OPTOMA UHZ50 VIDEO PROJECTOR REVIEW
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- Опубликовано: 10 май 2023
- Currently £1,999 from Richer Sounds the 4K, HDR, Video Projector, 3D, Home Cinemaseems to be something of a bargain. The laser for the light source in place of an LED, Xenon or Arc lamp seems to generate more appeal but it does boast a claimed contrast ratio of two and a half million to one so there clearly is an added benefit to using a laser. Also included is the Optoma UHD550X which I've had for over five years at the time of writing and sets a good example for how this newer, smaller projector should look, particularly with 4K UHD discs featuring HDR.
The most important settings I'm currently using on the UHZ50 are as follows:
Dynamic Range options - HDR Brightness set to 5
Brightness set to -14
Contrast set to 10
Colour set to 10
Tint set to 5
Sharpness set to the minimum which is 1
Brightness Mode options - select 'Constant Power' and set it to 75%
Brilliant Colour is set to 5 but I certainly have to play with this one some more as I'm not yet convinced it's necessary.
All the above settings are still being tweaked so they are not set in stone. 'Dynamic Black' is the best option within the Brightness Mode settings on the UHD550X projector but that didn't suffer the flickering issue that is evident when Dynamic Black is selected on the UHZ50.
We purchased our Optoma UHZ50 from Richer Sounds. To see their web site click here: www.richersounds.com/ 
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The day always get better whenever I see a new ’Movie Collector’-video is up.
Thanks Dunn Diddeli. This one's of more limited appeal but it might do okay over a couple of years. John.
Have you tried panasonics projectors I have some older 1080ones that are really nice
@@stpworld Haven't used a Panny since the early days of HD video projectors. There was a Hitachi that came out at the same time around the same price point that was actually marginally better and ultimately, more reliable too. All were pretty good though. John.
That's exactly how I feel.
👆🏼
Hey John, so glad you're enjoying this. Looks like a superb piece of kit. I've tried DLP many times and unfortunately suffer from high Rainbow sensitivity. Everyone that sees my PJ setup is amazed and wishes they saw movies that way. Like you, I've been using projectors for a very long time - since 1990 to be specific. My first was a Sony professional CRT with a Faroudja line Doubler - I shudder at what I paid for that system - it got me hooked. Bestest!
I think our brains do get used to the rainbow effect but it's not so pronounced on this UHZ50 which suggests the manufacturers are getting to grips with it. It is there if you look for it but a bit of a struggle to find it and only rarely so far has it made itself known without me looking for it. With regards to how long I've had projection in the home, I suppose that goes back to about 1967 when my father got a Super 8 projector. It was a struggle to get him to run anything other than family home movies of holidays and things but I loved it when he did. Then in 1978 I went to a show at Olympia called Photoworld and all the major UK producers and distributors of Super 8 package movies were there and that set me on a path from which I've never deviated. To be able to see films like Close Encounters of the Third Kind in the home on a big screen, albeit only a 400ft cut down, seemed unthinkable at the time and I was hooked.
John.
Thank you John for your knowledgeable reviews and excellent film insider information. Visited London last year and spent WAY too much at "Fopp" (Covent Garden) because of you (haha). Also bought my own UHZ50 projector after watching this review (I was in the market for a new projector for our own home theater). It has been an excellent upgrade. Keep up the outstanding work!
Thank you Ace and glad you've enjoyed some of my videos. For the second 4K disc on the trot (Psycho last night) I found that the best setting for the laser lamp was 'Eco'. I used that a lot early on but moved away from it and now I'm back to finding it's often giving the best contrast to an image. I haven't fiddled with much else recently other than reducing the colour a little. I don't suppose I'll ever stop tinkering but that's a lot of the fun. Glad you're having a good time with your own UHZ50.
John.
Amazing projector! Very bright , with vivid colors !! Silent ! With very good features! Amazing Picture in Movies! Perfect!
I get the impression you're very pleased with yours then John! There are one or two things that may not be quite as good as the 550X but overall it's probably got the edge with most aspects. John.
Picked up this Optoma from Richer Sounds in Cheltenham. It was an ex demo so got it at a good price and was assured it hadn't been used much. I got it on your recommendation as I figured if it's good enough for a knowledgeable chap like you it must be OK. I'm still using it with a blu ray player but even so I noticed a real improvement in image quality on my 6 foot wide screen. I did find it difficult to focus using the images on the menu. They just wouldn't sharpen up. Not sure why that was. The throw wasn't as good as my blu ray Panasonic projector and I had difficulty fitting image on the screen. Also going from a 2.39 to a 1.85 caused me so much trouble I just decided to stick to 2.39 films and shoot 1.85 through my panasonic. I look forward to getting a 4k dvd player. I've got a few 4k films and Hope to see an even bigger improvement. Love your channel. Met you once many years ago at a convention in Dudley or Bristol. I was obsessed with getting hold of a Elmo GS 1200 and we talked about that. Never did get that projector as mortgage and kids prevented that!! Cheers. Keep up the good work it's much appreciated.
That must have been Derann in Dudley then Keith. Wish I could remember our talk but it will be tucked away in my brain somewhere. With regards to the UHZ50 I've never bothered using the menu images so maybe do the same as we've always done with Super 8 and run a film and fiddle with the focus until you're happy with it. If you have any difficulty with the myriad settings to get the best out of it I can tell you what mine are all set to. I never stop playing though and I still feel like I'm getting incremental improvements. It's almost like having a GS1200 and wanting to get the best out of it and in my case that meant the one and only HTI lamp conversion I know of in Britain. That was jolly handy for the 24 foot screen at the conventions though.
By the way, because of how we've had to install the UHZ50 I have it set for 'Scope 2.40:1 movies and use the digital zoom to switch to 1.78:1 or 1.85:1. I didn't like the idea at first but it works and it's so much easier once you get used to it.
John.
Thanks for review John
You're welcome Craig. John.
I'm glad your getting the hang of the new projector John. I have spent a fair amount of time tweaking settings on my Optoma projector too, just to get the picture how I like it. Nothing quite like a projected image whether it be at home or on the even bigger screen
I've been saying the same thing about the impact of a big screen in reply to many of the comments on here Darren. I do think television is the only thing that most movie enthusiasts who collect discs have ever known and their a little over cautious of taking the next step. We should have all grown up with Super 8 film then hardly any of us would still be watching movies on a telly!
John.
Love that they still have the 3d sync DIN style connector on it. So you can use whatever emitter you want. Wish my sony vpl-vw325es had that because I love nvidia's IR glasses.
I didn't actually purchase a 3D sync' as the glasses are easy to get into sync which rather surprised me. It's not something I'll be doing very often but to bamboozle a few people who have never seen the LCD glasses (Active) 3D, it's sometimes fun. John.
@@STOPDELETINGMYPOSTS That seems a little odd N A but I don't expect it's something trivial. Although there might be some menu setting on the projector hiding away somewhere.
Great detailed review. Thanks for sharing your pros/cons on your equipment and how to set it up properly.
I suppose it will only be of value to anyone who gets one of these particular projectors Bob but hopefully there are a few worthwhile pointers in there for anyone with, or thinking of getting a video projector. John.
Awesome John and +1 on the Richer Sounds shout out too. I've dealt with them in my neck of the woods since my local Practical Hi-Fi closed around 15 years ago and service is absolutely spot on.
