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Author Topic: Video Projector recommendations J-sun Bailey Film Handler Posts: 12 From: Fairfield, Maine, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 07-19-2010 10:01 AM                     We're looking at replacing our video projectors with HD projectors and also go up in lumens. I've narrowed it down based on the size of the three screens we need to project on: Cinema 3 Cinema 2 Cinema 1 Any thoughts/recommendations would be great. Thanks in Advance.  |  IP: Logged Carsten Kurz Film God Posts: 4340 From: Cologne, NRW, Germany Registered: Aug 2009 posted 07-19-2010 06:26 PM                     What will these machines be used for and what is your approx. budget? - Carsten  |  IP: Logged Mike Frese Master Film Handler Posts: 465 From: Holts Summit, MO Registered: Jun 2007 posted 07-19-2010 07:30 PM                        I am as well looking for a new video projector. I have a 70' throw to work with. Will use to show pre-show stuff, video gaming, free or discounted kid movies using Blu-Ray as the source. Budget ??  |  IP: Logged Kirk Futrell Film Handler Posts: 95 From: Nashville, TN / U.S.A. Registered: Nov 2008 posted 07-21-2010 03:10 PM                        I don't know what you're budget is, but if you can find some panasonic 7000 series projectors new or used they will look great for the price. Which is not cheap by the way, I think they are around 30k+ for new ones. They are 7000 lumens and 4000:1 contrast ratio. I will say for such short throws and I assume rather small screens, that you can definitely get away with using projectors that are 720p. You don't have to go with 1080 for HD on a budget. I personally like to look for a high contrast ratio with a minimum of about 5000 lumens in a small light controlled theater. The contrast ratio, makes a big difference and video projectors have been able to far exceed the theoretical contrast ratio of film (which I haven't been able to get a solid answer on what the contrast ratio is for film, I'm sure it starts with "Well, it depends..." though, and I haven't searched for it on this site yet...), by having iris that can physically block the light from reaching the screen in black areas (I think that's how it works...) Also I don't know where the current debate on LCD vs. DLP is ( I think 3 chip DLP won) but with LCD you can get a "screen door" effect, because you can see the pixels. I have seen a very good single chip DLP in action (the panasonic 5500) and you can still see the "rainbow effect" when you move your eyes across the screen very quickly from one point to another. This is very annoying to some people, including me. I've heard fairly good review of the Sanyo PLC-XM150/150L listed on this press release linked below. They are a bit too low contrast and I prefer native 16:9 to native 4:3. I'm sure they would pass for your smaller theatres though. P.S. The Contrast Ratio of film has been discussed in the Film Handler's forum under "Topic: ANSI and On/Off contrast." Can't figure out how to link to a topic in the other forum, though. Hope this helps. Sanyo press release  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 07-21-2010 07:07 PM                     No matter what you buy I highly recommend that you check into the lamp replacement cost for what ever projector(s) you decide to purchase. Lamp replacement can literally kill any pre-show profits as well as make your booth budget spiral out of control. Its's easy to spend way more on video projector lamps than on normal xenon lamps! Mark  |  IP: Logged Scott Norwood Film God Posts: 8146 From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas) Registered: Jun 99 posted 07-22-2010 07:46 AM                        Mark makes a good point. I also like the image quality of the Panasonic 7000, but the bulbs aren't good for more than about 500 hours before they start to flicker. And, yes, they do cost much more per hour than xenons. There is a "long life" bulb option, but they are much dimmer.  |  IP: Logged Demetris Thoupis Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1240 From: Aradippou, Larnaca, Cyprus Registered: Apr 2001 posted 07-22-2010 10:28 AM                     Well I would narrow the selections to these two. Sanyo PLV Z4000 or if you really want to go wild Sanyo PDG-DHT100L Although the above is a single chip DLP which is not the best for BlueRay. When you see a three chip DLP you then will be amazed as the quality is actually pretty close to D-Cinema. Demetris  |  IP: Logged Tony Bandiera Jr Film God Posts: 3067 From: Moreland Idaho Registered: Apr 2004 posted 07-22-2010 11:20 AM                     I second Demetris' choices, we use Sanyos at UC Irvine and get great reviews on image quality, and the lamp life is very good and costs are reasonable.  |  IP: Logged Ron Curran Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 504 From: Springwood NSW Australia Registered: Feb 2006 posted 07-23-2010 02:57 AM                        The Mitsubishi is an excellent machine and lamp life is generous. Brightness, contrast and colour accurace are better than the specs would suggest. However, it is a single chip dlp projector, so the rainbow effect can bother those who can see it. Not pronounced in this model. I can detect it but not one other person has been able to in the six months since we have been using it.  |  IP: Logged Kris Verhanneman Expert Film Handler Posts: 182 From: Belgium Registered: Dec 2009 posted 07-23-2010 08:39 AM                     When you talk of a projector at 30.000 dollars you are close to a D Cinema projector.  |  IP: Logged Phil Blake Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 558 From: esperance western australia Registered: Nov 2003 posted 07-24-2010 03:48 AM                        I agree with Mark on this , our replacment lamp budget is very high the more digital we go. The panasonic DLPs are good but lamps are so costly , just replaced lamp in NEC1600 $1000 more than similar for Film lamphouse.  |  IP: Logged David Favel Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 764 From: Ashburton, New Zealand Registered: Feb 2002 posted 07-24-2010 04:12 AM                     Can you not use a "film" lamp on the NEC? BTW we have been using a Panasonis 5000 series projector for our pre-shows. With lights dimmed to half they put out a reasonable pic, depending on what the quality you put in. In fact I was playing around with HD trailers and happened to show a trailer to the director of a film. He commented that there was no dirt whatsoever on screen. lamps go for about NZ1000.00 for 1300 hrs  |  IP: Logged Steve Guttag We forgot the crackers Gromit!!! Posts: 12814 From: Annapolis, MD Registered: Dec 1999 posted 07-24-2010 06:27 AM                     You can use "film" lamps in the NC1600 for 3KW and 2KW...used the supplied adapter and an "S" series lamp (e.g. CXL-30SC). Steve  |  IP: Logged Carsten Kurz Film God Posts: 4340 From: Cologne, NRW, Germany Registered: Aug 2009 posted 07-24-2010 08:32 AM                     Spending 15.000+ on a non DCI projektctor seems unreasonable to me. It will never pay out - unless you regularly play non-DCI content on festivals or the like and have a dedicated budget for this. There are some nice and cheap bright 3LCD machines - but their contrast ratio usually is bad, they rarely have 16:9 AR, and none of them offers FullHD resolution. The panels also wear out quickly with this brightness if the projector is used a lot. For static ads, a 1Chip DLP would be okay, but for anything moving, the RBE is just a NoGo. Not an easy choice, if you want at least 720p, decent contrast ratio, long throw option (detachable lens). We are actually getting away with an Epson FullHD 3LCD homevideo projector on a 7m wide screen with the built-in lens over a 20m throw. But with 2000 Lumen it's really on the edge, and we were just lucky with the critical parameters. We have a dedicated spare lamp for it that we put in whenever we show 'real' content from DVD or BD (rarely). The 'everyday' lamp is only used for pre-show powerpoint advertising. These UHP lamps really loose brightness quickly - 50% after 500hrs is common. Still okay for colorful graphics ads, but not enough for todays movies. There are hundreds if not thousands of projectors on the market - but for a cinema, it narrows down to a handful. Well, maybe a carpenters handful... If you can manage to fly the beamer in the auditorium with a screen distance of 10-15m with a wired remote connected, you have a much larger choice of cheaper machines. - Carsten  |  IP: Logged Kirk Futrell Film Handler Posts: 95 From: Nashville, TN / U.S.A. Registered: Nov 2008 posted 07-27-2010 11:42 AM                        I just demo'd an Epson PowerLite Pro z8000WUNL Its a 3LCD, so when I was putting it through its paces from a 90 ft throw on a 15 by 30 screen, I decided to see how bad the screen door effect was. As I was walking down the aisle to the screen I was checking to see at what row you could see the pixels. I got all the way to the screen and never saw the pixels. For a prosumer projector I was very impressed. The color and contrast on it are very good as well and its 6000 lumens. One caveat though they put all the inputs next to the lens. I have no idea why. Its very annoying at my theatre where we change inputs daily.  |  IP: Logged

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