Projector problems!

[dem beats]

I am in a situation. I have some cash comming, and the wife has encouraged me to upgrade the projector.....

Sounds like heaven eh?

Well I have an older epson powerlite. I actualy think that it might be 480 not 720, but it has a quite nice picture. Picture quality is verry good. But I want MORE. I have it on an 80" pull up screen now but I plan on upgrading that and converting a wall into the screen. I have really liked the epson brand so far and in the past for then I present, the epson projectors at work behave better actualy.

I of course would like 1080.... but I don't know, that means I would HAVE to upgrade my receiver. I have an integra right now that isn't HDMI compatable. From my understanding you cannot get 1080, without HDMI correct? Right now I'm not watching any 1080 HD media, but I have been considering a PS# and then comes blue ray etc. How long before we are all at 1290!!?? zoinks!

I need your help in deciding on if I should upgrade, to what, and should I then upgrade the receiver. I'm having a really hard time weighing the options, and so I come here, the first line of defense in spending my money

Here is what I know I want and don't want:

I want it to be a true upgrade in all aspects. I currently have no visable motion blur.

One thing I wish was better is black level. I HATE a crappy black level. when a dark movie comes on and the low light areas are washed out, I cannot even stand to finish the movie. My projector currently is ok, but my roomates samsung LCD TV is AWEFUL. She also DL's movies onto her apple TV more often than not, and that quality for picture is bad, but for sound.. even worse.

In computer monitors we go by the black to white and white to black speed, and that's important when gaming or using it... I don't know if that's listed on the projector specs, but the faster the better.

I would really like a higher quality of picture to make it worth my while to upgrade.

Then comes the issue of a new receiver, or prepro... I like mine, it has decent features, but nothing amazingly special or fancy.

I'm really at a loss because I don't know what questions I need to ask myself really.

Thanks for any help!


For the other info if needed, I have the energy RC50 5 channel, and am making my own sub soon to replace my velodyn 12". It's going into a completely dedicated room, lights on dimmer, etc.

 

[jostenmeat]

I'm not really understanding why you need a new receiver in order to enjoy a new PJ.

Is CEDIA over yet? When it is, and the chips fall, you should start to see many good prices with current models. If you have some budget, and are willing to go used, the crazy videophiles (think of audioholics, but for video!) are going to sell their PJ's for the next best thing? Well, that's probably overstated a tad.

Since you like Epson, the 1080UB is supposed to be a real value-buster. If your budget extends, the JVC lineup has very good blacks. However, the Epson is generally considered to be the better value. (Make sure its UB).

JVC has awesome blacks, but again, I'm pretty new to this. My RS-1 is phenomenal. Recently watched Underworld, and its pretty wild to see an entire movie, as so dark, but have all the details without all of the "murkiness" you see in so many other displays. I'm not sure how much better than the Epson it will be, but you have to pay for this difference.

Regarding motion blur, I'm not sure if that can be solved for you. I get it. It just happens. Its also a function of how large of a screen you go. And, if you output everything you watch at 24fps, Im sure that doesn't help either. Well, what do I know . . .

In My Honest Opinion, the setup or plan of attack is everything. I see this first-hand, and there's not much I can do to avoid the "learning curve".

I do get to enjoy very good video and very good audio. I sometimes wonder now, however, if I should've compromised on screen size to do a "false wall" replete with GOM. I mean, my system already blows the local theaters out of the water, no question, no problem, but a TRUE SEA OF BLACK, where you TRULY only see the video would be pretty cool. (And I think my HT has better immersion than the local cinemas, its just that the personal route to perfection is hard to ignore for an obsessive hobbyist).

The other thing I wonder about is acoustically transparent. Again, I couldn't go as big, or as bright, or have as much money in the pocket.

Lastly, the anamorphic setups. BAH! This would also represent compromises in goals acheived in regards to PQ vs money.

Good luck.

 

[dem beats]

My current receiver doesn't have HDMI... so if I wanted to view 1080p content I was of the understanding I needed HDMI to do so.

 

[jostenmeat]

just run the hdmi cable directly to pj. Use an HDMI switcher if you need one, or simply for the convenience of one cable to the display.

You won't get lossless until you do upgrade the receiver, unless you succeed with m-ch analogs.

 

[dem beats]

I'm sorry, You said you have considered a system with GOM.

what is that? I feel all noobish now.

Thank you for the help thusfar though. I will take a look at those PJ's. I will probably end up ordering on faith online though, no one local will carry what I want.

 

[dem beats]

duh. I had not thought of that!

So many questions and things to consider. I did want to run the video through the receiver though so I could upscale my non HD content. I supose though I could just run all those through RGB cable I have now to the PJ and then HDMI switcher to HDMI on the PJ....

 

[EJ1]

Wait for the price drop in the Epson Home Cinema 1080 UB. Buy an HDMI switcher that suits your needs and then run all audio (via optical, etc) through your receiver. You won't have the latest HD tracks but that's up to you whether or not it's that important.

