Infocus 4805 projector

Did you ceiling mount this? How hard is it to ceiling mount yourself? Or do you recommend calling someone to do it?

Did you already have a surround sound system?

You are also paying for brightness. This unit has 750 lumens - not bad, but possibly not enough to see a good picture in ambient light. One really nice thing that it has is a long lamp life (4000 hours).

Another really, really handy feature is remote zooming and focusing - usually found on more expensive units but great when you don't have a fixed installation.

"Interested Party", I don't use a mount. I'm just putting it on a small chair when we use it.

If you get the ceiling mount kit thing I don't think it's hard to do yourself as long as you know where to put it up (ie somewhere in the ceiling where it's solid enough to carry the weight).

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I assume you have a surround sound system that you use with the projector...? Which one do you recommend? Also from Crutchfield...?

I don't have a surround system yet, we just use some powered speakers hooked up to the powerbook.

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i am wiring up for a infocus 4805 projector.
i have purched a dvi cable.
my question is which end goes to the projector. (i have not bought it yet) one end has a 27 pin plug and the otheer has a 9 pin gap 9 pin plug
can anyone help

Yea I have seen one in action in my local store, so I have been planning on getting one for a while, I had planned to make the screen also, but then this week on the HomeShoppingNetwork, they are selling it with a 106" screen for $1599 plus $30 for shipping. So I jumped at the deal. Also there is an added bonus of dividing up the payment into 4 payments, no financial charge. So Ima have to reccomend getting it there, also no sales tax, bling bling!!!

I recently purchased one too. We're loving it. Have yet to view an HDTV program yet, but if it's anything like the DVD it should be awesome. I purchased my w/screen for $1405 @Sam's Whse.

Hello,
I plan to get it and connect DirectTV into its DVI port. If the projector is ceiling-mounted, how do I get audio to my speakers on the floor ? Do I connect something from the projector to my Sony Cinema Receiver, for surround effect ?
Perhaps there is a retailer who would answer questions like these ? I am near Tysons Corner in Northern Virginia...
Thanks!

Has anyone compared the 4805 model to the next levels up that InFocus makes (the 5000, 5700, and the higher/more expensive ones).
I am wondering if the $700 extra cost for the 5000 model, would actually be worth it for better resolution (1280x720), more lumens (1100) but less contrast (1200:1)? Has anyone checked this out?

Mike, isn't the 5000 an LCD projector rather than DLP?

I looked at the 5700 (specs only, didn't have a chance to see them "in action") and for me the extra cost wasn't worth it. It'll be different when HD-DVDs come out, but by then a higher resolution projector will be much cheaper.

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Just got my 4805 last evening. All I can say is Wow. The picture quality is fantastic. I was just using a blue sheet and the picture was crystal clear. Can't wait to see it on a Draper 106" screen. I would suggest buying it over any of the big screen TV's I have seen and at the price I paid (1399.00 Projector and 106" screen)it is actually cheaper than most of them. It will definately be easier to move around if I need to.

I keep hearing about the fan noise on the 4805. Is it so loud that if you have a surround system will you still hear the fan? I am interested in this model as well as the benQ pe5120. The faster color wheel and possible better picture are steering me towards the infoucs, but the lumens and higher fan noise are also steering me away to the benQ. Any thoughts?

I am considering buying an InFocus projection system but I'm concerned about the high cost of lamp replacement (anywhere from $300 on up)for one and according to the spec sheet I looked at the InFocus uses two. Can anyone put my fears to rest. I'm not a a techie so descriptions such as 4,000 hours don't mean much to me. Just how long do they last in days/years under average use (say three hours a day). Thanks.

Regarding fan noise: I was worried about that too, but we haven't had a problem with it. We usually run it on the "low light" setting and there we don't have any problem with the noise. I suppose it depends on where you are sitting compared to the projector. If it's very warm in the room it might get noisier, I'm not sure.

Regarding lamp life: 4,000 hours at 3 hours a day should work out to about 3 years. As this is my first projector I can't really tell if it really works out that way or not. :-)

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Thanks for the response on the fan noise. I too have heard that the low lap mode is the way to go with regards to fan noise. However in low lamp mode, do you notice the picture quality being any different then in high lamp mode? i.e. dimmer, less quality?

For now I plan on using it in a space with very little light. But there may be times where I will have a lamp on.

