16:9 720p ~$2k

[Nick M]

While I'm still a couple/few months off from dropping my coin on a display (still need to pick up one more sub to finish my audio), I'm doing my research now. While the convenience (and brightness) of a 480p 42" plasma has my interest, I'm really drooling for a "big" screen experience.

My budget (for the projector) will be around $2k +/- a few hundred. Reading through this section of the forum I've made a short-list of the following contenders (please feel free to add other options).

InFocus ScreenPlay 5000 ~$1800
Panasonic AE700U ~$2000
Sanyo PLV-Z3 ~$1800

Eyeball to screen distance will be 8', and depending on how I mount the projector, the lens will have an 11-12' throw. This display will be for DVDs only. The projector will be 4' above and 4' behind my head (so I am kinda worried about possible fan noise). Using the various fudge-factors found on the web, I determined that for 720p at an 8' viewing distance the recommended screen size is ~74" (help me out here if I'm wrong).

I'd love to get some opinions and help on what to do here. There seems to be alot of snake-oil in the "contrast" ratings given by manufacturers, so I'm not quite sure what to believe. My room has four windows with blinds (so there is ambient light), but black-velvet curtains will be on the "to-make" list if I go with a projector. :unsure: :duh: :unsure:

[George Bellefontaine]

Hi, Nicholas. The three models you listed are probably the best in that price range. I expect that due to its dynamic iris, the Panasonic will likely have the best contrast.

Re: seating distance. A safe formula is 1 1/2 times the screen width. I have an 8 foot wide screen and sit 13 feet from it and see no pixel structure on my Yamaha 720p lcd PJ. So for a 6 foot wide screen, a safe seating would be about 9 feet, but you may get away with 8 feet. If you can see these PJs demoed it would be best to do so before comitting yourself to any of the 3 models you listed. The Panasonic has a smooth screen technology and those who own it say they can't see pixel structure close up. I saw it demoed against the Yamaha. I ended up buying the Yamaha even thiough it was more expensive and had less contrast. I just found the picture on the Panny too soft. Maybe it wasn't set up properly. I don't know.

[aud19]

George did get a nice PJ in the Yamaha LPX-510 (it's the one I've been drooling over :drool: ) But George I believe it was retailing for closer to $3500 wasn't it? In your price range I'd likely go with the Panny but obviously if you can spend more you'll get a better PJ...

[George Bellefontaine]

Yeah, the dealer where I bought my Yamaha was selling the Panny for just under $4K CDN and the Yamaha msrp was $5400 CDN. Though I got it for less than MSRP it was still more expensive than the Panny. But there were other things about the Yamaha that hooked me, including build quality, color setting features and a bumper to bumper warranty that included the lcd panels without any time constraints.

[Radec]

I looked at all 3 of the PJ's you mentioned (plus a Sony) and had the same budget. The sony was priced a bit higher and for some reason I wasn't real impressed with the Infocus.

In the end, it came down to the Sanyo and the Panny, and honestly it came down to the screen/PJ combo+rebate offered on the Panasonic.

I personally think any of the ones you mentioned are of great value. Anybody who comes over and watches HD material through the Panny seems to be under the impression that you have to pay 4k to get a picture like that.

[aud19]

Yeah, the dealer where I bought my Yamaha was selling the Panny for just under $4K CDN and the Yamaha msrp was $5400 CDN. Though I got it for less than MSRP it was still more expensive than the Panny. But there were other things about the Yamaha that hooked me, including build quality, color setting features and a bumper to bumper warranty that included the lcd panels without any time constraints.

I want one! :lol: Yeah that Yamaha's supposed to have great colour and greyscale tracking right out of the box, pretty much top notch for 720p LCD FP performance. Their DLP model has been getting great reviews as well but at around $13,000 (I think) MSRP it's likely a bit steep for Nic :B :rofl:

[Nick M]

Their DLP model has been getting great reviews as well but at around $13,000 (I think) MSRP it's likely a bit steep for Nick :B

Yeah, just a wee-bit out of my league... :P

I'm curious if I'll get away with a 72" screen given my 8' viewing distance and George's fudge-factor of 1.5 (which comes out to a recommended 64"). I'm also wondering if I can shrink the image that small with the front of the projector being 11-12' from the screen.

