Home theater equipment

[Devilmaycare]

I figured I'd start a general thread for home theater equipment. As some of you guys know from other threads that it's a big hobby of mine. If you have any questions about anything fire away and we'll see what we can come up with.

One thing I'd like to start off with is if you need a projector or a screen to go to projectorscreen.com for it. They're who I bought my projector from 2 years ago and then I bought my new screen at the start of the year from them too. They're amazing to work with. Prices are where they should be and they give amazing customer service.

Like their customer service is something you don't see anymore. I bought my project in July 2022. It developed a stuck pixel in January 2023. They took care of everything for me. I only had to deal with them and shipping to NJ over having to ship to China if I was dealing directly with the manufacturer.

Then on Sunday my 2nd unit developed a stuck pixel again. They only have a 2 year warranty on them and I'm right at the end of month 25. I figured I was screwed. Monday I took a long shot and emailed them to see if there was any chance the warranty reset with the replacement in January 23. That day I got a response back of "no, but hang tight and give me a day. I'm talking to upper management about your situation." Yesterday I woke up to an email from them with a shipping label in it that read:

I was able to shift some things around and circumvent the typical replacement process. We will handle this directly from our warehouse here. You've been a good customer.

Blown away. I never expected them to work that type of magic. At beast I was hoping for some repair option or maybe a deal on a replacement. Amazon, Bambu, and some of the other bigger retailers that I've had to deal with recently could learn a thing or two from Brian and his team. I really appreciate that we have such a good vendor to work with.

 

[puckhead]

That's really great customer service. Nice to know there are still some companies out there going the extra mile.

 

[puckhead]

Do you use REW or something similar to dial in your system?

 

[Dan H]

I'm holding with a 75" OLED until short-throw laser becomes more mainstream.

 

[Devilmaycare]

Do you use REW or something similar to dial in your system?

I use REW for dialing in my subs and for spot checking everything else. I usually just let Audyssey do the adjustments on the main speakers.

 

[Devilmaycare]

That's really great customer service. Nice to know there are still some companies out there going the extra mile.

Yeah, I was amazed by it.

Then I found out today that Brian wasn't even part of it. Brian is the owner of the company and the two of us have interacted a bunch on AVS. When I made my purchases we chatted about them before hand to make sure what I was getting fit my needs. There's a million different options for screens.

So I figured this was due to that. Nope. I had a reply from him this morning saying that he wasn't even in the loop about this issue and it was all on his customer service team. He's build a good customer focused company.

 

[Devilmaycare]

I'm holding with a 75" OLED until short-throw laser becomes more mainstream.

It's a UST that I have. My room isn't wide enough for a regular throw projector to get the screen size I wanted. I love it but I would not recommend it for everyone, at least as a TV replacement. It mainly depends on your room conditions (mainly light) and when you want to watch it. Light controlled room at night, awesome. Wide open great room during the day with tons of natural light coming in, horrible. You'll hate life. Or at least I would.

 

[Covert Rain]

I just replaced my old Epson projector with a Hisense PX3-Pro. I did a ton of research and in person testing. Wow. It’s a fantastic picture and the 3D is amazingly good. My Epson was good at 3D but this projector is shockingly better.

Let me tell you setting up an ultrashort throw is a major pain in the ass. Overall I am really happy with it.

This might be my last projector. Let’s say I have an “in” if the panel picture wall tech comes down to consumer pricing. That might be my next move.

 

[Devilmaycare]

I just replaced my old Epson projector with a Hisense PX3-Pro. I did a ton of research and in person testing. Wow. It’s a fantastic picture and the 3D is amazingly good. My Epson was good at 3D but this projector is shockingly better.

Let me tell you setting up an ultrashort throw is a major pain in the ass. Overall I am really happy with it.

This might be my last projector. Let’s say I have an “in” if the panel picture wall tech comes down to consumer pricing. That might be my next move.

Congrats.

USTs are such a headache. I've been running a Formovie Theater for the last 3 years and just upgraded to the new Nexigo Aurora Pro MKII and have been fighting with it too. Finally got it almost perfectly aligned last night with out keystone. Only had to make one minor keystone move. That was after me spending 2 hours to get my screen perfectly level for all 4 sides. A could washer spacers had to be added on one of the corners.

I haven't really messed with 3D yet since the glasses and Gravity just came in. I haven't had a 3D capable displace in 10 years. I still need to calibrate it for that. My initial testing showed me again why I'm not a huge 3D fan. Hate the glasses and the dim picture. I'd much rather watch 3D and immersive content on my Vision Pros than in the theater right now.

My SDR/HDR/DV picture is looking amazing after calibration though. The demo reel on Spear & Munsil is looking better than I've ever seen it. I'm seeing detail, especially in DV, that I've never seen before due to blow out.

 

[Covert Rain]

Congrats.

