Wednesday, May 23, 2012

General home theater projector questions and ... anyone using a projector for a 60" or less screen size?


I replaced my aging Panny PT AE 900 after the Auto-Iris servo started to chatter and the bulb was about to die. For 2x the price of a repair and new bulb, I bought a new 8350. I am very pleased.


The room I installed this projector in is fairly small (13 Ft in length) but the projector fits in perfectly. I am getting a 92′ diag picture on my FAVI 16:9/92-Inch Electric Projector Screen (HD-92)a href:”www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0026DVEVI/ref=oh_o00_s01_i00_details”, and I could easily have gotten the 100′.
I think I got the most for my money so if you got the money and don’t care about 3d get the epson 8350 it’s a nice projector.

Wow. That’s really all I can say. Wow. I’m not a rich man, I’ve been reviewing projectors for about two years now. I’ve had my eye on the Epson 8350 for about 12 months. Just recently I came into a bit of extra cash and almost purchased the Epson 8700ub instead (I figured more money must equal a better projector). I was probably right, but in the end I decided to save myself $ 800 and stick with my plan of purchasing the 8350. When I brought it home plugged it in and shot it at the wall I knew I made the right decision. It is beautiful. Crisp clear HD images right on my wall. Even in the daytime with ambient light the image is passable and better than any TV from 4 or 5 years ago. When the sun starts going down (and definitely when its night) the image is more vibrant and crisp than the 32″ 1080p Vizio that I replaced with this projector. This is the best item I’ve purchased in quite a long time.

I got this projector after great success with the sanyo plv z4. I’m bummed out by the incredibly short lamp life. I’m about to scrap the projector and go BACK to SANYO. Bulbs have cost me $ 600 to replace alone
The room I installed this projector in is fairly small (13 Ft in length) but the projector fits in perfectly. I am getting a 92′ diag picture on my FAVI 16:9/92-Inch Electric Projector Screen (HD-92)a href:”www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0026DVEVI/ref=oh_o00_s01_i00_details”, and I could easily have gotten the 100′.

I just purchased an Epson 8350 to replace my Sharpvision XV-Z12000. Wow, was I pleasantly surprised. My Sharpvision set me back over $ 11,000.00 five years ago and has done a pretty good job in our dedicated light controlled theater. This “entry level” Epson blows away the Sharpvision hands down. I took me literally 10 minutes to set it up. It’s super quiet.. I’m using it on the “natural” mode for most viewing in our theater. The “living room mode” is really much to bright and will only be needed in any area with a lot of ambient light. I highly recommend this projector

Works great with my computer and Wii. Came though clear as a bell.

I want to know how this got out of their factory without it being properly tested? Pretty disappointed after spending a lot of money on this and it doesn’t even work.

The room I installed this projector in is fairly small (13 Ft in length) but the projector fits in perfectly. I am getting a 92′ diag picture on my FAVI 16:9/92-Inch Electric Projector Screen (HD-92)a href:”www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0026DVEVI/ref=oh_o00_s01_i00_details”, and I could easily have gotten the 100′.

I do not use the Eco setting but the bulbs last 3-4000 hours and are only around 120.00 and you only need one which is a very good deal. One of the great and unique features of this projector are the LENS SHIFT adjustment wheels, this projector does not have to be dead center on with the screen as those knobs can shift the picture both vertically and horizontally, at least several inches or more depending on how far the projector is away from the screen, in some situations this could mean the difference between having a projector and screen work in a room or not. The lens shift moves the picture left to right or up and down keeping it in focus. So your screen can be way off from being centered with the projector and still fit dead on. The projector itself has plenty of features and adjustments but it did not take long to find a good setting close to out of the box. While this has 2 HDMI inputs I only use one with all of my components running through my A/V receiver, a Pioneer Elite VSX30 for 275 with 7.1 surround which I am very happy with.

Works great with my computer and Wii. Came though clear as a bell.

