Projector Sony VPL-HS51
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Ships from | Corona, NY, 11368 |
Ships to | United States |
Package dimensions | 23.0" × 23.0" × 13.0" (17.0 lbs.) |
Shipping carrier | USPS |
Shipping cost | Log in to see price |
Original accessories | Manual |
Average | Research Pricing |
This projector gave me the most film-like image I have ever seen in a home theatre. It can be yours for $300
http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B0006HU57U/ref=dp_olp_used_mbc?ie=UTF8&storeAttribute=e&submit.see-all-buying-options=see-all-buying-options&condition=used
Very Good condition: lovingly used (New lamp installed less than 150 hours ago)
Retails new from $2,700 to $3,500 depending upon where you look
700 hours of actual use
Vary image size from 40 inches - 200 inches!!!! (Diagonal)
Only buy this if you are willing to spring for the HDMI cable. All the other inputs do not do justice to this fine Sony product
I’ve included expert reviews and the manufacturer’s specs below.
My Take
If you’ve never owned a projector the biggest difference between a projector and the best flatscreens is that the projector comes closest to delivering that film-like smoothness that you get in the theatre. It’s like your eyes are relaxed, not working hard, to see the incredible beauty. Everyone I have ever shown the image is just shocked at how beautiful movies can be in a living room setting.
It will play full movie formats as wells as broadcast and cable TV.
Cable TV, HDMI, Component Cable, and Standard Video Inputs, and inputs for a computer. I set up my laptop and had a huge sharp monitor for presentations.
From http://www.projectorcentral.com/sony_vpl-hs51.htm
“By now observers of the projector industry are used to regular breakthroughs in performance. But nobody expected that a projector featuring LCD technology would ever claim to beat DLP technology in contrast. This one does. So we were particularly anxious to get this one in for a closer look to shoot it out against the other hot products currently on the market.
“As with all projectors, this one is not without its weaknesses. But it is an impressive product that, when set up correctly, produces beautiful home theater video. It is being added to our Highly Recommended list…
“Contrast. This projector is capable of producing better blacks than any digital projector we've seen. High contrast is achieved via a dynamically reconfiguring aperture. Thus actual contrast varies by scene content. Nevertheless the effect is one of significant dynamic range… When viewed side-by-side with the DLP-based BenQ PE8700, with a contrast rating of 2500:1, the HS51 does appear to deliver a visibly higher contrast image.
“Horizontal and vertical lens shift. The HS51 provides horizontal and vertical lens shift, which lets you adjust the position of the projected image on the wall relative to the projector. In neutral position the centerline of the lens strikes the center of the projected image. From that position the image can be moved up or down in a range equal to 100% of the picture height, or side to side in a range equal to 100% of the picture width. In other words the entire image can be positioned so that it is 50% of the picture height above or below the centerline of the lens, or 50% of the picture width to either side of the center position. However, if you use the vertical lens shift, the range of horizontal shift is reduced, and vice versa.
“Performance. Certainly the most compelling feature of the HS51 is the remarkable black levels that it can achieve, which are blacker than even most DLP projectors. However the black levels and contrast, while they are clearly leading-edge for an LCD projector, vary based on scene content. This is not noticeable at all. In general the visual effect is one of remarkable dynamic range. Most notably, in dark scenes there is terrific shadow detail, and blacks are solid. When the Men in Black pull up in front of Jack Jeeb's pawn shop at night, early in the first MIB film, the car is jet black and the detail in the street scene is fully intact. The black level reaches a performance that is amazing for LCD.
“The HS51's native 1280x720 LCD panels produce clean, very sharp images with both 1080i and 720p HDTV sources, through either the HDMI or component video ports. Standard definition television and DVD are also fine as long as they are fed through the HDMI port.”
From http://www.hometheater.com/content/sony-vpl-hs51-lcd-projector
“Now that's a black level.
“Take a minute to look at the measurement box. Keep in mind that this is an LCD-based product. At 0.003 foot-lamberts, the VPL-HS51 is only 0.001 ft-L higher than the [$10,000] Yamaha DLP projector that's also in this issue. Not bad for a projector that's less than a third of the Yamaha's price. And did I mention it's an LCD? Impressive.
