What's new

Sharp Z90U vs. Panny 300U (1 Viewer)

KenBo

Grip
Joined
Jun 17, 2003
Messages
16
The Sharp Z90U and Panasonic AE-300U are the same price up here in Canada. I saw the Z90 today, and it had quit an impressive picture on a 106" screen. I have yet to see the Panny. Any opinions on the two?

Also, I see Epson has recently release a new LCD Projector, the Powerlite S1, going for $1000 U.S. Has any seen this in action yet?

Ken
 

DaViD Boulet

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Feb 24, 1999
Messages
8,826
If you can hold off until September, there is a whole new crop of DLP and LCD projectors on the way and prices will be dramatically less than they are now.

What's your price range?

Have you checked out AVS in the sub-$5K digital projector's forum? Be sure and do that first...lots of good info by knowledgable folks who bought both these models over there.

www.avscience.com
 

zach^F

Auditioning
Joined
May 24, 2003
Messages
5
Just when I think I am ready to buy I read one of these new projectors just around the corner replies....you are killing me please give your reasoning David.:)
 

Andrew_Ballew

Second Unit
Joined
Feb 21, 2002
Messages
294
I have had both in house for extended viewing periods.

Sharp = better black levels.

Panny = noticeably better resolution for 16:9 material. Brighter picture. Arguably better colors. Much, much better performance resolution-wise on HDTV. Quieter.

I would take the Panny anyday.

Andrew B.
 

JohnnyG

Screenwriter
Joined
Dec 18, 2000
Messages
1,522
Ken, I've got an AE300 on display in my showroom in Mississauga. It's not the best environment in the world for a front projector, but feel free to come down and take a look.
 

KenBo

Grip
Joined
Jun 17, 2003
Messages
16
Thanks for the info guys. One other projector has been thrown into the mix at the $4000 Canadian price range... The NEC LT-240. Any thoughts on that one, compared to the other two?

Ken
 
Joined
Mar 14, 2002
Messages
45
Real Name
Alex Bischoff
If you can hold off until September, there is a whole new crop of DLP and LCD projectors on the way and prices will be dramatically less than they are now.
David, this is the first time that I've heard about new models being released in September. Is there a tradeshow around that time, or why September?

And, I'd be interested in reading more about this September release if you have any URLs on this. In particular, I'm curious about which companies might be releasing new models, or what technological advancements might be expected.

---
Alex Bischoff
 

Don Marsh

Grip
Joined
Jan 25, 2002
Messages
20
And, I'd be interested in reading more about this September release if you have any URLs on this. In particular, I'm curious about which companies might be releasing new models, or what technological advancements might be expected
Ditto. I'll be starting finishing my basement soon, and i figure it will be ready by September, so if new projects will be coming out, and prices will be dropping, i could easily wait to buy my projector. Does anyone have any press releases or other info to indicate what we might expect? Or is this just the typical time new equipment is releases, so we have to wait and see.
 

DaViD Boulet

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Feb 24, 1999
Messages
8,826
Alan over at AVS (avs is forum that's sponsored by a business that sells/installs AV systems and projectors) is usually a person slow to get overly excited about the "hype" surrounding a new projector and his own interests are to sell the products that he markets (as would be expected).

However, in a thread rumoring about new DLP technology Alan urged folks who were "on the fence" or who don't need to buy right away to wait until Septemer as he's got some insider scoop that we'll be seeing some *significant* new projector offerings (both in terms of new technology/performance improvements and prices) at the trade show that month.

Keep in mind he's posting more to the crowd of folks interested in $5K - $10K projectors...but with so many DLP prices falling fast I'd imaging that $3-4K might get you a pretty nice machine in a few months time...possibly one that's not even on the market right now.

Here's the thread:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...hreadid=269347

All of you should check it out even if you *do* plan to go ahead and buy something now. AVS is the best resource to learn about PJ technology, calibration, and all the things you can do to make your purchase wiser.

-dave
 

DaViD Boulet

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Feb 24, 1999
Messages
8,826
Oh, to sum up some new things:

Several companies will be releasing projectors based around TI's new lower-res 16x9 chip (less than 1280 x 720 but more than 720 x 480...can't remeber exact numbers). Personally, that doesn't excite me bcs I don't think that even 1280 x 720 is enough...but it will drop prices even more for those interested.

Also, TI will come out with new "HD2.5" chip which will fix the dimple. that will increase black levels and boost brightness. This may apply to may different resolution chips.

Possible that several companies will release DLP projectors with the new SCR color wheel that is said to reduce rainbows (I can still see them on 6X machines).

And Alan hints at some more things to come that haven't even been mentioned!!!

-dave
 

Robert James Clark

Second Unit
Joined
Oct 25, 2001
Messages
353
Just for the record, the reason why September is important is because of CEDIA.

