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B**N
Comparing the Vivimage 3 with a Panasonic PT AE7000 (and in-warranty replacement experience)
In warranty experience. Final, final comments (4/20/2021)======================================================The browning problem finally got to me. I contacted Vivimage customer support at [email protected], explained my problem (including a phone image of the displayed spot), and asked for in-warranty return instructions. I heard back within a couple of hours from Vivimage, confirming the in-warranty status and providing return instructions. The warranty provides for repair or replacement with the user paying return shipping. I emailed a copy of the tracking information to customer support, and they ordered a replacement unit which I received in a few days (4/12/21).The unit is new, with some noticeable changes. The fan noise is less obtrusive (lower frequency), the aspect ratio screen only has 3 choices instead of over a page of choices, the light bleed around a projected image has been reduced by apparently placing some black tape on the mirrors in such a way as to prevent internal reflections, the adjustable front leg is more stable, the remote control system is more sensitive, and the projected image seems more film-like, probably due to the random production differences in lens manufacture. And the original problem (brown spotting) is not present. The overall image seems a little dim, but is still as bright as the original unit (when new) and can be adjusted properly to take advantage of the available contrast, brightness, and color settings.I don't know if this is a newer or older version of the Explore 3. The software version is dated 4/17/20, which is after I received my original unit on 4/5/20. I also don't know if the 3 year warranty is reinstated or no longer available for the replacement.Whatever the timing, Vivimage support was and still is stellar. This is the best support experience I've ever had with any company, bar none. I am a very, very satisfied customer! What a bargain at the current pricing!================== End Update =========================Final observations and comments (3/1/21)======================================================1) I haven't tried to contact cusomer service for the browning problem yet, because I still am able to be absorbed in whatever is being screened without noticing anything except a decrease in overall brightness. Also, there is a 3 year warranty, and I'm only about 9 months into the warranty period. I will try to contact customer service when the image becomes unwatchable.2) I gave up trying to "calibrate" the Explore 3, and just tweaked the settings by eyeball. Since the 8 month update, after several adjustments, only 2 values have changed: The Sharpness is now 35, and the Color Temp R is now 60; so apparently quite stable.3) For anyone who wants to measure light ouput, all smart phones or tablets with cameras have a front mounted physical lux meter built in to the hardware. My Samsung S4 has a CM3323 RGB Sensor which can be directly accessed using an app like AIDA64.4) I did some quick measurements using the phone sensor, and obtained the following readings for a maximum brightness full screen white image: a) The light output at 43" directly in line with the lense of the projectors was: -Panasonic 7000: 1150 lux -Explore 3 : 750 lux -Optoma : 360 lux b) The outputs measured with the back of the phone touchin the projector screen: -Panasonic : 79 lux -Explore 3 : 62 lux -Optoma : Not measured (too lazy to unpack it)5) Again, these values are only for approximate comparison between projectors, although I tried to keep them as accurate as possible. The S4 was tripod mounted in the same position at 43±¼", and of course, the screen is permanently mounted at about 14' from the front of the lenses, give or take a couple of inches.Final Conclusions:1) The image produced by my Vivimage is good enough to allow viewer immersion in almost any projected material, except detailed test images, which exaggerate the browning effect and reduce image brightness significantly in the area of browning.2) The practical lifespan of the LED is probably less than 4000 hours, or around 3 years. My unit is at approximately 2800 hours now, and is still very watchable, at least using a 1.3 gain white screen in a light controlled environment at a 104" diagonal, although the image is noticeably dimmer than that produced by the Panasonic, less detailed and less able to be "calibrated" properly. The 7000 has only been used a couple of hours during the last 9 months.3) My advice is just use the Explore 3 and enjoy the experience. Still a great value, and will probably be replaced by a better unit in the next couple of years. This device is a quality commodity piece of technology. I look forward to the possible future development of a similar 4K projector at a bargain price.If they make it, I'll probably buy it.Good health and good viewing.================== End Update =========================8 month update (1/25/21) Still a good value for what it does, but has some problems:======================================================1) I've used this projector about 10 hours/day, 7 days/week. I don't watch all the time, just keep the projector on as background while doing other tasks around the house. This totals around 2500 hours of use. Only one problem so far. More below (See 6).).2) Had the opportunity to use the unit's composite input and internal speakers for some time. Very good images and impressive audio. The tint control works properly.3) Some settings have changed. Original settings in parentheses: The Contrast, Brightness, Color and Sharpness are set at 35(40), 60(55), 45(43) and 40(25), respectively. The Color Temp uses R, G, B values of 55(50), 50(35), and 45(45). The Aspect is set at "Just Scan". So there has been some aging, and I needed to tweak the settings to obtain better skin and green tones.4) There is no problem with dust in the light path. There are some dust specs, but they are invisible at normal viewing distance.5) It's