Which Vivitek Projector (1 Viewer)

Hey I am new to this site as well as to the projector world. We are currently in the process of remodeling a new home and are wanting to do a nice setup with a projector instead of a massive regular tv. The room does have a few windows, but I am planning on putting blackout curtains over them since that is easier than boarding them up lol. We also already have a 50" plasma we will have in another room for whatever else so we aren't just limited to the projector.
I was talking to the guy at Best Buy and they didn't have any models in stock that he would recommend at our store (it is smaller). I appreciated that though because it let me know he wasn't just trying to sell me what was available in the store right then.
I have been doing some searching though and really like the Vivitek projectors. Right now I am between the Vivitek H5080 and the Vivitek 963HD. The guy at best buy recommended the 963 but that is the only one that best buy has online as far as I have seen and its listed for right under $2000. I found the 5080 on some other sites for about the same price though and it seems to be the higher end of the two choices.
So basically my question is which would be the better route if they are similarly priced? Or should I go with something completely different?
More details on the room is its kind of a lower ceiling, 8ft I believe and it is big. The distance between the two walls in the room is about 30ft, but that doesnt mean I have to have it mounted that far back. Also I am planning on doing a ceiling mount with a Yamaha 5.1 sound system I currently have.
And I will need to figure out the screen as well. I would like to either paint it on or do a fixed screen more than likely. I would like to stay at or under $3000 for the projector, screen, and mounts.
Thanks for any help,
Sean

Or I can just go with a tv instead. I am just really interested in the projector route. Any input would be appreciated

I would definitely go with a projector. I must ask why Vivitek? Vivitek never comes up when people talk about the best or one of the best brands. To help you pick a projector, we need to know some things. 1) What size screen do you want? 2) How far will you sit from screen? This determines screen size. 3) Is the throw distance flexible? This is the distance from lens to screen. We need the throw distance and screen size to see which projectors will work for you. 4) Do you want DLP or LCD? You can save a lot of money with a DIY screen, that's what I use.

Hey Jim,
Thanks for the response. It is just what the guy at Best Buy recommended and I was looking them up and it seemed to be a pretty nice model with good reviews. But I might be completely off on that. I was thinking somewhere around the 100" area on the screen. I am flexible but I would like to be around that point. I am not exactly sure how far back we will be sitting I haven't gotten the complete layout figured out but I am thinking somewhere around 15-20ft.
Throw distance is very flexible, it will be a ceiling mount that I am going to use I believe and I can go as far as 25 ft back from the screen if necessary. I was thinking of mounting the projector right at about 15ft so I could set a little tower off to the side with the dvd player and stereo and everything on it.
Hope that description helps a little.Oh and I was planning on just going with DLP but I havent looked into the other options as much yet.

Your budget allows for a LCOS projector, cant imagine why it wasnt mentioned. A modern LCOS, in a good light-controlled room, will eat any DLP or LCD projector for lunch. A big reason why these projectors are some of the finest on the market is they dont use a dynamic iris to get them crazy published contrast ratios, like all the DLP and LCD projector manufactures on the market today.
As far as I know there are two manufactures; Sony's version of a LCOS projector is called "SXRD", whereas JVC's calls theirs "D-ILA." A quick search on ebay reveals a brand new JVC 250 for $2100, seen here. In my opinion, and according to all the reviews Ive read, JVC is the best price and best performance and almost always beats a Sony SXRD in value and performance. I highly recommend you read some reviews on JVC models going all the way back to the DLA-RS1 model (which can be had on the used market for under $1000). Ive owned highly-rated LCD DLP and D-ILA projectors and nothing can touch my JVC RS1. Here is a review of the 250, one of many reviews. I recommend you google search for JVC D-ILA projectors and read the numerous reviews on all models manufactured after the RS1. The RS1, and all models after the RS1, are some of the most highly rated projectors on the market and your budget and room will allow for it. They can be installed in any room as they have excellent zoom and lens shift abilities, every bit as good as LCD!
A side note, dont let JVC's published brightness numbers scare you, these are actually some of the brighter projectors on the market. JVC publishs unusually accurate numbers that are the calibrated numbers, not just the brightest it can throw like most all other manufactures publish. Do yourself a favor and fully research and read reviews

So LCOS is the way to go over the DLP? When I spoke with the guy he only mentioned LCD and DLP. Actually the more I think about it I feel like he said LCOS but he didn't go into detail on it. I am assuming he thought it would be a good bit more expensive. I am not really sure.
I am going to check out that JVC one you mentioned though. We have a high end Best Buy a little ways away that I might go to and see if they have any hooked up showing off their picture because none of the local stores have any hooked up.

Also I have seen quite a few things mentioned about the projectors being equipped with something to slow down the picture movements so it doesn't have that kind of blurry effect. Is that more of an issue with the DLP over LCOS?
I know on some LCD tv's I have watched I can't stand when they have that image blur so I really want to make sure it isn't a problem.
Thanks for the help, if you couldn't tell I am new to projectors!

LCD, whether as a "TV set" or a projector...blur. There is no way around it.
DLP "can" cause some people to see a rainbow.
D-ILA/LCoS are "sorta"...
The best of both LCD and DLP...with the disadvantages of neither...

