NEW JVC DLA NZ800 and DLA NZ900 Projectors

[wooferocau]

https://www.grobi.tv/jvc/

 

The 4K UHD HDR Home Theater Projector JVC DLA-NZ800 - Short Description

The DLA-NZ800 works with the new generation of 8K/e-shiftX technology with 8K scaling engine to generate images with a gigantic resolution of 8,192 x 4,320 pixels. In combination with the Gen3 of the 4K D-ILA chip, the BLU-Escent laser light source delivers 2,700 lumens of brightness and a native contrast ratio of 100,000:1 for impressive projection even on large screens. The Gen2 Frame Adapt HDR function with Theater Optimizer, Deeper Blacks, DML and much more ensures the optimal display of HDR content. With the DLA-NZ800, JVC opens the door to a new dimension of home cinema.

MAIN FEATURES

• JVC-own Gen3 of the native 4K D-ILA chip (0.69'' / x3)

• BLU-Escent laser with 2,700 lumens of light output

• Gen2 of 8K/e-shiftX technology with new 8K scaling engine for a resolution of 8,192 x 4,320 pixels by fourfold moving the partial images by 0.5 pixels

• 100,000:1 native contrast ratio, ∞:1 dynamic contrast for extremely realistic images with deep black

• 101-level laser light control via slider function

• 65 mm all-glass lens with 2x zoom and 80% vertical, 34% horizontal shift

• High-contrast Optical Block

• Two 48Gbps HDMI 2.3 inputs for 8K/60p and 4K/120p

• Gen2 Frame Adapt HDR function with dynamic image adjustment and Theater Optimizer

• New "Deep Black" function extends the contrast range of dark shades

• Supports HDR including HDR10+ and HLG

• DML (Display Mastering Luminance) adjusts the dynamic range for an optimal HDR experience

• "Vivid" image mode for animations and CG video games in SDR format

• Wide Color Gamut with Cinema Filter (exceeds 100% DCI-P3)

• Use of hand-selected components

• Installation mode with 10 individual presets

• ISF certified plus JVC auto calibration

• Clear Motion Drive for smoother motion display

• Multiple Pixel Control (MPC) for better sharpness display

• Low latency mode for lag-free image reproduction especially for gaming content

• other connections: Control4

The 4K UHD HDR home cinema projector JVC DLA-NZ900 - Short description

The pure beauty of the D-ILA images is the result of over 25 years of JVC research and development in the field of home cinema projection. An extraordinary brightness of 3,300 lumens and a native contrast ratio of 150,000:1 are achieved with the Gen3 of the 4K D-ILA chips in combination with the BLUEscent laser. The projector not only guarantees the true-to-original reproduction of all HDR formats including HDR10+, but also ensures a pixel-accurate display of the finest details thanks to the HQ full-glass lens and Gen2 of the 8K Scaling Engine, which results in an almost three-dimensional image impression.

MAIN FEATURES

• JVC-own Gen3 of the native 4K D-ILA chip (0.69'' / x3)

• BLU-Escent Laser with 3,300 lumens of light output

• Gen2 of 8K/e-shiftX technology with new 8K scaling engine for a resolution of 8,192 x 4,320 pixels by fourfold moving the partial images by 0.5 pixels

• 150,000:1 native contrast ratio, ∞:1 dynamic contrast for extremely realistic images with deep black

• 101-level laser light control via slider function

• 100 mm HQ all-glass lens with 2x zoom and 100% vertical, 43% horizontal shift

• High-contrast Optical Block

• Two 48Gbps HDMI 2.3 inputs for 8K/60p and 4K/120p

• Gen2 Frame Adapt HDR function with dynamic image adjustment and Theater Optimizer

• New "Deep Black" function extends the contrast range of dark shades.

• Supports HDR including HDR10+ and HLG

• DML (Display Mastering Luminance) adjusts the dynamic range for an optimal HDR experience.

