Let’s consider that thought in terms of some of today’s great directors, and consider who’s directing 3D movies.  Although I’m skipping most of the directors of “mostly for kids” animated films, I will start with Lee Unkrich of Toy Story 3.  If you didn’t see it in 3D, you really didn’t see it at its best.  Want big names?  Check these film directors:

The Hobbit - An Incredible 3D Movie Adventure

James Cameron, (Avatar, Titanic remake, etc.)
Peter Jackson (The Hobbit)
Martin Scorsese (Hugo)
Robert  Zemekis (Beowulf, A Christmas Carol, The Polar Express)
Barry Sonnenfeld (Men In Black 3)
Spielberg (The Adventures of Tintin, he’s also produced a significant number of 3D movies)

and some up and comers:
Sam Raimi (upcoming: Oz: The Great and Powerful – he wrote Back To the Future)
Baz Luhrmann (wrote Moulin Rouge, directing The Great Gatsby).

BTW I’ve seen a 3D trailer of The Great Gatsby, what a feast for the eyes, even if you disagree with my wife who thinks DiCaprio is gorgeous.

The only thing I can’t figure out is what’s holding Tarantino back from directing his first 3D movie.  It seems so natural that he would.  He’s a known huge fan of 3D, and per iMDB (two years ago): Tarantino has been a fan of 3D movies for several years and wishes he had acquired the technology prior to the release of Kill Bill: Vol. 1.   IMDB also said at the time, of Tarantino; “he’s hinted he may use the technology for Kill Bill: Vol. 3, which is due for release in 2014.

OK, have I convinced you that much of the real talent in Hollywood is into 3D (Hey, it’s also rumored that we’ll see some 3D that’s Star Wars related from George Lucas.)

OK, enough name dropping of 3D directors (the full list, is huge).

When home theater projectors started appearing (Runco not withstanding), back at the beginning of the 21st Century (wow, that sure “sounds” long ago and far away), the highest resolution source material we had to view was the standard DVD.  Compared to Blu-ray or HDTV, a standard DVD is a relatively pathetic 853×480 resolution.   That’s barely 1/6 the number of pixels we’re used to with 1080p.  If you have a 100″ wide screen you could think of the resolution of DVD this way:  8.53 dots per inch.  No wonder no one wanted to sit closer than 15+ feet away back then.

That said, Blu-ray and 1080p still have come up seriously short (for us projector folks) NOT watching on some tiny little 42″, 55″, or 65″ LCDTV. 1080p on that same 100″ wide screen is still only 19.2 DPI.   (Think ink jet printers at 600 and 1200 dpi.)  At least at 4K, one square inch (on a 100″ wide screen) will have almost 1600 pixels in that square inch.  Compared to slightly less than 400, at 1080p, and only about 70 at DVD resolution.  All you metric folks out there, you can divide all these DPI numbers by approximately 6.45 to get the number of pixels per square centimeter.

In other words, when it comes to fully immersing yourself in a movie, or sports at 1080p (or 1080i) resolution, in order to not have too soft an image due to the “low resolution” of 1080p, you still have to sit pretty far back – let’s say the equivalent of the back of a typical movie theater, perhaps a little closer than that, or further back still.

And that brings us to where we want to be sitting.  The reason hundreds of millions of people who own nice sized LCDTVs and Plasmas head to the the local Cineplex (movie theater) many times a year, is due to two reasons:

1:  Some just can’t wait 3 months until most titles come out on Blu-Ray, or can be downloaded.

2:  The key one as far as I’m concerned:
Watching a movie on a 60″ screen just isn’t going to immerse you like going to the theater – you definitely do not have that “theater” experience.  No cigar, three strikes, no joy.  Sadness!   For 100′s of millions, movie or not, the only experience is still just “watching TV” not the excitement of a  ”movie premier”.

What is the answer?  Well for sure, 8K resolution would be great, but that will take probably 6 years. (For conversation purposes consider 2K and 1080p to be interchangeable terms, and also 4K and Ultra HD, to be interchangeable.)  Ultra-HD is twice the pixels vertically and horizontally of 1080p:  3840×2160 (8.3 megapixels).

Since I just mentioned 8K, note that they are definitely experimenting with 8K over in Japan.  Over here, though, the next great thing is Ultra-HD – 4K resolution.  It’s not perfect, but it’s a much bigger jump in resolution than going from 720p to 1080p!

And it sure will work for me.  Especially in 3D.   Why?   Because I do have a home theater – in most ways its better than any movie theater in good old California.  (I could argue the advantages of Imax.)  Oh, I recently visited  the theaters for Django and Zero Dark Thirty, but also for the incredible The Hobbit, Life of Pi, and more.

Mostly I stick to Imax, because I really haven’t been satisfied in any thing less.  This is California – which probably fire safety laws demand so much ambient light, that, as I mentioned recently, the movies have no blacks.  When viewing Les Miz, the black levels on the screen were inferior to watching any $999 home theater projector in a half way decent room with lights off.  I think I put it about the equal of the black levels of the recently reviewed Epson Home Cinema 750HD (an entry level 3LCD 720p projector).

Oh, true, we have yet to be allowed to bring DCI color gamut to the home (soon we hope), so the theaters do have slightly more color range, but with all that ambient light forget appreciating that difference!

OK, where am I going with this?  You home theater experience should blow away the local movie theaters. But, then most of the digital theaters these days are using 4K projectors. So the size of the screen to your eyes, can be a lot larger in the theater, thanks to twice the resolution (horizontally and vertically).  That is, you have to sit relatively “further back” at home (smaller perceived screen size), to maintain a sharp image.

With 4K, our home theaters will have parity with the movie theaters, and that can’t happen too soon.

