[vex]

Not wanting to open the whole DLP is better (no it isnt) than LCD argument raging in another thread, but I am new to the pj idea and need to buy one tomorrow for a charity I am involved with. So to help with the decision I need to understand a few things.

What is the Rainbow effect in DLPs, how noticeable is it in very general PPoint presentations and DVD play out?

What is the (iirc) barndoor effect on LCDs and how does it effect the above presentation types?

Have been looking at the Optoma EP739 DLP projector from Projectorpoint at £805 + VAT

What alternatives are out thier at that price (can not break the £1000 inc vat mark)

[PJTX100]

Is it fixed installation or will it be carried around?

Will it be used for presentations / video / both?

If video what is the source - DVD, TV, SKY, VCR??

Will it be used by a small fixed audience or could it be seen by a wide variety of different people day to day?

Will it be used in a light controlled environemt (ie will it be dark?)


This info will help us to provide some advice...PJ

[vex]

Need a portable system as it will be shared by several different people and events.

Low to mid sized audience - upto 100 people / kids

Sources to be DVD, Video and PC. Only going to run composite signals for interconnect ease.

I am certain I need a higher lumins and contrast level as I can not garentee the darkness of a room and need to cover most eventualities.

Hope that helps.

Chris

[Liam @ Prog AV]

Originally Posted by vex

What is the Rainbow effect in DLPs, how noticeable is it in very general PPoint presentations and DVD play out?

Moving your head/eyes around a lot brings on the effect. With movies the action is always moving, and the screen tends to be in a position where it fills most of your line-of-sight. In a commerical install where the material is more static powerpoint stuff, and you are usually further back from the screen in relation to it's size, rainbows come up far less frequenty. You also tend to be using the screen for reference rather than staring intently and a high detail, constantly moving image.

Originally Posted by vex

What is the (iirc) barndoor effect on LCDs and how does it effect the above presentation types?

You can make out the grid-structure of the projected image far easier than you can with a DLP. FRom distance much less of a factor, and if commercial use it's not something you are really going to care about

Originally Posted by vex

Have been looking at the Optoma EP739 DLP projector from Projectorpoint at £805 + VAT

A very good projector, with a substantial warranty and a bargain price. We are Optoma dealers (although mainly Home Cinema) but I've not had much playtime with the business models. The brighter 758 or 759 would be required if you were trying for a large screen size (10ft+) or were in an extremely bright environment using a smaller screen (e.g. outdoor, conservatory, swimming pool area etc).

Originally Posted by vex

What alternatives are out thier at that price (can not break the £1000 inc vat mark)

Stick with the Optoma I reckon.

DLP is also uniformly bright accross the whole image where LCD is dimmer at the edges, the high contrast also means for a "punchier" picture (for sake of a better word) in comparison to LCD.

[PJTX100]

OK

Have a look at somewhere like...

http://www.projectorpoint.co.uk

it categorises the PJ's and it looks like you may want one from the portable category...

something like the Optoma EP739 looks like it may be appropriate

http://www.projectorpoint.co.uk/Optoma_EP739.htm

it has a 3 year warranty which may be of importance to you, and it looks a bright and powerful machine

it is a DLP machine but I don't think the LCD/DLP aspect should be a major consideration for you, brightness, portability, reliability, warranty, ease of use etc look to be the main sorts of things.

Good luck!...PJ

Edit: oops I honestly didn't notice your reference to this very machine in your orig post!

[vex]

Brilliant,

Thanks guys, I just needed that reasurance that I thought it was a good deal and package for what I need.

Will let you know what it is like when it arrives.

Thanks again.

Chris