[FatSteve]

Hi,

Hope this isn't a double post, i was having problems with logging in and cookies.


I am new to this projector thing, was actually looking at getting a projection Tv, but since i have a very tight stairway leading to my apartment I was going to be limited in size.


It was the ads for the new sony cineza that attracted me to projector systems, so I am interested in that model.


My main uses will be dvd playback from a progressive scan player, and video game consoles - playstation 2 at the moment, and maybe standard TV broadcasts. Future HDTV would be nice but not so important - I can always upgrade in a couple of years when prices come down on higher end projectors. I will install it in a darkened room with only one small window, so ambient light shouldn't be a problem. I also want to keep the price to under $3000. Nearer 2k would be better.


I also am curious if a 800x600 projector will be enough - will I loose details with DVD and 16:9 format?


Was looking at the cineza, also the Sanyo PLC-XW15 interested me, it had XGA resolution which I assume will make for a sharper picture. Also just saw some info on the plus piano which sounds interesting.


Any opinions on any of these projectors and what would be best? Also any recomendations for other projectors would be appreciated.


Thanks for any help,

Steve

 

[kedelbach]

I kind of bucked the recent DLP trend for projectors around here and bought an XW-15 about 1 month ago (demoed an SW-10 and liked it, for ~$300 more I assumed the XGA and little xtra brightness would be worth it).

www.avp-inc.com Mike Goebel came in at $2160 including a decent (non-prog) DVD player and shipping.


Fantastic projector. I haven't compared it to a $10,000+ system, but I can say that nobody watching the World Series last night had anything bad to say about the picture (even though I knew it was far below the projector's HD capabilities).


DVDs are superb, esp. the Superbit titles I just got (Hidden Tiger, Desparado, and Fifth Element). "Carrie" during my Halloween party was a big hit. Nature shows are my favorite on TV, and I have a few IMAX DVDs that are good for showing off the system.


I don't use a screen, just a big matte white wall in my apartment (13' ceiling). If I want to watch during the day (rarely) I'll draw the shades - at night the brightness is more than adequate.

The zoom feature is very nice. Proj. runs cool, is quiet, small, and the colors are simply beautiful.


Here is a link to an admittably non-technical review:
http://www.thebigpicturedvd.com/bigequipment.shtml


I was considering a DVDO line doubler or Quadscan, but honestly I can't justify another $500-$1000 given my happiness with the stock system.


I kave taken pictures/screenshots and will be posting within a week.


good luck - for around $3000 for my entire system I feel like it was worth every penny and then some. Totally blows away everyone who sees it.


Kurt

Trenton, NJ


my HT:

Sanyo XW-15 (13' from wall = 100" image)

Sanyo DVD-7000 (borrowing a Panny RP-56 Prog now but don't see a huge diff over the Sanyo)

Yamaha RX-V2092 A/V receiver: Ebay

Klipsch Center: ubid.com (a pain in the a$$)

Inifinitys all around: Ebay

 

[elgaic]

Kurt,

How is the screen door effect on that Sanyo model and if so do you defocus slightly to minimize it?

Mark

 

[kedelbach]

At 9' (couches) I have to look really hard to see any screendoor, and this is only on very bright, white scenes. My eyesight is 20/20 too. I also have a bar at 15' and at this distance I don't even try to see any. If I'm watching TV from the couches I'll usually zoom the image down slightly to about 85-90 " diag (100" at max zoom) to hide some of the problems inherent with NTSC cable (interferance, minor snow, relatively low resolution). For DVD with progressive I'll blow it all the way up and be perfectly happy sitting 9' away.


I wouldn't consider the focus to be very finely adjustable. It really only takes like a few dgrees of lens rotation to go past "perfect" focus into *slightly* out of focus. When I take the lens cap off its plenty to throw the focus ff, so each time I fire it up I've got to refocus (not a big deal at all). My point is, I've tried to watch DVDs perfectly in focus, and also slightly out, and I can't tell the difference as far as screendoor. Its simply to little to bother me at all. I'm sure a Panamorph Lens would be great, but after the saga Ive read about hear getting a panamorph, I'm not even thinking about that....


Kurt

 

[Huey]

Cineza is overpriced at 3K. It's SVGA, can't do ceiling mount, not that bright, no optical lens shift (just digital vertical and side-shot). For the same 3K you can get many good XGA LCD like SW15, NEC VT540 or XGA DLP like LT150 and its clones (yeah I know LT150 is a clone of the Plus but it's much more popular than the Plus). For sub 2K you can get LT85 (SVGA DLP which should perform as good as XGA LCD with better contrast than LCD), CX1 (XGA LCD with 550 lumens).


If you have Prog. DVD player then LT150 should be great. If you have interlaced DVD player then the LCD makes more sense as they have better deinterlacer/scaler. DLP should give you much better blacks and low-light details.

 

[FatSteve]

Thanks for the responses, doing more searching through the site here I see the LT150 is very highly regarded. I had a look on the NEC site and they are now only showing the LT150z.


I guess this is the new model, only difference I noticed was it is now rated at 1000 lumens instead of 800. Are these shipping yet and has anyone any experience of them? Would it be worth getting one of these or get what I assume would be cheaper prices for the old model.


Also does anyone know if they lowered fan noise with the new model since this seams to be the main drawback that people talk about with the lt150.


Thanks

Steve

 

[Huey]

IMHO it's not worth the 1K increase over LT150. It uses the same optical engine and bulb and added the zoom lens. This lens will not fit LT150 so forget about retrofitting with this new lens. They achieve higher lumens by increasing voltage from 3V of LT150 to 5V of LT150z. They do offer economode which drops the voltage back to 3V and is rated at 1500 hours. Thus, it's fair to assume that the LT150 using the exact same bulb at 3V should last 1500 before popping I doubt if noise has changed as it's the same engine. Thus if you're flexible about mounting on ceiling or table/floor mounting, LT150 is still a much better value.