I like sitting about 1/3 to 1/2 back in a good movie theater.  To get that much immersion in my home with a projector, on my 124″ diagonal 2.35:1 (wide) screen, as sitting 1/3 back, I need roughly to sit about 6-8 feet back.  As it stands, with 2K (1080p), at 10 feet back, in my theater, the screen still appears smaller than I would like it to appear, but I’m already just shy of the point where pixels are becoming visible on normal content.

Give me 4K – Ultra-HD, and 6 feet back becomes viable. at 8 feet, the term should be razor sharp, on a screen my size at 4K.  Note, time perhaps to convince Stewart, SI, Da-Lite, Elite, Draper, etc. to commit to offering us affordable curved screens!

And that brings us back to 3D.   I am a 3D fanatic.  (root word:  fan)  3D is not a gimmick.

If you remember nothing else from this article:  Please, try to remember that about the only things humans do on this planet that isn’t in 3D is read, write, and watch movies and TV.  The rest of our lives are in 3D.  Off topic:  Anyone out there dream in 3D?  (Sadly, I don’t remember my dreams.)

You will get to know 3D, it will not go away.  Every year, more and more blockbusters are in 3D, and for the movie snobs among us (no offense) not just blockbusters, more and more great movies too.  The kind that do win Best Picture, Best Actor…  Perhaps some one should wonder if some great blockbusters would have been great without 3D (Avatar comes to mind, Hugo, I think made an excellent 2D movie, but pales compared to the 3D version.)

Why, because it’s not a gimmick, it more closely resembles reality.

People 3D is not what you see the first 5 minutes you have the glasses on.  In most cases, that’s when you are going, “wow, 3D is cool” or “look at that” or “this is weird” (for those not fans).

Folks it’s about the next 2 or 3 hours of 3D, when unless it’s a kids 3D movie where the director is intentionally throwing 3D effects at you, that you forget that you are watching 3D.  Instead you are watching the movie, you are viewing and listening to the story, as it should be.  With real depth.  Things just are more natural.  More REAL, more believable.

And that’s true as long as 3D isn’t being treated as a gimmick by the director.

I can’t imagine watching a great or even good movie in 2D after seeing it on Imax, or in my home theater, in 3D.   It would be like stripping away the color, or maybe more like reducing the color saturation so that bright colors are instead pale.

Giving up great 3D is like taking the life out of a picture.  No, it’s not going to change the story, but great 3D will make “suspending disbelief a whole lot easier.  You will be more immersed in the world you are watching, and your brain (once used to 3D) will make everything more intense, believable.

Again, we’re talking serious 3D, not gimmicky Captain EO, or Journey to the Center of the Earth, putting objects 6 inches from you nose (so your eyes go cross-eyed).

So, projector fans, our time is fast approaching.  In another year or two, many of us will have taken advantage –  viewing true 4K (not gimmicks there either), on 3D content.  (or so we can only hope).

It really pleases me to think of viewing the beauty of Life of Pi in 4K 3D from 6-7 feet back from my 124″ screen in a pitch black home theater, or viewing the in-your-face action, and world building, and story of The Hobbit in 4K 3D.  That experience should have us wondering, in just a few years, how we survived in a world where 1080p and 2D was king.  It’s like looking back from 1080p to that old DVD with WVGA resolution, and pixels bigger than BBs,  1080p will be that same type of dinosaur, an important footnote in history, but not anything we’d want to actually have to suffer through.  (OK, I am getting carried away.)

And of course, 8K will follow 4K.   If only we could speed up the clock of change.

I am speaking from experience.  As noted, I did get to view a few things 3D and 4K in my theater, – including the trailer for Spiderman, on the true 4K Sony VPL-VW1000ES projector.  Thank you Sony, for sending me a server with such content, with the projector.

I’m done “waxing eloquent” (a phrase I don’t think I’ve ever used before, but always admired), about the future.  But for those of you who so far have considered 3D a toy, or just “have no interest”.  I ask only that you keep an open mind.  I’d hate to see you left behind.  Donot miss the 3D worlds you will be able to view in the future in your home  They should be far better,  for the naturalness of 3D, and for the improved resolution that will allow us to have a large enough field of view to be as fully immersed as possible.

Geez, after writing all of this, I think I better catch The Hobbit one more time in an IMAX 3D theater if I can still find one still showing it…  (I just looked, nearest 3D IMAX that still has it, is 50 miles away.  Darn, will have to ask Sony to send the VW1000ES back when they release the Hobbit in 3D.

My only complaint – all of this won’t be available, and affordable soon enough.

That said, I’d be really surprised if you can’t buy a really good true 4K, 3D home theater projector for $5K two years from now. Maybe even a good bit less?  Afterall, it’s more about getting those 4K LCD, LCoS and DLP chips on the street, than it is about 3D, since most of  all new home projectors over $1500 seem to be 3D.

PS  This particular blog was inspired by another blog I read the other day by Andrew Robinson, a hardware reviewer (audio and video…), and independent film director.    I had to comment on a point or two, as I think Andrew was writing with more of an LCDTV slant than from our home theater projector vantage.    I think he fears people will be watching their 4K LCDTVs from 2 feet away.  Check his blog out by clicking here.

PPS.  This turned out way to long for a blog.  I will be re-editing this piece into a main article (or perhaps two) on the projectorreviews.com website, and likely shorten this blog to something reasonable, more to the point, and point readers to the larger article for those willing to put up with my ramblings.

Thanks! -art

PPPS.  Don’t forget – our next two home theater reviews:  JVC DLA-X95R (aka DLA-RS66U from the other JVC division), and the Mitsubishi HC8000D.

Pricing turns out to be lower than most of us originally anticipated.

Here are the official numbers per Epson:  and about $300 each less than I had expected until recently.

Home Cinema 5010 –  MAP of $2699!!! MSRP now $2999 (originally expected to have an MSRP of $3499 as announced at the  CEDIA show in Sept.)

