Sony VPL-HW series after VPL-HW15: all good, or some known duds?

jklaiho

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I have an aging VPL-HW15 that has served me well for about 9000 hours. It's finally developed strange yellow discoloration lines in the top right corner and right hand side, and judging by Google results, this won't be fixed with a simple lamp change (I first attributed it to my current 3000h+ lamp but then thought that there's no way an old lamp–a point source of light–would be able to generate these kinds of discoloration patterns).

So, it's probably time to get a newer model. Fortunately, there are a bunch of newer used VPL-HW series projectors available on the second hand market for very reasonable prices, since I don't have nearly enough money on hand to get a new one. I've been extremely happy with SXRD and have my ceiling mount optimized for the size and shape of the VPL-HW series, so I'd like to continue using it.

The entire VPL-HW line has seen consistently good to excellent reviews. Still, I'd like to know if a general consensus of preferability or "sweet spots" exists about individual models in the series. I'm seeing immediate availability of VPL-HW40ES, VPL-HW45ES and VPL-HW55ES models. Is there any reason (apart from price, obviously) to pick an older model over a newer model? Let's assume that all of them have roughly an equal amount of lamp hours left. Also, I have no need for 3D functionality at all, so differences in that area are irrelevant to me. For example, has some model seen more reliability issues over the long term than another?

Thanks for any input!
 
I had the 55 excellent PJ, did all I wanted well, I'd definitely go for the newest model as it did have improvements.
 
I have an aging VPL-HW15 that has served me well for about 9000 hours. It's finally developed strange yellow discoloration lines in the top right corner and right hand side, and judging by Google results, this won't be fixed with a simple lamp change (I first attributed it to my current 3000h+ lamp but then thought that there's no way an old lamp–a point source of light–would be able to generate these kinds of discoloration patterns).

So, it's probably time to get a newer model. Fortunately, there are a bunch of newer used VPL-HW series projectors available on the second hand market for very reasonable prices, since I don't have nearly enough money on hand to get a new one. I've been extremely happy with SXRD and have my ceiling mount optimized for the size and shape of the VPL-HW series, so I'd like to continue using it.

The entire VPL-HW line has seen consistently good to excellent reviews. Still, I'd like to know if a general consensus of preferability or "sweet spots" exists about individual models in the series. I'm seeing immediate availability of VPL-HW40ES, VPL-HW45ES and VPL-HW55ES models. Is there any reason (apart from price, obviously) to pick an older model over a newer model? Let's assume that all of them have roughly an equal amount of lamp hours left. Also, I have no need for 3D functionality at all, so differences in that area are irrelevant to me. For example, has some model seen more reliability issues over the long term than another?

Thanks for any input!
Newer models have better processing. Go for the 55 or 65 as a preference as they have an iris to increase contrast in a marked way. The 40 and 45 have no iris.
 

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