It's a rare thing to not get top-notch service in Richer Sounds. They've always been good everywhere I've been.
John.
excellent, thank you. I have placed my order with Richer Sounds. I am replacing an Xgimi Horizon Pro with this. Hoping to see a big difference.
Prepare some suitable sunglasses for when you first fire it up! But rest assured, if it does wash out some 4K discs that laser lamp can be reined in. We ran one a few weeks ago with the laser down to 50% and HDR down to 25%. It looked great in the end but first of all, good grief! John.
thanks for the tip!@@moviecollector5920
Good video John , nice to see your review on your new projector and you are enjoying it , look forward to your new installation of it in the future .
We're going to get a builder we now know well to knock the holes in the wall and things Paul. He's just done a conversion on our garage which is now a bespoke bungalow housing our two classic cars. I think if I tackled it myself I'd get into trouble but he'll just breeze through it and it'll be done in no time. Just depends when he's got a slot as to when it's done.
John.
@moviecollector5920 Great news John, will soon be done and you will be able to project true to your screen , you never know it may improve your picture one can only hope .Paul .
@@paulcadman3562 It might not make an obvious or perceptible improvement but not having to keystone correct the image will mean more of the chip is devoted to putting the imagery on screen... or in the case of once the hole in the wall is done, on wall! Yes, I plan to go back to a painted wall for the best possible image quality.
John.
I have this projector as well. I've also been trying to tweak it out to get the best picture. Will try the settings you suggested. I'm thinking of switching out my white screen for a grey screen to get deeper blacks. But, I'm very happy with this projector so far.
Don't waste money on another screen as that's all just sales talk conning people into spending money. I've been tweaking things since I did this review and have slightly different settings now. I have the hue down to +2 and the colour and vividcolour down a few points too. I think contrast is at +14 and brightness at -10. I've had ongoing issues with HDR varying on different discs so recently I started playing with the HDR setting on the video projector and currently have it up full which tends to mean the player is set to the lowest or next lowest setting but not always. I am getting even better results now but that's to be expected with any video projector as it tends to take a while to get the best out of them.
Good luck.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 Thanks, much appreciated! Will give those settings a try. Time to bring out the Ford vs Ferrari 4k BluRay again.
@@moviecollector5920 Nice advise on adjustment. Are you using SDR mode or HDR mode?? Does HDR mode decrease the Lumens output
@@sanjeevsaxena3524 I don't think I've ever considered setting the projector to SDR Sanjeev but I suppose all DVD's and Blu-rays and everything else come out that way anyway. I'm not aware of HDR reducing the light output from the laser but the main thing with this little projector is that it is so bright to the point that it is usually too bright and I spend most of my fiddling time reining in the light output. I suppose that full brightness is there for 3D Blu-rays but I rarely watch any of those. I believe the big thing that most viewers get wrong with their tellies and projectors is setting them far too bright because they've been indoctrinated into thinking brightest is best. It's not. The superior colour and density of film is what I try to replicate as closely as possible when projecting video. John.
I see this Optoma projector has many qualities like good brightness, gaming excellence and many others... Personally, I'm a big fan of Optoma projector.
Most of the time it's too bright but fortunately the laser lamp has a facility to reduce it to as low as 50% which is where it spends most of its time. Most seem to watch movies too bright through it which ruins their filmic appearance and turns them into videos so beware not to succumb to the brightest is best propaganda.
Best of luck.
John.
Nice one John.
Morning Ernie. it's actually a rather nice little projector and it's now hanging upside down in the hall projecting through a big hole in the staircase wall. I think I need therapy! John.
Hi John. I treated myself to an Epson EH-TW9400 recently to replace my BenQ, the BenQ was always in front of me on a coffee table, now I have the Epson behind me and I’m able to sit closer to the screen and speakers which is what i always intended . It doesn’t have HDR tone mapping though so have to adjust the HDR slider on a film by film basis which I never had to do with the BenQ. Cheers and thanks for the superb content!
I think the UHD550X handles HDR more easily but it's now much closer after the most recent tweaks to the setup of the UHZ50. Video projectors are getting increasingly complicated which is probably the same as tellies and why people pay for others to come in and set them up. I can't see how that would work given it tends to be the light output that decides how good each disc looks with this little projector.
John.
Thanks John.
Nice one Cheekster!
Hi John, great review. I am thinking about purchasing this projector. Do you still recommend this projector after using it for about a year? Or do you recommend something else that is similar in price range. Thanks for all the great videos!
I know there are some budget video projectors that have appeared lately that boast 'Dolby Vision'. It's not often possible to get a demonstration of these things any longer of course so it would be a bit of a gamble but other than that I think this little Optoma is as good as anything that any of us could ever wish for. I have seen some motion blurring at times but less than the UHD550X so perhaps that is one area that will continue to improve as the years go on. It took a while to get the best out of it and it's likely I'll find a few more tweaks to the setup in the future but right now I'm astounded by the image quality we're getting. Even the DVD's we put through it are largely looking good - exceptionally good at times dependent on how good the image on the DVD is. The most recent 4K we've watched is American Graffiti and I cannot believe how good that one looks. Most RUclips reviewers are apparently complaining about it but through this little treasure it looks beautiful.
If you do get the same video projector you'll probably struggle to get decent imagery through it at first but I can always let you know the settings I have on mine. I've still got the hue setting up five points which I've never done on any other piece of equipment but it seems to work for this one.
John.
Thank you for such a detailed answer. You just convinced me to go ahead with the purchase. Looking forward for the American Graffiti 4k review as well. Thanks for all the great contents. It is greatly appreciated!@@moviecollector5920
I've been thinking of getting a projector when I move out and get my own place especially since I'd love to be able to watch 3D movies outside of my VR headset, that is my main requirement for a projector if I would have get one, it has to support 3D movies. I've personally been looking at some of BenQ's offerings in the 1080p range because I heard those have really good latency because I'm the kind of person that that is crazy enough to want to play games with a projector occasionally.
I expect just about all the modern video projectors would be good with games Chris so you should be okay with whatever you decide. if 3D is your main movie watching then it's a good idea to start with an HD projector as they're much cheaper. if you really get into it then maybe the next projector in some years time could then be 4K HDR capable. John.
Thank you for your review. It's been very useful. I was looking for a True 4k, Vertical Lens Shift, 3D, > 3000 ANSI (for luminous environment), multipurpose (TV, Sports, Films and Gaming) projector under 2000 €. I bought an UHD38X but returned soon later as it disabled any correction in game mode, so, I started looking for a higher model with vertical lens shift and that was UHD50 / 50X in the price range but now, this laser UHZ50 has dropped price to be one candidate. Having tested both, which one would be your choice? What about contrast ratio and blacks in both? Thank you so much beforehand.
There isn't much of a vertical lens shift on this projector but you can put it up at quite an angle if the vertical lens shift isn't enough. It's too bright for films most of the time but that can be tempered with the menu setting to rein in the output of the laser lamp down to 50% if necessary. Some discs do look their best at 50% output. I don't know how good it would be for television or games but image quality isn't really so important then so my guess is that as it's possible to get very good to excellent image quality from all home movie discs that it's going to be good enough for the other uses. The UHD500X isn't an option if you want 3D. Also, there is no keystone correction which there is with the UHZ50. I'm using keystone correction at the moment but it does mean the whole of the frame is not being utilized so a minor loss in image quality even if it doesn't seem to be perceptible. Contrast with the UHZ50 is better and it does produce film like images with nothing looking too fake as you get with some top of the range televisions. Some home movie discs look better on the UHD500X but all systems are different and most look best on the UHZ50 so that's just the way it is and there are always going to be a few compromises as nothing is perfect.
