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Sony VPL-VW100 (Ruby) owners, where are you?

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Old 18-02-2006, 12:50 PM   #1
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Sony VPL-VW100 (Ruby) owners, where are you?

After a quick search of the forums, i cannot believe there aren't more VW100(Ruby) threads.

This is one of the most exciting projectors around, yet so little discussion

Please post here with how you are getting on.(good or bad)

I saw it before Xmas, and was very impressed. (apart from some issues)

Infact i held back from buying due to these "issues".
I just couldn't understand how Sony could let it ship with the corner/halo problem.

Has anybody got one in the last few weeks?
If so, have they addressed the corner/halo problems?
(I know it has other minor issues, but i could live with them etc)

I decided to await the arrival of 3 chip 1920x1080 DLP, but i fully expect they to be "mega £££s" on their arrival.

If Sony has addressed the corner/halo issues, it might make me change my mind and change now.

The price dropping has already started, making it even more attractive!
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Old 18-02-2006, 1:09 PM   #2
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Ones been hanging from my ceiling for getting on for a month now!

The non uniformity on a black screen is visible but isn't relevent to normal viewing, even on dark scenes it isn't that noticeable, really needing full blanked video before I pick it up. The crushed white arent really an issue either, although I have't really played with the iris settings yet,and generally have spent little time on calibration yet.

To be honest the biggest problem has been its tendency to show up problems in the source, to be honest I think a good quality scaler/processor is a requirement to get the best from it.

Summary is that it really is very good, a massive step up from my Sharp Z200. If it wasn't for DVD player coniptions I'm having at the moment I would pretty much just be sitting down and watching movies without the innevitable fiddling that almost always ensued with the sharp.

John.
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Old 18-02-2006, 7:40 PM   #3
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We have all slashed our wrists after finding out the price of a replacement lamp nearly 2 grand for a BULB
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Old 18-02-2006, 9:06 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cosa
We have all slashed our wrists after finding out the price of a replacement lamp nearly 2 grand for a BULB
That doesn't sound right?

Sony style (US) are selling them for $999(£573)

This place is selling them for $895(£513)
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...goryNavigation

I know UK prices may be higher, but it should be less than £999...

Last edited by Paul D; 19-02-2006 at 9:35 AM.
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Old 18-02-2006, 9:11 PM   #5
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The cheapest i've seen one for is about $880 so they cannot be close to nearly £2000 over here?
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Old 18-02-2006, 9:57 PM   #6
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Well thanks guys, I had been carefully ignoring that particular feature! Now whats the cost of watching a movie again...

John.
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Old 18-02-2006, 10:11 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JohnWH
To be honest the biggest problem has been its tendency to show up problems in the source, to be honest I think a good quality scaler/processor is a requirement to get the best from it.
That will be the problem until 1080p Blue ray/HD DVD becomes available I think. Having such a high native resolution means the Ruby is always having to scale its source material up to that res. This can cause just as many problems as can downscaling High Def to a lower res. I mean people would scoff at the thought of downscaling High Def to a 480p projector not least of all because it introduces all kinds of video nasty artifacts yet the Ruby upscaling 480p DVD to 1080 lines can introduce just as many problems.
Until 1080p software is available or 1080i at the very least, the Ruby will never be able to show what it is truly capable of!
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Old 18-02-2006, 10:38 PM   #8
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What! Downscaling HD content (say 720p) to 480p/576p causes artifacts??? I was planning on a 576p PJ, to be hooked upto a HD-DVD player.
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Old 19-02-2006, 1:00 AM   #9
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Most of the noise issues you will see are caused by mpg compression. With a good Hi Def source you don't see that kind of image noise at all. You shouldn't see image noise with scaling if it's done properly.

The same source problems are sometimes shown up by 3 chip DLP - give them good HD material and the image is excellent, but feed it a poor DVD and the image becomes considerably noisier.

Gary
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Old 19-02-2006, 1:04 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ashmufc
What! Downscaling HD content (say 720p) to 480p/576p causes artifacts??? I was planning on a 576p PJ, to be hooked upto a HD-DVD player.
It will not be all that bad, but there may be some shimmering which is the usual problem. 720p down to 576p should be fine though
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Old 19-02-2006, 8:39 AM   #11
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In relation to the lamp on the ruby IIRC, Alan Gouger on avsforum reported substantial dimming on the ruby after 100 hrs, but I believe he found a way to improve it somewhat.
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Old 19-02-2006, 11:18 AM   #12
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Paul: How much have you seen it advertised for ?

Tom.
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Old 19-02-2006, 3:19 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Edgeyboy
Paul: How much have you seen it advertised for ?

Tom.

UK dealer/stock PRICE INC VAT & DELIVERY £5,898.00 (cannot vouch for dealer though!)
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Old 20-02-2006, 5:24 PM   #14
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the full on qualia bulb cost about $2k, so that may be the bulb price your getting @£2000.
But the ruby bulb is still not cheap and from an american owner i have been bashing with questions says his has dimed by a great deal at 200hrs.

