are DLPs still worth considering?

[lsiberian]

My recommendation for anyone who has a theater room for "everything" is to do the following:

1. Get a decent projector: 1080p is all the rage these days. You should be able to get a good LCD or DLP 1080p projector for under 2k. 720p will do as well if the screen size is under 100" and you sit about 12-15 feet away.

2. A motorized screen. A decent one. Not one of those $200 screens. I bought one of those - pure garbage.

3. A 720p LCD tv. Why 720p and why LCD? Simple. Daytime viewing and price. A 720p is really all that's needed if you're going to be watching standard def tv programming or even HD programming. Opt for a 1080p if you want since the prices are dropping fast for a 40" 1080p lcd.

Keep the TV mounted behind the motorized projector and voila. You have a setup for daily tv watching and when you want to watch movies, or use the projector for sports, fav shows etc... you're good to go.

Why a motorized screen? Is it because of the sound it makes as you bring it down.

If you have a nice white wall it will still look better than any tv. My projector looks better than every tv in best buy and it's not even true 720p. Immersion makes that big of a difference. When the day comes for a 1080p to enter my place then you can bet I will be very happy.

 

[Bluesmoke]

Why a motorized screen? Is it because of the sound it makes as you bring it down.

So the screen hides the tv when in use.

 

[Reorx]

There are alot of decent projectors out there.
Here is a website that focuses on them.
http://www.projectorcentral.com/

The Epson mentioned earlier is awesome.
So is the Mitsubishi HC6500 and Panasonic PT-AE3000.

As for screens, there are a ton of options, at different price points.
You can get screen paint, and paint the wall.
You can get a motorized screen.
You can get a pull down screen.
You can get a fixed screen.
And on top of that, there are a ton of different screen material with different gains.

As for TV's, if I was going to get a DLP TV, it'd have to be a LED. I can't stand changing TV bulbs. There are LED bulbs coming out soon, if they arnt out already.

 

[jostenmeat]

i am 99% sure i am getting the mitsu 65". though i would consider the sammy 67" if i could see/buy it locally.

thanx

I have no idea how the Mits fares, but I think the 67" is what my brother has. Do you have Costco near you? That's where he got his. They have absurdly good CS policies. Ridiculous, IMO.

The Sammy has excellent blacks, for a DLP RPTV. The IR sensor is unfortunately smack dab in the middle, and thus you cannot typically place a center speaker there. However, add a $80 URC remote system, run an emitter there, and voila.

OTOH, my brother would be the first one to tell you my PJ setup blows his away, in every regard, PQ, you name it. Then again, with my 75 sq ft screen, I paid a little less than double what he did in total. If I went with a more modest screen, even closer I figure.

BMXTRIX recently posted an excellent refurb deal on a BenQ, if you'd be interested, but it wouldn't surprise me if they sold out already. The deal I picked up on my JVC sold out in a single day.

 

[just-some-guy]

i don't want to go with a projector, its an ergonomics thing.

i now have a 65" mitsu. i have only messed with it a lil bit. but it doesn't look bad at all, kinda (there is some grainyness). i'm sure there is better out there. i'm just not prepared to pay that much. the $1540 was about the only thing i could find under my 2g limit.

it is much nicer than my old 52. and the size is nice, though i have yet to install it.


my wife and her girls friends are watching monk. i am waiting for a guy to stop by at noon sat to check out, and hopefully....HOPEFULLY BUY my 52 (he sounds really interested). after it is moved, i will install the mitsu.

i will post more later, as i am having a few BUD LITE LIMES, pretty good beer

 

[allargon]

Why a motorized screen? Is it because of the sound it makes as you bring it down.

If you have a nice white wall it will still look better than any tv. My projector looks better than every tv in best buy and it's not even true 720p. Immersion makes that big of a difference. When the day comes for a 1080p to enter my place then you can bet I will be very happy.

Your projector on a white wall won't even best a good LCD. I know it won't best a Kuro or a Panny plasma. It won't best a calibrated RP CRT, either. Now, a good projector with a good screen is another matter.

Reorx, if you can't stand changing bulbs, why are you promulgating front projectors? Those require bulb changes, too.

JustSomeGuy, you can calibrate your display yourself with a colorimeter and some free software off the AVS website. You can also do it (still with a colorimeter) with Digital Video Essentials. Avia is okay, but it has inaccurate greyscale. So, it's not really recommended.

 

[just-some-guy]

ok. i just put on THE TONIGHT SHOW. LENO's monolog is my reference, lots of detail.

I'M AM IMPRESSED ! as i say, i know its not the best. but for what i paid = ITS GREAT !!!

i am now in the market for a blu-ray.

i want to publicaly thank you guys (though its not all your fault. my wife is mainly to blame) for talking me into this new tech. sure wish i saw IRON MAN on it.

