Optoma HD70 Impressions
12-08-06, 06:37 PM
#1
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Thread Starter
Optoma HD70 Impressions
I was going to keep this in the other thread (budget king), but figured what the heck, start a new one. Since the other thread was mainly about what a good deal it was, and this will be more about use of the PJ.
I got the HD70 in today. I quickly built a new mount for it and put it up in the same place as my X1 was. First thing, the lens is on the opposite side so, my image is off, but will deal with that later.
I quickly hooked up thru COMPONENT just so I could see the image with everything I currently use with my X1. All I can say is amazing. I knew it would be better, but I had no idea. I have to run my daughter to a party but, real quick....it is much brighter and handles dark movies better then I could ever get my X1. So far only tested DVDp, will check out HD OTA later. But even with DVD, there was a huge improvement.
I tried my typical show off bright movies and the HD70 almost had a plasma look to it. Yea, it is a little bright out of the box, but it held up very well. I quickly turned down the brightness and there was still a ton of "pop". Next I switched over to LOR. WOW what a difference. As nice as the X1 was, it really could never show LOR all that well. I mean it was good, but this is amazing. It is like a totally different movie.
Now the quick bad. The lens off set is more then my X1. I'm a little concerned. I think I can make it all work but I'm going to have to lower the screen 3-5 inches. But I will keep playing with my mount to see if I can raise it up a touch more.
More later.
I got the HD70 in today. I quickly built a new mount for it and put it up in the same place as my X1 was. First thing, the lens is on the opposite side so, my image is off, but will deal with that later.
I quickly hooked up thru COMPONENT just so I could see the image with everything I currently use with my X1. All I can say is amazing. I knew it would be better, but I had no idea. I have to run my daughter to a party but, real quick....it is much brighter and handles dark movies better then I could ever get my X1. So far only tested DVDp, will check out HD OTA later. But even with DVD, there was a huge improvement.
I tried my typical show off bright movies and the HD70 almost had a plasma look to it. Yea, it is a little bright out of the box, but it held up very well. I quickly turned down the brightness and there was still a ton of "pop". Next I switched over to LOR. WOW what a difference. As nice as the X1 was, it really could never show LOR all that well. I mean it was good, but this is amazing. It is like a totally different movie.
Now the quick bad. The lens off set is more then my X1. I'm a little concerned. I think I can make it all work but I'm going to have to lower the screen 3-5 inches. But I will keep playing with my mount to see if I can raise it up a touch more.
More later.
12-08-06, 10:46 PM
#2
DVD Talk Hero
Thread Starter
Due to the lens/zoom size, I decided to move the PJ up. I went up 16" hoping to hit another ceiling joist, but didn't. So used four, 50lb drywall anchors. A little nervous about that, but it is a light PJ. Even lighter then my X1.
I re-did my ceiling mount and got it about as flush to the ceiling as I can. This along with moving forward (thus reducing the image size) really helped. I'm still filling my 94" diagonal screen and now I got a little zoom in each direction to work with. I do plan to build a larger screen, but probably not till the week of Christmas, or after.
The image is amazing. Watched about 30 minutes of Cars. Yea, I know, animated. But it looked almost like glass! I tried several other DVD's and was truly amazed. I really did not think I would see that much difference in DVD's (DVDp), but I do! And that is thru my crappy Toshiba. I got a D1 ready to mess with tomorrow.
OTA HD: No doubt it is better then my X1, but suprisingly, at least to me, there is not as big of a difference as I would have expected. Yes the colors are better, don't get a white crush as I sometimes did with the X1, but I'm not sure if I'm seeing the resolution difference. Tho the overall image is unmistakeably better.
Going to play with some settings. Try to decide if this is the final location. And enjoy!
I re-did my ceiling mount and got it about as flush to the ceiling as I can. This along with moving forward (thus reducing the image size) really helped. I'm still filling my 94" diagonal screen and now I got a little zoom in each direction to work with. I do plan to build a larger screen, but probably not till the week of Christmas, or after.
The image is amazing. Watched about 30 minutes of Cars. Yea, I know, animated. But it looked almost like glass! I tried several other DVD's and was truly amazed. I really did not think I would see that much difference in DVD's (DVDp), but I do! And that is thru my crappy Toshiba. I got a D1 ready to mess with tomorrow.
OTA HD: No doubt it is better then my X1, but suprisingly, at least to me, there is not as big of a difference as I would have expected. Yes the colors are better, don't get a white crush as I sometimes did with the X1, but I'm not sure if I'm seeing the resolution difference. Tho the overall image is unmistakeably better.
Going to play with some settings. Try to decide if this is the final location. And enjoy!
12-09-06, 11:13 PM
#4
DVD Talk Hero
Thread Starter
VGA component breakout adapter question:
As you know the X1 had no component inputs. You used a "VGA component break out cable".
How would that work on my HD70? Would it = straight component? Be better? Worse?
Since the HD70 has true component inputs you might wonder why I would want to use a VGA component breakout. Well, the way I had my X1 set up, I put a component face plate right behind the PJ. Then I put male to male adapters on the VGA/Component break out and plugged it straight into the component face plate in the ceiling. This gave a nice clean look with no real wires.
I was wondering if I could do the same with my HD70? Seems the shortest component cables I can find is 1.5 feet which is more then I need.
I'm also toying with the idea of just dropping the Component face plate and figuring a face plate of some sort to plate of some sort to just bring the component cable from the attic directly into the PJ, something like this I guess....
As you know the X1 had no component inputs. You used a "VGA component break out cable".
How would that work on my HD70? Would it = straight component? Be better? Worse?
Since the HD70 has true component inputs you might wonder why I would want to use a VGA component breakout. Well, the way I had my X1 set up, I put a component face plate right behind the PJ. Then I put male to male adapters on the VGA/Component break out and plugged it straight into the component face plate in the ceiling. This gave a nice clean look with no real wires.
I was wondering if I could do the same with my HD70? Seems the shortest component cables I can find is 1.5 feet which is more then I need.
I'm also toying with the idea of just dropping the Component face plate and figuring a face plate of some sort to plate of some sort to just bring the component cable from the attic directly into the PJ, something like this I guess....
12-10-06, 10:55 AM
#5
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You can have Blue Jeans or other companies make you a shorter component cable. I made a couple for myself.
The VGA-component would only work if the HD70 can accept component over VGA. My first PJ did this, my AE900 does not.
i usually just buy a blank face plate, then drill out an appropriate size hole if I want to run the cable through. Then put in a gromit to protect the cable and give it a cleaner look. Or just cannibalize any face plate I already have, throwing away the coax or phone connector to drill out a hole.
The VGA-component would only work if the HD70 can accept component over VGA. My first PJ did this, my AE900 does not.
i usually just buy a blank face plate, then drill out an appropriate size hole if I want to run the cable through. Then put in a gromit to protect the cable and give it a cleaner look. Or just cannibalize any face plate I already have, throwing away the coax or phone connector to drill out a hole.
