Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)I 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.
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The Sony VPL-HS51 LCD front projector's versatile cabinet, light weight, and easy-to-use features make it ideal for home theater use. The projector employs 3 proprietary 720p LCD panels that together provide 2,764,800 pixels (1,280 x 720 native pixel resolution) optimized for high-definition video inputs such as those from a DTV set-top box. Compatible inputs include standard 480i, progressive-scan 480p, and high-definition 720p and 1080i signals.Sony's Advanced Iris function enables the projector to dynamically adjust the video image according to the level of the input signal, resulting in a high contrast ratio of up to 6,000:1 and reproduction of even the subtlest details. The projector's 1.6x zoom lens grants the projector a short throw distance, with the option to project on screen sizes of 40 to 200 inches. For placement considerations, you'll need to maintain anywhere from 4 to 6 feet of throw distance for a 40-inch screen to as much as 19 to 30 feet for a 200-inch screen.You can easily adjust picture position using the lens-shift function, which broadens the projector's placement and installation options without distorting the image. Lens shift permits both horizontal and vertical adjustments, with a total shift of 2 picture heights, maximum up to maximum down and a total shift of 1 picture height, maximum left to maximum right. This allows for off-center positioning. You can mount the projector above the top of the screen or below the bottom of the screen, by up to half the screen's height.An All Range Crisp-Focus (ARC-F) lens and powerful Real Color Processor (RCP) further enhance colors and images. The ARC-F lens offers an 8 percent focus improvement over standard projectors at screen center and a 20 percent improvement in focus at screen corners. And, with RCP, you can customize your picture by targeting specific items in a picture and fine-adjusting their color and hue without changing the overall picture's color and hue. For instance, you can fine-adjust the color of a strawberry without affecting human skin tones. Or you can alter the blue in a sky without affecting the color of water.An advanced 12-bit panel driver brings high color graduation. This projector also offers a new HD I/P converter that improves not only NTSC video conversion but high-definition signals, as well. Further, the VPL-HS51's unique fan generates low noise for extremely quiet operation.Supplied ImageDirector2 Gamma-control software enables Gamma adjustments to the VPL-HS51 via connection to a PC. Adjustments can be seen in real time, and personal preferences can be stored in the PC for future use. ImageDirector2 also works in conjunction with the Real Color Processing (RCP) function for precise picture adjustment.Inputs and outputs include progressive-scan component-video, 2 composite-video, high-definition HDMI, S-video, USB, and a power on/off trigger. The HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) allows copy-protected, high-definition video content to be delivered from a DVI/HDCP (High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection)-compatible set-top box. HDMI supports standard-definition (SD), enhanced definition (ED), or high-definition (HD) video, plus multi-channel digital audio--all using a single cable. It transmits all ATSC HDTV standards and supports up to 8-channel digital audio, with bandwidth to spare to accommodate future enhancements and requirements.Optional projector accessories include a user-replaceable lamp (LMP-H130), a replacement air filter (PK-HS10FL), and suspension support (PSS-610).What's in the Box Projector, a remote control (model RM-PJHS50), 2 AA remote batteries, an air filter (PK-HS10FL), a CD-ROM (ImageDirector2 Gamma-control software), a user's manual, and warranty/registration information.
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