 

[ParkerAudio]

I am a little surprised that no one is questioning the quality of the Mitsu DLP after all the problems they have had, including the large class action lawsuit in California.
Is the Mitsu now LED driven instead of lamp driven? If not the LED would be the only way to go.

 

[lsiberian]

Your projector on a white wall won't even best a good LCD. I know it won't best a Kuro or a Panny plasma. It won't best a calibrated RP CRT, either. Now, a good projector with a good screen is another matter.

Reorx, if you can't stand changing bulbs, why are you promulgating front projectors? Those require bulb changes, too.

JustSomeGuy, you can calibrate your display yourself with a colorimeter and some free software off the AVS website. You can also do it (still with a colorimeter) with Digital Video Essentials. Avia is okay, but it has inaccurate greyscale. So, it's not really recommended.

It looks better IMO than any of the tvs I've seen.

Doesn't size matter?

Plus i paid only about 100 for my PJ, can't beat the price.

 

[ParadigmDawg]

I have never had any issues with Mits DLPs and this is my second one (lost one in a divorce) I have ~4300 hours on the first bulb and still going strong. What are the problems people are having?

I am a little surprised that no one is questioning the quality of the Mitsu DLP after all the problems they have had, including the large class action lawsuit in California.
Is the Mitsu now LED driven instead of lamp driven? If not the LED would be the only way to go.

 

[ParkerAudio]

Lots of posts if you do a Google search. lamps, ballast boards, DLP engines, total rebuilds, poorly assembled thermistor sensors, air flow problems, even chasis problems.
778 posts at CNET.

http://forums.cnet.com/5208-7596_102-0.html?forumID=60&threadID=257865&start=0&tag=forum-w;forums06

That is just a small sample of other problems people are reporting. I don't know of any other TV line that has been plagued with this many problems.
I have bought 3 Mitsu TVs in the past 10 years. I am currently in the market for another TV, but don't think it will be Mitsu.
I currently have about 300 hours on a 2 year old WD-62628 Mitsu DLP, and the repairman is coming next week. This TV doesn't get a lot of use, I am a little disappointed in that, not that I don't think everyone manufacturers a lemon once in a while. I was surprised when I started researching the problem, how many people are having problems.

 

[ParadigmDawg]

Well that's just great, I am going to be pissed since I just paid this thing off. Not to mention the fact that I paid 4k for the diamond series which I should have never done.

Lots of posts if you do a Google search. lamps, ballast boards, DLP engines, total rebuilds, poorly assembled thermistor sensors, air flow problems, even chasis problems.
778 posts at CNET.

http://forums.cnet.com/5208-7596_102-0.html?forumID=60&threadID=257865&start=0&tag=forum-w;forums06

That is just a small sample of other problems people are reporting. I don't know of any other TV line that has been plagued with this many problems.
I have bought 3 Mitsu TVs in the past 10 years. I am currently in the market for another TV, but don't think it will be Mitsu.
I currently have about 300 hours on a 2 year old WD-62628 Mitsu DLP, and the repairman is coming next week. This TV doesn't get a lot of use, I am a little disappointed in that, not that I don't think everyone manufacturers a lemon once in a while. I was surprised when I started researching the problem, how many people are having problems.

 

[ParkerAudio]

I didn't mean to put a damper on your day, I just thought I would point it out. I love my DLP from Mitsu, when it works. Now I will have to see how good the extended warranty is. I have read posts where the problem is so bad they offer money, or a reasonable alternative.
I would buy another DLP with LED technology if I wanted a picture bigger than 55 inch, just not from Mitsu.
The other issue was Mitsu being deceptive about selling a 1080p set, when you could only get 1080i through the HDMI. I am not sure how else you can get 1080p. I have heard various explanations on the behalf of Mitsu about explaining this, but none of them make sense. It does state on my receipt and my warranty that it is a 1080p set, but I have only been able to get
1080i output.

 

[ParadigmDawg]

Huh...mine is 1080p.

I didn't mean to put a damper on your day, I just thought I would point it out. I love my DLP from Mitsu, when it works. Now I will have to see how good the extended warranty is. I have read posts where the problem is so bad they offer money, or a reasonable alternative.
I would buy another DLP with LED technology if I wanted a picture bigger than 55 inch, just not from Mitsu.
The other issue was Mitsu being deceptive about selling a 1080p set, when you could only get 1080i through the HDMI. I am not sure how else you can get 1080p. I have heard various explanations on the behalf of Mitsu about explaining this, but none of them make sense. It does state on my receipt and my warranty that it is a 1080p set, but I have only been able to get
1080i output.

 

[ParkerAudio]

Yeah, some of Mitsu's DLPs produced in 2005, 2006, did this little trick.

http://www.hdblog.net/2005/11/25/review-mitsubishi-wd-62628

Sold as 1080p, but not really. If you would have bought the WD-73727 you would be stuck with the same problem.