Sanyo PLV-Z1 LCD projector review
The Sanyo PLV-Z1 LCD projector in this review was designed with home theatre in mind. With a native HD resolution of 964x544 and a nice bright image this LCD projector excels at home theatre applications.
Sanyo PLV-Z1 LCD projector
Home theatre specialist
With a list price under $1300 the Sanyo PLV-Z1 LCD projector is certainly a low cost alternative to other big home theatre screens.
The Sanyo PLV-Z1 LCD projector bright and sharp
With a matrix resolution slightly higher than the average this LCD projector was capable of some very sharp DVD images. Unfortunately this LCD projector can't convert an interlaced image into a progressive one but it does support a progressive component video signal. We recommend you use this projector together with a DVD player that supports deinterlacing and has a high-quality component video-out. Progressive scanning generally makes the image much more stable and improves its vertical sharpness. It's benefits are most easily seen on static images.
The performance through the VGA port was also very good with no pixel distortion and a nice high refresh rate up to 1280 by 1024.
For movies the native wide format is very nice. The brightness is also very high although we did notice a slight lack of contrast ratio where gloomy scenes lacked detail in the dark areas. However all colors were accurate and there was little to complain about.
The main criticism of this projector is the relatively high noise level it produces, it's cooling fans are quite loud when the projector is set to a high brightness level.
Thankfully the Sanyo PLV-Z1 LCD projector is very bright and in a darkened room you certainly won't have the projector set to anywhere near the full brightness.
Another slight criticism is that there is some light spill from the vents at the back of the projector which may annoy some people.
Here are the specifications:
- Projector Technology: DLP
- Brightness (in Lumens): 700
- Contrast Ratio: 800:1
- Maximum Native Resolution: 1/4 HD (964 X 544)
- Estimated Lamp Lifespan: not specified by Sanyo
- Inputs: Composite, S-Video, Component, VGA (with pass through)
- Replacement Bulb Cost $300.00
Sanyo PLV-Z1 LCD projector home theatre with native wide screen
The Sanyo PLV-Z1 with a native wide screen matrix really does make a good case for itself as a sweet home theatre projector. You do also get good computer display performance through the VGA port so there really is no downside...except for price. With newer DLP projectors such as the Dell 2200MP coming in at around $300 less you will really have to want superior wide screen performance since the Dell LCD projector does offer better contrast and brightness.
It is difficult to conclude this LCD projector is the best deal out there when you look at the competition. However if wide screen movie watching is a key requirement and you already have a DVD player that supports de interlacing you should definitely have a close look at the Sanyo PLV-Z1 LCD projector.