Projector 'throw' data deficit

In message , Gunther Gloop
writes
JF wrote:

I've been ploughing through some data on a replacement projector, but
confess that obtaining reliable throw to screen width figures is not
easy. Some of the sellers on Ebay do occasionally provide detailed
information.

Does anyone know of a reliable source for such information? So far
large dealers have said they'd phone/write/email back with info on
various models but none have done so.


I just did a Google search for projector throw size. There are a lot of
sites that look like possibly what your looking for.
Try this one...
http://www.av-outlet.com/en-us/dept_361.html

Thanks, Kevin. It looks like useful information but the site is
bedevilled with Flash apps, a purportedly MS message telling me to get
the latest IE browser and so on.

--
James Follett Earthsearch II series repeats start BBC7 29/12/03.
Men, Martians and Machines, written and presented by James Follett repeated
28/12/03. Both in BBC7's 7th Dimension slot.
See http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbc7/newsletter...thisweek.shtml

The maximum 'throw' for the projector onto this size screen is 5
metres which means that I have unsightly ceiling-hung platform for
the
projector. I wish to sell it and buy a projector that can be mounted
less obtrusively on the opposite wall with a 'throw' of the room's
length (6,4m) to the screen's 3,5m width. An added advantage is that
the projector could be mounted closer to the screen's centre-line.
The
Keystone correction with the existing installation is on maximum and
not fully correcting.

Vinny's suggestion of projectorcentral.com is a good starting place,
but they do occasioanly supply incorrect info. Try www.avsforum.com or
www.avforums.com for some hands on info of real world experience if
you locate a posible new pj.

I believe the Sim2 range of projectors are generaly long throw, so
they could be worth persuing - the Domino 30 has lens shift so should
allow image positioning without keystone adjustment. It's approx
£6000.

I've been ploughing through some data on a replacement projector,
but
confess that obtaining reliable throw to screen width figures is not
easy. Some of the sellers on Ebay do occasionally provide detailed
information.

Beware of ebay - a great many scams occur there with projectors and
bank transfers. pricejapan.com may be a better bet for a cheap pj, but
expensive costs for warranty returns if something goes wrong and the
warranty isn't covered here.

www.ivojo.co.uk and www.projected.co.uk may be useful too.
www.projectorsareus.co.uk specialise in sim products, so you may find
what you're after there.

What's your budget? The Infocus X1/4800 screenplay has a long throw
IIRC and is under £1000, so could be worth a look. It's DLP not LCD so
make sure you get a demo before buying one (or any DLP). A small
percentage of people see a rainbow artefact due to the way the pj
makes the image, and can be distracting until you get used to it (or
not). :O)

The NEC L240 or LT260 may suit at around £2000, and are quite bright
with a longish throw IIRC. Do you have a light controled room or do
you get light in there during the day with the curtains closed? You'll
need something brighter for those situations, and possibly a grey
screen. If night viewing or total light control are possible, then a
high lumen pj may not be necessary. With any projector set-up, you are
looking for a required amount of light being returned from the screen,
and this is expresed in ft lamberts. If the pj isn't bright enough,
you can get a scren with gain to help this, but this can narrow the
viewing angle

Alternatively, a long shot this, is it possible to change the
projector's lens to narrow the angle of the beam and so lengthen the
throw?

There are lenses out there that may do this, but they'll probably be
more expensive than the projector. Isco make some anamorphic lenses
and they were around £2000 I think, though I haven't looked at theire
pricing in some time.

Do a bit more reading and research on the forums to see what fits your
situation, and get a few demos in.

Good luck!

HTH

Gary..

In message , Gary
Lightfoot writes
The maximum 'throw' for the projector onto this size screen is 5
metres which means that I have unsightly ceiling-hung platform for
the
projector. I wish to sell it and buy a projector that can be mounted
less obtrusively on the opposite wall with a 'throw' of the room's
length (6,4m) to the screen's 3,5m width. An added advantage is that
the projector could be mounted closer to the screen's centre-line.
The
Keystone correction with the existing installation is on maximum and
not fully correcting.