I think I got the most for my money so if you got the money and don’t care about 3d get the epson 8350 it’s a nice projector.

The only issue is that I wish that the housing for the unit was in “Piano Black”, the white justs sticks out, but I can deal with that for the AWESOME PRICE I got this for

I am probably in the minority with this, but I absolutely hate the glossy black televisions that are now being made and am unsatisfied with glare issues with most of them. I am now considering a projector setup for viewing movies (old & new in 16:9 and 4:3) as well as over-the-air broadcasted network channels (ABC, NBC, etc) but in a not-so-gigantic view as might be possible (limit screen size to 46-60″). Here are my questions upon considering the Epson PowerLite Pro Cinema 1080 and 1080 UB:http:

//www.projectorcentral.com/Epson-PowerLite_Pro_Cinema_1080_UB.htm

1. My maximum viewing distance is 8 feet. The projector could sit as far away (until it is stopped by a wall) 8-1/5 feet. Will the resulting picture be less sharp, less contrasted, or in anyway pixelated/distorted with such a small picture (40-60″ depending on where I have the projector mounted) for which the projector is not originally designed?

2. I’m assuming I will need an amplifier for audio but where would I buy an excellent digital and HDTV tuner ?

3. Is there an easy way to use one remote to power-on all of the hardware (projector, amplifier, tuner, DVD player)?

4. The room is in a basement and can either have no light, dimmed light from rear ceiling spotlights, or full light from separate fluorescent ceiling lights. Will the specified lumens (1200 for one projector and 1600 for the other model) be enough for all of these lighting conditions?

5. Are there any blurryness, pixelation, or graininess issues from projectors as there can be with LCD television when viewing fast action sports (I noticed some distortion even with the 120hz LCD televisions).

6. I’m sure it depends greatly on the type of screen that I have but how are issues with glare/reflection with projector pictures? For example, during a dark movie scene do you see yourself in the screen or only the action on the screen?

Thanks very much for any advice you may provide. I am new to understanding this technology and am trying to make good choices.

Jake
Sharp Projector Ceiling Mount

Daniel K
It sounds like you have a pretty good understanding already of the issues involved in setting up a home theater projector. I think you a worrying a bit too much though.

The projection distance will be determined by the projector lens itself. The projector cannot just go at any distance from the screen. The “zoom” will give you a foot or two of “play” on the distance. If you download the manual for your projector it will have a simple calculator for screen size and distance.

You will notice pixels if you are close to the screen. Otherwise the picture will be great. Avoid light on the screen itself.

There will be no reflection if you use a standard projection screen.

Audio is the part that will involve a bit more investment – any good home theater receiver and speakers should work fine.

Antiphon
As a result of the limitations imposed by your room you will be dealing with a maximum projector "throw" of approximately 80 to 84 inches, respectively, from the projection screen to the lens on the projector when using any of the top Epson home theater projectors, i.e., the Pro Cinema 1080 and Pro Cinema 1080 UB projectors as well as the new, shorter depth Pro Cinema 7500UB, Home Cinema 6500UB, Pro Cinema 7100 and Home Cinema 6100 projectors. The image quality should be fine when pairing any of these Epson projectors (in low lamp mode) with a good quality lower-gain 60-inch diagonal projection screen. (By the way your chosen screen size of 60 inches is very close to the ideal diagonal size for a viewing distance of 8 feet when using a projector or display that has a 1080p native resolution.)

For your short-throw projection application you will not be in need of greater projector light output when using your desired screen size with any of the Epson projectors listed above; even if a small amount of ambient light is present. You can get a good idea of what to expect by using Projection Calculator Pro on the ProjectorCentral Website. (Please see the resources listed below for a link directly to the projection calculator.)

