I’m looking to get something to use maybe a couple times a week while at a vacation home in the summer. I’d primarily be sending video from my iPhone 5s to an Apple TV and on to the projector. Are the LED ones (like the Q5) worth my time if I don’t have good light control? If I don’t need it to be portable, am I much better off with the cheapest DLP projector with an HDMI connector? The D554 is six times the lumens and half the cost of the Q5. So I wonder if maybe the Q5 isn’t really such a great option. Any advice would be appreciated.
It says these are factory reconditioned… Does that mean the bulbs are used?
The bulbs may have some used hours on them but should still have plenty of life left in them.
All of Vivitek’s reconditioned products have substantially less than 100 hours on the lamp. 99% of the time it is less than 25 hours. A lot of times, they will only have a few hours on them.
In for one, the D853W. Upgrading from an old SVGA resolution so I’m pretty excited.
In a situation where light cannot be controlled- I would probably go with the D554. The D554 also has he included feature of being able to do 3D blu-ray.
The Q5 however has its advantages. If light can be controlled somewhat- the Q5 is bright enough for a room and you dont ever have to worry about changing a lamp due to it using LEDs. It also has a higher resolution- You can move up to the D557WH and that is a higher resolution and brightness.
Between the two- The D554 is probably the better option in my opinion since you said it would be used a few times a week on vacation in the summer, so lamp life probably is not a huge concern.
So, which of these projectors might work best for me? I’d like to use it in our meeting room at the hall to put the game on while we do fund raisers, dinners, etc. Thinking of ceiling mounting it and hanging a pull down screen. Since I’d be using my own money and contributing it’s use for events, price is a consideration…
From the information that you have given, I believe that the D853w would be the best option, although any of the projectors could be ceiling mounted. The D853w is bright with WXGA resolution which will match up with HD sport programming perfectly. It is also a very good price for what you are looking to do.
You may also want to look at the D927tw, it will also be a very good choice with a shorter throw, making it closer to the screen if the room doesn’t have too much space to mount at a further distance.
I am very new to this but it seems the D557WH is better bang for your buck compared to the D853W. Both are similar but the D557WH offers 15000:1 contrast ration vs 3200:1 for the D853W.
Is there a reason why I would want the D853W over the D557WH (both are same cost)?
Thanks, Doug. I’ll look those two over again. I was considering the D554, and not just because it was the cheapest. 
Depending on your needs-
The D853W has more connectivity options than the D557WH. It has RJ-45, DVI, audio ports, 12v trigger- just to name a few.
The D557WH is 3D blu-ray capable with 1.4 HDMI.
Both are great options but it really depends on what you are using it for.
I ended up going with the Q5. I’m a sucker for super compact technology.
Does this projector work on 3D satelite cable channels via HDMI?
I currently have a Vivitek H1082 being used in a home-theater. How is the D557WH in comparison? Would it be an upgrade in image quality if I replaced my H1082 with this? It seems like the native resolution and Aspec of the H1082 alone would provide a superior image to the D557WH, no? It would be used primarily for watching Blu Ray discs and HD TV.
Does anyone know how much a replacement lamp goes for and where you can get one from?
Out of the remaining projectors, which one would(if any)be better for viewing football games and movies in a garage in HD.Looks like 720p is all thats left. I need to upgrade mine. I do from time to time view outside games and movies on a 200+ inch screen. I don’t need a short throw. i am set up ok now–Thanks
It should if it has an option to do Side-by-Side or Over-and-Under
I am so bummed out. Finally I got my wife to agree on getting me a projector and just as I was about to buy the Vivitek D557WH it sold out and is now no longer in stock. :'(.
Is there any chance there is one left somewhere in the corner of the warehouse or fell off a truck? Maybe someone cancelled there order? Any way this would be re-stocked? Somehow?
vivitekdoug?
The D554 and D557WH will work with satellite 3D cable channels via HDMI.