I hope this helps.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 Sure it did. Thank you much. I appreciate every word of your answer. Vertical Lens Shift was to correct some 25-30 cm in order not to change the mount. For films / TV it was piece of cake with 4 corners correction, but as in Game mode it is disabled, just needed a bit of adjustment.
Great video John thanks for sharing and information ❤️
Thank you Raymond. John.
Hello John. Good to see you're starting to get your head round the new projector. My mate and I watched Prometheus on my projector last night. I can't believe the detail these things can throw out.
Here's to many more hours of amazing picture on a relative budget.
Trev
Just projecting onto a screen gives a movie more of an impact Trev and the bigger the better in that regard. We're now getting extremely good results from this little projector. HDR isn't so obvious on it as through the UHD550X but I'm beginning to get used to the look it gives HDR discs and identify it more easily. The 'tint' option has made it look almost exactly like the 550X but possibly with increased definition which I wouldn't have thought possible really.
I've so far seen about 40 minutes of your live stream. Very relaxed and easy to watch.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 I'm glad you are enjoying the live stream. It's a lot of fun.
I'm curious as to how your picture is benefitting from use of the tint option. I've only ever left it neutral.
I'm still astounded by the picture quality I'm getting for what is a fairly cheap projector.
My projector can only do HDR 10 so I have no reference to how other HDRs look.
Trevor
@@doublebillmovies The HDR on the UHD550X which we've had for five years has a lovely warm appearance and is distinctive over standard Blu-ray on most discs. This made it easy to immediately perceive the difference between the two formats most of the time. This wasn't the case initially with the UHZ50 and that caused me some consternation for a while. Putting 'Tint' up to 5 resulted in a very similar appearance to the HDR look of the UHD550X and I suppose I've got used to that look and like it but you may not find it as appealing as I do. I don't think the UHZ50 is HDR10 capable but if it is, perhaps that's why HDR was far more subtle through it than through the UHD550X. I'm beginning to think that most discs now look better through the new, smaller machine and things might get slightly better soon because I'm having to keystone correct it to get it all straight and true on the screen. The 550X didn't have keystone capability so we were completely reliant on the black velvet masking to hide any overspill on the left hand side of the screen. It did work though but a compromise I don't think I'd want to put up with for too much longer. Once we have the porthole I'll be able to reset the keystone correction to use the whole of the DLP chip and thereby improve the image quality a little. I doubt we'll really notice the difference though.
John.
Amazing review John.perfecty explained each and every aspect. I bought UHZ50 few months ago but still not getting perfect picture. Please John any help. Thanks
I'm still having to adjust the brightness of the laser lamp Sanjeev and I think that is the big cause of the troubles, if it's right to call it 'troubles'. It simply is too bright for most movies and I know why this is because most people think that brighter is better and I think that is a similar problem in cinemas that only video project today and why their projections look so comparatively harsh. We watched a disc the other evening with the lamp output set to 50% so that's the main setting to play with. Other than that, get to grips with how to adjust the HDR output of your player because this projector does seem to exacerbate the brightness of HDR and wash the image out. With most Panasonic players it's easy to put the HDR up and down in increments of 25% but I can't comment on other makes.
A big difference to help make this projector present imagery more like the UHD550X was to put the tint option up between 3 to 5 points so give that a try. I've never had to do that with any telly or video projector before so it might be the laser bleaching out the warmth of the image a little. The final results now seem to be much better to me and it's getting easy to identify the superiority of 4K discs with HDR over Blu-ray again.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 thanks for reply quickly and thanks again foryour advise and views. What HDR brightness and Brightness/sharpness/contrast/colour and lamp output /colour settings did you set.please can you share
@@sanjeevsaxena3524 Sharpness is always on the lowest setting as that does nothing other than mess the image up. Brightness and contrast have to be played with but I think I'm currently around -10 for brightness and about +14 for contrast. Colour does have to be put up on this projector which is unusual but I dare say most people are used to whacking this setting up on everything they have whereas I've always had my equipment at zero until now. I think i show all these settings within the video which is just as well because I can't remember what I have colour set to. I think I may have Brilliant Colour up a few notches too. The important one I found was having hue set a few notches up. As time goes on I may find alternative settings that work even better but the ones I have now are much better than the default settings.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 Thanks John putting my mind to rest by a Expert🙂🙂
Another advise John I tried to update FW version and got System /Android updated (C14) but not the MCU which is still showing 08 and it should be 09? Thanks
Fascinating indeed, well done.
I've got a very old optoma HD700X if I recall correctly. Got it paired up with a 84" Optoma pull down screen.
To be honest though since I got a 55" LG OLED a C9 I've not really used it as much. I just found the noise of made and heat it kicked out to much and preferred the convenience of the TV. As the room I have isn't big enough to put the projector back far enough I think I was getting about a 70" image.
Have you thought about doing a collaboration video with Vincent on HDTV Test? Think you 2 would make a great video together.
Keep the videos coming. ❤
Maybe see if you can project into a right angle mirror to increase the throw. That might work surprisingly well and would also put the machine further away from you thereby reducing any perceptible noise.
I haven't really thought about doing collaborations with anyone. I suppose I did one with Trevor of Double Bill Movies but that was more to interview him as he'd worked in disc quality control. It was quite an education. But I have been talking to Euphoria Pictures and Mondo Chelloveck Movies to all do a livestream together. We've been discussing it more than two years now though so we're not exactly moving quickly.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 would be cool if you got to do some videos with studios like arrow, criterion, eureka, indicator of even film super fan Daisuke Beppu. I know when content creators on RUclips join up occasionally the videos are great.
@@2namtaB Currently hoping to get into the main lab that processes 70mm and does all the video transfers from all the gauges. It might take a while and then never happen but it's not what you know and fortunately I have a nice chap working on it for me. I think that sort of a video would be an education for all of us and give us a better understanding of what goes into producing a film and then mastering it to create a video disc. John.
Hey John I have an Optoma H114 , when I go to the display menu they are greyed out , can't access them, any sugestions thanks
I don't know that model but I have spotted with the UHZ50 that many of the options are greyed out dependent on what is being fed into it. If a 4K disc is playing then the HDR options are live and loads of other things are greyed out. I don't know if that will point you in the right direction but hopefully it will help.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 Thanks John , I'll keep digging
Thanks for vid, but I'm going for the uhz45 model due to more brightness which is needed for 3d movies. My optoma hd146x is being upgraded :)
That may not be a good reason to go for the UHD45 Sky as this UHZ50 is actually too bright. If you've got a 25 foot wide screen then it would probably be more suitable but as it is I spend most of the fiddling time reining in the output of the laser lamp. John.
Great job John 👍.....IV always been thinking about getting a projector but I'm a bit lazy and and when wanna watch a film I don't wanna have to mess around too much 😆
If you set the projector up permanently then all you have to do is press the button Roy. I suppose you're mainly referring to closing the curtains and getting the room dark but I think that's part of the fun and what makes a proper film evening special. We've just had one watching Rob Murphy's 'Splice Here: A Projected Odyssey' - a bloody masterpiece and I'm on a high. I didn't fancy watching a documentary like that on the telly so off we toddled a couple of yards into the home cinema. Brilliant.