Home Cinema 5010e – MAP of $2999!! MSRP now $3499  (previously expected to be just below $4K)

Wow!   What is most stunning about this pricing, is that since both Panasonic and Epson have offered the  first 1080p home theater projectors (Panasonic PT-AE1000 and Epson Home Cinema 1080), the Epson projectors have always  sold anywhere from $200 to $500 more online.   This is the first time Epson has ever launched a 1080p projector, with a price below – in this case $300 less – than the Panasonic equivalent.  Even the Epson Home Cinema 5010e, is only the same price as the PT-AE7000.

And that certainly has had an impact as how I’m considering their value propositions…

And, it may help answer a question I asked Epson, which was – why discontinue the 8700UB, if the HC5010 is going to be $1000 more?  When you consider there are plenty of folks only interested in 2D, that would like the Epson “best in class” black peformance of the 8700UB for about $2000..  Well, now I can guess that killing the 8700UB likely inspired them not to have a $1400 space between the Home Cinema 3010 and the 5010, and therefore drop hundreds below $3,000.  I conjecture this pricing also explains something else that has puzzled me, but I’ll save that for the full Epson projector review.

The other thing you want to know right now is this:

Officially, I start writing up the Home Cinema 5010 review as soon as I hit publish on this blog. I will have large chunks of the Epson HC5010 review  - and 5010e comments, uploaded to the main site, before dawn (pacific zone) Thursday – which is Thanksgiving here, in the US.  I’m actually giving myself all of Thursday off.

I could give you more tidbits etc, now that I’ve spent dozens of hours watching the HC5010 projector, but I won’t be getting much sleep tonight and tomorrow night as it is, if you want to be reading this before Black Friday.

So, with that in mind, I’m Adios, out-of-here, gone – back to  Dreamweaver, I am using to  create the Epson Home Cinema 5010 projector review for you.

Happy Thanksgiving!  -art

Greetings,   I’ve put the one page quick look on the main site.   Just click here to read some impressions so far on the PT-AE7000 projector.   The full projector review is only 2 days away.  -art

Gotta run.  -art

It will be shipping in September!  I asked, they could not tell me when in Sept – early or late, or…  We’ll just have to see.

A quick comment then some details.   I had the opportunity to see a good hour plus of assorted 3D content, including Ice Age 3, and others.  This was in Panasonic’s “theater” screening room.  It’s a small theater, with great huge home theater type seats (yep cup holders, too), and it’s got all dark surfaces, and a huge screen.

PT-AE7000 lens and controls - lens shift and control panel

We saw the PT-AE7000 as it will be called in the US – or PT-AE7000U, also to be known at the PT-AT5000 in the EU, and probably a lot of the rest of the world.

It’s impossible to make any precise, quick judgements when viewing content you don’t or barely know, in a room you are unfamiliar with.  For that reason, I reserve all serious judgements for after a PT-AE7000 graces my testing room and theater.   That said, it was most impressive!

What we have here, is Panasonic’s PT-AE70000.  It is a 3 LCD panel projector (yes good old transmissive panels (or maybe good “new” panels.  I never asked.  It seems about the same size as the PT-AE4000, but far better looking.  Gone is the commercial box, replaced with some decent sculpted lines.

Unlike the PT-AE4000, the PT-AE7000 looks great – turned off.

Turn on the power and you have a 2000 lumen rated 1080p projector.  That’s an increase over the PT-AE4000, but perhaps more importantly, that makes it about twice as bright (or more) than any of 3D 1080p capable projectors I’ve had in, to review.

With a MSRP of only $3499 (no, it’s not $3495), it prices below, yet is brighter than the JVC, the Sharp XV-Z17000, the Mitsubishi HC9000D and the Sony VPL-VW90ES, that we’ve reviewed to date.  Even the  forthcoming Sony HW30 should be at least a few hundred more expensive, as, no doubt, Panasonic will set their MAP price lower.

Panasonic has not yet set it at this time, but the two most logical price points will be $2995 or $2495  We shall see.  Final pricing on the recently announced Optomas, and probably guessing at what the other 3D projector with transmissive LCDs will price at – that being whatever Epson rolls out at Cedia in 6 weeks, as they too say they will have one.

Enough on that, however.  Let’s talk projector.

PT-AE7000 Contrast:   300,000:1  (significant improvement)
PT-AE7000 Brightness:  2000 lumens

We saw the PT-AE7000 and AE4000 doing the same 2D material side-by-side, both in Cinema 1 modes and you can definitely see slightly blacker blacks and the additiona pop – dynamic look, to the image.  All considered, the PT-AE7000 with better blacks and a couple hundred more lumens, effortlessly looked the better of the two. Similar, but definitely better.

For 3D viewing, there was no competition there for comparison, but (for an unfamiliar location) it really did look good.  On most of the content, the PT-AE7000 was essentially free of the ghosting, referred to as cross-talk.  Part of that was attributed to their 480Hz driven LCD panels, with larger aperture.

The PT-AE7000 inherits a lot from the older AE4000.   The Waveform generator is still there, but it’s been upgraded to do 3D as well.

The Lens Memory feature is still there.  I believe it shares the same lens and throw distances, as the older model, and it does have the same 100% range on vertical lens shift, although it has a little less horizontal shift that the 4000.

A new Red rich lamp, according to Panasonic is making a real difference.  AE7000 has CFI and pretty much all the other dynamic type features that the 4000 has offered.

OK, of interest.  Like DLP-Link, the PT-AE7000 sends out the syncing information for the active shutter glasses.  They say the range is about 6 meters – call it 20 feet.   If your room requires more, no worries, a separate IR transmitter for 3D is included, and plugs into one of the two “Screen triggers”.  Problem solved.  The emitter was used for the demo, as some folks in the Panasonic theater were as far back as 40+ feet.

Just a couple more things before I go.