• "Vivid" image mode for animations and CG video games in SDR format

• Wide Color Gamut with Cinema Filter (exceeds 100% DCI-P3)

• Use of hand-selected components

• Installation mode with 10 individual presets

• ISF certified plus JVC auto calibration

• Clear Motion Drive for smoother motion display

• Multiple Pixel Control (MPC) for better sharpness display

• Low latency mode for lag-free image reproduction especially for gaming content

• other connections: Control4 SDDP, LAN, RS-232C, IR, 12V Trigger Out, 3D Sync Out

 

 

 

 

[Craigus]

Was expecting a bigger jump in specs. Been holding out to see what the updates were. I’m still running an x9900 (with Lumagen). 

[betty boop]

15 minutes ago, Craigus said:

Was expecting a bigger jump in specs. Been holding out to see what the updates were. I’m still running an x9900 (with Lumagen). 

thats a very nice projector and lumagen covers some of the fancy tone mapping i guess the jvc 4k units have brought ...

 

brochure of the new NZ800/NZ900 models.... 

 

https://nl.jvc.com/files/catalogs/eu/JVC-Projectors-2024/index.html

 

not sure when they will replace the NZ7.... which seems to have been left as is without an update ? 

[betty boop]

 

Below according to Dylan Seeger on avs,

“looks like the improvements are:
 

New 3rd Generation 0.69" DiLA panels which offer greater contrast.

Improvements in the DiLA chip manufacturing process for improved uniformity (possibly a fix for bright corners)

Roughly 10% increased light output

Gen2 e-ShiftX with a new upscaling algorithm

DML (Display Mastering Luminance) setting for improved dynamic tone mapping

Deep Black function to achieve greater gradation in dark scenes by subduing tones in dark areas of the image

New Vivid mode for certain kinds of SDR, like anime and other CG content

Improvements to the Clear Motion Drive motion smoothing algorithm”

 

he feels it’s minor as an update …anyways good to see jvc continuing to progress ….

 

 

[Craigus]

On 1/5/2024 at 10:49 PM, betty boop said:

thats a very nice projector and lumagen covers some of the fancy tone mapping i guess the jvc 4k units have brought ...

i only got the Lumagen last year. That made a huge difference to both DTM, and 3D lut calibration. I also love the auto aspect changing (not need for manual lens memory presses). Will be keeping the lumagen for sure. Only problem I’ve had with Lumagen is syncing issues with the x9900 (supposedly a jvc problem :/)

 

Main reasons for upgrading - sharpness (more so than resolution - though 4k is good especially since I’m downscaling 16:9 at the moment with auto aspect); brightness; contrast (maybe); dynamic laser (most likely - i couldn’t handle dynamic iris on the x9900, so my black floor could be better for dark scenes).

 

On 1/5/2024 at 10:49 PM, betty boop said:

not sure when they will replace the NZ7.... which seems to have been left as is without an update ? 

rumours on avsforum is that’s likely around cedia in september.

 

My thinking so far is upgrade from a current laser won’t make sense. Upgrading from anything pre-laser get a run-out nz8 or nz9. I noticed Rich @ projector screens has 20% off since last month until end of may. I was suspicious new models were coming.  sounds like a good deal, but perhaps there will be bigger discounts.

 

also new models, means new production (though may not be that much different), so may be higher likelihood of model variations/issues than the well established current models. Pure speculation though.

 

Some youtube vids up already, though mainly light on content, with one unboxing and recorded demo .

 

Most interesting review I’ve come across: https://www.projectorcentral.com/JVC-DLA-NZ900-Projector-Review.htm#Introduction

 

I really want an upgrade - wished I hadn’t agreed to lose weight to motivate me (almost a projectors worth!). I better get onto that. Haha

[betty boop]

5 minutes ago, Craigus said:

i only got the Lumagen last year. That made a huge difference to both DTM, and 3D lut calibration. I also love the auto aspect changing (not need for manual lens memory presses). Will be keeping the lumagen for sure. Only problem I’ve had with Lumagen is syncing issues with the x9900 (supposedly a jvc problem :/)

could certainly keep ... the DTM on the JVCs are very good these days set for get..but then you have the lumagen so can compare between  see which prefer

 

6 minutes ago, Craigus said:

Main reasons for upgrading - sharpness (more so than resolution - though 4k is good especially since I’m downscaling 16:9 at the moment with auto aspect); brightness; contrast (maybe); dynamic laser (most likely - i couldn’t handle dynamic iris on the x9900, so my black floor could be better for dark scenes).

x7000 e-shifter to going native 4K NX7 i certainly saw a benefit of clarity i would say .... its not sharpness and detail is just clearer ? i doubt anyone is fully resolving 4k and there wouldn't be 4k res in what displayed anyways but there is a cleanesss and clarity to 4k native thats hard to beat  

 

i do wonder what something like nz900 would be like in contrast with that brilliant lens(same as nz9) etc... i suspect awesome !  but even NZ8/NZ800 has the higher contrast goodies I believe ...