John.
Thanks for that review John and sharing your experiences with that projector . I am still on the lookout for a good quality 4K one . I was almost set on saving for that Optama DLP model until you mentioned the dreaded " rainbow effect " . However that makes it a no purchase for me as i have blue eyes that are very sensitive to that intrinsic anomaly with those single chip projectors . I guess i was spoiled somewhat working with ones at the cinema i worked in as a film projectionist before we were made redundant . I would like to mention i very much enjoyed your video of the latest BFCC bash . Sadly i could not make it again . Cheers !
I have to really look for the rainbow effect with this machine David so might be worth getting a demonstration if you have a Richer Sounds anywhere you can get to. Speak to them first though as they don't tend to stock demonstrators so much now and may have to get the one in from the Bloomsbury branch. The rainbow effect was much in evidence on projectors a few years ago but not on this little UHZ50. A JVC D-ILA doesn't have the rainbow at all as it's a combination of DLP and LCD or something like that. Much more expensive though.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 Thanks John for further information regarding the lesser rainbow effect on that particular model . Also for the info on the more expensive JVC D-ILA model . I may have to settle for something like that one or an LCD one with all it's compromises if any . Cheers !
@@davidhardy7356 LCD is brilliant but both that I've had in earlier years got dust on the LCD panels. The later of the two couldn't be cleaned DIY unless you had a degree in video projector engineering so I decided to go with DLP after that. As the years have gone on, I see the rainbow effect less and less but on the new projector, I think I've spotted it two or three times so far and much more fleeting than the older 4K projector. My wife has extremely sensitive blue eyes by the way and is having no trouble at all. Might be worth looking at some more recent DLP's before ruling them out. D-ILA would be my first choice though. They start around £5K to £6K. I saw the first one that was brought into the UK about 20 years ago and that was £18K so they've come down a lot and have 4K capability now too.
John.
"projection is cinema" ... Amen to that idea! Great video! Modern TVs can produce excellent results but the light is trapped behond a glass (plastic?) screen. Thanks for provinding me with my latest mantra! Cheers John! K xxx
Greetings Keith. I have used that 'projection is cinema' in conversation a few times in recent years as I thought it summed up the difference between watching the telly and projecting. Hope you and Raj are okay after your exertions at the BFCC a couple of weekends ago. It was very nice to see everyone again. Balance is being restored to the Force!
John.
Very good review! Thanks
Thank you Ian. It took a while to work out, record and put together but hopefully it will give would-be purchasers a reasonable idea of how to set up this little projector to make an immediate start. John.
Considering replacing my UHD300x with a UHZ66. Anyone have experience with the 66?
I've never seen one in action but if it's anything like the UHZ50 it should be a fine machine... and also give you hours of frustration trying to get everything set just right! The 300X should still be fabulous though. We only purchased the UHZ50 because the 550X was too big where we needed to suspend it from the ceiling... otherwise I'd get regular headaches by almost knocking myself out as I came down the stairs!
John.
Great John. This is on the wishlist.
It's a lot of money but still a bit of a bargain for what it gives. Or, it seems to be a bargain anyway.
John.
Great video John.
Thank you Steve. See you over here for OPPENHEIMER soon!!! John.
I have never had a projector myself, but now I can feel how it is starting to itch a bit. 😄
There's nothing like projections Mark and this one means you can closely replicate the look of film which for me is what it's all about. Cheaper options are available though if you feel you just want to try out a projector. Maybe start with an HD option for a few hundred pounds and see how you get on. Black masking around the projected image always makes a big difference but black card is all I use - covered in velvet but cardboard is basically the solution.
John.
Bought the uhd 35 find it to begin was fiddly to get right picture but when you do boy what a fantastic picture still keeping my old infocus in 80 projector which does play 4k films and my optoma 65 3d like yourself always had projectors over twenty years love your cinema room
I suppose i've really had projectors from the age of 2 or 3 but they were my father's back then and he wouldn't let me fiddle. There's nothing like projection though, however good television has become, it's still just watching a telly and that never particularly thrilled me. Put a movie through a projector though and it becomes a special event.
John.
Very exciting. I am planning to get into projection. I have an OLED tv now so I might miss the perfect blacks but I think there is something special about a film being projected. I have a perfectly dark basement so it should work fine.
OLED is a bit on the fake side Adam so don't worry about missing the blacks too much because they never should have been so black in the first place. I think OLED sets just turn those pixels off to create dense blacks but it does mimic imbibition dye-transfer Technicolor prints which were beloved up until the late 1960's so what comes around, goes around. It is possible to create over right colour on this little UHZ50 video projector but I prefer a more filmic look to a video look. I always try to set up every piece of equipment to replicate the look of film as closely as possible which is what I've always known. The superior density of film does tend to mean darker so that's possibly why I'm focussing on reducing the light output of the laser at the moment. Having quite some success doing so too as the image quality is now very filmic to look at, even when a movie wasn't shot on film.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 I like your philosophy on this subject. I’ve learned a lot from you in the last few years. Thank you for all you do on this platform. ( also getting time for you to check out the 4K director’s cut of Star Trek the motion picture, half joking of course)
@@adamATOM3 I'd forgotten about that newish version of the first Star Trek film Adam. One day.
Hi John! Glad you are enjoying your home cinema screen and as you say I agree the cinema screen in home or in theatres and the Televisions are apples and oranges. At some point I may add this to my set up like you said having it come down over the set lol Have both like you suggest. Thinking of that last shot of the Springsteen Concert would be a blast on that screen of yours I imagine!! I have that blu ray and watch it a ton. Really learning from your videos so many thanks and all the best. (Not too long till Oppenheimer eh!!?) My best Cheers D!!
I only got that Springsteen disc recently and haven't managed to get all the way through it yet but I'm really enjoying it. It's like being in Hyde Park and I like the clear enjoyment on Springsteen's face after he's got through the first few numbers and relaxed a bit. Brilliant. There's nothing to match a big screen projection; never has been and never will be. It's just a shame that a lot of video projection in cinemas is so over bright and that is I think why video projection tends to look too harsh and unnatural a lot of the time. A telly and a roll down screen for special movie nights is a very good solution. That's what we used to have in our flat in the West End of London and what Trevor at Double Bill Movies has done with his impressive, motorized drop down screen. Quite beautiful to watch as it gracefully glides into place.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 morning John Hahaha yes had to reply before work as I do love Trevor's new intro, Honestly it reminds me of the early days i'd go to the cinema think it was the Odeon in Peterborough Ont. The curtains would part then the screen itself would extend a few more feet but lengthwise. LOl always think of that when watching Trevor's video openings ... Have a great weekend and Cheers D!!
@@davemillage6129 That was the left and right masking moving out for the 'Scope Panavision frame. Cinemas used to let us see that just after the curtains opened and it was always disappointing if it didn't happen and therefore wasn't a 2.40:1 'Scope film. John.
Hi, I have had a few days with this projector, and I am struggling to get the settings right, I just can't seem to get a picture that satisfies me. Could you please list your settings so that I can try them? Does anyone else have a settings list I can try, please? (using a grey ALR screen, so i have set the wall colour to grey0.