I guess what I am asking is if the projector is in low lamp mode, and say you had a lamp with lamp shade with a 60-75watt bulb turned on in the room, will the light from the lamp wash out the image on the screen. Again the projector will be on low lamp mode.

Also I am curious why projectors have a low lamp and high lamp mode in the first place. Is one for a darker environment where brightness is not an issue, or is it just for longevity (i.e lamp life?)

I have had my 4805 for a couple of months now and I am still blown away by how clear the picture is. I am lucky enough to have a basement and a room in it's center with no light coming in, which I has become my theater. I have no probs with fan noise or picture as I can close it off and turn up the surround. There is fan noise but I don't notice it anymore than I notice my computer fan...if you turn everything else of and really focus on it you can here the fan. But if you aren't anal like that it's perfect. My only concern is lamp life. I sure hope it lasts the full 4000 hrs. Is there anywhere to get a replacement cheaper than the $333.00 on the Infocus page?

I have a question about the 16:9 infocus 4805 Projector. It says it is native 16:9, but what happens when you watch a DVD that is released in 1.85:1 or 2.39:1. I understand you will still get the black bars, but does it effect the image, does it stretch or squash the image? IN effect wouldI have to watch the movie in 4:3 projector mode?

Thanks.

1.85 or 2.39:1 movies just get "black bars" at the top of the bottom of the image.

The fan noise is quite audible. We have it set up in a room next to sleeping kids, we can't just blast them out. It is more than 50 dB SPL, like a loud computer fan, at the low lamp setting. OTOH, the picture quality is outstanding, and you get used to the fan noise - it is not really bothersome. Movies with other aspect ratios have black bars but make the full screen width in 16:9 mode. 4:3 mode is smaller horizontally. The fan noise definitely seems like something that could be worked out in the model. If I were buying again I would make the salesman plug in each unit, put it in low and high lamp mode, and check out how loud it is.

my fan went out and so did the lamp Iwas to get a e-mail from you still waiting.

Please, I am to buy my first projector and i have heard a lot about the 4805. Here I saw the noise is a problem, but I would like to learn abou the matter regarding 16:9 e 4:3. The 4805 is native 16:9 but.. is it possible to see TV with the 4805? How will the image be?

Someone has asked if the eco mode of the lamp has anything to do with projecting in a lighter room.. has it?

Thank you

does anyone have a whining noise while the projector is running? If that is the fan noise, it's really loud. It's a loud high-pitched whine.

please let me know what you all have experienced

andrew

Hi Andrew,

Yes! Sometimes, but only while it's "warming up"... By the time we're ready to watch a movie or whatever after turning it on it's gone again.

I've meant to call them about it, but I haven't bothered because the sound goes away before it gets annoying. :-)

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Hi Claudia,

It can show 4:3 pictures fine, it will just not be as wide.

We actually always run ours in "economy mode". I didn't realize it until I read about it and wanted to turn it on... (and saw that I had done that already).

The image gets a little bit brighter (not much at all) if you turn eco mode off, but the fan gets a bit loud, so I don't think it's worth it.

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Bought a new Infocus 4805 and using it with my JVC DVD Player, using component Video cable (25 ft). Everything is great except one thing !! I get blue screen, with message as setting up video. This happens everytime in begining when I play the DVD, almost everytime before switching to the root menu after the movie previews .. and ocassionally during the movie. It last for 5-10 sec. Is this normal or this is a problem ?

Also sometime when I skip track .. or jump to a different scene, ocassionally I have noticed that projector gets confused instead of 480i it thinks of it as 720i and part of the image is magnified and rest goes beyond the screen area and lost.

Any Ideas ?

-Arijit

I just purchased a 4805 and the entire family is really impressed with the picture. We have experienced one problem however; there are lines that occasionally scroll from the bottom to the top of the picture. It seems more pronounced when the image is dark. I am using S video cable running about 15 feet.

Any suggestions or ideas?

