Lumens question - X1 - 4800 - 4805 (1 Viewer)

[Joe Zemaitis]

OK...

The more lumens the brighter the picture will be... and the larger you can project it.

The X1 has 1100, the 4800 has 750, and the 4805 has 750.

Does the lumens count play a big roll in the quality of the picture as well? I'd like a projector that I can watch with the lights on.... would the X1 be a better choice? Also, what differences would I see from the X1, 4800, and 4805? I'm planning on watching mostly DVD's and some TV. Also, I'm not sure if i'm sensitive to rainbows.

Please help, decision time is near!
Thanks
Joe

 

[Guy Kuo]

"....Watch with the lights on....."

Don't plan on doing that and getting any sort of image quality from a front projector. The darkest black in the picture is the color of the screen. If the lights are on, that will tend to wash out the image.

 

[Joe Zemaitis]

I was thinking with minimial lighting such as one lamp in a fairly large room downstairs, without windows even.

I think I may have to just buy an X1 to find out if it is worth it or not... Now i need to figure out what screen is right.

Joe

 

[DavidY]

I have the X1...and it doesn't do well with any ambient lighting. In the summertime, I have to wait until nightfall before I can properly watch a DVD. During the daytime, too much light gets through my rental apartment's light coloured vertical blinds.

If you want to watch with ambient lighting, then I suggest either a front projector with higher lumens or a RPTV which handles ambient lighting better.

Dave

 

[Nick Montgomery]

I have an X1 projecting a 75" diag. image onto blackout cloth over a wood frame. At night I can watch it with a 100watt table lamp on. Looks good. Granted it looks better with the lights off. But very watchable.

 

[Joe Zemaitis]

What screen should I get?

 

[Ryan G Smith]

You guys aren't helping with his question about the lumens rating at all, just giving useless replies. Actually the X1 and the 4800 are exactly the same projector with the same lumen rating. The X1 and 4800 have 1100 lumens only in presentation mode, when set to video or film mode (which is the only usable modes for home theater) the clear color wheel segment is not used and the lumen output is cut in half. So actually the new 4805 has a much brighter lumen output, because it actually does it's 750 lumens in film mode, with it's 6 segment color wheel (no clear segment at all). The X1/4800 only do about 600 or less. You can tell this is true becuase the X1 only has a 150w lamp, the 4805 has a 200w. So the 4805 will definetly be much brighter than the X1 or 4800. Or you can look at a Benq PB6100, it has higher output than the X1 at a great price. And a 3x color wheel vs 2x on the X1/4800. The 4805 will be the best with a true 480p resolution and 4x color wheel. Hope this helps.

 

[NickSo]

 

[Joe Zemaitis]

I want the 4805 to be availabe NOW! I can't believe there isn't a date set... It could be months... who knows.

 

[Evan M.]

Actually I think Ryan gave some great advice and the only real advice and info in this thread. I have been watching this thread with anticapation as I am in a very similar boat.

AFAIK the 4805 is sceduled for release sometime this month......at least that is what everyone has been saying .

 

[Ryan G Smith]

I was mostly referring to Guy Kuo not very helpful comment. Of course you can watch them during the day with some ambient light, it's not perfect, but still very good. Get some shades. Where else are going to get a picture like this for around $1000.

 

[JunoVazquez]

I heard that 4805 is available in Europe.

 

[Guy Kuo]

I stand by my warning that ambient light which visibly illuminates the screen dramatically reduces image quality. It's part and parcel. You can certainly have light on if you are willing to degrade the image. It depends on your tolerance for the washout effect. If imaging quality is really important, also think about how to remove all the ambient light.

 

[Gregg Loewen]

I thought Guys' comment was to the point and very useful. Guy, thanks for contributing.

Let me expand:

When you use a FP (meaning you are also using a screen), the blackness of an image (the absence of light) is the color of the screen. If you have lights on, you have a VERY POOR image as the blacks will look as the screen color (white - or slightly gray).

Im not sure why anybody would want to watch a 2 hour movie in less than ideal conditions (meaning TOTAL darkness) as the quality greatly suffer - even with only 1 small light on. (if you have the ability to control the lighting)

In a dark environment, high lumen output is a BAD THING. As this will create more room reflections and degrade the blacks in your image.

If you can not control ambient light then a brighter projector will help, but remember you are greatly degrading the image PQ.

Id much rather watch the image from a $900 projector in a dark room, than the image from a bright $7000 projector with ANY kind of ambient light source.

One last comment regarding screen selection. If you have any kind of ambient light in the room (meaning you dont have total control), strongly consider a gray screen as this will give a little help to the washed out image you will be viewing.

Hope that helped (at least a little).

Regards

Gregg