I hope having a grey wall won't adversely affect the settings I have Giles but the most important one I found was to set the HUE up 3 to 5 points and that made the projected image more like the UHD550X. The rest of it is all pretty basic such as brightness set to -10 and contrast to +15. Make sure all the digital nonsense is either off or minimized with 'Sharpness' being the most important - the lowest setting for that is 1 but anything else will risk messing up the picture.
I hope all this helps.
John.
thank you! it has helped very much
@@moviecollector5920
sorry for the late reply, we have been quite busy recenty.
Hello. Thanks for providing detailed Information. I was actually about to buy a UHD55 when I saw that the optical output is only stereo. Not the best move by Optoma. But ok. I saw that UHZ50 has the 5.1 capabilities as confirmed by you and I am about to buy it.
However one question remains, does the surround throughout work for all 3 HDMI plugs? I saw some conflicting info in the manual about the audio menu, that optical digital throughput works only on HDMI3? I want to have a PS5 on HDMI1 and a Apple TV box on HDMI3, and channel the 5.1 to the soundbar via toslink.
Hope you can help me. Thanks.
I'm pretty sure I've had it running through HDMI 2 and 3 but I have to tell you that there's a bug in this one whereby the optical out will downgrade itself back to stereo so you'll have to check each time you use it that it's still outputting digital multi-channel. I've forgotten what it's called right now but you'll see it in the menu option and it will just mean a quick check prior to starting a show. I was caught out and wondered why a movie was sounding somewhat different until the same thing happened with the next screening and I checked. It happened a few times so I went back to using the optical out from the player.
Another thing to be aware of is that a Firmware update will be advised when you first connect it to the web and at the end of that you'll just get flashing lights on the top of the machine which give the appearance of a fault but this is the new operating system being installed. 15 to 30 minutes later and the projector will boot back up.
John.
Thanks for the ultra quick answer. That helps. Best regards.
@@maddin129 If you do purchase a UHZ50 and get stuck on anything then I may have the answer for you. 4K discs are now looking very nice through mine so I think I'm close to optimum settings to make the projected image look like film. John.
@@moviecollector5920 Many thanks for the offer, I am close to my decision, but after a detour to LG HU710, I am back on UHZ50 :)
Hi John. I decided finally to purchase the UHZ50. I changed my approach and wanted to avoid optical (as my Samsung soundbar prioritised the tv connected via ARC and I ended up disconnecting the ARC HDMI cable to get optical sound again from the projector) and channel projector audio via eARC back to the soundbar.
It may be of interest to other viewers of your video, that the projector has a major flaw in the hardware configuration, as HDMI3 is advertised for movies (puremotion support) and HDMI1 for consoles (minimised lag for gamers). However, the eARC functionality is passed through HDMI1, making low lag gaming and eARC functionality impossible , as it utilises the same port. HDMI2 would have been the perfect choice for eARC. No idea what Optoma was thinking. 😵💫
The only solution, which worked for me, was to channel the HDMI signal through a matrix switch enabling me to access both HDMI1 and 3 for video and attaching the soundbar as another HDMI output. The Feintech VMS04400 4x4 did a little wonder here.
Hi John - looks a nice piece of kit! A few years ago I did the THX video calibration course and learned a lot in 3 days about proper video calibration.
If you invest in a high quality piece of kit I believe you should go the whole hog to get it operating at its best.
Once you get it ceiling hung maybe you might think about getting it professionally calibrated. Obviously there are costs involved and unfortunately I don't do it anymore. But there are several iSF and THX qualified calibrators out there who have the tools and knowledge to get that looking very IMAX like.
Calibration won't work on this Brian because it's not so much down to the settings as the output of the lamp (i.e. the laser). Some discs have to be set to 50% while others are best at around 90%. The rest of it is pretty straightforward but if you don't learn how to do it yourself then you'll be forever paying someone who might not set it up quite as well. And in my case, probably won't set it up to my liking. These projectors do occasionally completely lose their settings too so that would be another waste. I can certainly understand why some people give up and get someone in but they haven't been playing around with equipment for as long as I have. In fact, I never stop playing until said piece of equipment has gone in the land fill.
John.
I was interested in your picture settings how low you have the brightness I think it was on 14 -. I've got a different projector than you mine is the Sony wh 45. I think you should do a video on the settings on your projector and why you've put the settings there. Keep up the good work love your videos❤️
All equipment is different David but basically, I always setup every telly or video projector to replicate the look of film as closely as possible. Most people have only ever known video in the home but I don't like the look of video as it used to be - over bright and usually transferred from low contrast prints which is why so many reviewers these days think 4K's are too dark when they're actually replicating the look of the original film prints.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 one more question if you don't mind do you put the brightness down that lol when watching 4K movies👍
Thank you for the video. Pleased you have gone for the 3D specs as an option. Dredd is the best “real” 2 camera disc I have but was very impressed recently with Force Awakens in 3D. I wonder if Avatar 2 will get a 3D disc release?
I might give 'Dredd' a go sometime then Mike. I haven't watched 'Boxtrolls' all the way through in 3D but that's the best I've seen so far. It's one I have on the shelves that came with both flat and 3D on the disc. 'Polar Express' is pretty good but 'Gravity' is a little disappointing which is due to two things: It doesn't appear to be a real 3D film and the image quality is comparatively poor. I actually saw Gravity blown up from 2K video in 3D at the BFI IMAX and well remember how poor it looked. The standard, flat Blu-ray is a more enjoyable watch. The original 'Avatar' is good to excellent 3D in places but not a particularly good film... or rather, not a particularly good cartoon! I see the sequel is even longer so that will take some encouragement for me to ever want to sit through it. If the first film had have been around 90 minutes I think I'd have come away from it having really enjoyed it, but two and a half hours was far too long and it simply didn't carry.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 oh yes please do try Dredd, Ive loved the character since issue 2 of 2000ad and the film doesn’t disappoint (playing with colours and depth of field in the drug scenes). I am also with you on the Fern Gully with smurfs/Pocahontas Avatar. Absolutely love Termninator and Aliens but Avatar - seen at Imax Waterloo on original release was dull. I have no idea what anyone sees in that “lead” actor. Still might be tempted to try the sequel if available in 3D on disc?
@@MikeTheBike2010 'The Smurfs' is actually quite a good, if a little mickey taking, analogy. If I do ever watch the Avatar sequel then I'll probably schedule two 90 minutes sections so I don't get as bored as I did with the last hour of the original film. It's a shame it went on for too long but I suppose James Cameron is so highly regarded that no one dare speak up or offer any critique to him at all. When you think that he made some of the best films of the past 40 years I find it a bit sad how the quality of his products has declined. But all three of his last films have earned a fortune so others see something in these films that i don't. I can understand 'Titanic' more because even I thought the sinking was fabulous even if I wanted every character presented to us to drown!!! That probably wasn't the reaction the makers were aiming for though. I really did not like any of them.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 ah sadly not my own analogy as I must credit the great Mark Kermode for the smurfs! On a stage tour for his book release many years ago he “re-enacted” 3D (which he hates) Avatar by extending a fishing rod over the audience with smurfs dangling from it - comic genius!
