[KRW]

(MOD COMMENT : Please use this thread as a continuation of part one which can be found here....Epson TW3200/3600 owners thread)


What's the best way to clean the lens? Not the inside, the outside bit, its getting a few 'bits' on it. I'm petrified to touch it with a cloth in case I get, horror, a smudge.

[archer66]

Originally Posted by KRW

What's the best way to clean the lens? Not the inside, the outside bit, its getting a few 'bits' on it. I'm petrified to touch it with a cloth in case I get, horror, a smudge.

You can buy special compressed air cleaners such as this one in the link Kenro Kenair Master Kit Air Dust Duster Blower Aerosol on eBay (end time 13-Apr-11 15:29:02 BST)

[Kennyggg]

Originally Posted by dave_h34

I'd try to isolate it as a projector fault, eg it's across all inputs and sources and if so send it back. As it's new you should, and insist you do, get a new one (not refurb).

Thanks. I will try and contact Epson and see if they can fix it up for me.


As for cleaning the lens: I have used the canned air and bulb blowers on my lens as well, as when you use cloth it seems to smudge or smear the lens. I did have one bit of dust which wouldn't come off using those, so I used the following which I have used on my DSLR sensor:

Made a tiny smear, but managed to get it off :lol: so it is always best to use the blowers, and then canned air if needed.

[PrincessFrosty]

Doing the final planning leading up to hopefully buying the TW3200 soon, it will be exclusively powered from my PC which has a Radeon 5970 video card, it sports 2x DL-DVI out, one which I'm using for my monitor and the other which I'll use the DVI->HDMI dongle that came with the card, then over 10m HDMI cable run to the PJ.

Does anyone know what to expect using DVI out and a DVI->HDMI connector? I know there are different revisions of HDMI standards and was wondering if they were all supported converted through a DVI connector, I'm a little concerned about compatibility and loss of quality with this kind of set up, am I just being paranoid here?

[poseydon]

Hello guys,
It is finally time to enter the thread and share my own experience with the TW3200.

Some Basic info first:
I am projecting a 103" image on a matte white electric screen from a distance of 425cm - 167 inches.
I have some issues with the vertical and horizontal lens shift regarding the position of the image on the screen, but this is solvable.

What is probably not solvable is the bluish spot in the bottom left corner. Out of the box this was not there, but after some hours it is obvious mostly in very bright scenes, white screen for example. It does not ruin my movie experience though. This bluish spot does not care about position of the zoom, focus or lens shift. It is constantly there.

The other very unpleasant surprise is the skin tones. Last night I watched 'The Tourist' and in many scenes it was horrible.
The skin tones were mostly red or orange or somewhere in between but not the right color. This is very unpleasant and totally ruin my movie experience.

I am using a laptop with Ati 4670 to play movies.
I am not using any kind of color enhancements or corrections from the VGA driver or the players - MPC-HC and DotPlayer.

For the projector I am using the following settings:
Contrast - 0
Brightness - 0
Color Saturation - 3
Skin tone - 3
Color Temp - 7000K
Color mode - Cinema
Lamp mode - Eco
SuperWhite - Off
AutoIris - Off

I am wondering, where is the problem?
I will appreciate your help very much!

Thanks and Regards,
Daniel K.

[kbfern]

Regarding the spot it is probably a dust blob.If you turn your focus ring fully one way or the other it should come into sharp focus as a tiny spec of dust.

If it is bothering you contact the sellers and they should send it back to Epson to swap or at least a clean.

Regarding the colours at 7000k it is on the cool side so can't see why you are getting such warm colours.If you have another source for video (dvd player or PS3) I would try that to see if that looks the same or a more natural tone.

If the tones are the same maybe the lcd panel is faulty.

[poseydon]

Thanks for the advice.
I tried to turn the focus all the way but there were no dust blobs. Its something like a bluish radiance/halo on the bottom left side.

About the colors - it is only the skin tones, not the overall picture. I believe that my laptop has something to do with that issue. I will test with a PS3 and report back. I hope it is not the projector but the source.