 

9 minutes ago, Craigus said:

My thinking so far is upgrade from a current laser won’t make sense. Upgrading from anything pre-laser get a run-out nz8 or nz9. I noticed Rich @ projector screens has 20% off since last month until end of may. I was suspicious new models were coming.  sounds like a good deal, but perhaps there will be bigger discounts.

this change over time is always good as you get a choice .. run out on discount or the newer one.. when its minor update the newer one clearly need going to stack up in value vs discounted older on run out

 

10 minutes ago, Craigus said:

also new models, means new production (though may not be that much different), so may be higher likelihood of model variations/issues than the well established current models. Pure speculation though.

being such minor updates i suspect nothing to worry about also the manufacture is in japan now i believe ? or do i have that wrong... i am pretty sure they moved factory...

 

11 minutes ago, Craigus said:

Most interesting review I’ve come across: https://www.projectorcentral.com/JVC-DLA-NZ900-Projector-Review.htm#Introduction

 

I really want an upgrade - wished I hadn’t agreed to lose weight to motivate me (almost a projectors worth!). I better get onto that. Haha

 

 wow now that is motivation ! good on you ! you have got me thinking now  not that i really need to upgrade projectors but its a great excuse - reason to upgrade  

[Craigus]

1 hour ago, betty boop said:

could certainly keep ... the DTM on the JVCs are very good these days set for get..but then you have the lumagen so can compare between  see which prefer

 

Yeh, I understand the JVC DTM is really good now. Not sure how calibration would work if I got the JVC to do the DTM and only used the lumagen for 3d-lut calibration and auto-aspect changing. I was planning to keep the lumagen when upgrading (for calibration and auto-aspect), but they do have fairly good resale in Australia as well.

 

Currently the projector is calibrated to rec 2020, and sent video is sent to the projector as SDR + rec 2020 and then Lumagen does DTM or rec709->rec2020 colour mapping for SDR. Presumably something similar (i.e. calibrate to rec 2020, but get the lumagen to pass through HDR as HDR).

 

1 hour ago, betty boop said:

i do wonder what something like nz900 would be like in contrast with that brilliant lens(same as nz9) etc... i suspect awesome !  but even NZ8/NZ800 has the higher contrast goodies I believe ...

 

 

The optics on the nz8 will already be a significant upgrade over my x9900. But certainly tempted on the NZ900. 

 

1 hour ago, betty boop said:

this change over time is always good as you get a choice .. run out on discount or the newer one.. when its minor update the newer one clearly need going to stack up in value vs discounted older on run out

 

 

That's how I got my x9900 on run out the the nx series just came out.  So got it for a super good deal.

1 hour ago, betty boop said:

being such minor updates i suspect nothing to worry about also the manufacture is in japan now i believe ? or do i have that wrong... i am pretty sure they moved factory...

 

 Yeh, I think you're right it's all done in Japan now.

 

1 hour ago, betty boop said:

 wow now that is motivation ! good on you ! you have got me thinking now  not that i really need to upgrade projectors but its a great excuse - reason to upgrade  

 

I've been on that deal since January, not worked so far. Figured I had until September Cedia when I figured they'd announce new JVC projectors, not May! haha

[wooferocau]

9 hours ago, Craigus said:

Yeh, I understand the JVC DTM is really good now 

The DTM from the Lumagen is a HUGE step up from even the latest JVC DTM !!! 

[Craigus]

2 hours ago, wooferocau said:

11 hours ago, Craigus said:

 

The DTM from the Lumagen is a HUGE step up from even the latest JVC DTM !!! 