The full press release will be posted on our site, most likely tomorrow.   They handed out paper, not a file, although a couple folks were asking and might have gotten the pdf by now.   Either way, we’ll get the full release up as quickly as possible.

Same for the specs, although you know already know most of the ones you care about.

The PT-AE7000 looked great in 2D, it looked almost (not really) bright, in 3D.  In one room they actually dared show it on a 120″ diagonal 1.1 gain screen.  Well it was at least as bright (by my best guess) as any of the four mentioned above, on a much smaller screen.   I’d say on my slightly higher gain Studiotek 130, at 100″ diagonal, none of those others was quite as bright as the Panasonic, on 120″.  This gives me hope that my friends who object to the general lack of brightness of 3D, and often prefer the 2D version, only because of the brightness, may be swayed.  My toughest viewer, insisted 45 minutes int Alice, on the JVC, that she couldn’t stand the dimness, so we switched to 2D.

So, I’m most encouraged.  So far, the only consumer 1080p projectors out there with 2000 lumen type brightness are entry level 720p 2D/3D projectors, more for gaming or the family room.   This Panasonic changes all of that.  It still won’t be close to 2D brightness in a movie theater, but it’s a good step on the way.

So, from a quick look under unfamiliar conditions:   Brighter than most 3D projectors, cleaner on ghosting and crosstalk, a reasonable price (you really didn’t expect them to give you 3D for the same price as the AE4000 did you?) – and a classically extensive set of performance and consumer features!

Great promise.  Can’t wait until a review unit arrives (no they couldn’t say when yet – and these units here, are all engineering samples), to see how well Panasonic delivers on the promise.

One last thing.  When Panasonic was asked “what took you so long”, their answer was basically, “we wanted to get it right”.  Looks like they are on the right track.   It’s going to be a really interesting fall and winter this year, for home theater projectors.   That’s great, the past 12 months have been a bit thin  on great new projectors, but this CEDIA, there should be plenty.  I’m ready!

People, start saving, there look to be a lot of cool projector choices coming in the 2nd half of this year, and the PT-AE7000 definitely looks to be one of the more/most interesting.  -art

A couple of folks posted comments to this blog.  I had asked to wait until RonJ’s was up.  OK, bottom line, a couple of you, that I suggested post your comments on Ron’s blog, instead reposted on this one, but addressed to Ron.  Ron has no access to my blog, other than as a reader.  Please (Peter, and one other) repost on to Ron’s blog, at the address above.

Or if you prefer to jump to his blog’s homepage:  http://www.projectorreviews.com/projector-technical-blog/

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.

The Viewsonic VP-3D1 addresses several issues that have limited what you can do with these projectors when it comes to 3D.  Mind you the Viewsonic VP-3D1, isn’t the only device of it’s kind.  Optoma‘s been shipping their similar 3D-XL, to do the same thing.  Strangely, the Optoma device has been available in the EU for many months and is just arriving here (or has arrived), but Optoma hasn’t had review units yet.

So, here comes the VP-3D1.  What does it really do?  First, it has two HDMI inputs – and they are HDMI 1.4a.   HDMI 1.4a is the newest HDMI standard, and the thing that matters – the Blu-ray 3D standard, for all Blu-ray 3D DVDs requires HDMI 1.4a.  The VP3D1 also supports Side By Side, but I haven’t looked into that yet – stay tuned.  I’m also planning to put on and watch/listen to a bunch of those 3D music videos I’ve been recording for months from DirecTV.

I know many of you will say that the Sony PS3 now in it’s 3rd or 4th year, can play Blu-ray 3D since firmware updates many months ago.  How do it do dat?   The Sony PS3 is a powerful computer essentially.  It’s upgradability by firmware is downright revolutionary, and as a result, yes, it simply has the horsepower to emulate any HDMI 1.4a features needed for viewing Blu-ray 3D.

Both of my PS-3′s and my Panasonic HDMI 1.4a Blu-ray player typically have no problem with the Blu-ray 3D discs.

720p projectors like the Optoma GT720 – a machine geared for gaming, or for that matter any of perhaps two dozen 720p and other lower resolution WXGA projectors that are 3D capable, however, mostly lack HDMI 1.4a, and also the programming to work with that 1080p 3D content.

Without the ViewSonic VP3D1, these projectors can typically handle a variety of 3D, including some of the channels on DirecTV and cable.  But they are primarily designed to work with game machines and PC’s rather than 3D DVD or 3D HDTV.  The VP3D1, changes all of that.

The VP3D1 converts 3D up to and including 1080p down to an HDMI 1.3 720p 120 hz signal which is the standard for 3D on the lower resolution 3D capable projectors, lots of them!

With the ViewSonic VP3D1, therefore, these low cost projectors can now handle a range of 3D content rivaling the very expensive 1080p 3D projectors like the Sony‘s (about $4K, and $10K), JVC‘s, Sharp XV-Z17000, etc.

There are still a number of current standards (and “optional” modes) to do 3D, and so far, only one projector I’ve worked with, for example has been able to work with all three 3D channels DirecTV puts out.  And that includes the pure 1080p 3D projectors.

But back to the VP-3D1.  This was so easy.   I set up the GT720, plugged it in, fired up my Panasonic Blu-ray player, but instead of running the HDMI cable from the Panasonic, to the Optoma, instead, the cable goes from the Blu-ray player to the VP3D1 HD 3D processor.  The VP-3D1 has two HDMI inputs, I should note, that can be switched from the front, each with discreet buttons.

The next step is to run a second HDMI cable from the VP-3D1 to the 3D projector, in this case, the Optoma GT720.

Firing up everything, I put in my favorite all purpose Blu-ray 3D DVD, Ultimate Wave, 3D Tahiti.

