Ried's HT Redux

[Riedenschneider]

No, peeps, this time it's for real. I finally pulled my head out of my ass (or better: Panasonic did it for me) and (pre)ordered a beamer.

The main reason I never bothered to update my 28 inch (16:9) Loewe TV to a beamer before was a) I just bought that Loewe in 2001 and b) all un-hushboxed beamers were simply too loud.

Well, all that has changed with Panasonic's new PT-AE700. Which is not only sexy looking enough, but also finally quiet enough for moi. Oh, and of course it's supposedly the best beamer you can get in its price category.



This sweet silver is not available over here yet, but it will be very soon. So stay tuned for more and in the meantime, check out its designated place of pleasing!

Mounted right on top of my head and next to Buller's leasure feet (for an estimated 80 inch projection area):

[lostwire]

[Titleist]

you've got the building blocks there for a superb home theater.

I expect you to apply brutal german effiency in how you set it up.

[Riedenschneider]

Mamma mia, lostwire, is that the screen that I'm pulling out of my pants? Awesome!

Originally Posted by Titleist

I expect you to apply brutal german effiency in how you set it up.

Heh, actually, that thing will just go up there, shine its light and that's about it. I don't even have a... take a deep breath... wait for it some more!... 5.1 set up. .

[Iguana Man]

Congrats!! I just read a review of this pj here and it looks like a winner indeed!

You gonna shoot it on the wall or buy/make a screen?

You gonna get that new thing called 'surround sound' too? I hear it's great for movies. ( )

Congrats again dude.

[Riedenschneider]

Originally Posted by Iguana Man

http://www.projectorcentral.com/panasonic_ae700_sanyo_z3.htm

"The AE700 sells for a few hundred dollars more than the Z3."

That's funny. I paid 1550 Euros (~US-$ 2050) for the Panasonic, and the Sanyo Z3 is not going for under 1900 Euros over here. Good thing the 700 is brighter and better anyway.

"You gonna shoot it on the wall or buy/make a screen?

I'll make a screen. With a simple, white bed-sheet on a black felt covered wooden frame. And since I'm anal about cinemascope, I will make cute little curtains to properly mask off scope movies.

You gonna get that new thing called 'surround sound' too? I hear it's great for movies. ( )

Man, I'm kinda screwed on that issue. I'm surrounded by righteous German neighbors. Meaning, whenever I make that "extra push over the cliff" to 11, I have cops knocking on my door.
But even graver, I once tested a six channel set-up at my place. And all the voices from the center channel sounded thin and dull compared to my stereo speakers (with treble and bass set way up). To my shock, I found out that multi-channel amps don't have treble and bass dials! "Nope, that's true," I was told later on by a dealer, "You can't mess with treble and bass with that. It's set (the amp & the DVD sound transfer) as you're supposed to hear it, anyway." I told him that Alec Baldwin's voice is much more "brighter" and "deeper" on my stereo speakers with messed treble and bass. To which I just got a surrendering "well..."-shrug. And that was the end of that for me.

Congrats again dude.

Anytime you charge up to Hamburg... I'll be happy to have you as my guest.


BTW, I got a mail today, telling me that I'll probably have to wait another 2-3 weeks for delivery...

Ried makes frowny face but knows how to entertain himself, by already going nuts over testing out screen settings:

[snipsnapsappy]

My Denon 6.1 reciever has treble and bass level settings. That salesmen does not know what he is talking about. And if you have not heard a good 5.1 demonstration, you need to get out and hear one. Stereo is so '80s.

[Riedenschneider]

Originally Posted by snipsnapsappy

My Denon 6.1 reciever has treble and bass level settings.

Really? Well...

And if you have not heard a good 5.1 demonstration, you need to get out and hear one.

... OK, then.

(But I'm pretty much broke now, anyway.)

(And what's wrong with the 80's? )

[Riedenschneider]

Update!

My 5-year-old el cheapo DVD player is going kaputt on me (whenever I put a disc in, I have to slap the player for it to work). So while I'm at it, I decided to buy a new el cheapo player: The PAL progressive scan able Amisos N996. (~$250)

Both beamer and player should be on their way to moi any day now! The el cheapo component cables (~$20) already arrived!!...

[I 8 Piglet]

hey Ried, where'd you get those cables? They look just like the ones I have (but I cant rememeber who I ordered them from).

[Riedenschneider]

http://cgi.ebay.de/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?...tem=5717994371

[I 8 Piglet]

Originally Posted by Riedenschneider

http://cgi.ebay.de/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?...tem=5717994371

ah thanks, anyway congrats on the new HT

[tic-tac]

Good grief, man! How long are those component cables? Ah, I guess they're supposed to run a good ways to the projector, etc.

[Iguana Man]

Originally Posted by Riedenschneider

http://cgi.ebay.de/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?...tem=5717994371

Do those cables automatically provide the pj with German subtitles?

[Riedenschneider]

Originally Posted by tic-tac

Good grief, man! How long are those component cables? Ah, I guess they're supposed to run a good ways to the projector, etc.

