So you got it for $599 and the $100 rebate? Nice. I may have to bite on this deal.

Now I am certainly more interested in the Optoma deal with the smart 4 year protection plan pick up of only $125.

Regarding the smell I have read it does stink pretty awful for about the first 50 hours. Also I have read that the smell comes from the screen as well and you need to air it out for awhile before you watch. Realistically the smartest thing to do is it seems is watch it outside for a little while if you possibly can.

Granted Mao will give a better summation of this soon since he bought it and all.

how much do the replacement bulbs cost for the Optoma??

was thinking of getting in on this as well.. but stumbled upon THIS CON review of the Optoma and bulb situation... seems like a pricey bulb... and it just shuts off after 3000 hours, forcing you to replace the bulb?? that stinks!

Downside: The vents blast out (quietly) hot air from cooling the bulb, and this air smells like melted plastic. Some say the 'new bulb' smell goes away - mine didn't after a week of asphyxia, I returned it for a refund. The bulb, which you WILL have to replace after x number of hours, costs $349, ouch. The projector will refuse to run when that fixed quota is reached - right in the middle of your movie party. Optoma could treat its customers better by selling the bulb for a reasonable price, instead of bleeding us for a quarter the cost of the projector. I'll wait for a more ethical company to make something better. $349 for a bulb? Give me a break.

Wow, that's ridiculous.

Link?

Despite my earlier post, I was intrigued by the price and just purchased this thing today, and so far cannot be more thrilled!

http://www.cnet.com.au/i/r/2006/proj...oma_dv10_b.jpg

http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Optom...oductDetail.do

The math is WRONG on the website... total price is:

$999.00 listed price
-$400 (this sale ends Saturday May 5th)
-$100 after MIR
-free 92" screen by mail after MIR
-free subwoofer by mail after MIR
------------
$499.00!! price after MIR

recommend that you pay the extra $125 bucks for the 4 year service contract (bulbs replacements included).

pros:
built in standard dvd player, internal speakers but with hookups for external DVD players or to hook into your existing home stereo, remote, carrying case, free screen as mentioned, free subwoofer as mentioned, HDTV compatible, 4000:1 contrast ratio (!), optical audio output, relatively quite operation

cons:
it does indeed have that mild plastic burny smell (reports say it goes away after about 50 hrs of bulb use) but it really is minimal, 3000 hour bulb life and pricey $300+ for each replacement bulbs, but pay for the extended warrantee and don't worry about it for 4 whole years, only 1000 lumens, so obviously does better in darker rooms, but I have to say, in my brightly renovated room with white curtains and daylight it still looked pretty damned good... we'll see how it looks tonight when it's dark out!

As for the "shuts off at 3000" hours, there is a bulb logging feature that also comes with a reset button, so perhaps it does shut off after 3000 hours, but you can reset it, and squeeze out whatever life that bulb really has?? not sure.

We should change the title of this thread. Three pages and about 3 people posted pictures...

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...f/project1.jpg

the photo doesn't do it justice, plus it is still light outside... amazing clarity in real life, and THAT is projected on a tan wall!

for a sense of the size of the space:
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...4/renofin7.jpg

Projectors will probably be the way to go in the future--for some they are now. The portability is quite nice.

Sabrett,

Agreed! I thought the same thing myself...

I've started a new thread <a href=http://forum.dvdtalk.com/showthread.php?t=499269>here</a> to continue the conversation!

Just bought a new TV!
 

Old Setup (Panasonic - PT47X54)

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v2...on/th_Xbox.jpg

New Setup (Toshiba - 65HM167)

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v2...on/th_TV05.jpg http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v2...on/th_TV04.jpg http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v2...on/th_TV06.jpg http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v2...on/th_TV01.jpg

Word up. Last set of pictures from the camera:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...kjoe/green.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...fkjoe/blue.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v326/jeffkjoe/fox.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...kjoe/rocky.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...joe/bond-1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...kjoe/jaws2.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...fkjoe/jaws.jpg

That's it! Hope the Optoma is performing well for those who've bought it this weekend!

Those images look great Jeff. Imagine how they would look in HD.

Candyrocket:

I love the new TV, and I love the cabinets. Did you have to expand the length of the cabinets to accomodate the size of the new TV?

I hope that I am not going off track, but after looking through some of these great collections, the one thing I really like is how certain DVDs are on a display stand.

Anyone know where I can buy them from? They are the little black brackets that go at the bottom of the DVD so it stands up? I am from the uk and I havent seen any (probably because I have not been looking) I saw some in an earlier thread. I believe they were used to display an Evil Dead Book Of The Dead DVD. Looked really smart.

Any ideas? Cheers

Geeze buzzkiller whats up with the empty spaces?! You're slacking! :D

Thanks.

Yes, I had to extend the length between my cabinets and shelves (top/bottom).

The plus was that the depth on the new TV was a whole lot less than the one on my older CRT RPTV.

Mini eisels is what a lot of people use. You can get them from any art or craft store.
Others use plate (as in a dinner plate) display stands. You can usually get these at a place that sells, well plates.

I would love to get the MovieMate or the optima projector. I would love using it outside in the summer and portably is awesome. Right now we have the Panasonic AX100 Projector and its awesome. we have it mounted to our cieling in our theater room. But I would love to have something portable with built in speakers and DVD player.

Heres the AX100
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...ngon/dfsfd.jpg
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...March27724.jpg
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s80/maingon/fdsf.jpg

I am planning on buying this TV soon. Your pics look like what my upgrade will be like. What is your option of it so far. How does HD DVD look? Do the speakers that come with the TV any good?
Thanks!

jeffkjoe, nice set-up. Great picture quality!

Thanks, Cap'n Joe!

Great pics. Believe it or not, I don't think I could watch any movie with sharks in it. Jaws, Deep Blue Sea. I'd be scared shitless and would have nightmares. Big fish shouldn't be seen on televisions larger than 31"--because then I am a little bigger than the fishy on the screen. :D

Yeah, like was mentioned above I've been using these from Ikea for years:
http://www.ikea.com/PIAimages/24952_PE109720_S3.jpg

Many people use the "playing now" set ups, but for $.99 US, you cant beat these little guys.