Sony VPH-D50Q--comments?
Eric Whitley
I'm making the leap from direct-view to front projection, but I don't
have much experience with projectors. I've read reviews and specs until
my eyes hurt, but have only seen a handful of actual projector demos.
Based on what I've read, I've decided to go the CRT route. I don't have
a huge budget, though, so I'll have to keep it under $8500.
The main features I'm looking for are:
1) Bright enough for a good picture in low ambient light. (enough to
keep from tripping over the coffee table, but it doean't have to
be so bright you can read the newspaper)
2) data-grade or better (I want line-doubler and progressive-scan DVD
compatability)
3) compatability with as many DTV/HDTV resolutions as possible (and
practical for the money)
4) composite and s-video inputs (componant inputs would be a plus)
5) Memory presets for switching between 4:3 and 16:9 modes
One model that's caught my eye is the VPH-D50 from Sony.
Anyone who owns or has demo'd one care to comment? I don't know if I
can get (or afford) professional calibration, so how hard is it to set
one of these up yourself? I've heard some people say it's next to
impossible, and I've heard others say it's not that hard.
I read a review in Home Theater Magazine, and they liked it, but their
biggest nit was that it had about a 60% dropoff in brightness from
center to edge. This sounds extreme to me, but I don't have much
experience with projected images. How noticable is this? Is this
typical or bad for this price range?
The specs say brightness is 130 ANSI lumens. Exactly how bright is
this? Could you watch it in anything but a pitch-black room? What gain
screen would be a good match for it?
Also, is this projector considered graphics-grade? The max h-scan rate
is 64 kHz, but HT referred to it as a data-grade unit.
HT says the list price is just under $10000, but what can it be had for
in "the real world"?
Lastly, are there any other projectors in this price range that I should
look into?
I know I've asked a billion questions, but if anyone would care to
answer a few (or all :-) I'd be grateful.
Thanks,
Eric Whitley
ewhi...@nwsl.west.ga.net
BDG
From the demos I've seen, there is no hot-spotting visible at any time. The
60% brightness drop-off must have been a defective sample. This comment was
puzzling since I've seen three different versions of this projector and none
of them showed this quirk. They did mention that this trait was only
visible when looking at computer software where a constant color was
present.
This is a graphics-grade projector, not a data-grade projector. A scanning
rate of greater than 63kHZ qualifies it as such.
Regardless of how bright any CRT projector is, they are not meant for use
when there is a great deal of ambient light. 130 ANSI lumens is pretty
bright, almost blinding when used at full power.
A 1.3 gain gain screen (Da-Lite, Stewart) should be a good match.
Street prices for this equipment should range from $7500 to $8000.
At a street of say $8,000 there is no other graphics-grade projector on the
market. If you go another 2-3 thousand, other projectors come in at this
price point including the Zenith Pro-900 and the Seleco SDG 700.
Good luck!
Dean McManis
Hi Eric,
You should check out Hi-Rez Projections(http://www.hometheater1.com/),
they sell refurbished CRT projectors. I bought an Electrohome
graphics-grade projector AND an external line doubler from them for
under $6500 (the projectors were $22K new). The combination with a DVD
is extremely film-like. The Electrohome projectors have a horizontal
scan rate of 80kHz (64kHz IS graphics grade and fully HDTV compatible)
and you can get them with a factory warranty. The line doubler makes the
picture clear and bright and has connections for VGA, S-VHS, RGB,
YUV(component), and composite signals. I have brightness set to the
halfway mark and can see my food and watch a movie at dinnertime
(although pitch-black looks best). The set-up was not simple, but
straightforward. Some units have an auto-convergence unit, but even
without one you can use the on-screen convergence step-through
instructions. Afterwards I bought Video Essentials DVD to do the
finishing touches. Talk with Joel or Gary, they are both helpful and
knowledgable. They have a comparison between the Sony and ECP projectors
on their website.
-Dean.
Patrick Doyle
I saw the VHP-D50Q yesterday at a nearby Home Entertainment store
(Plano, TX. near Dallas). I did not notice a brightness drop-off
either. This projector has only been set up for a few days and the
salesman explained that it had to go through a 20 hour burn-in before
they recalibrate the projector. Though the picture was quite nice
(good brightness & color) I was somewhat dissapointed with the black
level. I commented on this as the black level was only a medium dark
grey. The salesman responded that in a front projection setup you must
rely on the ambient light level for black. I then pointed out that
the current room was quite dark! You could just make out the coffee
table in front of the couch. All the salesman had to say was, "Well,
it's still a nice picture.". I agree it was,... nice. I hope when I
go back in a few weeks that I will see a better one though.
Pat
BTW - can anyone make a comparison between this projector and the DWIN
HD-500 and Runco DTV-852?
On Sat, 24 Jan 1998 09:41:35 -0500, BDG <"<nospam>bdg"@erols.com>
wrote:
BDG
I can't comment on the 852, but I can comment on Runco the company. In a word,
horrible.