Here’s the cool part.  That was it!  I put on the active shutter 3D glasses that Optoma sells for their projector, and bingo, Ultimate Wave 3D plays beautifully in 3D, from Blu-ray 3D.  No muss, no fuss!  Out came the Ultimate Wave disc, and in, Tron Legacy!  Tron Legacy also played great in 3D.  (a very fun movie to demo to friends, that Tron).

The next step was to try one of my two PS3s.  I simply pulled the HDMI cable out of the Panasonic player, put it into my PS3, and Tahiti kept on playing in 3D.

Audio.  I need to look into audio a bit later.  I can tell you that the audio from Ultimate Wave, made it from Blu-ray player to VP3D1, to the GT720, and the sound played fine through the Optoma’s small speaker.   I also played the audio through my room’s sound system, but I already pull the audio out via digital optical cable, not HDMI, since I don’t use my AV receiver to switch the video, only the audio. As that’s not the way most folks do it, I will report whether one needs to treat audio any differently when the VP3D1 is hooked up,  than without the VP3D1 in the system.

Update:  Not a problem.  I outputted the audio via digital optical from the Panasonic, to my AV receiver, while sending the video to the VP3D1.   It works fine.  Same when using the PS3.

Finally, I had mentioned the Optoma 3D-XL.  The two are similar, but, the Optoma has an additional capability, even if few will use it.  You can pair two low cost projectors with 2 3D-XL’s polarizers, etc. and create a system using passive glasses.  My take on that, too expensive, with things changing so quickly, but that is a difference.  Another difference is that the Optoma is a full $100 higher MSRP, and close to that difference when both are discounted.

Break time around here!  When I come back, I’ll report on how the VP-3D1 performs as I try it on 3D HDTV content.  I’ve got content recorded from all three DirecTV channels, two of which have only worked on one projector so far.  The plan is just to add to this blog (within 24 hours of the post), rather than split up the info on two blogs.  That way we can keep all the comments on one blog.

And of course, after I finish this blog on the VP-3D1 3D processor I’m starting on the full review of the GT720, which I will try to post by next weekend.  Also of note, while doing both, I am writing up my thoughts on Carada’s Masquerade CIH masking system, designed to work with most fixed wall screens.   It’s a busy week.  At the same time, I also will post a one page review on the legendary Studiotek 130 from Stewart Filmscreen.

So, it’s a busy week, but I’m having fun today and tonight with 3D.

Look for this blog on the VP3D1 Processor to be added to, and finished within 24 hours.

Update:  Ok, folks I forgot to update.  I’m just getting back to it now.  I’m done playing.  The Optoma GT720 is going home to Optoma and for the moment, I’m out of 720p 3D capable projectors that lack HDMI 1.4a.

But, I did want to bring up one topic, and that’s compatibility with my PS3s.   I originally reported that I switched while watching one Blu-ray 3D disc, from Panasonic Blu-ray player to one of my PS3s, and no problem at all.

However, Ultimate Wave 3D Tahiti seems a little more forgiving than some other Blu-ray 3D detecting discs.   Over repeated use, I’ve found that one of my PS3 players doesn’t always like the VP3D1/Optoma combination.  On occasion, I’m getting messages that there is no Blu-ray 3D compatible device, and the discs are kicking me out.  Most times it works just fine, sometimes not.  It seems that if I have one such disc working, then the next one will too.  Problem is, I haven’t figured out why a few discs don’t always work, or rarely work.   I’ve tried all dozen plus Blu-Ray 3D’s  in my collection.  From FIFA soccer, Tron Legacy, to Monster House all have worked on the PS3/VP3D1 projector combination.  Just a few times I get the 3D display compatibility error.

Bottom line – Using a PS3 should be just dandy, but perhaps not 100%.  I have been able to get every Blu-ray 3D disc to work, but not every time.  Of course one of my PS3′s is real old – one of the first two months production?  When I visited a forum about the 3D1, all mentions of using the VP3D1 with a PS3 are positive, with no issues reported.  So I’m the only person reporting any issue.   BTW I suspect cables.  Not all of my cables are wide bandwidth HDMI, and I run some longer lengths.  I plan to upgrade several of them.  Frame packing 3D apparently requires about 2X the bandwidth of 2D?  There is a question raised about Top-Bottom 3D, being an issue.  I did not specifically identify any top-bottom 3D content.  I am going to ask Viewsonic about that.

Mind you I will have other projectors arriving, that can use the VP3D1, so when they do, I’ll try some more.  Is the problem being caused by the projector?  Or is it the combination of the VP3D1 and the particular projector model, or just related to the VP3D1 in certain circumstances, or more likely – a PS3 issue?

But remember, my Panasonic Blu-ray player with HDMI 1.4a (the first Panasonic with it), works flawlessly.  Not once did the Panasonic tell me that the display isn’t compatible, so the PS3 is at least part of the issue.

While there were some issues with the PS3, note that there was no such problem with 3D content coming over my DirecTV box with the VP3D1 and Optoma.  Content from all 3D channels worked as advertised.  Note, that included ESPN 3D’s X-Games, concerts in 3D from Guitar center (there’s a whole series of them, with great artists), L5: First City in Space, China Revealed, and National Parks, all on 3net, and Adventures in Animation, and Vancouver 2010: Olympic Stories, from the n3D channel.

Artifacts:  Overall, pretty clean, but I have no comparable 720p projector that doesn’t need the VP3D1, to do side by side 3D comparisons with.  This opportunity may present itself in the near future.  The only noteworthy, annoying artifact I noted, turned out to be a left right issue, which with most 3D projectors is easily correctable.

So, bottom line – other than some once in a while issues with using a PS3, the VP3D1 looks pretty good.   Until I can find me a proper 1080p 3D projector I can live with, I expect I’ll probably be using the VP3D1 or a competitor’s with one of these low cost 3D capable projectors until my dream projector arrives to replace my now aging JVC RS20.