“…The processor tracks the incoming video signal and adjusts the iris accordingly. Dark scenes become darker, and bright scenes become brighter. While the Panasonic in this issue uses similar technology, the Sony is more successful at it. A full-on/full-off contrast ratio of 2567:1 is simply amazing for any LCD projector, not to mention one that costs $3,499.
“Pathfinding
Setting up the VPL-HS51 is fairly easy. Two dials on the side of the projector adjust the light's path to the screen: One is horizontal, and the other vertical… The remote is backlit and seems to have a button for all of the projector's features, except discrete input buttons. As a company, Sony seems to have an aversion to direct input-access buttons. In this case at least, you can enable an auto input search, so you only have to toggle through the active inputs. The enter and left/right buttons are one large bar, while the up and down buttons are small and separate.
“The old standby The Fifth Element revealed even more. Early on in chapter 2 is a closeup of the professor's bearded face. I love using this scene to test the detail of displays with DVD. You'd be amazed at how different this scene can look on displays, even among those with the same resolution. In the VPL-HS51's case, the beard was very sharp and detailed, as was the wall he's studying….”
From http://www.the-hdtv-tuner.com/sony-vpl-hs51-hdtv-projector.html
“The Sony VPL-HS51 HDTV projector is stylish and lightweight, making it ideal for use in a home theater…
“The Sony VPL-HS51 HDTV projector is optimised for high definition inputs such as those from a cable, satellite or off-air HDTV tuner or receiver…”
From http://www.projectorpeople.com/hometheater-audio/customer_showroom.asp?ShowroomID=46
"The home theater bug bit me after I saw some front projection systems in action at the local hi-fi stores while I was shopping for a new CD player. I already had a big screen (46") RPTV but for most of the time I owned it, I never even bothered to hook it up to my stereo. But seeing projection in action really sold me on the impact of a truly big image.
“Once the bug bit, I went into action researching equipment and home theater technology… On the video side, I knew I'd go front projection…
“…I picked the Sony VPL-HS51 projector based on reviews and cost/performance ratio.”
From http://www.crutchfield.com/S-UCKExKnjh9I/p_158VPLHS51/Sony-Cineza-VPL-HS51.html
“With the VPL-HS51, Sony has reinvented their top-of-the-line Cineza model and established a new benchmark for LCD projector performance. Sony started from scratch with a completely new image panel design, added unique light control capabilities, and finished with ultra-precise picture adjustments. The VPL-HS51 will create incredibly cinematic viewing experiences in your home theater.
“In his review at the Ultimate AV website, editor Tom Norton was amazed by the projector's combination of performance and value: ‘No video projector I've yet reviewed has impressed me more than the Sony VPL-HS51 Cineza. ... it has clearly caused me to revise my thinking about how much you need to pay for a compelling big-screen experience. Sony might want to consider ramping up production on the Cineza, because once word gets around about how good it really is, demand could skyrocket.’
“… The VPL-HS51's 12-bit video processing yields ultra-fine color and grayscale gradations — images have plenty of detail, yet retain the subtle, nuanced look of film.
“Front-projection displays always look best in a totally darkened room, but Sony includes some useful adjustments that let you boost brightness to overcome room light, or enhance contrast for a more cinema-like image….
“With its standard-throw lens, the VPL-HS51 is a good choice for medium- and larger-sized rooms (you can place it on a table, or ceiling-mount it with an optional bracket)….”
From http://www.vanns.com/shop/servlet/item/accessories/456051222/sony-vpl-hs51
“Nothing Else Comes This Close
Front projectors produce the ultimate in home theater. Nothing else comes this close to recreating the viewing sensations of a motion picture theater. Sony's VPLHS51 Cineza is a powerful projector that accurately reproduces DVD and high-definition sources with high brightness and full contrast. This latest Cineza model is equipped with a new advanced iris function, enabling the projector to adjust the video image dynamically according to the input signal level. Contrast ratios of up to 6,000:1 are possible, along with reproduction of the most subtle details… Projected picture size can reach a stunning 200 diagonal inches--that's nearly 17 feet of entertainment!...
