[Archangel]

So where are the under $5K MSRP LCD projector fence sitters after CEDIA 2003 ? Have your choices become clearer ?


What if anything has changed after the CEDIA anouncements?


Does the Sony HS20 come out as the clear winner ? Or has it $500 MSRP hike made you look elsewhere ?


Is the Sanyo Z2 the way to go....or will you fence sit for another four months for the Panasonic 500 ?


I would be interested to know if anything over the last couple of days....has knocked you off the fence....one way or the other ?


I myself think I am leaning hard toward the Sony HS20....I am just hoping for a clean bug-free factory release.....on a date some time soon...I am wishing early October...but I am not holding on tight to that bubble.

 

[Alexander]

I was close to buying a HS10 a while ago, until I discovered the bit where it can only do 1:1 on DVI at 50Hz. If the HS20 does 60Hz, then I'm ready to buy. If it can't, I'll have to go pull all my hair out and get back to you later.


I suspect that it'll be relatively affordable from priceJapan, and I like Japanese things.


I believe availability is November in Japan, and possibly after that for NA.

 

[greighn]

I am still on the fence and plan on choosing between the Sony HS20 and the Panasonic 500. My room will be completed by October and I'm anxious to watch some movies!



I'd prefer the longer throw of the Sony but if the Panny's smoothscreen works as well with a high def panel as it supposedly did with the previous lower res models, I'd make an exception. Also, the Panasonics in general seemed to generate less buzz about problems than the Sony HS10 did. But who knows how the HS20 will fare in that regard.


Bring on the Shootouts!!


-Gary.

 

[Rick Guynn]

I have jumped off the fence. I was waiting on definitive info on the Z2. After CEDIA, it appears to me that it is not quite ready for prime-time. Judging by the few reports I have read on the Z2, Sanyo was conspicuously mum on pricing and shipping dates. The European sites still claim the beginning of October, but the lack of any 'solid' info in Sanyo's CEDIA press release tells me that probably isn't going to happen.


Oh, I will probably be buying a Z1/1HD (working on it now).


RG

 

[Archangel]

You know....even a lottery win will not get me the perfect projector....pretty darn close but not perfect....bottom line.....I have got to start enjoying a front projector now....and the HS20 seems to cover enough present and future technologies.


It is time to get off the fence and start enjoying some big screen entertainment....I want to see Jennifer Garner coming at me in full 92 inches widescreen and in HD....I want help Andy Sipowitz through another season of NYPD Blue....I want to see where the Enterprise will take me on this new threat to the planet....and I most definitely want to see the full blown picture of the new Indiana Jones set....plus I hate to admit it....but I have saved the Lord of the Rings for a big screen....probably one of the few who have not seen it....but now will have part one and two ready for a big screen marathon !!


Bring on the Sony HS20 !!


Just pleeeeeease:

a.) do not make me wait too long.....October please....save me some NFL game watching time on big screen


b.) let it be bug free on the first factory run out


c.) let some AV Science sponsors offer a decent discount off of full retail....but then I do not need to buy it at the lowest possible price....I will not surrend the peace of mind of dealing with a quality reputible retailer with a good return policy for dead pixels and any other unforseen issue....just to save shipping or a few dollars.


That is it...the thinking is done....I am ready to pull the trigger....I just hope Sony releases it soon....before some other projector tries to lure me away from my choice !

 

[Stasulos]

It's Z2 vs. HS-20 for me, whichever is first to arrive. Although I have biiiiiiiiiig reservations about HS-20. I would only buy it if it tuns out that Z2 is literally months away. The risk of spending 3,5 grand on another 350 bucks mangling machine (read new "lamp popper") is too high with HS-20. Z1 reliability is "au contraire" proving to be excellent, which hopefully should be transferred onto the new Z2.

 

[mule.variant]

Still fence riding. Leaning toward the HS20 if the throw will work in my room. I'm also kind of sick of waiting and hope that it (and/or the Z2) shows up soon. I was pretty much ready to get a TW100H, but the supply dried up. That fence is getting pretty uncomfortable....

 

[rlindo]

I have the Z1 but am ready to upgrade it to the Z2 ASAP. I'd consider the AE500 but I doubt it'll be out before January. I don't want to wait that long. Now if the Z2 doesn't come out until like mid Nov-dec then I may just wait to see how the L500 fairs.


I am hoping those reports of the Z2 out by mid Oct are true.

 

[scottpe]

There's no fence sitting for me. I'm going with the HS20. I had an HS10 for a month or so, and was completely thrilled with it. It looks like this model has improved on it in almost every respect. (plus the Z2's short throw is a problem for me)


Archangel, you are in for a real treat with the LOTR movies!!! Hopefully you're planning to watch the extended editions. FOTR EE improves on the theatrical release in almost every respect (quality of video and sound, as well as content)... I have no reason to expect any different from the EE of TTT coming in November.


You'll be primed and ready for the Return of the King in December! There are some scenes in these movies that are simply incredible. Battle scenes like you've never seen before. And all indications are that ROTK will have battles that are 20x in scale! These movies aren't just about flash either, unlike most movies these days. They are a wonderful story too. I haven't been this anxious about a movie sequel since Return of the Jedi back in the 80s.


I'll have the funding in place for the HS20 in October. I hope Sony is ready when I am...