My Runco 760 CRT projector had to be fixed 15 times in the 14 months I had it
(that is NOT a misprint!). What was worse, is the way Runco treated me, by
sending several replacement units that had obvious optical problems. And this
equipment cost 7 thousand bucks.
Finally my A/V store made them take the equipment back and gave me a full refund,
after Runco implied that it was my equipment that was at fault.
By the way, new equipment has been working with my A/V for months with not ONE
iota of problems. So much for that theory.
In a word, the WORSE consumer experience of my life. Admittely this is only one
testimonial. A rather telling one, however....
Jeroen H. Komen
>This is a graphics-grade projector, not a data-grade projector. A scanning
>rate of greater than 63kHZ qualifies it as such.
I agree, but i'm puzzled by the sony model numbers, i mean, one would
assume that the d50 is Data-grade and them g70 Graphics-grade, right?
>> Anyone who owns or has demo'd one care to comment? I don't know if I
>> can get (or afford) professional calibration, so how hard is it to set
>> one of these up yourself? I've heard some people say it's next to
>> impossible, and I've heard others say it's not that hard.
Same here. I'm planning to buy a d50 or an electrohome. Is setting
these things up a DIY job or do i need a technician? My main concern
is if it's possible for me to get the projected image to fit my
(already mounted) 16:9 screen exactly once the projector is mounted to
the ceiling.
I've been building my own computers for years, so i have some
technical knowledge, but when it comes to a/v equipment i'm a complete
idiot.
--
Jeroen H. Komen - The Netherlands - http://www.xs4all.nl/~nbk94
'All the best people have bad chests and bone
diseases. It's all frightfully romantic!' - Heavenly Creatures
Peter Sills
Home Theater is not known for their ability to calibrate a set. Calibrated
properly the problem they mention with "drop-off"should go away.
It is an excellent set and should handle all proposed and dreamed of HDTV
resloutions. IMHO beats the Runco 852 hands down (which was just raved
about in SGTHT).
Best pricing about $8,500, however you will require professional install and
calibration.
Eric Whitley wrote in message <34C9A2...@nwsl.west.ga.net>...
>I'm making the leap from direct-view to front projection, but I don't
>have much experience with projectors. I've read reviews and specs until
>my eyes hurt, but have only seen a handful of actual projector demos.
>Based on what I've read, I've decided to go the CRT route. I don't have
>a huge budget, though, so I'll have to keep it under $8500.
>
>The main features I'm looking for are:
>
>1) Bright enough for a good picture in low ambient light. (enough to
>keep from tripping over the coffee table, but it doean't have to
>be so bright you can read the newspaper)
>
>2) data-grade or better (I want line-doubler and progressive-scan DVD
>compatability)
>
>3) compatability with as many DTV/HDTV resolutions as possible (and
>practical for the money)
>
>4) composite and s-video inputs (componant inputs would be a plus)
>
>5) Memory presets for switching between 4:3 and 16:9 modes
>
>One model that's caught my eye is the VPH-D50 from Sony.
>
>Anyone who owns or has demo'd one care to comment? I don't know if I
>can get (or afford) professional calibration, so how hard is it to set
>one of these up yourself? I've heard some people say it's next to
>impossible, and I've heard others say it's not that hard.
>
Andy KONG
>Home Theater is not known for their ability to calibrate a set. Calibrated
>properly the problem they mention with "drop-off"should go away.
>
>It is an excellent set and should handle all proposed and dreamed of HDTV
>resloutions. IMHO beats the Runco 852 hands down (which was just raved
>about in SGTHT).
>
>Best pricing about $8,500, however you will require professional install and
>calibration.
I have received quotation as low as $7200.
Andy KONG (Remove "." in "netvigator.com" to response with email)
Eric Whitley
Peter Sills wrote:
> Best pricing about $8,500, however you will require professional install and
> calibration.
I was really hoping you weren't going to say that. :-)
How much does an installation/calibration usually run?
Also, about how much of a price difference is there if you don't include
the built-in line doubler?
michael thacker
Which Issue of Hometheater Magazine is the review in? I can't find it
anywhere.
Thanks,Mike
Eric Whitley
It's in the December 1997 issue.
(The one with the DIVX handgrenades :-)
Eric Whitley
ewhi...@nwsl.west.ga.net
Scott Schuman
You can get the D50Q for much less than $8500. Try
Discount Video Warehouse 800-323-8148
Their price is $7060
Scott
Peter Sills wrote:
> Home Theater is not known for their ability to calibrate a set.
> Calibrated
> properly the problem they mention with "drop-off"should go away.
>
> It is an excellent set and should handle all proposed and dreamed of
> HDTV
> resloutions. IMHO beats the Runco 852 hands down (which was just
> raved
> about in SGTHT).
>
> Best pricing about $8,500, however you will require professional
> install and
> calibration.
>
ARCARC
Hi. Where did you get the quote for $7200? Also did that include the line
doulbler? Do you think the line doubler is neccessary? How good is Sony's
doubler? Did you own another projector? I would appreciate your comments.
Thanks.>
>I have received quotation as low as $7200.=20