Vinny's suggestion of projectorcentral.com is a good starting place,
but they do occasioanly supply incorrect info. Try www.avsforum.com or
www.avforums.com for some hands on info of real world experience if
you locate a posible new pj.

I believe the Sim2 range of projectors are generaly long throw, so
they could be worth persuing - the Domino 30 has lens shift so should
allow image positioning without keystone adjustment. It's approx
£6000.

I'm very grateful to you and Vinny and the others for taking such
trouble. I was tackling the problem from wrong end by looking up
information from retailers' sites rather go to specialist information
sites. Posts saved; serious hunting starts after Christmas with budget
of GBP3000. Incidentally, total daylight light exclusion from the
library is easily accomplished: the screen does all the work at one end,
and SWMBO's passion for lined curtains does all the work at the other
end.

NB: I, too, am wary of Ebay. I use it to buy books, tapes, DVDs, but
baulk at serious money items. There's a guy who has been advertising
what seems to be an inexhaustible supply of NEC projectors, or maybe he
has only a few that he can't shift.

--
James Follett Earthsearch II series repeats start BBC7 29/12/03.
Men, Martians and Machines, written and presented by James Follett repeated
28/12/03. Both in BBC7's 7th Dimension slot.
See http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbc7/newsletter...thisweek.shtml

JF wrote:
serious hunting starts after Christmas with budget
of GBP3000.

The Benq 8700 is a widescreen DLP projector with 1280 x 720
resoloution and is around £3000, so could be worth a look if you can
see one. I have heard a report about slight barreling of the optics,
but I don't know if that was an isolated case. If you get to see one,
that's something to look for:

http://www.ivojo.co.uk/benq-pe8700.htm

There are some owners over on both forums, so see what they think of
it. There are some good LCDs out there too, so you should be quite
busy after Christmas. :O)

Gary.

In message , Gary
Lightfoot writes
JF wrote:
serious hunting starts after Christmas with budget
of GBP3000.

The Benq 8700 is a widescreen DLP projector with 1280 x 720
resoloution and is around £3000, so could be worth a look if you can
see one. I have heard a report about slight barreling of the optics,
but I don't know if that was an isolated case.

That looks good! Many thank for the pointer. The throw chart gives a
result pretty close to what I'm looking for.

--
James Follett. Novelist. Callsign G1LXP
http://www.jamesfollett.dswilliams.co.uk http://www.marjacq.com
email james at marage dot demon dot co dot uk

In message , Richard Jones
writes
"JF" wrote in message

Some help would be appreciated with the following problem please,
gentlemen.

My library, which now serves as a home theatre, is 6.4-metres long by
3,7-metres wide.

I had the same problem with a similar sized room (although the screen wasn't
as wide as yours). I went for a ceiling mounted Sanyo Z2 in the end. The
Sony HS10 and later HS20 were claimed to be 'long throw' but not long
enough. At least with the Z2 you can mount it close to the ceiling and use
the lens shift to lower the image.

Thanks, Richard. I'll track that one down although I've promised my
wife: "No more ceiling mounting". Rash because, as another poster
pointed out, the trend is towards larger screens in smaller rooms.

ps Enjoyed reading your resortation of the 'Rules of Asylum' tapes. I hope
the beeb were suitably appologetic for loosing them in the first place!

I didn't tell them that one scene, with the tape irreparably mangled by
aircraft flutter, had been 'restored' with CoolEdit's cut and pasting
using the same words from other speeches. Luckily a quiet scene with no
background noise!

--
James Follett. Novelist. Callsign G1LXP
http://www.jamesfollett.dswilliams.co.uk http://www.marjacq.com
email james at marage dot demon dot co dot uk

JF wrote:
In message , Gary

The Benq 8700 is a widescreen DLP projector with 1280 x 720
resoloution and is around £3000, so could be worth a look if you
can
see one. I have heard a report about slight barreling of the
optics,
but I don't know if that was an isolated case.

That looks good! Many thank for the pointer. The throw chart gives a
result pretty close to what I'm looking for.

Glad to be of help. :O)

Make sure you get a demo, and try to confirm the throw, as websites do
get it wrong sometimes.

If you do get to see one, I'd be interested in your opinion of it too,
as it does look like excellent value.

Good luck!

Gary.