HOW I GOT A $15,000 4k PROJECTOR FOR $6500

Mark (Basspig) Weiss

Well-Known Member
Aug 3, 2010
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New Milford, CT
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I bought this B-stock Sony VPL VW765ES projector on eBay, originally for $7500, haggled down from the asking price of $9900. It was supposed to come with a new, spare bulb, as the projector was a store demo that had 2600 hours on it.
When the projector shipped, the extra lamp didn’t come with it. It was on backorder. So after some back and forth, seller agreed to refund $1000 to cover the cost of a new lamp.
There was a minor issue with one of the SXRD panels, noticeable only on pure white screens or scenes with snow on the lower third of the frame. A tinge of magenta color cast at the very bottom edge.
Knowing that this had a 3 year warranty, I decided to contact Sony and see about having it looked at. They approved a warranty repair after seeing photos of the magenta fade at the bottom right corner. So they had me send it to United Radio Service in New York State.
After a week, they had determined it needed a new optical block. A week later, they learned that part was on backorder. So they offered the option of replacing the entire projector. I said sure, but only if it’s a new unit. They contacted Sony and Sony approved the replacement with a new unit.
Just this week, a brand new, factory sealed box arrived from Sony Corporation. It was a factory fresh VPL VW765ES. All new. I put it in service and all it perfect. Now I have a brand new projector, with a recent serial number and all the latest technical improvements, and all it cost me was the initial $6500 and waiting 3 weeks for the lucky circumstance of a back-ordered part.
I can barely describe how wonderful DCI 4K projection is when sitting 8 feet from a 12 foot wide screen!



 

Elberoth

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Nice one!
 

Sharp 1080

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That is a great story. Just don't tell the original owner that story! ;)
 

Mark (Basspig) Weiss

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Aug 3, 2010
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That is a great story. Just don't tell the original owner that story! ;)

The original owner was some retail store down south. I doubt they'd care, though if they had sent it for service before selling, they could have gotten a much better price. Sheer luck for me.
 

Mark (Basspig) Weiss

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Aug 3, 2010
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New Milford, CT
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Very cool Mark. Can you share some of your favorite 4K flicks of recently?

* Are you a 3D fan?


My favorite 4K flicks lately are the ones I shot with my wife's Phantom 4 Pro v2.0 drone from DJI. Lately, we're seeing a lot of blue in our aerial videos and that's because of all the tarps covering damaged houses (we had tornadoes come through here on May 18).

The only two Ultra HD titles we own are Jumanji and Deepwater Horizon. Although a stupid film, the image quality in Jumanji was very good, though some wide scenes had oversharpening halos, such as on the mountain tops in the background. DH had poor color grading. I didn't like it, aesthetically.

I became a 3D fan when I popped in a couple of 3D BDs. Avatar was a nice experience in 3D, definitely better than the 2D version which I also own. But the best one so far is Journey to the Center of the Earth and Star Wars The Force Awakens. There's a scene where a ship floats in space and the nose of it sticks out into the room and I can literally put my hand out and 'touch' it. Most of the time, it looks like I'm watching the live movie set through a 12 foot hole in the wall. The screen 'disappears' and becomes transparent. My daughter said "it's like real life!" I also had a friend, who said he can't watch 3D because it gives him headaches, experience it and he said it was very impressive.

I'm trying to figure out how to encode and author 3D video. I would like to see DJI offer a 3D camera on their next drone. Flying through the woods with a 3D camera would be the coolest thing.
 

NorthStar

Member
Feb 8, 2011
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It's the nice thing about 4K front projectors, they still support 3D, same for 4K Blu-ray players, here in North America. Plus, there are 3D IMAX movie theaters and Real-3D movie theaters. You can even buy 3D cameras. And from Europe/UK you can buy 3D Blu-ray movies. ...Or even from Japan, China, France, Germany and Italy.

I think you love bass, did you watch Blade Runner 2049 in 2D Blu-ray, or in 4K...it don't matter they both have the same fantastic Atmos audio soundtrack?

How are you doing overall, it's been a while since last time you shared some here with the rest of us?
It's cool you have a good Sony 4K/3D front projector. It's like an infinite swimming pool with a million dollar view on the Pacific oceanic coastal landscape, where you can see @ the very far end of the horizon the land of the rising sun (Japan) on very clear days with a good telescope.
 

Hi-FiGuy

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Feb 23, 2015
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My favorite 4K flicks lately are the ones I shot with my wife's Phantom 4 Pro v2.0 drone from DJI. Lately, we're seeing a lot of blue in our aerial videos and that's because of all the tarps covering damaged houses (we had tornadoes come through here on May 18).

The only two Ultra HD titles we own are Jumanji and Deepwater Horizon. Although a stupid film, the image quality in Jumanji was very good, though some wide scenes had oversharpening halos, such as on the mountain tops in the background. DH had poor color grading. I didn't like it, aesthetically.

