Home-theater LCD front projector compatible with standard- and high-definition (480i, 480p, 720p, 1080i) signals
1,280 x 720 native pixel resolution; capable of projecting to screen sizes from 40 to 200 inches
Up to 6,000:1 contrast ratio; 1,200 ANSI Lumen brightness; ARC-F lens improves focus at screen center and screen corners
Powerful Real Color Processing lets you alter, the blue in a sky without affecting the color of water
Measures 13.8 x 5.4 x 12.6 inches (W x H x D)
This review is from: Sony VPL-HS51 Cineza LCD Front ProjectorI find the previous review strange, because it was the same sort of lamp-replacement runaround from Infocus that prompted me to switch brands from Infocus to Sony nearly a year ago. I guess I must assume that similar problems affect several, possibly even most brands.Note that this unit has a "high altitude" setting. I'm at around 5000ft and I did enable that option during initial set up. It causes the fans to run at a slightly higher speed for more effective cooling at altitude, resulting in just a bit more noise, but nothing compared to my old Infocus. I imagine that high altitude operation without using the setting might lead to premature failure, whereas running the high altitude setting at lower elevations might actually keep things cooler and possibly even improve longevity. Just a thought. Stable power is also important for front projectors. I have my unit on a good quality power conditioner/UPS to protect against any spikes or brownouts.In any case, I've had the unit nearly a year and have been pleased with its performance. Image quality is excellent, especially when using the HDMI input. It's seen extensive use (somewhere over 2000 hours, I haven't checked lately) and I've only had to replace the air filter thus far. The unit came with a spare filter in the box. The VPL-HS51 was a truly exceptional product a year ago, though now there are a few other similar/comparable units on the market, and some people are starting to look at moving to 1080p with the advent of Blueray and HD DVD. Even so, I personally feel no need to upgrade in the short term and wouldn't hesitate to recommend this projector to anyone who will be satisfied with 1280x720. If you run large screen sizes (e.g. larger than 80"), have a short viewing distance, and good eyesight it probably makes sense to go for 1080p even if it means waiting a little longer to make a purchase, but otherwise I think most people would be happy with 720.There are plenty of excellent reviews of the VPL-HS51 on the web already so I won't go into great detail here, but in short, I'm completely satisfied and haven't had any problems whatsoever....
This review is from: Sony VPL-HS51 Cineza LCD Front ProjectorI have to say the same thing as the last review. I purchased the Sony projector 4 months ago. The bulb is only under warantee for 3 months. The first CS person told me it was covered and to take it in to a depot. Then I was told it wasn't covered by the depot but that I could purchase it for $450 plus the labour of $150 to install a bulb that can't take them more then 5 minutes. I have gone back and forth with Sony support for 4 weeks. And they are now saying they'll give me a discount but the discount is based on getting it fixed at the depot and I'll get sony gift certificates back. I have purchased a lot of Sony stuff in my life but I will never buy anything again. I was so disappointed with support on this product that I would never have bought one given the choice. It is very good quality but the cost of ownership is just too ridiculous. I can't stress enough that there are many other great products out there. Go with one that has good support....
This review is from: Sony VPL-HS51 Cineza LCD Front ProjectorWe received this TV as a wedding gift for use in our 1 bedroom. After buying the screen (which takes up one whole wall) and a great sound system, we have the PERFECT home theater system for a young couple who entertains and enjoys movies. The picture quality is unbelievable (especially with HDMI)...to the point where we don't feel that impressed when we go to the theater to see movies. The TV easily adjusts to light differences and doesn't require total darkness to look fabulous: a sunny afternoon with the blinds drawn doesn't hurt the picture much, and that's saying a lot for a projector in this price range. We've now had it for a year and are in love with it. One HUGE piece of advice with this TV, however, is to replace the filter very promptly every 2 months. We had a large scare 5 months into using it: the picture started dimming to the point of black, something popped loudly inside the projector (clearly the lamp), and it stopped working. Sony's tech support, even under warranty, was awful and had no recommendations (besides sending it in for a $500 repair - no thanks). We opened up the projector and immediately realized the lamp had overheated. We replaced that lamp ($300), and now we replace the air filter ($25 available all over) every 2 months. We haven't had one problem, let alone needing to change that overpriced lamp.If you're in the market for a quality projector that's priced very well, this is the one. I know others have been released since this one, but do some research on it before writing it off....
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