Projector question

Update: Just bought another (3rd) DLA-HD350 from Best Buy in Southern Cali area for $1000 plus $129 for 2yr war (includes one free bulb replacement)!! Also, JVC will replace dead bulb this demo came with, under their warranty! - amazing!!!
Sogood51, might I just state that, first, the HD350 is FULLY AUTOMATED AND MOTORIZED, unlike simpler stipped down MANUAL EVERYTHING models from likes of Epson and optoma! So, inherently, there's more right there to possibly go wrong and need service, with the much more robust and motorized JVC projectors. This last one I just bought being the 3rd I've owned, yes, I can say I already had a service issue, which was a thin blue discoloration stripe down the left side of image. However, JVC replaced optical block for repair over 2 days turn-around time, and all was perfect! NOT ONLY THAT, THEY GAVE ME A NEW REMOTE CONTROL, NEW FEET FOR THE PJ, AND A BRAND NEW REPLACEMENT BULB TO BOOT!!!..all under warranty, of course! EXCEPTIONAL customer service, indeed!
At any rate, I've been thilled thus far from not only JVC's customer service, but the image quality from these things is just amazing!..and I got em all for screamin deals too.
Beyond all of that, I see nothing on these units that would lead me to believe that these JVC's have more service issues than anything else out there. In fact, I've owned litterally more than a dozen video projectors in the past 8 years, AND MOST ALL OF THEM HAD SOME SORT OF IMAGE FLAW, ISSUE, OR IMPERFECTION - if not some sort of break down- TRUTH BE TOLD!! Let me list:

Sanyo PLV-Z1 - swapped out with replacment (pixels out)
InFocus X1 - red discoloration in one corner
OPtoma HD65 - image from chip not all the way up 16:9 view
Epson 8350 -(owned 3)all 3 had red discoloration in black
scenes/field, 1 was at least 2 pixels off 3lcd
Optoma HD65 - (currently own) 1/2 image is pinkish color
Panasonic PTAE4000U - no issues to report(lacked image pop)
Mitsubishi HC6800 - 1/2 image was bluish hue/darker
JVC HD350 (owned 3ea) one service issue,fixed jvc -perfect.
I'm just saying. I don't think I believe for a second the JVC's are more prone to issues than anything else. They're fragile pieces of machinery by nature. So undoutedly you'll find issue across the board with this catagory over most anything else, in my experience. Some might differ, I'm sure, though.

The thing is that once its set up the motor zoom and shift mean nothing so itsaves a few steps? Big deal! I had a manual and now a full motorizied unit and it really means nothing after the first setup. I could see if maybe its not ceiling mounted that it gets moved or bumped I suppose.

Avgoround

I could not read the whole owners thread, it's very long. All I read was the last few pages and didn't like what I read.

That said, I understand that this is a $5,000 projector....so I'm not surprised anyone would point out that it is better than a $1500-$2000 projector.....I would be surprised if it were not better (much better!)

At $1,129 I would say you got a great deal. That said, I found no deals like that in Michigan (our Best Buy doesn't even carry that brand afaik).

Dave

It may well be better but it is a few years old and in projectors newness often brings improvement with a lower pricetag.

My experience with the Pany 4000u was that it offered somewhat better than average LCD black level performance, and that it had no visible pixel structure. On top end of the contrast range, however, it was a little flat comparitively and subdued looking - EVEN COMPARED TO THE EPSON 8350!! (which had more "pop" to the image). Otherwise, the Panny was an excellent unit, which could have likely benefited from some sort of high contrast black screen, like screen innovations Black Diamond series.
The Mitsubishi HC6800 also had some similar characteristics as the Panny 4000u, including limited dynamic range/contrst on the top end, smooth overall pic (visible pixels close up, however), BUT BLACK LEVEL WASN'T EVEN BETTER THAN MY OPTOMA HD65 720 DLP PJ!! - also needs something like the Black Diamond SI screen to help boost contrast range and lower black level performance.
The Epson 8350's didn't have the N'th degree of color accuracy, but close. Never the less, they offered a very contrasty, poppy looking image, and descent pixel sturcture. Black level, however, wasn't any better than typical LCD or entry DLP projectors, really - also needs a proper screen. Beyond that, I see quality control issues there also! (Black sceens have Redish brown tint in the corners - distracting. Also, some pannel mis-alignment issues).
I've still kept my Optoma HD65 DLP projector, for netflix movies and computer work from the VGA connection. The image from this thing still has great contrast on the top end, image pop and sparkle...but black level hurts the darkest sceens, obviously. But then again I paid $350 for the thing used (still a great pj at a great price for portable ap's, gaming, coputer display, and tinkering!
Back to 1080p now...
The JVC, upon firing it up, and making a few adjustments JUST BLOWS YOU AWAY! THat black level is soooo deep compared to what you're used to from typical LCD/DLP projectors (and no color wheel), and so film like, and so contrasty looking(likley do to DEEEEp blacks), that you just can't stop adding superlatives! That's all I'm saying.
I've been an admirer of the JVC's since I saw them first at the trade shows. Now that I've owned one, I am just as pleased now as I was then! Truely nice looking, even with lack of color managment built in..still settings get color very very close,and close enough to thrill.
Yeah, I'm sure I found a pocket of these in my area, that no one else paid much attention to. I saw em and knew I had a bargain on my hands. So I took the deals and invested.
Lol - unfortunately, I like the deal and to turn the cash more than keeping the merchandise!! I will likey, however, still keep this last one..the others I've honestly sold for several hundred dollars profit each! Just couldn't help myself, in flipping the deal...hehe!