Need help picking out a FP

[Joelp]

Hi, I'd like to introduce myself and ask a question about entry level front projectors.

First off, this is my first post, I'm a young video game developer and I like movies a lot. So, I started collecting various home theatre components about a year ago and I think I'm ready to sell my TV and get a front projector.

The room only has north facing windows which are easy to black out, my diagonal screen size will be 74" @ 16:9 and the projector will be 9.5-10' away. The projector will be off centre horizontally and vertically by about 22" and 30" respectively.

I checked out www.projectorcentral.com and based on their recommendations I have narrowed down my options to the Sanyo PLV-Z2, Benq PB6200, or the Panasonic PT-L500U. What I would like is to hear what you guys have to say these products, good and bad. Or, if there's another projector which is under CAD $2500 and does everything these ones do but better!

Thanks for the help,

Joelp

[Bam!]

....well the only thing I can say really is.....the Panny 500 doesn't do it for me......but not at all....why ? The blacks are grey......so grey that it bothers me....

The 700 from Panny is supposed to be a mean machine....I've heard great things about it.....like :

Contrast ratio is as good as DLP
Smooth screen technology means no more screen door.....

And for me those are 2 issues that mean a lot!

granted the machine is more money.....but we are talking big difference here...


The Z2......even though many compare to it the PAnny....I much prefer the Z2....atleast the blacks are not grey like the Panny....

anyways...my 2 cents!

[George Bellefontaine]

I agree with the Bammer. The Panny 700 is rated well above the 500, which will probably be phased out. The Benq mentioned is popular with some home theater folk, but I really haven't seen one in action. As for the Z2, there are several owners of this model right here at The Guide, so perhaps they will pipe in.

Another lcd , owned by Dean McManus, is the Infocus 5000. He has good things to say about this baby, and its US msrp is under $2K, which would probably put it around $24-$2500 CDN.