Very novice question about DLP projectors (1 Viewer)

[Eric_Nathan]

I've honestly never seen a DLP projector. How does a typical DLP projector's image quality compare to a DLP television? I already own a Samsung 50 inch DLP, and I am looking at the InFocus Screenplay 4805.

 

[Jim Mcc]

Eric, the 4805 will look the same, but bigger. You'll ask yourself why you spent all that money on the Samsung.

 

[Eric_Nathan]

Really? Even at a bigger size, it will be just as clear as a rear projection??

 

[Jim Mcc]

Yes, as long as you don't go too big. I have the X1 with a 106" diagonal DIY screen and I love it. We don't even use our Mits. 55" RPTV anymore for DVD's. In fact it's for sale here in the "Hardware for Sale" section. I have HD satellite and OTA antenna hooked up to X1 also. The X1 and 4805 have an excellent scaler, so HD looks great on them. You really need to see one in person.

 

[PeterMano]

The 4805 will acutally look better. Its a much better calibrated piece of equipment than your standard set. I find the image rendered to be more natural and pleasing. That said, you should take a look firsthand yourself. That said, you'll need time for your eyes to adjust to a projected image.

The 4805 has very good out of the box settings. I haven't touched color or tint settings. My brightness(black level) setting is only a single notch above factory and I boosted my contrast 5 clicks. Aside from that, nothing. I run my old sony 7000 dvd player thru 480i and get great results from the onboard de-interlacer of the 4805.

I found the unit fairly noisy when I first got it. Some pronounced high ptich whine, which has calmed down as of late, hopefully not to return. The fan noise is still above some competing models but tolerable.

 

[Eric_Nathan]

Thanks for your input. One more question, does the BenQ PB6100 compare to the 4805? I am on a tight budget and the 6100 can be had for $200 less apparently. Thanks!

 

[PeterMano]

Imo, the benq6100 and similar models like the infocus X1 don't compare to the 4805, optoma h31 or benq5120. Beng6100 is designed as a multimedia projector with the emphasis on the corporate boardroom. These are business class projectors and have presentation mode settings designed for display under ambient light settings. They typically have high lumens ratings but that's for presentation mode. Their video mode lumens output is much lower and the contrast ratings also tend to be highly exagerrated. They're not well calibrated for home theater. The colors aren't as good, they're more prone to rainbows as a result of 2 speed color wheels. They're lacking in inputs, typically, no component input, you have to use an adaptor of sorts. They don't feature a proper home theater remote. The benq6100 is not a native 16x9 projector. It doesn't feature the latest dlp chipsets from TI. The de-interlacers tend to be of mediocre quality so you'll have to rely more on your dvd player for those duties.

For $200 less, I'd say forget about it. You don't necessarily have to go with a 4805. There are other comparable projectors dedicated for home theater use such as the benq5120, optoma h31, toshiba mt200, nec 410 and 510. They should all be in the same ballpark as to features and price.

I went with infocus because I actually got a chance to see the projector in person and it was a product I could buy locally. For my first projector, I didn't want to go mail order, although that would've saved me money. The unit is very well calibrated out of the xbox with excellent gray scale tracking which was important to me. The X1 which its based on in part has a very good reputation for long bulb life of up to 4000 hours. The DCDI chip set is a first rate deinterlacing chip set and since I'm going with a 480i dvd player, that was important to me. All in all, if I had waited another few weeks, I could've saved myself a few hundred dollars canadian, so I'm kicking myself there. On the other hand, as a long time movie lover, I can't believe the difference in viewing experience. What I paid was well worth the money. What you'll be paying, which will be less, will make a 4805 or h31 or benq5120 that much more of a bargain.

My advice is not to settle for a 6100. If you do, don't go to your friends house who picks up a 4805, because you'll be kicking yourself.

 

[terence]

I think you will be quite surprised how well DLP pj's PQ has come. The 4805 is popular for a reason, and i agree with the above comment about wishing you had not spent more on the DLP tv. Once you go FP you will not go back to the little screen, sometimes bigger is better.

 

[Eric_Nathan]

I keep hearing how Costco often has the 4805 on special for $999 w/ a screen. Anyone know if that special comes and goes, or was it a one time thing?

 

[PeterMano]

Costco typically sells the 4805 with a screen but the recent deal involved rebates. Don't get tied down to just the 4805. Check out the optoma h30/h31, toshiba mt200, nec 410/510, benq5120. You might find something there you'll like better. They're all dlp projectors, native 16x9 except for the h30. Their res is 854x480 except for the nec 510 which is 1024x576, I believe.

The biggest problem is getting to see one in person. The big chain stores don't care for projectors because you need a dedicated home theater space to showcase a projector properly.

 

[KirkP]

Eric- the Costco deal ended on SuperBowl Sunday (we had offered it as well). NEC still has a rebate going for the 410 but they don't offer a screen as part of the deal. If you are L.A., come on down to our showroom and we'll let you demo several comparable models that we carry and you can decide for yourself which is best.

 

[KirkP]

Eric- I guess I should clarify the 4805 rebate. The special pricing has ended but there is still a rebate for a free 76" screen and 30' S-video cable when you purchase the projector. This doesn't end until March 31st.

 

[Eric_Nathan]

Thanks Kirk for the information, I appreciate it.

 

[DonRC]

... unless you have a lot of ambient light, in which case you may ask yourself what the big deal is about front projection...

(Don't get me wrong. I'm a huge fan of front projection, and I'm in the process of building a home theater room for it now. It's just important to note that ambient light is a much bigger issue for front projection.)

 

[Kin]

DonRC,
That is a very good point. Front projection gets you more bang for our buck, but there is more to consider when in the planning stage.

Eric_Nathan,
What is the lighting like in your room? Sometimes black out curtains are called for to keep the light at an acceptable level. It is a fairly inexpensive investment, though. I have even read of people making their own.

You also have to start thinking about where you will mount the projector. How far away it is from the screen will have a direct reflection on the screen size you can achieve. We are more than willing to help with the number crunching, if you need. Just let us know how far away your projector will be from the screen, what type of ceiling you have (this is for the mount, and how high your ceiling is. We can then give you some screen ideas.

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