Theater Projector » home theater projector

ViewSonic PJD5111 Home Theater Projector

admin — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 19:39:33 +0000

What you are looking at is the new PJD5111 from ViewSonic. What they are attempting to do with this release is attract the independent contractor type who needs to deliver a few presentations with projectors. This little machine is very light, very bright, and has more than enough resolution to display your stats and charts with precision.

MSRP right now is only $479 making this one of the most affordable business projectors on the market. It is really easy to decide whether or not a cost is worth it to your business when it’s this low. The projector weighs just over five pounds and can be transported incredibly easily thanks to its compact but elegant design.

The ViewSonic PJD5111 also claims to be a short throw projector but there is still significant room for improvement in that respect. You’re only going to get a 4′ picture from 10′ away and for some, this might not be something you want to hear. For others though, finding 15 feet to throw an image so a few dozen people can see it isn’t out of this world ridiculous. The 2500 lumens of brightness and sheer portability of the unit should make up for what it lacks in throw distance.

All in all, the ViewSonic PJD5111 is the perfect projector to deliver presentations on, write it off as a business expense and then take it home to impress your kids with outdoor movie nights. It really is versatile and for the price really can’t be beat.

Optoma HD66 720p 3D Ready Projector

admin — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 03:10:53 +0000

Ladies and gentlemen, I give to you the Optoma HD66. It is a small, yet powerful projector that can take basically anything you can throw at it. It provides an excellent experience for movies, video games and because of it’s 720p capabilities, it is perfect for HD sports.

It has pre-calibrated picture modes so that you can optimize the picture how it looks best to you. For instance, you can boost up the brightness which is great for watching TV during the day but you might want to sacrifice some of it for a cinematic experience at night adding contrast and definition. You can go in there yourself and fine tune the settings they provide for the perfect picture on whatever surface you happen to be projecting upon.

The addition of 720p 3D capabilities is one that has been awaited in projector communities for a long time and really does a lot to differentiate the Optoma HD66 from it’s competition. You can use the 3D capabilities with a few movies and even play some 3D PC games if your video card is up to the challenge.

The Optoma HD66 is the perfect projector for somebody who doesn’t want to blow their savings but still really wants a high quality home theater experience with HD crispness and beauty. It is incredibly versatile in that it performs incredibly well on movies, video games and all sorts of computer projection.

The Sanyo PLC-XF1000 – A Dual-lamp Projector with 12,000 Lumens

admin — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 21:17:17 +0000

Sanyo doesn’t like to be forgotten. I guess they felt all the recent projector buzz had gone to the h3080FD and HD20 but they didn’t have anything of the sort to compete. Instead, they’re going to release something at the other end of the spectrum. Sanyo’s new PLC-XF1000 projector makes use of two lamp architecture and now boasts the industry’s brightest projector. The machine is said to produce 12,00 lumens from a 100V AC input which kind of blows my mind.

It is incredibly simple to project a beautiful image on a black screen in broad daylight with these types of numbers. The lamps are two high-output 330-watters that are actually 20% more efficient that their previous models. The PLC-XF1000 projector is said to produce an image with a contrast ratio of 4,000:1 and make use of an improved QuaDrive optical engine that allegedly adds a so-called “Color Control Device to the conventional 3LCD system” for control of yellow light independent of the other colors.

This product is made for outdoor displays or digital signage and it shows. There isn’t much in terms of resolution for this projector as it pumps out only 1024×768 pixels and has an Active Maintenance Filter to reduce maintenance costs and labor thanks to its unique cartridge replacement system. The Sanyo PLC-XF1000 is slated for release in December and will retail for $24,995… without a lens…

Comparing $999 Full HD 1080p to High End 1080P Home Theater Projectors

admin — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 18:58:01 +0000

With so many inexpensive full HD 1080p projectors hitting the market, I often see people asking the question “what’s the difference?” This post is for everybody who doesn’t believe that contrast ratios and picture quality are greatly improved between the low and high end models. It’s pretty plain to see how much a couple extra LCDs will add to contrast and colour quality. ProjectorPeople have a video detailing the differences between the new 1080p true HD projectors, all for under $1000, and the current best selling 1080p projectors. They pit a Optoma HD20 up against the Epson Home Cinema 6500 UB projector to illustrate perfectly how a new entry level DLP projector performs agains a high end LCD projector.

