Black levels (absolute contrast ratio) is one of the important criteria I use when selecting video equipment. This is why my plasma TV is a Pioneer Elite Kuro PRO-141FD (as good as they get IMHO) and my projector is a Sony VPL-VW85. Looking just at the projector; in my dedicated, blacked out, 12' x 21' HT room projecting onto a Stewart 110" Firehawk screen give results far better than anything I have seen at my local AMC Cineplex where they use 4K projectors. In fact, I am so pleased with my HT system now, I no longer have any desire to see a movie on "the big screen". I am perfectly happy to wait until the BD comes out.
Local Cinema black level quality vs home Projector
Have been going to the local cineplexes in my area fairly frequently over the last few years, and have regularly assessed that the actual achieved black level performance from most any even IMAX, 4K 3D, or basic screening viewings of films, is typically average to even poor at best, definitely! Basically, I'm completely convinced that most anyone doing a dedicated home theater projector setup, using todays projector and screen technology options, can basically achieve the same level of overall projected image quality at the house, yes!
Bottom line, when you consider the extraneous safety lights that are left on in your typical local movie theater, and the sometimes rather lite colored room décor and projector and screen technologies in use, regardless, my assessment is that black level isn't really all that good at the movies, across the board. Anyone else notice this fact??
Yes, occasionally in my travels, I will come across a screening that yields some extremely good black level performance, for the viewing, but it's rare mostly. Completely darkened, dark décor, high quality calibrated high end digital projector installations, are surely the exception, I find. And when you factor in all the compromises in the settings, I can't help but think that I can usually get better black level performance and overall contrast range at the house with my gear, certainly.
At best, even without completely light controlled spaces at home, without having dark colored walls, or maybe with using some gray light rejection or higher gain pj screen, my guess is that anything north of some midline Optoma, Mistubishi, or Panasonic 1080p current projector offering -black-level-performance-capable-wise (up to better Epson, Sony, JVC, Runco pieces), using a descent gray screen or rejection tech surface these days, and you have about as good as most any casual viewer/bystander would ever need for a quality large screen image, all things equal!
Anyway, while I am a black level enthusiast, who's gone through quite a number of high end JVC and Epson video projectors over the years, tinkering and experimenting mostly (lol), I would guess that most anyone would be happy with "less", when it comes to the highly sought after black level achievements that so many seem to care so much about in the AV community! So I ask, how important is absolute black level in the big scheme of, say, just simply enjoying the overall pic quality and presentation, that many of us can get at home? I'm guessing it's not as important as we would like to think??
Heck, we go to the movies out and about all the time, and we still enjoy, regardless. Soooooo???.....
Bottom line, when you consider the extraneous safety lights that are left on in your typical local movie theater, and the sometimes rather lite colored room décor and projector and screen technologies in use, regardless, my assessment is that black level isn't really all that good at the movies, across the board. Anyone else notice this fact??
Yes, occasionally in my travels, I will come across a screening that yields some extremely good black level performance, for the viewing, but it's rare mostly. Completely darkened, dark décor, high quality calibrated high end digital projector installations, are surely the exception, I find. And when you factor in all the compromises in the settings, I can't help but think that I can usually get better black level performance and overall contrast range at the house with my gear, certainly.
At best, even without completely light controlled spaces at home, without having dark colored walls, or maybe with using some gray light rejection or higher gain pj screen, my guess is that anything north of some midline Optoma, Mistubishi, or Panasonic 1080p current projector offering -black-level-performance-capable-wise (up to better Epson, Sony, JVC, Runco pieces), using a descent gray screen or rejection tech surface these days, and you have about as good as most any casual viewer/bystander would ever need for a quality large screen image, all things equal!
Anyway, while I am a black level enthusiast, who's gone through quite a number of high end JVC and Epson video projectors over the years, tinkering and experimenting mostly (lol), I would guess that most anyone would be happy with "less", when it comes to the highly sought after black level achievements that so many seem to care so much about in the AV community! So I ask, how important is absolute black level in the big scheme of, say, just simply enjoying the overall pic quality and presentation, that many of us can get at home? I'm guessing it's not as important as we would like to think??
Heck, we go to the movies out and about all the time, and we still enjoy, regardless. Soooooo???.....
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