Optoma HD72i HD projector

[edt]

Anyone here got one of these little fellas..? I've got a Panasonic AE900 & I gather the Optoma is a step up in picture quality .. be interested in some unbiased views!
cheers
Ed

[mr_yogi]

Hi,
get yourself to www.avforums.com. From what I gather the AE-900 is a top projector and was a similar price to the HD72i when released (about £1700?) So I wouln't have thought it would be a worth while upgrade.

Being DLP it'll have better blacks and contrast but due to the panasonic's smoothvison stuff the AE-900 doesn't suffer screendoor and if you are suseptable to the rainbow effect the HD72i could be a step in the wrong direction.

What exactly is it you want to imporve upon over the AE-900?

BTW i've just got a IN76 and I think it's fantastic, I was looking at the HD72i but I couldn't fit it in my room as it has no lens-shift (I need the PJ to be ceiling mounted with the image quite high up the wall, and I have low ceilings).

The best thing you could do is get a demo.

EDIT: DLP are said to have a more cinematic quality. Also depending on your budget some places have the HD79 for under £2K which look like a real bargin

Edited by mr_yogi on Tuesday 11th July 14:10

[edt]

I think its the smooth screen technology that I'm not that pleased with. Love the idea but seems the rob the visual of its crispness esp in scenes where there should be a lot of detail like a crowd scene. Is great on close ups though. Admit it's ony getting fed standard def at the mo (at least it is prg scan component though) and I like a BIG picture!! so that wont help the crispness one bit!
Reason I was wondering is that I was hopng to get a look at one in action, or even a 76 / 79 now you mention it, without using a dealer & feeling obliged.

Ed

[mr_yogi]

Like I said have a look in the DLP/ LCD projector forum at AVForums.com, there are owners of the AE-900 and the HD72i on there. Before you dismiss the AE-900 you should give it a go with HD material.

Can you connect up your PC and download some HD trailers, borrow one of those WMV HD DVDs (HD on standard DVDs which only play back on PCs) or maybe borrow someones Sky HD? HD looks quite a bit better than SD (DVD and much better than SD sky) on my IN76

Edited by mr_yogi on Tuesday 11th July 16:08

[edt]

Well I am holding breath for PS3 not long to go now.. understand I should really try HD material before flogging it I suppose! Other than the softness its a fab unit
Ed

[robdickinson]

Also depends on how succeptable you are to DLP's rainbow effects - the HD72 is only a 4x speed wheel I think - so 5% or so of people will see it.

Can you not plug in a PC and run some HD demo's (downloadable) to see how the current PJ is, how many hours on the bulb too?

[Edt]

robdickinson said:

Also depends on how succeptable you are to DLP's rainbow effects - the HD72 is only a 4x speed wheel I think - so 5% or so of people will see it.

Can you not plug in a PC and run some HD demo's (downloadable) to see how the current PJ is, how many hours on the bulb too?

Could try - have a laptop but no idea how to set the output (if possible at all) to match the Panasonic (1280 by erm 720 think it is). Is it possible? I've got 'Elephants Dream HD' squirreled away on this desktop. Doesnt play well on this.. not enough oomph but the laptop may be OK.

It's not old prb 200 hrs on the bulb now. Mostly since joined DVD mail rental club 'Love Films' been watching loads!

Rainbows.. used to have an old Benq 6100 (iirc) which did show rainbows a bit. Sort of got used to it but you're right dont want them back! A mate of mine couldnt watch a film on it!! Made him feel odd poor bloke.

[robdickinson]

If you cant add a monitor/graphics addaptor driver and get the right resolution you can use something like powerstrip to set it :

http://entechtaiwan.net/util/ps.shtm

[Edt]

Copied Powerstrip to my laptop.. installs OK but still tinkering..failing... to get 1280 & 720 (iirc) out of it over an extended desktop. Frustrating!!!

Meatime just set it tp 1024 768 & played the 1 HD piece I have 'Elephants Dream' strewth is that sharp compared to SD video!! Can on only think how good 1:1 mapping with correct resolutino would be as with scaling was fan-bloomin-tastic (laptop struggled bit with framerate of course)
Ed