@@MikeTheBike2010 3D does spoil movies somewhat but it's okay if it's only every once in a while. I can see that Avatar was made with 3D at the forefront of the film and the film makers minds because there wasn't really much else to it. Gravity as better in 2D but I fear that Avatar in 2D would be a complete bore from beginning to end rather than just the last hour... well, that was how I felt anyway but other opinions are available. Mark Kermode was spot on with that mickey take.
John.
Nice job, I love my Benq 3550 and only $1200. Setting up is half the fun. What’s next on the watch list? I suggest Bladerunner 2049 in 3D!
Good call, Gary! I think old John's previously mentioned that he doesn't care much for 3D, so was slightly surprised to hear him mention it here. If he needs *serious* persuading, what's your ultimate recommendation for him..? I'd maybe suggest he tries a little release we're all expecting to appear in the next few weeks...
@@3D_Blu-ray_Bunker I’m working on him!
I have watched a few 3D discs since this UHZ50 arrived. It's good fun but not something I'd want to do regularly. I think the best I've seen through it so far is 'Boxtrolls' but I've only watched clips. 'Avatar' was good 3D but not a good film and far too long. 'Gravity' looked poor at the BFI IMAX and looks poor through this. The other one is 'Polar Express' which is good and probably the best way to see that one but I think I prefer to just relax with the flat version rather than stick the pesky glasses on my face. I've always regarded 3D as a novelty and I like it for that. Watch 3D all the time and I'd get tired of it. We're all different... thank gawd!
John.
@@moviecollector5920 Really thought you would like it on BR 2049. It’s an artistic look not gimmicky, mostly depth. I do think it’s a victory that you watched “ some”, congratulations on your new projector when you get it mounted it will be another improvement. I think people thought color was a novelty and kind of a distraction when it was first introduced.
@@garyharper2943 I'm not particularly keen on the film Gary. I did give it a second chance and still didn't care for it much but maybe a third attempt sometime will do the trick. I didn't know it was a 3D shoot. 3D would have ruined the original film but that one's a work of art more than a movie. John.
Projectors are the best for movies. I even use a projector in my motor home during the summer. May not be the biggest screen. But still makes me the king at the camping site.
No doubt about it - projection is best. After all, cinema is projection. Maybe you should try an outdoor screening from your motor home this year. Build a whopping big screen out of paper or something and hang it from a tree. 'Night of the Living Dead' outside is a pretty scary film outdoors on a warm Summer night. John.
I wasn't impressed with my projector in 4k but I just upgraded my 4k player to a reavon x100 and it's changed everything. 4k looks incredible. Very happy at the moment
I don't know that machine but it sound great from what you've said. The UHZ50 required some persistence to get the image to its best but it's there now, or almost. I don't think many people would have been able to work it out for themselves but anyone who gets one and sees my video can try the same settings as me to see if it works for them. It should as it makes video look just like film. John.
That remote is exactly the same as the one I got with an Ebay £40 1080P (miraculously it really is native 1080P) LED projector, it’s actually really quite good apart from the fan noise which is awfully loud.
The fan noise on this is negligible but as I'm used to film projectors and love the sound of those rattling away as the mechanical sprockets do their work, I wouldn't even notice if a video projector made the noise of a portable air conditioner! Get yours in the next room though and project through a port hole and you'll be okay.
As for the remote, it's just not as good as the one that came with the previous model so I thought I should mention it.
John.
salut bonne et belle vidèo sur le projecteur bien comme toujour
Merci Alain!
Great review. I have the Epson TW9000 projector from 2012 and Panasonic HZ1000B oled from 2020. Both are excellent. My screen size is only 6ft across so approx 78" diagonally. Would like to upgrade to 4k in future but quite a bit of work involved and money. My room is small so it would have to be a projector that can give me a 7ft wide picture from a distance of approx 8.5ft only but also have automated lens cover, zoom and focus so it can all be adjusted by remote as the projector is like ceiling mounted. Also not a fan of rainbow effect as I still have a Davis DL450 from back in the day in 2000.😅
The rainbow effect is all but gone now but others may still see it more than my wife and I do. I think we tend to get used to it a little and filter it out subconsciously so I had to mention it. To get a bigger image, maybe a right angled mirror would work. It's worth a try but might take some persistence. That ceiling mount i show in this video has an extension pole included to bring it down about another 8 inches which might mean you could then reach any ceiling mounted projector more easily. That or invest in a step ladder!
John.
@@moviecollector5920 Its actually wall mounted bracket I use but it is high up so the same height as a ceiling mount would be and its fixed. Also the seating is directly under the projector so step ladder not practical to use which is why I'm biding my time on any upgrade until such a projector is released. The ones that do everything I want are massive and protrude into the room further reducing the throw ratio.
@@darkvader7231 It does sound like a right angled mirror is worth a go. You'd be able to stick the projector right over to the side of the room then. Inevitably there would be a slight degradation of the image as any extra glass always does that but probably negligible given how good home video projectors are now so not worth worrying about. John.
I think the engineer in me can't accept having lower lumens. Big Number Good. If brightness is adjustable, is it still an issue? I expect it's not so important for a darkened room.
Is a silver screen better than white, or would they be the same for a home user? I toyed with opting for a projector but ended up with an OLED in the end.
I think the reason many cinemas now project images that are too harsh is because their video projectors are too bright. I've always set everything up to look as filmic as possible so it's taken a while to work out how to rein in the light output of the UHZ50 but I think I'm there now as everything seems easier on the eyes and has a film like look even if a movie was originally shot on video. There's no comparison between a telly and a projector but both have different qualities that many have to consider. OLED has fake colours similar to imbibition dye-transfer Technicolor prints but people loved those Technicolor prints that gave so many epic films their surreal look. It is possible to make this little projector produce similar rich colours but that wouldn't be right and would make films look too much like video for my liking. Nothing beats a big screen though. Size is what gives a movie the greatest impact and over the past 17 years I haven't watched hardly any movies on a television because home video projection became good enough to mean it as possible to finally switch to enjoying discs in our home cinema alongside all our film equipment.
As for a silver or white screen, I don't really know why anyone would go for a silver screen today. My understanding has always been that silver screens were used for getting the best out of polarized 3D but perhaps my memory is at fault there. I know the expression "up there on the silver screen" because common parlance but I never thought of it as being a realistic expression and just something to make cinema screens sound more special that they really were. In the early days of cinema many theatres painted the back wall of the auditorium which was completely flat being plastered. I still think that is the best solution in the home. It's certainly the cheapest!
John.
Interesting video.
Ah, the dreaded “rainbow effect”. I’m very susceptible to it so have always avoided dlp projectors. The LCD 1080p Panasonic Ae series were great value in their day. They were based on Epson technology so it stands to reason why I now use an Epson LB12000 which is a stunning projector. It’s not a true native 4K image - however I was fortunate enough to have a demo side by side, against a current JVC model. The JVC does have incredible blacks and contrast however falls behind in other areas. The Epson isn’t exactly cheap but was/is still significantly cheaper than the JVC which I cannot justify to either myself or my long suffering partner.
Keep up the good work.
If you get a chance to look at this little Optoma somewhere J E it would be helpful to know if you spot the rainbow effect anywhere. I have to really look for it but it's rare to ever spot it. I mentioned it because it was a review and some people wouldn't know what it was as many have probably never heard of it.
John.
@@STOPDELETINGMYPOSTS I actually spotted it in a DVD the other evening when there was a straight white area against black. But it was still marginal and nothing like the rainbow effect of old. I think single DLP video projector manufacturers have really got to grips with it now. John.
