[catullus]

Dear AVS friends:


An Infocus press release dated for tomorrow appears to confirm the reality and impending availability of a new HT projector based on the TI widescreen chipset:

http://www.infocus.com/company/press..._01homeent.asp



I am slobbering with anticipation.


Mike

 

[boatman]

I can't wait. Anybody want to buy a LP335?

 

[mcody]

While any lower cost options for FP are a welcome option, I for one would not get one since it is based on the 640 x 480 DLP. When 720P is available for $4999 list, then I'll bite.


For now, my $1600 LT150 will have to suffice even though I have to suffer with scaling DVD's 480 lines to the NEC 576

 

[sitkom]

Widescreen 480P = 853x480, not 640x480.


Leave it to InFocus to introduce a projector 18 months behind the market window. Who would buy this?

 

[David Mendicino]

ANyone know what kind of colour wheel this thing uses?


I take it, then, that this is the equivalent of the Seleco HT200DM?

 

[abigpicture]

As dealer who has sold many Infocus products and do think they had some good ones...I no longer attempt to sell their products.


I sold many of the Lp340 and Boxlight 455m's...all of a sudden I am seeing a rash of blown lamps,...most at less than 400 hours...now Boxlight does have a 120 day lamp warranty but it does not reset when they give you a new lamp...so if you blow two lamps your dead....and it now seems it is not uncommon. infact you cannot even buy a lamp right now if you wanted too. They are stocked out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and its been that way for [email protected]!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I took a lamp out of the last one I had in-stock to make a customer happy as he was having a Redskins party...!!!!!!!!!!



Anyway....I was happy with the price/performance ratio on the 455m and original LP340 ...and with s-video did a great job fo the buck....but with these blown lamps and the company running out and cutting off their warranty...Im not interested in selling or owning their products....I'd pay more for the Sharp 9000 or the Marantz if I wanted a 16:9 panel DLP.....


I am dissapointed in the build quality of the INFOCUS products and I do not like my customers to be unhappy ......


Regards,

John

 

[rlsmith]

This machine is more competitive with the Plus Piano (based on the same chip) BUT supports 480P, 720P and 1080i, which the Piano apparently does not support.


With Faroudja processing, and at the right street price (remember it lists at 4995), this could be a low-priced winner.


They plan a 720P version next year I am told.

 

[PhilB]

Sitkom,


The LS110 uses the 848x480 DMD, not the 640x480 panel.


rlsmith,



Where did you get the $4999 number? The Toshiba clone which is in Germany lists for ~$3700. In January, the 1280x720 DMD based unit was rumored to be $5000 list, with this one listing at $3500.


-phil

 

[Matt Bergman]

PhilB --


I'm not rlsmith, but I'll answer.


The $4999 figure is in the press release.

I wonder how much it will street for...

Do you guys think we'll see >30% off like you typically can on most Infocus machines?


Is it just me, or does it seem like a funny coincidence that this press release came out the same day Plus officially launched the Piano.


I'm pretty much ready to just go for it and get the Piano this week.

Patience really isn't one of my virtues, and I've been waiting close to a year to buy a decent HT projector now.


Matt

 

[PhilB]

Matt,


Thanks for pointing that price out. I must've skipped over that part of the press release. This isn't a very positive development. At this rate, the big-boy (1280x720) will list in the Sharp 9000 price range which will be too bad. I thought that InFocus was going to try to take the FP market by storm and get one of their projectors in every house from Seatle to Miami. At this price they be just another projector. It's be hard to convince someone to pick up an InFocus when Sharp or some other well known CE manufacturer will offer a competitive solution.


Oh well, I can always hope this is a typo in the press release.


-phil

 

[PhilB]

I just realized that this thing is going to list at $1400 more than the LP500, which one could argue is a comprable machine. Hopefully that $5K price includes the Hub. Of coures at $1400 the Hub better be a good deinterlacer/scaler or else people will be pissed about having to pay extra for a so-so scaler.



-phil

 

[MrWigggles]

Think plasma alternative.


If you put 1000 lumens on to a 42" diagnol screen, you could get about 100ft-L normally or 20ft-L on a .2 gain screen.


That might not sound like much of a home theater but it does sound like a good alternative to a 42" plasma.


(BTW, the panny isn't 3000:1, more like 800:1).


-Mr. Wigggles

 

[Reed W]

Guys - I think you may be missing the point here. Based on the specs this projector is not targeted for those of us here at the Forum who are looking for cutting edge performance. It is targeted at "joe six pack".


They are trying to offer this as an alternative to a RPTV, not the ultimate in home theater. This seems to be for the guy who has never owned a projector, isn't searching for the very best, but wants a "plug and play" big screen experience for $4k - $5k, same price you would pay for a Pioneer Elite or Sony RPTV.


Most of us here won't buy one, but if it streets for $4k, they just might sell a bunch of them to your neighbors. Reed.

 

[Ryan0751]

What do you do with a DLP panel that small? You can't even display 800x600 on the unit without scaling? Ick. Wouldn't something like one of the 16x9 LCD's with very high resolution give you a better price/performance ratio?

 

[Scott B]

The LS110 has the single chip dual-mode with a 16:9 resolution of 848x480 and a 4:3 resolution of 800x600. This is the same chip used in the Sim 200DM and the Plus Piano. This looks like a very interesting projector. As compared to the 200DM, it is significantly cheaper, brighter, and has Fajourda processing. As compared to the Plus Piano it is much brighter, accepts progressive scan, and is compatible with HDTV. For DVDs, 848x480 is all the resolution that is needed. Sure it does not have the new 1280x720 chip, but if all you are watching is DVDs then who cares? If this unit streets for 4K, then this could be my next projector.

 

[Ryan0751]

Ahh, if it's a dual-mode with 800x600 capability this thing sounds pretty cool, provided it's cheap I particularly like the idea of a new color wheel (hopefully reduced rainbows and better color), lots of input options, and full HDTV compatability (rather than just 480i, 720p, and 1080i like the 340/350). And hopefully it's nice and quiet.... and the bulbs don't explode at 200 hours

 

[DaViD Boulet]

Quote:

For DVDs, 848x480 is all the resolution that is needed. Sure it does not have the new 1280x720 chip, but if all you are watching is DVDs then who cares?

Not entirely true. No scaling is better than bad scaling. But good scaling, or great scaling, can render a picture with less "jaggies" than a mere 480 vertical can do.


On a big screen, a well scaled image can look smother and more film-like, and render fine details with less blocking (quantization) noise than a straight 720x480 image.


Scaling is comparable to oversampling in an audio d/a converter. It smooths out the rough transitions and makes curves look like they should...round.


-dave

 

[David Mendicino]

So, what IS the colour wheel on this machine?

 

[Jason Turk]

This unit is using the new RGBRGB color wheel. It is very similar to the Seleco HT200DM and the Plus Piano.


Thanks!

 

[Ryan0751]

How do these new dual-mode panels switch between 16:9 and 4:3? If I'm using the 16x9 mode (853x480), and then switch to 4:3 (800x600 I presume), I take it this projector won't "squish" the 4:3 image into the center of a 16:9 screen?