Keep in mind though, that as the camera shifts between the two screens, some brightness may be lost for a couple seconds while the camera lens adjusts. Also, when the video is compressed into flash video for the web, there might be some artifacts visible. These artifacts are strictly the byproducts of the compression and have nothing to do with the way the projectors perform. There are problems with filming projectors work but I think this video does an incredible job of comparing the two projectors visually which is not a luxury most people are afforded.

So what does it all come down to?If you are looking to get into the full HD home theater projector market but have a limited budget, you can spend $1000 and get a 1080p 300-inch picture with really good black levels in a small easy to transport case, if you’re willing to sacrifice features. On the other hand, if you are looking at upgrading to a full HD theater projector with an incredibly crisp image, some flexibility in how and where you install the projector due to a 2x zoom and lens shift, then the higher end LCD home theater projectors are what you are looking for.

Personally, I think that if you were to spend $999 on an Optoma HD20, a projector that’s truly worth the $999 price tag, you might as well spend the extra $300 and get a $5,000 projector in the Viewsonic PRO8100. I have said it before but this is in my opinion the best price going for a quality home theater projector.

If for some reason you have an aversion to ViewSonic, or you simply don’t have the extra $300 to drop on it, here are the links for the most popular high end LCD and entry level DLP home theater projectors.

High End LCD Home Theater Projectors

Viewsonic PRO8100 (My favorite deal going right now. A $5,000 projector for $1,300)
Epson PowerLite Home Cinema 6500UB(also a great projector for the price, but the price is twice as much)
Panasonic PT-AE3000U(this one is a fan favorite for a reason, there isn’t a single rating less than five star on Amazon)

New Entry Level DLP Projectors

Optoma HD20(seems to be the favorite, but it’s the only one currently shipping)
Vivitek h3080FD(my pick for entry level DLP HD projectors, from stats only)
BenQ W1000(big fan of BenQ and really looking forward to this little guy’s arrival)

The Somewhat Affordable LS-3, LS-5, and LS-7 – Runco Announces Lightstyle Projectors

admin — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 18:09:13 +0000

Runco has just announced the release of a new series of entry level projectors. Hoping entry level to Runco was no different than entry level to InFocus, I got my hopes up pretty high. As it turns out, the new models are designed to supply quality HD with incredible value. The three new projectors for the new line are names the LS-3, LS-5 and LS-7 working like BMW and getting better with higher numbers. All three projectors feature basically the same enclosures so I’m only gonna throw up pictures of the LS-7.

The LS-3 and LS5 projectors will make use of a single DLP chip and your choice of two lens options to suit your room size making them incredibly versatile entry level projectors. The main difference between the LS-3 and LS-5 is the lamp. The LS-3 features a standard 230 watt lamp producing 1,000 lumens meanwhile, the LS-5 uses a 180 watt lamp that produces the same amount of light saving you some money on energy costs. Tested, the LS-5 produced 751 ANSI lumens and a contrast ratio of 481:1 while the LS-3 performed marginally poorer with 691 ANSI lumens and a contrast ratio of 385:1.

The flagship of the entry models is the LS-7. It features three DLP chips instead of just the one chip in the other two models. This greatly improves picture and colour quality and sets it apart from the rest. The LS-7 comes with six lenses making it a very versatile model. Combine that with powered vertical and horizontal shift and I really can’t believe this is classified as an entry model. The LS-7s tested stats are a little more impressive than his little brothers’ too. It is said to produce 1,708 ANSI lumens at a contrast ratio of 251:1.

