Greetings gamers, etc.
OK, I’m not the guy to write about gaming. I’ve got two hard core gamers doing that – Pete and Scott. But, Pete’s just blogged on the Epson Home Cinema 5010 as a gaming projector and I just shipped him the W7000 (click for review) so that’s next on his list.
After speaking with Pete, I did some Lag tests. As you gamers know, Read the rest of this entry »
Visit our second gaming blog here at Projector Reviews, written by Scott, “Projectors and the World of PC Gaming” now!
UPDATE: Scott has posted his first review of the Optoma GT720 gaming projector on his blog! Check it out!
Greetings everyone!
Well, I’ve warned you guys. It’s time for our third new blogger to come on line. This time, welcome Scott S. He’s a local – lives about 25 miles from me here in So. Cal. Scott S will blog on gaming and projectors, and, like Pete, has looked at the Optoma GT720, which he will comment on in is first (non-intro) blog.
This may be curious, or co-incidence, but would you believe Scott S, like Pete Read the rest of this entry »
The ViewSonic VP3D1 3D processor earns our Special Interest Award!
Eureka! It works!
I’m talking about ViewSonic‘s VP-3D1. What is it? What works? The VP3D1 lets you watch 1080p 3D content from Blu-ray 3D discs and other, including HDTV sources, on 3D projectors that aren’t currently able to do so. It’s the magical device that changes the range of capabilities of those relatively low cost first and second generation 3D projectors sporting 720p and similar native resolutions such as WXGA. For lack of better terminology, let’s call the ViewSonic VP-3D1 a 3D processor. That seems to make sense. and, that’s what ViewSonic calls it.
VP3D1 - brings Blu-ray 3D, and 1080p 3D HDTV to low cost 3D projectors
The VP3D1 has an MSRP in the US of $299, but street price seems to be mostly around $249 based on a quick online search. That makes it a very reasonably priced add on to your system, considering the benefits delivered.
6/15/11 Update: Panasonic’s first 1080p 3D home theater projector, was just announced here at Infocomm. The forthcoming 3D projector from Panasonic, will be shown at the CEDIA show in September, and will ship sometime after that, but before year end. They released little information beyond that, but visit Art’s home theater blog to learn all we know, and some speculation, or click here to read the Panasonic press release (one sentence long). This Panasonic 3D home theater projector will eventually replace the PT-AE4000. -art
Greetings all,
Panasonic will have a new 3D ready home theater projector before the end of 2011. Figure that will be after the CEDIA show – which means after September.
This is exciting news. As many of you know, Panasonic has only been selling one home theater projector, the PT-AE4000, for the last year since they discontinued the lower cost PT-AX200U. The PT-AE4000 also happens to be almost two years old. Unlike others – they didn’t announce any new home theater projectors last year at CEDIA. For years Panasonic was the number one seller of home theater projectors in the US, but when you cut your product line in half, that’s got to cost you market share.
This new 3D Panasonic home theater projector doesn’t have a name yet. When Panasonic announced it the other day, they provided almost no info beyond that there will be one. In fact it was a single sentence announcement. I think Panasonic felt it important to let the world, and its fans know their still in the game! Panasonic also introduced a number of commercial projectors but that’s news for our other blog.
Pricing is totally unknown but, since they did say this projector would replace the PT-AE4000, I’ll speculate only this:
Panasonic may well be priced well below the other 1080p 3D projectors out there from Sharp, Sony, and JVC, all of which are at least $4495 (JVC), The Sharp is $4995 – that would be the already reviewed XV-Z17000 projector. The others are the $8000 JVC, the $12000 JVC, and the $10,000 Sony VPL-VW90ES.
Panasonic wouldn’t even tell me if it was 3LCD or something else. All previous Panasonic home theater projectors have been 3LCD. I’ve already seen some blog sites say it is, but, I’m pretty certain they didn’t hear that from Panasonic – so, call it a rumor.
Remember that the PT-AE4000 sells for under $2000. I figure it would therefore be unlikely that Panasonic would replace it with a projector costing twice as much or more.
So, if my guess is correct, it should price somewhere between $2000 ($2K is unlikely but, you never know), and $4000. My “best guess” based on no information but that “replacement” statement, that it is the forthcoming 3D home theater from Panasonic might price at $2995. I’ll be really impressed if I’m right (at the price and that I guessed it).
Now that would be truly exciting. Unfortunately we’ll almost certainly have to wait 3 months until CEDIA to find out.
Otherwise not much exciting news here at the show, for home theater (it’s a show for the commercial display industry (including projectors of course).