USTs are such a headache. I've been running a Formovie Theater for the last 3 years and just upgraded to the new Nexigo Aurora Pro MKII and have been fighting with it too. Finally got it almost perfectly aligned last night with out keystone. Only had to make one minor keystone move. That was after me spending 2 hours to get my screen perfectly level for all 4 sides. A could washer spacers had to be added on one of the corners.

I haven't really messed with 3D yet since the glasses and Gravity just came in. I haven't had a 3D capable displace in 10 years. I still need to calibrate it for that. My initial testing showed me again why I'm not a huge 3D fan. Hate the glasses and the dim picture. I'd much rather watch 3D and immersive content on my Vision Pros than in the theater right now.

My SDR/HDR/DV picture is looking amazing after calibration though. The demo reel on Spear & Munsil is looking better than I've ever seen it. I'm seeing detail, especially in DV, that I've never seen before due to blow out.

I considered the Foremovie, AWOL and another Epson as well. Overall just like the PX3-Pro the best. I love 3D and don’t mind the glasses but I know some do. Getting another Projector capable of 3D was a must for me because of my library. I don't know if I would ever do a UST again. Went through similar challenges of adjusting screen etc. Just so much bigger of a hassle than standard projection. My next project is building a riser for my HT seats and building my own digital poster.

 

[Devilmaycare]

I considered the Foremovie, AWOL and another Epson as well. Overall just like the PX3-Pro the best. I love 3D and don’t mind the glasses but I know some do. Getting another Projector capable of 3D was a must for me because of my library. I don't know if I would ever do a UST again. Went through similar challenges of adjusting screen etc. Just so much bigger of a hassle than standard projection. My next project is building a riser for my HT seats and building my own digital poster.

The PX3-pro is great. It's how I would have gone if the MKII didn't come out. You did good with getting that one, especially for 3D or if your room isn't light controlled since it's 3000 lumens. My MKII being only 2400 lumens is the other slight problem I'll have with 3D since I have a 130" screen. Ideally it should be a little bit brighter. My room is fully light controlled with black velvet walls and ceiling. For 4k content it looks incredible with how much I was able to dial it in and the black levels that I'm getting. I was blown away yesterday by some of the DV clips off of the Spears & Munsil disc.

The Epson UST's aren't in the same league as these. AWOL are good but needs a refresh IMO. They've fallen behind both of our projectors.

Formovie I'd skip at this point. I've had the Theater since it came out and it was great but there was no way that I was going to buy the FMT2 that came out last fall. Formovie hasn't learned that they can't act like a Chinese company yet with these types of products. They're still in the ship it and forget it mode. Their support was non-existent and only ever did one firmware update. Most of the issues never got fixed. I've had my MKII for 2 weeks now and already have as many firmware updates as my FMT got in 3 years.

Are you a bass guy? If so, I can walk you through making your riser a HeZe like mine. The TLDR; on is you embed free air subs into it and then have the entire thing on tubes. It's like having crowsons or butt kickers but on steroids. I can feel everything down to 3 Hz with mine. It makes action movies really fun.

 

[Covert Rain]

Are you a bass guy? If so, I can walk you through making your riser a HeZe like mine. The TLDR; on is you embed free air subs into it and then have the entire thing on tubes. It's like having crowsons or butt kickers but on steroids. I can feel everything down to 3 Hz with mine. It makes action movies really fun.

Forgot to answer this part. I am a bass guy. My wife is the anti-bass wife. I am still interested to know how you did this though if you have anything documented.

 

[Devilmaycare]

Forgot to answer this part. I am a bass guy. My wife is the anti-bass wife. I am still interested to know how you did this though if you have anything documented.

My setup is documented a little bit on AVS and there's a thread there on the subject. I was going to send you to it but it's 1001 pages long right now. Not for the faint of heart.

One of the members wrote up a guide though. I forgot about but found it in documentation post in that thread. Give it a look through and feel free to ask away. Don't let the first couple of pages scare you. He started off for some reason showing some experiments that the guys were trying a couple years ago and some project history. Page 16 he starts explaining and giving definitions for what a HeZe is and the details.

Files · main · HeZeGuide / HeZeGuide · GitLab

A guide for HoverEzE understanding and construction

gitlab.com

 

[Devilmaycare]

@Covert Rain A really good new review just dropped. We both came out well in it and I'm really good with my choice now. I'm sensitive to speckle so the p3x-pro would have ended up driving me nuts.

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[Covert Rain]

@Covert Rain A really good new review just dropped. We both came out well in it and I'm really good with my choice now. I'm sensitive to speckle so the p3x-pro would have ended up driving me nuts.

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Which is weird because I don't see speckle at all. So far nobody I have shown it too has seen it either. I did read on another forum that it appears to be the overseas model verses the US model. The reviewer also did say it depends on the screen. Maybe my screen is just good at defusing it.

 

[Devilmaycare]

Which is weird because I don't see speckle at all. So far nobody I have shown it too has seen it either. I did read on another forum that it appears to be the overseas model verses the US model. The reviewer also did say it depends on the screen. Maybe my screen is just good at defusing it.