I became a 3D fan when I popped in a couple of 3D BDs. Avatar was a nice experience in 3D, definitely better than the 2D version which I also own. But the best one so far is Journey to the Center of the Earth and Star Wars The Force Awakens. There's a scene where a ship floats in space and the nose of it sticks out into the room and I can literally put my hand out and 'touch' it. Most of the time, it looks like I'm watching the live movie set through a 12 foot hole in the wall. The screen 'disappears' and becomes transparent. My daughter said "it's like real life!" I also had a friend, who said he can't watch 3D because it gives him headaches, experience it and he said it was very impressive.

I'm trying to figure out how to encode and author 3D video. I would like to see DJI offer a 3D camera on their next drone. Flying through the woods with a 3D camera would be the coolest thing.

Stupid movie I know but, I loved Gravity in 3D as I felt like I was in a space ship watching the events through the ships main window.
 

Mark (Basspig) Weiss

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Aug 3, 2010
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New Milford, CT
www.basspig.com
I have the original 1980 Blade Runner, but I heard the new remake was awful so I steered clear of it.

U-571 has lots of explosions, but that soundtrack almost ended our marriage! The wife did not appreciate it at all.

She bought Gravity last year on BD, but I should tell her about the 3D version. Overall, I found it a boring movie, aside from the nice cinematography.

I'm still alive, though with prostate cancer, I don't know how much time I have left. Just trying to enjoy what time I have left and have a few of the things that I've been wanting for the past 15 years. I went to Japan last year and fell even more deeply in love with the culture. I'm planning another trip soon, as long as my health holds out. On my last trip, I visited Akihabara and made a beeline straight to Bookoff, where they sell previously owned CDs. I left with several shopping bags full, at about Y280 each.

I found that my health improved drastically when I was was there last year, and declined drastically when I returned to an American diet. Can't wait to go back. Hokkaido is next on my list of places to visit.

In the meantime, I'm working my a** off repairing amplifiers. Just finished a full rebuild of two McIntosh MC2300s. Now I'm working on a Greek phono preamp with 22 vacuum tubes in it.
 

NorthStar

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Feb 8, 2011
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I have the original 1980 Blade Runner, but I heard the new remake was awful so I steered clear of it.

U-571 has lots of explosions, but that soundtrack almost ended our marriage! The wife did not appreciate it at all.

She bought Gravity last year on BD, but I should tell her about the 3D version. Overall, I found it a boring movie, aside from the nice cinematography.

I'm still alive, though with prostate cancer, I don't know how much time I have left. Just trying to enjoy what time I have left and have a few of the things that I've been wanting for the past 15 years. I went to Japan last year and fell even more deeply in love with the culture. I'm planning another trip soon, as long as my health holds out. On my last trip, I visited Akihabara and made a beeline straight to Bookoff, where they sell previously owned CDs. I left with several shopping bags full, at about Y280 each.

I found that my health improved drastically when I was was there last year, and declined drastically when I returned to an American diet. Can't wait to go back. Hokkaido is next on my list of places to visit.

In the meantime, I'm working my a** off repairing amplifiers. Just finished a full rebuild of two McIntosh MC2300s. Now I'm working on a Greek phono preamp with 22 vacuum tubes in it.

Mark, good post. Life matters; survival, health, family, love, travels, hobbies, music, movies, all that jazz we already know.

* Sony 4K front projector, and a surround sound system that can deliver the music in spades. You have that.

Whoever told you that Blade Runner 2049 was awful it's only one people's opinion.
Let me give you mine: Buy the 4K disc, it's very cheap, put it in your 4K player and press the play button.
After the movie, we'll talk some more about it. View it with your wife and kids, a family love affair.
16,500 watts should help.

Everything else is perfect, I sense you're doing great and it makes me doing better myself.
That's life, you share we get. The things we don't know we learn from each other.
 

GMKF

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In the meantime, I'm working my a** off repairing amplifiers. Just finished a full rebuild of two McIntosh MC2300s. Now I'm working on a Greek phono preamp with 22 vacuum tubes in it.

I wish you the best.
Can you please provide us with some pictures of that "insane" phono preamp ?
I would also be nice to know the model and maker ;)
 

audioguy

WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
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Near Atlanta, GA but not too near!
I found that my health improved drastically when I was was there last year, and declined drastically when I returned to an American diet. Can't wait to go back. Hokkaido is next on my list of places to visit.

The typical American diet is killing most people. One of my doctors told me that the stomach is the start of all diseases. Cancer; heart disease (my issue) and every other imaginable ailment.

I have just switched to a strict version of the Mediterranean Diet as I just had heart stents number 8 and 9 installed on Monday preceded by an orbital atherectomy. From more than one physician I have now heard that the only way I am not going to become the next Marvel Character ("Stent Man"), major life changes will be required. In addition to the major change in eating is regular cardio exercise (which I have been doing for over 50 years), meditation, which I must learn to do and learning to live in the moment. I refuse to let the fact that both of my parents had heart disease - but both were smokers - dictate my overall health!!!!.

FWIW, I have been eating healthier than anyone I know (except one of my daughters) but consuming too much red meat (now down to no more than 4oz per month), too much sugar and too many of the wrong kind of carbs, not enough green vegetables and whole host of other things. I have never smoked, and have weighed within 5 lbs of the same weight for over 40 years (6'1" and 185 pounds).

