XGA vs SVGA

[Karri]

Good Morning
I am investigating the many models of Projectors out there. My question would be when watching DVDs through a DVD player is there any noticable difference between XGA and SVGA resolution? thanks and have a great day.

[Brandon B]

Yes, but it depends on a lot more than just the resolution.

What is your price range?
Do you have a preference for LCD vs. DLP vs. ?
Do you have good light control?
Are you buying or making a screen?
What will be your screen size and seating distance?

Need to know lots of stuff like that to give you good advice.

BB

[JonMarsh]

There are a few nominally SVGA projectors which use the dual mode 848X600 DMD DLP chip; it can run 800X600 4:3, or 848X480 widescreen, which just handles 16X9 enhanced DVD without any cropping.

There's also the matter of screen size, and pixel fill; XGA projectors tend to have less "screen door", even if the source isn't "high rez".

Then, there are also new projectors which are "budget oriented:", but do 1/4 HD resolution in widescreen; these work well with DVD and even HD, because the color resolution of HD isn't the full 1920X1080, but 1/4 of that. (this is a result of the component YUV encoding method used).

Theren, as Brandon rightly points out, there's all these other issues, re projector quality and tradeoffs.

If you watch a lot of 4:3 format stuff, and your widescreen is limited to DVD, I wouldn't buy anything before checking out the NEC HT1000 closely. It's XGA, but it's also an excellent all around projector. For 16X9 material, it has resolution of 1024X576, which is pretty decent.

Regards,

Jon




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[George Bellefontaine]

Since I am an owner of the NEC HT1000, I'd have to agree with Jon. What the NEC lacks in resolution ( and that ain't much) it more than makes up for in contrast and excellent blacks. Again, though, if you are going to watch a lot of HDTV, you would probably want to go with one of the newer WXGA ( W denotes widescreen 16:9 dmd panel) dlp projectors, or even an lcd if grayish blacks don't bother you. Some of the new HD2 chip dlps are coimg out priced near to what the HT1000 was introduced at. I believ the new Optoma will be price just under $6000US.




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[Karri]

Sorry I didn't get back sooner, but heres my scoop. Probably in late October I'll start my HT room which will be approximently 10'W X 25'L X 7'H. I'll build my screen which I think at this time will be silver and approx. 7' Diangonal. I won't be buying my projector till at least March or April when everything is done. I'll have to travel to Calgary and Vancouver to view the projector because I have not found a projector place here in Kelowna. In the mean time I'll keep investigating the different models out there. Thanks for all the i put. Have a great day.

[Lex]

Good question Karri, I wondered about the difference in the various models as well.

Lex

[Dean McManis]

I would hold off on locking into a particular model until right before you are ready to buy one. Thorough reasearch is always a wise thing to do, but the steady influx of new models and particular model sales will ultimately determine the best value in a projector when you are going to go out and buy one.

SVGA with an LCD projector will show up the pixel gap on anything but the smallest screensize, or unless you are watching from very far away. DLP has a much tighter pixel gap, but you need to watch the particular DLP model for at least a 1/2 hour to see if you can see rainbow artifacts. Some can, some can't (or just don't notice), but newer models with faster color wheels are better in this regard.

Outside of rainbows, the DLP picture has better blacks and contrast than similarly price LCD projectors.

XGA will have a smoother picture even with DVDs, but the projectors internal scaler will also have a big effect on the picture quality of DVDs and lower resolution NTSC material (VHS/DSS). Try to watch different kinds of programming on the projector to check out the internal scaler. The demos in the stores will almost always show HD, or the best quality DVDs.

Often the XGA models are only a couple hundred dollars more than the SVGA units, and personally I wouldn't buy a SVGA projector, unless it was super-cheap (under $1000).

-Dean.

[Karri]

Hello Everyone
Thanks again for all your advice.
I got the chance to see SVGA and XGA in action. The models tested were NEC LT220 and Nec VT660 which where placed in series. This way you could pause them in mid stride and compare the two by blocking the lense of either projector.
Firstly the person I was dealing with was not a saleslady but probably the Receptionist/shipper/receiver so we both learned from each other with no pushy sales pitch.
Well the test was done. The LT220 is DLP SVGA and the VT660 was LCD XGA. Both projectors were about 12 feet from the screen in a semi lit room on a 7 foot screen. And My eyes picked the LT220. The video image was sharper and more colourful probaly due to the high contrast ratio of 600:1 with no given contrast for the VT660.
TheVT660 was much better for text when we stopped them during the credits but if you don't have them side by side you would never know. its like buying a TV with the different brands. Once you get them home you have nothing to compare them with.
So inclusion to my decision I'll search out DLP, High contrast ratio, SVGA, Low decibels which both the NECs where super quiet, warrenty and of coarse price.
So getting an early start I can be informed of sales, models being replaced by newer models and used models popping up. This does make searching a little easier by cutting the models in half.

[Dean McManis]

It's good that you got a chance to see those projectors, especially side-by-side without sales pressures.

And since you were looking in the direction of the NEC LT220, I'll once again mention that you will likely get a visibly better looking picture from the XGA version (the LT240) that you can find online for around $2250 (cash), which might even be comparable to the price that this store was selling the SVGA model for.

I have the older LT150 (XGA DLP), which I bought under $2000, and I've been truly please with for over a year.

-Dean.