My local hi-fi shops don't have any PJ setups, so I think I'm looking at a blind trial/buy here. I've been checking out some screen-shots on the AVS forum. Do you guys have any good links for honest reviews on these units? I've seen this one for the panny...
http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/volum...05-part-1.html

[Evil Twin]

Hello Nicholas,

Your viewing distance is a little closer than mine, Nicolas. At that distance, a 1280X720P digital is very dependent on fill factor and your vision as to whether pixels will be visible and/or a problem to you. Even with a 720P DLP I can see the pixels, but my corrected vision is 20/15. The Imperial vision aids are quite good....

You might want to go a few feet further back if possible. I understand reducing your screen size further is probably not appealing to you. I use a Carada 72" high brightness screen myself, but I'm running CRT at 1080i for DVD, so I don't have any pixel or scanline issues. (it was under $2K, too) A Sony LCD at the same distance and screen size whic I've seen was problematic, IME.

Do you have anywhere nearby you can preview at the same screen size to distance ratios with the projectors you're considering? This would give you direct experience, and reduce the possibility of buyer's remorse.

[Nick M]

Unfortunately as I said above I don't have any local dealers with PJ setups. Everything is rear-projection or plasma. The rear-projection units at the big-box stores all have terrible feeds which make everything look horrible. My local hifi stores use plasmas and 34" CRTs.

I too am looking at the 72" Carada screens advertised above. Is that a forum-member's company? I'm also considering DIY too. Of course this would come after the PJ/mount/cables.

[BobD207s]

Hey Nick

Kevin P and I are in Nh and we do custom installs . We use the Carada screens and they are great. if you want to come up this way we could show you a Studio Experience 50HD plus a Zenith CRT. Not a sales demo - just to give you an opportunity to see a PJ in action. if you are interested let me or Kevin know

Bob

[Chris D]

Nicholas - I just went through the same thing as you, doing pretty much a blind purchase of a 720p 16:9 projector under $2500. I ended up going with the Panny AE700. Read reviews on Projector Central. I ended up buying mine from the Projector People, $1999 plus a $200 rebate and free shipping. Wow!

[Nick M]

Thanks for that site with reviews Chris. I just spent a few hours reading... good stuff.

Have you had any bad experiences with the common things people are posting such as vertical banding during displays with large areas of a single color? How about the Iris, have you noticed any noises with it during scene changes from dark to bright or bright to dark? Oh, and if you walk up close is the pixelation linear or wavy?

I can't seem to find anything on the InFocus SP5000. It seems everyone is purchasing either the Panny AE700U or Sanyo PLV-Z3.

I can't find any bad reviews on the Sanyo, but I'm worried I won't be able to shrink the image down to 72" with a 11-12' throw. I wish I could just see them side by side... :M :roll: :P

[BlazeMaster]

Hey Nicholas, I've seen the InFocus 5000 at Dean McCanis' house and it's quite impressive and no sign of vertical banding. After seeing his setup, the thought of getting a 42in. 480p plasma just flew right out of the window. I didn't get the 5000 unfortunatly, I settled for a Optoma H-31, which is a 480p DLP FP. After having for about 2 weeks now, and with most of the "wow factor" of having a FP settling away, I really wish I had waited for a 720p FP instead. The thing with FP is that, everything you watch on there is magnified to life-size, so any imperfections and pixels structure is very noticeble. I have about the same viewing distance as you, and with a 480p FP, I can pull off a 64-77" diagonal fairly well, but depends on your vision, you might/might not like the PQ that you get that close to the screen. I've seen people saying the 2x screen width rule for 480ps, and 1.1-1.5 screen width for the 720ps. You really won't know until you see one in person, I'd take up Bob's offer on seeing one in person. I can easily see the pixels of my H-31 at anywhere under the 2x screen width, other than that, I'm loving my FP and I'm glad I didn't go the plasma route. Good luck.

[Nick M]

Thanks BlazeMaster, I'm really leaning towards a projector now. The more I think about it, the more it appeals to me.

I'm still 2 or 3 months out from getting one though, as I'm picking up one more 1646+ from SVS to finish my HT audio in a couple weeks, then I have to save again for the PJ.

I'm still searching for reviews on the IF SP5000...

