thinking of going FPTV....Sony VPL 12HT ..yea or nay?

[Jariten]

Well...during my quest to Electric City (Akihabara) here in Tokyo....
picked up an Proceed HPA-2 amplifier....for 400$ (used)

Anyway...I'm toying with the possibility of going with FPTV...
Looking at the Sony VPL 12Ht projector that I can probably get for 3k$ new from SONY directly...

Any thoughts?

I'll probably be able to get 90" sized picture in 16:9 in my apt...
Reminder....apartments are small here !!
o_O

Thanks for any input !

T,

[JonMarsh]

If you can get one for $3K direct, I'd give it some serious consideration. That's the list of the HS-10. If you use the color/contrast enhancing filter that comes with the 12HT, (which helps compensate for UHP bulb spectrum), the contrast is significantly improved, though the light output is a little lower. Build quality is very good, and it's a quiet unit.

Others may suggest looking at some of the DLP offerings in that range, but I'm a wide screen fan myself, and I value the resolution (for HTPC, and HDTV), and I'm very susceptible to rainbows and temporal dithering, so no single chip DLP for me. So, my preference would be the Sony.

If you're NOT a widescreen buff, and if you DON'T have HD or HTPC sources, and if you can scrape up a few more shekels, then consider an NEC HT10000- the contrast ratio and color are great, and resolution is OK at XGA.

Best regards,

Jon




Earth First!
_______________________________
We'll screw up the other planets later....

[Jariten]

Thanks for the info..

I love WideScreen...

^^;;;
so I might be going for it...
it'll make more space in our small apartment....with a bigger picture...!
lighting control is very easy too...
so even if the output with th efilter enabled is lower...shouldn't be a problem

we shall see
NEC I could also get a good deal on it..

means I have to go back to Akihabara...^^v

[Brandon B]

Only reason I'd say no is the 12's lack of a DVI port (IIRC). If I am mistaken about that, go for it. Otherwise, I'd take the HS10 with one of the new DVI DVD players, or an HTPC, over the 12. Assuming you can also get the HS10 direct. My friend can and it comes in at about $1800.

BB

[Jariten]

Hi Brandon...

I didn't toy around with the HS10
I did see it with it's DVI input connector...but it wasn't hooked up...

will look into it...

T...


Wanders off to check specs of HS10
dum de dum dum...

[Brandon B]

Are you an expat? Or living in Japan for the duration? Or maybe Japanese? I was in Tokyo from '99-'01.

BB

[George Bellefontaine]

T, Jon offers good advice and his reference to the NEC is a good one. But I would add that although the NEC doesn't quite have the resolution of a WXGA dlp PJ, when it is set up for widescreen use, projecting on a widescreen, you'd never know it was a native 4:3 PJ. I actually went from the Sony VPL400 , a native 16:9 panel lcd projector to the NEC and I love the results. But I have to say, the 12HT at 3 smackers is some bargain.




My Homepage!

[Jariten]

Brandon

Just living/working here for now....been here since...1998....almost 5 years....in July ! Sheesh !
You can't beat making 7k$ a month and paying 8% income taxes no?
^_^;;;;

I do enjoy the used Audio equipment stores...so many goodies that one couldn't even dream of...

George , Haven't seen the NEC around.....I'll be doing more looking around in the next few weeks...and post results here....

back to work for me..

[Chris D]

The HS-10 has been one of my biggest considerations for front projection for some time now. I haven't looked at the VW12HT much, though. Is it really much better of a product to justify more than twice the cost?

As far as the prices you guys can get, WOW! 8O If there would be any way you could get that price for me, too, on either model I would be in heaven!




CHRIS
Luke: "Hey, I'm not such a bad pilot myself, you know"

[Chris D]

this thread made me check out both the HS-10 and the VW12HT again. I can't tell-- is the DVI on the HS-10 HDCP compliant? I'm not thinking so, and that could be very important in the near future to watch any higher resolutions over DVI.




CHRIS
Luke: "Hey, I'm not such a bad pilot myself, you know"

[Gordon Moore]

Chris...I believe the HS-10's DVI IS HDCP compliant....Sony prints it in their catalogue but they don't say HDCP it's something more like copy protected DVI or something like that...I'll check when I get home. It's in advertising speak...that much I remember.




"A RONSTER!"

[Brandon B]

Chris -

Friend works for Sony and can get this deal for themselves through the company store. While they might push it to getting one for a friend, not really comfortable asking them to push it farther than that.

I am pretty sure the DVI on the Sony is HDCP compliant though.

As far as spending twice as much on the 12, from what I hear, it is no where near twice the quality. The 12 will give you some features, like lens offset, but from all reports, the HS10's image is right there with it (and the PLV 70 which I ahve) at about half the price. And since DVI in gives such a big picture improvement, with a DVI DVD player or HTPC, you are going to be able to get a BETTER image out of the HS10 IMO. No DVI on the 12 (I hcecked to be sure).

BB

[Brandon B]

Oops, missed George's thread.

I'd agree you will get a smoother picture out of the NEC also. I'm a brightness junkie with a rainbow problem, so I didn't go DLP.

If you have great light control, definitely give the NEC a spin.

BB

[George Bellefontaine]

Re: Sony HS10 and 12HT

The HS10 does have HDCP but the 12Ht doesn't, which never made sense to me, since the 10 is cheaper than the 12.




My Homepage!

[Jariten]

WOah !

Thanks for the great info !!
I'm not in a hurry to get the projector..

I could probably get several of them ..though ..I am in Japan ...soooo there would be shipping and stuff...and if it breaks down or something..could be a pain...

Anyway...

I'll check as many as possible out.
Any suggestions on screens? Stewart? ony others I should look at ?
Screen for DLP? Screen for LCD?
etc etc...


I know...noob questions...
^^;;

[Jariten]

arty:
(fooling around with the icons...


anyway..

Anyone using DVDO products with their equipment?
wondering if the HS-10 or 12 HT would profit from it?

T.