OT - Plasma TV question

"Jay Honeck" writes:

I would go with a projector, also, but would use a DLP (digital light
processor) driven projector.

You want at least 2000 contrast, and 2500 lumens, I would think.

Um, okay. What's a "digital light processor"? And who makes these
projectors?

Any idea on cost? I hadn't even considered a projector, as they
always seem too dim.

For presentation use the flat-panel TVs I've seen are too small; the
slides are developed with the idea of showing them on a projector.
Also the developer (yeah, including me) always ends up using smaller
fonts than they really should on at least a few of the slides, where
things weren't fitting otherwise.

How bright "bright enough" is depends on how well the room can be
darkened, remember.

A number of companies make projectors using the "DLP" technology;
they're often labeled on the projector. They tend to be brighter than
other technologies in the price-range, from what I've seen. (It's a
really clever idea, a chip with a bunch of really tiny mirrors that it
can tilt.)
--
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Pics: http://dd-b.lighthunters.net/ http://www.dd-b.net/dd-b/SnapshotAlbum/
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"Matt Whiting" wrote

Jay's windowless room is close to a cave so he may be OK. Most of our
conference rooms have lots of windows, but even with blinds the cheap
projectors weren't very viewable. The ones we have now are quite nice,
but I believe that are all in the $5000 range, maybe a little less or
maybe a little more.

If you are going to convince me, or someone else, to buy or not buy some
type of thing, you need to use specifics.

What are the contrast and lumens numbers on these "quite nice" units? Are
they DLP's, singe or three chip, or are they LED or what?

Any other comparisons are meaningless, without such specifications.
--
Jim in NC

Dan Luke wrote:
"Jay Honeck" wrote:

I'm considering installing a big-screen plasma (or LCD) TV in our
meeting room at the inn, for use during presentations, etc.


After almost a year of shopping and comparing, I got a 50" Panasonic
plasma because it had the sharpest, highest contrast picture of any I
saw. When Consumer Reports top-rated it, that sealed the deal. Hi Def
is awesome.

CR reported that burn-in is no longer a serious problem with plasmas,
given reasonable care. At the rate display technology is advancing, I
don't expect to keep it more than 5 years, anyway.

I'll take it when you are done with it to save you having to cart it off
to the landfill! :-)

I'm still using a 20 year old CRT as one on of my TVs.

Matt

Morgans wrote:

"Matt Whiting" wrote


Jay's windowless room is close to a cave so he may be OK. Most of our
conference rooms have lots of windows, but even with blinds the cheap
projectors weren't very viewable. The ones we have now are quite nice,
but I believe that are all in the $5000 range, maybe a little less or
maybe a little more.


If you are going to convince me, or someone else, to buy or not buy some
type of thing, you need to use specifics.

I'm not trying to convince you. I'm offering Jay some food for thought
in response to his OP.


What are the contrast and lumens numbers on these "quite nice" units? Are
they DLP's, singe or three chip, or are they LED or what?

The numbers are only a very small part of the equation and vary some
much from maker to maker as to be largely meaningless. Also, few
manufacturers report contrast using the ANSI standard which is much more
realistic than the so-called on/off ratio. Unless you plan to view only
all white or all black images, this is a pretty useless spec. The ANSI
spec requires the projector to show both black and white simultaneously
as can be the case with real images. Many projectors don't switch well
from all black to all white and thus can do really well in on/off tests
and miserably against the ANSI test.

Any other comparisons are meaningless, without such specifications.

And they are just as meaningless with the specifications as the
specifications are largely meaningless. However, feel free to buy based
on the manufacturers published specs if you like. It won't hurt my
feelings.

Here are some fairly good projectors if you look at the HD high-res ones
at the top of the list. Note that the specs vary widely, yet the
overall ratings aren't all that different in many cases.

http://www.projectorcentral.com/home...projectors.htm

"Matt Whiting" wrote:

CR reported that burn-in is no longer a serious problem with plasmas,
given reasonable care. At the rate display technology is advancing,
I don't expect to keep it more than 5 years, anyway.

I'll take it when you are done with it to save you having to cart it
off to the landfill! :-)

Nice try.

I'll probably sell it to the same guy who's getting my 36" Toshiba CRT
TV.

I'm still using a 20 year old CRT as one on of my TVs.

After watching the NFL and the Olympics on plasma HD, I'd hate to go
back to SD.

HD can spoil you quickly. Some people say the improvement is like going
from B&W to color TV. I wouldn't go that far, but I will say it's a
huge improvement, and the nice thing is that you don't need satellite or
cable to get it from the networks in most places.

--
Dan
C172RG at BFM

Dan Luke wrote:

After watching the NFL and the Olympics on plasma HD, I'd hate to go
back to SD.

HD can spoil you quickly. Some people say the improvement is like going
from B&W to color TV. I wouldn't go that far, but I will say it's a
huge improvement, and the nice thing is that you don't need satellite or
cable to get it from the networks in most places.

That's for sure. I watched the SB at a friend's house and they had just
bought a new Sony rear projection HDTV with 1080i. I think it is 52" in
size, but I'm not 100% sure on that. What a difference compared to the
old CRT set they had on the other side of the room.


Matt

Jay Honeck wrote:

I'm considering installing a big-screen plasma (or LCD) TV in our
meeting room at the inn, for use during presentations, etc.

Here's one screen review that is fairly thorough and not based on the
marketing specs provided by most manufacturers.

http://www.audioholics.com/productre...Review_01.html


Matt

HD can spoil you quickly. Some people say the improvement is like going
from B&W to color TV.

Looking at HD (1080), for the first time I can say as a filmmaker that a
TV transfer captures what I shot.

Jose
--
Money: what you need when you run out of brains.
for Email, make the obvious change in the address.

"Matt Whiting" wrote:

After watching the NFL and the Olympics on plasma HD, I'd hate to go
back to SD.

HD can spoil you quickly. Some people say the improvement is like
going from B&W to color TV. I wouldn't go that far, but I will say
it's a huge improvement, and the nice thing is that you don't need
satellite or cable to get it from the networks in most places.

That's for sure. I watched the SB at a friend's house and they had
just bought a new Sony rear projection HDTV with 1080i. I think it is
52" in size, but I'm not 100% sure on that. What a difference
compared to the old CRT set they had on the other side of the room.

The SB was on ABC, so it was 720p. There's not a *lot* of apparent
difference, but to me the 1080i that CBS, NBC and PBS broadcast looks
superior.

--
Dan
C172RG at BFM

Dan Luke wrote:




The SB was on ABC, so it was 720p. There's not a *lot* of apparent
difference, but to me the 1080i that CBS, NBC and PBS broadcast looks
superior.

Really? Watching the NFL HD games on Directv this year I liked the Fox
broadcasts better. The ESPN games on Sunday nights were better than the
CBS version also.