Nice review John. My friend has 2 projectors, He's on the hunt for a JVC 4k but they don't come cheap. Pick them up used on ebay for around £3-4k. Well you were correct sir Interstellar does look very good 4k. I have a 65in oled tv and the pure pitch black with bright lighting looks superb. Die Hard 4k was a bit of a disappointment I have to say, very soft image? It must be how it was originally shot. Cheers.
Die Hard on Super 8 was very good and most regarded it so highly as to be one of the best 'Scope Super 8 releases of all time. My own print isn't quite as good as I'd have liked but it should be a bit more impressive than you report so maybe I need to look at that Super 8 again. JVC D-ILA projection is the most impressive I've seen but that was about 20 years ago when the first one was bought by a friend and we went up to have a demonstration. Astounding. But that was before Blu-ray or HD-DVD was available so we only had DVD to play with as my friend didn't have a LaserDisc player to try out on it. Very impressive and I can well imagine how good their current 4K D-ILA projectors must be. TENET is an even better 4K disc than INTERSTELLAR. DUNKIRK is better too so if you don't already have those then time to drain your bank account a little more!!!
John.
@@moviecollector5920 I kept watching scenes from Interstellar 4k and bluray. Not a great deal of difference sharpness wise. I was expecting a big jump in clarity. Top Gun Maverick 1080p looks sharper than any of the 4k films I have? It's a real head scratcher. Recently bought An American Werewolf in London bluray by Arrow. It looks excellent! Colour grading spot on.. sharp image, really good. Have you seen it? Or the 4k version? Great film that. Cheers John.
@@cp070476 I haven't looked at the 4K of INTERSTELLAR for a while now but I have studied TENET and DUNKIRK quite a bit recently and they're both better than TOP GUN: MAVERICK. The Top Gun sequel is one of the two best movies shot on video that I've seen in terms of image quality but it's strange that the 2.40:1 sequences look better than the 1.78:1 sequences. The makers somehow achieved the distinctive film look in the 2.40:1 sequences but that was absent in the 1.78:1. Must have been deliberate and now that I think about it may have been to try to fool people in cinemas into thinking they were watching a genuine IMAX. I didn't particularly study how much better the 4K of Maverick was over the Blu-ray but it was perceptibly better and the same was true of INTERSTELLAR but whether the same will still be true through the UHZ50 projector is something I'll have to look at.
I don't have the 4K or American Werewolf. I have a Blu-ray of that one and I do very much like the film but I have to watch how much I spend on this malarkey so I can't get them all when they arrive on 4K.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 Yes it's an expensive hobby. Unless your my friend who rips 4k films onto a hard drive. Bit naughty! Cheers.
@@cp070476 I don't agree with piracy at all but it he's ripping for his own use only from a disc he's purchased then I can't see much wrong with that. Don't suppose that's the case though. These discs are amazing value for what they give us. Years ago, quality like the 4K discs and most Blu-rays would have cost many hundreds at a time and taken up a lot more space in our homes so I have no issues with any asking prices even if they do appear expensive to some,. The work that goes into each disc release justifies the usual cost and the fact that the end products we receive are so good more than justifies it... a lot more.
John.
Great review I have a DLP projector which is 1080p but cost £6k in its day and has Carl Zeiss lens etc I love the image it projects but want to move to a 4k projector I think Lazer might be a little bright for my small 86 inch screen so I am looking at the new Benq 4000i With a 4led light engine but with a 0.65 DLP chip..it's getting some good reviews so hoping to demo it at richer sounds
I had to check with Richer Sounds head office to see where they had a UHZ50 I could look at and fortunately they had one in Bloomsbury. It might be a good idea to email the head office to ask where you can see the Benq 4000i in action before venturing out as they don't have many video projectors in stores nowadays. Well, not for demonstration anyway. Best of luck with it Ellis.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 I will give them a ring but I know the demo room in Newcastle is small and last time I was in they only had a couple of projectors like the more expensive Sony models. They are pretty good though and might allow me to demo at home. I have a weird throw in my room as well so although it's short throw it might still not work as at 11ft it fills a 100" screen but I might not be able to zoom it down to 86" at that distance..I was debating a 77" oled but I like projection as something about movie watching on a TV even a great TV is just not right for me..hard to explain 🙂
@@littlemanitor It's easy to explain why movie watching on a telly doesn't come close to projection Ellis and that is because one is watching the box and the other is going to the cinema. Please let me know how you get on with Richer Sounds, if you think or find you can zoom down to fit your current screen and what you think of the Benq 4000i. John.
@@moviecollector5920 will do. What's got me interested in a German tech reviewer (had to use translate) he basically reviews the BenQ 4000i he was intrigued as it uses 4 LEDs to achieve the correct colour for HDR and even HDR+10. He did a second video in which he strips it down and explains how it works..I think it uses an extra blue LED and it has less fans and has a large passive heat sink to keep the LEDs cool. Interesting tech John
@@littlemanitor It might work Ellis, but it also might be a bit of a gimmick. The laser - or lasers - in the UHD50 do appear to be three primary colours. Initially, I wasn't very impressed with the HDR reproduction compared to non HDR discs but I seem to have it set up much better now. More testing required but I never seem to finish testing any piece of equipment. At least I didn't fall into the money pit of paying someone to come in with video tools to 'calibrate' it when the settings can be randomly lost and not have any idea where they'd all be set. Because it's the light output that needs to be reined in it does make 'calibration' a bit of a waste of time anyway. Until you've worked out how to control the light and when to adjust it, it does make other settings somewhat superfluous and I think that might be true of every piece of equipment now that I've been presented with it and had to work it out. But any video projector costing a grand or more nowadays is going to be very good, it's just a case of finding the pinnacle or image quality via playing with all the menu options and adjustments.
John.
I just learned that The Wicker Man will be coming back to the big screen in June for it’s 50th anniversary. Can you please review the film when it gets rereleased since I won’t be able to see it in America?
I don't think I've actually seen it all the way through. I do know that it's considered a better film now than when it was new. It had a feature length Super 8 release back in the 70's but I never got a copy of that one. I have got the trailer on Super 8 somewhere though. I'll have to get a disc release sometime. John.
Lucky at the same time of the rerelease, there would be a 5 disc 4k blu ray release.
@@derekgitzel6720 That sounds like it's going to be a very special release Derek and that always makes a film even more exciting.
Coming from an (LCD, I can’t watch cheap/old DLP projectors, I’m very subject to the rainbow effect) Epson (well known for their insane lens shifting capabilities), this Optoma was a pain in the ass to setup. Its 10% vertical shifting is a total joke. Beside this, I’m pretty happy with it. The laser light is bright as hell, the 3D is fantastic, the (pixel-shifted, no miracle at that price) UHD is pretty good too, but (not a surprise for that price), the blacks are not black…but you can “kind of” solve this by using a grey screen (not cheap tho). And that’s where you may have the same dilemma that I have right now 😬 Like you, I’m sharing the same screen between my film projectors and the Optoma…..et là, c’est le drame. I have a (typical and cheap) enrolling white PVC screen, totally fine for film but maaa for 4k video but if I replace it for a Cinegrey, it won’t work very well with film anymore….so I may have to…keep 2 screens 😖What a shitshow….to be continued
Anyway, pretty good projo, specially for the price, and glad I don’t experience the rainbow effect with it (which I was initially scared of)
Unless I really look for a rainbow effect, I don't seem to see it with this projector so we seem to be agreed there La Blatte. But I am getting velvety blacks of similar quality to film projection, though probably not quite as dense if I want to really study it. Perhaps try the settings I've currently got on mine and see if you get on with them as well as I do. Make a note of how you've got yours set first though so you can easily set it back. I try to keep changes from the standard as minimal as possible but I've had to go a bit further with the UHZ50 to get it producing images that look like film and HDR images that look as good as the UHD550X. I think the biggest thing to overcome was to rein in the light output from the laser. It was fine with 'Dynamic Black' on but as that proved to be unusable due to the flicker I have to find a happy medium with the 'Constant Power' setting. Some discs seem best with this set to 50%.
