LCD projector degradation? lifespan?

[winsner]

hello there, im in taiwan and im considering buying a pj in the near future. currently using a sharp 32 inch LCD tv. in short, too small a screen. i've researched a lot thru the net and im considering the following pj's. benq pe7700, optoma hd72, panasonic ae900, sanyo z4, epson tw600. im still confused regarding the age old debate on DLP vs LCD. im all for the lcd for the lens shift, short throw, etc, BUT im worried regarding the lcd degradation problem for all lcd based pj's. since a lot of you guys here are long time users and owners, id like to ask your opinion on this. cuz if all ill get for the lcd is 4-5 years then degradation is very obvious, ill guess i have to go for the benq and optoma (DLP's). but with problem of absent lens shift and zoom. which might be a problem for me since my room is not optimal for pj use. i hope ill get some help here. thanks!!

[Brandon B]

LCD degradation is real, but you generally won't see it in less than 6000 hours of use or so, maybe more. It is a function of heat, so you need to evaluate the brightness and cooling effectiveness of the PJ.

As far as HT projectors, I have seen a couple of threads where some Sanyo Z2 or Z3 owners reported it very prematurely, so it was most likely a mfr defect in the unit. I have not seen anyone else report anything like this on a home unit other than people with projectors that were 3-4+ years old.

At work we have seen numerous cases of it (we install a lot of projectors in harsh situations, and run them 15-18 hours a day, 365 a year). We now avoid LCD for these applications. However, Epson's upcoming new C2Fine panels (ALL LCD projectors except Sony use Epson) and Sony's Bi:Na panels both use inorganic based LCD and will no longer be subject to this problem.

So if near future includes waiting until next year's models, problem may be moot. Note the LCD models you list do NOT use these new panels.

So summary, if you will use your PJ moderately for several years, you would likely never encounter this issue. If you wait to buy about 8 months, there is no issue.

BB

[winsner]

thanks brandon. your reply helped a lot. i guess my near future could wait another 8 months. so ill be waiting for the new inorganic panels. but in your opinion, do you think it would be more expensive since it is a new technology? cuz im also restricted to the price of the pj's that i mentioned. thanks again

[winsner]

another inquiry, is it inherent to the DLP pj's that lens shift and short throw is very limited or absent altogether? if it is, then its safe to assume that there won't be equal lens shift and short throw between LCD and DLP pj's? cuz those factors are very important to my decision. my room setup is very rigid and won't be able to adapt to the pj's. tight space and all. thanks.

[winsner]

i guess this partly answers my own question.

http://www.pcworld.com/partners/avantgo/article/0,aid,119818,00.asp

[Brandon B]

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention the new LCD techs will also drastically improve contrast, potentially leapfrogging DLP even without iris systems.

As to the lens shift and throw, that is indepenent of optic engine technology, it is pretty much a decision of the designers and the market segment they intend to target. Lens shift adds cost so it may be left out in budget models.

BB

[winsner]

oh i see. i guess waiting will be worth it then. thanks for the info!

[winsner]

of the pj's i mentioned above, im favoring the sanyo z4 or the epson tw600. anybody has these 2? id like to hear your comments about these 2. cuz its better if i hear from owners rather than reviews from sites. thanks!