Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion Meridian - Systems DILA1080 - Has anybody seen one?

I am curious to see if anyone is lucky enough to either have one or have viewed one as a demo and could share his impression? I am considering but it is a big step.

Thanks

Al

Al,

I have seen Sony's Qualia 004 set up and properly calibrated. I felt the picture was every bit as good as any 9" CRT presentation I have seen. The cost of this particular projector is somewhat north of $30,000, but could still be considered a relative bargain considering some of the finer 9" projectors were running $50K and up plus scaler.

That being said, Sony has just introduced a smaller version of the 1080p projector, the VPL-VW100. It's list price is $9995, with the street price looking like somewhere in the $7800-8000 range. I have been told that it will provide 95% of the performance of the Qualia 004.

If this is accurate, I will own one soon.

Rudy

Rudy,

It depends on which performance metric you're looking at.

There are some metrics where the Ruby handily outperforms the Qualia 004.

Regards,

Whatever you buy, there will be something at half the cost and twice the performance a week later.
I had a 7" CRT and scaler for about 7 years untill I moved that originally cost about the same as the D-ILA HD2K I bought 7 months ago (more if you adjust for inflation).
The alternative I might have been tempted by was the Infocus 777 which looked really good at the time but cost �20k. Better contrast, brighter, lower rez (720p), slightly pixelated, transition between tones a little more abrupt, but still a better picture than I had seen on other dlps up to that point. I may also have been swayed by that sleek black case design that looked as if it had escaped from Area 51. That price has since been slashed in half, so it just goes to show...
Back to your question. Very sharp, very smooth, no banding, no screen door effect, not the last word in contrast (but not substantially worse than my old crt), and the fan could be quieter. It should see me through the next decade.
Caveat: I have yet to get it to work with the G98 over HDMI so I run it component to the scaler, but to be honest the picture is still satisfyingly beautiful enough that I don't grumble too much. Works fine over HDMI with my el cheapo Toshiba and Panasonic DVD players, so I know where the fault lies.

Try http://www.avsforum.com for more (as well as less) informed opinions if you already haven't.

Thanks for the inputs. I was specifically looking for feedback on the Meridian/Faroudja DILA1080. Is it out on the market yet?

My understanding was that the Faroujda DILA is a rebranded and tweaked HD2K with calibration by William Phelps who, according to opinions on avsforum, is THE master magician in these matters. I think it also has later generation scaler than the rebranded Faroujda 1010 that is packaged with the JVC.
From this I can guess that 1) it will look even better than the HD2K, 2) it will cost at least half as much again (premium branding and no discounts) and 3) it might just work with the G98 over HDMI.

One would hope so. LOL!

I think this projector was reviewd in either WSR or PV.

Simon

You need to look at all of the available 1080p options.

The Meridian Faroudja DILA 1080p, the Sony Qualia 004, the Sony Ruby VPL-VW100 and the upcoming 1-chip 1080p DLPs to make your decision.

They all have strengths and weaknesses, even the Merdian/Faroudja, and in the end, you will be spending the big $$/lbs etc and your butt will be in the chair watching so make sure that you make the best decision for yourself.

I agree with John. I also think for the money and from what I have read (I think probably a review written by John) that people who don't have the spare $40K to drop will be hard pressed to go past the Sony VPL-VW100, especially in a smaller room with controlled light.

Does anyone know if this will be sold by dealers as well as Sony or only through Sony outlets? By only reservation with Sony is their reputable crap after sales service.

Cheers,

Chris

And save some $$$ for a comfy chair...