Products like the VP3D1 can take your basic 3D projector to the next level – with 1080p support and Blu-ray 3D support.  A device like the VP3D1 combined with a low cost 3D projector (and a more expensive 2D one) makes for a tantalizing, and practical alternative to dropping a big bundle on todays higher end 1080p 3D projectors all of which seem to be over $4000 at the moment!  In other words, if your 3D is only occasional, this way, you can wait for the expensive ones to move to 2nd or 3rd generation 3D and get brighter.  -art

Hope that helps folks. Again, any owners – feed us all back!  thanks -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

The floodgates are apparently now open (if 3 months late).  the JVC DLA-RS60 (click for specs) - JVC’s top of the line home theater projector, landed here yesterday 1/28/11.   The DLA-RS60 is a 3D projector (and of course 2D) using JVC’s LCoS panels – which they call D-iLA (Sony calls theirs SXRD, etc.)   This JVC projector uses active LCD shutter glasses when showing 3D.

I should note that there is also a JVC DLA-RS50, which is, essentially, the same projector for two thirds the price.  The MSRP of the RS60 is $11,995, and the RS50 has an MSRP of $7995.

The difference is one of quality control.  Yes $4000 is a lot to pay for quality control, but JVC gives you the best of their power supplies, the best optical engine, cleanest image processing engine, and takes the best of all those and more parts, and assembles a limited number of DLA-RS60s.  Last year, we compared the RS25, with the RS35 (same difference) and there was a clear, and significant difference with the “premium” model.

The JVC RS60 and the RS50, have a lot more lumens than their predecessors, and that is a very good thing, since 3D using active glasses, basically loses a good 75% of the brightness by the time it gets to your eyeballs.  With 1300 lumens now, up from last year’s 900, that’s a healthy jump, but is it enough for 3D.  For those familiar with the older JVC projectors, these new ones – the DLA-RS60 included are a whole size larger. They are similar in depth to the old ones, but much wider.  Cabling is on the back, not the sides like they were the last few generations.

I’ll blog more later in the week, but I can say, during a quick setup last night, I fired up Alice In Wonderland, on Blu-ray 3D.  I hadn’t looked at the manual.  I flipped through a few of the pre set Picture modes, and immediately realized modes like THX and Cinema were going to be useless for 3D.  I settled for Natural, which seemed the brightest.

I didn’t look far enough, there is also a 3D mode, and it turns out that it is the brightest.  I’ll try that later.   Meantime last night, with a friend, we tried to watch Alice in Wonderland.  Hey, it’s a dark movie, overall, and it does not cut it when the image is underpowered.   Projecting onto a 100″ HC light gray (Elite screen – a temporary until next week), it was painfully not bright enough.   I ended up reducing the image size to about 84″ diagonal, and my friend still found it way too dark (I thought it was tolerable at that point.)   As a concession to my friend, we switched to the 2D version for the 2nd half of the movie.   As it was explained to me by her, the 3D in cool, but she’d much rather watch in 2D than have a dim 3D image.   I’m sure that resonates with lots of us.

OK, I took a break and just tried the 3D mode.  It is definitely the brightest mode, but a good deal.  I zoomed back out so Alice is filling the whole 100″ diagonal.  The 3D looks just dandy, but, I fear, the RS60 lacks the lumens to fill this 100″ screen.  Remember this is an old Elite HC Grey screen, one I estimated the gain to be 0.9 when it was reviewed 4+ years ago.

It’s probably not a good choice at all for a 3D screen, even with the active shutter glasses type of 3D.  A new Carada Brilliant White (claimed 1.4 gain, we estimate 1.3), has arrived in Carada’s Masquerade masking system.  If all goes well, that will be mounted and in use next week, in the testing room.  I’ll be sure to see how much better the JVC DLA-RS60 does with a significantly brighter screen.

It is my hope that the jump in brightness will be enough to make the JVC acceptable on 100″ screen sizes.  We can only hope.  Note, I really do believe the manufacturers have to start thinking 2400 to 3000 lumen projectors for 3D!

Brightness notwithstanding the 3D and the movie Alice, are most enjoyable, and rather impressive.  The 3D mode makes a real difference, although the 3D gamma is “interesting”.

I’ll try to do an official First Look Review soon, but don’t count on it.  I need to finish writing up the Viewsonic Pro8200, complete the review of the Sharp XV-Z17000 and the Epson MovieMate 85HD, before this JVC… With luck, both the Pro8200 and the Sharp will be posted before superbowl, and the 85HD too, if possible.  (Best to figure only 2 of the 3).  The JVC DLA-RS60 won’t be far behind the others.

One more thing I’m going to have to look into.  Trying to watch the Winter X games on ESPN3D, the Satellite box tells me that the JVC is not compatible because it needs to be 720p.  I’m investigating… -art

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 which is a very nice home theater projector (Hot Product Award), that sells for about $2000 and has an MSRP of $2495.

If there is an “unfortunately”, it’s the price.  The Sharp XV-Z17000 has an MSRP of $4995, which is double that of the older 2D projector.   This projector is just about to start shipping (not quite yet, as of this writing), so I cannot make any determination as to what the street price will be initially.  I imagine the Sharp Z17000 could sell for close to the MSRP, or, considering that the street discount on the older projector tends to be around 20%, then the same would have the Sharp XV-Z17000 available for close to $4000.

Either way, this is the lowest MSRP 3D 1080p projector we’ve seen to date, although the JVC DLA-RS40 which is starting to ship, is also $4995.   We will be reviewing that projector as well, but probably at least a month out, as JVC is now sending an RS60 as the first one we get for review.

Ahh, let’s stay on target here, which is the Sharp XV-Z17000 projector.