But I do have a few rumors to report about more home theater projectors, which I’ll write in separate blogs while flying back from Orlando to San Clemente (California) tomorrow evening. Stay tuned! -art
Greetings all,
First, Pete – our new gaming blogger has shipped me the GT720 so I can do the full review. He’s done for now. Pete reports he played a range of different types of games on it, with great success, and has much to report, which he’s already posted in his Art of Gaming blog. His blog still isn’t well known, and a bit harder to find than mine, so this is just a: Read the rest of this entry »
Hello all!
My name is Pete Connolly and I’m very excited to start helping out here at Projector Reviews. I spend a lot of time in front of the big screen with a controller in my hand and hope to share some of my thoughts and experiences on pairing video games with home theater projectors. I will be doing this by adding a video game section to future reviews, as well as contributing here in a gaming focused blog.
So…where to begin?
Update 4/25/2011: Pete’s Games and Game Projector Blog is now live. His opening article “The Starting Bit”, which appeared here, has been moved there. Please join him there! The short name for his blog, is Bitbound – A Gamer’s Blog. -art
Greetings All,
I would like to tell you about a new blog launching on our site in the next few days. More importantly, t0 tell you we’ve got an expert to blog on the topic of gaming and projectors.
Gaming! As we all know, one popular aspect of owning a projector at home is that you can not only watch movies, sports, TV, but also play games. Games and gamers, come in Read the rest of this entry »
The Sharp XV-Z17000 looks like it's predecessor
Wow, a practical 1080p home theater projector. I set the Sharp XV-Z17000 down on the table in my theater, plugged it in, connected it to my PS3, and DirecTV box, and dropped in Alice In Wonderland in Blu-ray 3D.
Eureka! It works – in “living” 3D. My PS3, and the disk recognized the projector as a Blu-ray 3D device, and everything fired right up.
So, what have we here? The XV-Z17000 projector from Sharp is essentially a slightly updated (overall) version with 3D, of the existing XV-Z15000 which has been around more than a year, and Read the rest of this entry »
Time to fill you in, re what I learned at CES about home theater projectors. As someone pointed out, the last blog mostly focused on pico projectors. (Hey, they may not be “home theater” but they are “portable” theater, and techically, with some pushing 300+ lumens, they are as bright as some of the home theater projectors we’ve reviewed (at least their best modes).
No, I’m not recommending trading in your Epson or Panasonic home theater projectors Read the rest of this entry »
Greetings all,
Lots of readers have asked about gaming on various home theater projectors.
OK, I’ve concluded that I’ll never be a real gamer – certainly not one with the gaming experience, etc. to make good judgement calls on whether a given projector is particularly good, bad, or otherwise, when it comes to playing various types of games, be it WOW, or Carbon Canyon, or…Sonic?
So, here’s the story: I’m looking for an experienced gamer, living somewhere near San Clemente CA. (half way between LA and San Diego).
This person ideally is both a PC gamer and PS/3 or XBox (even Wii counts, but, hey, it’s still not as high end…)
Said person would evaluate various home projectors for key issues such as how good is the response time, picture quality (many projectors end up too dark on dark scenes (ie. WOW), and other issues.
Most likely “testing” would be done at my location. I already have PS/3′s and a Wii. I can add XBox 360 if really needed. Since I’m looking for a PC gamer, that person would help me purchase and configure a pretty high end gaming PC, which would be installed in my location, to be used by our “Projector Gaming Master.”
Once a process is set up, I imagine, the testing per projector shouldn’t take more than an hour or two, to cover both PC and game machine options.
The individual I’m looking for, would probably have the option of evaluating up to 20 projectors a year, but likely more like a dozen or so.
My gaming expert would be an independent contractor. Said person would be contracted one projector at a time, or perhaps several over a period of time. Very “part time” only a few hours a month, most likely, and that depending on what projectors… But, it should be fun. And, if the gamer can write reasonably well, I may want to launch a blog about gaming and projectors on the site. If that was the case, I’d be looking for someone to blog about once a month. This would be separate from testing the projectors/gaming.
So, OK, you hard core gamers, anyone nearby, have skills, and want to make a few bucks?
Students also welcome. Must have own transportation. Since the desired person will be an independent contractor contracted for on as needed basis, they should be flexible. Testing will be done here (with rare exceptions), in the daytime, or the evening. Those are details that can be worked out. While this may be about gaming, I’m looking for someone I can count on.
BTW, some of that gaming in 2011, is almost certain to include 3D gaming.
If local, skilled (at gaming), and interested, contact me at reviewer@projectorreviews.com
thanks! -art
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