Warning about LED Projector

[chazzy2501]

I just replaced a 12yo Sanyo projector using a standard lamp rated for 2600lm. a Viewsonic LS560W an LED illuminated Short throw projector.... No way.. just no way is this thing 3000lm.

 

I can't see it unless I close all the blinds, the old one bulb was on its way out and I didn't want to buy a £130 lamp for it but it was WAY better than the new one..

 

Some number fudging is going on, the Whites do look really bright but the second you show colours (like the windows desktop) it looks really dim. I think this is a light spectrum issue, where colours coming from an LED are not great and one filtered go to crud.

 

tldr avoid LED powered projectors as the numbers mean nothing...

 

I have some Epson Laser projectors and they are fantastic.

[Steve21]

Might want to check what "colour mode" is set, as we noticed on some LED projectors by default they don't run at top brightness to "improve fan noise etc" sometimes up to 25% loss in brightness on Standard modes

 

Looking at the Viewsonic manual it looks like it has a "Brightest" colour mode available so might be worth testing that if you haven't already

 

Steve

[mikes]

We bought 3 LED projectors about 5 years ago from Amazon I believe, forget what brand they are now - but they were absolute GARBAGE. As in so dim you needed absolute darkness to even see an image. Should have returned them really. I've seen on youtube there are fake lumen ratings for LED torches I can imagine the same being true for projectors. We won't bother with projectors at all now interactive TV's are for us now for classrooms.

[Chris_Cook]

There have been various was of measuring screen brightness over the years. Its not un-common to turn the brightness up full and measure that. Contrast is as important. If you don't measure on a typical image, then its not really a useful measurement. The windows background isn't a good test of projectors though. Not necessarily saying this vender has done that.

 

I used to look at the lamp wattage when buying higher powered lamp projectors. You can then get a comparison that way. Not so easy with LED/Laser.

 

I would look for any eco settings in case its defaulted to eco mode.

[PotNoodleTech]

Yep I had the same with Epson - the bulb one in the hall is super bright the LED one in the gym with the same rating is no where near as bright or has as good contrast.

[Fazza]

Is this brightness issue you are all talking about due to the technology (i.e. are lamp projectors simply brighter) or is it that the way the brightness (lumens) is being reported between the two different technologies is not being measured/calculated in the same way?

 

Or is it like speaker manufacturers saying 100W (PMPO) instead of 70W (RMS)?

[PotNoodleTech]

Is this brightness issue you are all talking about due to the technology (i.e. are lamp projectors simply brighter) or is it that the way the brightness (lumens) is being reported between the two different technologies is not being measured/calculated in the same way?

 

Or is it like speaker manufacturers saying 100W (PMPO) instead of 70W (RMS)?

 

Yeh all three I recon. My new LED projector is 1000w PMPO mate so stand well back.

[psydii]

https://www.viewsonicglobal.com/public/products_download/user_guide/projector/LS510W_LS510WH_LS510WH-2_LS560W_LS560WH_LS560HDH/LS510W_LS510WH_LS510WH-2_LS560W_LS560WH_LS560HDH_UG_ENG.pdf?pass

 

Check if its running in Eco/Dynamic mode, if it is try it in 'Normal':

 

Menu: Advanced > Light Source Settings > Light Source Mode

 

 

 

Looking at the price of that one, it is just under what I would expect to be paying for a basic bright enough projector. But I've been out of the projector game for 6+ years now, so my benchmarks are probably off.

[chazzy2501]

https://www.viewsonicglobal.com/public/products_download/user_guide/projector/LS510W_LS510WH_LS510WH-2_LS560W_LS560WH_LS560HDH/LS510W_LS510WH_LS510WH-2_LS560W_LS560WH_LS560HDH_UG_ENG.pdf?pass

 

Check if its running in Eco/Dynamic mode, if it is try it in 'Normal':

 

Menu: Advanced > Light Source Settings > Light Source Mode

 

Yes, it is in normal mode, (eco, dynamic black 1 and 2) Also using brightest colour profile makes it look terrible.

 

The contrast is terrible, this is very much like early projectors can't be more than 200:1 blacks are crushed (and grey) needs curtains closed to use, sub 2000lm.

 

The built in test image is almost fully white and quite bright, it is natural images that fall apart.

 

This projector uses the Osram 3rd Gen LED light source but it is crap which you think would mean something but nope..

[psydii]

I'd have thought that if it is demonstrably worse than a 10yr+ equivalent spec (as you have described) you should be able to return it as not meeting standard/expectation under which your employer entered the contract to purchase it.

[chazzy2501]

I'd have thought that if it is demonstrably worse than a 10yr+ equivalent spec (as you have described) you should be able to return it as not meeting standard/expectation under which your employer entered the contract to purchase it.

 

I'm talking to AVPartsmaster about it now, I still have the box so I might get hit with a restock fee.