Good to know.   wasn’t sure if jvc had some advantages with being able to control laser dimming as part of their dtm implementation.

[betty boop]

11 hours ago, Craigus said:

Yeh, I understand the JVC DTM is really good now. Not sure how calibration would work if I got the JVC to do the DTM and only used the lumagen for 3d-lut calibration and auto-aspect changing. I was planning to keep the lumagen when upgrading (for calibration and auto-aspect), but they do have fairly good resale in Australia as well.

thats the beauty of it ... you can compare for yourself and decide and have the choice

 

with your hdmi woes too, you can compare and see how all that works out.

 

11 hours ago, Craigus said:

The optics on the nz8 will already be a significant upgrade over my x9900. But certainly tempted on the NZ900. 

not totally sure on that ...i believe its like NX7 a development.. its the NZ900 with the significantly upgraded optics ? 

 

11 hours ago, Craigus said:

Yeh, I think you're right it's all done in Japan now.

yeah i think went through some rocky periods of was it china and thailand even at one stage. am glad if its all back in japan again..

 

11 hours ago, Craigus said:

've been on that deal since January, not worked so far. Figured I had until September Cedia when I figured they'd announce new JVC projectors, not May! haha

haha ! its always too quick with these things... i think its best seen as a minor refresh... in old days eg X series it would be something like X3 to X30 or x35 and such ... though does look like a new 4k chip and new higher output laser ? so not something could have done on the run 

[wooferocau]

9 hours ago, Craigus said:

Good to know.   wasn’t sure if jvc had some advantages with being able to control laser dimming as part of their dtm implementation.

Absolutely NO advantages at all...    JVC,s DTM is passable if you have no other option , BUT ! be under no illusion,  the DTM via a Lumagen or madVR is vastly  superior..

[chaosangel]

1 hour ago, wooferocau said:

Absolutely NO advantages at all...    JVC,s DTM is passable if you have no other option , BUT ! be under no illusion,  the DTM via a Lumagen or madVR is vastly  superior..

I agree with this. I have a Lumagen and NX7, and about to take delivery of an NZ9 (I have put it on hold to think about whether it's worth waiting for the Aus release of the NZ900, but to be honest, I don't think I'll wait..). I know the Z-line has the v2 of JVC's DTM, which the NX7 does not, but the way that Lumagen and MadVR address tonemapping is in a completely different category than the JVC's in-built system. Nothing at all wrong with the JVC system - For a set-and-forget, one size fits all built-in system that you get for free with the projector, it is the best out there. If I didn't have the Lumagen, I'd be super happy that JVC gives us that functionality (as I was before I bought the Lumagen). But Lumagen/MadVr are purpose built heavy-lifting systems that are so much more configurable for any given setup, and they update constantly (not to mention they do so much more than just DTM). My Lumagen (and ana lens) are my two most invaluable parts of my theatre setup. For those who just want a nice picture and don't care too much about tweaking to get the the most controllable image out of their system, the JVC DTM is great to have. For me - I could not live without my Lumagen, it is the best money I have spent on my theatre.

Edited May 4, 2024 by chaosangel

[betty boop]

1 hour ago, chaosangel said:

I agree with this. I have a Lumagen and NX7,

I have an NX7 and it's pro calibrated and have absolutely no need or desire to add a lumagen .. ive had mine since 2019 ! and chucked not sure how many movies through but will be most new releases and also media all sorts from all sorts of sources... not that i think this is a thread to argue or is that discuss why should or MUST have a lumagen ... am sure other threads for that. but i think the point is if someone has one already ... they can actually compare with the new version of tone mapping and see what think for themselves...what they do with the lumagen is as always .. their call.. quite possibly they also use other aspects of lumagen in which case might decide to keep themselves anyways ? again their call .. 

 

1 hour ago, chaosangel said:

and about to take delivery of an NZ9 (I have put it on hold to think about whether it's worth waiting for the Aus release of the NZ900, but to be honest, I don't think I'll wait..).

that is a very nice step  yeah i think good call to wait.. but there is just aspect of missing out on nz9 if there are any at run out. i shudder to think what a new nz900 is going to cost anyway ... 