PS - Don't forget to buy a PS3.

 

[jostenmeat]

I bought mine thru AVS. Good people, and for now I only have great trust in their support.

GOM = Guillford of Maine. Acoustically transparent fabric. You can hide all the speakers, subs, room treatments behind it. This way its a sea of black and you do not suffer light reflections off your components that are indeed detectable.

Dear Mods, can you move this thread to the PJ sub-forum?

 

[dem beats]

Josten,

I notice no motion blur really. I mean next to none on my current model, is that just because it's a lower resolution? It's not noticable at all really.

My LCD comp monitor is a 28" too and it's resolution is natve 1920x1200 and I get pretty much none.

What causes it in some displays and less in others?

 

[jostenmeat]

I don't know. For instance, there are more than a few who complain about this with my PJ model. However, I will see scientific explanations saying that it can't be any worse than any other PJs. I can't answer this, sorry.

I never thought about resolution. I suppose that could be a factor.

Like I've already said, I bet screen size, or much more specifically viewing angle, will be a tremendous factor.

 

[Midcow2]

Projector need to support 1080p analog to work with component cables

My current receiver doesn't have HDMI... so if I wanted to view 1080p content I was of the understanding I needed HDMI to do so.

Component will sometimes also handle 1080p. There is no official standard for it 1080p over analog. High definition analog component video is defined by the CEA specification, CEA-770.3-rev CD The spec was revised In February and defines 720p and 1080i, but not 1080p.

Even in the absence of a standard, however, 1080p component video has made its way into a surprising amount of consumer devices. Several display manufacturers support 1080p over component video, either across the line such as Samsung, or as an undocumented feature on certain models such as Syntax/Brillian’s. However, many manufacturers don't let their DVD, Blu-ray and HD DVD players send 1080p images over component, probably because component video doesn't support DRM copy protection. The most significant source devices are the major gaming consoles, with both the Playstation 3 and the Xbox 360 supporting 1080p analog.

If the new projector you are considering will suport 1080p over analog then it will work with component connections.

You didn't specify what receiver you have , so that might or might not also cause an issue.

Obviously if you have to upgrade both then HDMI 1.3 might be the best solution.

 

[jostenmeat]

Four responses, my first being a short novel, one thanks and no rep.

MOre chiclets, moRE CHicLEts, mORe chiCLEts . . .

 

[dem beats]

Thanks MidCow!

I will look into that. I want to say it's a 5.6... but I cannot remember right now. From what I rememebr though it has no 1080 capabilities!

 

[Midcow2]

Four responses, my first being a short novel, one thanks and no rep.

MOre chiclets, moRE CHicLEts, mORe chiCLEts . . .

Jostenmeat,

Excellent responses. LOL, I started on a response before yours, then had some work to do.

Anyway good answer connect the HDMI directly to pj and bypass Receiver.

 

[Midcow2]

I'm not really understanding why you need a new receiver in order to enjoy a new PJ.

Is CEDIA over yet? When it is, and the chips fall, you should start to see many good prices with current models. If you have some budget, and are willing to go used, the crazy videophiles (think of audioholics, but for video!) are going to sell their PJ's for the next best thing? Well, that's probably overstated a tad.

Since you like Epson, the 1080UB is supposed to be a real value-buster. If your budget extends, the JVC lineup has very good blacks. However, the Epson is generally considered to be the better value. (Make sure its UB).

JVC has awesome blacks, but again, I'm pretty new to this. My RS-1 is phenomenal. Recently watched Underworld, and its pretty wild to see an entire movie, as so dark, but have all the details without all of the "murkiness" you see in so many other displays. I'm not sure how much better than the Epson it will be, but you have to pay for this difference.

Regarding motion blur, I'm not sure if that can be solved for you. I get it. It just happens. Its also a function of how large of a screen you go. And, if you output everything you watch at 24fps, Im sure that doesn't help either. Well, what do I know . . .

In My Honest Opinion, the setup or plan of attack is everything. I see this first-hand, and there's not much I can do to avoid the "learning curve".

I do get to enjoy very good video and very good audio. I sometimes wonder now, however, if I should've compromised on screen size to do a "false wall" replete with GOM. I mean, my system already blows the local theaters out of the water, no question, no problem, but a TRUE SEA OF BLACK, where you TRULY only see the video would be pretty cool. (And I think my HT has better immersion than the local cinemas, its just that the personal route to perfection is hard to ignore for an obsessive hobbyist).

The other thing I wonder about is acoustically transparent. Again, I couldn't go as big, or as bright, or have as much money in the pocket.

Lastly, the anamorphic setups. BAH! This would also represent compromises in goals acheived in regards to PQ vs money.

Good luck.

WOW Jostenmeat you really know your stuff GREAT ANSWER. Dem_Best, you can't go wrong with supoort and answer like this!

 

[dem beats]

wrong area!

Any admins around want to move this to the PJ area.

I didn't remember that here before!!

It's been a while!