As a whole the projector is ok. It is my first projector and I am not totally blown away which is kind of strange. The picture is sharp, crisp and detailed enough. The colors are ok, but I have the feeling that there is some minor washout effect. It is highly possible to be the screen's fault because it is a cheap screen - something around 150 euros but this is the situation. My overall impression is very good and I believe this is the best projector for the money - around 920 euros here in Bulgaria.

Regards.

[Kennyggg]

Originally Posted by kbfern

Regarding the spot it is probably a dust blob.If you turn your focus ring fully one way or the other it should come into sharp focus as a tiny spec of dust.

If it is bothering you contact the sellers and they should send it back to Epson to swap or at least a clean.

Regarding the colours at 7000k it is on the cool side so can't see why you are getting such warm colours.If you have another source for video (dvd player or PS3) I would try that to see if that looks the same or a more natural tone.

If the tones are the same maybe the lcd panel is faulty.

I contacted Epson as I noticed a third dust spot which was darker than the rest (almost reddish in tinge) so that is three dust blobs in total. Epson suggested that I use a vacuum cleaner to put near the vents/filters and try to clean it that way, and then to remove the lamp and reset it. If that doesn't work, they said it would need a service from an engineer.

I'm hoping it doesn't make the situation worse, as vacuums are a source of dust and knowing my luck would probably add another few blobs lol!

[Ronan1]

Originally Posted by Kennyggg

I contacted Epson as I noticed a third dust spot which was darker than the rest (almost reddish in tinge) so that is three dust blobs in total. Epson suggested that I use a vacuum cleaner to put near the vents/filters and try to clean it that way, and then to remove the lamp and reset it. If that doesn't work, they said it would need a service from an engineer.

I'm hoping it doesn't make the situation worse, as vacuums are a source of dust and knowing my luck would probably add another few blobs lol!

All the talk of blue spots, dust spots and returns would put me right off considering an Epson until they develop sealed optics as I have seen more problems with this unit than any other thread regardless of how many are being sold and this having an effect on number of complaints on the threads etc.

The amount of times I have read here that unit arrived/problem/unit going back is ridiculous. Epson telling you to use a vacuum cleaner on your new purchase is a joke and indicates how seriously they are taking the problem.

I would love for someone from Epson to read this thread and see the amount of issues are being discussed with their projectors and then head off and address them instead of telling people to get the vacuum cleaners out. Laughable!

[kbfern]

All LCD suffer from dustblobs not just Epson and the few that have had them have been exchanged which is better than other manufacturers have done in the past.

[Kennyggg]

Originally Posted by kbfern

All LCD suffer from dustblobs not just Epson and the few that have had them have been exchanged which is better than other manufacturers have done in the past.

What is it about LCD projectors that makes it hard, to seal off compared with DLP? Is it purely something that can't be resolved because of the way they are manufactured, or is it something that might be possible with a lot of work? I know there are drawbacks to most things, whether it be a plasma TV (image retention, phosphor lag), DLP (not flexible on setup), and LCD projectors, so far I have been extremely pleased with my projector.

[KRW]

My guess is something to do with the heat. It gets very hot and sealing it off would just add to the problem, perhaps.

[Ronan1]

Originally Posted by kbfern

All LCD suffer from dustblobs not just Epson and the few that have had them have been exchanged which is better than other manufacturers have done in the past.

Fair enough kb but these Epsons seem to be arriving with dust blobs included. Anyway, is not and won't be my problem as I won't be touching one. I just feel sorry for people who research, hum and haw, eventually take the plunge, get excited about its arrival and seeing it perform for the first time, probably in front of the other half to convince her/him it was not an extravagant purchase and then get bloody dust blobs. I would go nuts.

I bought a Cambridge audio DVD/SACD player one time, it started giving trouble on a monthly basis and when the one year warranty ran out and it continued to give trouble I sent it back to the factory so they could see for themselves what a piece of crap they were selling the public and I told them I don't want it back and neither will I ever consider their products in the future.