 

1 hour ago, chaosangel said:

I know the Z-line has the v2 of JVC's DTM, which the NX7 does not, but the way that Lumagen and MadVR address tonemapping is in a completely different category than the JVC's in-built system. Nothing at all wrong with the JVC system - For a set-and-forget, one size fits all built-in system that you get for free with the projector, it is the best out there. If I didn't have the Lumagen, I'd be super happy that JVC gives us that functionality (as I was before I bought the Lumagen). But Lumagen/MadVr are purpose built heavy-lifting systems that are so much more configurable for any given setup, and they update constantly (not to mention they do so much more than just DTM). My Lumagen (and ana lens) are my two most invaluable parts of my theatre setup. For those who just want a nice picture and don't care too much about tweaking to get the the most controllable image out of their system, the JVC DTM is great to have. For me - I could not live without my Lumagen, it is the best money I have spent on my theatre.

I am for sure there are many aspects of lumagen you value and i dont think that is in question here.. in anywise lumagen owners i tend to see very passionate about it.. so all power to you. lets not make this thread a do for die on lumagens ... no one is arguing you shouldn't live without one or not worth best money to you or anything like that ...

 

I am however keen to know what the new version  of DTM is like and if any gains made with the new gen machines... jvc is one that doesnt tend to sit still in this regard..... so be interesting as reviews come out ... especially from folks we respect .. kris deering and like who will not for one minute right off a lumagen but can also give you straight up on any benefit on board the new machines  

 

 

Edited May 4, 2024 by betty boop

[chaosangel]

1 hour ago, betty boop said:

I have an NX7 and it's pro calibrated and have absolutely no need or desire to add a lumagen .. ive had mine since 2019 ! and chucked not sure how many movies through but will be most new releases and also media all sorts from all sorts of sources... not that i think this is a thread to argue or is that discuss why should or MUST have a lumagen ... am sure other threads for that. but i think the point is if someone has one already ... they can actually compare with the new version of tone mapping and see what think for themselves...what they do with the lumagen is as always .. their call.. quite possibly they also use other aspects of lumagen in which case might decide to keep themselves anyways ? again their call .. 

 

that is a very nice step  yeah i think good call to wait.. but there is just aspect of missing out on nz9 if there are any at run out. i shudder to think what a new nz900 is going to cost anyway ... 

 

I am for sure there are many aspects of lumagen you value and i dont think that is in question here.. in anywise lumagen owners i tend to see very passionate about it.. so all power to you. lets not make this thread a do for die on lumagens ... no one is arguing you shouldn't live without one or not worth best money to you or anything like that ...

 

I am however keen to know what the new version  of DTM is like and if any gains made with the new gen machines... jvc is one that doesnt tend to sit still in this regard..... so be interesting as reviews come out ... especially from folks we respect .. kris deering and like who will not for one minute right off a lumagen but can also give you straight up on any benefit on board the new machines  

 

 

betty boop - I don't disagree with anything you just said  

 

I also stand by the other thing I said, which is that JVC has the best tonemapping of any built-in system for a projector  And yes, I agree - everybody should make up their own mind, absolutely, as everybody has different requirements. And you're right that the NZx00 upgrades in DTM may be significant which will be relevant for some people.

 

Sorry if it was already posted here - but as you mentioned Kris, he already posted his first review of the NZ900 (apologies, I don't have the link right in front of me)

 

As excited as I am for the NZ900 (and trust me, I really am) I think I am going to pull the trigger on the NZ9. As much as I love the idea of the extra contrast on the NZ900, I spoke to my dealer who was talking to their JVC rep yesterday and the rep was saying there is no projected timeline or price yet for the NZx00 series down here in Aus. Their guess was perhaps Oct/Nov, but it was just a guess. If it were guaranteed we'd get it next month in line with  the US then I might have waited, but I'm ready to upgrade now. And yes - DTM doesn't apply to me obviously as I have the Lumagen, so others may have different priorities.

 

I feel that with the fair prices on the NZ9 right now, and the lead time on the release down here for the x00 series, I think I'm going to pull the trigger and enjoy the NZ9 for the rest of the year. If my FOMO becomes too much to bare next year and I start dreaming of how much I'm missing that 150000:1 contrast -  I'll address it then

 

JVC really are spoiling us with options right now. 