The pricing for these three new projectors is where they really differ. The LS-3 sells for $4,995.00, the LS-5 for $6,995.00, and the LS-7 for $15,495.00. Runco projectors are not entry level projectors, these are just entry level Runcos. I guess I’m getting a little closer to my dream projector. Not much though.

The BenQ W1000 – A Third Contender in the Sub $1,000 1080p Ring

admin — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 16:53:52 +0000

BenQ has announced their plans to release a very affordable 1080p projector sometime in the coming month. October 5th is a day that keeps getting thrown around but I seriously don’t know if I can wait that long. As I’ve stated before, I’m a little bit of a BenQ fanboy. The first product I bought from them, I didn’t expect much of, but if I turn my head to the right, I can look at my, still functioning perfectly, BenQ T705 monitor. I think BenQ chiseled out a great little niche by building dependable electronic hardware for a very fair price. Granted, they may not produce the at pinnacle of statistic availability, but they do what they do incredibly well.

All that being said, I look forward to this low-end 1080p projector more than any other this year. According to BenQ’s released statistics, it doesn’t quite measure up to the HD20’s contrast ratio, but as I’ve said many times before, and will say many times in the future, you simply can not trust manufacturer’s statistics. All three of the sub $1,000 DLP 1080p projectors sport the TI DLP chip so they are all very similar. Where they will differ though is in lenses and basically everything else that goes into making a projector.

I really can’t get enough of the case. Look at that faux leather texture on the silver part of the casing; it is stunning. The W1000 is by far my favorite of the cheap 1080p projectors aesthetically but we’ll have to wait to see if it outperforms the Optoma HD20 and Vivitek h3080FD. All three projectors should be on the market and shipping to happy households by the end of October but we should be able to compare the W1000 to the HD20 on October 5th. Be sure we’ll keep you posted.

The Viewsonic PRO8100 – The Best Full HD 1080p Home Theater Projector for Your Money

admin — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 16:30:18 +0000

The Viewsonic PRO8100 is probably the best deal going right now in home theater projectors. It is a full 1080p home theater projector that originally sold for $4,995 in retail stores, which was then quite a fair price. Last year the price dropped dramatically to $1,999 and I thought the world had collapsed upon itself and hell was about to freeze over. While skimming Amazon, I did a double take and noticed that the price had dropped yet again by more than $650 to $1,346.06. Yeah I put the pennies in there because I just did not believe it.

The Viewsonic PRO8100 mocks others with it’s incredible 1080p resolution, 2Fine liquid crystal panel, the ever impressive silicon optix reon-VX high perormance video processor sporting the Hollywood Quality Video stamp of approval. It makes for stunning HD movies, videos and television while letting you control it with IR and RS-232 remotes for absolute unification with your current system. The PRO8100 also makes use of ViewSonic’s Percision Colour System technology to provide a very advanced and customizable colour tuning studio that is capable of 3D colour management, auto contrast and 33 levels of gamma correction. Among the other input ports on the back are two HDMI 1.3 and two component video inputs to make sure you can get everything plugged in.

My guess is that ViewSonic wants to take a nibble at the low priced 1080p projector pie. As the name behind the product gets better, the prices do get higher though. Vivtek stars us out with the h308FD at $999, followed by Optoma with the HD20 at $1099 and now ViewSonic with the PRO8100 at $1,346.06. I have to say that the ViewSonic PRO8100 is the best projector that you can buy for under $1,500. This is one of the best deals in home theater projector history. If you were looking, you’re not anymore. Go pick it up.

The Epson PowerLite Home Cinema 705HD Projector – A Long Name for a Little Projector

admin — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 19:15:28 +0000

Alongside the MovieMate 60, Epson introduced the PowerLite Home Cinema 705HD. The 705HD comes packing a 1.2x optical zoom lens which gives it the ability to project a screen up to 120″. Putting the image on that screen starts with a very bright 2,500 lumen bulb pumping through Epson’s new 3LCD technology to produce a 720p HD image.