John.
How does the picture on these things compare with a top end OLED?
Tellies don't really compare Tim. I do have a so-called 40 inch telly but I think that's really less than three feet wide so what we're watching in our home cinema is nine times the size. I wouldn't like a telly any larger but that's just me, most people love having a large telly in the living room. John.
@@moviecollector5920 Cheers John. Apologies, I should have been more specific. I was referring more to the actual quality of the image itself rather than the extra 'oomph' one gets from the boost in size.
In other words, would one of David Lean's wide-shots be more impressive on an 83" OLED, for example, in terms of sheer impact? (black level quality/HDR highlights/resolution etc)
I really appreciate you taking the time to reply, thank you as always!
@@AdAstra78 The colours on OLED's tend to be a bit faked in a similar way to Technicolor Imbibition Dye-Transfer but not as realistic. The definition won't be much different between a reasonable video projector and any telly but of course, the projection will probably be much, much bigger and so a little less well defined. In terms of impact though, nothing beats a big screen and the bigger the better. If you think about it, some cinemas now have huge screens and are filling them with nothing more than 4K video projection. There is no competing with size, however good the picture quality may be. Basically, there's no comparison - one is watching the telly, the other is cinema albeit in miniature.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 Explained with a clear passion! Thanks again John. You've helped me develop a real itch for one of these...
@@AdAstra78 If you can get a demonstration anywhere of any budget home video projector you'll get a good idea. But if you do ever get one yourself it's best to have a black border snugly fitting around any projected image. This can be done with black card and picture hooks or even just paint a basic black border around the 1.78:1 frame size and use one mask to switch at the top to either 1.85:1 or 2.40:1. Black card or better still, card covered with black velvet is the best trick. All of mine are cardboard covered with jet black velvet.
John.
If you have the chance check the Epson LS12000 Projector. Ive been told its the best "vfm". maybe you agree.
Sorry for the delay in replying to you Nick but your comment did not show up in my list of unanswered comments but was telling me elsewhere that I hadn't responded. I've managed to find you in the end. I can only look at video projectors I purchase apart from short demonstrations of a few others in Richer Sounds. Epson are probably doing very good video projectors now so if you do fancy one try getting a look in one of the rare stores that still survive today. Make sure you buy from a store though and not the dreaded Amazon otherwise we won't have any shops left the way it's going. I had the five year old Optoma UHD550X projecting at the recent BFCC to 20 feet wide and a fellow film enthusiast who had recently purchased a new Epson was beside himself at how much better the older, much less expensive Optoma was but I did tell him that size can give a better impression. I think most of the video projector lenses max out at 22 feet and thereafter you can't focus it fully so I was almost at the limit.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 im really far in life enjoying a 5k projector, but i am fortunate enough to enjoy my lg c1. youre absolutely right about stores, although im waiting 8 weeks for my panasonic ub 820 as of tomorrow through an official Panasonic supplier here, apparently German factories are empty or something. Anyway thats a proper Greek thing to happen. I think ive gone crazy, and none of my local stores had stock of it, no wonder people turned on Amazon... and thats so sad. Legend says its coming this week. Lets just hope.
thanks for ur reply ur channel is awsome and my love for films and cinema will never get on your level, but i can only hope so ;D
@@nickmavromatis7657 At least you stuck with the store and didn't succumb to the apparent convenience of Amazon. Well done Nick! I hope you get years of enjoyment and some thrilling and wonderful movie nights with your new projector.
John.
I have the UHD55 lamp based projector for about a year now. I've had projectors since 1995 and it is first one I cannot get the color to be satisfactory. SDR is pretty good but I cannot seem to get rid of a teal bias no matter what I do. HDR is even worse. My last projector was an Epson and it still has better color, easier set up and a great remote. This remote is terrible. I don't like the fact that it has to be ceiling mounted to work properly in my room. I do like it's brightness and am projecting a 14 foot wide image with a seating distance of 11 feet. It rivals my local LIE-MAX in that respect.
Maybe try the settings I've got on mine right now because the UHD550X was far easier to get 4K discs looking like film and beautiful and I've managed to get the UHZ50 to replicate it quite closely now. But you certainly have got the image size right there. What an impact that must make in a small room. We're nine feet wide but can only go about a foot wider once we've get everything sorted because the room is only 11.5 feet square. John.
@@moviecollector5920 Where would I find those settings? Do you have an old video on that?
@@cinemiracleman I typed them up in the description but are shown in the video. I don't think I've made changes to any other setting so they're the ones to try. 'Tint' may not be as important for your projector because it could be the colour temperature of the laser that causes the UHZ50 to not have that sort of golden/orange HDR look that is so obvious through the UHD550X. If you can't find any of the setting I listed then let me know and I'll check where to find them. They're all in the image settings though so shouldn't be too difficult.
John.
I had the UHZ50 in my home setup for about 2 weeks before deciding to return it. As much as I loved the brightness of it, it could never cover enough of the P3 colour gamut to convince me. Particularly the reds were never as deep as OLED would render them.. and that was despite my thorough efforts at calibrating with a colorimeter. I settled on the UHD55 which is a lamp 4k projector but with a Wide Colour Gamut filter popping in when that mode is enabled. This dramatically improves the colour accuracy but, and it’s a huge one, at the expense of brightness. I’ve also noticed the WCG filter seems to give the image a slightly warmer tinge around the edges but it is something I can live with. I must say though, it has taken a lot of effort to calibrate it for both SDR and HDR. I will most likely stick with it until a projector comes along which can render most of the wide colour gamut and can offer the brightness of the laser light source at a price point that will not break the bank… These two Optomas are great machines but both come with compromises. If only we could somehow merge the two!
@@michal.florczak I think you've hit the nail on the head Michal as my UHD550X has advantages and disadvantages to the UHZ50. The biggest issue with the UHZ50 is that it is too bright but this is because it's also catering to the video games market who apparently want to play games in broad daylight. The laser light output is the menu item I seem to fiddle with the most but with 4K discs I'm finding that the lamp output set to 75% power and then turning the HDR down or up on the disc does the trick. There aren't any OLED video projectors but telly and projection are two entirely different things and however good telly is, it's still just watching the box. Projection is cinema. Glad that you found a good compromise with the new projector. Best of luck with it in the years ahead.
John.
Hi John, are you contactable anywhere else ie Facebook etc or email, as I've something you might be interested in.
If you have a look at bfcc.biz you'll see there's only one John on the contact page. I am on FaceAche too but email is always easier. John.