[Leef DaLucky]

Hi Nicholas,
Have you been following the Toshiba Mt700 and the Benq7700 threads that are sprouting up lately?
(Just curious)
I know they're still a little more expensive, but they're shipping.
And they're 720 dlp HD2+.
It might be worth saving up a little more.
just a thought anyways.

cheers,
mikey

[ekkoville]

Hey Nicholas, in all the research you have done, have you looked at how the lamplife of each compares? In some investigating of the Sony Cineza I was after, I noticed the life of these bulbs seem to be much longer than some friends of mine claim. Several projectors I have looked at have lives of 2000-3000 hours. But that seems unrealistic, or maybe they just have made great strides in the technology.

Erik

[BobD207s]

Hey Nick

Saw this in HTG Pawn Shop - this is a great deal and only 450 hrs on it plus the owner has an extra bulb. if u want to see one of these in action let me or Kevin P know - we were totally impressed with the first unit we installed . Have 2 more sitting in my house to be installed for 2 of our customers. Kevin felt this was the best Digital PJ he's seen to date. it has the Mustang 2 chip and when we throw it up on a 110" diagonal screen from 10.5' away the picture is awesome!

http://www.htguide.com/forum/showthread.php4?t=10343

Bob

[Nick M]

Bob, thanks for the link but $4500 is way out of my budget, and I won't be ready to purchase until the early summer.

Ekko, most projectors seem to have bulb-lifes of 2-3k hours. Of course this is dependant upon settings and use. So long as it falls in this range and I'm only replacing the bulb around once a year I don't mind. I usually watch 7-10 films a week so 2000hrs will more than cover this useage rate over a year (I don't have cable).

Leef I checked out those HD2 DLP models you listed. They only sell for about $500-$700 more, which isn't too bad (I could stretch that). I'm not so excited about single chip DLP though. I'm worried about color saturation, softness, and color-wheel artifacts more than SDE and contrast. I've also heard that LCD shadow detail can take on a faint bluish hue while DLP shadow detail can have a reddish/brown tone. Neither excites me, but I think I'd prefer blue over red.

I haven't ruled DLP out though. I need to see some side by side comparisons with properly calibrated setups in dark rooms. Right now I'm leaning towards LCD technology though based on screenshots and my limited understanding of their internal operation. LCD with a stationary 3-panel design (without a wheel rotating at 3600-7200RPM to make colors) just seems like it can produce a better image. I suppose thats all stuff in my head though as I don't have extensive experience viewing side-by-side comparisons.

Anyhoo, still searching for SP5000 reviews, and I'm leaning towards the Sanyo PLV-Z3 after reading a couple hundred reviews.

EDIT: From what I've been told, picture wash-out will be less of an issue for me because I will be focusing the output onto a 72" screen vs big 92" or 108" screens that many people use.

[Adz]

Bob, thanks for the link but $4500 is way out of my budget, and I won't be ready to purchase until the early summer.

Actually Nicholas I am selling the SE Premiere projector for $2,200 which is very good price. The $4,500 included a Firehawk screen which i sold separately and then discounted the projector even further.

[Chris D]

Nicholas, I haven't had a single problem with the AE700. The 10th hour on the lamp life was a big one for me, as it was returnable up to that point, no questions asked. I was really worried that I'd develop a stuck pixel or find some error at the 11th hour, but nothing has popped up, and I'm on hour 72 now, using it a LOT to prep for the theater grand opening. Good picture, great colors, especially with the Da-Lite High Contrast Cinema Vision screen. I do have to light control the room at a 119" diagonal, but then it's plenty bright, even with a perforated screen at that size.

The only thing I can mention is, I'm having a tough time making the projector 16:9 image match up exactly with my 16:9 screen. At full size, no keystoning, the picture is just a little bit taller than the screen by maybe 1", but not as wide. Hmmm...

[Jack Gilvey]

Leef I checked out those HD2 DLP models you listed. They only sell for about $500-$700 more, which isn't too bad (I could stretch that). I'm not so excited about single chip DLP though. I'm worried about color saturation, softness, and color-wheel artifacts more than SDE and contrast.

That's a lot of worrying...have you seen a projector yet? It's easy to get caught up in the hysterics that occur over at AVS, but I'd at least view something before you decide on "softness" and such.
FWIW, I'd certainly consider the new breed of 720p DLP mikey mentioned. If they can build upon the overall image quality of an InFocus 4805 ( 480p, which I chose over the 720p LCD's) while adding resolution...they'd be tough to match.

I haven't ruled DLP out though. I need to see some side by side comparisons with properly calibrated setups in dark rooms.