--Scott

 

[A. Vandelay]

I require a projector with extended lens shift so it looks like the Z2 is the only one that will work for me. If there are any other budget projectors that will let you mount the projector above the top of the screen, please let me know.

 

[jebersole]

My room was close enough to being finished to make a purchase right around the time the buzz started about Cedia. Considering I will be watching 95% DVD's and no HD, I had my eye on the Panny 300 over the HS10 mainly because of the difference in price.


I will purchase something from the latest offerings, but compared to the Z2 & Panny 500, it sounds like I won't be able to justify the additional cost of the HS20. Once official prices are announced and these things start to ship, I will either get a price-reduced 300 if Z2 & Panny 500 are over $2K, or get whichever one I can snatch up first...


Who carries the Sanyo line? Any of the site sponsors? (Can I ask that?)

 

[Rick Guynn]

Projectorpeople carry the Sanyo line. They are sponsors and appear to have a very good reputation.


RG

 

[TommyZ]

I was so very close to buying a Z1, but heeded the advice of many to wait for CEDIA. The Z2 certainly sounds like it's worth waiting for, if that's only a couple months.


The extra cost is worth it for me to get the extra resolution and HDCP compatible DVI. I'm not planning to upgrade until this thing dies on me, so HD compatibility is important to me.

 

[Marissadad]

Quote:

I want to see Jennifer Garner coming at me in full 92 inches widescreen and in HD

OH MY GOD!!! Have you guys seen Alias Season 1 yet? I just got mine and the transfer is incredible. On my XGA machine it looks almost every bit as good as HD. WOW. Can't wait for Season 2.


As far as the fence goes, I am still on it. I am not in a hurry since the PJ I am using is borrowed from work so I am leaning toward the Z2 and have time to let Sanyo iron things out. I am hoping for a Spring timeframe to purchase my own unit.

 

[minesh1]

I am equally torn between the Z2, HS20, & 500. I guess it'll come down to street prices of whatever is available in December. I'm glad my house won't be finished until then, so the agony of having to wait is taken out of my hands.

 

[buffster]

More confused than ever. My wife would like me in the 1000-$1500 range. I tried the X-1, way to many rainbows. Still have my eye on Z1/HD1, have seen the Panny 300 but still a few too many $. The Epson Home 10 might be an option for me, my wife likes the idea of sub $200 lamps. I have also found a Sharp DT200, Z90 for about $1000, so that might be an option, and I am looking into a refurb Sharp Z9000U, which I will by if I can get it under $1500. So Cedia did little to clear up the picture here.

 

[Spoonfed]

I was going to get an X1 very soon. Price is VERY good comparied to the Z1 and 300. I will have an 80inch screen viewed at about 3.5 - 4 metre (16:9). I have seen the X1 and it is nice, is there any advantage going to 300 or Z1 over the X1 given the above config (will be feed from PC).


I think by the time the 500 and Z2 come to Oz it will be 6 months and they will be at least $1000 more than current models which puts even the cheapest over double the X1 easily


hmmm

 

[ArtT]

I'm about to fall off the fence. Been reading and watching since last fall, wanted an HS-10 but held off because seemed to be a lot who said it was pretty good but not great...it just seemed to have too many small issues that add up (fan noise, contrast, cost a little higher, lamp bug). Also figured by last spring-wehn they were finally available- that summer was just around the corner (did you ever notice how summer always comes after spring?) and I'd be outside in the evenings instead of watching movies inside. L300 sounded great but i wanted higher res and hdcp. So, right now the days are getting shorter, as is my resistance to making a purchase! I'm between Z2 and Panny500 and will probably be an owner by December. HS-20 sounds great, but not $100-1500 greater than the other two (although I'd really prefer a long throw lense) On paper the 500 seems to have an edge...I don't love the only 700 lumens of the z2 as sports events and tv shows are more fun to watch with friends with the lights on, and I'm likely going to get hdtv within the life of this pj. On paper the 500 offers significantly higher light and higher contrast, plus the smoothscreen, but according to the press releases will be late in the year or january before we have them. This means I only have a couple months to enjoy before summer and the great outdoors call me again, so I really hope we see these early in the fall rather than later. HS-20 also probably not around till later. If it turns out to have all the extra lumens that it claims to have, then it may be worth the exra moola if I haven't taken the plunge already. I think we also need to wait till people actually see the final versions of these, not the betas on a showroom floor. If z2 arrives first and we don't have a firm release date for the others, and if it looks good, i'll probably jump, although I'd hate to buy and a month later have the 500 blow it away (although this is unlikely). I've never been a Sony fan so the HS-20 would have to arrive next week in stores and be spectacularly better than the others for me to buy it. I guess that is where I stand.

Art T

 

[gmshoemaker]

ArtT,


Yep. That is where I stood 6 months ago. From this vantage point, looking back, I guess no matter what you do, it always looks like a mistake. At some place and time in the space/time continuum, you gotta learn to live with it and just watch movies.


Gary

 

[pateruck]

I can't take it anymore. Watching a 27" CRT from 10 feet away is going to make me go blind. I need FP very soon. I had wanted the Z1 until everyone said to wait for the Z2. But not knowing when or how much the Z2 will be makes it very hard to wait. I just wish sanyo would give us some answers. I imagine that a few people will be upgrading and I can find a used Z1 at a great price, which will make it even more difficult to decide between z1/z2. Say, anyone want to sell me their used Z1 right now? =)