There is too much choice out there for us to be saddled with s..t so I use the forums to steer clear of troublesome products and sorry guys but if it looks like a turd and smells like a turd, good chance it is a turd.

[archer66]

Originally Posted by Ronan1

Fair enough kb but these Epsons seem to be arriving with dust blobs included. Anyway, is not and won't be my problem as I won't be touching one. I just feel sorry for people who research, hum and haw, eventually take the plunge, get excited about its arrival and seeing it perform for the first time, probably in front of the other half to convince her/him it was not an extravagant purchase and then get bloody dust blobs. I would go nuts.

I bought a Cambridge audio DVD/SACD player one time, it started giving trouble on a monthly basis and when the one year warranty ran out and it continued to give trouble I sent it back to the factory so they could see for themselves what a piece of crap they were selling the public and I told them I don't want it back and neither will I ever consider their products in the future.

There is too much choice out there for us to be saddled with s..t so I use the forums to steer clear of troublesome products and sorry guys but if it looks like a turd and smells like a turd, good chance it is a turd.

Hi Ronan 1, the one thing for sure in this life is that we all have choices, whilst there have been a few complaints from people on here who have bought them there are a lot more who have bought them and are happy with them.

You get a 3 year warranty which I think is a very good warranty, and I personally think one thing that is getting missed is that for the price of this projector and the quality of the picture it produces compared to lots of much more expensive machines it offers great value for money and from what I have read from the few who have had problems Epson's warranty is almost a non quibble one which seems fair to me if you are unfortunate enough to have a problem.

Are there some people who are experiencing problems from a sub 1k projector expecting the performance of a 5 or 10k one?

I was originally going to buy the LGAF115 but after reading all the problems and the amount of DOA's I was put off, I also thought at the time that it only came with a 1 year warranty which was not enough for me to take the gamble, it was a shame as I thought it was a great PJ and had I known it also came with a 3 year warranty I would have takeen the gamble on that one as well.

I think this is the great thing with the forums, you can have a good read and then make your choice.

Just my 2 pence worth

Alan

[KRW]

you do pays your money and takes your choice, but the guarantee gives great piece of mind and, weighing up the options, there is no better projector for my needs for the price. It would seem churlish to reject it over something that might happen, and if it does, it can be replaced. Doesnt seem much point worrying over it.

Practically every piece of kit at this price range comes with issues - I've been here before, so am used to it, I guess. From 'purple snakes' on Plasmas, the Panasonic TV's who's blacks turned grey after a year, to 'missing' pixels on LCD's, whatever the product, there's usually a few people who discover an issue.

[0liveO1]

Yeah, and generally, those who come to talk about their products on forums are those who have had somme issues with their PJ and are hoping those few who have been following the thread since its beginning will tell them anything else but "send it back". Ain't many persons who just stop by and say "Hi, I've been looking for threads about my PJ just to say I'm happy with mine "

[Tastyzulu]

Im very happy with my trouble free PJ

[SveNRG]

Also very happy with this baby! Running it on cinema mode / eco and it is just marvelous. Before I had a Panasonic PT-AX200-E 720p beamer and this sure is an improvement. Had to do some McGuyver tweaks to my Vogel VPC-545 ceiling mount, because it was too small too hold this huge thing, but all is well now.

I was kind of disappointed that my Mede8er MED500X mediaplayer didn't work with the Epson. The player is HDMI 1.3 and the TW3200 requires 1.3a
So I'm selling the Mede8er and getting a WD Live hub now.

[PrincessFrosty]

Originally Posted by 0liveO1

Yeah, and generally, those who come to talk about their products on forums are those who have had somme issues with their PJ and are hoping those few who have been following the thread since its beginning will tell them anything else but "send it back". Ain't many persons who just stop by and say "Hi, I've been looking for threads about my PJ just to say I'm happy with mine "

Exactly, I don't think anyone has demonstrated that there is a higher than average percentage of people returning this particular model than any other projector.