 

 

 

Edited May 4, 2024 by chaosangel

[betty boop]

17 hours ago, chaosangel said:

Sorry if it was already posted here - but as you mentioned Kris, he already posted his first review of the NZ900 (apologies, I don't have the link right in front of me)

I'll go looking , see if can find, thanks for the headsup  

 

17 hours ago, chaosangel said:

As excited as I am for the NZ900 (and trust me, I really am) I think I am going to pull the trigger on the NZ9. As much as I love the idea of the extra contrast on the NZ900, I spoke to my dealer who was talking to their JVC rep yesterday and the rep was saying there is no projected timeline or price yet for the NZx00 series down here in Aus. Their guess was perhaps Oct/Nov, but it was just a guess. If it were guaranteed we'd get it next month in line with  the US then I might have waited, but I'm ready to upgrade now. And yes - DTM doesn't apply to me obviously as I have the Lumagen, so others may have different priorities.

if like previous gen it will be late nov ? for some folks that better .. gives more time to save  and check out the options.. plus maybe pick up anything existing in mean time too.. eg like you are doing

 

17 hours ago, chaosangel said:

feel that with the fair prices on the NZ9 right now, and the lead time on the release down here for the x00 series, I think I'm going to pull the trigger and enjoy the NZ9 for the rest of the year. If my FOMO becomes too much to bare next year and I start dreaming of how much I'm missing that 150000:1 contrast -  I'll address it then

haha good plan and sometimes its good the scratch the itch while can .. who knows what time brings ! 

 

17 hours ago, chaosangel said:

JVC really are spoiling us with options right now. 

I like the options .. though all are quite elevated in price.. but i guess they have now well and truly exited the lower rung projector price points ...folks are perhaps going flat panels at prices lower i am guessing ...

[betty boop]

found the Kris review, looks like uniformity has improved ...

20% increase in contrast

new balanced dimming helps blacks without hurting highlights

 

mid life update is about what he sums up as  

 

Thought I’d chime in while I have some time, though I saw that Sammie did his review and its probably spot on (I haven’t read it yet) knowing Sammie. 

I see this more as a mid-cycle refresh like they do on a car than a full new model. Yes, Mike is right that the internals have changed. It is a new D-ILA chip and a new processing board. The new D-ILA is supposed to have a new process that makes them flatter for better contrast and better uniformity. The unit I had was EXCELLENT for uniformity with only the upper left corner having a smidgen of more light, but that was with a full black and me sitting in the room for a REALLY long time trying to see it. But as Sammie put, this is a sample of one so I am not sure what the line will look like on average. 

I did some bench contrast measurements (off the lens with T10A). I believe Sammie did his CR measurements in high bright, I did mine in default settings for Natural so they’d be closer to a “calibrated” contrast. 

First set was for native contrast (aperture fully open) in high laser output:

Short throw: 23,000:1, Long Throw 33,000:1

Full CR potential (long throw, aperture fully closed, high laser) 116,000:1

So overall about a 20% increase in contrast compared to what I measure on an average NZ model I’d say. So not enough to really matter in a side by side, but it gives you a bit more potential to have a better contrast unit than an existing NZ. Same with brightness (10% is barely anything).

My test unit was very sharp, but so is my 25LTD, so no way to do a direct comparison there. I liked the new “Balanced” dimming mode with my limited testing. Did a good job of helping blacks in mixed images without completely destroying highlights. I also liked the new black mode with HDR, which just appears to have the image come out of black slower for a better subjective contrast appearance. 

So like Sammie already said, some small changes that are nice, but nothing that is a “killer feature” per se, especially if you already have a NZ. I was hoping for full P3 without a filter like everyone else though, that would have been a big deal for me. I think I mentioned long before I saw this unit in person that I wouldn’t be surprised if JVC’s next offering wasn’t that big of a difference given their performance in relation to the rest of the market. If this was a press announcement for Epson/Sony with its features/specs than people would be losing their ****. I was hoping for more, but it is what it is. Still a great projector, just hoping we see some other stuff come with the next model (and I provided this feedback and more to JVC after my testing).