Likely ain't gonna happen in a retail environment. One idea is to order from a place that offers risk-free returns/shipping on these models and try them.

Right now I'm leaning towards LCD technology though based on screenshots and my limited understanding of their internal operation. LCD with a stationary 3-panel design (without a wheel rotating at 3600-7200RPM to make colors) just seems like it can produce a better image. I suppose thats all stuff in my head though...

As with audio, many things initially seem counter-intuitive.

[Radec]

Just my opinion, but I believe with ANY Projector, by far the most important job is to properly calibtare it. If you don't have experience with it, get somebody who does. Remeember, it is tougher than audio because if you are like me you have been playing around with speaker placement for a long time so you know what you are doing. Video is different because if you are like me once you get a TV, you fix the color the first day and that is it.

I have a friend who has a high-end audio/video shop that does some very large home theatre installs (he says average install job is 35-45k). I thought I did a pretty good job calibrating my Panasonic AE700 myself. He brought his stuff over and within an hour he had it looking amazing! In contrast, he fiddled with my speaker placement and said that wasn't bad at all, but the Projector his adjustments made wonders! He reminded me that unlike a TV, no Projector setup is exacly the same. So many variables, Room size, throw distance, screen being used, ambient light, and even the room color (this one I"m not sure of but he is convinced it can effect the PJ's image) can change what and how you see. He says that he could probably take any 480p PJ around 1000 bucks and make it look better than any Runco/Marantz/etc. $10,000+ Projector calibrated by the average consumer.

Again, just my opinion and personal experience, but a key component to your PJ purchase is who will help you set it up. :W In the end, this might play a bigger role than which model you choose.

[zipbear]

"He says that he could probably take any 480p PJ around 1000 bucks and make it look better than any Runco/Marantz/etc. $10,000+ Projector calibrated by the average consumer."

That begs the question : Would the average consumer notice the difference?

[Nick M]

I plan to set up my own PJ using AVIA and DVE. I'm looking at screens with a gain of 1, size of 72", and a nice black border to soak up lightspill and make the image pop.

From my understanding it's not nearly as difficult to calibrate a stationary panel design (such as LCD/DLP) as it is to properly calibrate a CRT front PJ (having to align the guns and such).

I'm definetly still looking at DLPs. Still reading reviews.

[Chris D]

"He says that he could probably take any 480p PJ around 1000 bucks and make it look better than any Runco/Marantz/etc. $10,000+ Projector calibrated by the average consumer."

That begs the question : Would the average consumer notice the difference?

Whoa, that's deep, Zen master. The answer's probably no, of course, but the average consumer feels better about having spent $$$ for a high-end projector.

[Dean McManis]

I also looked at getting the Sanyo Z3, Panny AE700, or SP5000. And I ended up getting the SP5000. I'm VERY pleased with the projector, but I would have really been tempted by the AE700 if I could have found it then for under $2000.

And similarly, if I could have bought a 720p DLP projector with comparable specs for only $500 more, I would have jumped at it. But all of the 720p DLP models were between $1500-$3500 more at the time.

And the one flaw of the LCD SP5000 (pixel gap) is not going to be an issue on a 72" screen. It only showed up for me because I'm projecting onto a 180" screen, and was viewing from 14' away.

[BlazeMaster]

Nicholas, you really really have to go and see a projector in the similar price category before you start judging it. I have the H-31, it's a budget model and of course I see the SDE and rainbows from time to time, but alot of that is really source related also. On a well-mastered DVD, it's really hard to notice the SDE, and the rainbows, although I see it quite often, I'm not bothered by it at all really. Great things about online A/V forums is that you have alot video/audiophiles that can point out the flaws in each product, but it's up to you to decide how much that really means to you. After having the H-31 for about 2 weeks now, the only regret is not getting a 720p FP. I think what Adz is selling (720p FP) is a steal at that price, IMO.

[Nick M]

Yeah, I'm definetly going to check some out once I've got the cash.
Just trying to do my research and compile a must-see list.

I don't think my plan of mounting on the rear wall is going to work. Thats going to place the lens 12' from the screen. My viewing distance is 8', so I'm planning on a 72" (6ft) image. For the Sanyo PLV-Z3 this means a maximum lens-screen distance of 9.5', and even less for the BenQ HD2+ DLP model.

I'm looking into mounting a projector on a stand (I don't want it on a table). Does anyone know of any commercial products for stand mounting PJs?

