Sanyo PLV-Z2 & Studio Experience Matinee 2HD Discussion Thread

**Trevor Schell** · 12 February 2004, 16:34 Thursday

Just to start things off!

I am curious as to what settings you guys use for watching movies..Theater mode, Standard or your own settings.
Also, what lamp setting do you use.
So far I have used theater mode and have the lamp set on Full.

Trevor
My HomeTheater S.E.
Sonically Enhanced
C5

**Sonnie Parker** · 12 February 2004, 19:09 Thursday

As far as DVD's are concerned I have calibrated my 2HD with AVIA but end up not making any adjustments. All three colors are at 0% using the color strips and contrast, brightness, sharpness, saturation and tint are all dead on. I use Cinema mode.

I did turn on Auto gray scale but have read where most people leave it off. I couldn't really tell a difference either way.

I keep my iris about 75% closed all the time.

As far as satellite SD and HD... well no two channels seem to be the same so I have several different settings and still will occasionally adjust those with eyesight depending on which channel I'm watching. With HD I like to adjust contrast all the way up and with SD I adjust contrast and sharpness all the way down as well as backing off the color a few notches to get a cleaner lookin' image and it works pretty darn good if I say so myself. HD looks good period but maxing out the contrast gives it a little more detail although as I stated... it looks good regardless.

There are some Service Menu settings that I plan on tinkering with that supposedly give better highlight and detail. I have a service manual but don't understand most of it. I figure I'll tinker with the settings but unless I see something that I can really tell makes a difference I'll set everything back to normal as I have no complaints the way it is. I just don't see how I can improve on the pic much for HD.

The biggest problems I've read about are VB (vertical banding) but I'm not able to notice it but only occasionally if I strain hard to see it in a few scenes (like getting up out of my chair and getting closer to the screen I sometimes see what I think is VB). Supposedly adjustments in the Factory Mode and Service Menu will cure this on most of the 2HD's. Depending on which software version you have will depend on how bad it is (at least that's my understanding.)

SONNIE

Cedar Creek Cinema

DVD Collection

BFD Comprehensive Setup Guide

**Trevor Schell** · 12 February 2004, 23:35 Thursday

I did turn on Auto gray scale but have read where most people leave it off. I couldn't really tell a difference either way.

I have that set to on as well.
Toggling back and forth I do see a difference.
The image dims slightly when it is on.

While viewing animated movies (Finding Nemo)I do not see the screen door effect.
However, when watching Spy Kids today I seen it pop up frequently.
It croped up on Terminator 3 as well, but very little.
I went with the 106" diagonal screen and maybe should have went with the 92" which would likely eliminate this at my 14 foot seating distance.

My biggest problem is getting the lense shift to stick.
Once set , I find I have to re-adjust the the image on the screen several times during a movie due to the image falling out of line with my frame.
It may be due to vibrations in the room from my subs.

Trevor
My HomeTheater S.E.
Sonically Enhanced
C5

**Trevor Schell** · 12 February 2004, 23:37 Thursday

Sonnie!
What lamp setting do you use?

Trevor
My HomeTheater S.E.
Sonically Enhanced
C5

**Sonnie Parker** · 13 February 2004, 02:00 Friday

Whoa... am I up too late? It's beddie-bye time.

I have my lamp mode on low. I don't think I could handle the auto or high mode with it right above my head. During busy and loud scenes it wouldn't bother me but on quiet scenes I can definitely hear it on high. Low will save your bulb life too and at $300-$400 a pop I would conserve.

Yeah... I guess I should retract that statement. I could tell the auto gray scale dimmed the image slightly. Maybe I should have said I couldn't really tell a huge difference either way.

With my 97" diagonal screen I can't see any SDE at 12' back. I haven't noticed SDE on anything yet. If I remember correctly I start seeing it at about 7-8' but I never sit that close. Projectorcentral.com recommended 100" or less but at 14' I would think 106" wouldn't be too big.

I haven't had any problems with my lens shift sticking either, it seems to be very tight. I notice some play once I start to go back the other direction but it tightens up as the image begins to shift.

Do your false teeth stay in when you have the bass cranked? :P The way you mentioned mounting your PJ you should definitely be secure. You might put a penny or dime on top of the PJ and see if it bounces when the heavy bass kicks in.

Is your PJ mounted tight where it connects to the mount? I noticed my mount was kinda loose at first... I guess for swing adjustments, but it looks different from your mount. I tightened all the little screws and such and it's doesn't budge now.

