[Bristol Pete]

Hello,

After much deliberation of buying and then not and then buying and then not I have decided to join the FP gang.
I have decided on the following gear, based on performance for the price and the fact that it should all sit nicely with my current AV gear which I consider to be budget to mid range???

1. Sanyo Z1 Projector. £1050.00 ex vat from www.nexnix.co.uk, due to the short throw and lens shift facility.

2. 5' 8" grandview electric screen £400 ish from www.intoav.com

3. 5 metres of Component / S VHS / Composite Evolution Cable (High quality cable used by the BBC) from www.intoav.com again.

However, here is the final query I have and I appeal to the regulars here to advise me on this.

How much of a problem is screen door on the above PJ??
I saw the unit under demo conditions at the what hi-fi show and it looked great but in truth I am not sure what I am looking for.

The thing is, I have two choices. I can either -

1. Drive to nexnix from Bristol 2 - 2.5 hours on a weekday, and view it . 5 hours round trip! as I cannot locate a single dealer in Bristol.


or

2. Order it, request a dead pixel check and hope that screen door is a non issue. (nexnix have a great rep)

Please consider that I will be about 12 foot away from the image. So without experience of a single PJ would expect screen door to be a non event. Would you???

In summary, Kramer, the ritz, shaun G, you guys have got me this far. I have a builder coming on the 7th April as Iam turning a bedroom into a cinema room and like black adder I am all set to go over the top.

thanks in advance,

Captain benefit.

Good luck - I cant answer any questions personally but from what I have read here screendoor is an issue on the z1 but not at 12 foot on the average image size - hopefully someone will help out who has experience. Btw i think theritz is Sean G.

[Gary Lightfoot]

Generaly, sitting 2 x screenwisth away from an LCD pj will mean you won't see the screendoor. You can defocus the lens slightly to reduce it further, and this can be done without apparent effect on the image.

I've also heard of people noticing reduced screndoor when using a lens filter, or going from a white screen to a grey screen, so these could possibly help too, if screendoor is still visible from your seating position.

Also, some LCDs suffer from colour uniformity and banding defects, so idealy, you really need to see the pj - and specificaly the pj you are buying, before you take it home with you.

I've read of people on this forum noticing these issues after they've bought them, and as you can imagine, it's a bit depressing to see them.

I'm in a similar situation with my new 963 dvd player, so I know how they feel..

Gary

[theritz]

Hey Captain Benefit,

Looks like you're all set - I haven't seen the Z1 in action but it's got to be a great choice at that price, certainly the entry level projector to go for.

As for screendoor, the Z1 has greater resolution (960x540) than the AE100, and viewing a 7' image from about 12' away it shouldn't be an issue at all. The AE100 (856x484) has visible screendoor on a 7' screen viewed from 12' for me at pin-sharp focus - a slight de-focus (not enough to blur anything - even desktop text thru PC) makes it a non-issue for me, and I have perfect sight (and a tendency to focus on screendoor !) Even at that, with a pin-sharp focus, it only really shows up on light areas of screen - sky and whites. When I reduce the screen size to 6' viewed from 12' it really isn't an issue, and this has been verified in demo with others (so it's not just me being optimistic). With the greater resolution of the Z1 you should be fine.

I use a Hoya FLD filter, but do not find it affects the screendoor, can't comment on the grey screen option, as I haven't tried it (yet!).

On a more general note - I fretted about screendoor (amongst other things) before taking the plunge - I shouldn't have bothered ! I can see picture structure in the TV, and I've seen structure in plasma screens also - with far worse appearance than my AE100. I reckon it really is down to viewing distance relative to screen width - choose a screen size that's suitable for your viewing distance and you won't go far wrong.



Here's the thing - If it was me I wouldn't go for it without seeing it and putting the matter to rest in my mind. I know it's a 5 hr round trip, but treat yourself, there's no substitute for seeing your choice of projector in the flesh, and if you're happy with the choice, you'll have the fun of bringing your new toy home with you.

You will have deduced from my other posts that there are no regrets in our house about going for FP - I hope you get as much fun from it as I have.

Good luck with your decision, let us know how you get on.


All the best,


Sean G.


Edit: Hey Kramer !! A Smilie free post - whaddaboudat !!!

[Drew C]

Im in the same position as you Cap'n. I've decided to wait a few weeks and see the panny ae300 like a lot of other people. Its supposed to be coming in at about £14250 exc. vat, but I've heard screendoor is none existent from even very close up.
If you want to see a z1 working, it might be woth giving sevenoaks a call. I believe there is one on 'Whiteladies Rd' Clifton, near Bristol. Hope your happy with whatever decision you make.

[Monster]

I'm in the same position as Drew C waiting to see a AE300.

I live near Bristol and there is a Severnoaks on Whiteladies Road, opposite Richer sounds and up the hill a bit.

There is also a place on Gloucester Road. http://www.paulrobertshifi.co.uk/

Audi Excellence on Park Street

and http://www.radfords.co.uk/pages/framesethotstuff.html not sure they do Sanyo.


Hope this helps.

[severnsource]

I use an eight foot wide screen with my Z1 and usually watch from about 12 feet away. The screendoor is visible, particularly on highlights, but I do not find it objectionable. With a smaller screen I would expect it not to be an issue.

Using a filter will probably reduce the visibility of the screen door, depending on your eyesight. The filter reduces the brightness of the projectors image and your visual acuity gets worse in lower light which is why screendoor is more visible in highlights. Possibly one advantage of getting older!

Although I don't think it will be a problem I would still say that it would be a good idea to see one working before you buy.

Bill

[Bristol Pete]

Sadly, at present, sevenoaks in Bristol refrain from selling the Z1.

Paul roberts prices start at about £3.5 k

Radfords do the HS2 and the HS10 for £1600.00 and £2500.00 but neither suit me due to room due to the throw size on the HS10 and the HS2 simply doesnt appeal. The other PJ that sell is the infocus x1. This has a native 4:3 panel which doesnt appeal.

The Panny 300 does interest me. But, even though I am having a dedicated viewing room the ability of placing the sanyo on a coffee table appeals to me.

That said, I may end up ceiling mounting it, dependent on throw.

To be honest I am wary of panasonic products as my set has serious geometry problems and just look at the ae100!!!!

So, thanks anyhow, looks like a trip to nexnix is on the cards.

maybe I will grab a coffee at Reading services on the M4..!!

Captain benefit.

[Drew C]

Godspeed you Cap'n Benefit.........and pick us up a doughnut on the way!