difficult to compare the video between my Panasonic 7000 and the Vivimage without proper equipment, but I still want to try. The 7000 has been used around 11390 hours total, with 1308 hours on the current lamp, and has been used for about 1 hour over the last 8 months. I also compared the Vivimage to my old Optoma DLP LED "Gametime Projector" GT200 (native 854 x 480 - WVGA), which is rated at "150 LED lumens". I don't know the significance of the "LED" in the lumen rating, but will assume the measurement is just in standard lumens. I bought this item some years ago in my first quest for an economical way to watch large format TV. It cost almost exactly the same as the Vivimage.Note the "Setup" details in the original review below.Trying a very subjective comparison: Assume the original 7000 light output was at an arbitrary "10" on a 10 point scale with no regard to actual lumens or lux. The original output of the Vivimage then was a "9". After 8 months and around 2500 hours in use, I would rate the Vivimage at a current "7"; while the Optoma is at around a "3" (where it probably was when new).In actual use I don't see how the Vivimage could have a useful life of 40,000 or more hours. If the loss of output continues at the current rate of approximately 20% in 8 months [(1 - 7/9)*100], the LED would need replacing in about 20 more months, at which time the lamp would be at around 50% of its maximum life at just over 6000 hours. And this does not take into account any heat aging or damage to the projector components. I don't see how this projector could be used without a high gain screen for more than 4000 hours. It currently must be used in a very low light environment and in a light controlled space during daytime viewing. If used 3-4 hours per day, one could expect a useful life of two (to three, 3/1/21) years before needing a new LED. This is still within the 3 year warranty.6) The fact that I still feel the need to change settings indicates that the image produced by the Vivimage is deteriorating. And it is becoming an issue. At about 2000 hours or 6-1/2 months, the bottom 1/3 of the left side of the projected image started turning brown, as though something had put some very fine dirt somehwere inside the projector. This brown area has been increasing steadily to the point that image content in the lower left corner of the projection is difficult to see, and this brown area is both expanding and getting darker.Apparently, the light engine used in the Vivimage is susceptible to heat damage to a polarizing film, or perhaps the deposition of some particles from off-gassing of the electronic components. The image discoloration is enough to require compensating changes in the projector settings. The defect is noticeable in white titles and in solid color areas, especially white background material or black and white images.I will be in touch with Vivimage customer service and will update this review with the results.================== End Update =======================Original review starts here.Some background:A great projector - almost too good for the price. Good enough to compare with my most recent LCD projector, a Panasonic PT-AE7000U 2D/3D unit which originally sold for around $3000 (street) in 2011, now with around 12,000 hours total use.The Vivimage is my 11th projector since 1982: one CRT, a couple with LED's and the rest with metal halide lamps and a mix of LCD and DLP technologies. I still own 3 of them, two Panasonic and one Optoma.I bought the Vivimage 3 because I got tired of replacing the lamps in my projectors at costs between $50 and $400 each, and in the hope that it would produce an acceptable image, at least one which I could tolerate.I wanted a native 1080p unit, and purchased the Vivimage based on the Amazon specs.How things have changed during the last 10 years! The Explorer 3 produces a video image that compares favorably with the 7000. In fact, I often forget which device is being used while viewing.My interest is only in the video, not the audio. Also, I only used the HDMI inputs, sourced from a digital tuner or Amazon Firestick 4K, then passed through a Yamaha digital receiver and a Darbee processor, before the projector. None of the other inputs were tested.A cursory trial of the speakers indicated the use of much better hardware than usual, with clear high output and useful bass extension.Some possible negatives:1) The fan noise (around 55+ db) is at least twice as intrusive as that produced by the 7000, but the video is so compelling that the sound seems to fade into the background, and may actually change pitch or timbre in use creating a less noticeable sensation.2) The supplied remote is the expected commodity unit but with a very strong IR transmitter (or receiver) . The "back" button takes you all the way to the source image and not just back one level, which would be more useful. The "Tint" control is locked at a setting of "50", although the use of RGB controls allows enough adjustability. The "PointtoPoint" Aspect dims the video and reduces the contrast compared to the other Aspect settings.3) The kickstand does not provide fine adjustment like that provided by an adjustment bolt.4) In use the projector displays significant light bleed which is visible around the projected image under some conditions, but the output is high enough to allow use of an external iris to minimize this effect without reducing the image quality.Setup:Both the Panny and the Vivimage are shelf-mounted, the Panasonic on the higher shelf above the 3, with the front of the projection lenses at 14 ft from a pull-down, 1.3 gain, Favi white 16:9 screen.The images were aligned to approximately a 100" diagonal. The 7000 has about 2750 hours (65%) of its bulb life left using eco mode, and has a light output of 2000 ANSI lumens when new. The Explore 3 is brighter and almost as detailed, and produces lifelike greens and flesh tones when properly set up. I'd guess that the 3 produces at least 900+ lumens with very good linearity and uniformity. The 7-element projection lens, unexpected in such an affordable