Once you've installed your screen and Epson projector you will want to set the Brightness Control to Low and adjust the Brightness and Contrast settings for optimal performance in your viewing environment. Ideally you should use a PLUGE test pattern or other equivalent precision test pattern to properly set the Brightness and Contrast settings on the projector. By the way there are added benefits to using the lower lamp mode, and that is…, it will extend the life of the projector lamp and reduce the fan noise from the projector. Also, as a basic rule of thumb you should always attempt to keep the lens shift to an absolute minimum in order to minimize any potential image distortion.

For such a small screen you will be able to use a screen with a specified gain of 1.0 or less, which will help when it comes to screen uniformity and obtaining a wider viewing angle than is the case with higher-gain screens. Opaque front projection screens are not specular and will not produce distracting reflections or glare as long as you choose a fixed frame or screen surround with a black velour finish. Please utilize the resources listed within each of the relevant Yahoo! Answers listed below for help in selecting the projection screen that works best for you.

The remote controls included with many of today's audio/video components, as well as aftermarket universal remote controls, such as Logitech's extremely popular Harmony series, have the ability—with a little time invested in programming—to control a host of audio/video components from a single remote.

Motion blurring and other motion-related artifacts will vary from manufacturer to manufacturer and model to model depending on several factors, including your sensitivity to such artifacts. You will need to shop carefully. Start by reading reviews from several reputable, well-respected sources and, when possible, thoroughly audition the display or projector firsthand before purchasing.

When it comes to audio equipment your choices are (from least expensive to more expensive): a home-theater-in-a-box system, aka HTIB, which often includes loudspeakers, or your choice of loudspeakers combined with either a multichannel audio/video receiver (AVR) or a pre-amplifier/processor accompanied by one or more separate power amplifiers. I strongly recommend that you make every effort to avoid the HTIB solution if possible.

When shopping for loudspeakers it is essential that you carefully and thoroughly audition a wide range of loudspeakers beforehand to find what best suits your needs and preferences. Also, for what it's worth there are several reputable online direct marketing loudspeaker manufacturers from which to choose that offer high quality, high performance loudspeakers at very reasonable prices along with generous satisfaction guaranties; just be very careful to avoid the notorious "white van" brands*.

One last note…, unless you've found exceptional discounts on the two older Epson projectors you've mentioned I recommend that you consider purchasing one of the four models listed below, with priority given to the UB (Ultra Black) models.

######################## RESOURCES ########################

Planning and Setting Up a Front-Projection Home Theater
http://www.isftv.com/Article_Planning_and_Setting_Up.html

Projection Calculator Pro – Throw Distance and Screen Size
http://www.projectorcentral.com/projection-calculator-pro.cfm

Epson PowerLite Pro Cinema 7500UB Projector
Product Code: V11H293320
http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/consumer/consDetail.jsp?BV_UseBVCookie=yes&oid=63077381

Epson PowerLite Home Cinema 6500UB Projector
Product Code: V11H292020
http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/consumer/consDetail.jsp?BV_UseBVCookie=yes&oid=63080840

Epson PowerLite Pro Cinema 7100 Projector
Product Code: V11H291420
http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/consumer/consDetail.jsp?BV_UseBVCookie=yes&oid=63077380

Epson PowerLite Home Cinema 6100 Projector
Product Code: V11H291120
http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/consumer/consDetail.jsp?BV_UseBVCookie=yes&oid=63077379

Plasma behind motorized projector screen?
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090203213349AANJTFK
What is the best full HD projector out right now for under $ 3000?
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090114235756AABgpHP
What is the cheapest 1080p projector available?
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20081029122517AAM80Ey

How to determine BEST screen size for home theatre projector viewing?
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20071121170743AAnVZ3T
How do I choose a home theater screen?
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20081214185050AAQcp0v

I need High-End home theatre processor which one is best?
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20081003101115AAgc1mv
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*Genesis Media Labs 6.1?
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080620222335AAh3U9L
(Includes information and resources on "white van" scams.)
 

Sharp Projector Ceiling Mount

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