Sharp DT-510 Home Theater Projector - DT510
SHARP DT-510 1280 x 720 DLP 720p Home Theater Projector 1000 ANSI Lumens (in High Brightness Mode) 4000:1 (in High Brightness Mode)

I bought the DT-510 to replace my 5-year-old NEC LT-150. When I purchased the LT-150, it was considered an excellent DLP projector for its price ($3500MSRP, $2400 street) and I have enjoyed owning it. But projection technology has advanced considerably in five years - higher contrast ratios, higher resolution, faster color wheels with more segments, brighter output, digital inputs, longer lamp-life — all at a lower price. Large 1080P plasma and LCD screens I'd seen recently at retail showrooms looked really dazzling, and my old NEC no longer knocked my socks off. Unfortunately, it's hard to find a retailer that can properly demo a front-projection unit, and the few who can are selling $10,000 Runcos. So I ordered the Sharp DT-510 based upon specs and my memory of how good the very first SharpVision projector I saw looked 15 years ago. I unpacked the DT-510 very carefully so I could return it if it turned out to be only slightly better than my LT-150. Well - it ain't goin' back. Even though its brightness is spec'd at "only" 1000 lumens (slightly higher than my LT-150's spec), this value can be misleading. It is plenty bright for acceptable viewing with subdued lighting, and in a darkened room it is brilliant. My screen, incidentally, measures 70" diagonally. For optimal contrast, its iris can be invoked to provide exceptional dynamic range. Although it is not 1080p, it is 1080i/720p and the picture is extremely sharp. If there are any interlacing artifacts, I can't see them — regardless of programming source. I use the HDMI outputs of an off-the-air HDTV tuner, an HD-DVD player, and a PS3 Blu-ray BD player. This is a terrific projector — at an incredibly affordable price.
 
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This projector is much brighter than my old 1700 lumen projector (LG RDJT91). The contrast is amazing. The iris setting is great you only have to push one button to switch between optimum daytime and nighttime settings. I can watch anything during the day, and just turn it to its "dynamic" setting. Of course it looks better at night, but that is the nature of the beast. The colors are amazing, the fan is quiet. The only problem with this projector is the zoom range is very narrow. It works great for me though. I have a very wide wall and have the projector setup to fit above the fireplace for 2.35:1 movies. When I watch 16x9 movies I change the keystone setting to shrink the entire image. That way the 2.35:1 movies look best, which makes sense since they are the higher quality films. If you are thinking about buying this one, I highly recommend it, search for the users manual online if you want more information. I paid eight franklins, and it was worth every single one.
 
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