Sanyo PLV-70 User Manual

The BIG Picture Review:

Sponsored in part by:

Sanyo PLV -70 Multimedia LCD

Video Projector

Reviewed by Jeff McNeal

Sanyo's Leaner, Meaner, and improved Scaler Slayer

Wrapping up three delightful weeks with the new Sanyo PLV-70 is a bittersweet experience.
The longer it took me to write the review, the more time I could spend with this smart
successor to the very popular PLV-60, which really impressed us.

There are only two PLV-70 production units floating around the U.S. as I write this, and we're

grateful to have
been allowed to
spend so much
time with one of
them. As
comparisons
between the PLV­70 and its
predecessor are
inevitable, let's
start with what's

changed between the two models.

about two inches. The lens is now offset slightly to one side, rather than being placed square in the middle. Gone is

ingress has been the bane of LCD projectors of all makes

The most exciting aspect of these changes are that they are all for the better, many of them corrections of attributes
that we found less desirable in the PLV-60. This should be regarded as excellent news for those familiar with the
PLV-60 and who like it.

The width of the new case is about the same as the PLV-60, but the length on the PLV-70 has been shortened by
the hard power switch. If the PLV-70

is plugged in, it's on standby.

Gone too are one of the filters,
bringing the total to just two, which
have been relocated to the side of the
unit near the integrated carrying
handle, which folds down when not in
use. You access the filters along the
bottom, where a small opening and a
ridge along the bottom edge of the
filter allow you to catch it with your
fingernail or perhaps the edge of an
ATM card or what have you.

It would seem to me that the filters
might have been better placed on the
opposite side of the case from the
handle to thwart the gravitational
properties of dust, a theory that might
bear some fruit as it is my
understanding that both of the production units have been returned to Sanyo to remove dust and in my case -- a
stray fiber of some sort -- that has made it's way into the optical assembly.

I must give kudos to Sanyo's support, however. They
paid for Airborne to pick up the projector on their
account, took care of the problem and sent the unit back
to me the same day they received it. I sent it on a
Tuesday and got it back on Thursday. Of course, dust

since the dawn of the technology, and if my review unit
was any indication, there is still room for improvement.
But relax, that's about the only troublesome news I have
to report...

The other main complaint about LCD projectos, with a
few exceptions, is the visibility of the pixel structure.
While this hasn't posed a great problem for most owners
of the PLV-60, Sanyo chose to incorproate their Micro
Lens Array technology to the PLV-70, rendering pixel
structure as an insignificant issue. Oh sure, if you strain
hard enough from your normal seating position, you can
still see the structure on occasion, but I dare say that you
can probably see it on your computer monitor as well.
For some reason, home theater fans are much more

critical of pixel structure on their projectors than they are

on their PC's. And which do you spend the most time in front of? Go figure.

a movie. Fine for a classroom or the boardroom, but unacceptable for maximum home theater enjoyment.

This leads me to the ambient light issue that troubles so many people who would otherwise love to leap into a front

objects, including the image on the Stewart Grayhawk screen, which is what we tested this projector with.

The case, aside from being reduced in length and reconfigured (the connectors are now all on the back side), has
gained a special data port on the side and is now a handsome midnight blue color, which might be easily mistaken
for black until closer examination.

The PLV-60 was downright sexy in it's silver metallic case, but the PLV-70 disappears into typical home decor a
lot easier -- something that your better half will probably appreciate. Few decorators want to arrange their room
furniture and accessories around a projector. Also missing from the line-up is the annoying two-stage fan from the
earliest PLV-60 units, which couldn't help but distract when it would ramp up to a higher speed while you're
watching
The fan is now larger for better efficiency, and quieter. In fact, I could barely notice it at all during the quietest
passages in a movie. Your home PC fan is probably no quieter. At just over 17 lbs, the PLV-70 is a few pounds
lighter than its predecessor, too.

Another significant change not noticeable is the switch from
Sony to Epson TFT active matrix LCD panels. They're still
1366 x 768 dots as they are on the PLV-70, but the MLA not
only reduces the perceived pixel size, it also better
concentrates the light output, allowing the 200 watt bulb to
reach an amazing peak of around 2000 ANSI lumens, which
is the brightest projector I've had the pleasure of reviewing
yet.

I'm beginning to think of light output in the same terms as I
do audio amplifiers. All that wattage may not be necessary,
but it's nice to have in reserve when you need it. And
somehow, the extra output not only gives you more flexibility
but also a cleaner signal to enjoy. It's the difference between
huffing and puffing when you're close to the limit versus
cruising down the highway in overdrive.

projection system. The PLV-70 handled ambient light in a very impressive manner even under the harshest of
conditions. I took a series of digital photos that will describe the various ambient to full on lighting scenarios.

The most important fact to consider while viewing these images are that they do not accurately reflect how bright
the interior of the theater room really is. The reflected light from the projector and/or the outside windows is so
bright, that the camera compensates by reducing the exposure and creating the impression of a dimly lit scene, that
is really anything but. Just remember that everything in the image is relative in terms of the contrast between lit