I won’t discuss 3D picture quality but to say, sure, there’s a little crosstalk, and other minor artifacts, but I have yet, including the $15,000 LG CF3D, or the $6000 Lightspeed Modulator to see a truly clean 3D image.  That is to say, for those of us playing with home theater projectors 5, 7, 10 years ago, we were used to all kinds of minor noise types and artifacts.  Over the years, the processing has gotten cleaner and cleaner, to the point that today’s basic $2000 home theater projectors probably produce a cleaner overall image than most of the very expensive projectors only a handful of years before.

Most likely it will take the 3D projector industry a couple of years to start refining the 3D aspects and deliver a truly clean 3D image.

But, the Sharp projector is very watchable.  I watched about an hour of Alice (forced my wife to watch some as well), then we switched to an hour long 3D program from the Universe series from TV, now shipping on Blu-ray 3D.  The solar system visuals in 3D were nothing less than stunning. Again, not perfect, but definitely knock your socks off type of “wow” material.

Finally, I put on Monster House in 3D, afterall, probably more than half of all 3D movie titles right now are animations.   That was fun too.

I should note, my theater still has a temporary screen – a 100 inch diagonal 16:9 Elite HC gray surface.   I don’t think it’s ideal for even active glasses 3D such as the Sharp.  I will be trying out the projector on several other screens, including the Carada Brilliant White, and the Da-lite 3D surface.  If the Stewart silver 3D screen arrives on time, that one too (it should be here before Superbowl).

Yes, the 3D looks pretty good, but what about overall?

Dim!   I started in Movie 1 mode, with Alice.  Forget that idea.  Movie 1 mode is dim.  Period.  The Sharp has never been a particularly bright projector especially in “best” mode, in fact the opposite.  The older model measured just barely 300 lumens in “best” mode, but a much more respectable 1100 lumens at its brightest.

In Movie 1 mode, the projector was unwatchable – too dim on Alice, on the dark scenes, to be acceptable.  Now, Movie 1 has the manual iris stopped down for max contrast, and the dynamic iris feature off.

Next I switched to Dynamic mode.  Oh what a joy by comparison.  Alice was now definitely reasonably bright.  I won’t say that some extra brightness wouldn’t have been a little better, but then my screen isn’t as bright as a normal white surface. A better match in a screen would help.

In other words, I’ll go out on a limb to say that in brightest mode, the Sharp does have the muscle to fill a 100″ diagonal 16:9 screen with 3D content.  (Though not a lot to spare).  Forget having a nice, really, really, bright image for sports, or Discovery HD type 3D content, but if you have your room lighting control, you do get a good 3D showing!

Next I tried Movie 2, which defaults to dynamic iris on, manual iris maximum open (brightest).  That was still down from brightest mode, but a huge jump from Movie 1.  When Mike gets done calibrating a best mode based on Movie 2, we’ll see how “bright enough” it is.  Let’s say that probably you’ll view in “brightest” mode for 3D, for the max lumens, but for some viewing, or on a smaller screen, Movie 2 just might do the trick.

The experience:    Sorry to many of you.  I am a big 3D fan.  I don’t call for 3D everything, but I have been enjoying 3D in the theaters and here at home.  I don’t care if 95% of what I watch is 2D, 3D, to me, is often truly worth watching.  I found the Universe programming in 3D to be right up my alley.  And I’m just about to start watching some sports in 3D!

I’ll discuss more, in the full review, who I think, of  different types of people, with different enthusiasms for 3D, and with different viewing habits, and different budgets might consider this XV-Z17000, as a good move now, who should wait, and who might find other 3D alternatives better today.

Let’s just say that for the first time I’m looking at $4000 – $5000 for a 1080p 3D projector that is pretty capable.  Yes, in a year, 3D pictures will probably be a bit cleaner (including less crosstalk) but I’m figuring two years probably to get to a clean approaching what us enthusiasts have been used to,  the last 2-3 years with 2D projection.

I’m well familiar with the performance of the basic XV-Z15000, and have always liked it among the lower cost ultra-high contrast projectors, though it never had the brightness in best modes to handle my larger 128″ screen.

Considering all of that, this Sharp XV-Z17000 may be one of only a small handful of 1080p 3D projectors being rolled out, that can, a) get the job done, in 3D – at a fairly reasonable price.  (A price though that will get a lot more reasonable in a couple of years, though as more folks start buying 3D).

Mike should be calibrating the Sharp 3D projector tonight, so I’ll be back viewing it again tomorrow afternoon.  I’ll be doing some 2D viewing as well, but I expect that to be very much like the older projector, so not too much new to support there.

Let me say this – after about 5 hours of total viewing last night, all but minutes, in 3D, this Sharp Z17000 looks to be viable for those wanting a respectable image in 3D without going and spending a lot more, for say the Sony 90ES, the LG, or the higher end JVCs.

I look forward to completing this review, and trying to build out a method for you all to figure out if 3D is for you, or rather, when 3D will be for you.

BTW my wife passed the LCD shutter glasses test.  She wasn’t initially happy, but she got used to them.  I should note, they are not the slickest, or the lightest of the 3D shutter glasses out there.  The projector, I should note, came with two pair of active shutter glasses, as part of the price.

Finally, since I failed to mention this above.  This Sharp XV-Z17000 projector is a Sample, definitely not production, though physically it’s well finished since it’s built on the year and a half old Z15000 projector design.

For those of you who want to better familiarize yourself with the other aspects of the Z17000, here’s a link to the review of the older, 2D, Z15000 projector.

3D – at home – that works!  In 1080p!  Blu-Ray 3D compatible!  $4995.  Definitely doable for those of us with the budget.   Stay tuned!  -art

Mitsubishi's new HC9000D 3D home theater projector

At that time, it was a first gen engineering sample, and had issues with the 3D.  While the sample displayed at CES last week was far better, I’m told that even that is old, compared to what is getting ready to ship.

That’s right, the Mitsubishi HC9000 projector’s first shipments are scheduled for February.  Hey, experience says, first shipments often slip.  Let’s just say my confidence that it will be “in the stores” this quarter, are very high, even if they don’t make their first half of February target.