Also judging how the hype as really died off in that other forum due to issues, im not surprised there are a few more cautious buyers now + some of the 1080p DLP projectors had a stunning show debut, so i for 1 will need to see them first before i jump in. I was really temted by the ruby though.

Last edited by gandley; 20-02-2006 at 5:28 PM.
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Old 20-02-2006, 7:33 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gandley
the full on qualia bulb cost about $2k, so that may be the bulb price your getting @£2000.
But the ruby bulb is still not cheap and from an american owner i have been bashing with questions says his has dimed by a great deal at 200hrs.

Also judging how the hype as really died off in that other forum due to issues, im not surprised there are a few more cautious buyers now + some of the 1080p DLP projectors had a stunning show debut, so i for 1 will need to see them first before i jump in. I was really temted by the ruby though.
looks like you are correct on a website it states bulb for ruby is LMPH700 @ £1995 when in fact manual states ruby bulb is LMPH400 though both are quoted at 400w LMPH400 is not on sonys dealer price list yet but approx £800 will be price(thank god)
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Old 20-02-2006, 7:42 PM   #16
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I saw an uncalibrated Ruby recently and thought it a very fine projector in deed. The calibrated Qualia...
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Old 21-02-2006, 8:43 PM   #17
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The last few units i have had don't have the halo issue some saw, and that was variable from unit to unit. Corner brightness also seems to be much better.

Surprisingly all the unit seem to have red push though so calibration is a must.

Hope that helps.
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Old 22-02-2006, 8:52 AM   #18
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So how much are PJ Hifi selling the Ruby for now Elliot ?
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Old 22-02-2006, 8:41 PM   #19
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It was the corner issue that bothered me the most.
The halo could be hidden with a thick screen border etc.

I do wonder if the halo is something to do with the corner issue.
With certain camera zoom lenses, you can get an effect called viginetting(spelling?).
This causes the corners of a picture to darken.

Since a projector lens works in reverse, is this causing the lighter corners?
The halo being just an extension of the corner brightness.

Here's a very crude diagram of what i mean...
Attached Thumbnails
Sony VPL-VW100 (Ruby) owners, where are you?-rubyissue.jpg  

Last edited by Paul D; 22-02-2006 at 9:15 PM.
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Old 22-02-2006, 10:32 PM   #20
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This is now a rare occurence in the latest units i have seen, which has coincided with the units that are coming to Europe (so i am told) coming from a different factory. They are certinly coming with quite different serial numbers and shipping out of Barcelona.
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Old 24-02-2006, 5:35 AM   #21
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X3ELS, is this new factory in Barcelona? Is it only responsible for producing units for the European market or has it taken over worldwide production?

Thanks.
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Old 24-02-2006, 10:48 AM   #22
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Hi ! First post, so hello everybody

I'm looking (or rather my mate is) to see a Ruby in action. Is there a dealer anywhere in East Anglia, London or the South East that has one set up for demonstration?

Cheers

Drongo
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Old 25-02-2006, 12:01 AM   #23
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Quote:
Originally Posted by adeeb
X3ELS, is this new factory in Barcelona? Is it only responsible for producing units for the European market or has it taken over worldwide production?

Thanks.

So i believe, and its my understanding they are just producing for the european quoter....
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Old 25-02-2006, 11:27 AM   #24
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Quote:
Originally Posted by X3ELS
Surprisingly all the unit seem to have red push though so calibration is a must.

Hope that helps.
Why don't Sony just adjust this if its a known problem?
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Old 25-02-2006, 11:42 AM   #25
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Maybe the red push is after the 100 or so hours which is when Gordon would see it. Plus a red push looks better to some.
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Old 27-02-2006, 12:04 AM   #26
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So I'm looking for a replacement for my trusty 6 year old VW10HT. The $64,000 question is should I go with this? It seems to be just as groundbreaking and impressive today as my existing projector was when it was released, so I'm very tempted.

Unbiased opinions very much appreciated - can I really get better performance for that money?
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Old 27-02-2006, 5:51 PM   #27
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Cough!!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Drongo
Hi ! First post, so hello everybody

I'm looking (or rather my mate is) to see a Ruby in action. Is there a dealer anywhere in East Anglia, London or the South East that has one set up for demonstration?

Cheers

Drongo
Anybody?
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Old 27-02-2006, 5:54 PM   #28
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PJ Hifi in Guildford
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Old 27-02-2006, 11:07 PM   #29
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Old 28-02-2006, 5:45 PM   #30
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Paul D
I just couldn't understand how Sony could let it ship with the corner/halo problem.

Has anybody got one in the last few weeks?
If so, have they addressed the corner/halo problems?

Mine did have some corner problems but after 100 hours when the bulb had dimmed a little, the problems was gone. I'm VERY happy with my Ruby.


/Mattias
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