Heres a diagram of my room by the way. I only have one 1646+ sub, but this shows where the other will be going.



I was going to mount it behind the couch up over the left hand corner of the doorway, but now I'm thinking of a shelf extending out from the slanted wall or a big stand behind the couch.

[Dean McManis]

Thanks for the tip guys on Adz SE 50HD. I just bought it. 8)

As a consequence, my couple months old (700 hrs) Infocus SP5000 projector is now up for sale for $1450 +shipping, and includes the M1 DVI video adapter. :B It's been a great projector for me. :T

-Dean.

[BobD207s]

Dean - can't wait to see a review of the 50HD - we think it is an awesome piece of gear . At this price you got yourself one hell of a projector

Good luck,
Bob

[Nick M]

I'm also looking for a comparison between your 3panel LCD and your new HD2+ DLP.

[Dean McManis]

Sure. I can do an A/B comparison of the two units, unless I sell the SP5000 first.

I suspect that the picture quality at smaller projected sizes (sub-100") will actually be very close between the two units as the SP5000 is both bright and has good color, contrast, and black levels.

I'll find out soon enough.

-Dean.

[BlazeMaster]

Hey Dean, you're finally selling your 5000 now huh? Man, I wish you'd told me this before I bought my H-31. Is there any way I can do a A/B between the 2 in person, maybe I'll even take off your hands. Since we're so close, it might be more convient to sell it to me, so you won't have to deal with shipping charges and insurance. Just a thought.

Nicholas, you thought about ceiling mounting the proj.? I have my H-31 ceiling mounted with a Chief mount and got the extender tube, so it hangs off the ceiling and the tube is adjustable by inches from 3feet to 5feet. I think that'll be your best choice, since my throw distance is very limited like your situation. I can easily adjust how low I want the proj. vertically, so I can pretty much eliminate any needs for keystone. Just something for you to think about.

[Adz]

Thanks for the tip guys on Adz SE 50HD. I just bought it. 8)

As a consequence, my couple months old (700 hrs) Infocus SP5000 projector is now up for sale for $1450 +shipping, and includes the M1 DVI video adapter. :B It's been a great projector for me. :T

-Dean.

Thanks you for the sale, Dean. You will love this projector and as I told Dean (but forgot to include in my ad) it has been ISF professionally calibrated and I will send along the report as well!

[tubeman]

In my research of PJ's, I also had a hard time finding a dealer with multiple PJ setup's. I finally did and compared the Infocus 7505 and the new Sony LCD. Even though I was comparing DLP vs LCD, I was really impressed by how close they really were with such a large price difference. The Infocus has now come down with the intro of the 7510.

I was having a hard time justifying the extra $$ on the 7505, but my goal was to get at least 720p to start. I figured I could always upgrade the projector.

In the end I elected to go with the SP5000 and spend more money on a 100" Stewart Grayhawk. Dean, a couple of post's above also had the same setup running and I totally agree it's amazing. I've had my theatre completed for about 2 weeks, and we're watching it everynight. I'll have pictures posted soon.

I completely threw out the budget when I finished the 860 sq. ft of basement to create our theatre, but it's for the kid's ( me too! ).

I think setting goals to get your initial setup going is important and realize that it's not forever. Spend the money on the things that your going to keep - screen, furniture, and general construction. Everything else you can change as time and money allows.

Gary

[Dean McManis]

Hey Dean, you're finally selling your 5000 now huh? Man, I wish you'd told me this before I bought my H-31. Is there any way I can do a A/B between the 2 in person, maybe I'll even take off your hands. Since we're so close, it might be more convient to sell it to me, so you won't have to deal with shipping charges and insurance. Just a thought.

This just came up. I was planning on keeping my SP5000 for at least a few years as I had set a goal of holding off on my next projector upgrade until a native-1080p model came out for under $5K, which I figured would be around the time that HD-DVD production has come into full swing. :B

But I just sold my JVC G1000 D-ILA projector this week, and Adz deal was too tempting to pass up.

We can set something up where maybe I can drop by your place and do an A/B comparison. I just sold my house and I'm moving to Santa Clara next week, so my theater is currently being disassembled.

Adz,

It was good talking with you on the phone. I'm excited to see how the 50HD looks. I'm sure that I'll be pleased. :T

Gary,

I completely understand about getting sucked into watching the SP5000. 8O
The combination of having HD-Tivo, and the SP5000 has me watching my projector MUCH more than ever before. ops: :wink:

-Dean.