What have we here in terms of the HC9000D?  Well, let’s start with the basics.  the HC9000 projector is an LCoS, specifically an SXRD LCoS, which means they are using Sony LCoS panels.  (I presume they are the same panels that are in the new Sony VPL-VW90ES, which is already shipping.)

Mitsubishi now tells me that the projector will be rated 1100 lumens bright, which is 100 lumens brighter than the announcement at CEDIA last year.  Contrast has also been improved to 150,000:1, but then, you regulars know that I don’t pay much mind to contrast specs for home theater projectors these days.  The reason is that the spec tells almost nothing, since manufacturers use “slight of hand” thanks to the dynamic iris.   When the review unit arrives, and I put it side by side, with others, then we’ll know how good the contrast/black level performance really is!  I’ve seen 250,000:1 contrast projectors that can’t match the black level performance of others claiming only 35,000:1… but, I digress

But let’s concentrate on the HC9000 since there’s a lot to cover:

As a 2D projector, it looks like it’s going to be a lot brighter than the lower cost HC7000, a very good, moderately priced, but not overly bright projector.  The HC9000 also has more placement flexibility.  It sports a new motorized 1.8:1 zoom, and more lens shift than previous Mitsubishi’s.  Mitsubishi says the lens shift vertically is 100%.  There are two ways of looking at the percentage.  Basically, the HC9000 can be placed anywhere in a range from 50% above the top of the screen surface, to 50% below the bottom of the screen surface.  With a 50 inch high screen (about 100″ diagonal in a 16:9 configuration), that means the center of the lens could be as high as 25 inches above the top or 25 below the bottom.  Together that’s 50 inches, or the same as the screen height – thus their 100% number.   Many reviewers instead, would say it has 50% range – 50% above and 50% below.  Don’t worry about the description, look at the actual amount of shift, to be sure.

Other highlights of the HC9000 home theater projector include a full color management system, a new physical black case that doesn’t look like previous Mitsubishi projectors.  There is also a physical color filter to refine the color accuracy when best color fidelity is called for.  I should also note the HC9000 uses Silicon Optix Reon VX image processing.  That’s the same family (newer) of processing that I have in my JVC RS20, and may other excellent projectors from the under $3K range to 10′s of thousands of dollars.

The projector offers creative frame interpolation, for both movies – 24fps, and traditional digital content at 60 fps.  What is not clear, from my conversations, questions, and the data sheets provided, is whether the projector can combine and do creative frame interpolation (motion smoothing), while doing 3D.

I’ll get back to that, when one arrives for review.

I’ve only seen one 3D projector that is at all targeted for home, in the under $20K range, that is claiming more than 1300 lumens.   That would be the 2x as expensive LG CF3D, at $15,000.  It’s more of a commercial projector, however, rather than home theater.  Also that LG uses 6 panels and passive glasses, while the Mitsubishi HC9000 3D projector uses active glasses.  The Mitsubishi 3D projector has HDMI 1.4a ports – a good thing, since Blu-Ray 3D calls for HDMI 1.4, which is still not widely used.

The HC9000 3D projector’s 1100 puts it 100 higher than the Sony, and two hundred below the JVCs.  Not much difference, and all are going to be underpowered with larger screens barring high gain screens (where they are even usable with 3D).  Considering that, the HC9000 is probably limited to looking good smaller screens – like all the  other 3D projectors.    (I do believe it will take another year, before the manufacturers realize that they need to offer at least 2400 lumens for 3D viewing by folks wanting at least 110″ diagonal screens.)

The HC9000 should prove to be an excellent projector for those wanting 3D projection, but it promises to be an even better 2D projector.   Since active glasses 3D solutions reduce brightness (typically) from 75% to almost 85%, in 3D mode, the HC9000 will be a smaller screen projector.

Don’t panic though!   Remember, 99% of all content is 2D.   If you have, say, a nice 110 inch, or 120 inch diagonal screen, and you try to fill it for 3D, I suspect you will come away feeling “dim”.   But, with most placements, you might fill your screen for 2D, and reduce it’s size from, say 120″ to 90″ on your screen.  That effectively gives you a boost in brightness.  In fact going from 120 to 90 inches works out to ending up with an image that is 75% brighter!

So, while I might watch my 2D filling my screen, Avatar, or Train your Dragon, or any other 3D content, while still not as bright in 3D on a 90 inch screen, it should get you to a reasonable brightness for viewing.

The HC9000 uses active shutter glasses.   Mitsubishi sees this time as early for 3D, and expects most buyers to buy this as a 2D projector most of the time that they might, on occasion want to check out 3D on.  That is, they believe the HC9000 is worth its price as a 2D projector, and therefore, while 3D is onboard and ready, they don’t provide any of those expensive LCD shutter glasses with the projector.  (Don’t worry, those prices will come down, but are still at least $100 a pair, usually more and several hundred for some very cool, feature laden ones.   If you are planning a superbowl party for 2012, in 3D, you are going to need a lot of active shutter glasses.   Hopefully some friends with their own 3D LCDTVs or 3D projectors will have compatible glasses that they can bring to your party.  Problem is, we’re just starting to see 3rd party universal glasses – think XPanD.  It’s going to be a real drag if the LCDTV manufacturers don’t opt for universals, as, of course, it means you won’t be able to borrow extra glasses except from those with the same, brand, and that means, you’ll have to buy as many as you have friends who want to watch… $$$

I’m looking forward to reviewing this one.  And with luck, I’ll have one right around end of January, if Mitsubishi is on target.   OK, that’s about it.  The Mitsubishi HC9000D, which I should note, most will probably call the HC9000, should be shipping within a month of this article’s publishing.  We can only hope.  I’ll be most pleased, if they can find me a good pre-production projector that I can have in, and get reviewed even before they ship the first ones to dealers.  -art