Ja, an unfortunate 30+ feet from player to projector. Goddamn room will look like something straight out of "Brazil." And they're massive too. I guess if you whack them on somebody's head bundled up like that, you could generate some considerable damage.

Originally Posted by Iguana Man

Do those cables automatically provide the pj with German subtitles?

No, smarty pants. But did I mention that they could generate considerable damage, when whacked on somebody's head?

[tic-tac]

Originally Posted by Riedenschneider

Ja, an unfortunate 30+ feet from player to projector. Goddamn room will look like something straight out of "Brazil." And they're massive too. I guess if you whack them on somebody's head bundled up like that, you could generate some considerable damage.No, smarty pants. But did I mention that they could generate considerable damage, when whacked on somebody's head?

30 feet?!?!?!? Criminy, how ya gonna do that? I'm such a lazy sack that I haven't read the rest of the thread to know if you're mounting it on the ceiling or not. If so, are you going to somehow tack the cables to the ceiling too? If not, then are you going to have the cables just running all over the floor? Man, that would look nutty, like, I dunno, Braz- OH, now I get it.

[Riedenschneider]

Perfect capture, tic-tac!

So this one's just for you...

[Riedenschneider]

Poppa's got a brand new bag...




TaDAA!!





The 80 inch el-cheapo (~$10) screen.




Unfortunately this "Sperrholzplatte" creates a hot spot and has wipe-shadows I can't get rid off. So this'll go down the balcony and be replaced by regular projection screen material on a slightly larger, 90 inch, canvas.
The image is fine, probably the best I can expect for such a short viewing distance. Configuration of both progressive player and projector was a bitch though. Endless options to fuck with (even hidden ones like "Flicker Adjust", I had to find via projector forums). I'm still not sure if everything is set for maximum pleasure. I'll post some action pics as soon as I am sure.

[tic-tac]

Very, very nice. Tell me about what happens when that clean run of component cables hits that corner where the DVD rack and windchimes (?!) are... It seems to just disappear. I assume it goes... down?

Again, quite sweet. I personally find that creating a space to enjoy cinema is some of the best time one can spend.

[Iguana Man]

Wow Ried....looking sweet! Meticulously laid out.

What's the rotating thingy to the right of the lens?
What did you end up using for the screen material?
What's the screens frame made of?
What's the black border made of?
What is that hanging on the left of the radiator under the screen?

Nice work dude....really, I mean that.

[I 8 Piglet]

very nice.

BTW I really like your choice of wall color. I would never have to balls to go with something so bold, but it looks really good.

[Riedenschneider]

Aaah, Danke, guys. But it's really just lazyman's work.

tic-tac,

Yes, the cables go down. I hoped for a miracle and just used double-sided scotch tape to stick them on the cupboard. But they, naturally, peeled off overnight. Now they're clamped to the wall. Looks ugly, but no one looks there anyway (except you, below. ). Windchimes? Luckily not! Not that it's windy in there, but still. Some kind of African wood-glockenspiel, I guess. Sounds like shit.


Iguana,

-What's the rotating thingy to the right of the lens?
The lens-shift knob. As you can see, I'm using it to maximum effect. Which isn't recommended, but the alternative would be to mount the PJ 5 inches above my head.

-What did you end up using for the screen material?
The one pictured above is what you'll find on the back of most bookshelfs and cupboards: Hardfiber (?). The new one will be covered with Polyvinyl Chloride foil.

-What's the screens frame made of?
No frame. Just painted with black gloss paint. New one will be something less reflective.

-What is that hanging on the left of the radiator under the screen?
Heh, that's a so called "quick relieve dispenser." You now, when you GOT TO GO, but don't wanna leave the room for it!
J/K, it's a (non-piss-)water container. To give the air the humidity back the radiator sucks off. Don't know if I should continue using it with the PJ, though.


I 8 Piglet,

Actually, I also hadn't the balls for it, as it looked a lot less bold when it got mixed in the DIY store. But it's a really cozy color. You kinda feel like you're inside an egg.

[Sycho]

fuck you got it made, a room with a bed and an projector, wow, your a god among men Ried

[Riedenschneider]

Well, I never would have thunk it, but actual screen material is really an improvement. Though it says nothing about how good it looks in real life, here it is, 90 inches of kick-ass kino:

[incubus0]

That looks absolutely beautiful. Good scene too.

With the bed and screen to close I hope the new screen material is spill proof

[Iguana Man]

Nice man.....nice. Great colors and blacks....sweet, sweet, sweet!!

[Riedenschneider]

Danke, guys. One quick question to you two PJ-owners, what do you do when you have to interrupt the screening (to answer a phone call or something) for, say, 20 minutes? Do you just pause the player or turn the PJ off? It says it's not recommended to turn the PJ on and off too much. So what's wiser, wasting 20 minutes of unused bulb time or turning it off?

This PJ has a so called shutter-function, which I use. But it just saves some electric energie while making the screen blac