It depends on you and the screen. Everyone has different sensitivity to it. I'm on the slightly more sensitive side

I've seen screens make a difference myself. When I bought my Formovie Theater (original one) I have an ALR floor rising screen. With it I could see a ton of speckle. I was almost ready to give up on it. I had a feeling it might be screen related talking to other people. So I bought a new fixed frame screen (also went 120" to 130") and it was night and day for me. So much less speckle. It was way down below my annoyance threshold.

 

[Chaplin]

I'm debating upgrading to the MKII myself. Not well versed in the market at this point, so just doing research. Right now. I'm running my Plex server on an 80" Samsung LED, which is a few years old and works really well. Also will probably look at an audio upgrade as well.

 

[Covert Rain]

It depends on you and the screen. Everyone has different sensitivity to it. I'm on the slightly more sensitive side

I've seen screens make a difference myself. When I bought my Formovie Theater (original one) I have an ALR floor rising screen. With it I could see a ton of speckle. I was almost ready to give up on it. I had a feeling it might be screen related talking to other people. So I bought a new fixed frame screen (also went 120" to 130") and it was night and day for me. So much less speckle. It was way down below my annoyance threshold.

Likely most people are not as sensitive as you and I agree. It's likely my screen. One of my buddies can't see 3D and usually notices all kinds of weird stuff and he didn't see it either. That's why I like options on the market. Budget, quality and differences between brightness, sharpness, contrast and all sorts of things have different importance. I just hope this is my last one. I am anxious for the next gen tech of either panels or flex wall materials to come way down in price. That's the holy grail to me. TV like tech but projection size. I doubt it's affordable anytime soon though. Maybe I will have at least one more projector upgrade in me.

 

[jf-08]

I need a new soundbar for my tv in my new home. Looking at possibly getting Sonos Arc Ultra. Anyone have any suggestions?

 

[Devilmaycare]

I need a new soundbar for my tv in my new home. Looking at possibly getting Sonos Arc Ultra. Anyone have any suggestions?

Or we can do a good sound system…

I'm not a Sonos fan at all. The company has had enough mis-steps and issues lately that they're low on my list. They're a bit like Bose too in that they're a bit overpriced for the quality you get.

 

[Devilmaycare]

I'm debating upgrading to the MKII myself. Not well versed in the market at this point, so just doing research. Right now. I'm running my Plex server on an 80" Samsung LED, which is a few years old and works really well. Also will probably look at an audio upgrade as well.

Hit me up if you have any questions on it. I got one of the first batch ones and have ht it for about 5 weeks or so now.

 

[jf-08]

Or we can do a good sound system…

I'm not a Sonos fan at all. The company has had enough mis-steps and issues lately that they're low on my list. They're a bit like Bose too in that they're a bit overpriced for the quality you get.

Lol. I'll have you check out what I have to with with after we move in.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

I would love an ultra short throw, but my screen is 150" and I haven't found one that will accommodate that size yet. If they do, they will be in my market.

 

[Devilmaycare]

I would love an ultra short throw, but my screen is 150" and I haven't found one that will accommodate that size yet. If they do, they will be in my market.

What project are you using now?

As for 150" UST, you sort of can with the MKII or PX3-pro. Caveats are that you need a light controlled room and not care about 3D. One of the guys calibrating the MKIIs has been playing with calibration for 150" screens and is saying that he has it going.

To be honest though, I wouldn't recommend going UST at this point for that big of a screen unless you either didn't have room for a long throw (my issue) or you have a older, lower end long throw and need to upgrade but don't want to hit JVC prices. The USTs have a much better price point.

Sharing some breakthrough settings for folks with 150” ALR screens. With the help of Dgtr74, we were able to calibrate and dial-in settings using the Gaming Preset that helped to squeeze every lumen out of the MKII. The picture produced was perceptiually nearly as bright as the PX3-Pro with SDR content but with significantly reduced laser speckle on the ScreenPro 150” screen (0.85 gain). The blacks in a dark room on this screen is just super inky. When these settings are used on a 120” and 100” screens, the enhanced brightness is really apparent and the picture truly pops. These settings are now uploaded on first post, and they are a step up in brightness from the last shared OLED-like settings, especially for SDR.

Never thought that I’ll be able to use the MKII on a 150” ALR screen but it’s now a reality when used in a dark room. To make things simple, it may just be the only settings preset that most folks will ever need for the MKII since it can be used with gaming as well with low delay mode. Enjoy and share feedback if you are using on larger screens.

 

[jf-08]

Or we can do a good sound system…

I'm not a Sonos fan at all. The company has had enough mis-steps and issues lately that they're low on my list. They're a bit like Bose too in that they're a bit overpriced for the quality you get.

FYI. This is my TV on the fireplace. I don't want any ancillary equipment showing so I was thinking of hanging a sound bar under the TV as those basically look like part of the TV as fine stand out.

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