[Tyler Durden]

This is probably a very stupid question, but I was wondering if there is any way that you can stop seeing rainbows on a DLP projector if you are a person that is affect by them.

I have just bought a BenQ 5210 which I really like. I am not bothered by the rainbow effect although I can see it when I move my eyes from the screen and back again, however my wife has said she sees it more often and that it effects her viewing pleasure. Is there anything that can be done to lessen the effect or will I have to look into trading in for an LCD?

[ZippyCat]

Neutral Density filters have minimised but not eliminated the effect for me. Some people claim the effect disappears with time, others not. Unfortunately its one of those things.

[gizlaroc]

I got to the point of not being able to see rainbows when I got an 8700, but it still gave me headaches, or to be fair more of an eyestrain, after a couple of hours I would find myself frowning without realising it.
If it bothers you it really isn't pleasant for any period of time.
I think you would be better to go for an LCD.

[Pecker]

The rainbow effect appears to happen on areas of white.

B&W films are worst.

But the recent DVD of 'Double Indemnity' appears to have a green tinge to it, and I don't think I noticed rainbow on it at all.

How strange.

Steve W

[owey]

I have an Infocus 4805 and don't see the rainbows at all but I only use it for dvds.
But on the other hand I also have an LG DLP Tv which I do suffer from rainbows, but only when I watch The Bill and Casualty. Dvds on the tv seem O.K apart from Gladiator which there faces look like oil paintings.

[Zag]

The Size of the screen can probably help (or the distance from it). I reduced the size of my screen down from 7ft to 6ft which meant that I didn't have to keep looking round the sreen so much.

I also tend to try and keep me eyes central to the screen at the beginning of a movie. After A few minutes I then forget to do this but by that time I'm more relaxed and just enjoying the film. I may then see a few throughout the movie but not enough to spoil it.

I find that getting drunk helps.

[gizlaroc]

I used to see rainbows really badly after coming in ******, probably because when tired you eyes become lazy.

I got a Mitsubishi HC100 which I thought gave a great picture but as soon as the wife walked in she asked 'why are there all those 1970's style Rainbow effects all over the screen?' So I had to send back to the reseller.
Got a Sanyo PLV-Z3 instead (821 on offer with a free lamp) and its great! Picture excellent after some tweaks and wife actually admits it was money well spent.

[gizlaroc]

Originally Posted by Deansmark

.........and wife actually admits it was money well spent.

Wow! you have a good 'un there, you want to hold on to her!

[Zag]

Best method I've found of stopping rainbows on a DLP is to hammer a 9 inch nail into the colour wheel. Okay it may then develop the tendency to show a bit too much tinge on Red, green or Blue but hey the rainbows are gone for good.

Serioulsy though watch a few more films on it, avoid watching tired and see how she gets on. She may get used to it and find she can live with it. If not it leaves you with the option of LCD. The Sanyo Z3, with an extra bulb voucher by several dealers looks like a particularly fine deal at the moment.

[Tyler Durden]

The film we watched was a .avi that was being viewed through a Pinnacle showcenter. We watched a film on DVD the other night and she seemed to think that was slightly better, is that possible? Obviously the picture quality was better, but could the rainbows be less depending on the source?

[Jeff]

It's dependant on what is being shown, you will never see rainbows on a bright colourful scene.

[mazzymx6]

I think that the rainbow effect can be reduced by reducing the brightness of the lamp output

I think thats why people say u get used to it over time (because the bulb is getting dimmer)

Might be an interesting experiment to see if reducing the brightness does reduce the rainbow effect

Id be interested to here how you got on

Hope this helps

maz

Tyler, how attached are you to the wife?

It's odd that not much seems to be known about the rainbow effect. Surely the projector manufacturers must have done some kind of research into it in order to find ways to eliminate it, other than faster, more segmented colour wheels.

[MikeRJ]

Unfortunately the Benq5120 has only a 2 speed colour wheel. If you are otherwside happy with the performance of DLP's then maybe consider taking the wife to a demo of a projector with a higher speed colour wheel? Otherwise an LCD is the safe bet.

[pmc]

Don't want to start a religous war here but with screendoor virtually eliminated in the likes of the AE700/Z3/HS50 and DLP levels of contrast why would anyone even consider buying a DLP anymore?

OK, start bombardment

[LV426]

I'll be the first to agree (to a point). The classic LCD shortfalls are getting less and less acute with each new model, and the advantage, therefore, of DLP (rainbows aside) is decreasing. I'm an LCD fan, as I'm very rainbow sensitive. The other way to avoid rainbows on a DLP is to buy (or, wait and buy) a 3-chipper.

I was pretty much set on getting an HS50 but the guys here have talked me round to a Benq 7700, and I think with good reason.

The HS50 may get DLP levels of contrast, but it does this with an iris, so it can handle dark scenes and light scenes but light bits in dark scenes will appear washed out and dark bits in light scenes will lose definition. At least that's what I'm surmising based on my understanding of how it works, I haven't seen one in action. In other words you don't get the full 6000:1 contrast on screen at once, for dark scenes it just closes the iris a bit and for light scenes it opens it.

I'll often be using the pj in a lit room; I want this as a TV replacement and don't want to live in darkness. I understand that the HS50 wouldn't be very suitable for this as it doesn't output all that much light.

I don't understand why a 3-chip DLP pj costs more than three times what a 1-chip DLP pj costs. Unless it's because some people will pay that much.

[gizlaroc]

Originally Posted by Bugblatter

I'll often be using the pj in a lit room; I want this as a TV replacement and don't want to live in darkness. I understand that the HS50 wouldn't be very suitable for this as it doesn't output all that much light.

Really? I had an 8700 and the one thing you couldn't do was watch it in a lit room.

Well I'm not talking about having the main light on, just a lamp or two. Or having the curtains closed in the day, but normal curtains rather than blackout curtains. Hopefully the 7700 will be bright enough for that.

[DEANO-B]

Viewing your Pj with your room lights on is fine. I have mine on at about 50 to 75% a lot of the time. Yes the blacks become grey, but the PQ is still good. The thing that kills your PQ is sunlight.