SONNIE

Cedar Creek Cinema

DVD Collection

BFD Comprehensive Setup Guide

**George Bellefontaine** · 13 February 2004, 13:08 Friday

A non Z2/2HD owner butts in:

I'm not sure the purpose of the AUTO GREYSCALE, but if brightness changes, perhaps it is going into a lower color temperature mode. Put up a greyscale ramp image from Avia or VE and see what happens when you engage Auto Greyscale. If the greyscale becomes more grey without blue tinting or too much red tinting, then I'd say it has something to do with a factory color temperature setting, which is probably their version of D65, rather than just the 6500K some PJs offer.

BTW, if you are getting neutral greys from light to dark without any color tinting, I'd say you are getting a pretty good picture. The test for me is always how well the PJ does B&W movies. My NEC out of the box gave a perfect looking greyscale in their 6500K setting.

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**Sonnie Parker** · 13 February 2004, 16:30 Friday

Hey Daddy-George... I'll try that this weekend and see what effect I get.

I really want to understand greyscaling better than I do now... I've scrolled through those different AVIA patterns and they were all either black and white and/or gray and white, or some combination of black, gray or white. I never noticed any blue or red tinting but didn't particular look for it either.

As it stands I'm not sure if I have a B&W DVD other than the AVIA DVD test patterns. Hmmm... I'm thinkin' one of my Elvis Presley DVD's that I haven't watched yet might be B&W. I've got Casablanca on LD but LD is not so good a source in my system... especially for testing. Casablanca is one I'll be getting on DVD soon though.

I read a lot of people talking about blacks being blacker and better shadow detail and such but I find it hard to figure out what I'm looking for not having a poor example and good example side by side. Maybe this is for another thread.

SONNIE

Cedar Creek Cinema

DVD Collection

BFD Comprehensive Setup Guide

**Trevor Schell** · 13 February 2004, 23:27 Friday

Sonnie, I have very much identical settings as you.
I just opened up my lense by about 25%.
Set the lamp to 1/2 power.
The lense contrast makes up for the lower brightness on turning
down the lamp.

Just finished watching Tomb Raider 2.
Excellent.
No Screen door was seen at all through out.
Plus my lens did not shift.
I adjusted it to where the dial was tight then loosend it back half ways.
This seemed to help. It is possible that by not turning it back abit so that it spins free caused it to move from vibrations due to the dial somewhat still being engaged. If that makes sense.

Trevor
My HomeTheater S.E.
Sonically Enhanced
C5

**Sonnie Parker** · 14 February 2004, 13:29 Saturday

Yes... that makes sense on the lens shift dial. There's a little play in it when you start going the other way. So.... it musta actually been your lens moving. That still some serious vibration comin' into your PJ. Bass heaven huh?

Have you noticed any vertical banding that some others have mentioned?

Also... if you get a minute... check which software version you have. When you go into the Factory Mode menu it will pop up in the upper left corner of the screen. To go to Factory Mode press select then press menu at the same time on the PJ itself (not the remote) and hold for about 2-3 seconds. I wouldn't change any settings in there though unless you are brave. To exit just hit the power button twice.

I have version 103 but I've heard of versions 101-105.

SONNIE

Cedar Creek Cinema

DVD Collection

BFD Comprehensive Setup Guide

**Legairre** · 14 February 2004, 14:09 Saturday

Guys I have version 105. No VB or SDE. My lens shift changes too during movies. I'll have to try Trevors suggetions and see if that helps. I don't have an SVS, but I do run dual 250 watt subs. My Z2 is ceiling mounted to the joist above my drop ceiling and I can even see the screen shake on some scenes. Actually it's not the screen that's shaking it's the projector. Other than turning down the bass(not an option

) is there any way to dampen the Z2's mount so it won't absorb so much vibration?

By the way mine still looks great.

"What do you mean it's too loud? My ears aren't even bleeding yet!"
Radden Home Theater

**Sonnie Parker** · 16 February 2004, 15:19 Monday

I have my ceiling double braced through my existing ceiling to the roof trusses of the house. It's braced very near the PJ and there's 2 sheets of 5/8" sheetrock as well. I also have 1/2" rubber expansion joint between the entire ceiling and the walls (I have no knowledge of whether this really helps or not... I just did it.) The lens shift dial on my 2HD is snug in one direction but I've never had any problems with vibrations or the lens moving.