Im guessing the only reason he didnt talk alot about LCOS is that he only sells DLP or LCD, and that's likely all he really knows. Not sure about Sony but JVC has limited dealers. Yes, its true, LCOS used to be pricey and there was even a time it was not a very good technology for home theater projector applications. However, thats is not the case any more. Now, LCOS is one of the best and cheapest, especially in the used market where a LCOS projector, that was $4000+ new, can be had for under $1000 used. Even new, within the last few years, JVC has really re-set the bar for what it costs to get into a LCOS projector. Ive not heard of any technology that slows down the displays to avoid motion blur, if you found it on the internet and can find a link Id love to read about it. Only technology I know of that blurs during fast motion is LCD, however I think most all of that has been cleared up save for the really cheap panels. Yes, in my opinion LCOS will beat DLP but DLP would be my second choice. Only reason I would consider LCD is if I needed the brightest possible projector I could find. But dont take my word for it on LCOS, read reviews, there are a lot out there from several different sites....
BTW I was not necessarily recommending the JVC 250. That was just the first result of a fast ebay search to give you an idea of how these recent LCOS projectors are priced. Now its up to you to read reviews and get a consensus of how they perform. You might be lucky and have a JVC showroom near you but I doubt it, Id certainly check that out in person if its available to you.

By the way, if you want the "low down"...
http://www.projectorcentral.com/home.cfm
I'd like to know when this...
"Yes, its true, LCOS used to be pricey and there was even a time it was not a very good technology for home theater projector applications."
was...(the part where "not a very good tech for HT proj app")

Borrowed from Projector Central....
"Since LCOS does not sell in the volumes that LCD and DLP do, many assume it is not as good as LCD or DLP. Nothing could be more wrong. Many well-informed videophiles seeking the most elegant home theater solutions opt for products using LCOS technology because of its unique blend of performance characteristics that neither LCD nor DLP offer."

And not that I want to "not encourage" looking at a "supporting vendor" of this site...
But how do you NOT have a Sony or JVC in your "10 best reviewed" or "10 best selling" projectors???
And, to boot...not a SINGLE D-ILA or LCoS in a "recommended list"???

schan1269 said:

By the way, if you want the "low down"...
http://www.projectorcentral.com/home.cfm
I'd like to know when this...
"Yes, its true, LCOS used to be pricey and there was even a time it was not a very good technology for home theater projector applications."
was...(the part where "not a very good tech for HT proj app")

Click to expand...

Before the RS1 replacement lamps were very expensive and the cooling fans were annoyingly loud.

Expensive lamps and noisy fans made for "not good for the home"???
That is like saying..."that blender sucks cause it makes too much noise crushing ice"...

Oh yeah...fan noise???
Epson TW 100
Also know as...the godfather of "turn the stereo up if the fans are annoying"

schan1269 said:

Expensive lamps and noisy fans made for "not good for the home"???
That is like saying..."that blender sucks cause it makes too much noise crushing ice"...

Click to expand...

I disagree. A loud blender doesnt affect the taste of your margarita so most people could care less how loud their blender is. However an annoyingly loud projector can very much affect your home theater experience, especially as expensive as early LCOS machines were. This relegated those early, less-refined, models to more pro and corporate applications, large venues ect. Your blender example is a little dense but whatever...

sean51892 said:

Hey Jim,
Thanks for the response. It is just what the guy at Best Buy recommended and I was looking them up and it seemed to be a pretty nice model with good reviews. But I might be completely off on that. I was thinking somewhere around the 100" area on the screen. I am flexible but I would like to be around that point. I am not exactly sure how far back we will be sitting I haven't gotten the complete layout figured out but I am thinking somewhere around 15-20ft.
Throw distance is very flexible, it will be a ceiling mount that I am going to use I believe and I can go as far as 25 ft back from the screen if necessary. I was thinking of mounting the projector right at about 15ft so I could set a little tower off to the side with the dvd player and stereo and everything on it.
Hope that description helps a little.Oh and I was planning on just going with DLP but I havent looked into the other options as much yet.

Click to expand...

I did not mention LCos as an option because I don't think your budget allows it. It probably would if you made or painted your own screen. If you are going to sit 15-20' from the screen, 100" diagonal is way too small. You would need at least a 120" diagonal screen. Is there a specific reason you want to sit so far back? Remember one thing: The farther back you mount your projector, the brighter the projector needs to be. As far as the tower, are you talking about a stand next to your seat, under the projector? I don't think that's a good idea. How would you manage all the cables/wires running to it and on the floor?

I didn't really think about how far back from the screen that would be. The main reason I was thinking that was putting the couches towards the back wall and then projecting to the opposite side. I can rework it though and make it closer than that. How big of a screen can an 8ft wall accomodate?
And as far as the tower goes, we are in the middle of remoddeling. The rafters are all exposed right now in this room. I was planning on running the wires through the ceiling and having the tower off to the side kinda and just connecting everything to it by going through the roof so all the wires would be hidden.

Proper speaker placement requires the "seating area" to be around 60% distance front wall to back wall...that is if you are using the entire room...
Of course, I'm assuming 7.1 here. (prime listening position is "supposed to be" equidistant from each speaker...of course speaker location adjusted for practicality)
So, if your room is 20ft, your "first row seating" should be around 12 feet. Adjusted according to screen size and how "immersed" in the screen you wish to be.
I sit 10ft from 120"
Also, and 8ft wide screen set at 16:9...is only 54 inches tall
To help you...
http://www.projectorcentral.com/Epson-PowerLite_Home_Cinema_8350-projection-calculator-pro.htm

Thanks for posting that calculator up. I should be able to do a 120" screen easily. And my speakers are a Yamaha 5.1 setup not 7.1, but nonetheless a similar setup.