The Mothership is now boarding.
But don't expect an HT250 competitor, that will come much latter in the year.
Turning the crank on the rumor mill.
-Mr. Wigggles
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The Mothership is now boarding.
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I have no idea why this is happening. I honestly do not think that cheapening the internal scaler will drop the price of the unit enough to change anything. There must be other forces at work and it certainly may deal with the new HT line that is supposedly coming out.
THe bad thing is that the INfocus DLP's are very very unfriendly with outside scalers.
I am going to see if I can get some more info
Regards,
John
THe bad thing is that the INfocus DLP's are very very unfriendly with outside scalers.
I am going to see if I can get some more info
Regards,
John
This is a little off topic, but....
I am sending back an LP340-V to Studio Experience on Monday. There was nothing wrong with it, I just am very sensitive to the rainbow artifact so I am going to have to go LCD (I think). Anyone interested in a good deal on an open box LP340 might contact them and see what can be worked out. If these really are getting hard to find, maybe a unit with 30 hours on it is a good find.
I am sending back an LP340-V to Studio Experience on Monday. There was nothing wrong with it, I just am very sensitive to the rainbow artifact so I am going to have to go LCD (I think). Anyone interested in a good deal on an open box LP340 might contact them and see what can be worked out. If these really are getting hard to find, maybe a unit with 30 hours on it is a good find.
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