The warranty allows for a replacement if there is an issue, I know what it's like getting new kit and finding there is a problem and having to return so I sympathise with those who have to wait a bit longer, but in the end you'll get a good result, it a very good projector for the price.

[AmonRaa]

SveNRG..what McGuyver tweaks did you do to Vogel VPC-545 ceiling mount. I have same mount and i'm strongly considering this projector.

[Ronan1]

I appreciate the 3 year warranty and it would give peace of mind to me too if I were to purchase one. I have an Optoma HD 65. I checked the HD 20 when it came out. It was twice the price but not a big enough improvement to justify the outlay. Many here say the Epson 3200 is neck and neck performance wise with the HD 20 so for me that's not a big enough jump in performance but now reading that people upgrading from Panasonic AX 200's to the 3200 notice a significant difference it makes me curious again

Friend of mine has just bought an Epson TW 3600 and offered me a lend of it. Must take him up on his offer and try it in my batcave to scratch this itch.

Thanks boys for the feedback and you are right, it's sometimes necessary to come on just to sing a machines praises if you are impressed with it and it's trouble free, like my yamaha Z7 amp, LG 390 BD player and Optoma PJ which thank god have given me years of service without any glitches. At the end of the day if we get our hours worth out of a machine we can at least feel that it has served us reasonably and don't feel we got ripped off like I did with that CA DVD player I spoke of earlier.

[SveNRG]

Originally Posted by AmonRaa

SveNRG..what McGuyver tweaks did you do to Vogel VPC-545 ceiling mount. I have same mount and i'm strongly considering this projector.

Well, the disc that you attach the arms to is simply too small. What I did boils down to getting a flat piece of metal that is larg enough for all arms to reach, drilled 4 holes for the arm screws and took out a piece in the center so if would fit over the original Vogel disc. Which now basically caries the piece of metal. It can still pivot too!

[archer66]

Originally Posted by Ronan1

I appreciate the 3 year warranty and it would give peace of mind to me too if I were to purchase one. I have an Optoma HD 65. I checked the HD 20 when it came out. It was twice the price but not a big enough improvement to justify the outlay. Many here say the Epson 3200 is neck and neck performance wise with the HD 20 so for me that's not a big enough jump in performance but now reading that people upgrading from Panasonic AX 200's to the 3200 notice a significant difference it makes me curious again

Friend of mine has just bought an Epson TW 3600 and offered me a lend of it. Must take him up on his offer and try it in my batcave to scratch this itch.

Thanks boys for the feedback and you are right, it's sometimes necessary to come on just to sing a machines praises if you are impressed with it and it's trouble free, like my yamaha Z7 amp, LG 390 BD player and Optoma PJ which thank god have given me years of service without any glitches. At the end of the day if we get our hours worth out of a machine we can at least feel that it has served us reasonably and don't feel we got ripped off like I did with that CA DVD player I spoke of earlier.

Blimey, that was a turnaround from your last post when you said "I won't be toching one"

Have to let us know how you get on.

[Ronan1]

Hey Archer,

I am only curious about it's performance to see how it fares against my projector to be honest. Don't live in UK and no chance that even with a 3 year warranty I would get anything resembling customer service here so that's why I have to make my choices even more carefully than you guys in the UK as there at least you have some come back if anything goes wrong.

I know that here (Hungary) if I tried to bring a machine back with dust spots they would tell me it's normal for a machine like this and they would leave it at that as thats the way they deal with customers I'm afraid. I bought my first pj in the UK. I would like to see why the Epson is so popular here on the forum as the last bargain machine to do this was mine and the opinions here were bang on the money.

If it is the step up from 720p machines like mine then I will see that soon when I check it out and then wait for the 3200 beater to come along with no dust blob problems and go for it as I am sitting on the fence too long

[studionorthuk]

I have a Epson 3600 and for the money it is the best you could buy for image quality, and warranty. I am using mine on a custom 165" screen. And the picture is very good. The fan on mine started to make a noise so I called Epson on a friday, a Brandnew replacement was sent via a engineer on monday. He even installed it back to my ceiling mount. Wow I said, was not expecting this type of service. There warranty is onsite for 3 years. And includes a lamp replacement. Not many company's offer this.