“Best Quality From Film Sources
For the purest, most accurate video reproduction from film sources, Sony's CineMotion Reverse 3:2 Pulldown is amazing technology. Converting a film to video gets a little complicated because video is shot at 30 frames per second (fps), while the standard for film is 24 fps. Obviously, there's a bit of a discrepancy there. A process called 3:2 pulldown is used to convert 24 fps film to 30 fps video, and it works fairly well except that there are some side effects. CineMotion overcomes the limitations of 3:2 Pulldown by essentially reversing the process, eliminating visually distorted picture information and removing motion artifacts. This phenomenal technology optimizes film-based content from any video input. So, rest assured that the VPLHS51 will make your favorite movies look as impressive at home as they do in the theater….”
Manufacturer specs
Brand: Sony
Model: VPL-HS51
UPC: 027242662735
Contrast: 6000:1
Image Size: 40 inches - 200 inches (Diagonal)
Screen Distance: 3.94 ft. - 30.18 ft.
Image Aspect Ratio: 16:9 (Wide Screen), 4:3, 4:3 (Standard)
Type: LCD
HDTV Formats: 1080i, 480p, 575p, 720p
Technology: Three 0.73" LCD panels with microlens array.
Synch. Range Horizontal: 19-72 kHz
Synch. Range Vertical: 48-92 Hz
Analog Video Format: NTSC, NTSC 4.43, PAL, PAL 60, PAL-M, PAL-N, SECAM
Video input: 4 Pin - Mini DIN (S-Video), Component Video, Composite Video, HDMI x 1, RGB (D-Sub 15)
Acceptable Computer Signal RGB: Horizontal 19-72KHz, Vertical 48-92Hz
Additional connections: 12v Trigger output, mini-USB port, Ethernet
Networking Capabilities: Wired Networking
Lamp Type: UHP
Light Source Power: 130W UHP
Brightness: 1200 ANSI lumens
Lens: Manual zoom/focus with 1.55x zoom range
Lens shift: Vertical and horizontal
Lamp life: 2000 hours in normal mode, 3000 hours in eco-mode
Input Channel Switching: Yes
Advanced Iris Function: Yes
Lens Shift Function: Yes
All-Range Crisp Focus Lens: Yes
Real Color Processing: Yes
Full Digital Processing: Yes
Color Temperature Control: Yes
Illuminated Remote: Yes
Vertical Lens Shift: Yes
Horizontal Lens Shift: Yes
Vertical Keystone Correction: Yes
Operation Noise: 24 dB
Dimensions: Width 13.75 in., Depth 14.13 in., Height 5.38 in.
Weight: 12.57 lb.
Remote: Illuminated remote control
Features
Adjustable Image Size: The Sony Cineza VPL-HS51 Video Projector can produce an image that is adjustable between 40" and 200" (measured diagonally).
Micro Lens Array/Wide View Film: To achieve a superb contrast ratio of 1300:1 (full on/off), the VPL-HS51 uses a Micro Lens Array on each of the 3 LCD panels to increase brightness. Then, a Wide View film is added to shift that brightness to deepen the black level. Finally, the optical unit is modified to reduce the amount of light leak more than usual. When the Advanced Iris mode is set to Auto, the projector monitors the incoming video signal and dynamically adjusts the projector's light output accordingly, resulting in deeper blacks in dark scenes for ultra-high contrast - up to an astonishing 6000:1.
Auto Pixel Alignment (APA): When you input signals from a computer, the Auto Pixel Alignment function automatically adjusts the input signal from a computer so the picture can be seen clearly. You can also activate the APA function via the supplied remote control.
Lens Throwing Distances: The projector's short focal lens provides a large image even when positioned relatively close to the screen. The standard throwing distances for the projector are as follows:
Lens Shift: The side-mounted lens shift controls allow you to adjust the image either horizontally or vertically, to allow for off-center projector placement.
Wide Modes: You can select various wide screen modes, depending on the type of video signal received:
Full: a 16:9 squeezed picture is displayed normally, a 4:3 picture is enlarged horizontally to fit the screen
Normal: a 4:3 picture is displayed in the center of the screen with vertical bars on each side
Wide Zoom: a 4:3 picture is enlarged with the top and bottom of the picture squeezed to fit the screen
Zoom: a 4:3 picture is enlarged vertically and horizontally in the same ratio to fit the screen
Subtitle: the subtitle area is compressed and displayed in the lower part of the screen
Picture Modes: You can select from the following picture modes directly from the remote control:
Standard: recommended for normal viewing conditions
Dynamic: enhanced picture contrast and sharpness
Cinema: provides soft, film-like picture
User 1, 2, and 3: three favorite picture settings stored in memory
Picture Adjustments: In addition to the above picture modes, you can adjust the contrast, brightness, color, hue, sharpness, black level, gamma correction, color temperature, Dynamic Detail Enhancer, Advanced Iris, and Lamp Control.
