[Scott B]

I have had a PLV-60 for a little over a year now and will replace it as soon as something significantly better comes along. I have seen the upcoming HD2 DLPs at the CEDIA Expo and they were very nice, however, they have inadequate light output for my screen (a 125" wide microperforated GrayHawk), and the JVC SX-21 was very impressive, however, I do not want to have to deal with light spill issues or an anamorphic lens. Even if the HD2 DLPs were bright enough for my needs I would be hesitant to buy at this time given that a switch to the Archimedes colour wheel is inevitable as is a solution to the "dimple" problem. According to TI the Archimedes colour wheel will increase brightness by approximately 40%. It may also reduce the colour separation artifacts of the current colour wheels. I do not have a problem with rainbows, however, I always have an uneasy feeling watching DLP. The solution to the "dimple" problem should also increase contrast ratios significantly. Does anybody have any idea when we can realistically expect to see the Archimedes colour wheel and the solution to the "dimple" problem appear in DLP projectors?

 

[Paul Hayward]

Hi Scott,


I'm afraid at this point it is all pure guess work. On the HT cruise, one of the Sim2 guys said that TI could not get an image out of thing as yet! This may be because the wheel needs an HD3 chipset with faster responding mirrors, but who knows. I thought it was going to be available in one years' time but I'm beginning to think that it might be significantly longer.


My worry currently, it that solving the dimple problem will lead not only to higher light output and significantly better contrast, but also increase suseptibility to rainbows. This is one good reason why the SCR spiral wheel system is so important because TI claim it eliminates the rainbow artifact and further increases percieved contrast. Such a DLP projector will, I believe, knock the final nail into the CRT coffin and be THE projector to own. Sorry I cant be more specific about timing,


Best Wishes,


Paul H

 

[darinp]

Quote:

Originally posted by Paul Hayward This is one good reason why the SCR spiral wheel system is so important because TI claim it eliminates the rainbow artifact and further increases percieved contrast. Such a DLP projector will, I believe, knock the final nail into the CRT coffin and be THE projector to own.

I'm starting to think that by the time they get the SCR stuff working the projector to own will be an LCOS that is designed specifically for HT. Contrast ratio seems like the biggest hurdle for the LCOS camp at the moment and I've seen reports on here that high contrast with the polarizers has been proven, but is currently very expensive.


--Darin

 

[rlsmith]

The other possibility would be 3-chip DLP's at home prices. After all, both LCD and LCOS units have 3 chips routinely. There have been reports that we should be seeing some 3-chip units soon. This would increase brightness, totally remove rainbows, and should reduce the temporal dithering artifact considerably, especially when combined with faster DMD chips. I would sooner see TI spending time on making 3chip units cost effective than on adding furtther "epicycles" to the color wheel kludge.

 

[Scott B]

rlsmith,

I agree completely with your comments regarding 3 chip DLPs. Panasonic displayed a 3 chipper at the CEDIA Expo which was significantly cheaper and smaller than earlier offerings. Prices, however, still have a long ways to go before 3 chip DLPs become viable alternatives to 3 chip LCD and DILA/LCOS projectors.


If the Archimedes colour wheel is more than a year away, then I will probably be replacing my PLV-60 with a 16:9 DILA/LCOS when they become available next year.

 

[chrisreeves]

Paul - unless the TI guys were lying to me, I saw a projector with the Archimedes color wheel in action at Infocomm this summer. If you do a search you'll see my story of how I got in to see it and what the TI people told me about it.

 

[Paul Hayward]

Hi Chrisreeves,


Now you mantion it, I remember your post well. A vague memory of it sort of nagged away at the back of my mind on the cruise. Well, I do hope that SCR is a reality ASAP. I guess I gave the benefit of the doubt to the Sim2 guys at time and your report just 'temporarily' slipped away.


Best Wishes,


Paul H

 

[Scott B]

Chris,

I also remember your post. You mentioned how the projector with the Archimedes colour wheel was much brighter and more saturated.


All,

I would not be surprised to see single chip DLP projectors with post-calibration specs (real-world specs) of >1200 lumens and >3000:1 constrast ratio once the Archimedes colour wheel is available and the "dimple" problem is solved. I will buy such a projector if the Archimedes colour wheel eliminates any colour separation artifacts. Once we get to this level of performance, improvements are going to be subtle and will probably centre around optics, scaler performance, and quality of source material.

 

[timf98]

Am I alone in preference of single panel DLP's? There is zero convergence error with a single panel. To me, the path of improving on single panel designs is the correct way to go.

 

[Scott B]

Single chip DLP does have some advantages such as no concerns about panel alignment, decreased chance of dead pixels, and simpler optics which help with contrast. My issue with single chip DLP is that stupid spinning colour wheel which robs light output and causes colour separation artifacts. If the Archimedes colour wheel solves these problems, then DLP will look a LOT more attractive to me.

 

[WanMan]

Quote:

Originally posted by Scott B Single chip DLP does have some advantages such as no concerns about panel alignment, decreased chance of dead pixels, ...

Scott, for a three-panel LCD/LCOS setup if one of the 'cells' on one of the panels dies (let's say a 'cell' on the red panel) then its position on the other two panels is still capable of producing the remaining to basic colors. Of course, this is only useful if those colors for said cell doesn't require the primary color needed from the panel with the dead cell.