[Nick M]

http://www.dlp.com/dlp_technology/dlp_technology_overview.asp

Click on the "Launch our demo" link in the black box in the right hand column. Its an excellent animation for how DLP works.

3-Chip DLP projectors (coming in at ~US$25k each for 720p units :E) can produce 8x as many colors as film. I didn't know that.

The new 720p DLP chip replacing the HD2+ "Mustang" is called the "Darkchip 3". It has about 20% better contrast ratio from some type of special coating and apparently can tilt it's mirrors further which gives you a slightly brighter image and better grayscale accuracy.

Reading further, I guess many of the newer projectors have colorwheels that have twice as many sections (including some colors besides RGB) and rotate at speeds of up to 18k RPM. This supposedly has a dramatic effect on color accuracy and reduction in the "Rainbow Effect". I'm curious how long the bearings on these colorwheels last ripping at 18k RPMs though...

Anyhoo, just thought I's share this latest info I've researched/learned.

[Nick M]

Just to get an idea of what a 72" screen will be like in my room, I went and bought some posterboard to make a mock screen w/border.

I'll post a picture tomorrow.

[Dean McManis]

That's a good/inexpensive solution to give you an idea of how it will look.

[Leef DaLucky]

LOL, Nick.
I just did the exact same thing last weekend.
Built up a 92" frame out of a bbq box and some duct tape.
from what i saw i was a little dissappointed once i put it up on the unfinished basement wall. I was wishing it was a little bigger. (Hence the interest in the new, cheap, higher rez pj's).

Here's how i was planning to go once i get a little closer to finishing the basement and buying a pj.
DIY screen

[Nick M]

Hey guys, more progress in my research...

Here is a mock-up of what a 72" screen will look like (minus the black border).
I'll have another SVS 16-46 PC+ next to my FL speaker, the mini-TV will be going, and my stack of equipment will also be relocated. The photo is kind of skewed as I'm standing slightly to the side at the rooms entrance.



Just for reference, my room layout again...



I've read the whole Toshiba TDP-MT700 thread at AVS last night. First off, here are a couple screenshots I stole showing a comparison between the Toshiba and a Sanyo Z2. The difference in black levels between the HD2+ equipped Toshiba and 3xLCD setup of the Sanyo is quite obvious.




I'm definetly going to have to check out how singlechip DLP affects me though. There are alot of posts regarding Rainbow Effect as well as a phenomenon called "dithering" which apparenty shows as almost a lagging type artifact during quick pans. I'm curious how this compares to the lagging artifacts some LCD projectors have.

EDIT: Oh, by the way, I found out that BenQ manufactures both the PE7700 and MT700. Apparenty the Toshiba uses Faroudja processing while the BenQ has it's own in-house design. I've also recently found the Toshiba priced at $2500! :E

http://www.surfaudiovideo.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=TDP-MT700

[Brandon B]

Not to try and foist my opinion on you or anything, but . . .

YOU MUST GO BIGGER THAN 72". You have the room. Live with the PJ for several movies before you commit to a screen. I know I would have been sorry if I had gone that small for FP.

BB

[Chris D]

I'd have to suggest the same thing, Nicholas.

[Nick M]

I definetly have the room to go bigger, but I'm worried about SDE because I will only be sitting 8' away. I'm definetly going to run the PJ before getting a screen though to see how big I can go while maintaining a good image.

I just used the recommended viewing distance of 1.3X the screen size (for 720p).

[BlazeMaster]

Yes, Nicholas I'm the 3rd guy telling you to go bigger, so I think you got the idea (go BIGGER). I think you can go as big as having the border of the screen just about 3 inches from touching the window. Especially with a 720p, you should be ok with as big as a 80", if not slightly bigger.
Regarding that screen shot that you put up, you mentioned it was a Z2 not a Z3? Just wanted to make sure it's not a typo. The Z3 has improved contrast compared to the Z2. And with a High Contrast Grey screen, the difference will not be that noticeble at all. With a FP, the screen will be a really big difference on the resulting PQ, color wise....
That's why you should first buy the FP, then get screen samples from screen makers like Da Lite, Carada, or Stewart (if you have the funds), find the material that looks the best to you, then worry about the size you want to go. You can't make any of these decisions wisely until you've lived with the projector for at least a week. Good luck.