As I mentioned above, the 705HD makes use of Epson’s new three-chip 3LCD technology and a new energy eficient E-TORL lamp providing an incredibly bright image with impressive detail and no possiblity of a rainbow effect occurring or colour break-up. The inputs on the back include a USB 2.o connection, HDMI, component and even an S-Video input.

Photos on a flash drive can be plugged in to the 705HD’s USB port on the back and projected effortlessly as a slideshow. There is also an auto keystone feature to make sure that the picture is perfect and all the corners are at right angles. Epson is all about ease of use and they are perfecting it on their latest models.

But my favorite part about the Epson 705HD is the price tag. For only $750, you could be watching your favorite DVD’s in HD on the 705HD. You can probably pick one of these up around the same time the MovieMate 60 drops (Oct. 12th) but there is no official word yet. Keep checking back.

The Epson MovieMate 60 – The All-in-Wonder

admin — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 23:01:44 +0000

The newest Epson MovieMate is the epitome of the all in one home theater. As you can see in the picture, the MovieMate 60sports an internal CD/DVD player, speakers and a microphone input. You quite literally do not need anything else to watch a movie. It kicks out the picture with a 2,000 lumen lamp through 3 LCD’s and can put a 120-inch image on a wall from just 12 feet away.

It may look rather large in the picture but I assure you, it’s quite portable. it only takes up 5″ x 9.3″ x 3.4″ and weighs a measly 9.7 pounds. There is also a paddded carrying case for transportation that makes use of the projector’s built in handle. Epson really wants to make this a home theater that you can take anywhere.

It outputs at the new 16:9 ratio and supports widescreen HD content seamlessly. It also makes use of recent plug-and-play technology so that you can connect your computers, flash cards, digital cameras, MP3 players and camcorders without incident. Epson has made it incredibly simple to plug in a flash drive and project a slide show.

Where the MovieMate will lack will be in resolution and display. They really want you to have it in the basement for movie nights, but still have the ability to take it out to the pool at night for the kids. I think that for what you pay, you get one hell of a good product.

The Epson MovieMate 60 should begin shipping October 12th so go get your pre-orders in.

The JVC D-ILA DLA-RS4000 – Can You Spare $175,000?

admin — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 17:20:32 +0000

Okay, this one is going to be one of those incredibly unattainable pieces of electronic equipment that you’ll dream about, but you know you’ll never attain. Like when you used to hang posters of Cindy Crawford and Farrah Fawcett on your wall. Anyways, no, I did not add some extra zeros in the price up there. This new D-ILA projector from JVC does retail for $175,000, and you know what? It might just be worth it. To say this thing is a monster is the understatement of CEDIA. It weighs 110lbs and is capable of projecting 4096×2400 pixels at a screen. That’s four times the resolution of HD. This allows you to be able to project up to four HD pictures simultaneously.

Despite the price, the DLA-RS400 is a home theater projector. It projects an insane resolution capable of reproducing 10-megapixels. The machine comes both THX and ISF certified, as a $175,000 projector should, and mocks other lamps with a 3,500 lumen Xenon burning bright inside. The incredible Xenon lamp can be controlled to eight brightnesses so that optimal viewing levels are always at hand.

In addition to all those numbers, the RS-4000 delivers an insane 10,000:1 native contrast ratio which utilizes the pinnacle of JVC’s new LCD technology and Wire Grid polarizers. Inside the 110lb box is an RSVP4 custome digital video processing unit which will switch signals, scale and process source feeds from all sort of media inputs such as gaming consoles, satellite receivers, and Blu-Ray players. The projection zoom lens is said to be of very high quality to make sure that the best picture reaches the screen. An ethernet port is present on the box to allow connectivity, in addition to network ports for controlling the RS4000 remotely from a PC or anything on the network the projector is currently connected to. JVC is shipping the DLA-RS4000 before the end of the month so if you have $175,000 burning a hole in your pocket, you should go pick up one of JVC’s greatest achievements in home theater.