Sony VPL-HW65ES: Not Impressed

[kopkiwi]

Had this sitting around since February waiting to be hooked up. Finally with the completion of the dedicated HT on Friday I could get rocking on some 100" goodness. Sadly, the picture quality is really REALLY underwhelming. Blacks are really average, shadow detail is piss poor and the contrast leaves a lot to be desired. There is no pop, no wow factor.

Think of offloading it and looking at an OLED

[silentbob]

Have you placed Reality Creation On. I know my 40ES is so-so until you activate the RC on the unit. Maybe try the AVSForum boards for user input/settings. Should have a pretty damn awesome projector there for viewing and not the quality you are referencing too.

[Dirk504]

Originally Posted by silentbob

Have you placed Reality Creation On. I know my 40ES is so-so until you activate the RC on the unit. Maybe try the AVSForum boards for user input/settings. Should have a pretty damn awesome projector there for viewing and not the quality you are referencing too.

Yea, you should listen to this guy. I demoed the 40ES multiple times and it's a really good projector, so this one should be better. Of course it won't look better than an OLED, but try pricing one of those at 100".

[kopkiwi]

Yep, reality creation is on.

[ImPulSive]

Originally Posted by kopkiwi

Yep, reality creation is on.

Calibrated or just straight out of the box? Tweaked the brightness, contrast, etc. via a setup disc or some other app?

That is a very good PJ but if you are comparing it to plasma or OLED, sorry but the PJ will never live up to those expectations. Good light control, screen quality, etc.? Have not looked at your set up yet, just asking the typical questions. What does the PJ calculator have to say for your throw distance, screen, etc.? Not too bright is it? Tried eco mode to see if dimmer helps?

Good luck with it. If you were not so far away I would be tempted to get you to off load your PJ to me for good price?

[Flatnate]

Hmmm...something doesn't add up here. Have you played with the settings for the iris? Does it allow adjustments to the gamma? Not to be rude, but have you seen projector installations with enough pop and contrast where you have a basis for comparison for possibly troubleshooting some of these variables first. My JVC actually beats my older plasma in terms of black levels.

[Badas]

Originally Posted by Flatnate

Hmmm...something doesn't add up here. Have you played with the settings for the iris? Does it allow adjustments to the gamma? Not to be rude, but have you seen projector installations with enough pop and contrast where you have a basis for comparison for possibly troubleshooting some of these variables first. My JVC actually beats my older plasma in terms of black levels.

I agree. You have to muck around with the lamp iris and gamma. 2.4 is a good start. then tweak up the shadow detail.

My projector has better black levels than the IMAX laser projector.

[kopkiwi]

Originally Posted by ImPulSive

Calibrated or just straight out of the box?

Calibrated. Have used a bunch of different settings from a couple of reviews floating around the web.

Tweaked the brightness, contrast, etc. via a setup disc or some other app?

Haven't done that no

That is a very good PJ but if you are comparing it to plasma or OLED, sorry but the PJ will never live up to those expectations.

Yep that's why I got it. All the reviews were really positive. Part of the problem could my desire for plasma blacks

Good light control, screen quality, etc.? Have not looked at your set up yet, just asking the typical questions. What does the PJ calculator have to say for your throw distance, screen, etc.? Not too bright is it? Tried eco mode to see if dimmer helps?

Full light control. No ambient light. I am at optimum distance, used the calculator to set it up

Good luck with it. If you were not so far away I would be tempted to get you to off load your PJ to me for good price?

Haha, shipping would probably cost more than the dam thing itself

[kopkiwi]

Originally Posted by Flatnate

Hmmm...something doesn't add up here. Have you played with the settings for the iris? Does it allow adjustments to the gamma? Not to be rude, but have you seen projector installations with enough pop and contrast where you have a basis for comparison for possibly troubleshooting some of these variables first. My JVC actually beats my older plasma in terms of black levels.

Have played Iris settings. Yes it allows gamma changes I believe. I have plenty of projector previousl. Epson 5030 was a bit shit but my old Benq W700 had a beautiful DLP pop that really jumped off the screen

[Robert Zohn]

You should be loving this projector. Not sure this is true in your theater, but a light controlled room is just the beginning of designing the best open projection system to deliver the pop and low luminance level picture you can get out of Sony's HW65ES.

The #1 most important thing you can do to greatly improve the contrast ratio and black level is to have a flat black ceiling, back and side walls. If it's a dedicated theater most families will permit a totally black and non reflective room for the best front projection system. In fact, the best ceiling treatment is black duvetyn theatrical fabric. This is the only treatment that absorbed all light and does not reflect any light onto the screen.

This is how all commercial theaters are designed.

We build a lot of theaters and our favorite vendor for theatrical duvetyn fabric is Rose Brand. Great company only bettered by their excellent value prices.

Hope this helps.

[ImPulSive]

Originally Posted by Robert Zohn

The #1 most important thing you can do to greatly improve the contrast ratio and black level is to have a flat black ceiling, back and side walls. If it's a dedicated theater most families will permit a totally black and non reflective room for the best front projection system. In fact, the best ceiling treatment is black duvetyn theatrical fabric. This is the only treatment that absorbed all light and does not reflect any light onto the screen.

This is how all commercial theaters are designed.

We build a lot of theaters and our favorite vendor for theatrical duvetyn fabric is Rose Brand. Great company only bettered by their excellent value prices.

Hope this helps.

Good to know.

When I did my theater I used heavy black felt from JoAnn Fabrics for double duty light control and mild sound dampening. A little tedious to install on the ceiling but what a difference from white. Combined that with flat paint, I went with dark navy blue, black blackout curtains and dark carpeting.

