Wow, first experience with Sony LCD high-end projector... Amazing... and some qu's. (1 Viewer)

[NickSo]

I just wanted to vent my amazement...
I convinced my dad to go to this super-high-end HT Store in my tiny town today...
Right when we walked in, we saw a $13,000 CAD 42" Plasma Display...
in one of the three demo HT rooms, we saw the Sony VPL-VW10HT... We demoed Toy Story 2... i tell ya, it was F-ING AMAZING!!! HOLY CRAP, THE CLARITY, THE VIBRANT COLORS, THE DETAILED TEXTURES... I have never seen a HT Projector in action besides my aunt's crappy 4 year old SHARP LCD Projector... Too bad its $9500 CAD, which is approx. a bit less than $6400 USD.
My dad's kinda hinting at getting on of these in the future, about 1-3 years from now.. :p
I just saw the NEC LT150's specs in the HT-special thread, and i noticed its much cheaper, yet its real popular. Does this projector match the performance of the Sony we saw at the HT shop???
Another lower-end HT-store in my area has an NEC VT440 i think for about $4000 CAD, or approx. $2600 USD. It seems like for the same price, the LT150 has more features, yet at ProjectorPeople.com the VT440 is listed more expensive than the LT150. Also i saw the VT440 running at the store, i just thought that the image was real blurry, and just weird looking (Like watching a VHS tape in progressive scan), but it was pretty bright. And also i noticed that it had no Component input!
Alot of stuff in one post, but yeah, any comments would be appreciated... thanks
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[Neil Joseph]

I loved the pictuer I saw from one of those. I am really curious about the VPL-VW11HT though with it's improved contrast among other things. It cost the same in the store that I went to as a 10HT does.
orangeman
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Neil's H.T. Site
(plus large selection of H.T.Links and movie images)

 

[John-D]

Animations appear great on most all digital display devices .. ever wonder why dealers never get tired of showing Toy Story 2??

Unless one will always watch animations on their displays, while demoing digital projectors, see if your dealer will play something like Lost in Space, or Dark City or any other real life movie with flesh tones and dark scenes to analyze.
For DLP projectors see bright moving objects for hints of rainbows. If you are one of the many who can, it'll be your call to decide if you wish to live with that.
Always verify bulb life and replacement bulb costs and factor it into your purchase for an ownership over three years for instance.
Good Luck.

 

[alan halvorson]

Your aunt has a front projector? Your aunt? Gee, did I get born into the wrong family. Even if it's a crappy one, just the idea of any of my aunts owning a front projector would be just mind-boggling.
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They're coming to take me away, ha-haaa!!
They're coming to take me away, ho-ho, hee-hee, ha-haaa To the funny farm. Where life is beautiful all the time and I'll be happy to see those nice young men in their clean white coats and they're coming to take me away, ha-haaa!!!!!
- Napoleon XIV
[Edited last by alan halvorson on August 21, 2001 at 07:50 PM]

 

[NateF]

I just spent $4k on a CRT projector from Home Theater Systems (www.hometheater1.com). They refurbish industrial grade CRT projectors that have been cast off by businesses and schools. Their original sticker price is usually 3 - 4 times what you pay for them there.
I've seen LCD projectors (we have one here at work) and they just can't compare to CRT projectors. The CRTs are so clear and crisp with no pixelation whatsoever. The thing I hate, is that when you're buying one of those tiny little LCD projectors, you're paying a lot for portability. I don't know about you, but I plan on bolting mine to the ceiling and leaving it there for a good long time. Portability is not an issue. And the difference shows. CRT projectors often weigh over a hundred pounds, but what you give up in portability, you gain in quality. I swear, the projector I just bought has hi definition quality.
Look into CRT projectors before you decide on anything. I was looking at them for a long time, and just wasn't satisfied with the picture they produced. When I went to Home Theater Systems (their brick & mortar store is a 1/2 mile from my apartment), the picture on the CRT projector just blew me away. You can stand 3 feet from the screen and it's still gorgeous.
If you don't mind the fact that it's not new (they come with a 1 year warantee and come in pristine condition) and that it takes a hand cart to move the thing, it's a great option.
-Nate

 

[Grant]

FYI, I've seen the 10HT recently selling for as low as $4500 by mail order, so that price you saw is definitely on the high side (and is even more than I paid when I bought mine last September). Just be sure that you can return or exchange it without a restocking fee if you do decide to buy one because the imperfections spoken of on this board are not rare (at least according to my experience).