I finally did it. Z3 Baby!! (1 Viewer)

[JohnnyKretentiv]

This post really doesn't mean a whole lot but I just can't help myself!

Instead of posting a lame question like "Which one should I buy?" or "Can I use this cheap way out or should I actually buy the right tool for the job? (y-connector vs. switch thread)" like I have been doing for the last month. I thought I would tell you all that I actually ordered Sanyo Z3 tonight!!!

Now all I have to do is wait. My wife and kids will be away for the whole weekend and I will get to tinker with my new toy into the wee hours guilt free! (Other than abandoning my family on Easter weekend. Hell Easter comes every year this is a once in a lifetime experience!)

Nothing like putting a 100" screen right in front of the $3800 (at the time) 65" HDTV that works perfectly. What an affliction we all have here in the HTF.

Thanks Gang! I'll post pics after the birth.

 

[Jeremy Anderson]

I'm interested to hear your impressions, because I'm doing the same thing in the next few weeks. I'm dropping a pulldown screen right in front of my ISF'd RPTV, and putting the Z3 on my back wall. What brandmaterial screen did you go with?

 

[JohnnyKretentiv]

I bought the an Elite Screen 100" matt white screen. It should be just fine as I have total control over my lighting in the basement. It better be good since my wife will kill me if it doesn't look awesome.

I'll let you know after I am all setup.

 

[Drew Bethel]

How much did that run you?

 

[JohnnyKretentiv]

$99.99 + $22 shipping from tigerdirect.com

Sweet deal

 

[JohnnyKretentiv]

Well I have it all hooked up and I have to say that it is everything I expected. No VB or SDE. Absolutly perfect but it is pretty damn tricky setting these things to fill the screen. jeez.

Now only if the guy who I ordered the cable from would have got it to me on time.

 

[Jeremy Anderson]

Glad to hear it's living up to your expectations. My Z3 should be here next week, but sadly my screen won't be here for 10 days and I have no blank wall to project on.

 

[JohnnyKretentiv]

I am still waiting for my cable that I orderd on saturday. The darn thing shipped on 21st but is still in USPS' hands. I have this half-a22ed setup downstairs with wires draped all over to my extra DVD player untill my long cable gets here.
But the pic is amazing. No VB at all.

I can't see why anyone would need a brighter pic! It's so bright that when all the lights are off and you go to a bright scene in a movie the whole room lights up!!!!

You are going to be happy you bought the Z3. Cheaper than the AE700 and has the cleaning function too.

Have Fun!!

 

[JohnnyKretentiv]

Well I finally got my cable! All I need now is my switch but I can do it the old fashioned way untill then.

I read many comments about how awesome HD looks with a PJ especially a 720p. I just turned on HDNET and was blown away. I can't believe that it looked that great.

Pics will be posted on Monday.

 

[BobLeedom]

Question on Z3 heat output...

My Z3 will be arriving early next week. I'm trying to prepare the installation, which involves cutting a hole in the wall of a room adjacent to the theater, because the projector will be on a shelf, beaming through the hole.

Problem: because of room geometry and desired screen size, the projector needs to be nearly sticking out of the hole. But the space between the wall's two-by-fours is only 14.75 inches. Therefore, the front 3.5 inches of the 14-inch-wide projector will be sitting snugly between those two studs.

I can't tell from the (downloaded) manual exactly where the hot air will exhaust from the grilles on the sides. If the heat comes out, say, 4 inches back, then I'm fine--the entire room is available for venting. But if the heat comes out the sides at the very front, I could be asking for trouble. The messy solution for said trouble would be to do a partial stud-ectomy to give the heat a place to go.

So, current Z3 owners, a question: from exactly how far forward does the heat come out?

 

[JohnnyKretentiv]

Then vent starts flush with the front of the unit and goes about about 4 -5 inches. and blows like crazy. Quite a bit of heat is pumple out of that vent starting at about 1.5 - 2 inches back from the from.

I would say a stud-ectomy is the best bet

But I will try to help ya

 

[BobLeedom]

OK, that means I can't put the projector as close as I wanted--and which I needed (according to projector calculations) to get the desired picture size (already a bit larger than I might have wanted).

[after some pondering...]

I've come up with an alternate installation scheme to avoid chopping into the studs. To maintain the same planned distance between projector and screen, I'll move the projector back 4 inches (away from studs, to allow heat-venting), and I'll also mount the screen 4 inches away from its wall.

Thus, the projected picture size is unchanged, and the viewing distance in the room is reduced only by 4 inches...hardly noticeable, I imagine.

Thanks for the heating-vent info.

 

[JohnnyKretentiv]

Good idea. It's always nice to figure that out before you got out the sawzall and started chopping studs.

You should be in good shape now.

 

[Parker Clack]

Johnny:

Congrats on your new projector. Welcome to the world of a large picture. I wish I had the realestate to have a front projector myself.

Someday...........

Parker

 

[Darren Haycock]

So, how do you like the Z3? I'm totally at a loss here. I don't know whether to go Z3 or 4805. How's the contrast ratios and blacks on the Z3?

 

[Rod Peterson]

Congrats on the new projector!
I am also thinking about the PLV-Z3.


thanks,
rod

 

[frankinG]

Hello. Been reading the forum for a few years and finally decided to jump on board. I am a lcd projector fan because of my sensitivity to dlp rainbow artifacts. I currently own a sanyo z3 and a panasonic 700. Both units are exceptional in there performance vs. price catagories. Having owned dlp products costing over 4 times what my lcd projectors run for, I can safely say that the latest lcd products are amazing. No, the z3 does not have the extensive color management or "smooth screen" technology that my panasonic has but it performs admirably on a 92" draper high gain screen. The z3 has a slightly sharper picture than the panasonic, but I must sit at least 2x the screen width back to avoid some minimal screen door effect. With the panasonic I can sit as close as 1.5x from my 106"draper onyx. The panasonic unit does this by slightly offsetting the 3 lcd panels in relation with each other so the grid paterns do not line up exactly with each other.ONE THING TO NOTE IS THAT ALL LCD PROJECTORS WILL SHOW MINOR SCREEN DOOR ARTIFACTS DURING EXTREME HIGH BRIGHTNESS SCENES. These artifacts only present themselves when large areas of the picture contains single color elements. The technology is so good for modern lcd units that I would not even hesitate to recomend people who are considering the 4805 to reconsider. Dithering artifacts on lower end dlp units will drive you nuts on close ups of black picture areas. Dont worry too much about black levels because you will be surprised at how realistic they will be in a light controlled room. The z3 has a light optomizing iris just like the panasonic but it is not advertised in any of there literature.Enjoy your z3,s gentlemen.

 

[JohnnyKretentiv]

I enjoy mine as often as I can. I have comeup with some rules for myself. Since I have a 65" HDTV right behind my screen I force myself to watch movies on that during the week and save the Projector for the weekends.

SACRIFICIES, SACRIFICIES

Thanks for the input.