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Thread: Projector Process...

  1. #61
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
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    Boston, Massachusetts
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    Are you planning a trip into Boston anytime soon? I have a POS DVD player that I'd be happy to give you. Nothing is cheaper than free.
    Kurt C.
    Radio Shack SPL meter, Avia HT setup disk
    DIY Absorption panels
    Athena AS-B1 fronts/surrounds
    Athena AS-C1 center
    SVS PB10 subwoofer
    Panasonic RP-56 DVD/CD player
    Yamaha RX-V650 receiver
    Panasonic TH-42PHD8UK 42-inch plasma

  2. #62
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
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    Massachusetts
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    Too lazy to set it up with my computer, I'd have to buy a longer cord or move my whole PC setup (not happening... ). I actually considered getting one of the $40 APEX type players at Walmart, but decided just to wait. Thanks for the offer Kurt. The theater is slowly coming together. It should be ready to show-off in early september if you're still interested in checking it out. Started research in August '04 when I returned from my big roadtrip. Read alot of reviews and auditioned alot of stuff until November '04 when I started purchasing stuff. I was layed off from Mid February to Mid April which slowed purchases down to a crawl (1 sub), but I'm cruising again now. Almost finished. A cable, a screen, and some chairs (and a DVD player making it's laps around the world via UPS).

    I have to say I was most relieved when I fired it up and the image was plenty bright enough. I was worried I was going to be squinting in my room due to four huge windows and the ambient light that escapes around the edges of the thick black material. There's enough light to read the remote and eat, which is great!

    I went over to a hardware store and Walmart to find an articulating arm that I could weld onto two plates and make a great mount from. Found a TV wall mount similar to the brackets you find at hospitals and autoparts stores that hold the TVs up n' out of the way. Works pisser! Only $35 too.



    Four more days until the DVD player arrives. Picking up a 35'-40' HDMI cable (have to measure again) in two weeks, then the Carada screen in three weeks. With the current projector position I have to go 84" due to the PJ moving back about a 1'. The minimum zoom produces an 82" image. 84" is alot more than the recommended 72", but you gotta' do what you gotta' do I guess... :B

    I'll be able to tell what size/quality is acceptable once I get the DVD player.

    Excited!

  3. #63
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Massachusetts
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    335

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    BY THE WAY GUYS...

    Two days after I ordered the Z3 it went on sale for US$1499.00! It ticked me off because I hadn't even received mine yet, and the company won't credit me (I payed $1725). I was going to return and repurchase (to screw 'em) but they're one step ahead of me with a 20% restock fee...

    For anyone else though, thats a great deal for a 720p projector that is rated along with the Panny AE-700U as being one of the best performance/values in the sub $3k PJ arena.

  4. #64
    Join Date
    Aug 2003
    Location
    Manhattan Beach, California
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    I hate that restocking fee BS!
    -curtis

  5. #65
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    Fort Smith, Arkansas
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    How far back from the screen are you going to be?

    N/m. Been awhile since I last looked at the thread that I forgot you already mentioned it in your first post.

    Looks good so far. Looking forward to the screen shots once you get your Carada screen in.
    Last edited by eRob; 08-06-2005 at 08:30 PM.

  6. #66
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    Feb 2005
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    Massachusetts
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    (note this is with 3x12' composite cables linked end to end with the 2910 doing the processing, HDMI with the Z3 doing the processing should be even better).

    A couple quick shots. The three screen samples are the Carada samples (from L-R; Brilliant White, Classic Cinema White, High Contrast Grey). Changed my mind again too! With actual video being played, I've eliminated the Brilliant White and am now in a toss-up between the Classic Cinema White and High Contrast Grey.

    I'll post a much more in depth opinion tomorrow w/more photos. Have to hit the hay...

    Very very cool having an 84" widescreen image...

    EDIT: To soothe my dissapointment with the Z3 price drop 2days after I ordered, Visual Apex is extending my PJ warranty to 4 years and I just received a 128MB USB Thumb Drive in the mail. I feel a little better now.

    I'll also include pics/review of the 2910 which replaced my busted 2900 tomorrow.

    Have a good one boys!

  7. #67
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Minnesota, US
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    418

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    Wow, surprising how different each screen material looks. It will be interesting to hear how you make the final decision.

    Glad to hear Visual Apex tried to take care of you ... 4 year warranty is not too shabby!

  8. #68
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Massachusetts
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    I spent alot of time playing around with the Z3 yesterday. Switching between AVIA, FInding Nemo, LOTR: ROTK, and Sideways I tried various preset tunes, as well as some of my own.

    I really can't do anything serious until I get my HDMI cable though. The 36' $1.99 composite cable which has two unions in it definetly does not bring the best out of the Z3. I temporarily moved the DVD-2910 next to it and used a short S-Video cord which was a definite improvement. With the long composite cable and 480i output of the DVD-2910 I'm getting some noise around white objects (not due to sharpness setting), and there is what I believe is called "crushing" around objects with a deep black background (such as in the Fish Are Friends meeting in chapter 8 of Finding Nemo). The S-Video cable eliminated that whitish noise and slightly improved the crushing. I'm looking forward to ordering/receiving a high-quality HDMI cable this Thursday the 18th. Then I can really take advantage of the Z3's capabilities which has a highly regarded processing ability (scaling, etc).

    84" may be a bit big for my 8' eyeball to screen distance. I can barely see the screendoor (if I focus on it), but even scaled DVD resolution at this size/viewing distance is pushing it with some films. I'm used to watching DVDs on a 20" 1600x1200 LCD w/Power DVD... :B After seeing Sauron on 84", I don't think I'd want to see him at 72" anymore though. I also notice that as you enlarge the display, the rate at which the quality decreases becomes less and less. 72" is definetly sharper than 84", but 96" really isn't that much worse than 84". Interesting...

    By ever so slightly de-focusing the PJ any visible screen door effect is eliminated, and the picture gains a slightly softer film quality which seems to increase the watchability with some tough scenes (such as small bright objects in a dark setting). The above screen shots of LOTR: ROTK have this slight de-focus.

    I've got the Contrast/Brightness/Sharpness/Saturation/Hue settings down, but still working on making more detailed adjustment using the individual adjustable RGB color slides (which apparently is more accurate than using the simpler Saturation/Hue controls).

    I really can't decide between Classic Cinema White (G1.0) and High Contrast Gray (G0.8). Blacks look so much better with the gray screen, and the picture for some reason appears a bit smoother. The colors definetly take a hit though. The reef scenes in Finding Nemo don't have the same pop as they do with a white screen. 90% of scenes look better on the gray screen though, especially darker scenes.

    Anyhoo, thats a taste of what I've been playing with. I'll have some screen shots and more chit-chat later tonight or tomorrow.

  9. #69
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
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    Syracuse, New York
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    Quote Originally Posted by Nicholas Mosher
    Anyhoo, thats a taste of what I've been playing with. I'll have some screen shots and more chit-chat later tonight or tomorrow.
    Even though I won't be purchasing a projector or screen anytime in the foreseeable future, I've really enjoyed you sharing your quest for video nirvana with us. I can't start on the video side of things till I'm done with the audio side and when are we ever done with the audio? Thanks, Nick.

    David

  10. #70
    Join Date
    Aug 2003
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    Manhattan Beach, California
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    I second David's thoughts.

    I have enjoyed following your process and money spending.
    -curtis

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