What's the best projector for under $35,000

rsbeck

WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
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When I was shopping for a projector, it seemed like the choice really boiled down to this;

You could get a damn good projector for under $10,000.

If you wanted to improve on that, you really had to go to the next market segment and that was really around the $30,000 mark. We're talking MSRP here.

At that time, it seemed to me and many others that to get that something extra, the way to go was to move up to a three chip DLP and the best value -- this is not a joke, folks! -- was the Sim2 C3X1080 with an MSRP around $30,000.

What do you get for that kind of money?

A better picture, dammit!

Since then, just scanning the forums, I know that Sim2 has updated the C3X line with the Sim2 Lumis
and now there seems to be some competition at that price point.

Questions;

For someone shopping in this "step-up" segment, which projectors are the usual suspects for an audition line-up?

If you have experience in this area, what's your opinion?

Which is the best?

On a side note, is this still the case, or is there a serious market segment for projectors somewhere in the middle between 10,000 and $35,000 MSRP?

MICO?

If so, we can start another thread at that price.
 

amirm

Banned
Apr 2, 2010
15,813
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Seattle, WA
I am going through this evaluation for a project. Not done yet as like you, I am still searching for the best. The only one that stands out so far is Joe Kane's Samsung (900B). It simply is the most accurate projector in that price range (MSRP is $13K I think). Down sides are rainbows if you are sensitive to them and lower absolute contrast. Here is a recent review: http://www.soundandvisionmag.com/tests-reviews/hdtvs/projectors/2009/12/samsung-sp-a900b.

Keep in mind that single chip units by definition is sharper than 3-chip variety. With a 3-chip unit and no ability to align the panels, you always get some convergence errors which lead to softer images.

Progress wise, I have been so disappointed in seeing products in $65K range that don't have the accuracy of the Samsung!

Fair notice: Joe is a great friend and I am pretty biased in how I look at his products :).

I fully agree with you in how far the under $10K products have come.
 

amirm

Banned
Apr 2, 2010
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Here is the final scorecard from the review above:



[Trying to test posting pictures :)]
 

cal87

New Member
Jun 14, 2010
17
0
0
Tracy, CA
The non-HOST Lumis is around that price limit. The LED projectors would have to be under consideration as well.
 

rsbeck

WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
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I'm keeping an eye on LED projectors, but for my application, I don't feel the technology is mature enough yet.
 

Husk

Member Sponsor
Apr 20, 2010
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rsbeck, I have the Sim2 Lumis and love it. I use a Stewart 1.3 132 x 58in CIH screen with a ISCO anamorphic lens in a light controlled environment . Most people who have watched Blu Ray DVD's are smply blown away by the picture quality. I believe the retail is about 38K but the street price is about 23K. Before I bought the Sim, I had a Sony and a couple of JVC's which are all good projectors but just not in the same class as the Sim2 IMO.
 

Steve Williams

Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
rsbeck, I have the Sim2 Lumis and love it. I use a Stewart 1.3 132 x 58in CIH screen with a ISCO anamorphic lens in a light controlled environment . Most people who have watched Blu Ray DVD's are smply blown away by the picture quality. I believe the retail is about 38K but the street price is about 23K. Before I bought the Sim, I had a Sony and a couple of JVC's which are all good projectors but just not in the same class as the Sim2 IMO.

I use the same screen exactly and Isco but have the predecessor to the Lumis, the C3X1080 and still really love it. The Lumis is better still. Can hardly wait to see what the next generation brings from Sim2
 

naturephoto1

Member
May 24, 2010
820
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Breinigsville, PA
www.nelridge.com

naturephoto1

Member
May 24, 2010
820
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Breinigsville, PA
www.nelridge.com
Hi Steve,

I am not not necessarily interested in the 3D offered by the HDI TV. I am however interested in the 2D that it will offer, Laser for the color source, and the 100 to 103" screen size. For me, that is a good alternative to a Projector and Screen. That also means that the TV can be used as a TV as well as source for watching movies whether they be on TV, DVD, or Blu-ray.

Rich
 

rsbeck

WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
848
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rsbeck, I have the Sim2 Lumis and love it. I believe the retail is about 38K but the street price is about 23K.

Somewhere between MSRP and Street, I think the Lumis qualifies for consideration in this 35k and under thread.
 

rsbeck

WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
848
11
0
I also don't know how large a projection screen or how long you wish to wait.

My screen, Stewart Firehawk G3 Microperf, is 9'6" Wide. My set-up is Constant Image Width with remote controlled automated horizontal masking.

I purchased my current projector after shopping around quite a bit, auditioning the top of the line JVC's and Sony's of the day along with some single chip DLP.

Then, Steve invited my wife and I to his place to view his Sim2 C3X1080 and we fell in love with it so that's what I have currently.

I am not itching to buy a new projector. I'm very happy with my C3X 1080. But, I am keeping my eye on LED front projection because I think that when the technology matures a little more, it may offer picture quality that can surpass the C3X 1080 by a wide enough margin at a price that might entice me to upgrade at some point.
 

rsbeck

WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
848
11
0
Count me as another who is uninterested in 3D. I watched Avatar on blu-ray in my theater recently and while I was watching, I was trying to imagine how 3D could add anything of interest to me.

Just not interested.
 

cal87

New Member
Jun 14, 2010
17
0
0
Tracy, CA
Count me as another who is uninterested in 3D. I watched Avatar on blu-ray in my theater recently and while I was watching, I was trying to imagine how 3D could add anything of interest to me.

I never saw Avatar in the theater, but on the Lumis, it was the most "3D" picture I have seen yet. After viewing it, I felt there was no need to move to 3D.

Still ... with content starting to trickle out there, I am getting more and more curious. I will likely pick up a 3D flat panel soon.
 

amirm

Banned
Apr 2, 2010
15,813
37
0
Seattle, WA
I saw Avatar in 3-D in theater and then the 2-D BD version on a 14-boot screen driving by JVC 4K projector. I found the latter to be totally enjoyable with a level of solidity and correctness that the former simply lacked. 3-D glasses cause color shifts which if not corrected completely, cause color shifts (green in the case of the theater I saw it in). 3-D definitely has a price in video performance, putting aside eye strain and such.
 

Mark (Basspig) Weiss

Well-Known Member
Aug 3, 2010
682
37
940
New Milford, CT
www.basspig.com
I wish I could get excited about 3D & HD3D etc but IMO this is one more technology being forced down our throats.


Now what was the name of that other HiDef DVD technology that is no longer being made :)


3D is wonderful. I was a skeptic and had a very negative attitude toward it until I tried it. The only problem is the content is lacking. But we have a half dozen 3D movies that look good. The experience is quite a bit more dramatic than I expected. The flat plane of the screen disappears and it looks like I'm looking at the movie set through a 12 foot hole in the wall in front of me. My daughter commented "it's like real life!"

Now I'm trying to figure out how to edit and render 3D videos from pairs of Sony CineAlta cinema cameras. Also, I think DJI's next drone should include a 3D camera.
 

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