I wonder if his screen is the issue? His set up should be rocking, so either expectations are too high (expecting similar/better than Pioneer Kuro Elite plasma) or there is something wrong somewhere.

I am happy enough with my old Epson 8700UB, cannot imagine how good it would be if I had that Sony PJ.

[kopkiwi]

Originally Posted by Robert Zohn

You should be loving this projector. Not sure this is true in your theater, but a light controlled room is just the beginning of designing the best open projection system to deliver the pop and low luminance level picture you can get out of Sony's HW65ES.

The #1 most important thing you can do to greatly improve the contrast ratio and black level is to have a flat black ceiling, back and side walls. If it's a dedicated theater most families will permit a totally black and non reflective room for the best front projection system. In fact, the best ceiling treatment is black duvetyn theatrical fabric. This is the only treatment that absorbed all light and does not reflect any light onto the screen.

This is how all commercial theaters are designed.

We build a lot of theaters and our favorite vendor for theatrical duvetyn fabric is Rose Brand. Great company only bettered by their excellent value prices.

Hope this helps.

The paint that I used is a special non-reflective paint. No shine at all. Full blackout curtains, nothing gets through. especially at night. Ambient light isn't the issue.

[kopkiwi]

Originally Posted by ImPulSive

Good to know.

When I did my theater I used heavy black felt from JoAnn Fabrics for double duty light control and mild sound dampening. A little tedious to install on the ceiling but what a difference from white. Combined that with flat paint, I went with dark navy blue, black blackout curtains and dark carpeting.

I wonder if his screen is the issue? His set up should be rocking, so either expectations are too high (expecting similar/better than Pioneer Kuro Elite plasma) or there is something wrong somewhere.

I am happy enough with my old Epson 8700UB, cannot imagine how good it would be if I had that Sony PJ.

The screen LOOKS ok. But I guess that could be the issue? Could I possibly just have a bad bulb?

[Badas]

Originally Posted by kopkiwi

The screen LOOKS ok. But I guess that could be the issue? Could I possibly just have a bad bulb?

Does it flicker. Have you looked at white level. Colour? You should have 6500K selected.

[crutzulee]

Maybe I don't know what I'm talking about, but from your other thread with the pictures it look like your projector placement requires a massive amount of lens shift. .

[kopkiwi]

Originally Posted by crutzulee

Maybe I don't know what I'm talking about, but from your other thread with the pictures it look like your projector placement requires a massive amount of lens shift. .

The angle is deceiving. The projector is pretty much bang in the middle of the screen. The screen isn't center of the wall either because of the entrance into the room.

[ImPulSive]

I would take some reference grade material and put it up on your TV and your PJ and see what you like and do not like. That could be Baraka https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Baraka-Blu-ray/1055/ or Avatar or some Disney/Pixar animation like How to Train your Dragon https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/How-t...Blu-ray/10819/ or Toy Story 3 https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Toy-S...Blu-ray/14836/ something like that. You get the idea.

Watch a few scenes on your computer, iPad or TV and then on your PJ. What do you like or hate? Can you use that material to narrow down the issue and then address the setting or thing to fix? With that playing on PJ, can you make adjustments to make it better?

If it were me, I would get a good calibration disc and spend a few hours adjusting to see what you really have, or get a professional to come in and do it for you. If you do take that DIY approach, you should have your PJ on and running for at least 45-60 minutes before to let it warm up and settle in before doing a calibration. Watch a movie first, then do the calibration, then re-watch your movie or portions of it to compare. If you try to calibrate too soon after power up, you may not get it right.

[kopkiwi]

Originally Posted by ImPulSive

I would take some reference grade material and put it up on your TV and your PJ and see what you like and do not like. That could be Baraka https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Baraka-Blu-ray/1055/ or Avatar or some Disney/Pixar animation like How to Train your Dragon https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/How-t...Blu-ray/10819/ or Toy Story 3 https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Toy-S...Blu-ray/14836/ something like that. You get the idea.

I did watch through Zootopia and thought "colors are nice, but man that shadow detail is awful"

Watch a few scenes on your computer, iPad or TV and then on your PJ. What do you like or hate? Can you use that material to narrow down the issue and then address the setting or thing to fix? With that playing on PJ, can you make adjustments to make it better?

Good idea, will give it a try

If it were me, I would get a good calibration disc and spend a few hours adjusting to see what you really have, or get a professional to come in and do it for you. If you do take that DIY approach, you should have your PJ on and running for at least 45-60 minutes before to let it warm up and settle in before doing a calibration. Watch a movie first, then do the calibration, then re-watch your movie or portions of it to compare. If you try to calibrate too soon after power up, you may not get it right.

Any suggestions on a good calibration disc? The thing that bugs me most is the loss of details in shadowy/dark scenes.

[ImPulSive]

Originally Posted by kopkiwi

Any suggestions on a good calibration disc? The thing that bugs me most is the loss of details in shadowy/dark scenes.

That is telling me that your brightness/contrast are set wrong, possibly your iris too. Use one of those calibration discs to set up properly, too hard to do on your own with those test patterns.

I am not home now, yet another 12 hour day at work but sometimes these discs have a calibration menu on them, some Disney discs if I recall correctly.

You could try

• Disney WOW: World of Wonder

• or Spears & Munsil

• or Digital Video Essentials

I have used the first and last ones. Disney might be easier one to start with. I think there is some free DVD image that you can download, burn to disc and use too but that name eludes me right now.

https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=218338

[Naiera]

Originally Posted by kopkiwi

Calibrated. Have used a bunch of different settings from a couple of reviews floating around the web.

That's not a calibration. A calibration involves a sensor and a computer. What you've done is merely used settings appropriate for other projectors. Although the model is the exact same, all panels are slightly different and require individual calibration, in addition to, of course, taking your screen and room environment into account as well.