Single Chip DLPs

[sleepytom]

So I'm looking for some new projectors for 2012. Around 8k - 12k seems to be about the right brightness, 16:9, with hdsdi inputs.

 

Cost is a significant factor to we can't start thinking about 3chip DLP.

 

Currently the choice seems to come down to Sanyo DHT8000, and Barco CLM HD8.

 

Is there anything else to consider? (mostly everything else is 4:3 afaik)

 

Has anyone used both these machines side by side? My main concern is DLP Rainbow errors, but any other thoughts on issues / problems with either model would be appreciated.

[AHYoung]

Sadly I think you are ;looking for products that dont exist, By 16:9 im assuming you are looking for something that does native 1080p, which probably means you will be looking at a WUXGA machine, The market is pretty much Data projectors rather than video projectors and DVI connectivity and 16:10 res is pretty much the norm. The SDI ins are available, but at a cost.

 

If its vfm you are looking at is suggest a Sanyo HF10000 or 15000 or the christie or Eiki rebadge, Think of a dual or quad lamp XP200 thats greatly improved, has on board blending and geometry correction and you are kind of there. You can get a HDsdi input board, but I use the cheapo Blackmagic Hdsdi - DVi box and it seems to work. Ive done several Film Premiers with our HF15000s with directors present and they have been remarkably positive as even though its not got the detail in the darks that triple chip has, its a better image than you might expect from LCD. It really depends what your application is, but much like everything else, you dont get cheap, features and bright all at the same time. If HD isnt vital, you should look at the Panasonic DX90w as its a comparatively Affordable 9.5k wxga 3 chip unit, the units high end, just without the pixels.

[techywhizz]

I've not used them side By side, but the w8 is stunning.

 

Great bit of kit..

[Pete McCrea]

HD8 is EOL, and the lamps are really quite expensive - Barco recently increased the price to around £330 each, so re-lamping costs over a grand, and usually needs to happen around the 500-750 hour mark for brightness ( though we did have one lamp with a frazzled inboard hour logging chip that was reporting more hours than the earth has been around...). They have been great for us, and exhibit the lowest rainbow effect I've seen on a single chipper, and if you can cope with the slightly mustardy yellows, then they are good.

 

That said were are considering what we replace them with. I think we want to go around the 6-8k single chip Pannasonics Such as the PT-DZ6710. Again we had these demo'd to us, and they were really quite bright, single lamp which IIRC uses AC drive so increases lamp life. One of the main reasons is the availability of cross hire for us from local suppliers, though the fairly local service options (Panasonic service is Cardiff I believe), as opposed to having to ship back to Belgium, which frankly has been a pain the in the posterior, is also attractive.

 

We're also considering the Sanyo/Christie/Eiki type LCD 6000k machines, and I believe Christie have recently launched a new series of machines with something in the DLP full HD units.

 

Apparently Panasonic are due to debut some new machines at ISE, so I might try and get out to have a look at all the options.

 

Sorry if that's not much help - kind of reflects the state of my mind when it comes to what to buy next.

[sleepytom]

I'm not adverse to LCD, we have some XP200s which are very impressive for the size / cost. My only complaints with them are the speed at which they get dirty, and the sticky shutter.

 

I suspect the Panasonic take over of Sanyo will result in less choice / competition than we have previously enjoyed. The Panasonic PT-EX16K seems to be a Sanyo (it takes XF lenses) and it's form factor looks a lot like the 2K LCD Sanyo, yet it's 16k and XGA (so effectivly competing with the XF47) I do wonder if we will see a total merging of the mid level market so that Pansonic, Sanyo, Christie and Ekli all have the same machines to offer.

 

The Panasonic PT-DW730E looks appealing though and at 1/3rd the cost of a CLM-HD8 it's going to be hard to consider spending double ot triple that without getting a significant brightness boost. It would be interesting to know how much latency it has on 1080i (via SDI->DVI external converter such as the BMD HD Link), I don't really need the full 1080 resolution, but part of the aim of this is to get camera to screen latency lower than it currently is.

[AHYoung]

The Panasonic take over of Sanyo happened years ago, Whats actually happening is that Sanyo as a global brand is being closed. Basically a new product that would have been a Sanyo under different circumstances such as the Panasonic 16k which in reality is a Sanyo HF15000 with XGA panels and various others are now Panasonic products. It remains to be seen if they rebadge the other new ish models such as the HF, but they are commited to retaining the lenses as part of the ongoing range which is good news. Id expect that all the best of the Sanyo range is continued as it complements the panasonic range nicely, But id be very surprised if the dlp units are and id expect all the cheaper ones to dissapear too. As it stands Sanyo manufacture a large part of the affordable Christie Units as well as for Eiki Canon and others .That Said youd be a brave man to buy into the DHT8000 as its never been a popular unit and lens availability may be tricky as will cross hire.

 

With regard to the Latency issue Ive got a spreadsheet of Frame delays on different inputs and on one particular Panasonic model the Frame Delay on HSDSI is 4 Frames but , Dvi 2 Frames, As you are running 1080i rather than 1080P you will I believe get a further delay as the projectors a progressive device and it needs both fields. The delays can mount up pretty quick and the usual rules apply about minmim processing and scaling, Im yet to use the HF15000s for live camera content and im interested to see the results, The Xf47s have allways been fine and im expecting much the same with the HFs.

[jason5d]

hi tom,

 

lookin' to lower screen latency? I recently saw a projector company bragin'

about their new machine was less than 1 frame delay, I think it was Christie

 

Regarding your choice here's how I'd go:

to buy sanyo over barco, to hire cheap: sanyo, to hire high end Barco or panasonic.

 

My own choice of purchase is Panasonic DMD,

I've not noticed the rainbow effect on the single chip machines so far, unless

I shake my head around really hard.

[productionpeople]

I have some Sanyo PDG-DHT100L projectors in my hire fleet and they have been great units, nice and small, lenses are much better than the rest of the Sanyo range but expensive for Sanyo. The DHT8000 is a good choice I have access to 3 grade A units from Sanyo big savings on RRP prices.

There is also a HD version of the XP200 http://uk.sanyo.com/Products/View/PLC-HP7000L which saves some money on lenses.

The XP200 always get dirty it is essential to keep the lens guard on as this does help.