[betty boop]

according to Mike G at AVS everything inside including the high contrast block is all new... apart from the lens...

[betty boop]

interesting comment from rstart who has been in the game a while and with an NX7 like me ...and another opinion on should you update or not.. i tend to update projectors every 4-5 years but this game is getting out hand... the NX8-9 itself were quite a signifiant jump up ... can imagine the nx900 will be jump up again ? 

 

Here's my $0.02 worth.

I really appreciate that many are willing and able to pony up for the newest technology so folks like me can benefit from buying the 'last' generation at a substantial discount. I'm on my fifth JVC projector, and didn't buy any of them new. My strategy has been to let others do the beta testing and figure out the bugs in specific models, and then buy one of the 'good ones' at a discount later on. My latest JVC PJ is a RS2000/ NX7. I bought it used a few months ago, and it is substantially superior to my 'old' RS520. It's 'new to me' and I am very happy with it. Is it absolute state of the art? No. But, ten years ago this level of performance could not be bought at any price, and I've got a great projector and thousands of $$$ I didn't spend.

By waiting, I not only saved a large fraction of its initial purchase price, but was able to determine that the NX7 seemed to be regarded as lying in the sweet spot for performance vs price. It's probably among the last lamp based projectors that will be built, but lamps are pretty cheap, now. And, maybe lasers will actually live as long as advertised, but maybe not, and replacement will likely be a LOT more expensive than a new bulb. As in the past, I'll keep the RS2000 until there is a compelling performance improvement that makes the investment work for me. Then I'll buy a used PJ that has been vetted and tested by the marketplace. Again.

Used gear doesn't have a warranty, but used PJs don't cost as much as my first (or second) cars did, either. I KNOW that a brand new projector with a warranty will cost me double or triple the price of a used unit, and I MAY have a failure of a used unit. That's a risk I have taken several times, and not lost yet. (Knock wood...) Also, I've been doing HT since CRTs were in use and never had a gear failure other than the HDMI boards in Onkyo pre-pros, which Onkyo replaced gratis long after the initial warranty expired. So, it's been a good strategy so far, and if I do get 'burned,' I'm still money ahead.

That all said, I am very grateful for those who make the investment in new gear and share their experience on this forum so people like me will have the data later on. Thanks to you all.

I also had a thought about AutoCal from JVC. I'm truly amazed at how well it works, doesn't take long to use, is provided by JVC for free, and the gizmos necessary to use are only a couple hundred dollars. A properly calibrated PJ throws a much better picture and AutoCal does it for a lot less than a pro calibration.

[betty boop]

On 3/5/2024 at 6:34 PM, Craigus said:

Most interesting review I’ve come across: https://www.projectorcentral.com/JVC-DLA-NZ900-Projector-Review.htm#Introduction

 

this is the "sammie review" folks mention  evolution rather than revolution

 

but then are we to see a revolution again ? not sure 

 

I think the 4k native and DTM that NX series brought was first revolution and the laser via Z1 and later NZ models is 2nd revolution.. not sure any others are coming  and more refinement from now ... 

[j19801110]

Yes, “upgrading” to older units can be cost effective. My NZ8 might be up for sale sometime soonish as I’ll be looking at moving to the new units in the new financial year… 

[HDobsession]

Preview review on Youtube of the NZ800

 

 

 

[franin]

I'm still with my NX9, and it is still doing well. I would rather use Laser, but I am not too happy with JVC's service here in Australia unless I've missed something and they have finally stepped up their game.

[j19801110]

Erm… your NX9 should still be a great projector. Plus JVC Aust said they haven’t been informed about the Australian launch date yet. June has come and gone, not even taking preorders…

[brodricj]

On 02/06/2024 at 9:03 PM, j19801110 said:

Erm… your NX9..

X9900 still a great projector. I had a Lumagen Radiance Pro. Sold it, don't need it with the X9900.

[j19801110]

3 hours ago, brodricj said:

X9900 still a great projector. I had a Lumagen Radiance Pro. Sold it, don't need it with the X9900.

Yup, exactly. As long as you look after it and re-lamp/re-calibrate as needed, it’s an awesome unit.