This is one of the best purchases I have made.


Baz

[mkohman]

Just need advice on which color space to use for my setup.. Please see my equipment below to make things easier:

HTPC with intel i3 HD Graphics (supports xvYCC)
Onkyo 608 Amp (The HDMI signal is Passed Through the Amp unprocessed)
Projector: Epson EH-TW3200 (supports xvYCC)

Also have an ATI Saphire 5450 Graphics card which does not support xvYCC as far as I am aware but supports yCbCr.

Basically I am wanting to know which color space will be better yCbCr or xvYCC for Blu Ray Movies.. I am aware that for xvYCC to work you have to have xvYCC supported on all products which I have but I am not sure if this is the best option for Blu Ray Movies.

I am currently using ATI 5450 set to 16-235 color space yCbCr and set my projector to yCbCr and the colors seem just a little neutral . With RGB theres more pop to the image but the black levels are crushed and shadow details are destroyed. This is why I purchased the ATI 5450 as the intel HD Graphics on the intel i3 does not have yCbCr option but what I would like to know is should I go back to my intel i3 graphics and select the xvYCC option and then select this option on the projector too? Will it be better?

I use XBMC for my media player will this also have to support xvYCC for me to see the difference?

Would appreciate any comments and help!

Many Thanks..

[KRW]

Has anyone managed to succesfully hang one of these from the ceiling with the Chief IC mount supplied by Projector Point? I'm still having trouble, to the point where I'm wondering if I should try customising it. Seems odd they'd supply one that doesnt really work very well with it - the holes are too far apart on the projector so you have to use the extender arms but the only way that works is by hanging it with two short arms and two long arms on the same side, meaning its prone to slip to an angle at the slightest provocation. The method of using the extra arms suggested in the manual doesnt' work at all, unless anyone else has managed it?

The annoying bit is, the arms are only about 5mm too short to work perfectly.

[mkohman]

I am currently using yCbCr on my HTPC ATI 5450 graphics Card and also set my projector to Signal as yCbCr .. Please can you guys have a look at the screen shot of my graphics card settings and tell me if there is anything wrong which you may think I should or shouldn't have checked? Also just to let you guys know I have the AVS HD 709 Calibration as .MP4 files and I play Basic Calibration patterns with windows media player and adjust the brightness and contrast from the ATI Graphics Card Settings as can be seen in screen shot ... Is this the correct way to do it or should I be adjusting the brightness and contrast in the projector settings? Many Thanks... Look forward in hearing your responses..

Also just a quick one .. On another forum someone advised me to use Full Range 0-255 on the Graphics card and set the projector to yCbCr as he was basically saying that yCbCr isn't true yCbCr and its converted from RGB so should keep the Graphics Card at full range 0-255.. Is this correct or shall I have both the Graphics Card and the Projector set at 16-235?

Many Thanks ..

[Guinnogs]

Originally Posted by KRW

Has anyone managed to succesfully hang one of these from the ceiling with the Chief IC mount supplied by Projector Point? I'm still having trouble, to the point where I'm wondering if I should try customising it. Seems odd they'd supply one that doesnt really work very well with it - the holes are too far apart on the projector so you have to use the extender arms but the only way that works is by hanging it with two short arms and two long arms on the same side, meaning its prone to slip to an angle at the slightest provocation. The method of using the extra arms suggested in the manual doesnt' work at all, unless anyone else has managed it?

The annoying bit is, the arms are only about 5mm too short to work perfectly.

I have one of these mounts supplied by Projector Point and mines rock solid..

A couple of pics(Iphone quality..sorry)

Alan....

[KRW]

That's really helpful, thanks for that. At least I can see it working - mine seems to have too much pressure on those extended arms for me to feel comfortable with it!