Is there a way to add bracing your ceiling or joist that the Z2 mount is attached to? It would seem that you need someway of keeping the joist your PJ mount is attached to from moving as much as it does. By bracing it to other sections of the roof structure and/or bracing it to other joists it would make it harder for that joist to move.

SONNIE

Cedar Creek Cinema

DVD Collection

BFD Comprehensive Setup Guide

**Legairre** · 18 February 2004, 12:22 Wednesday

Sonnie,
I tried Trevors suggetion of backing off the lens shift a little after it's in the right position and it seems to have worked(thanks Trevor). As for the pj vibration during BIG LOUD explosions, I have my HT in the basement with a suspended ceiling so adding some bracing between the joist was pretty easy. The pj only moves during REALLY loud explosions, booms and stuff like that. Actually my 61" RPTV screen used to shake a little too but you couldn't tell unless you were a couple of feet in front (which we never are, especially during a movie) of the screen. With the RPTV your eyes were 13 feet from a 61" screen so you didn't even notice the movement at that distance, but with a 104" screen you notice it more. The kitchen is above the HT and during big booms you can really feel the floor shake so there's not much I can do except turn down the bass. The bracing aroung the pj mount seems to have helped. No one else ever noticed it except me and that's only when I really have the system cranked pretty loud.

"What do you mean it's too loud? My ears aren't even bleeding yet!"
Radden Home Theater

**Sonnie Parker** · 18 February 2004, 14:49 Wednesday

:T Legairre!

SONNIE

Cedar Creek Cinema

DVD Collection

BFD Comprehensive Setup Guide

**Trevor Schell** · 21 February 2004, 00:43 Saturday

Have you noticed any vertical banding that some others have mentioned?

Sonnie!
Not sure what to look for.
Didn't notice anything strange though.

I will check my version # once I get a chance.

Legairre!!,:T
I am glad the lense dial trick worked for you too.
What settings do have your PJ set at..?

Trevor
My HomeTheater S.E.
Sonically Enhanced
C5

**Legairre** · 21 February 2004, 16:52 Saturday

Thanks Sonnie. So far so good.

Trevor when I bought my Z2 I made a DIY screen with a white sheet to see if the Z2 was worth keeping since dalite screen material can't be returned. Now that I LOVE the Z2 I've ordered my HCCV so all my setting are with the white sheet and DIY frame. I did notice that the HCCV sample has much better colors and contrast than the sheet so all my settings will change once I get my HCCV. Here's my settings so far.

Low Lamp Mode with Iris fully open
Contrast = +17
Brightness = 0
Color = 0
Tint = 0
Color Temp = Low2
Red = +7
Green = 0
Blue = -8
Sharpness = +5
Gamma = +3
Auto Grayscale = On

I don't have VB, but if you want to see why VB makes people so upset do the following:

1. Go into the Factory Menu(press INPUT and SELECT on the pj at the same time).

2. WRITE DOWN YOUR SETTINGS FIRST(UP and DOWN arrows on the remote navigate and LEFT and RIGHT arrows change settings. I wrote down settings 1 through 26 since those are the ones most people seem to change.

3. Use the UP arrow on the remote to get to setting #14.

4. Put on a movie with white scenes like the beginning of Pirates of the Caribbean.

5. Setting #14 on my Z2 was set at 3 from the factory, but if you increase it to 5 or more you'll see what VB is.

6. Press POWER on the pj to exit Factory Menu.

"What do you mean it's too loud? My ears aren't even bleeding yet!"
Radden Home Theater

**Trevor Schell** · 22 February 2004, 18:17 Sunday

Legairre!
You have one incredible Theater room my man!
Great Job!!:T
The HCCV will compliment your projector very well.
It was the screen of recommendation from projector
central when they did a review of the Z2.
With that info I automatically order the same screen for my
2HD.

Not sure I want to mess around with my service menu right now.
I did write down the info though , in case I want to try it at a later time.

Trevor
My HomeTheater S.E.
Sonically Enhanced
C5

**Legairre** · 22 February 2004, 23:48 Sunday

Trevor,
Thanks for the compliments on the theater. It's taken a while to build but I'm almost there. I'll have to post some pics of the front of the room once I get my HCCV setup complete. Everything I've read so far says the HCCV is the way to go. I've tried samples of DA-Mat, HCCV, Matte White , High Contrast Matte White, and a few others, but the HCCV samples seemed to be the best compromise between good blacks and crushing the whites. All the other samples seemed to either give great colors, but sacraficed blacks or great blacks and a picture that was just to dark. I'm glad to hear you like the HCCV. How's the HCCV as far as light going though it? does any light spill through. I hear Dalite is now shipping HCCV with a black backing like the HCMW.

