Another newbie with questions...

[2shy]

hello people, i have choosen the sony vpl-HS51A(purchase soon). its for my old man. he is retired and can barely see and hear. he enjoys watching educational programs, nascar, nhra, old war movies(not on DVD stuff on turner classic), CSI, law and order. he has digital cable. (i will force him to get HD, just like the DVR) is this a good projector for him?


i few other questions?

is the 51A worth 18% more than the sanyo Z4?(it was between the Z4 and the 51A)

how hard is it to calibrate a sony vpl-HS51A(methinks i will need a priest)


after setting a budget of 1000grrr, then breaking it over and over and over. i need to cut concers on buying a screen.
the projector will sit on a self. the image will be off to the right.(around 30inches)
max size can be 112in by 63in in a 16:9 ratio. (total wall size is 117in by 98in)

video specfra, cinema vision, retro-reflective, or does the local fabric shop have something that will work well.


thanks for ANY help/feedback.



2shy

 

[BMXTRIX]

You want to be sure that the projector has the necessary lens shift and that your screen size is appropriate for the viewing distance. IMO the Sony which is typically about $2K vs. the Z4 which is under $1,700 AND includes a free lamp ($300.00 value) may not really be that much better of a projector, though I think, overall, the Sony may top the Sanyo.

The Panasonic is notably brighter - but definitely not as sharp as either of those units. I recently saw the Z4 and if I were to buy today - that is the projector I would get. Keeping in mind I use my projector for exclusive HD and DVD viewing.

For a screen, if you are on a budget, then DIY is a good way to go (Do It Yourself). If you are handy with some tools and have a few hours you can either paint a screen or use blackout cloth from your local fabric store and some wood from the local hardware store. Or, you can paint MDF with a decent flat white paint to get some good results.

I would not get a manual roll up screen or recommend one.

I WOULD get the Carada Criterion screen w/Brilliant White fabric... but that size puts that screen around $1K.

If I were making a fixed screen myself, I would go blackout cloth - I've done it once, it works and looks great if done carefully.

 

[timn99]

I would also concur with the Carada screen recommendation. They have 2 frames styles. The mentioned Criterion has a 3.25" width screen border and a beveled edge. I went with the Precision frame (2" screen border) because I painted my screen wall black and the screen frame wouldn't stand out much anyways. I also recently recommended the Carada with Brilliant White screen material to a friend who has the Sony 51A, and he loves it. Go with Brilliant White over CCW as its screen material is a little thicker, and won't let any light pass thru the screen surface. Although you will lose a little bit of black, it will make your colors punchier. Good luck.

 

[2shy]

thanks for the feedback