A dimple is a small dip in the center of each tiny DLP mirror.
 

Brian Tracey

Auditioning
Joined
Jun 23, 2003
Messages
1
Kenbo.. I was just looking at the AE300 at a few places on the weekend. Hifi 2000 has one on display at the store at Hwy 7 and Hwy 400 (the big power center just off Weston Road.

Their setup isn't the best though. I saw the same projector at another store up North that had a larger screen in a dedicated room about 20' deep and the picture was a lot more vibrant.

Brian
 

DaViD Boulet

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Feb 24, 1999
Messages
8,826
Hey Alan,

Fixing the little "dimple" on the DLP chip...which creates a faint "x" in the middle of each pixel if you look close on the screen...will visibly (significantly) boost both brightness *and* make the blacks *blacker* at the same time. This is because the dimple scatters light in both the on and off position and so getting rid of it will increase contrast by extending dynmaic range in both directions.

Just so everyone knows, one of the key weaknesses of digital projectors in general (both front/rear) is that they don't do as good a job making "black" as old-fashioned CRT devices which can literally just "turn off" and create true black. Blulb-based digital projectors often have a little light leak onto the screen even when the chip is trying to shut light completely off. Fixing the dimple will help DLP-based digital projectors create even more convincing black-level.

I encourage everyone interested in any way in digital projectors to go over to AVScience.com and spend some time surfing their digital projector forums. Even if you're intreested in a cheap digital machine the $5K+ projector forum has great information about the technology in general and is a great place to learn a lot of things that ultimately will help you make the best decision about the digital projector you buy regardless of price.
 

Neil Joseph

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Jan 16, 1998
Messages
8,332
Real Name
Neil Joseph
David, this is the Home Theater Forum. I wonder what reaction that other forum would have with so many references posted to a different forum. Thankyou for your reference there but there is plenty of expertise here as well.
 

DaViD Boulet

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Feb 24, 1999
Messages
8,826
hey Neil,

Didn't mean to do a forum faux pas. Truth is that most members of AVS are also active posting members of HTF. The cross-traffic makes them seem like "sister forums" to a degree.

Every forum has a specialty. Since we're all about helping each other learn as much as we can, I only thought it made sense to point people to a resource where many of their unspoken questions would be answered in a matter of course just by reading what others have written (We have good relations with some other sites like thedigitalbits and don't think twice about posting links to a DVD review over there even though HTF also has its own official DVD reviews --I assumed that AVS fell under the same umbrella...sorry if I goofed!).

In any case, if I sounded like I was advocating that members ignore HTF in favor of AVS I certainly appoligize as this wasn't my intent! Nor was it my intent to curtail discussion in this thread. I was just trying to share a very informative on-line resource with folks who would have a lot to gain by the information...just as I have often posted links to HTF threads on that forum for the same reason.

If this is against HTF policy please let me know and I'll resist the temptation in the future :) and if it's not I'll certainly try to keep the tone of my comments advocating any other-forum surfing toned down so they don't sound "pro another forum" to the degree that they might imply anything less about the value of HTF.

-dave :)
 

Brian Schucher

Supporting Actor
Joined
Nov 22, 2000
Messages
700
Sorry Neil..but AVS is the hands down winner when it comes this subject matter..I do enjoy reading threads here as well but find more info at AVS for this subject.. Sorry to dissapoint ya
 

Cees Alons

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Jul 31, 1997
Messages
19,789
Real Name
Cees Alons
David,

This isn't about competition at all (read this too, Brian?). And AVS is indeed considered a sister forum.

But if someone chooses to come to a forum and ask a question, it's simply not considered "well-done" to immediately redirect him/her away, in effect ask her/him to go somewhere else. Apparently they wanted to be here (in our case), as a part of our community.
Although I'm sure it's often not intended that way, it looks a bit rude to me, as well as lazy even, to point elsewhere without supplying any solution to the question. Not what we want to be.

General redirections also tend to be rather vague ("perhaps they know about it there") and may not be of any help at all.

Furthermore, we don't know what the member in question already did to get his/her answer. Perhaps (s)he visited other forums already, including the ones they're now send away to, and simply didn't find the exact answer they were looking for. Sending them forth without supplying a possible answer may very well have the effect of giving them a run-around. Just suppose the other forums are doing the same thing.

That's why we frown upon the use of links to other places as a first reaction to a HT question (except in the case of queries of the type "where can I find...."). If you don't know an answer - don't reply. If you know (for sure) a place where a fine answer is - rather get it yourself first so you can try to help others.


Cees


(All:
To avoid further disruption of this thread (of which I'm now guilty too), please consider this post as a mere explanation of our general policy and do not reply to it here. Thanks.
C.)
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Forum statistics

Threads
356,814
Messages
5,123,732
Members
144,184
Latest member
H-508
Recent bookmarks
0
Top