My next purchase will be one of the new DVI DVD players coming out within the next month or so from Toshiba or maybe the new D2. These players are in the $300 and under range and from what I been reading they give an incredible picture with fixed pixel displays so our LCD projectors should look great. Anyway it should be a noticable upgrade from my interlaced Sony DVD player.

"What do you mean it's too loud? My ears aren't even bleeding yet!"
Radden Home Theater

**Trevor Schell** · 24 February 2004, 22:47 Tuesday

How's the HCCV as far as light going though it? does any light spill through. I hear Dalite is now shipping HCCV with a black backing like the HCMW.

Legairre!, not sure what you mean by light running through?
Can you explain that.
Mine is the Cinema Contour Frame with the Velvet ProTrim option.

My next purchase will be one of the new DVI DVD players coming out within the next month or so from Toshiba or maybe the new D2. These players are in the $300 and under range and from what I been reading they give an incredible picture with fixed pixel displays so our LCD projectors should look great. Anyway it should be a noticable upgrade from my interlaced Sony DVD player.

Definately give me some detail on this.
Also, never heard of the fixed pixel display feature.
Where can I read about this?
Thanks,

Trevor
My HomeTheater S.E.
Sonically Enhanced
C5

**Legairre** · 25 February 2004, 00:31 Wednesday

Trevor,
Some people who, instead of mounting their screen on a wall have it hanging in the air suspended from the ceiling. This leaves room behind the screen for a wall of black velvet curtains. Some of these people have commented that the HCCV material was allowing some light to pass through it instead of all of it being reflected back. Since yours is wall mounted you probably can't tell if it does or not. Dalite now offers HCCV with a heavy black backing to prevent light from leaking through, but it's an extra cost.

Fixed pixel display are things like LCD projectors as opposed to CRT displays. The LCD projectors have pixels that are always fixed in the same location. That's why some people have SDE(screen door effect). At a certain distance all the fixed pixels look like your looking through a screen door with all the little squares. Luckily we don't have the SDE problem on our projectors.

One of the reasons I bought the Z2 was because it has a DVI input on the back. A DVI connection allows us to connect a cable box, satellite box, HD receiver, or DVD player with a DVI out connection. DVI is a pure digital connection with no digital to analog convertion. If you take a DVI enabled LCD projector and a DVI enabled DVD players and connect then you have a pure digital connection between the two with out any analog to digital or digital to analog conversions taking place.

Also since our projectors are capable of 1280x720 resolution and a DVI DVD player can upconvert a DVD to 720P vs progressive scan players being only 480P, we get a much better picture. A DVI DVD player is basically a 720P player and happens to match out projectors 720 resolution perfectly. Also the artifacts related to digital to analog conversions are eliminated because it's digital to digital without any conversions. V. INC makes a DVD player called the D1 that has a DVI output, so does Samsung's HD931 DVD player. These were some of the first DVI DVD players to come out late last year and they had their share of bugs, but the picture was somewhere between progressive scan and HD quality.

Now Panasonic, JVC, and Toshiba are releasing DVI DVD players this spring in the $300 and under range. V. INC is also releasing a new player too called the D2.

I forgot to mention that CRT based displays, like RPTVs don't get a real benefit from a DVI input(even though some new ones have it), because they are analog devices and have to go through the digital to analog conversion so they loose much of what they gained in DVI. So if you have a true digital display like LCD or DLP then the DVI input can give a boost in picture quality that many people say is stunning.

"What do you mean it's too loud? My ears aren't even bleeding yet!"
Radden Home Theater

**Preacherman** · 27 February 2004, 13:23 Friday

Hey Trevor,
I am trying to build a box from the ceiling to put my Z2 in, instead of buying the ceiling mount. Is there a reason you went with the mount? And is there any advise on figuring how far down from the ceiling I should come?

Thanks

Deacon

Check out - www.dvdprofiler.com
My Collection

**Trevor Schell** · 28 February 2004, 00:06 Saturday

Lagairre,
Thanks for the explanation. Fixed pixel was refering to the projectors technology.
So , I did not realize that DVI actually upconverts the signal to 720p.
The Denon 5900 supports DVI. Would this be a DVD player to be looking at VS the others you mentioned?
Thanks again. Great explanation on DVI.