CineMotion: This video projector uses CineMotion, Sony's Reverse 3-2 Pulldown Technology, to improve the quality of video programs, originally shot on film. CineMotion minimizes any motion artifacts, created when film-based material is converted to video, resulting in more fluid motion and more fine detail.
Dynamic Detail Enhancer (DDE): The DDE lets you select one of the following video scanning modes via the supplied remote control:
Film: Uses CineMotion for smooth playback of film-based sources. When the signal is not film-based, "Progressive" is automatically selected. (You would normally select this option).
Progressive: Converts an interlaced format video signal to a progressive format.
Off: Plays a video signal in an interlaced format without converting.
Cinema Black Pro: Cinema Black Pro allows for menu-driven Iris control and Lamp control to improved contrast and brightness. You can turn the iris shutter off for high brightness and standard contrast, or turn the iris shutter on for low brightness and higher contrast.
Real Color Processing: This feature allows you to adjust the color and hue of each selected portion of the picture independently. You can adjust the red, magenta, blue, cyan, green, and yellow levels. Once adjusted, you can store the settings in memory (User 1, User 2, or User 3).
Mounting Options: The VPL-HS51 can be placed upon a table top, or installed on a ceiling using the PSS-610 Projection Suspension Support (item # 158PSS610).
Replaceable Lamp and Air Filter: The projector uses a user-replaceable Sony LMP-H130 lamp, rated for up to approximately 3000 hours. When the lamp dims, causing the color balance to become strange, or when "Please replace the lamp." appears on the screen, the lamp is exhausted and should be replaced as soon as possible. In addition, the projector is equipped with a replacement air filter (PK-HS10FL). When prompted on screen, or when the filter looks dirty upon inspected, the filter should be replaced.
Note: The Information Menu has a lamp timer to indicate how long the lamp has been in use.
Power Saving Mode: When activated, the projector goes into Power Saving mode if no signal is input for 10 minutes. The lamp goes out and the cooling fan continues to run. It is cancelled when a signal is input or any button is pressed. In the power saving mode, no button functions for the first 60 seconds.
Supplied Software
ImageDirector 2: Using ImageDirector 2, you can adjust the projector's gamma value to your satisfaction from a computer connected to the projector. The software allows you to adjust the gamma value by adjusting the luminance curve of the incoming signal. In addition to using the gamma value that has been adjusted and preset at the factory, you can also adjust the gamma curve yourself.
Minimum System Requirements:
Operating Systems: Microsoft Windows 98, 98SE, 2000 Professional, Me, XP Home Edition, or XP Professional
CPU: MMX Pentium 166 MHz or above (Pentium II 300 MHz or above recommended)
Hard Disk: 10 MB or above of free space
Memory: 32 MB or above
Screen Resolution: SVGA (800 x 600 dots) or above, 65,536 colors or above
Other Hardware Requirements:
CD-ROM drive
Connecting to the Projector Using a USB Jack: USB jack as standard equipment, USB cable
Connecting to the Projector Using a COM Port: RS-232C serial port, D-sub 9-pin cross (reverse) cable
Inputs and Outputs Notes
Input A (HD15): This input features an HD15 jack that is compatible with HDTV RGB, component, or computer sources.
HDMI Input: The High Definition Multimedia Interface provides an input for a high-end DVD player or Digital Tuner with HDMI output. Digital video signals are passed through this connection.
USB Input: The USB input (a Mini-B USB port) allows you to download the ImageDirector 2 software.
Component Video Input: The component video input will accept 1080i, 720p, 480p and 480i signals.
Ethernet Port: The front-panel Ethernet port allows you to connect a computer with a LAN cable.
12-Volt Trigger: A minijack trigger output provides constant a 12-Volt DC output while the projector is on. If you connect your projection screen to the trigger output, when you turn on the projector the screen will move down; when you turn the projector off, the screen will return to the storage position.
12-bit video processing
Included With Purchase
Instruction Manual, Remote Control, Air Filter, AA Batteries (2), AC Power Cord, CD-ROM (Application Software And Operating Instructions.
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