Fav projector?

[stormmusic]

I have an Optoma EP 721 ( bulb dying)-replacing the bulb will cost $150 and I paid $300 for the projector... Thinking about upgrading my video. Any reasonable suggestions?

[Postman]

That's a cheap bulb! My Mitsubishi bulbs cost around $400 each. Part of the cost of doing business.

[stormmusic]

Which projector do you have?

[Postman]

A Mitsubishi model from a number of years ago with 2000 "honest" lumens. (Many affordable projectors claim 1000-2000 lumens, but only when operated in certain modes that reduce image quality and lamp life.) This one is a workhorse but the LCD panels are only 1024x768 (XGA), not high def but way better than standard def. Every client who comes in remarks how good the screen image is. Resolution is okay, good actually, but I guess they are impressed by the brightness (louder/brighter is always better, right?). The room does not need to be dark for a comfortable image.

Its VLT-X400LP lamp life has averaged around 1500 hours, as far as I can figure. I think I am on the 5th replacement. One lasted 2000 hours after which the projector's internal timer forces you to replace the lamp (to discourage lamp blowup). One only lasted 150 hours before exploding. Mitsubishi guarantees the lamps for 200 hours (!!) and were very quick to replace it. That experience has taught me to avoid cheap lamp replacements, which I have heard may not be of the best quality. There were shards of glass all over the projector's insides that had to be meticulously cleaned out but no permanent damage.

I intend to buy another Mitsubishi when the time comes, this one has been great. All newer projectors have better low light detail than this vintage, but since the mix room is rarely darkened I doubt anyone would notice a difference.

What DOES matter with perforated screens is pixel count. Higher count is best to avoid aliasing between the projector pixels and screen holes. This is the most visible weakness in my setup, mainly because I have a smaller screen (8 feet across). I actually defocus the image to slightly blur the pixels, thus reducing aliasing to imperceptible levels. The video image does not seem to suffer, believe it or not. It will not be a problem when I finally get a 1920x1080 projector, or a bigger room!

[Craig F]

Panasonic PT-AE4000
http://panasonic.net/avc/projector/products/ae4000/

We've had a few from this line and they just keep getting better
(My only wish would be for changeable lenses to get a through over 20 ft.)

[Postman]

Throw distance! Right, that's something to consider before purchase. There is no real standardization, most manufacturers have a chart or calculator where you can make sure your proj-screen distance and screen size are compatible. Some lenses are interchangeable but most zoom lenses are not. Check to make sure you'll get the image size you expect. As Craig notes, the lower cost models are designed for homes and optics are adjusted for shorter throws to a bigger screen.

Another thing to check is mounting method. Some optics are designed for mouting along the screen's top edge or bottom edge, others are designed for mid screen mounting. Any other position requires you to adjust keystone to correct for the non-square image that results. Unfortunately, doing so will reduce the image resolution somewhat so it is best to consider how the projector can be mounted.

[Craig F]

http://www.projectorcentral.com/

is a good source to compare projectors specs

[stormmusic]

Thanks everybody!

[Maskeeper]

Second the Panasonic PT-AE4000. Have one in my bedroom and it is EXCELLENT-- best I've seen at $2k pricepoint (and I've owned about 30 models from widely varied pricepoints since 1995).