[tlastrange]

As promised, I've got the first set of pictures available showing the NEC LT150 with various Da-Lite screen materials. I attempted to recreate the excellent screen material test done by Christopher Crim with his Sony VPL-VW10HT.


This is my first attempt at screen shots so some of the pictures aren't the greatest. More will follow including different room lighting and viewing angles.


I have no stuck pixels on the projector but I did discover that I've got several stuck pixels on my camera! You'll see them in the pictures and I was very relieved when I double checked and found them missing from actual projected images.


The results: Da-Lite High Power gets the nod as Grant Smyth has been telling everyone. Within five minutes, my wife also preferred the High Power. She said it was like a good laundry detergent commercial: "It makes the whites whiter, the pinks pinker, and the blues bluer"


Enjoy.


The photos can be found at http://www.lastrange.com/ht/screen.shtml


I will take requests if you'd like to see specific DVDs although I'll tell you up front that I'm probably the only person on the planet who doesn't own "The 5th Element" ;-)



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

Tom L.
my-wannabe-home-theater


[This message has been edited by tlastrange (edited 07-11-2001).]

 

[Dave E in TX]

Tom,


Thanks for all your efforts. It definitely looks like the color and contrast on the high power looks is improved, and the black level tradeoff seems nominal. I'm still curious as to if it will exacerbate the rainbow effect (which I see only rarely on the Video Spectra 1.5 screen).


Anyways, this has given me more to think about. Since I have a ceiling mounted unit and the high-power supposedly doesn't work well with that. Has anyone actually tried it?


Thanks again.


-Dave

 

[catullus]

Tom:


Thanks! Very helpful demo! I did pretty much the same thing before I bought a Hi-power for my Sony 400Q, pasted all the the fabric samples onto my DIY screen and made a quick observation: the Hi-power seemed to bring everything to life in a way the other fabrics did not. Of course, there are countless variables which might make the Hi-power wrong for another set-up. But what I see in your samples is what I was hoping to see when my own LT-150 arrives. Now I wish I hadn't sold my Hi-power screen with the Sony! Dang!


Mike


P.S. Everybody take a second look at the picture at the lower right, of the young man in the orange and blue coat. Notice that the Hi-Power sample does NOT significantly impair the excellent black level of the shadow under the man's chin, but DOES make the blue of the fabric much more vibrant.


[This message has been edited by catullus (edited 07-11-2001).]


[This message has been edited by catullus (edited 07-11-2001).]

 

[kromkamp]

Its worth mentioning that (I assume) the projector is not ceiling-mounted in these tests, which is ideal for the Hi-Power screen.


If your projector is ceiling-mounted, you wont get nearly as good results as this, because the gain will be focused back towards the projector instead of towards the viewers.


Andy K. (Who also owns a Hi-Power screen)

 

[tlastrange]

Yes, at the top of the test results page, I mention the projector "mount" being a 16" high coffee table.



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

Tom L.
my-wannabe-home-theater

 

[jsmin]

I am almost competely sold on that 150 now. One question, if you where to mount the projector on the ceiling (8.5' - 9') what screen would be the winner????? Assuming you would use the 150.


Thanks in advance,

Jim

 

[turbe]

No Wide Power material in the test http://www.avsforum.com/ubb/frown.gif

 

[Jfreeman]

jsmin,


My question exactly. The result of these tests are only effective for those with a table-mounted projector. Many lt150 users have their units ceiling mounted. While I have also read numerous times that the hi-power is not ideal for ceiling mounted units due to its retro-reflectivity, I would still be curious to know if the hi-power works better than da-mat, despite the projection angle.

 

[turbe]

With the picture showing the introduction to TS2 ("Walt Disny Pictures Presents"), the Glass Beaded material looks better to my eye for the space scene.
http://community.webshots.com/photo/...5213eWGuhjsUEG


-Shawn

 

[tlastrange]

Quote:

Originally posted by turbe: No Wide Power material in the test http://www.avsforum.com/ubb/frown.gif

I can't tell whether you're disappointed or just wishful thinking... I did leave out the two rear projection materials they sent, otherwise, that's all I received.


I'll try to simulate a ceiling mount in a couple of days. It's not going to be very high due to a low ceiling and a furnace vent in the middle of the room. That may mean the viewing angle will be less than a more "normal" ceiling mount would be.


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

Tom L.
my-wannabe-home-theater

 

[Grant Smyth]

I have two DLPs - one floor mounted and one ceiling mounted (8 foot high ceiling). The Hipower works equally well for both. I have two other screens and they will continue to gather dust!


Cheers,


Grant

 

[kromkamp]

If the floor mounted projector is truely 'floor mounted' (ie. sitting on the ground), then that would make sense. Eye level is around 4 feet.


Try mounting the projector behind and just above your head. Then you'll see what this screen *really* looks like! (And as an added bonus, you'll be able to make shadow-puppets with your hands, or pick the nose of anyone on screen http://www.avsforum.com/ubb/smile.gif )


Andy K.

 

[Grant Smyth]

Both of my projectors (floor and ceiling mounted) have rather extreme throw angles. I have stood on a chair so my head is right beside the ceiling mounted projector and lain on the floor beside my floor mounted projector and the image is not noticeably brighter than when I am seated - again I think it has to do with the LT150's throw angle. The Infocus LP350 and Proxima DX3 do not have nearly as much throw angle, nor did they appear any brighter with the Hipower than the much lower lumen LT150!.


The photos of the different samples is what I saw when I did the same test. The Hipower stood out from my seated position with the ceiling mounted and the floor mounted projectors. Whether ceiling or floor mounted I don't think you're going to be disappointed with the Hipower with this particular projector (if the ceiling mount is more than 8 feet high then you're on your own). You can always make a suspended ceiling mount to lower it to what you consider an optimum height.


Cheers,


Grant

 

[tpfarr]

I've had a hi-power for a year and think it's great too. But I also have a 10HT so that has to nullify any claim.


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

Tom Pfarr
http://www.toad.net/~tpfarr/Hometheater.htm

 

[Merkin]

Grant,

What are the screen size and seating distance for your ceiling mounted LT150?


I am planning to ceiling mount (8ft ceiling) an LT150 to project on a 60x80 da-lite model b screen with a seating distance of 12.5 feet. Trying to decide between the da-lite hi-power, video spectra 1.5 and matte white. I was leaning toward the 1.5 gain until I saw your post praising the hi-power even for ceiling mount. Thoughts?


Thanks,

Eric


[This message has been edited by Merkin (edited 07-13-2001).]

 

[Grant Smyth]

Eric,


My screen is a 4:3 (96 inches X 72inches) and I sit back 14 to 16 feet. You shouldn't have a problem. Again I highly recommend that you border your screen on all four sides with some sort of black material (if you can devise a floating border system so that you can border your top and bottom for different aspect ratios all the better - that's what I have done to maximize blacks and contrast.


The worst case scenario is that you will lose some of the punch of the Hipower from your ceiling mount, but it will still be punchier than the other materials - I don't think you'll lose much from an eight foot high mount. Remember that this projector is noisier when ceiling mounted!


This projector looks very good on other "white" screens, it's just that the Hipower enchances the positives - colour, contrast, blacks etc. Like ice cream and hot apple pie, it just seems to work! Most combinations don't work every well, just look at the divorce rate. Some on the other hand are magical - this is one of them! http://www.avsforum.com/ubb/smile.gif


Cheers,


Grant