Thanks,

Dale

Regarding the aspect ratios of the projector, you basically get four different settings that you can switch between at the push of a button depending on your needs.
If your picture size is basic 4:3 TV size, just change the ratio using the button on the remote until it looks right on the screen. If your picture demands a 16:9 ratio, then again just use the remote to change the aspect ratio. And for those very wide letterbox images that a lot of movies have, there are settings for those too. Just change the aspect ration until it looks right on the screen. It is really very very easy, just the push of a button.
Someone also mentioned it needing two lamps? No...it has one lamp that opporates in one of two modes.
I've had mine for a year now, and it works fantastic. The picture is amazing. Whats more, mine is ceiling mounted so I am very very glad that all the controls you need to run this bad boy is on the remote. There is even an on screen menu that will allow you to go deeper into customizing the picture than you could on any regular TV.
The fan noise isnt even as bad as a lot of people think it is. Sure, you can hear it in a quiet room, a low grade buzzing no worse than some computers I have known. But unless you are sitting right next to it you dont notice it at all when watching a movie. Like street noise or any other constant background noise, it simply gets ignored by your head after a while...if you can hear it at all!
A bit of advice for those looking at expensive screens. The picture size for this projector is best at around 90 to a 100 inches diaganal, although you can certainly get bigger if you want. But screens that size cost as much as the projector does.
A MUCH cheaper route is to simply buy the screen material and build a wall mounted frame out of 1x4 for it. I got enough screen material for two 100 inch screens for about $60 and after building my frame my total cost for a rigid theater quality screen was less than $80. Building your own frame has one other advantage. You can size the frame to fit the picture size you end up with, depending on the room size. You wont get anything too big or too small.

As someone who is using a 4805 for everyday movie viewing, I love it. There is nothing in the price range that can compete as far as picture quality goes. If you're going to be watching mainly movies on it, it's perfect. I would have preferred a higher resolution projector for internet browsing, but at the inflated price point ($3400 for an Infocus 7205, the only (IMO) suitable replacement) I decided to go with this. Mine's ceiling mounted - it's very easy to do. Buy a stud finder for $7 from Walmart and go to town. :)

Hi everyone,

im planing on opening a small theater in my home town, so can you guys give me some good advices on witch projector a should buy.

* dont think that ill be needing lot of lumens cause ill use a very dark room.

* 25 ft image size, something that 30 to 60 people can enjoy.

* Price something around $1000 - 1500

* Good resolution (for the price)

Thank you very much

Purchased 4805 in april 2006. Fan noise not noticeable with surround sound. Polk audio. 800.00. I purchased at circuit city for 849.00.
106 " screen grey wolf. Picture not clear for playstation. Writing,subtitles blurry. Picture not as clear as I expected. Any suggestions?should I go to infocus 5700?

Beth,

Do you have your projector projecting "straight on" the screen? (ie not sideways or up or down).

There should be something in the manual about how to adjust if you have the picture going up or down....

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i have one blinking red light. does this mean i need a new bulb? according to the manual it could be something else. But i have done all i can.;

Hi everyone. my 4805 which I've had for about 8 month now has develope a dark bar going down the left side of the picture. does anyone have any idea on what is causing this? Need help!!

Geo: If it's only 8 months old I think it'd still be on warranty - call Infocus! :-)

Anyone figured out what the dark bar is yet? I have one on my projection and don't want to buy a new lamp if it is something else.
Thanks.

I have 1100 hours on my lamp and use my laptop, HD Cable, JVC 402B with HDMI switching and a Toshiba Progressive Scan DVD player. I am flabbergasted that everybody is talking about lamps and nobody has mentioned that for $89 you can get a 1 year warranty on your bulb with no time limit on the original. use it everyday and in a couple months, I will get a new lamp for only the $89 I paid for the warranty. You may purchase the warranty at the InFocus store at their website. You have 90 days from purchase to activate this warranty.

Hi everyone. I have a 4805 and my screen suddenly became darker than it used to be. Does this mean its time to change the lamp or is it another problem?? I bought it used so i dont know how many hours the lamp has. thanks

Anyone getting a blinking red light after replacing the bulb: What you need to do is hold the volume + and - buttons down simultaneously for 10 seconds so that it resets the lamp hours. After it does that, the projector should turn on fine for you.

I have a solid red light on my InFocus X2 projector. Does anyone have a fix for this? I do not want to have to send it in to technical support for $260. If anyone has any suggestions, please fill me in!

We discovered that AFTER installing a new bulb, the lamp still did illuminate and that the red light continued blinking. The problem we found was that the new bulb had been mis-wired, right out of the box. Once we plugged the wires into the sockets of the connector to mimic the old bulb, the new bulb worked just fine. Gotta rag on those QA folks for letting one slip by!

I have the 4805 as well. I have had it for about a year, and we only use it maybe once every other month. I was wondering, when we watch DVD or Directv we can see a slight different shade of color going slowly up the screen. I am using component video, what is this caused from? It's driving me crazy.....