Runco LS-5 – Performance 2 Posted on July 17, 2013 By Art Feierman 1. Runco Lightstyle LS-5 Projector Review - LS5 Projector Highlights - Runco LS-5 Projector Overview2. Runco LS-5 Special Features - Frame Interpolation - Picture in Picture - Runco LightStyle LS-5 Dynamic Features - Runco SatCo - LS-5 Long Lamp Life3. Runco LS-5 Physical Tour - Runco LS5 Physical Appearance - Control Panel - Input/Output - Runco LS5 Menus - Runco LS5 Remote Control - LS-5 Lens Throw (double check) - LS5 Lens Shift - Runco LS-5 Anamorphic Lens Options4. Runco LS-5 Projector – Image Quality - LS-5 Out of the Box Picture Quality - Skin Tones5. Runco LS-5 Projector – Image Quality 2 - Runco LS-5 Black Levels & Shadow Detail6. Runco LS-5 Projector – Image Quality 3 - Runco LS-5 Shadow Detail Performance7. Runco LS-5 Projector – Image Quality 4 - Overall Color & Picture Quality - Runco LS-5 Projector: Performance, HDTV and Sports8. Runco LS-5 – Performance - Runco LS-5 Measured Brightness9. Runco LS-5 – Performance 2 - Sharpness - Runco LS-5: Bottom Line Sharpness - Runco LS-5 Light Leakage - Runco LS-5 Image Noise - Runco LS-5 Audible Noise10. Runco LS-5 Projector Calibration and Settings - Runco LS-5 Color Temperature - Runco LS-5 Basic Settings - Runco LS-5 Calibration Settings11. Runco LS-5 – Screen Recommendations - Runco LS-5 Projector Screen Recommendations12. Runco LS-5 Home Cinema Projector – Competitors13. Runco LS-5 Projector – Warranty14. Runco LS-5 – Review Summary - Runco LS-5 Projector - The Bottom Line - Runco LS-5 Brightness Summary - The very bottom line:15. Runco LS-5 – Review Summary 2 - Runco LS-5 Projector: Pros, Cons, and Typical Capabilities - Runco LS-5 Projector: Pros - Runco LS-5 Projector: Cons - Runco LS-5 Projector: Typical Capabilities16. Runco LS-5 Projector – Full Specifications SharpnessWe said that the 3 chip Runco’s were very sharp, but, by virtue of combining the RGB colors, there’s always some misconvergence with any 3 chip projector, be it DLP, LCD or LCoS. Those more expensive Runcos were very good for 3 chippers, but the LS-5 is crisper still. This is a nice, sharp single chip DLP, and that’s about as good as it gets. I note that no projector is razor sharp from center to corner. That said, this projector has good optics. You’ll find center to corner sharpness to be better than most projectors we look at. For your consideration, our usual close up images Top left: Runco LS-5, Top Left Center – Runco LS-10d, Top Right Center – JVC DLA-RS25, Top right – JVC DLA-RS35 2nd row left: Epson Home Cinema 8500UB, center: Panasonic PT-AE4000, right:InFocus IN83 Runco LS-5 Runco LS-10dJVC DLA-RS25JVC DLA-RS35Epson Home Cinema 8500UBPanasonic PT-AE4000InFocus IN83PreviousNext Below: Close up of a computer monitor, from Space Cowboys (Blu-ray), left to right Runco LS5, Runco LS-7, Epson Home Cinema 8800UB, and BenQ W20000. Runco LS5Runco LS-7Epson Home Cinema 8800UBBenQ W20000PreviousNext Runco LS-5: Bottom Line SharpnessNo sharpness issues with the Runco LS-5 projector! Period. Click Image to EnlargeRunco LS-5 Light LeakageAbsolutely minimal, as with the other Runco’s we’ve reviewed. They all use the same case, so we expected no differences. Any stray light coming through the lens is very minimal compared to any typical DLP projector. Runco LS-5 Image NoiseNot surprising, the LS-5 is very good when it comes to all types of image noise. It looked great running the assorted Silicon Optix tests from their test disc. Nothing at all to complain about. Even basic background noise, which tends to seem more visible on single chip DLP projectors than on their competition, looked a bit cleaner than the typical DLP. Runco LS-5 Audible NoiseSingle chip DLP projectors as a group, tend to be the noisiest of the technologies used in under $10,000 projectors. The good news, is that the LS-5 is better than almost all of the other single chip DLP’s we work with. This isn’t in the least surprising. Consider that the physical size of the LS-5 (a large projector that shares the same physical size and case as their 3 chip models). I attribute the very reasonable audible noise to the larger case (and design), which allows for more baffling of fan noise and color wheel. In addition the noise is of a nice low pitch, no whine. Still, there are any number of at least slightly quieter projectors (mostly LCD home theater models). If you are really noise adverse, of course, but want this great projector, two things. One: Though not the quietest around, the low pitch of the sound makes it definitely more tolerable than other projectors claiming the same decibel level. Two: You always have the option of dropping into low power mode, to quiet it down a good bit more. 1. Runco Lightstyle LS-5 Projector Review - LS5 Projector Highlights - Runco LS-5 Projector Overview2. Runco LS-5 Special Features - Frame Interpolation - Picture in Picture - Runco LightStyle LS-5 Dynamic Features - Runco SatCo - LS-5 Long Lamp Life3. Runco LS-5 Physical Tour - Runco LS5 Physical Appearance - Control Panel - Input/Output - Runco LS5 Menus - Runco LS5 Remote Control - LS-5 Lens Throw (double check) - LS5 Lens Shift - Runco LS-5 Anamorphic Lens Options4. Runco LS-5 Projector – Image Quality - LS-5 Out of the Box Picture Quality - Skin Tones5. Runco LS-5 Projector – Image Quality 2 - Runco LS-5 Black Levels & Shadow Detail6. Runco LS-5 Projector – Image Quality 3 - Runco LS-5 Shadow Detail Performance7. Runco LS-5 Projector – Image Quality 4 - Overall Color & Picture Quality - Runco LS-5 Projector: Performance, HDTV and Sports8. Runco LS-5 – Performance - Runco LS-5 Measured Brightness9. Runco LS-5 – Performance 2 - Sharpness - Runco LS-5: Bottom Line Sharpness - Runco LS-5 Light Leakage - Runco LS-5 Image Noise - Runco LS-5 Audible Noise10. Runco LS-5 Projector Calibration and Settings - Runco LS-5 Color Temperature - Runco LS-5 Basic Settings - Runco LS-5 Calibration Settings11. Runco LS-5 – Screen Recommendations - Runco LS-5 Projector Screen Recommendations12. Runco LS-5 Home Cinema Projector – Competitors13. Runco LS-5 Projector – Warranty14. Runco LS-5 – Review Summary - Runco LS-5 Projector - The Bottom Line - Runco LS-5 Brightness Summary - The very bottom line:15. Runco LS-5 – Review Summary 2 - Runco LS-5 Projector: Pros, Cons, and Typical Capabilities - Runco LS-5 Projector: Pros - Runco LS-5 Projector: Cons - Runco LS-5 Projector: Typical Capabilities16. Runco LS-5 Projector – Full Specifications Runco LS-5 – Performance Runco LS-5 Projector Calibration and Settings