Mark, hang in there. Life changes can slow or stop many diseases. I wish you well.
 

Mark (Basspig) Weiss

Well-Known Member
Aug 3, 2010
682
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New Milford, CT
www.basspig.com
I'll suggest that new Bladerunner moving to my wife--she's the one who buys the American flicks--I only buy anime.

I'm working hard to minimize the negativity in my life. I think that cancer is the body's way of saying "life is hopeless" and giving up. That's why traveling, eating good food and having a plethora of exciting hobbies that you just can't wait to do, is important.

Here's that Greek preamp from NVO. It let out its magic smoke and the customer could not find anyone in the US that would service it, so he called me.



I lost quite a bit of weight when I switched to HFLC diet. I enjoy my bacon. But the weight just came off when I cut out the carbs. Of course I have a rigorous exercise routine at the YMCA. I found out two years ago that a lot of reps with light weights is practically a waste of time. I moved to power lifting and then I gained tremendously. I'm twice as strong now as I was 3 years ago. I mainly focus on back muscles now because their health keeps my spine injury in check.
I have a severe case of IBS and it seems to be aggravated by wheat products. But when I was in Japan, it completely cleared up. Usually when I travel, my guts are in turmoil (and one of the reasons I hate to travel--I'm always in the bathroom), but when I started eating the food in Japan, I found I could go all day without a bathroom visit. I walked all over the place too. I had stamina that I never had while on the American diet. Carrying a 22lb backpack, I walked about 20 miles a day in some cases, exploring the cities around Asakusa. On the second day there, we walked around the perimeter of Kamata. That was many hours of walking. The heat didn't bother me. I felt alive and almost like I was in my thirties again.
I'm planning to return next year. Last year, I visited Kenji Hosoi, owner of Kenrick Sound in Nagahara. We spent four hours at his shop and showroom, chatting about the audiophile industry in Japan. He thinks I would do rather well there as a gaijin if I built custom tube amps and sold them. Overall, Japan far exceeded my perceptions. Even the least attractive city, where I found cheap rent, was hospital clean. And no shortage of bakeries that blow away anything New York has to offer. I ate a lot of pastries while there!
 

audioguy

WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
2,794
73
1,635
Near Atlanta, GA but not too near!
I'll suggest that new Bladerunner moving to my wife--she's the one who buys the American flicks--I only buy anime.

I'm working hard to minimize the negativity in my life. I think that cancer is the body's way of saying "life is hopeless" and giving up. That's why traveling, eating good food and having a plethora of exciting hobbies that you just can't wait to do, is important.

Here's that Greek preamp from NVO. It let out its magic smoke and the customer could not find anyone in the US that would service it, so he called me.



I lost quite a bit of weight when I switched to HFLC diet. I enjoy my bacon. But the weight just came off when I cut out the carbs. Of course I have a rigorous exercise routine at the YMCA. I found out two years ago that a lot of reps with light weights is practically a waste of time. I moved to power lifting and then I gained tremendously. I'm twice as strong now as I was 3 years ago. I mainly focus on back muscles now because their health keeps my spine injury in check.
I have a severe case of IBS and it seems to be aggravated by wheat products. But when I was in Japan, it completely cleared up. Usually when I travel, my guts are in turmoil (and one of the reasons I hate to travel--I'm always in the bathroom), but when I started eating the food in Japan, I found I could go all day without a bathroom visit. I walked all over the place too. I had stamina that I never had while on the American diet. Carrying a 22lb backpack, I walked about 20 miles a day in some cases, exploring the cities around Asakusa. On the second day there, we walked around the perimeter of Kamata. That was many hours of walking. The heat didn't bother me. I felt alive and almost like I was in my thirties again.
I'm planning to return next year. Last year, I visited Kenji Hosoi, owner of Kenrick Sound in Nagahara. We spent four hours at his shop and showroom, chatting about the audiophile industry in Japan. He thinks I would do rather well there as a gaijin if I built custom tube amps and sold them. Overall, Japan far exceeded my perceptions. Even the least attractive city, where I found cheap rent, was hospital clean. And no shortage of bakeries that blow away anything New York has to offer. I ate a lot of pastries while there!

IBS and wheat. Read the book "Wheat Belly". I did, got off wheat and my digestive track did a 180. Amazing.

Here is the book:

Screen Shot 2018-06-14 at 1.17.56 PM.jpg
 

Mark (Basspig) Weiss

Well-Known Member
Aug 3, 2010
682
37
940
New Milford, CT
www.basspig.com
I met a guy in my daughter's Taekwondo class who told me about that book in 2015. He has an autistic son and found that a lot of the behavior problems were mitigated by going off wheat products.

LOL, I won "best read of the week"!
 

NorthStar

Member
Feb 8, 2011
24,305
1,323
435
Vancouver Island, B.C. Canada
You sure did.

* Mark, if your family didn't see 'Coco' yet, I highly recommend that you ask your wife to buy it. Your Sony projector is going to be real happy to entertain you and your family with this PIXAR animation. ...In the heart of family matters.
 

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