Is there a reason you went with the mount? And is there any advise on figuring how far down from the ceiling I should come?

Deacon! Hi!
When I ordered my 2HD , there was an optional universal ceiling mount that could be ordered. Not really knowing exactly how I was going to set it up, I decided to order the mount with the projector as I would need something anyways.
With the mount installed, the projector sits 15" from the roof. This measurement is from the roof to the bottom of the projector. The lense is probably situated around 13" from the roof in this case.
My screen mounted on the wall is 14" down from the roof which does not include the 3" border in this measurement.
Also,, the projector is situated to exactly the center of the screen.
I had read that it is best to have the projector mounted in line with the center of the screen in order to obtain the best possible picture quality.
As for the height of the projector in ratio to the height of the screen, I am not sure if there is a suggested or required measurement to use.
In the end you have to ensure that the Projector is mounted somewhat out of the way inorder not to ostruct the view and also so as not be in a position in which it could be bumped or damaged.
I just went as high with it as what the universal mount would allow me to.

Hope that helps somewhat!

Trevor
My HomeTheater S.E.
Sonically Enhanced
C5

**Preacherman** · 28 February 2004, 02:19 Saturday

Yes, Trev that helps. Btw- how high is your ceiling?

Deacon

Check out - www.dvdprofiler.com
My Collection

**Sonnie Parker** · 28 February 2004, 11:36 Saturday

Hey Deacon... just for reference we have our 2HD ceiling mounted with the same mount as Trev and our height is 8'.

SONNIE

Cedar Creek Cinema

DVD Collection

BFD Comprehensive Setup Guide

**Trevor Schell** · 28 February 2004, 12:38 Saturday

The roof height where my PJ is mounted is 7 feet 5 inches.

Trevor
My HomeTheater S.E.
Sonically Enhanced
C5

**Preacherman** · 28 February 2004, 20:16 Saturday

Thanks, that helps me get some perspective.

I have the drywallers in today and am moving foward quickly...hope to post pictures as soon as I have some free time.

Trevor, those are nice speaker mounts above your fireplace. Might there be a website to find that style?

Deacon

Check out - www.dvdprofiler.com
My Collection

**Trevor Schell** · 29 February 2004, 15:55 Sunday

Trevor, those are nice speaker mounts above your fireplace. Might there be a website to find that style?

Hah! There actually for a 20" TV to be mounted to the wall.
I bought them at HomeDepot.
They worked perfect for my speakers though.
I plan on getting a couple more inorder to activate my EX -ES
capabilities.

Trevor
My HomeTheater S.E.
Sonically Enhanced
C5

**Preacherman** · 29 February 2004, 17:34 Sunday

That was a great idea ..

Deacon

Check out - www.dvdprofiler.com
My Collection

**Preacherman** · 30 July 2004, 16:41 Friday

Thought I would bump this for the newbies, as it has a wealth of info.

Also I would like to know what settings you guys are at now that you've had your Z2's for a while. I will list mine when I get home. Is there any special tips to share (like cleaning, leaving front cover open or shut, so on)?

**panrix2003** · 18 November 2004, 19:23 Thursday

Bump

Tell me why I should get a PLV-Z2 over an Infocus 4805 please

I can get the Z2 for £819 (in the UK) and the 4805 for £899 import (so plus some possible duties)

I like the specs of both systems but there is no place locally where I can view them

Any help would be much appreciated.

Mark

**panrix2003** · 03 December 2004, 04:04 Friday

Anyone got any suggestions as to which proj to go for between the Sanyo and the InFocus?

Thanks

**Brandon B** · 03 December 2004, 04:59 Friday

Where are you geographically? One poster here recently went with the 4805 as they sell it Costco, and is subject to Costco's near eternal no questions asked return policy. Seems like a deal making feature to me.

BB

**Booker** · 15 May 2005, 00:45 Sunday

panrix2003,
i`m on the same situation.
basically 2 things are the one concerning me.

the 4085 is not HD
the Z2 has bad reputation of Bad Black levels

I`m still going for the Z2 but i don`t know what to do...more advice will be welcome, i cant see any of this projectors since if i get them it will be online from USA, i`m from Argentina

Sanyo PLV-Z2 & Studio Experience Matinee 2HD Discussion Thread

Sanyo PLV-Z2 & Studio Experience Matinee 2HD Discussion Thread

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