unit, produces edge-to-edge focus which rivals the 7000. A remarkable achievement at its price point!The Panasonic has a maximum contrast ratio of 300,000:1 and high speed (480Hz) LCD technology, yet the Explore 3 not only appears as bright and stable, but has a subjective contrast ratio as high as that produced by the 7000.My Explore 3 details: "Reduce Image Size" is at 75% of maximum, using a H Keystone of 000 and a Vertical of 004. The Contrast, Brightness, Color and Sharpness are set at 40, 55, 43 and 25, respectively. The Color Temp uses R, G, B values of 50, 35, and 45. The Aspect is set at Auto. Your values will probably differ from these, based on production variations and your personal preferences. My settings were developed using all the test patterns I could find on youTube, so the values would be different if calibrated using different and more direct source material. I have no professional test equipment.Results:Vivimage took the best of currently available A/V projector modules, made some useful tweaks, especially electronic keystone correction, and packaged them in an attractive, small form factor case with a useful number of input/output ports.The best native 1080p projector at this price point, and one which probably compares favorably with new projectors costing twice as much or more....and the best Customer Service I've dealt with on Amazon - both from the vendor and the manufacturer.Highly recommended.(5/16/20 - corrected bad spelling)
A**R
Third time's a charm
I live in a small studio apartment where I don't have a lot of space for electronics, so I usually spend my free time watching TV shows on my 19" TV. I was inspired to get a projector after seeing some on Instagram that were being used on bare walls, which I thought would be perfect for my living situation.The first projector I tried didn't have a zoom feature, so the projected area was way too big for my wall and there was no way of moving the projector closer due to my lack of space. The second projector I tried wasn't able to focus the image at the distance I needed it to be at. The third projector I tried, the Vivimage Explore 3, was exactly what I needed! The zoom feature works like a charm and my videos are perfectly displayed on my wall. The brightness on this projector far exceed that of the other two I tried. I am able to watch Netflix though my Amazon Fire Stick on my textured beige walls without any issues.As far as the sound goes, it has a surround sound option and a standard sound option. I tend to use the standard sound because it sounds crisper and louder to me. The fan isn't too loud at all, so there's no real noticeable sound competition there. I also like the 4D keystone corrections because my projector is off to the side just a bit and the 4D adjustments help the image appear correctly on my wall.Since I've already written a novel, I thought I'd also leave some tips that might be helpful for people in the same boat as me (i.e. a tiny living space with no wiggle room for projector placement).- Not all projectors come with zoom! I learned this the hard way :-). If you're only able to keep the projector a certain distance away, make sure that distance fits within the product specs and get a projector with a zoom feature in case the max size image is too big for your wall or screen. I keep mine at 75%, otherwise the picture is huge and partially displays on the ceiling.- 4D keystone correction features are great if you're keeping your projector slightly off center. The first projectors I tried only had horizontal adjustments. If you get one with 4D, you can adjust vertically too and you'll be able to avoid your picture being a trapezoid shape. I have my projector on a surface that sort of slopes down so the vertical adjustment feature comes in handy.- For textured, non-white walls I think getting a projector with a higher lux value makes it look better. The first ones I tried were 5500lux and it made a world of difference going up to 6800lux. On the 5500lux projector, the texture was more visible, but at 6800 it's way better. You can still see it sometimes, of course, but it's not distracting.Hope this helps!
9**O
Great projector for the price!
Your browser does not support HTML5 video. I searched through many projectors and read many reviews all with a lot of positive and negative feedback. I decided on this particular one based off reviews and specifications. All I can say is it is a projector. It is not meant to be used in brightly lit rooms (projectors in my opinion work best in dark rooms) I use mine for watching movies or playing games. I have it installed in my office/game room and I was blown away by the picture quality. Yes, the built in speakers are ok if you are in a quite room, but not ideal for great sound while watching a movie. The brightness is awesome when the room is dark. It can still be seen with the light on, but not the ideal viewing experience. I have watched a couple movies and played some games on the PS4 with it and I have it connected to my sound bar under the TV. I have never owned a $1,000+ projector so I cannot compare to one, but for a couple hundred bucks I feel like I got a great deal with great quality. Just don't set it up outside while there is light and use the built in speakersand expect a movie theatre experience. It serves my purpose 200% and in my opinion is a great projector at a great price.
P**E
Good for what it is, cheap
6500 lux is wasn't real familiar with, but I understand lums. I've owned over 10 different projectors and this is about the same quality, brightness, and picture for my name brand units 8 years ago. I couldn't get it to focus with about 5 feet. So that being said I did a side by side against a $1,200 projector. The viewsonic was much better at 5000 lums... but much more expensive. If it's your first projector with no expectations your probably fine, if you are more of a visual snob, for business, and have a bigger budget you're probably want to go with something else. I didn't test the audio. Viewsonic on right in picture.
Trustpilot
3 days ago
1 day ago